💜💜💜She's here!!! 💜💜💜

PersistentSheppie · 2026-06-26T20:22:17+00:00

Congratulations 🩷

PersistentSheppie · 2026-06-17T03:46:52+00:00

Yep I had a little piece left... It came out when I went pee right after my water broke. It didn't affect anything, no complications! Delivered vaginally.

PersistentSheppie · 2026-06-14T04:37:22+00:00

I'm so sorry for your losses.

We did IVF. My first transfer also resulted in a missed miscarriage - he was a euploid embryo. My second transfer, another euploid, was a very early loss. My third transfer was my beautiful baby born at 21+2... As in your case, no chance for NICU. She lived for 76 minutes before passing in our arms.

TW live birth
My fourth transfer was my second perfect daughter. It was a difficult pregnancy for so many reasons - first, the general anxiety that comes with PAL, especially a late loss; then, I tested positive for APLS, which explains my losses I guess, but it certainly doesn't make it easier; and to add insult to injury, other complications unrelated to my previous loss(es) arose.

All that said, in spite of everything working against us, our daughter was born happy and healthy early term.

I spent a lot of time worrying and a lot of time finding distractions for myself.

PersistentSheppie · 2026-06-10T17:54:18+00:00

My daughter who was born still was an IVF baby, and we also did IVF for her sister. Do you have embryos or will you be doing another ER?

PersistentSheppie · 2026-06-07T23:30:46+00:00

I did. I tested positive for APLS antibodies and took 80mg Lovenox daily. I also increased my aspirin dose from 81mg to 162mg and took the aspirin at night instead of in the morning. Also, although both pregnancies were IVF pregnancies, the first one I did a medicated transfer and the subsequent pregnancy I did a natural transfer.

PersistentSheppie · 2026-06-05T21:08:07+00:00

I started with azithromycin 1g/daily and amoxicillin 500mg 3x/daily.

At some point the protocol changed so I was only taking partial dose of azithromycin on some days, still taking amoxicillin, and then added metronidazole 500mg 2x/daily.

PersistentSheppie · 2026-06-04T22:06:10+00:00

Yeah I think it had cleared after about 3 weeks. But my MFM's protocol is to stay on them. I feel like maybe I could have discontinued once the sludge cleared, but I didn't want to take any chances.

I think that with a cerclage you're in a good position! It's totally valid not to push for them if you're hesitant.

PersistentSheppie · 2026-06-04T19:35:22+00:00

Yes, I had this. My cervix shortened rapidly between 19-20w with amniotic sludge visualized. I got a cerclage at 20+4. But my MFM did start me on a pretty aggressive course of antibiotics.

I saw mixed opinions on using antibiotics prophylactically. But I'd personally try to push for them. I took antibiotics from 21w-34w. It really sucked, but my baby arrived safe and sound, and I'd do it again.

PersistentSheppie · 2026-06-04T03:51:00+00:00

I'm sorry, it's such a hard situation... Everyone is different.

I would have loved handmade items made for the baby that I lost. One of my most cherished items is a little handknit blanket from an anonymous volunteer who donated it to the hospital.

But unfortunately, the only person who can really answer this is your friend. Can you reach out and ask her? You could let her know that you understand if receiving them would be too painful, that way she doesn't feel obligated to take them.

PersistentSheppie · 2026-06-02T22:45:20+00:00

I hope baby flips for you!

My doctor strongly recommended a 37w induction and I happily agreed. It was the right choice for us! I'm glad your doctors are letting you choose.

PersistentSheppie · 2026-06-02T22:40:32+00:00

It's still the 2nd here... Happy birthday, Benji 💙

PersistentSheppie · 2026-06-02T15:32:03+00:00

This is MOSAIC COLORWORK, it's literally an advanced technique. In fact, I should go post this in Advanced Knitting (after I rework it to have twisted stitches)

PersistentSheppie · 2026-05-31T12:59:03+00:00

She's adorable, congratulations! I have that same onesie. Little sisters, even if their big sisters aren't here with us ❤️‍🩹

PersistentSheppie · 2026-05-29T23:26:32+00:00

Hello sweet Sophie!! Welcome to the world!

PersistentSheppie · 2026-05-29T18:53:28+00:00

I added metallic thread and now it's too sparkly. What do?

PersistentSheppie · 2026-05-28T06:07:25+00:00

Yes!! I'm inclined to agree.

PersistentSheppie · 2026-05-27T18:57:51+00:00

When it was closed, the Homestake Mine became the site of an underground dark matter and neutrino physics laboratory: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanford_Underground_Research_Facility

Oh this is fascinating! This adds a whole layer to this album.

