I never wondered if I was going to be a fertile woman, or not, until I HAD to think about it. Our first pregnancy happened perfectly. It was “storybook”, minus the vomiting of course. We decided to “try” for a baby, and we got pregnant. Boom, just like that.
She came out 9 (and a bit) months later and everything was good and fine and as it should be.
Then we wanted another. We decided to try, and (OMG) it took us THREE WHOLE MONTHS this time (can you hear the sarcasm) and boom, pregnant and a beautiful baby was born.
It never occurred to me that my body WOULDN’T create a perfect little being within the timeline I wanted it to, so when pregnancy #3 started to be planned, I wasn’t prepared for what would happen.
Baby #3 took months. And months. We tried for 8 months to get pregnant, going through BOXES of tests. “Making a baby” became a chore, something we did when I had that fertile “ding” go off on my calendar. And then it happened. Baby #3.
I assumed it would go as planned from there on out, but at 16 weeks we found out we had lost our baby. I was shocked, angry and completely confused about how this could happen. My body KNEW how to do this!! What had gone wrong.
After months of healing, we were lucky enough to get our third child.. a little later than we had planned, but still here. Going through the experience of a miscarriage, and some “light” challenges in getting pregnant I was suddenly aware that this was a more widespread experience than I had imagined.
In Canada, the incidence of fertility issues have risen in the past several decades, with one in six Canadian couples now experiencing fertility-related problems. The result is that what is supposed to be an exciting and happy time, can become a significant source of stress and pressure for the couples that experience challenges along the way.
With National Infertility Awareness Week around the corner (May 12th – 20th), Dr. David Greenberg, Family Physician at St. Joseph Hospital, has some tips to help start the family planning.
Don’t “try”!
For couples “trying” to conceive, every month can be filled with anxiety and worry. Heightened stress can actually cause more challenges. Therefore, it’s important to live in the moment and just enjoy your partner.
It’s not your fault
There are many reasons why conceiving a baby may be difficult, but it’s not anyone’s fault. Blaming yourself or your partner won’t fix anything and may lead to more problems, including tension in your relationship.
Live healthy
Don’t wait until you find out you’re expecting to start making changes to your diet or exercise routine. Once you decide to start trying to conceive, start behaving like you’re already pregnant by eating right, taking prenatal vitamins, avoiding alcohol, stop smoking and exercising sensibly.
Know yourself
Improve your odds of conceiving by having sex on the days when conception is likeliest to happen. Every woman’s body is unique and, when trying to become pregnant, your individual cycle should be taken into consideration. The First Response™ Digital Ovulation Test detects and tracks your personal daily baseline levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) to detect your personal LH surge, unlike other ovulation tests that use a preset “average” level to determine an LH surge.
Know when to see an expert
Most couples who are trying to conceive will become pregnant within a year. For others it can take longer. If it’s taking longer than you expected to conceive, it’s always a good idea to speak to your doctor about what you should be doing to improve your chances of conceiving.
For those who know someone trying to conceive, the most important thing is to be supportive and understanding. Please remember that every woman is different. It’s important to consult your doctor to find the best steps for you.
When we were finally pregnant with our third child, my DR told me that the threat he was MOST worried about was my state of mind. He allowed us to get additional testing, and spent the extra time we needed to ensure our questions were answered and we could experience and enjoy this pregnancy fully.
Our little boy is now 6 years old, and we now know he came at just the perfect moment…
