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BritChick Paris

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Why Intuition Is Your Best Friend Especially When It Comes to Having a Baby

Posted: 19/03/2013 23:00

I have just come out of a horrid ordeal that I really didn't want to write about. But it is through sharing our experiences that we learn.

As some of you may have read already I have been trying for a baby for a while now. I have had a miscarriage from a blighted ovum that I blogged about at the time. One year later, being considered an 'older' woman (39) I was told I needed fullblown fertility tests as did my husband.

I could deal with the endless bloods, scans and prodding but everything in my body told me not to do anything too intrusive. Cameras through the cervix and dye into the uterus being such treats in store for me.

But I listened to the quacks and the rational side of my brain. Others did it and so should I. I should stop being a crybaby.

I did a test - a hysterogram - to check my tubes and uterus that involved pumping dye into me.

Sadly and ironically the test gave me a bug that may have screwed up what was normal and healthy. A form of pelvic inflammatory disease. I was put on heavy antibiotics straightaway and told to rest. Two weeks later spent in Middle Eastern sunshine I am finally finding my feet. Ironically the only way of knowing whether there was damage is to do the same test again. No thanks.

I went through every emotion afterwards and was blessed to have a doctor in A and E who broke down with me in tears as she had also been trying for a baby for two years.

For years, centuries we looked to the stars, to our own bodies to figure out what was right for us. The Elizabethans used moods to analyse sickness. My recent experience is that western medicine has become totally disconnected from humanity. I was a vessel to be pumped up with iodine. A hormone count to analyse. No one asked how I felt, if I was okay. I have friends going through the same process who have had depression or even split up with their partner due to the pressure. Making a baby becomes functional, desperate, the opposite of making love.

My instinct told me and still does that if I want a baby it will come naturally or if it doesn't maybe it is not meant to be. Others have a different vibe about the whole thing and are comfortable with fertility treatment, IVF or other procedures. But for me and for many of my friends the cost was getting too high. It made me sick, frustrated, anxious and most of all I lost me.

Ironically I just spent my hols with my husband and stepdaughter. Nothing was missing, I was with my family and it completed me. But when I was in the medical baby-making process I constantly felt like I was failing, that I had to have a baby to be a woman. I was jealous of mums with bumps as I waited to be told I had polyps and PCOS and blah blah blah. Our local suburban town screamed with pushchairs and buggies and our spare rooms echoed with emptiness.

Enough.

This is my last blog on trying to have a baby. I am putting it aside and letting nature take it course. "Que sera sera" as my dad said.

For all those women in a similar place, don't listen to anyone else's judgement but your own. Everyone has their opinion about what you should do. Listen but don't do anything that feels uncomfy. If in doubt, don't.

As I have learnt no good comes from something done half heartedly. In fact I am so sure babies only come into this world when the heart is totally full, full of love and confidence.

 

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I have just come out of a horrid ordeal that I really didn't want to write about. But it is through sharing our experiences that we learn. As some of you may have read already I have been trying fo...
I have just come out of a horrid ordeal that I really didn't want to write about. But it is through sharing our experiences that we learn. As some of you may have read already I have been trying fo...
 
 
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
minicoopersi
tells you how it is or should be in the real world
11:20 AM on 03/21/2013
oh well one less baby making factory
09:21 AM on 03/21/2013
Your blog brought the painful memories rushing back and I cried to be honest.

I went through the same. Ended up telling friends & family we didnt want children, just to stop them continually asking 'when was it going to happen?'. I went through months of testing one, the hystersalopingogram or whatever it was called, actually put me in A & E afterwards. I can remember my father seeing me become progressively unwell & depressed & telling me that nothing was worth this & please would I stop.

The need to become a mother was so strong, I would go through anything.

