General Infertility

Writing about the creation of life is about beginning again. There is so much information available today for most people who are trying to conceive. Websites, blogs, advertisements, all leading to potential answers and antidotes which will certainly help you become pregnant. After having gone through so many infertility treatments, experiments on my body, mind and soul, it would inevitable lead to the "Begin Again". And, every time, the begin again was so excruciating and so painful, and yet there was the promise of next time. This is where the mind is so powerful over being influenced by those involved in this multi-million dollar industry. Your goal is to be a parent and you will go through things so incredible to have a… [more]

In most societies, it is assumed that girls will grow up and have babies. We, as girls are given dolls to play with, babysit, help with others' kids and are taught nurturing skills in preparation to become a Mom. Historically, women had children at a much younger age and had more children. As women entered the work force, the size of families steadily became smaller and women waited later to start their families. Awaiting - It is a word that describes a longing for something. And, with the decision to become a Mom, we are awaiting the moment that we know is coming; we will be pregnant and have a baby. It is natural. Awaiting, for the woman… [more]

Welcome to the new series of Fertility Blogs! As a Mom and a woman who had some of the most excruciating experiences with my infertility treatments, I can empathize and sympathize with every woman, man and family during these emotional times. A friend once asked me to describe myself, using one word, starting with the letter of the alphabet. This gave me 26 ways to describe myself and I felt compelled to accept the challenge; knowing it would be simple, right? I began to ask other friends, family and colleagues to use a word that best described me in their eyes. Some were hilarious, others poignant, and still some even stung. As a columnist, I began a series on life from A-Z and it… [more]

When asked about the worst medication that I had to take when undergoing IVF, my surprising answer is - birth control pills. Of course, I didn’t love the shots, or hot flashes caused by other medicines, but the hormonal surges, caused by “the pill,” were by far the hardest to endure. I took birth control pills prior to trying to conceive (obviously before I knew that was unnecessary) and never found one without overwhelming side-effects. The pill made me moody and anxious, sad or irritable, gave me headaches, and just generally did not contribute to a good quality of life. The difference when I was taking them and when I wasn’t was so pronounced that it… [more]

A lot of the decisions I have made in my life can easily be judged by those around me, and admittedly the opinion formed may not always be positive. Thankfully, though, I am confident that the decisions I have made are the right ones for me. My family didn't think I should have moved onto IVF so soon, or at all in some cases. Many people openly judge me for working full-time rather than staying at-home with my long-awaited children. I am a proponent of child-rearing methods like "Cry-It-Out" and letting them dip their green beans in ketchup if that will coerce them to eat vegetables. Many other moms think things like this border on… [more]

You know you have struggled with infertility for way too long when you have inappropriate thoughts during a devastating natural disaster. I live in an area that was recently hard hit by Mother Nature and people throughout our city are trying to pick up the pieces after losing everything. It has been two weeks and each day I find more and more people and places that have been affected. I learn of friends who no longer have a place to live, a neighbor who had to report a body washed into her yard, and widespread lack of insurance making it virtually impossible for so many to rebuild their lives. In the face of all of… [more]

If my husband had let me I would have been one of those people who were home pregnancy test "addicts" after my IVF embryo transfer. Unfortunately, our doctor and nurse advised against testing at all and he was in the room to hear it (otherwise, he wouldn't have known the difference). For me, it was the not knowing what was going on that almost drove me insane. So, it was helpful to learn what was going on each day after the transfer, and knowing the timeline somewhat kept the complete crazies at bay (well, almost). I, of course, did sneak in a home pregnancy test or two but by the time I did it I knew… [more]

Tonight there is supposed to be a full moon. I grew up hearing tales of the effect of full moons on labor and birthrates (my mom was a Labor & Delivery nurse), and have always thought it interesting to hear about baby booms on evenings of a bright and full moon. There are also all sorts of myths and folklore out there about full moons and werewolves, crime sprees, accidents, suicides - you name it and the occurence of something or the increase in occurence has probably been blamed on a full moon at one time or another. So, I read with interest today a blurb that I got over email that proclaimed that the… [more]

A friend of mine just started taking birth control pills in preparation for her first IVF cycle. She mentioned that she thought she was done with the "crazy pills," as we call them (otherwise known as Clomid) and was surprised to be having such a negative reaction to the relatively benign "pill." I recollected that in my brief time on "the pill" prior to trying to conceive that it really did do a number on my emotional well-being. She has never used birth control and did not expect that something that the majority of women we know used would induce mood swings, anxiety, and weepiness. After telling her that I thought the reaction she… [more]

The Southeast Chapter of RESOLVE is having it's first annual Family Building Conference on May 1st in Atlanta, Georgia (CLICK HERE for more information). Beyond being a spectacular idea - getting people together with experts to discuss issues surroung infertility - it is also very well named! The conference intends to "address the medical, emotional, social, financial and legal issues associated with infertility and adoption." There are also some awesome give-aways, including a chance at a free IVF cycle and a free donor egg cycle, but I digress (as I am apt to do when someone says the word free). What struck me the most about the informational email I received about the conference… [more]