Episode 5 - Transfer Day and the Two‑Week Wait

We did the transfer. Now we wait. In this late‑night check‑in three days post‑transfer, we talk about the strange limbo of the two‑week wait... the moment you go from definitely not pregnant to maybe, with nothing left to do but notice everything. We unpack the emotional whiplash of gestational surrogacy (gratitude, grief, relief, and guilt), the uneven mental load between intended parent and gestational carrier, and the quiet panic that sets in after everyone goes to bed.

Then we zoom out and get practical: what’s actually happening after transfer day, from hatching and implantation to hCG, trigger shots, early testing traps, and why beta bloodwork is the real answer. If you’re in the IVF waiting game,  or love someone who is, this one’s for you.

Transcript

0:00

I am also supposed to be decreasing stress funny, um, since this entire process is so stressful. Amen. Hi guys. Welcome back. Welcome, welcome, welcome. Yes. We have a late night episode tonight. I say late, I say late night for me because this is past my bedtime, but. This is what we're gonna do. No. You know what's so funny is we were literally driving home and I'm like, man, I'm getting so sleepy. I'm like, it's gonna be late night. It's gonna be a late night. So, yeah, yeah, yeah. I know you're talking about how Sunday is your family night, which is I love it. I love it. Yeah. Yeah. So yesterday that was, that was the case for you. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We went, we were just out at the park and it was so nice out and I was just like, yeah, not gonna make it home in time to record. So here we are. Yeah, no, for sure. For anyone who's listening on a Monday, or if you're listening to this later. Um, typically Hailey and I record on Saturdays. Um, but this Saturday we took a bit of a rain check and so we pushed it to Sunday. Mm-hmm. Love it, love it. And it was so gorgeous out today too, so Oh my gosh. It was, can't beat that. Can't beat that. Um, but yeah. Oh, and Saturday you ran a 10 k Crazy. Yeah, I did. It was insane. I pr I prd like crazy. Yeah, like insane. Where, I didn't believe it I, I surprised myself for sure. Like do you listen to music? Do you listen to podcasts? Like what's your thing? Oh my gosh. I could not listen to podcasts while I run. Um, my friend Emily's husband, Dane, he runs to books, like audio books and I cannot, I can't fathom that I need music. Hmm. That is like. Pumping me up. Yeah. I end every race with Knuck. If you buck. So that is such a generational song. I love it. That's absolutely fantastic. And Race I Ever Ran End with Not Give You Buck. Matt's gonna lose it when he listens to this. That's like his hype song, I swear to God. Oh yeah, yeah. No, but that makes sense. That makes sense. I not a runner, not a big runner. The longest I would ever run is a 5K and I definitely have to have pump up songs a hundred percent of the time. Because if if it's a no-go, yes. It's a good pump up music. Yeah. It's an automatic skip for me. I, I just can't, it's, yeah. Yeah. Gotta be motivational, right? So yeah, for sure. Awesome, awesome. But yes, let's get to the topic. How are you doing? My mom called me today. She's like, she's like, Celine, how's Hailey doing? Yeah. She's like, how's Hailey doing? I was like, she's doing good. She's like, is she, she. Is she relaxed? Is she stressed? I'm like, mom, I don't know. I don't live with her. I think she's okay. She's like you, you should be checking in on her. I'm like, I don't wanna bombard her mom. Like, I think she's fine. And she's like, okay, just make sure she's not stressing out. And I'm like, I know, mom. I know. Oh my God. So how are you feeling? Okay, number one, is Celine listening to these. Do we know? Um, not yet, but I think I'm gonna let her know that she needs to listen to, does this after today's episode so that she knows you know, where you're at, because she was very concerned. Okay. Shout out. Shout out ma. Um, so, so yeah. Checking in how I'm doing. So I'm doing okay. Um, I think, okay. So let's start like transfer day. I think Transfer day. A little nervous. Um. Didn't fully like, know exactly what I was gonna feel like when, you know the transfer was happening. Um, but after I was like, oh my God, that's it. Like, great. It's, I think it's just more of like a, such a surreal feeling from going from not pregnant to automatically pregnant. Like, yeah, it's, it's just a really weird thing to try to wrap your mind around. I just feel like that whole day I was just, I was, I was very in a po It was a really positive mood just because I was with all you guys. Like we went and got our french fries. We went and had the best, like, the best breakfast ever. I swear to God. The best, the best breakfast. But yeah, I mean, I think it was good. I was, I was totally good that whole day, the next day. I think I started to realize I was being very hypervigilant about everything, which I thought I, I knew I would be like that, but it's to a larger extent, like when they really say like, keep yourself busy, like try to keep your mind off it. Like that's a real thing. Mm-hmm. Um, and