As I have discussed many times on this blog, infertility can be a stressful and difficult thing to endure. Infertility is shrouded in shame, and yet it is quite common in our society. As women choose to have children later in life, egg quality diminishes and leads to lower pregnancy rates. In …
Shoe-drop thinking: How to let go of the past?
I'm pregnant, again... I'm almost 10 weeks along and definitely feeling symptoms of first trimester pregnancy this time. No big announcements, clever texts or Facebook posts, no balloons or flowers or drama. Just quiet and cautious happiness... somewhat. You see, it's actually been difficult to …
Using Rituals to Alleviate Stress
(Image courtesy of 9comeback at FreeDigitalPhotos.net) We all incorporate small rituals into our lives, such as performing a particular order of operations or one little task that always has to be done before or after something else. For you, it might be the steps you employ to make your morning …
My Latest "Project"
I'm told the conversation went something like this: Husband: "I could really get into this climb!" Climbing partner: "Is this route going to be your new project this summer?" Husband: "I think so." Partner: "What about trips, or are you going to be hanging around here a lot?" Husband: …
Think of it as one, long pregnancy
I knew he meant well, but he could not and would not ever really understand. "Think of it was one, long pregnancy," he said. "I mean, all those eggs were all taken out of you on the same day and fertilized on the same day..." "So it's like they're all part of the same process." At first …
What IVF Taught Me
I recently completed my first cycle of in vitro fertilization (IVF). It is a long and detailed process, requiring lots of resources, money, time, and patience. The first stage involves, ironically, taking oral contraceptives to reset the hormone milieu and force all eggs into a senescent, follicular …