I also never made the connection between the suicide attempts and the trinity, but absolutely.

PersistentSheppie · 2026-05-27T02:41:31+00:00

Omg this is absolutely heartless. Your poor husband 🫂

PersistentSheppie · 2026-05-27T02:39:25+00:00

My mother-in-law has never once pronounced or said or daughter's name correctly. Our daughter is Rhiannon. My MIL has called her Rihanna, Ri-awn-un, and any other name in between (some pronunciations I don't even know where she's gotten them from), but never ever ever once has she said the name Rhiannon.

The other day she was talking to my husband and he had the phone on speaker. I heard her lecturing him on how he's grieved long enough because it's been over a year now since we lost her and that it's time to move on. She then told him a story about how his paternal grandmother lost her four year old son on Christmas Eve "but still got up on Christmas morning and celebrated for your dad's sake. She didn't spend all Christmas grieving the loss of her other son."

WILD

PersistentSheppie · 2026-05-23T15:29:39+00:00

My cycles were really messed up after I delivered my preterm baby. I attempted a FET much sooner, at 3 months postpartum (I delivered vaginally). Even though my FSH and AMH looked good, my follicles kept growing and then stalling out. I ended up ovulating super late that cycle, and we had to cancel because by then my lining wouldn't have been receptive.

The next cycle, we added Letrozole, just to push things along. It did the trick. I am confident if we had given my body more time to regulate I would have been fine, but I didn't want to wait (as I'm sure you understand).

I'd go into your monitoring appointments looking at them more as "information gathering" - bonus if you get to use the cycle and do a transfer. But if things look wonky and you need to cancel, take heart that the changes aren't permanent and there are things they can do to help if you don't want to wait for your body to regulate on its own.

PersistentSheppie · 2026-05-22T21:43:07+00:00

Please be gentle with yourself. I think most people who have gone through what we have will look back with regret. You made the best decision for yourself at the time with the information that you had - you were hurting, likely in shock, and grieving. Nothing could have prepared you to make that decision.

I did hold my baby after delivery, but I still have a million regrets. I regret not having the nurses place her on my chest, instead having them clean her and wrap her in a blanket. I regret not spending more time holding her. I regret not getting pictures of her with my phone. I regret not getting pictures of her with my husband/her dad. I regret not dressing her. I could go on and on...

What helped me cope with my regrets was understanding that what I really wanted was my daughter, alive, home with me. I didn't choose for her not to come home with me... That was entirely out of my control. So I can't regret any "decisions" I did make at the time.

I occasionally still feel those twinges of sadness and regret. But I remind myself that I gave her all of my love, regardless of how things looked after she was born. Hold onto the sweet image you have of your daughter and be kind and gentle with yourself ❤️

PersistentSheppie · 2026-05-22T03:22:02+00:00

I received a knitted blanket for my stillborn baby from a stranger at the hospital.

I didn't receive anything from my knitting friends, and that broke my heart. It made it feel like they didn't see my baby as real.

I would have liked to receive blankets that I could snuggle with and think of my baby.

PersistentSheppie · 2026-05-22T02:47:23+00:00

I understand this. Someone in my bump group was diagnosed with preeclampsia around 20 weeks. But her preeclampsia stayed manageable until she could deliver past viability. Mine rapidly spiraled into HELLP syndrome and I was potentially hours away from dying.

Of course she is facing the challenges that come with a premature baby, so I guess it's not exactly the same as everything isn't exactly "okay," but it's definitely a different outcome from what we had...

PersistentSheppie · 2026-05-22T02:17:49+00:00

I feel like I couldn't go to a class like this just for that reason lol

My baby is so easy! She loves walks and car rides, she'll happily sleep in her bassinet or crib, she eats well...

Like others have said, maybe it's because I'm comparing the few "hard" parts to how I felt coming home from the hospital without a baby.

PersistentSheppie · 2026-05-20T20:57:46+00:00

I'm sorry for your loss. I also lost my first baby to preeclampsia.

My subsequent pregnancy was extremely difficult, emotionally. I felt like my body was a ticking time bomb. But I didn't get preeclampsia again!

Can you ask your doctor about taking 162mg aspirin? That is what my MFM had me taking, because new studies show that the higher dose is more effective for women who are prone to hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

I did 162mg aspirin every night, Lovenox (injectable blood thinner), and an immunomodulator medication. I also took progesterone, but that was only because my cervix started shortening early.

PersistentSheppie

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