I'm sure you know this like. But it's, for me, that's really hard. Um, so of course I have both kids, like they're keeping me busy sometimes. Um, but yeah, in those quiet moments, it's just, there's not enough for me to do. Yeah. To like help, you know what I mean? So I'm just, yeah. Just here picturing everything and hoping my body's doing what it needs to do. That's just really hard sitting there and not being able to do anything besides, you know, staying hydrated, getting sleep, you know, not exercising, you know, taking it easy. It's just like, I want to do so much and there's nothing for me to do. So it's like I have this energy that has nowhere to go. Have you gone on any walks? Oh yeah. So, yeah. Yeah. Walking for sure. And like out with the kids, like just letting them run around and walk with them. So I feel like I'm definitely getting that little bit of activity, but like, you know, I'm very used to doing other stuff, so, so yeah. It's just, I just feel like I have a lot of unspent energy that needs to go somewhere. Um, yeah. No, I think mentally I've been okay. Um, I will say yesterday, um, it was getting close to shot time and usually on the weekends I just kind of spend a lot of time with my parents. Um, that's usually. On weekends where like, Matt works, so then he's sleeping during the day and the last thing I wanna do is like spend the day at the house, like trying to make sure the kids aren't screaming and they really just have nowhere to go. So, so I usually just take them over to my parents. And, um, I remember I was over my parents, we were getting ready for dinner time and like Matt woke up a little bit later just because he needed to, he just slept a little longer. It was no big deal. I realized at like 5:00 PM I was like, I don't have any of my shot stuff because in my head I was gonna come back home with the kids, we are gonna do dinner here, and that just didn't end up happening. So it was getting to that time and Matt was texting me about dinner and my parents were texting or like asking about dinner and like. Mentally I could not focus on dinner until I knew Matt was on the way with the shot stuff. Yeah. Yeah. And like I'm, I bet he was just like so mad at me. And I know we just didn't talk about it, but I was like, I literally texted him, I was like, I cannot make any decisions until you are coming over and I have everything here and I'm good to go. And we get the shot done. Don't get me wrong. I know we have that like. Hour, half hour, whatever, but like, yeah, no, I get it. It was just, I was just so mentally overstimulated. I'm like, I can't, it's 6:00 PM I need to do the shot and then we'll figure out dinner. That's it. No, listen, I remember the very first time I needed John to pack that, like to go bag with the stuff. Yeah. I can't remember where I, I literally don't remember where I was and why he needed to bring it from home. I'm guessing. We just decided to meet somewhere after work. And I remember how stressed I was. I was like, okay, this is what you need. This is the syringe that you need. This is where it's located. This is how many, you know, wipes I need. 'cause I've got like the little alcohol wipes. I'm like, this is how many I'm gonna need. This is this, this and this. Double check. Send me a picture. And he's like, I've got it. I literally do this with you every night. And I'm just bad. You don't understand. I'm just making sure. I think I said put extra syringes in there just in case. That's so real though. So real. This, this is so like terrifying. Yeah. Yeah, so, so I think that was like my first shot, like a mental freakout. Yeah. What did your parents say? I think my mom and my mom listens to these, so it'll be funny. I think my mom 100% knows when I. I'm overwhelmed, like I don't talk, like I am very short and I'm so sorry mom. Um, but I, I really just cannot make decisions when I'm mentally overloaded. And I feel like that does happen a lot to me. And it's not just necessarily about this, but. But yeah. Um, everything was fine. Everyone got fed. The shot was all good on time, so it, it, yeah. I was just like, okay. And then today I was over there again and I was like, in the morning, packed everything. Had it with me. Yes. Good to go. I'm like, not happening again. I'm gonna forever have this packed with me. 1000% get it. Yeah. And don't forget that you have an extra, you have extra pile. Bottles. Yeah. So you can always like pack one and just like mm-hmm. Have that in your purse, basically e your home emergency kit, you know what I mean? Yeah. It's your little emergency kit. It's a great idea. All right, everyone going through this emergency kitten and I'll, uh, I'll actually, I'll actually record a little, uh, video for Yaya to post on like a little, like packing my bag so everyone will see what's in my little progesterone shot bag. So yes. Yeah, fun, love tidbit, but love. But yeah, so overall, doing okay, it is very hard to keep my mind on other things. Yeah. And you know that when you said that, when you were like, it's, you know that you're supposed to keep your mind off of it because you, there's nothing you can do. Mm-hmm. And I