It takes a village to make a baby

It takes a village to make a baby

As funny as that may sound, in our case it was actually true. Not just any village though, Akumal a small fishing village in Mexico was where our baby decided was a great place to be conceived. 

As easy as they made it sound back in my days of sex education in grammar, jr. and high school, I learned that its not always that easy for everyone to conceive. 

We were so ready and wanted a baby so badly. The months started to go by and still no baby. It was difficult to stay stress free when you know you are doing everything, and I mean everything to make a baby. I was seeing the chiropractor, acupuncturist and massage therapist all on a regular basis. I didn't have instant success from any of these natural treatments that I believe in 100%, but I will say that they kept me sane throughout the process. I read every book out there, ate every food that apparently had magical powers and I developed some serious acrobatic skills. Still no baby. 

I am not a fan of traditional medicine. I have to be on the floor screaming in pain before I will take some over the counter or prescribed medicine. After the months started to build and build, along with our level of stress, disappointment and uncertainty, I decided to follow my doctors advice and start fertility treatments. 

Well, that was a trip that I do not ever want to be on again. The symptoms were horrific! I was so terribly sick that after many discussions with my husband, we decided that these meds could not be doing anything good for me. So I ended my fertility treatment.

Many more months went by and I questioned my decision to give up on the fertility treatments. I felt like a failure and I started to consider going back on. 

Our stress level was over the top. Patrick and I decided that it was time for a tropical vacation. So we booked a trip to Mexico where my dad had been living for the winter season. 

Before we left for Mexico, I had another visit with my doctor. He suggested a specialist to us. The specialist would run a series of more invasive testing, which I knew would come back like all the rest. Our situation was labeled - unexpected infertility. The plan would be to put me back on fertility drugs. Injectables with a much higher dose, and much worse symptoms. 

I told my doc that we had planned a trip to Mexico and we were leaving the following week. If when I got back I still was not pregnant, I was going to make that appointment with the specialist and subject my body to more punishment. 

In the meantime, I had just received a super fancy digital fertility monitor that my cousin had suggested to me. I had been monitoring my fertility- hormone levels on a daily basis. Days and weeks went by, and according to my monitor I was still not fertile. 

It was time to leave for Mexico and I debated leaving my monitor at home since it was making me angry at this point. As angry as I was with my monitor, we had developed a special relationship. Every morning I would have to test on it, and then yell at it when it didn't tell me what I wanted it to. So I took the monitor on a trip to Mexico. I was so afraid that TSA was going to confiscate it from me and I would have to explain my entire story and unexplained infertility to them. Thankfully my monitor made it to Mexico. 

Like myself, my dad is very natural medicine minded. We arrived in Mexico, and the next morning my dad had a fertility massage scheduled for me. It was by a local Mayan. He came to our villa in the morning, and it was one of the best massages that I have ever had. That following morning, I tested on my monitor, and the little egg on the screen told me that I was about to ovulate. I couldn't believe it. 

That day my parents had arranged for us to stay in a beautiful villa on the beach at Half Moon Bay. We checked into our villa and had a lovely day and evening. I will keep the juicy details to myself :)

We enjoyed a wonderful week in Mexico. About 2 weeks after we returned, We found out that we were having a baby!!!!!!

We are over the top thrilled and anxiously awaiting the arrival of our little one sometime around December 31st!

Along the journey that it took to get to this point there were not many people to talk to. For most who knew what we were going through, I think that it was difficult to find words of support and encouragement. I can't tell you how many times we were told "It will happen". When you are going through the pain of infertility, something about "it will happen" makes you want to break something. I am grateful to everyone who did their best to comfort and support us along the way. I especially appreciate the women who shared their person stories with me and the ones who were patient with my many tears. 

To anyone who may read this who is going through the pain of infertility, know that I am here, I understand your pain and you can cry on my shoulder any day.