On February 25th, in the middle of a record breaking snow storm in Seattle and just 5 days after Adeline’s 3rd heavenly birthday, it was Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET) day!
This is what I wrote after that incredible day:
The day is here! It’s time to tuck an embryo safely inside, hopefully to stay for the next nine months. I woke up feeling really excited for the day, and nervous for the wait to come afterwards. I went to work for the morning and then picked Dylan up at lunchtime and headed into Seattle with my giant bottle of water as hydration day of transfer is incredibly important!
We checked in at the front desk for an in office acupuncture session prior to the transfer, relieved my bladder for the last time before transfer (1 hr prior), and got comfortable in the room. The woman who did the acupuncture was an absolute delight. She spoke softly and slowly all while expressing her excitement for us. She propped me up and kept one hand without any needles since I needed that hand for consuming 24oz of water within a half hour to fill my bladder back up for the transfer. She explained which points she was doing and why and dimmed the lights for me to rest. Dylan was able to be in the room with me, and I put my headphones in and listened to an IVF specific meditation and closed my eyes. If you have the chance to do acupuncture in office prior to your transfer, I highly recommend it it! It was such a perfect way to relax and lower the stress before what feels so high stakes.
The acupuncturist walked me directly to the room where the transfer would occur where I waited for the next step. I had to check in, get a wrist bracelet and then prop myself up on the bed. The nurse came in first to check my bladder and actually had me empty some of it because it was so full. Then the embryologist came in, gave us the picture of our hatching embryo and talked us through what was happening. She told us we make “beautiful embryos” and the fact that all 5 came back normal was rare. They defrosted the highest quality embryo with no problems and it was ready to snuggle in.
When the doctor came in, she did a trial run with the catheter just to make sure she could get the placement just right. There was a sliding door connecting the transfer room directly to the lab so I could see the embryologist with our embryo – so cool! They checked my wristband, asked me my name and birthday and compared it with the dish with the embryo many times. When they were ready, on the screen I could see the microscope and the embryo that was hatching more already and I could see the embryologist through the sliding door. I watched the embryo under microscope be scooped up and handed over for transfer.
The actual transfer part took under 2 minutes, was painless and the most incredible thing to ever be apart of it. After the embryo was transferred, the doctor let the catheter rest there for a minute just to be safe and then it was done. The doctor said to us “picture perfect transfer.”
I immediately went and emptied my incredibly full bladder and went back to the room where my husband and I hung out for a minute, gawked at our picture of our embryo and shed a few tears before heading out.
I dropped my husband back off at work and I grabbed chick-fil-a (first time ever having it. I know – weird) on my way home. I curled up in bed, watched some comedy and took a LONG nap.
We are feeling elated knowing that our embryo is home, and nervous for the results.
May the longest wait begin.