Giving Conception The Best Start With Dr Fertility

Sponsored Post

When I first started blogging 7 years ago it was all about our fertility struggle. It was an outlet for my emotions and a diary of our journey into eventual parenthood.

Becoming parents was a long road for us. Hospital referrals, two lap and dyes, endometriosis diagnosis, cauterisation, tube flush, repeated miscarriage and a round of Clomid, finally resulted in us having our wonderful, albeit a little feral and crazy, redheaded boy.

It was an incredibly hard 6 years of trying to conceive and at the time it was very lonely and isolating time, but when I began to be more open, I found others were too. The support of a select few then helped us through the darker days. Opening up the conversation helped both myself and others speak more freely about trying to conceive and the different struggles to do so.

6 Facts About Fertility Everyone Should Know

Collaborative Post

Regular readers will know that this blog first started as diary of our fertility struggle and I've recently decided to do more posts on the subject. Fertility is something lots of people struggle with and I'm a strong believe in being open about our journey and to stop the subject being taboo.

If you’re currently trying for a baby, or would like to start a family at some point in the future, you’ll find the following infographic particularly helpful. It contains six facts about fertility that have been compiled by a fertility clinic in London and may help you improve your chances of conception.

Faith, trust and fertility dust!

Quite a few friends, family members and readers have asked me whats happening on the fertility front.

What's happening? 
Is there any update?
Are you expecting yet?

Well, no nothing is happening. There is no update. I'm not expecting. That bump is Chinese takeaways and crisps.

Proceive Advanced Fertility Supplements

Gifted

Fertility, for those that don't know, is the very reason that I started this blog.

An outlet for emotions and a diary of experiences, starting the blog then called Katie C, was like therapy for me. After 6 years of trying to conceive, miscarriages, Endometriosis diagnosis, two laparoscopy, a tube flush, a batch of Clomid, multiple admissions for reduced movements and a traumatic birth, we have our boy! Woohoo! And he's now 4!

Sadly, though we haven't been blessed with anymore. Even after two rounds of Clomid there is no little brother or sister for JJ. 

I'm always keen though to try something different and in finding a natural approach to my Fibromyalgia works well, I've started to feel that it could be the way to go for our fertility too. 

So when I was asked to try the natural fertility supplement Proceive, I obviously said yes! 

To All The Mummies Still Waiting For Their Babies

Many months ago on an episode of One Born Every Minute an expectant father described his wife as being a mother without a child and that she would mother any child (and a few adults too) that she came into contact with. My husband turned to me and said "that's you, that's how you were".

The ability and kindness to care for any child in your life is a wonderful trait to have but it can also be something of a curse. Being an aunt, whether it be via family or friendship (what I call an aunty by acquaintance), gives you a quick fix but it doesn't fill that void in your heart.

Those of you that are regular readers will know I have now been lucky enough to blessed with a baby and therefore, parenthood. I am 22 months in and literally love every moment. Don't get me wrong there are some really bad days, shitty days (literally),  but when I climb into bed I feel forever blessed by the little ginger's presence.

It Starts

That's it then. It's official. The fertility train has pulled in at the station and we are on the platform with our tickets.

Summer 2013

So having been probed and flushed I really have to get my finger out of my backside and get down to my target weight! After my latest operation one of the nurses suggests I book in for regular weight checks so I keep on track and hopefully stop myself cheating too often. I do as I'm told and find myself going to be weighed every few weeks.

My husband, close friends and work colleagues are very supportive, as are some of my family. Unfortunately, I feel some people in my life aren't as supportive as they could or should be and the sly comments about me always dieting and falling off the wagon can be heard, loud and clear. I'm well aware of my dieting mistakes over the last few years and I'm the one that has to live with them. I'm the one that has it on my conscience that I have not lost the weight, not made myself a mother or made my husband a father. I battled on regardless ignoring them the best I can.

Where did my mojo go go?

It's been over two weeks since my last blog. The reason being that I seem to have run out of ideas. Don't get me wrong, I have always been indecisive but lately its gone to a whole new level. What to craft, what to write about and even what to have for tea and which loo roll to buy have been a struggle.