Then 1 visit to my consultant, who told me I was still not pregnant & it was likely my fault as I was trying too hard, left me lower than I have ever been & for a few days I dont think I could have got mentally any lower. Then I just thought what the hell, enough was enough & if I wasnt meant to have kids I would just compensate elsewhere but not waste the rest of my life trying. I gave up. 3 months later I was pregnant! When my firstborn was 21 months I gave birth to twins, full term 40 wks. 5 Years later I had my fourth.

In some cases just trying too hard can be the biggest contraceptive ever.
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HUFFPOST BLOGGER
BritChick Paris
09:59 PM on 03/21/2013
Thank you for sharing your story - it moved me too. It is true and it gives hope. But not false hopes. Real ones. Many best wishes to your family!
09:17 AM on 03/21/2013
Well i think i have been through everything others have been through and more.

We tried naturally for a few years, didn't happen, had all the tests etc, no known cause, had 2 rounds of self funded (£4000 per cycle) IVF, the first one didn't work, the 2nd was messed up by the clinic, who refused a free cycle in compensation, although they (for some unknown reason, hhmmmm) desperately wanted us to pay for another go.
In the end, we stopped with all the treatments and decided to adopt, so..... in less than 2 weeks, our baby girl comes to live with us permanently!
I now have a house full of things i'd never thought i'd need and when the pushchair arrived yesterday, i caught sight of myself in the mirror, pushing it and got such a shock that this was actually me wheeling a pushchair!
I'm pretty sure that now we have our adopted girl and have stopped stressing about getting pregnant, i'll get pregnant and end up with 2 kids under 1 year old!!
Good luck everyone
08:19 AM on 03/21/2013
Women were having first child at 14 centuries ago, in the 18-1900's at 24 and now often at 34 and older. Biologically women are most likely to conceive between 14 and 30. Thereafter the fertility of women and more importantly in this day and age that of men declines rapidly. I have many older relatives who did not have children and to me they had a very contented loving life. Being content in life is a gift and not always easy to appreciate. Good luck to the childless and to those still trying.
08:45 PM on 03/20/2013
Let nature take it's course I say. Not everyone is destined to be a parent, but get on with your life and try to help other children that desperatly need care.
08:37 PM on 03/20/2013
Good to hear the other side of the argument. I too decided to discontinue treatment as it was emotionally destroying me. My marriage is as strong as ever and as i get older i realise my husband and i can still contribute to family life and be fulfilled in other ways.
Best wishes to anyone out there who is going through it. If you don't have success in this area it doesn't mean you will never be happy again. You will. X
08:24 PM on 03/20/2013
Hi, funny today I was reading an article about a 48 year old woman having her first baby. She had a few miscarriages when 36, but then eventually at 48 she got pregnant naturally even though she was told there is only a 1 percent chance of it happening. Her message was keep trying, and I also think she used the help of a natural healer of some type to help her conceive. I believe if it's meant to be it will happen, either way what will be will be and there is no point feeling bad or guilty about it. I'm not speaking from experience I'm afraid, I'm 30 and boyfriend-less and childless, but that's just my thought on it. Good luck and peace.
05:29 PM on 03/20/2013
So true. We never hear about the emotional anguish IVF hormonal terrors put women through..to not mention their families. We also never hear about the frequent side affect of epilepsy and/or other seizures. The age of 27 is optimum for having pregnancies. I heard a woman on NPR interviewed who had an IVF baby, speaking about the rise in aspergers, possibly the after affect of IVF in her mind...she seemed to see a lot of it.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
drkazmd65
Mom Taught me - Question Everything - Thanks Mom!
03:59 PM on 03/20/2013
You sound much like my wife,... we've spent several years in and out of trying, and sorta-kinda trying, to have a child the old fashioned way,... a couple of miscarriages, some chronic issues for my wife as side effect of mistreatment after the miscarrages,... and we ended via a somewhat Byzantine route as patients at a very reputable fertility clinic.

After some more treatments,... lots of blood tests,... several pelvic proceedures (exclusively for my wife of course),... and a run-up to right before starting hormone therapy,... literally the week before we thought we were going to start,... a couple of miscommunications (one mostly my fault, the other entirely the practice's fault) and a hard stop happened. It was more than my wife could take to continue the process,... so we are back to square one,.....

