TPR Pregnancy Check-in 8/1

[longhornwino0907]

This is a check-in for those of you (or your SO) who are pregnant as a result of TPR including donor sperm, donor eggs, donor embryos, gestational carrier, surrogacy, or any combination of those. Lurkers are welcome to come in and ask questions or become part of the check-in!

Point of clarification: I am using 'surrogacy' to mean traditional surrogacy (using the surrogate's eggs) and gestational carrier where the carrier's eggs are NOT used. They are sometimes referred to as 'traditional surrogacy' and 'gestational surrogacy' respectively.

Trying to catch up here, so let us know how you're doing!

1. How far along are you?
2. How are you feeling?

QOTW: How are you handling the summer heat?

~~~BFPs~~~
Acting as gestational carrier
ashleysyn - EDD 11/23

Donor eggs
kaliRN - EDD 10/27 with singleton
longhornwino0907 - EDD 10/27
dream2be3 - EDD 12/28 with twins

Donor embryos


~~~New & Soon-to-be Grads~~~
RN1175 - Baby Boy is here! Give us a quick update, if you can, on how you're all doing!


~~~Book List~~~
If you find other books you'd like to add, please let me know.
All forms: What Makes a Baby, Cory Silverberg
Surrogacy: Sophia's Broken Crayons, Crystal Falk
Surrogacy: The Very Kind Koala, Kimberly Kluger-Bell
Egg Donation: The Pea that Was Me, Kimberly Kluger-Bell
Egg Donation: The Very Special Ducklings, Wava Cirisan
Egg Donation: Mommy, Was Your Tummy Big?, Carolina Nadel
Egg Donation: One More Giraffe, Kim Noble
Egg Donation: A Very Special Lady, Nell Carswell

[longhornwino0907]

I can't believe that I'll be 28 weeks on Thursday; it's crazy how fast everything has flown by. I have my second shower this coming weekend, kaliRN comes to visit next week, and H and I start our classes that next Monday. CPR, childbirth, newborn care, and breastfeeding all in about a month. We'll also meet with our doula later this month to start getting a birth plan together and making checklists of what all we want for/with/of Cate. I told my H yesterday we just need to make sure multiple people have copies of the list, so that we're not concerned on D-Day with making sure we have our time with Cate along with starting the whole parenting thing with Liv. It's a complete whirlwind.

The nursery is really coming together, so I'm excited about that! I did have a moment last night, sitting in the glider with just the lamp on, thinking, "There are supposed to be two names on that wall, two cribs, two stuffed animals..." And I sort of lost it, but I recovered quickly. I think we're both just ready for them to come, and for us to take Liv home and start really healing and becoming our little family of three.

QOTW: I was inspired by kalirn to buy a pool for the backyard. Not a huge one – 10ft round and 2.5ft deep. It's perfect for floating in the evenings. I have a raft, I take a book out with me, and Liv and I just chill. She loves it out there and always kicks up a storm!

[dream2be3]

Thanks for the check-in longhornwino0907! I hope you and kaliRN have a good time when she comes to visit!

I am 18w4d and impatiently waiting for the a/s next week. DH doesn't want to know the sex of the babies but I do so will hopefully find out next week! He won't be at the appointment. I feel like I'll be able to bond more with them if I know. And maybe it will feel more real? We've been working on our list of names. H has been suggesting traditional names whereas mine are not so it will be interesting to see what we actually end up with.

QOTW: I am fine with the heat when I am at the lake and can be in/on the water but otherwise I find I need to be in the AC. As much as I like summer and hate winter, I am looking forward to fall.