Symptoms and What I Did Different

As promised, here is what I did and what I felt.  I've kept a running log in a personal journal and found someone else's personal journal in a similar manner on-line and thought that was fatastic!  I had some of the same symptoms on the same days post-transfer so it was helpful to see.  Please note that symptoms are VERY RARE in early pregnancy!  Only about 10% of women reported these symptoms so if you don't have them, don't give up hope.  Also, my habits and food patterns (below journal by day) may seem a little OCD, but I figured I can do anything for 10 weeks (first trimester).  I mean we are spending so much time and money, why not give it our all?  Also, I have no idea if these things increased my fertility - but I feel pretty good about my choices.
 
Friday - 0 dpt on the FET transfer day our appointment was for 12:45 for a 1:15 transfer. We went for pre-transfer acupuncture first at 10:45.  At 11:45 we went for lunch, and then had the transfer.  Then we went back to acupuncture and I fell asleep!  I did, really did.  They used the "German Protocol" which is I guess specific to IVF treatments.  I felt great and relaxed.  We drove home and I just chilled out in bed.
Saturday - 1 dpt I just kept a very low profile this day as I was on "24 hr bed rest" which really means just chill on the couch or in bed.  not much happened.
Sunday - 2 dpt Again, I took it super easy and barely leaved the house.  I felt a slight cramp on my right side of my uterus(?)  I also woke up extremely horny.  Like crazy horny.  And I hate to say it but I haven't been that horny in years.  just thinking about being horny got me excited.  i was tried through the day and ended up taking a long nap and also went to bed early.
Monday - 3 dpt, on my way home I felt off - maybe a headache but more like naseau.  I also felt cramps throughout the day mainly on the left side or in the middle and was very tired - slept super super early.  Unfortunately, something woke us up in the middle of the night so I don't know if I would have slept the whole night.
Tuesday - 4 dpt, not much in the way of symptoms today.  I'm tired, but not exhausted like before it it is likely because the wind woke us up at 4 AM.  I also felt a slight cramp on my right side near my ovary(?) but nothing with my uterus. Boobs are also very tender.
Wednesday - 5dpt, again few symptoms. Mild pain near my ovaries, but not much else. I am slightly freaking that maybe we lost the blastocyst...but still hopeful. My boobs look bigger than normal and are tender, but they have been tender since starting the shots, only yesterday was it more noticeable from a hug from DH.
Thursday - 6 dpt.  According to http://www.nyufertilitycenter.org/ivf/embryo_transfer HcG should start entering my body today.  I had major chills in the evening even though DH thought I was crazy.  I was also very sleepy in the evening (of course, I'm not drinking caffeine so that could be why?).  I also felt mild pressure on my pelvic area most of the day and my bladder felt more pressure.  my back muscles started to spasm, which is unusual for me and a good sign.  Lastly, I woke up at 4 AM Friday morning and was hot, then cold, then hot again.  AND the scar on my stomach from my lap looks dimpled, to me showing that I am bloated.  At this point I'm convinced I am pregnant.  i was a little on the fence a couple days ago because the symptoms went away - but they are back and that's enough for me!
Friday - 7 dpt.  I was tired all day.  Pee smelled funny, and food tasted tinny.  I remember this symptom from my miscarriage so I looked up early pregnancy symptoms.  It gets addictive:
http://www.countdowntopregnancy.com/early-pregnancy-symptoms/all-early-pregnancy-symptoms.php
Saturday - 8 dpt. I took my first pregnancy test, and it came back positive!  I decided to go for it based on the stats from the website above.  Thousands of women have provided their symptoms and results of pregnancy tests to the web site by day.  Pretty cool, eh?
What I did different:
1. no caffeine, doc said why even drink 1 cup if there is a good chance it can cause problems?  Caffeine is linked with an increased risk in miscarriages.
2. acupuncture treatements,one time a week for 2(?) weeks leading up to the FET, then twice a week during shots, and then 2 treatments following the "german protocol" for pregnancy.  Ask your RE who they recommend because they know the people in the biz who do this. After transfer, no needles can go in the abdomen.  They recommended treatment after the transfer, but I felt pretty relaxed and thought it was less necessary.
3. ate more dairy and a probiotic.  they recommend 3 servings a day, so I doubled down on yogurt, hot coco, and yogurt with probiotics built in.
4. ate high fertility foods.  including leafy greens (eat your spinach!), nuts, and eggs.
5. used fertility afirmations.  HUGE help for my spirit.  they are on itunes, there is a podcast that is free! or cd's.  I didn't buy them, just listened to the promo over and over again. DH was originally thinking it was weird, till he heard them, then he was like 'wow, I feel more relaxed and fertile!'
6. No spicy foods. Eastern medicine says that spicy foods reduce fertility.  DH and I eat a TON of spicy foods so this was a hard one, but one that I'm sticking to through my 1st trimester.
7. No scary movies or action films.  In my last IVF cycle I felt very scared when DH and I watched an action film, maybe the Hobit? If being stressed causes infertility, I want to reduce the stress and this is one way to do it.
8. No cat on my lap, limit computer time on lap.  Heating pads are a big no-no after ovulation (or ET), and if you think about it a cat (or computer) is sort of like a heating pad.  My nurse totally agreed with my question: should I push him away? and she was admit: yes!
9. Salmon.  They say that fish increases fertility and IQ of babies.  It's hard though because big fish like tuna and swordfish have too much mecury and are discouraged.  Wild caught salmon on the other hand is one of the good ones because of the omega-3 fatty acids.
10. Kept my feet propped up after transfer.  Another member mentioned this that her doc recommended she keep her feet propped up for a week, so I figured I'd give it a go.
11. kept social engagements at bay.  Sure, my sister wanted to visit this weekend, and sure it's been a little lonely, but the shots are at a weird time each night and I knew I needed to relax, so I just avoided social events once the shots started (and talked more on the phone).  Also, it's key that we not get sick in our first trimester, so staying away from others helps with this too.
12. I didn't tell my sister or mom what was going on.  in the first cycle they kept asking "when will you know?" and the pressure was hard. when the first cycle didn't work, my mom was not very supportive so I figured I'd protect myself this time around.
13. Eat a colorful diet.  Red peppers, leafy greens, brown rice, tomato soup, green lentils, roasted carrots, carrot juice mixed with fruit juice...I've been eating it all.  I read this is good for the baby and have been following the protocol.  FYI Carrot juice is gross by its own but great with fruit juice.
14. other typical stuff: no exercise, no sex, no alcohol (they are finding this is important for men too a wk+ before providing their sample!), no soy, 24 hrs "bed" rest, eat a balanced diet, no deli meat. The eastern philosphy recommends only warm food, I did try to have a warm breakfast, but couldn't always. (I ate eggs the first few days after transfer)  plus I did drink cold beverages (but again, they recommend none).
Shew!  Seems like a lot.  My sister doesn't agree with my choices, but whatever.  As I told her, as long as I'm eating healthy, it's no one's business.  Hope this helps give each of you TTC hope and/or ideas for another cycle.