We are starting to look into local foster care,... with an eye toward adoption if the situation merits it. We still want to be parental figures - I suspect we would be good ones,... but it is going to have to happen via a different path.

Good luck to you - whatever your path may be from here.
09:12 AM on 03/21/2013
We have just passed both adoption panels and we finally get our adopted baby girl on 5th April!

We went through everything you went through, including the complete c*ck up at the fertility clinic. I know how your wife feels
X
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
drkazmd65
Mom Taught me - Question Everything - Thanks Mom!
08:38 PM on 03/21/2013
Congratulations to you Dippy! I hope someday to be able to report something similar.

I try not to envy those who have been able to have kids uneventfully,... but I suspect that the trials of getting to that point will make me appreciate parenting more than the typical 'new' parent.
03:20 PM on 03/20/2013
don't forget the stress of trying can stop you succeding .. you read about loads of people who give up after years of stress and discomfort and then succeed when they have come to terms with having no children.
03:17 PM on 03/20/2013
children are a blessing and not something we should have by automatic right! I dont know why women put themseves under pressure and stress to reproduce-its no failure. having said that i would wish anyone going through fertility treament all the luck in the world-it worked for 2 of our friends
02:56 PM on 03/20/2013
Having suffered through infertility, I can feel your pain. I commend you for listening to your gut and doing what is best for you. People who have not experienced the gut-wrenching endless tests and disappointments have no idea what a toll it takes on you physically and emotionally.

I wish you the very best of luck.
01:47 PM on 03/20/2013
Good luck with your future. I know how it feels, At 34, im left with 1 tube after an ectopic pregnancy, the emotions can be debilitating.
03:22 PM on 03/20/2013
my wife had an ectopic pregnancy and lost the tube ... the doctor told her that was it she will never have a nother child now .. 20 years later my 17 year old daughter has just come in fronm school
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01:34 PM on 03/20/2013
There is always hope- I went for a hospital fertility check at age 43 and was told that that I was pre-menopausal...yeah right I though- utter rubbish. I then had a naturopathic consult ( despite being sceptical) who asked if I had been tested for the hormone prolactin, which hadn't been done, although it should have been...guess what- it was a brain tumour as indicated by a very high level. On treatment, and having had my thyroid sorted out- it was affected by the pituitary tumour. The naturopath also suggested having ferritin levels checked and vitamin d- all profoundly low.

ALL responded to medication and guess what- am now 22 weeks pregnant with a perfectly healthy baby at age 46, no IVF or anything else- so there is always room for a second opinion, being sensible and the odd miracle !

Good luck ...
09:55 AM on 03/20/2013
I just got notified 24 hours ago that I had suffered a blighted ovum miscarriage and I am still processing it all and find myself in the worst emotional pain I've ever experienced. Thanks for sharing your stories, I fully agree with you. This was only my first pregnancy and I will nature take it's course. We need to be heard.
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01:28 PM on 03/20/2013
How very sad - I went through the same experience 12 months ago and got to 9 weeks and then it became apparrent that it was a chemical pregnancy.....devastating...I was beside myself...every good wish to you in the future....
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HUFFPOST BLOGGER
BritChick Paris
02:27 PM on 03/20/2013
I wrote a blog on the huff a year ago. Have a read. Let the emotions flow. The hormones will calm down in a few days. It does get easier. I send you lots healing light. X britchick
08:01 AM on 03/21/2013
Thanks for your good wishes. It's amazing how the internet sometimes can be such a healing outlet. I've heard and read and shared some amazing stories in the past 2 days. It will get better. We are all very strong.
03:02 PM on 03/20/2013
I am so sorry. I hope you the coming days get better.
08:02 AM on 03/21/2013
Thanks, so much. Today is a much better day than yesterday, so I am looking forward to the coming healing days and moving on. Best!