think that that is the most real statement when it comes to this, is like I was talking to Andy today. And I was telling her how in IVF, it's a stage. Everything is a stage. You're just waiting for this stage. You're waiting for this. Mm-hmm. You're waiting for that. Even as we went into the transfer, you know, the first step that we need to get to is make sure that the embryo thought out, because if it doesn't thaw out correctly, we can't proceed with a transfer. And so you and I were sitting there and the nurse, the then biologist comes in and she's like. Okay. Just let you guys know it thought out beautifully. It's expanding. And I looked at you and you said it's like step one. Yeah. You said step one done. And it's so real. And that's everything with this. And right now in the two week weight that you're in. You literally have no control and you can't even see in there. I think that's the hardest part. Like I just wanna see, is it doing the thing? And we have no clue for two weeks what is happening in there. Yeah. It's just like manifestation. I swear to God, if I could manifest with what I am envisioning, I swear to God, I hope I can because yeah, I'm, I'm just, I'm imagining everything that should be happening and I, yeah. Greatly hope it's happening. So That's amazing. Yeah. I feel I feel the same. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But how about you? How are you doing? Um, pause. I It's okay. Am I'm good. I, I obviously cried. I transfer. Um, so did I. It's okay. Yeah, we were in the waiting room, well in, in Hailey's room and. One, it hit me that we were back in this room. Two, it hit me that I wasn't, I wasn't the one going through it. And then three, it hit me that you were doing this for me. So it was just like a combination of grief and grief and gratitude. Mm-hmm. If that makes sense. Mm-hmm. Which are polar opposites. But in that moment, I was feeling all of that, just like the grief of knowing that I was back in that room, back in that clinic. With hoping again for a transfer to work the grief that it wasn't me going through it, but then the gratitude that you were doing it for me. And so mm-hmm. In that moment. Um, yeah, so I cried then and then I cried at nighttime when John and I, when John and I were in bed and we were, we were just talking about the day and we were, you know, praying and thanking God, and then I told him that I feel guilty because. Not guilty in the sense that I'm not doing it. It's more so guilty in the sense that sometimes I forget that it's happening and I, I referred back to mm-hmm. Transfer day when we were having dinner and I'm eating dinner, it's five 50 something and you got up and you started prepping your shots. And in that moment I'm like, oh crap, I didn't even realize it's almost six o'clock. Because I'm not the one doing it on a nightly basis. Mm-hmm. And so for me, it's very much out of sight, out of mind. Whereas like when it was me, oh my gosh. Same like you five o'clock, I'm already getting antsy. I need to make sure five 30 comes around. 5 45. My alarm's going off. John and I, we would start prepping things at like 5 50, 5 45. You know, like just to be sure. Yeah. And when I was sitting there at the table at your house eating my dinner and then you were prepping your. Uh, shot right next to me. 'cause that's where your shot stuff is. It hit me just like how, how much? I'm not the one like having to be mentally involved, if that makes sense. And so there's a level of, of guilt that I feel with that, because one, I never want you to feel like I'm just checked out of the process or I don't want. Matt or Jonathan to feel that way. But it's, it's those moments where I realized this isn't me doing it this time. Um, like you said earlier in this conversation, how you're home and you're trying to, you know, it's, it's the, the unknowns and you're in your head about every little thing. I remember that, but I'm not in that situation right now. Mm-hmm. So I can, I can relate and I can empathize, but I feel guilty that like I am, you know. I don't know. What's an example of today? I am outside today sunbathing with the kids, playing on their scooters. And when I say kids, I'm talking about my niece and nephew. Mm-hmm. But, you know, playing, playing with the kids and I'm not thinking to myself, you know, how's Hailey, what's her mental state? Or is the implantation happening? Or, you know, I'm not the one feeling the twinges and, and trying to overanalyze the twinges in my belly. Mm-hmm. And so. I don't know. It's, it's, it's a, it's a weird feeling of, of just guilt that I am kind of just living my life with this happening next to me, but not to me, if that makes sense. Mm-hmm. I don't know how to explain that. No, I think you explained it perfectly and two things come to mind. So number one, what you're explaining is I feel like, at least speaking for myself, what. I experienced when you were going through IVF, there was really nothing I could do besides feel guilty that there's, there's nothing we could do besides, you know, providing that, you know, support virtually or, you know, sending, sending little gifts when we could or coming