Our Journey Through Infertility - What I Wish I Knew

🌈 Our Infertility Journey: Heartbreak, Hope, and a Rainbow Baby

Just a bit about me before I dive into the details of our infertility journey. I have two kids from a previous marriage, and they’re now 13 and 11. I had no issues getting pregnant with them at all. In fact, those pregnancies weren’t planned. Fast forward to 2020, when I met my current husband, and I had decided I was done having kids. Two felt like enough.

But life had other plans.

💭 Deciding to Grow Our Family

A year after getting married, my husband and I started talking about growing our family. Yes, I had two children, and he had three from his previous marriage, but we wanted a child of our own, a little piece of us together.

I thought, This will be easy. I’ve done it before without even trying.
Boy, was I wrong.

I tracked ovulation. I got lab work done to find the perfect time to “baby dance.” I researched vitamins to improve my egg quality and his sperm quality. We tried everything. Month after month, for three years, the pregnancy test read negative. Every single time.

It was heartbreaking. I wanted a baby so badly.

🩺 Moving on to Fertility Treatments

After three years, we decided to try Intrauterine Insemination (IUI). Still negative after the first try. Then, the clinic contacted me about participating in a medical study using a new device called FemaSeed, which was designed to be more effective. I decided to try it.

And to my utter surprise, it worked.
After three long years, I was pregnant.

But my joy was short-lived. My HCG levels were low and not doubling as expected. At my first ultrasound, the technician couldn’t find a pregnancy. After two more ultrasounds, it was confirmed: I was having an ectopic pregnancy.

I was crushed.

We could have continued trying with more IUIs, but the fear of another ectopic pregnancy haunted me. After many long discussions with my husband, we decided to move forward with IVF.

💉 The IVF Rollercoaster

Let me tell you, IVF is not easy or cheap. My doctor tailored a protocol based on my medical history (if anyone is interested in the details of my protocol and results, comment and follow. I’ll share them!).

I went through:

• Countless medications and injections

• Egg retrieval

• Fertilization

• Embryo development

• A single embryo transfer (with others stored for later)

And in 2024, I was finally pregnant with my rainbow baby. I was ecstatic.

Then, another surprise, during one of my early ultrasounds, we discovered that my single embryo had split. I was carrying identical twins.

However, my happiness was short-lived again. At my 12-week ultrasound, I learned that Baby B’s heart had stopped beating. I was devastated and terrified of losing Baby A. I didn’t know if I could handle starting over again.

🤰 The Pregnancy That Tested Everything

My pregnancy was hard, physically, mentally, and emotionally. I lived in constant fear. I battled awful symptoms and gained 80 pounds. My mental health took a huge toll. But despite it all, it was worth every second.

That same year, I delivered a healthy baby boy, and today, he’s a happy, thriving 12-month-old. 💙

Looking back, there are a few things I wish I had known before I started this journey. I hope they help someone else going through the same thing.

💡 5 Things I Wish I Knew Before My Pregnancy

1. Don’t expect an easy pregnancy.
   Before getting pregnant, I was very fit and assumed I’d continue working out. I was wrong. My symptoms were overwhelming, and I simply couldn’t do it.

2. Food aversions are REAL.
   I couldn’t stand the smell of meat, seafood, or even vegetables. All I could stomach were unhealthy meals, which contributed to my weight gain.

3. Infertility is a long journey.
   Infertility can happen to anyone at any time, at any age. I assumed that being young meant I’d conceive easily. I wasn’t prepared for how long and isolating the journey would be. Many people didn’t understand, and I felt alone.

4. Do NOT compare your pregnancy to others.
   It’s so easy to scroll through social media and see influencers with “perfect” pregnancies. Comparison only breeds anxiety. Everybody is different. Focus on the incredible work your body is doing, creating life. Positive affirmations can truly shift your mindset.

5. Give yourself grace.
   Be gentle with yourself during and after pregnancy. You just created human life, that’s extraordinary. You can’t predict symptoms, and you shouldn’t obsess over weight gain. There’s time to focus on that later.

🌈 Final Thoughts

Infertility taught me patience, resilience, and gratitude. It tested me in ways I never imagined, but it also gave me one of the greatest gifts of my life. If you’re walking this path, know that you’re not alone. The journey may be long and hard, but hope is stronger than heartbreak.

💬 If you’re going through infertility or IVF, share your story in the comments. I’d love to connect and support each other. If you found this helpful, consider sharing this with a friend who might need some hope today.