IVF prep for my DH

[Winolicious]

I posted this over at the other place after the first bomb was dropped and got very few replies so I will try here again.

We are looking at our first IVF cycle in the spring and my husband is pretty clueless about the whole process beyond the basic medical definition or very simplified paper understanding of what they do. I'm looking to open my DH's eyes as to what he can expect and what I'm going to be going through with the process. For example I'm pretty sure he has no idea he will be injecting me with meds.  

Any suggestions on books to read? Blog posts? websites? YouTube Videos? I've read ISWTE. I'm considering What to Expect when she isn't expecting or How to make love to a plastic cup. Anyone have any experience with any of those?

[lilycakes78]

Welcome! My DH was pretty clueless for a while. Even after I explained a lot of it to him, I still don't think he really understood all we have to go through. Once I started my injections, he started to get it. He took good care of me Another thing that he really enjoy was a video I found online from some fertility center. They gave you a tour of the embryo lab and broke down the entire process. It was cool to see and DH thought it was fascinating! Sounds like you have some good ideas so far. GL!

I think this was the video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcJWPWb2uBs

[BunnyBerry]

I wasn't even thinking about educating MH on what to expect for IVF...but that sounds like a great idea!

I wouldn't be able to get MH to read more than a sentence or two so I think I'm going to send him some YouTube videos or something.

We got What to expect when she isn't expecting and even though I've only gotten him to read about 2 chapters, they have already made a big difference in our communication and in his compassion/leeway for me.

[SunnyinCA]

Winolicious Good luck educating him.

When I was going through IVF I had my husband sit with me for my IVF Checkup. They helped make me a calendar of what medication I was to take when and walked me through each of my shots. I did my own shots, he offered, but I handled them okay on my own. I did make him feel my welts and see my bruises throughout the days since it was quite over whelming. I gave him daily updates on when I was going in for blood work and ultrasounds. I didn't ask him to attend any of those appointments since he was working, but when he wasn't working I told him he was more than welcome to come. Except blood work days, that would be a waste of time for him to drive up there just to see me get pricked for 5 minutes.

[bandm14]

I'll second What to Expect When She's Not Expecting. Lots of great info, and from a guy's perspective!

[Winolicious]

lilycakes78 that video looks great! Thanks!

[bluejoan]

DH went to our IVF consult, I showed him some injections videos and the calendar. Since we cycled out of town, DH came to every BW and monitoring appt, watched every injection, was in the room for ER and ET. He saw the changes my body went through in terms of bloating and bruising. Then he did my PIO. Well that was a long way of saying he didn't really understand it fully until he was in the trenches with me.