The day of the transfer was nerve-racking and hopeful.
The directions were to arrive 30 minutes prior to the procedure and to have a full bladder. The overachiever in me drank too much water, to the point I had to pee before the transfer and then pee directly into a bed pan immediately after the transfer.

The transfer itself was quick and painless, minus the pressure against my full bladder as they transferred the embryo… Seeing the embryo gives one so much hope. The picture you leave with makes it feel as if all the shots and needles and ultrasounds have really paid off.
I left hopeful and cautious.

That transfer failed and we are now prepping for transfer #2.
I am not sure I will be able to leave with as much hope as I left with after the 1st transfer. The reality of failure is all too clear and still very near.

Somethings I plan to do differently the 2nd time around:
1. Take the embryo transfer day off as well as the following day. This is less about movement and more about managing my stress level.
2. No hot showers. period.
3. No heating pads to relieve the pain of the progesterone shot. I don’t know if the heating pad had anything to do with the failure, but a bit more precaution seems fine.
4. Every social invite has been met with a “maybe”. I refuse to commit to any gathering or even being social.

And of course, this time around I will manage my water intake. I think one water bottle is enough.