The Transfer

As promised, we’re back to the IVF journey this week, and it’s time to talk about the exciting part of the FET – the actual transfer!

The night before our transfer, Nick and I went out for sushi and cocktails. This would *hopefully* be my last raw fish for a few months. The next morning, we did the same with brunch. I enjoyed some eggs benedict (my fave!) and a mimosa. Once again, this would hopefully be the last I’d enjoy those items for a while. 

When we finished breakfast, we still had plenty of time before we needed to head to the doctor, so we decided to take care of a couple of errands at Lowe’s. That turned out to be a good decision because we ran into a friend there who helped us kill all the time we needed. (Thank you, Stan!)

From there, it was off to the doctor’s office. Even though Nick drove, I had an important job on the ride down… I had A LOT of water to drink.

A few blogs back, I talked about the trial embryo transfer I had, and how I had to have a full bladder for the procedure. That day, drinking 32 oz. of water (plus more when I arrived at the doctor’s office) didn’t give me that “I have to pee so bad it’s painful” feeling, and I was hoping the day of the actual transfer would be the same. 

I dutifully drank the water, but I. Was. Wrong. 

Maybe it was the combination of having a big breakfast (and being really full) and then stuffing more water in my stomach, or maybe something else, but that water went through me quick…

We got to the doctor’s office, and I was in so much pain. My bladder was screaming at me. I went back for a blood draw and then had to wait a few minutes for them to call Nick and I back for the transfer. I could hardly walk back to the prep room. 

Fortunately, they did allow me to partially relieve myself before the procedure. They gave me a small cup and recommended I fill it up and then stop. 

That helped SOOOOO much. (Thank you nurses for being so understanding!) Nick and I went into the Operating Room (same one I was in for all my egg retrievals), and the ultrasound tech set everything up while Dr. C. was getting ready. 

The ultrasound tech said, “Your bladder is still REALLY full. Are you sure you don’t want to go a little more?” 

I assured her I felt so much better and could handle the procedure and few-minute wait afterward, but she did seem impressed with my tolerance level.

Anyway, a couple of minutes later, Dr. C. came in and greeted Nick and I with her usual friendliness and then explained the procedure. 

She detailed how she was going to clean my lady bits using some of the same media/liquid they use for the embryo (and promised me that I wasn’t accidentally letting anything leak while that happened!) and then she’d put in the speculum. 

After that, she’d insert the outer tube (no embryo yet) and get that right where she wanted it. Finally, she’d take the inner tube (with the embryo!) and place it in the outer tube and then she’d do the transfer. 

“No returns,” she joked!

Before she got started, we got to see our little guy or gal on the TV screen in the room. We also got a new picture of the embryo post-thawing. She said in the morning picture the embryo had expanded (a good sign!), and it had expanded even more just prior to the procedure (more good news!). 

Dr. C. put the speculum in and got to work. After a few minutes, she opted to use a different speculum (apparently, my cervix had decided to sit really high that day). Once the new one was in, we were ready to roll. 

When it was just about time for the embryo to be transferred, the ultrasound tech turned the ultrasound screen so that Nick and I could watch. 

Dr. C. let us know the embryo was about to be inserted, and then we saw a quick flash on the screen! I wasn’t expecting to really see anything. It turns out, the flash of light is actually a bubble, but the embryo is inside the bubble. 

After that was done, all the equipment came out, and I was instructed to wait a few minutes before getting up. After 10 minutes had gone by, I was able to get up and head to the restroom.  

And that was it. A very big and meaningful procedure that only took a few minutes. 

And after the transfer? The biggest thing you do at every stage of IVF… you wait.