Unable to decide on what to write and with no creative juices following I've struggled to blog. Part of me has wanted to stop altogether. So, when the time came for me to submit my monthly post to meetothermums.com I faulted. No idea what to write and basically no ideas. I emailed the lovely Sally over at MeetOtherMums and explained how I felt, apologising for the lack of post this month.

Autumn/Winter 2013 - Just knocked up - Start of pregnancy to week 12

So the day has nearly come around for my scan and I feel a mix of excitement and anxiety.

My husband and I discussed who and when to tell people and we have told around half a dozen to a dozen people and have sworn them to secrecy. One of those people is my Mum but the problem with telling her is that she CANNOT keep a secret! We did consider not telling our parents but thought it best to in case something unfortunate happened and we needed them. I was still a little unsure about telling them but became backed into a corner when Mum asked me to help her lift something heavy from the car. I said no and she stomped off, whilst my Dad gave me a look that said I was unhelpful little madam! Obviously they were over the moon when I explained why a few minutes later.

By the time my birthday and the scan came around I'm struggling to keep it under wraps. I feel sick a lot of the time but never actually throw up and spend a lot of the time feeling like I've just come off a rollercoaster. On my birthday my sister knocks at the door as I've got my head in the loo and as you can hear me heaving all over the house I think I may have been rumbled. Thankfully, she never asks and doesn't question why I am under the weather.

The reasons why I'm unsure about baby number 2

Within moments of your first born making their arrival the inevitable questions start.

"Will you have another?"
"When will you have another?"

And with the questions comes the 'advice'.

"Don't leave too much of a gap."
"You're pushing 40, don't leave it too long." (I'm 33, you nobhead)

But the thought of having another feels me full of warm fuzzy, motherly feelings and the same amount of dread all at the same time. A friend recently asked me why I wasn't sure and I spilled out a bucket full of reasons.

Here's the most rational ones.

Spring 2014

So here I am between 34 and 35 weeks pregnant, sitting on a bed in the labour suite of the local hospital, legs akimbo and a light being shone up, well, you know where!

After an uncomfortable few minutes I am told my cervix is closed, which is a good sign. I am sent home and told to return the next day for more monitoring and another scan. I am exhausted but the thought of my husband or Mum packing my things prompts me to stay up a little longer and throw together my hospital bag.

The next morning I decide to go into work before my appointment at the hospital. My boss is really understanding and has already told me not to go in but I really don't want to leave them in a mess. I try and creep in but the waddle in my walk and the large bump give me away. I promptly get an almighty bollocking for going in, which looking back is well deserved! I do the bits needed and one of my colleagues, commonly known as my work wife makes me a drink. I'm not sure which is more of a miracle, the fact I am pregnant or that she has made a drink! I feel quite tearful as I leave and my work wife has to turn away as we sniffle our goodbyes.

Charity Spotlight - World Cord Blood Day

Collaborative Post

On the run up to Christmas people often begin to think about good and charitable causes and November is a month full of awareness days and weeks. With this in mind I've decided to pick one close to my heart and bring back my old Charity Spotlight feature. 

Writing about World Cord Blood Day takes me back five years! Back to when I was expecting out little boy! Wow, I can't believe it was that long ago?!

Pinch, punch, first of the month!!

I want to start my second blog by saying a HUGE thank you for all the amazing feedback I've had from my first blog. I was overwhelmed by all the supportive comments and messages from other women sharing their experiences, ranging from trying for a baby, being pregnant, miscarriage and other difficulties. One or two made me shed a tear and I thank you all for getting in touch.

So, whats happened in the last few weeks on the baby front? Well, not much to be quite honest, although there was a little ray of light, for 3 short days at least. My monthly 'gift from mother nature' (as the advert says) was three days late. For those of you that have at some point have had to keep a note of your monthly cycle for baby making purposes, you'll know too well how much your cycle rules your life. From noting the first day of your period, to taking your temperature and then peeing on a stick to see if your ovulating and peeing on a different one to see if your pregnant. Frankly its a lot of peeing and poking yourself, often with no result. 