to see you guys when we could. So I understand it from that side of it. I also think you deserve a level of relief. I think you deserve this level of relief from being so worried about the shot timing and what's, you know, I mean, obviously you're still worried about what's next? What, what do we have next coming up in this process, but. I don't know. From my standpoint, I am happy to take on this, this for you. So job it. I know, I know, I know. Um, I know. Yeah. So I believe that you deserve that level of relaxation, hopefully, that you, that you can get in between the times where you're able to, you know, push it to the back of your mind. So, yeah. No, I appreciate that. Yeah. It's, um. And I, um, I know we had the conversation of just like, how many attempts would you be willing to do for us if you know this, this failed? And so, um, that was the first time we had that conversation at the transfer room, which I think that's definitely a conversation to have prior. But, um, we had the conversation then Uhhuh, and then I talked to John about that and he was also like, oh, I didn't realize that she would be willing to try more than once. And so then we talked about that. And then reality hit, and, you know, 'cause that's, that's what it's like to live and be married to a man who is just like very factual and, uh, logical at all times. So he's like, you know, if this doesn't happen with this transfer, we can't just turn around and do another transfer right away. And then I'm like, wait, what? You know, 'cause I'm just like, in D Lulu land, he's like, yeah, insurance didn't cover this. Like we. Don't have that money to just turn around and do another transfer, we'd have to start saving up again. And my heart just went down to like the pit of my stomach. Yeah. Because it just like, it just reminded me of how many times it didn't work for us. Mm-hmm. And obviously I don't wanna get into that mindset. Right. But yeah, I, it's the reality. It's like, oh, fudge. Because a lot of times. The first is anything with IVF. They're trying to figure out your body. So the first time you're doing a retrieval, they're trying to figure out how much menu pure you're gonna need to like fig, figure out how much like you're gonna need for your eggs to grow. Mm-hmm. And your first time with IVF with a transfer, they're trying to figure out, you know, what's the perfect protocol for implantation and stuff like that. 'cause everyone's so different. Yeah. And so we're talking about that. And I had to remind him, like this first round with Haley, her protocol is very much an experiment. The doctor's trying to figure out what like, does, does this basic protocol work? And if not, then he's gonna have to start figuring out, you know, what didn't work? Was it implantation? Was it this, was it that? I, I hesitated mentioning that in the podcast, but again, I wanna be very transparent about one, the reality of it. And two, for anyone listening, you know, if they're ever in this, in this process as well, that can be very much your reality. Mm-hmm. Where you go into surrogacy, gestational carrier process, et cetera. Yeah. And then you have to come to terms with, if this doesn't work on the first try. You don't get to turn around and do it right away because you have to figure out the financial aspect of it all over again and, right. Um, that's the reality of it. And that's how much, um, that's what's on the line. And I think like that, that goes to, to verify and explain just why emotions are high and why the angst of what is happening right now is, is, is, is here and present for all of us. I agree. Okay. Heavy stuff. So let's heavy stuff. Let's, let's, let's shake off. Let's shake off. All right. All right. So let's, why don't we go ahead and talk about what actually happened on transfer day? Yeah. Um, so whoever listened to the bonus episode, um, Yaya was pretty much almost right. Um, so yeah, transfer day, we got to the clinic. Um, the guys were being weird, so they just. Sat in chairs outside the office. It was so weird. They were funny. Um, and then me and Yayo went back. Um, we had like our own little like pre-op room. If you've ever been to surgery, it's just your own little individual room where you get dressed in there. Um, hospital gown, um, they make sure they have any paperwork together that they need. Um, there really wasn't much else. Prep, they made sure that I took my Valium. Um, and then the embryologist came in, like Yaya said, made sure to tell us that everything was good. They double checked all of our identifying information as well as how many embryos we were transferring, which was the one. Um, and then I met Dr. Jarret for the first time. Woohoo. Yeah. Um, he was so, so sweet. Um. Very nice. So just made sure that we were all ready and, um, yeah, we pretty much went back within, I think within like a half hour of us getting there, probably less. Um, I was able to walk back to the, um, room where they were going to do the transfer. Um, Yaya came with me, uh, yeah, so just lying down, getting the legs up. Dr. Jarrett was already there. Um, embryologist was literally right through a little cafeteria