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Preparing for IVF: Mums Advice

Preparing for IVFMy partner and I cannot have children naturally so we are preparing for IVF .I’m wondering what couples did to prepare themselves? We’re thinking of beginning our family in the next year or two, but I want to be as prepared as possible. I understand it’s going to be an extremely emotional process but I’m just after general advice on the whole process, how others coped, the success rates? Anything really. Thank you in advance.

  • IVF is a roller coaster of a journey. My advice is to trust where your cut off point is. I did 6 rounds & copious drugs as I had natural killer cells in my uterus. I was ready to stop & was peaceful about it & then got pregnant on the final go. I now have a 3 month little girl. Miracles do happen! I bought a pet & that helped keep me sane. some days are hard some days are easier. It’s all worth it. I started a blog where I could get things off my chest! Marissa
  • Don’t listen to other people’s experiences and problems regarding ivf too much. Just go into it with a day by day attitude and take it as it comes. It’s much easier to cope with, and I know easier said than done but just relax. We had people who had done it do the whole “oh, the needles and this and that are so horrible.. blah blah blah..” it just makes you stress, so don’t listen to them. Good luck, it’s an exciting journey either way. Kelly
  • Everyone’s journey is so different and everyone faces different challenges look at everything as the next step don’t focus on the end result. Get yourself a support network either online or actual people I found forums very helpful cause they were right there with me but my mum and sister and hubby were invaluable as well. And if things don’t work straight away take time to grieve is Ok to cry. Fingers crossed for the best possible journey for u xx Lucy
  • I think getting to understand the science helps to deal with things when they don’t go to plan. Do some research into supplements that help with egg and sperm quality. Give up yhe smokes, if you smoke. Cut down on alcohol. Get fit. All these things help and you both need to do it. Research your fertility specialist options and don’t be afraid to spend a little bit of money to find the right one for both of you. Definitely agree with finding a support group. The ones online are great, because they are on the journey too and ‘they get it’ and can be a font of knowledge to help you to have an informed discussion about your treatment with your specialist. Keep in mind your first stim cycle is really an experiment to see how your body responds to the drugs. If you are successful first cycle, awesome! Try to be realistic, it is a numbers game and can take a few cycles to get the right embryo. I ended up looking forward to each cycle, as I felt I was doing something proactive and taking charge of my infertility. If you feel yourself heading towards depression, please please please seek professional help. Most of all, good luck! The success makes it all worth it. Carla
  • My cousin struggled for years trying to conceive through IVF with numerous failures but after 8 years were blessed with the most amazing little girl, also on their last try. When asking her for advise when my hubby and I started trying, she said the following: Love each other unconditionally and never stop communicating, know your cut off point and always remember that you are not alone – be sure to gather your closest family and friends together to tell them about the journey you are going to start and to have them there for the good times and the bad. All the very best to you x Jo
  • Really really think about it. We only had the money for one round and on the Friday they told us I had some good sized eggs, then I went through the egg retrieval on Monday and got told I had no eggs. It was a complete waste of my time and money. Claire
  • Ivf is the most horrible thing I have ever had to go through, but also gave me the best gift I could ever ask for.. best advice I have is to see a councilors.. no question about it you will go crazy.. also have acupuncture along with the ivf.. wishing you the best of luck in you lifes next journey xx Katy
  • When I started my journey with ivf I focused on being healthy. I got fit, watched my food, ate only healthy nutritious food. I also watched my stress levels I did yoga and meditation. I also read a lot so I was mentally prepared. I spoke to others who went through this too. I was given less than 20%chance of even getting an egg! I now have a beautiful 6mnth old daughter. Good luck. Michelle
  • IVF is indeed a bit of a roller coaster, but I didn’t find it to be nearly as bad as a lot of the stories I’d heard. I’m not a big fan of needles (not that anyone is), but I didn’t mind the whole injecting myself thing. I did get a bit of nausea and a fair few headaches, and some pain in my ovaries, but it really wasn’t too bad. My moods were ok (but I’m not an overly moody person) but the hardest part is the two week wait after an implant. My advice is to treat the first couple of full cycles as a sort of testing and adjustment period. Your doc will put you on the drug regime they think will work best for your situation but it may need some tweaking, and your body does need some time to get used to the drugs and going through the process of “fooling” it into thinking you’re pregnant naturally. The success rate increases from the 3rd full cycle onwards I think because the doc has worked out the right regime and your body is more used to the intervention. So just be patient and bide your time and know that everything you’re feeling is normal and completely ok. It also helps to have a trusted group of friends and family to support you. I know a lot of people who’ve had IVF and by far the majority went on to have beautiful babies in time. Veronique
