Transfer topics

[woowoo]

Since so many of us have transfers this month, can we discuss transfer procedures and recommendations?

I was surprised with a few pieces of my transfer instructions.  One, they are recommending best rest for the day of transfer.  Is this normal?  We are flying back home later that day, and my Dr. is clearing my to fly since it's such a short flight, but now I'm a little freaked out by this.  Are they just being overly cautious so I don't say...go waterskiing that day or something? 

Also, they are saying no sex/orgasm for 8 WEEKS if we end up pregnant. What the what?

But there were no directions about anything else post transfer...food, drugs, etc. etc. 

Those of you that have had successful or otherwise transfers have any experiences or best practices to share?  Thank you!

[thoseareradishes]

My clinic wanted you to go back to normal activities after transfer. I didn't even have to lay down for x minutes after - in fact, they rushed me up. I was like, geez, can my H hand me my underwear to put on before I get up?!

The no sex thing is pretty typical - I think mine was until heartbeat, which is after 6 weeks.

The only other thing they told me was act pregnant - so follow all "rules" for pregnant women.

[shauni27]

I do not remember having any rules other than no running or crossfit until about 8 weeks after transfer. They said to take it easy right after the transfer and enjoy a relaxing day at home but I honestly felt like I probably didn't even need that. They might have said something about no intercourse, but I honestly do not recall.

They did have me lay in place on the OR table for about 20-30 minutes after transfer, but that was it.

I think you will be absolutely fine flying home.

[scm1011]

My RE is pretty conservative, and banned me from running while cycling last time and then again post-successful transfer for 12 weeks. This time we came to a compromise and I'm limited to 8 miles a week leading up to transfer, but I'll probably be given the no running rule post-transfer again. We'll see Friday!

I don't remember the no intercourse rule. Frankly after the misery that was TTTC sex I was fine with a break lol.

I think you'll be fine to fly!

[pooh8402]

Clinic #1: full bladder, stayed on the table for ~15 minutes after transfer, "take it easy" for day of. That was IVF/transfer #1 and BFP #1. No vigorous exercise, but yoga (no inversions), swimming, walking and biking were okay. She was worried about ovarian torsion more than anything though (my ovaries are giant during stims).

Clinic #2: full bladder, stayed on the table for 45 minutes (they did straight cath to empty my bladder for me), bed rest for 48 hours. That was FETs #2 and 3 after IVF #2. BFNs.

Clinic #3: half full bladder, stayed on the table 10 minutes, "take it easy" for day of. IVF/transfer #3 and BFP #2.

All 3 had orders for pelvic rest until 6 weeks. Our first, we didn't have sex until like 8 weeks because we were nervous. I was completely fine with that, but not DH.

I think you'll be fine to fly.

[compassrose]

Huh. Mine just told me to take it easy and no cardio. I did rest before and after because I had acupuncture while there, though.

My doctor also thinks no abstaining is necessary (but it's just gross with the suppositories).

[icedcoffee]

My doctor actually encouraged me to "Take the dog for a long walk this afternoon. It's a beautiful day" right after transfer.

I can't remember being told to abstain. I think I created that rule by myself. I was over TTC sex by then and just wanted to be left alone. This time I'll be on the endometrin inserts so I'm definitely abstaining.

[kellikans]

I had to have a full bladder (I had to pee some out because it was *too* full) and lay on the table for an hour after transfer. I ended up having to use a bed pan because I was going to burst afterward and wanted to relax while laying there rather than stressing about having to pee. Bedrest for the day of transfer, then nothing strenuous and no heavy lifting. I was allowed slow walks. No sex until I was released to my OB at 10 weeks. Ended up not having sex at all the entire pregnancy because of previa.

[seeyalater52]

We did full bladder for transfer and laid down for 10 mins after. Also have directions to abstain from sex until after heartbeat scan. I didn't have any bed rest restrictions but did take it easy the day of transfer. My clinic is big on resuming normal activity.

The thing that has been stressing me out the most was my medication protocol. I had 6.5 doses of PIO before transfer (started with a half dose the 7th day before transfer) as well as 2x a day vaginal suppositories starting the morning of 6 days before transfer. I'm afraid based on protocols from other clinics that we started too early and I'm not sure their rationale for doing so. You see so much about the 120 hours of exposure to progesterone but my time to transfer from the first dose was more like 134 hours... kind of makes me worried although I'm trying not to stress about what is already done.