window it looked like. Uh, just did all the same identifying information, made sure that they did their double checks, and yeah, just waited for him to get in the correct spot and. Just shot right up there in that little catheter. So, and we saw it, we saw it on the ultrasound, which was awesome. Um, I know, yeah. Yeah. You said it was like the best one that you've seen? Yeah. Like actual, like imaging wise. Yeah, it was, I think typically I've seen it once it popped out of the catheter. Mm-hmm. But I feel like for yours, I could see it. Going through the catheter. Did you notice it too? I could see it going through the catheter and then Yep. Just sat there and we got a little ultrasound pictures. Um, yeah. And then we were done. So I was finally able to go to the bathroom. So for that one, you need a full, um, bladder to make sure that you can see the uterus and everything. Okay. For ultrasound. But yeah, that was pretty much it. We left, we went to McDonald's, got our fries, Uhhuh, Uhhuh, and then, um, went to, so I was starving. Um, I did not eat anything the morning before we left, 'cause of my medications that I had to take. And then I was, at that point I was just like, I'm not eating until we're done. Um, so yeah, we went to another broken egg. Yeah, another broken egg cafe. It was so good. Oh my gosh. All good. I had cheesecake, strawberry cheesecake, waffles, delish, raw. So good. Les. Yeah, I think, uh, Matt got some really good pancakes. I forgot what John got. Oh, some Benny's. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Uh, I got. What did I get? Oh, cinnamon roll. French toast. That was so good. They were literal cinnamon rolls that then they battered in French toast. Oh my gosh. Loved that. It was great. Yeah. Yeah. Um, otherwise had a very relaxing ex part of our day. We just drove back. We ended up driving straight home. Then me and Matt, you guys decided to come down, which was awesome. Um, and yeah. That's why the kids were a little, a little more manageable for the time I was trying to just like lay and relax and not have to do a lot that day. So it was a good day. Yeah, I agree. It was a great day. Good day. Moving on. So. Moving on to like what happens after those days? Today is Sunday, so, um mm-hmm. We are 3 days post embryo transfer. So day one is really day zero for transfer day. Um, and yesterday I messaged Hailey at nighttime because we are in implantation weekend. And so I sent a little cute. Diagram, PDF of what everyday means. And so, yeah. Um, we're gonna go through those days real quick with you guys so that you guys know mm-hmm. What happens with the embryo? So, day zero, which is transfer day, the embryo is shot up. Technically using a catheter into her uterine, um, cavity, so into her uterus, and it's basically just floating. I remember the embryologist told me one time, the best way to imagine this is if you put a chia seed in a jar of jelly, so it's just kind of floating in there, but it's in there. There's nothing you can do that's gonna make that embryo fall out of your uterus by any means. It's literally just floating and it's, you know, trying to figure it all out. During this time, the embryo is still expanding and is starting to get ready to get out of its outer shell, which is the goal. That's what you really want because that is required for it to actually implant. Mm-hmm. So Friday and Saturday, those are days one and two. Um, and we talk about acronyms here a lot. So I wanted to give the acronym because you know, if you've ever seen it in IVF posts, whether it's on Instagram, Facebook. TikTok, et cetera. The acronym for like day two post transfer would be 2D. Two days. P five post five day embryo transfer, so two DP five DET, super long acting. Oh my God. That would mean two days post, five day embryo transfer. But that acronym, if you ever see it when someone has just had a transfer, that's what that means. So days one and two, which would've been Friday and Saturday, this is for sure, you know, the hatching of of the embryo. It starts looking for the uterine lining. It's looking for its home. So it's just kind of like looking around and it's gonna make contact with the uterine lining, but it's not implanting. It's imagine just, you know, you're checking out some Airbnbs on your phone and you're like, oh, I'm gonna favorite this one. But you haven't necessarily decided that that's gonna be your home during your vacation. Um, so yeah, days three and four, which would be Sunday and Monday. Today is Sunday code day. Um, this is what is considered that critical window. Um, this is when implantation begins. It doesn't happen just. At once. So it's not like you can say, oh, it implantation happened exactly at 5:00 PM today. No, it's a process. So what it's really doing is it's really trying to nuzzle its way into that uterine lining. It wants to get nice and deep in there. You want it to get nice and deep in there. Um, the best way to think of this is like a tick. If you've ever gone hiking with your dog, you know, you know the tick that no. We had a, we had a tick on our, on on our dog that passed away once and it was so hard to get it off. 