Planning

Our current plan is to start our 1st IVF cycle in February of 2012. That is exactly 9 months away from right now and I'm sure the time will go quickly as it already has since DS (Darling Son) was born. I am still breastfeeding DS and plan to wean him this summer after his first birthday. I have contacted a few IVF clinics and know that most of them require that I have at least 3 normal menstrual cycles after weaning before they will start IVF (I have not even had ONE period since DS was born). Since I will have weaned by this summer, I am sure that will leave plenty of time for my body to adjust back to normal fertility cycles before February.

One doctor I talked with said that I should begin consultations about 6 months before my expected IVF cycle. So in my case, I plan to start scheduling consults around August. I have not decided which doctors I am going to consult with, but I have a few in mind (See list below).

My husband and I feel strongly that we would not like to have twins (of course if fate see fit to give us twins we would welcome them lovingly, but we are not going to TRY to have twins). Which means we will have a SET (Single Embryo Transfer-- 1 egg placed in the uterus at a time). In order to increase our chances that our SET will be a success, we have done research and feel like GSN is our best bet (Gene Security Network-- tests more of the DNA of the embryo to find the healthiest egg which will be the most likely to result in a healthy baby). Of course GSN will also let us know which embryos (eggs) are boys and which are girls. If we are lucky, we will have more than one healthy girl egg and we can freeze them for future FET's (Frozen Embryo Transfers) if our first cycle fails. However, I am optimistic and crossing my fingers to be one of the lucky few OHW's (one hit wonders)

Our list of clinics we are interested in.

1. Dr. Potter with HRC
• He is very well-known and respected amongst the GD community.
• Works with GSN
2. Dr. Shaykh with AFP in Northeast Florida
• Very close to where I live
• Works with GSN
3. Dr. Denker with Palm Beach Fertility Center
• Reasonably close to where I live and have heard success stories from GD community.
• Works with GSN
4. RBA in Atlanta
• Reasonably close and have heard success stories from GD community.
• DOES NOT work with GSN though...

Of course I still have a few months to make adjustments to the list of doctors we consult with so I am keeping my mind open and trying to watch others in the GD community and who they use and whether they have positive or negative things to say.

So far this is really as much as I have done. I'm sure this blog will be slow for a few months because February is still 9 months away and things probably won't pick up until it gets closer to D-day. 

I am SUPER excited to get the process started, but in the meantime I am just enjoying every minute with my beautiful DS and watching him grow and learn new things every day!!!