What scared me the most about Infertility

“Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.
Children born to a young man are like sharp arrows in a warrior’s hand.”
Psalm 127: 3 & 4

Infertility is a scary issue to have to deal with and what scared me the most when my husband and I were struggling with it, was that images of us, old and gray and all alone, sitting on our porch with no children to visit us or call us to ensure that we are alright and was taking our blood pressure medication and keeping our doctors’ appointments, kept coming up in my mind and believe me, they were very haunting.

My Godmother had no children, I often wondered why but was told by her in 2006, when I had my miscarriage, that she suffered many miscarriages and sadly did not end up with any children. Her husband died many years ago and she was left alone. Many times when I would go to visit her, I could tell that she was sad and lonely and my heart ached seeing her in that way. She would just sit on her front verandah and look out and that for me was very difficult to see. She died recently and part of me was sad and part relieved that she no longer had to be alone. She is buried beside her husband and all I can think of is how happy she must be, now that she has been reunited with her dearly beloved.

As a result of what I saw my Godmother going through, it made me fight harder to beat infertility, even if it meant having just one child, or adopting, because I really did not want to end up like her nor I did not want my husband and I to be old and childless either.

Thankfully, due to the advancement in medical technology, many of us who are affected by infertility will go on to have children, and so we no longer have to feel afraid like I was feeling, that we will be old and gray and childless, that is if we do not resort to other alternatives of having children.

Having no pitter patter of little feet, or no innocent childhood laughter around was never the way I saw my life and so I feel eternally blessed that I now have these precious little indulgements in my life. I am a mother and hopefully will be a grandmother too one day.

Keep doing what you are doing for your triumph, don’t ever give up and I guarantee you, it will be all worth the struggle.

Until next time, keep clinging to hope.

Image by: http://images.google.tt/images?gbv=2&hl=en&sa=1&q=+elderly+couple+sitting+on+front+porch&btnG=Search+images&aq=f&oq=

Preparing your body for conception – A reminder

“Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.
Children born to a young man are like sharp arrows in a warrior’s hand.”
Psalm 127: 3 & 4

image by: http://www.healthjockey.com/2008/04/08/maternal-care-during-pregnancy-the-ayurveda-way/

Fighting infertility can consume us to the point where other important things in our lives get forgotten or neglected, and this includes preparing our bodies for pregnancy. This preparation is vital for the health of your pregnancy and your baby.

When I was battling primary infertility, I don’t remember it being stressed to me that I also need to prepare my body for pregnancy. Maybe it was said, but somewhere along the line got forgotten. After a while, I remember hearing that I must take folic acid, at least 400 micrograms per day, which I did for some time. Sadly though, before I became pregnant with our daughter, I was not on any folic acid and still cannot shake the feeling that maybe, if I was on them, my pregnancy would have turned out differently.

Preparing your body for pregnancy also includes a proper diet. This includes avoiding beverages with caffeine and alcohol and eat whole grain cereal, bread and crackers, dark green leafy vegetables e.g. spinach and kale.

Please visit the following site or any other relevant sites on the right side of this page for more tips on pre pregnancy preparations for your body:-

http://www.parents.com/getting-pregnant/health/nutrition/health-update-are-you-getting-enough-folic-acid/?page=2

Hope this information helps.

Until next time, all the best in your efforts and keep clinging to hope

‘Beatitudes for parents’

“Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.
Children born to a young man are like sharp arrows in a warrior’s hand.”
Psalm 127: 3 & 4

This was the daily devotion from my copy of The Word for Today Caribbean Edition, for Friday July 10, 2009. This actually caused me to think more objectively about parenting, as I found these so interesting and right-on, so I am sharing them with you all, especially those of you who are parents.

I know my blog is about infertility support, but as you can see, because I am also a parent, a new one too, who is open to learning something new every day, in an effort to becoming the best parent I can be. As a result of this, some of my posts will shift a bit to parenting, as you have already seen of some earlier posts.

“The following ‘Beatitudes for Parents’ were written 45 years ago by Marion E. Kinnerman, when her daughters were raising her six grandsons. They’re still spot-on!

‘Children…….learn……from their parents.’ Ephesians 4:1 TM

Blessed are those who make peace with spilled milk and mud, for of such is the kingdom of childhood

Blessed is the parent who engages not in the comparison of his child with others for precious unto each is the rhythm of his own growth.

Blessed are those who have learnt to laugh, for it’s the music of a child’s world.

Blessed and mature are those who without anger can say ‘No,’ for comforting to a child is the security of firm decisions.

Blessed is the gift of consistency, for it brings heart’s-ease in childhood

Blessed are they who accept the awkwardness of growth, for they are aware of the choice between marred furnishings and damaged personalities.

Blessed are the teachable, for knowledge brings understanding and understanding brings love.

Blessed are the men and women who in the midst of the unpromising mundane, give love, for they bestow the greatest of all gifts to each other, to their children and, in an ever-widening circle, to their fellowman.’

One successful entrepreneur said, ‘I may be a self-made man, but the blueprints came from my mom and dad.’ Bottom line” ‘Children…..learn……from their parents.’ What are you teaching yours?”

Profound isn’t it. I like the last ‘Beatitude’ a lot, simply because what is man without love and despite our accomplishments, we have nothing if we are not able to give love.

As for the rest, well lets just say, my stereo system is broken, the bedside lamps, broken and we went from three television sets to just one, which has to be on a cartoon chanel and heaven help us if we should change it to watch something else. My mother-in-law got a taste of this too on our recent visit, as he broke some of her rather prized items in her house. She seemed to have recovered from this rather quickly, I would imagine it is because she waited for him to come about for so long that she cannot afford for material things to ruin it for her.

We were really upset at first and thought what a destructive child this is, when he broke so many things in the house, but thanks to these beatitudes, I can now just smile and say:

'Blessed are they who accept akwardness of growth, for they are aware of the choice between marred furnishings and damaged personalties.'

........and let the verses permanently displayed at the top of my blog pages, play over and over in my head.

Until next time, be inspired.