[EllieT]

I’ve done two transfers, one successful and one not. I got absolutely no restrictions. They are very much into live your life as normal. We did not have sex until I was something like 15-18 weeks but that was due to feeling icky and gross with the progesterone suppositories and then prolonged morning (all day) sickness.

[King26]

My transfer was full bladder, lay on table for 20 minutes, take it easy that day. No sex/orgasm for 8 weeks. I'll be honest....after 4 IVF cycles no sex was fine with both of us. Plus we were both so scared of a m/c we didn't have intercourse for a long time.

[woowoo]

Thank you everyone for your feedback. I think I'm letting stuff get in my head because I'm working through two different clinics in two different states and they each use different protocols/procedures. It's freaking me out that two different Dr's (both with great success rates) can have different opinions. Makes me realize how much of this is not an exact science.

[cherryvalance]

Honestly, although every aspect is nerve wracking, transfer is particularly difficult because there's really nothing to do. It's all chance.

Each transfer, I've been told to come with a full bladder, to take it easy the rest of the day (although I was told I could go to work if I chose), and pelvic rest. I'm pretty sure my RE recommended waiting until after first tri to have sex, which we've done both times. For this past transfer, the doctor who did it was willing to write me out for a few days, lol, just in case I needed a break.

[pooh8402]

woowoo, it's not. The transfer is really the last part that is in the RE's hands. After that, it's up to fate, chance, or God, whatever you prefer, that causes the embryo to implant. The week after transfer is THE MOST STRESSFUL and prayerful week for me when doing fertility treatments.

[woowoo]

Sept 14, 2018 8:31:11 GMT -5 pooh8402 said:

woowoo , it's not. The transfer is really the last part that is in the RE's hands. After that, it's up to fate, chance, or God, whatever you prefer, that causes the embryo to implant. The week after transfer is THE MOST STRESSFUL and prayerful week for me when doing fertility treatments.

So all this bed rest/not bed rest, no sex, don't sneeze B.S. is all just another way to put ownership on us women whether this works? 

This is what makes me so angry.  And even though my husband or family would not in a million years say anything, I feel like if I DON'T lay around all weekend and do workout the week post transfer everyone will wonder if it's my fault it didn't work.  And I would wonder too. 

I know I need to get a handle on this anxiety but gah.  I need a hug.

[pooh8402]

Sept 14, 2018 8:55:44 GMT -5 woowoo said:

Sept 14, 2018 8:31:11 GMT -5 pooh8402 said:

woowoo , it's not. The transfer is really the last part that is in the RE's hands. After that, it's up to fate, chance, or God, whatever you prefer, that causes the embryo to implant. The week after transfer is THE MOST STRESSFUL and prayerful week for me when doing fertility treatments.

So all this bed rest/not bed rest, no sex, don't sneeze B.S. is all just another way to put ownership on us women whether this works? 

This is what makes me so angry.  And even though my husband or family would not in a million years say anything, I feel like if I DON'T lay around all weekend and do workout the week post transfer everyone will wonder if it's my fault it didn't work.  And I would wonder too. 

I know I need to get a handle on this anxiety but gah.  I need a hug.

No, that's not it. I didn't mean it that way. The opposite, in fact. I meant that it's out of my hands and my doctor's hands at that point. There's nothing more that I can do, except worry and pray.

There has been research done on different ways improve the chances of implantation. And research is still ongoing. It's just that the research is, as of yet, inconclusive.


Remember that this is still a new field in medicine. And new things are being discovered all the time. Right now, thr recommendations are mostly common sense or simply what the current research is showing to be best practice. Every doctor interprets the research differently though.

[cherryvalance]

woowoo, I never felt my doctor was attempting to put the success directly on my shoulders. It's more that the fact of the matter is, there is an element if chance or magic or whatever to conception. They can't literally implant the embryo and force it to stick (contrary to the belief of the general public, lol).

I've always viewed it as IVF or whatever treatment is just basically getting you to the same level as a regularly functioning couple. Sure, there might be some slightly better odds, but generally, it's just fixing what's not functioning at 100%. Even people with no issues don't get pregnant every month, kwim? There's still that last step that's uncertain.

So, I would say there are some things that *might* increase odds, but I'm sure there will be a ton of anecdotes of people who didn't do anything and still had successful transfers. I do a couple of woo things because they make me feel better and like I'm doing something, but it's just preference.