'cause it is just, you know, uh, it's, it's holding on for dear life. That is what you want the embryo to do. You want it to get really nuzzled in there and it just get tight up in there and just hold on for dear life. Um, during implantation, so during today and tomorrow mm-hmm. That's when the cells that will create the placenta actually start developing. So day. Sunday and Monday of our process, um, is when that placenta would start to become a like. Uh, the process would begin, which is really, really cool. Mm-hmm. And that's when it starts to give off some of those HCG. Yes. So HCG will begin at the time of implantation. Now I wanna be very clear that it's very low, that pregnancy level is very low. And I say this because IVF influencers start, start doing their pregnancy tests at home by like day four. And mind you. Hailey you, if you remember, you did the trigger shot. Right before your transfer, that trigger shot actually gives you HCG levels. Mm-hmm. So sometimes women will test way before they should, and they'll see that it has HCG, they're getting some, some line there that says that they're pregnant. That could still be your trigger shot. Mm-hmm. So a lot of times, um, influencers and, and just IVF ladies in the world of IVF will start testing day zero because they want to see when they test out of the trigger shop, and then they can start seeing when that line starts to look a little different. I'm gonna be honest, I've, I've started testing as of day four because I'm a psychopath and there were many transfers where Jonathan was like, we're not testing, we're gonna just leave it to the blood work because, you know, tests can be wrong. Or again, maybe you do have implantation, but then it never results in a pregnancy. So he was very against it. I did the test anyway, so. I would start at day five. Oh gosh. And I, I did that for my own sanity. Um, and I did it because I, I wanted to be able to be mentally prepared if it was gonna be a negative at the time of blood work. Mm-hmm. Um, which happened, uh, once or twice for us. So moving on, let's talk about the next days. Moving on. So we talked about days three and four, which would be Sunday and Monday. Mm-hmm. Day five, which would be our Tuesday coming up. That is when you know it is secure, it's in there, the blood supply. So your blood supply will start establishing connection with the embryo. And what that means is that it will start nourishing and hormone signaling. So, um, there is no exchanging of DNA, um, no genetic material. I wanna make sure I say that in case anyone's listening and they're like, ah, her bloodstream. Um, it just means that essentially any nutrients that the embryo would need her. Her body will start being able to supply that to the embryo. Mm-hmm. I already mentioned not to take a pregnancy test too early because your a CG levels are going to be very low. Even though that placenta is forming, the cells are producing that a CG. Yeah, and those tests, they can always be false negatives and false positives. They're not perfect. Yes, you always wanna rely on blood tests, so, mm-hmm. FYI, everyone FYI folks, day six and seven. Posterior transfer, which now you're looking at about a week after transfer. Some women experience symptoms, like maybe they have implantation bleeding that shows up during a wipe. Maybe day start, you know, having some mild cramps, some breast tenderness. Listen, I had zero. Symptoms when it came to like breast tenderness or anything like that. The only time that I did have it was because of PIO shots, because guess what? PIO shots will make your breast tender, so. These symptoms, again, can be very misleading. So just kind of mm-hmm. It becomes, it becomes a mind game within yourself because you start touching your boobies and you're like, they're not tender today, but they were yesterday. Did I did something go wrong? And it's like, no girl, it's probably from the PIO shots and your body's getting used to the pyo shots and that's gonna go up and down. So yeah, it's all about the hormones. All about the hormones and the hormones are going crazy 'cause you're just, you know, yeah. With all types of meds right now. Yep. Days eight through nine, post transfer. This is when the HCG is finally measurable through blood supply. This is typically when your clinic will start to request for you to go in for blood work. So day nine is typically when people will start going hours at our clinic is usually day 10. Mm-hmm. And then your first HCG, which is often referred to as beta, your first beta test, if it comes back as a positive number, it means implantation has occurred. But what they really wanna see is that number double within 48 hours. So you go back. If it's above, 50, then implantation has occurred. If it's above a hundred, that's where they really want it. Because then your a CG level is, is up there. Yeah. More study. After 48 hours, you want it to be double that number and that means. You can breathe. It is doing what it should be doing. Mm-hmm. For us, I had to do four beta tests after the 48 hours of each one, just to make sure, because of my early losses. But I think with yours, I would