PureChimp Matcha Green Tea

Gifted

I've never been one for green tea. Plenty of people recommended it to me when I was trying to lose weight to enable us to have fertility treatment but I just couldn't stomach it. I don't like the smell or taste and I hate the stains it leaves in your mugs. So, when PureChimp offered me the opportunity to try theirs I thought I'd give them the chance to change my mind.

Winter 2013/14 - The 12 week scan, Christmas and New Year!

When we reach the 12 week scan date my husband and I are beyond excited but also incredibly nervous. When we arrive at our local hospital I am taken into a side area and have bloods taken, blood pressure done etc. Once that's done we have a short wait and are called into the sonographers room. The sonographer tells us she will do the scan, check things over and take all the measurements she needs to. Once she's happy she will tell us what she sees. As she starts she tells us we can look at the flat screen TV on the wall and we will be able to see our baby. Our little baby flickers on to the screen. A baby. An actual BABY!! No longer a little flickering bean shaped heartbeat but an ACTUAL BABY!! Once the sonographer has finished she assures us everything seems ok, pointing out the head and the babies long legs. Just like Daddy already! She asks if we have any questions and we both seem to sit in silence. After a moment we both explain we are still amazed to be pregnant and although we are well aware of what a baby looks like on a sonogram it seems a huge jump from our little Bean to an actual baby shaped baby!

10 Things That Make Me Happy!

It feels like ages since I've blogged and although I've got lots of ideas and things to say, I've pondered about which to share with you first. So, I thought I'd go with 10 Things That Make Me Happy following the tag by the lovely Laura of  Wafflemama fame!

Laura tagged me in her post a while ago and I thought it would be perfect to get restarted! 

So here we go.....

1. Joseph
Some days maybe hard but this kid was worth the 6 year wait. He is funny and lovable. I love him more than I ever thought possible.

When the shitty just gets shittier

The last couple of weeks have been pretty shit. It feels like an endless conveyor belt of shitness, so obviously feel I should share it with you.

It's OK To Say No!

Collaborative Post

In the past I've shared my fertility and health troubles, and I've recently shared a guest post about Fibromyalgia too. Many of you have contacted me and said it's helped to explain to your family and friends how you feel and why some days are harder than others.

With this in mind I wanted to share another post before the Christmas rush, hustle and bustle start. I feel this is an important one and it's for everyone, not just those of us with chronic pain, Fibro etc. 

Whether you work full-time, part-time, are a stay at home parent, a full time carer, step parent or child free, this is important.

As we take a step nearer to Christmas and the craziness that surrounds it I say this..........it's OK to say no. 

GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!!!!

So, today was the first day back at work for many of us following of the Jubilee bank holiday weekend and what a weekend of British celebrations it has been!! Street parties, river pageants, concerts led by the great Gary Barlow, bunting, Pimms, roast dinners and barbeques!!! You can’t get much better!!

I know some people aren’t of the same opinion as me but I personally love the Queen, and the rest of the royals for that matter. Queen at 26 and 60 years later, and at 86 still working the equivalent of probably two full time jobs you can’t help but admire her. A fast changing world, scandals and losses can not shake her. I’m proud to say I will be there waving my flag in Market Square when she visits Nottingham next week. Just to see her, even from a distance, would be incredible and probably a once in a lifetime opportunity. And, for those of you that say you’re not a fan and dislike her, I presume you didn’t watch any of the television coverage, including the concert and went to work on Tuesday? Thought not! So suck it up, you love her too!

Goodbye Preschooler

A few hours ago I made a complete fool of myself on Instagram stories. I cried. A lot. No doubt some people rolled their eyes and skipped passed but for me it was an intimate and vulnerable moment I chose to share.

I hadn't intended to cry. I expected to perhaps feel a little tearful but once I started there was no going back. 

The reason for my tears, tears that I'm still fighting back as I write this hours later, is that my 4 year old son starts school tomorrow and I'm heartbroken.

This is the boy I waited 6 long years for. 6 very difficult, hard, excruciating years for.