My express IVF journey by Prune

My name is Prune, I am 31 years old, and I live near Avignon with my husband Stephan and our 3-year-old daughter, Solveig. I am a research engineer, responsible for finding solutions to treat nuclear waste.

I couldn't imagine my life without children; for me, it was obvious... But my desire for a child was not singular. When I met my husband Stephan, we quickly wanted to start a family. It became part of our couple's plan, the desire to build a future together.

'We were lucky to have a quick IVF journey, and it was very well experienced. It’s important to believe in it and stay positive.'

My journey to conceive was not ordinary. Even before we started our childbearing project, we knew that Stephan had fertility issues and that we would need to go through IVF to have a child.

After seeing the gynecologist, everything happened quickly: hormonal tests, serology, appointments with the biologist, the psychologist... and finally, the start of the stimulation process.

Stephan gave me the daily injections, and it turned out to be a beautiful moment we shared. After 15 days of stimulation and 15 days of waiting that seemed endless, I had the famous blood test: I was barely 3 weeks pregnant. No surprise announcement for Stephan: we learned the news together while picking up the results. It was a lot of emotions, a mix of joy and anxiety about the possibility of the pregnancy ending prematurely.

We had a very positive experience with IVF, it’s absolutely not a bad memory for us, quite the opposite, because we had our little Solveig on the first attempt, and my pregnancy went wonderfully well.

My advice for women facing the same challenges? Believe in it, and stay positive. I think the psychological aspect plays an important role!

"I experienced my pregnancy as a state of grace... starting from the second trimester!"

I really enjoyed being pregnant, despite the inevitable discomforts. The first three months were not the easiest; I was constantly in doubt and fearful of a miscarriage. Not to mention the unwanted symptoms of pregnancy: nausea, extreme fatigue, and a significant weight gain!

Once the first trimester passed, everything fell into place. When my belly rounded out and I could finally announce it more widely (we had informed our close family and friends from the beginning), I fully enjoyed my pregnancy. I found something fascinating about having a life developing inside me. The magic of feeling the first movements, the ultrasounds, and of course, the heartbeat...

I usually pay a lot of attention to eating balanced and varied meals, but during the first three months of pregnancy, everything reversed! I had quite a bit of nausea, and everything I usually loved disgusted me! I couldn’t look at a carrot without immediately feeling like I was going to throw up. So, I ate what I craved, which meant a lot of fatty foods (pizza, burgers, grilled meats...), which resulted in me gaining half of my pregnancy weight during the first trimester!

Once the first few months passed, everything went back to normal, and I returned to my good eating habits, as well as the exercise I had put aside.

"Exercise helped me stay in shape and prepare my body for childbirth. The day before my daughter was born, I was swimming laps!"

Before pregnancy, I did a lot of running. I immediately stopped when I learned I was pregnant and switched to brisk walking. I also practiced yoga and Pilates, which I continued until the end, avoiding certain poses that stressed the abdominal muscles. Lastly, I discovered water aerobics during the last two months, an activity I recommend to everyone! I believe that exercise helps you stay in shape until the end, avoiding back pain and preparing well for childbirth.

Of course, I had some apprehensions, especially about the transformation of my body and the fear of not regaining my pre-pregnancy shape... The anxiety of having a painful delivery that didn’t go the way I hoped... But the closer the pregnancy came to term, the more these fears disappeared! I think the 9 months represent a natural cycle, giving each woman time to prepare for receiving her child :)

To dress without giving in to clothes with a bow on the belly, I invested in a few maternity basics and adapted my usual wardrobe. Honestly, I’m not a fan of maternity clothes, even though, of course, the brands have evolved, and the bow highlighting the rounded belly has almost disappeared! I did check out "specialized" brands like Emoiemoi, Envie2fraise, but I clearly struggled with the prices of the clothes...

So, I ended up buying a few pieces online from sites like H&M or Zara, especially maternity pants and tights. For the rest, I used my pre-pregnancy wardrobe, favoring dresses, skirts, and blouses... I chose organic for my cosmetics, for maximum safety for my baby: I used organic cosmetic products. I researched the formulas of the products I was using, because I know that during pregnancy, it’s better to avoid many ingredients found in beauty products…

"I wish I had been better prepared for postpartum, both physically and mentally."

Our meeting with Solveig was a magical moment, and we felt very well supported by the medical team. I had a wonderful delivery. Everything went smoothly, the pain was quite manageable, with labor progressing quickly and amazing support from a fantastic medical staff. I have to say that by the end of my pregnancy, I was in good shape thanks to exercise, and that probably played a role! In the end, meeting our daughter was a magical, indescribable moment, and by far the best day of my life.

Postpartum, I found it wasn’t easy... I wish someone had talked to me about some of the physical discomforts related to childbirth, although thankfully they didn’t last long! I got back into exercise after a few months, once I had regained my strength... As for my mental state, it took me quite some time to get rid of my anxieties, especially those related to sudden infant death syndrome... For a year, I had to check at least twice a night to make sure my daughter was breathing properly!

My advice: follow your instincts! I think it’s crucial to listen to yourself and follow your instincts! Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all method when it comes to becoming a parent! Ultimately, I believe no one knows their child and their needs better than we do, as parents. We learn together. A child doesn’t expect you to be perfect, they just need your love.