  • I thought IVF was going to be the worst was going to be the hardest thing I’ll ever do yes it was the most emotional thing I’d ever done but I really surprised myself on how strong I was and that I was able to give myself needles. U need a big support system around u always remember ur husband as he is going thru this with you communication is so important its financially and emotionally taxing on a relationship.The success rate really depends on what the problem is in the first place we had our miracle babe second time around and got 3 frozen 5 day old embryos. If you need to know anything feel free to PM me I’m happy to answer all questions. Best of luck and be positive x Maria
  • IVF was very hard for me emotionally. Our boys were our fourth embryo transfer after 2.5 yrs of trying. Physically, I found it easy. EPU was a bit uncomfortable like any procedure, but I was lucky not to have any side effects from the medications. Injections are so much easier than you’d think. It’s worth it in the end. Just have a good idea of where you’d draw the line if continually unsuccessful. Don’t put off holidays and fun times because of the journey either. Its time you’ll never get back so don’t let IVF control your emotions and decisions. Easier said than done. Best to have a good support network. I never kept it a secret, friends, family and my whole workplace knew. It was just easier for me…. Steph
  • My only additional suggestion on top of what’s been said is look into acupuncture. There are therapists that specialise in women’s fertility and will ‘treat’ you throughout the journey. I had a chemical pregnancy in July (prior to starting acupuncture) and finally got two sticky bubs after a transfer in October. It helped to lower my anxiety, a better sleep pattern, made me more in tune with my body in general. Some FS recommend acupuncture treatment too Mia
  • We had two children via IVF and we chose to not tell anyone not even my own mother knew what we were going through and we just announced we were expecting our first we then told them what had been going on. It was the best thing I ever did. My dog knows everything about what we went through hehe I ended up in hospital for two weeks with ovarian hyper stimulation it was aweful but knowing no one knew I was there made things easier I didn’t want people worrying or causing me any extra stress. When I got discharged we were told we were 4 weeks pregnant with our first. IVF is very personal no two journeys are the same. Do what works for you and be prepared for a hard slog. I have a beautiful 3.5 yr old boy, 1.5 yr old girl and just had a naturally concieved boy 8 weeks ago! Miracles really do happen – sending you lots of baby dust for your journey. Xx Natalee
  • My husband and I are pregnant with our first which was done via ivf one of the best things I found was being open about it to close friends and family as you need support and so will your husband, if you want to pm me feel free there is def highs and lows and it is hard on your body emotionally I didn’t find the injections etc too bad but everyone is different it was more the waiting times etc for results and to start new cycles etc i wish I had done more things like meditation etc to just try and relax the mind a bit. Also people will keep saying the same things over and over they are really just trying to be positive and helpful for you hope this helps Jessica
  • We had to do ivf and it was pretty sweet. We kept an open mind and tried to remember that we always have options. Luckily it worked the first time and we now have an 11month old!! I went into it expecting nothing and I think that helped a lot! Good luck! Sonia
  • Don’t just rely on each other tell family or a close friend that you can talk to as a vent/stress reliever. Success rates vary on different factors but think positive. Do you have a clinic/specialist yet? Monique
  • Read as much information as you possibly can and when you start don’t expect it to work the first few time generally speaking it take a few goes it took us 5 stimulus cycles on top of a heap of other stuff. Also get them to biopsy your womb lining incase you have too many natural killer cells (easy fix if you do) Chantelle
  • Everyone does IVF differently. We went on a holiday first, which I highly recommend. Also, start treatment towards the start of the year if you can so you can get maximum cycles done in the same calendar year to get the most out of the Medicare safety net. Get recommendations from other couples who have done IVF. Fertility specialists are not created equal. The IVF Australia Facebook group is a good place to get info. The gov are cutting IVF funding, so if you know you really want kids and your partner is loving, reliable and supportive, do not delay baby making. We certainly don’t regret doing IVF. Our daughter is amazing and gives us so much joy. Fifi
  • See if you can join an o line IVF support group. There are a few around. Missy
  • A big thing with ivf is ensuring you’re comfortable with your specialist. They need to be someone who you can talk to openly and honestly and will not disregard your fears, thoughts or emotions, however irrational they may be. So my advice is don’t just go with someone because of price or somethjng like that. Good luck to you! Ps. I have two beautiful boys from 4 rounds. Kelly

If you know someone who is going through IVF right now, check out our tips on what not to say to them.

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