Getting Pregnant Wasn’t Nearly As Easy As I Had Expected
As soon as I learned about “the birds and the bees”, I was warned, “you must always use protection, because you could get pregnant any time you have unprotected sex!” My mom would tell me, “if your dad sneezed on me, I’d get pregnant.” Then, she’d remind me that I was conceived while she had an IUD (intrauterine device- a form of birth control) in.
For these reasons, I thought my only challenge getting pregnant would be my not having a partner. However, to my surprise, I also had fertility issues (my doctor never could figure out what my exact issue was).
When I started trying for my first baby, I did IUI with donor sperm, and no medication. IUI (intrauterine insemination) is essentially taking sperm, putting it in a turkey baster, and the doctor (though, I think you can do it at home, if you have someone to do it for you) putting it directly into your uterus.
At first, I tried unmedicated IUI with my OB. After 2 months of it not working, I switched to a Reproductive Endocrinologist. I did a couple unmedicated IUIs with him, but when they didn’t work, I did medicated IUIs. After nearly a year of trying to get pregnant via IUI, I switched to IVF. I don’t regret trying IUI, but if I had to do it over, I’d try it 2 – 4 months, and then go straight to IVF.
I’m really bad with estimates, but I bet I gave myself/had a couple hundred shots, and maybe up to a thousand pills over the course of my entire journey to have both of my kids. If those numbers are grossly exaggerated, at least you know how it felt to me on the receiving end. ?
So yeah, getting pregnant turned out to be A LOT harder than I expected. But, I am so grateful to science for giving me, along with so many others, this otherwise impossible opportunity.
If you are on this journey, I know it’s tough, but trust that your “baby” (or child) is out there, and you will become a parent, one day (if you so choose. Whether naturally, with the help of science, fostering, adoption, being a mentor, or however else you define “being/becoming a parent”…).
You are not alone!
✨Allie✨
