Grub had not developed quite as quickly as they might have hoped: he was still classed as a morula, a picture of which can be seen above. A morula is a multi-celled embryo, the stage an embryo reaches before becoming a blastocyst. A blastocyst is an embryo whose cells have differentiated into two distinct types: those that will become the placenta, and those that will become the foetus itself. Usually, embryos are blastocysts by day 5 or 6, and when they reach this stage, they are about ready to attach themselves to the womb lining.
It was a bit worrying to hear this. Was Grub going to carry on developing? You can see from the post title that he did!
Embryo transfer was scheduled for 1.30. I had been instructed to be there at 1 with a full bladder. It's actually really hard to try to synchronise your bladder with a set time! I started drinking water before the 1 hour journey and by the time I got to the clinic I was full, but not unmanageably so. However, when at 1.20 they still hadn't come for me, my bladder was beginning to protest! I pleaded to go to 'let a bit out'!. Have you ever tried just letting a bit out when your bladder is screaming for release?! It's hard, let me tell you! The clinic were running late and I had to repeat this strange toilet trip three times!
H and I got taken into the theatre prep area and got gowned up. This time he was allowed to come in with me. All the nurses came in to see how his cheek was looking now and marvelling at the balloon sticking out from behind his ear. Freak show! I was a little nervous.
When we got into the operating theatre there was a nice atmosphere and music on. They put a picture of Grub up in the big screen and we got to see our potential baby for the first time. It was pretty amazing. To think that this ball of life had come from a bit of me and bit of H was just awe-inspiring. The embryologist pointed out that Grub had developed a bit more from when she had examined him in the morning, and that he was beginning to show signs of turning into a blastocyst. This was very reassuring news.
The actual transfer itself was not very pleasant but ok really. My legs were put in stirrups, a sheet with a hole was put over my bits, my cervix was clamped and cleaned, and then a long catheter was passed through my cervix, while a nurse pressed on my bladder with an ultrasound sensor so the catheter could be seen passing into the womb. I could see the screen - very odd!
Then Grub was loaded up into the catheter and the consultant carefully placed him in the best bit of my womb. All done. I have from then on been what is officially known as PUPO . . .
Pregnant Until Proven Otherwise!
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