assume that he's probably gonna have you do two if the first one's positive and then they would then schedule you in for an ultrasound about seven days after. Now did, did you do all of your blood work in Indie or a different LabCorp? Great question because Jonathan and I actually just talked about this. I did it here at home. I did it locally. So what I would do is I would just send them a message, right before the blood work day and I just basically said, can you send the lab order to. For us, it's Christie to Christie. Mm-hmm. But then they'll also upload it and then I would just print it and go to Christie. So we have Christie and Carl. Carl requires appointments, Christie allows for walk-ins. So I would just do Christie when, um, when I was doing it, and I would just do walk-ins. I don't know what the setup is like for you. Mm-hmm. Whether you have to do an appointment or if you can just walk in with your lab order. Yeah. So our um, scheduled test day, our first beta is May 4th. May the fourth be with you. May the fourth be with us. Oh my God, I love it. And that'll be day 11, because day 10 will technically be a Sunday. So listen, I'm not trying to jinx or anything, but as a Star Wars fan, the fact that beta is on May 4th, yeah. Amazing. It's fantastic. I love it so much. So, so yeah, we'll keep you updated on what that lab work stuff looks like. But yeah, for now, my plan is to go to indie, get there at 7:00 AM and then go to work because I have a nursing like celebration thing that I wanna go to at like noon. No big deal. No girls. Try to see if you could do it locally. Yeah, I'll see if I can do that, but that'd be great. But either way. We'll figure it out. It's no big deal. Um, so yeah, HCG we were talking about before I interrupted. We want numbers to be at a certain level and then we're gonna go back for more, more betas after that, depending on what that number is. Depending on what that number is. Yep. Yes. And it's so funny, Jonathan and I, we were trying to figure out when your beta test was gonna be, and he has a text message and he's like, I think she said May 4th or May 2nd, and he's like, I thought it was a two week wait. So I took out my notebook mm-hmm. Where I logged everything during my stuff. And I'm like, I think we're good. I think we're good with her date yeah, everything says doing the beta test between day post transfer nine. To 14, so somewhere in between there. Yeah. So something that, doing all my research here was really weird to me when. Technically right now I am two weeks and so many days pregnant, which is weird because I was, was like, you were like, wait, what? This was blowing my mind. I'm like, uh, I was not pregnant two weeks ago. Thank you. Um, this just blows my mind. So how they. Usually, like tell you your due date for a like natural pregnancy, they go from your start of your last period. So it the due date timing and like your gestational age doesn't, uh. It doesn't start when implantation occurs or when conception occurs, which is so weird to me. So it's like, Hey, you've been pregnant for two weeks, but literally you haven't been pregnant for two weeks. So, I don't know. That's really weird to me. But I think it's weird. And to me it doesn't make sense. No, it does not. So yeah, we're, we're gonna have another January baby. Yes. Crossing our fingers. Yes. All the good vibes here. All the good vibes. Yes. But, but yeah, there's the, uh. Everything you needed to know and did not need to know. Yeah. We hope this is educational, um, and not boring. Yeah, I really hope so. Hopefully we just, again, have really nice voices to listen to and, you know, you are totally locked in, but let's, let's get to this here. I know we talked about, I feel like I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing, but. Or I don't feel like I have enough to do right now, but what am I supposed to be doing? So big things. Continuing medication. So everything that I was on pre transfer, I'm supposed to be on post transfer. Not changing anything. Not missing anything that's of the utmost importance. I'm also just supposed to be kind of checking with my body to see if there's any type of symptoms I'm getting. I'm really not. Um. I'm really not. So like some of the common stuff they say is bloating, which I don't really pay attention to that on a regular. So I don't know. We'll see. Um, cramping, any tenderness and then spotting, which I hate that one because number one, it's like, oh, it can be normal if you're spotting or it can be the worst thing ever. So. Mm-hmm. That's a, to a real mental one. Um. Decreasing my physical activity from what I was beforehand, but also just keeping up blood flow. So walking, you know, doing some light stuff here and there. Um, but keeping my heart rate below that level of like, I can't hold on to conversation when I'm working out. So. I just been doing some light walking for now. Um, I am also supposed to be decreasing stress funny, um, since this entire process is so stressful. Amen. I've just been like, sometimes like in this mode of like parenting, and then I'm like, okay. I just stopped talking and I'm just like, okay, take a deep breath. Everything's fine. I'm just like supposed to be lowering the stress level, so, so yeah. Um, staying busy so that I am not thinking about this a hundred percent of the time. And they also just recommend the, avoid the early testing. Like we said, it can be false negatives and false positives, so, you know, yeah. Be honest. Do you think that you'll be tempted to test right now? I'm like, no. Like, I'm good. I'll just wait. Um, I still got a full week before beta Uhhuh, so we'll see. I don't know. I haven't bought any, so they're not EI have not bought any. There you go. So I'm not even in the, they're not in the house, so we'll see. We'll see. We'll see. I'm hoping, I'm hoping to just hold off 'cause not that I don't wanna get my hopes up, but I'm, I'm gonna say, I'm gonna be happy, you know, when we get to the point where like, beta is good, but from my standpoint, we still have so much farther to go. Yeah. So I'm like, okay, if it's positive, that's fine, but it's. It's not like my goal goal. So yeah, I dunno. I don't know. We'll see. Yeah, I love, I think that's such a good, logical mindset. We'll see if the logic prevails through this week to tune in. Text me day nine, so, so here I am at Walgreens, speaking of. I'm just gonna like boycott Walgreens because they're so slow with getting my medications in. I swear to God. But it's all good. Today's shot was a little bit better. Um, I actually got a mini massager. Yay. I'm so glad you did it. Yeah, I did. Because the last two days of shots have been bad, like just real sore. Yeah. And then I was there today with a literal rolling pin in my mom's kitchen. Like rolling out my hip and I was like, wow, this actually feels much better after the fact. So, so yeah. Matt picked one up for me. It's a, it's like a mini one, so yeah. I'll have to show it off next time, but, um, oh, I'm so happy you got one. Yeah. So I think combination with the heating pad, warming up the medication, we should be, we should be good to go or better. Better too. Yeah. So. Yeah, massage that stuff out, girl. Seriously. All the things guys. But we're getting there, right? Yes, we are one day closer. Getting there. And I also said I need to pick up some like pregnancy date, like every day, like little like calendar thing. I don't even know. It's kinda like in my head. I haven't even like Amazoned it or whatever, but wait, what is that? What do you mean? It just something that like has like little like happy, like positive manifesting little thingies on it. Wait, do you have the um, oh my god, I do IB positive jar. Yes. I need to pull that out. It's by my shot stuff. That's, I need to move it away from my shot stuff. Yeah, that's like my negative circle. I need to put it at my bed honestly, so that like I just see it in the morning. I just need, I just need some positive, some positive thoughts. I think, I think that'll help. So, okay, good. I I can send the best good morning text messages too. Aw, I love you. I love you too. I really enjoy the conversation we've had today. So I hope, I hope everything again we've talked about really just resonates with whoever's listening, and I've heard so many positive things from everyone who's been, um, following us along here. We, we just love doing this. Honestly, it's been the most enjoyable experience, I think, speaking from my, my standpoint. Yeah. And I think having these conversations during our episodes, I feel like it. Not that it forces us to have certain conversations, but I feel like mm-hmm. It just makes these conversations more comfortable for us Yeah. Than a structured text message or phone call or sitting in front of each other. Mm-hmm. awkwardly like, so how are you doing today? Yeah. Um, so I feel like this, this platform and avenue has really allowed for us to have just real raw conversations about how we're feeling on both side of things. I don't know. I'm really grateful that we started this, even if, again, even if no one ever listens to this again, I think it's just really good mm-hmm. For us during this journey to be able to have these conversations and, um, it's almost like a weekly check-in, which is really, really sweet. And I get to see your face because we do this, you know, via camera, so. Mm-hmm. Um, no, I really, I just enjoy this a lot more than I, more than I thought I would. I, I thought I'd be more uncomfortable just talking and knowing that like, other people are going to listen to this. But I think it, like you said, it does force, force us to kind of talk about stuff and it's, it's like there's an unknown person in the room when we're doing this. Yeah, yeah. Just, but, but no, it's very therapeutic. I love it. I was gonna say, it's like we're in therapy. It feels really good. We are one-on-one therapy. Here we are. We're really good at this womb, womb service. Well I love you. Love you too. Have a good night and happy implanting. Yes, happy transfer week. Happy implantation week to see you soon. See you soon. I love you so much. Get some sleep. Don't forget to brush your teeth. Mm, yeah. Yeah, I need to do that. Love you hopping straight in bed. All right. Love you bed. Bye. Bye. Love you.