Making a baby should be fun. You’re in love, you want to grow your family, you get to have sex. Unfortunately this scenario can turn into the opposite pretty quickly. You’re disagreeing, you’re not talking, and you only have sex when required. If you are shifting into this second scenario, know that you are not …
Coping with infertility
Engaging those who question our choices
Pursuing natural alternatives to more traditional medicines and treatments is a deeply personal decision, and one which many of us do not take lightly. My husband and I often spend hours analyzing research and weighing our findings against our beliefs, our health history, and our personal preferences. Sometimes we decide that a more traditional medical …
How to survive infertility during the holidays
The holiday season can be one of the most bitter seasons of the year for those of us who are struggling with empty arms. Almost everything is geared toward family and children and the normal feelings of mourning for the things we’ve lost can take a depressing turn if we’re not careful. Here are five …
Four tips to handling the holidays while trying to conceive
Normal family dynamics during the holidays can be tough to deal with and when you’re going through infertility it makes it even harder. Let’s talk about why this is and some helpful solutions for getting through the holidays while trying to conceive. The issues that come up during the holidays while trying to conceive: 1. …
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From Pain to Purpose
Why am I not pregnant? Why is God doing this to me? Why is my body revolting against the one thing I’ve dreamed of most? Those “why” questions are brutal on our hearts, aren’t they? If we let them, they will stir up an emotional windstorm, driving frustration, fear, and anger deeper into the broken …
Nurturing a spirit of grace in the midst of infertility
I was bitter. I first realized it when the nurse called me back, saying, “You’re here to see the doctor about your infertility, right?” My heart sank, and I snapped back at her, “I’m not infertile, we’re just having a hard time getting pregnant.” I recognized the bitterness immediately. I was keenly aware that deep …
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Infertility, five years later
It was only a photograph. Our church had long ago decided to create a pictorial directory, updated every five years, to keep track of the growing families in our community. And it was only a photograph. At least, that’s what I kept telling myself as we sat in the narrow hallway awaiting our turn. Five …
Enlisting support on the journey of infertility
Infertility can be a lonely and isolating journey. There are many factors that influence our isolation, deterring us from enlisting support on the journey of infertility, and tricking us into thinking that we are alone on the painful struggle to parenthood. These are just a few: Our friends, siblings, and cousins start their families and …
Pain Redeemed, a book review
I don’t remember when I met Natasha exactly, and we’ve not yet met in real life unfortunately, just by virtual means. She deals with infertility, as I and many of you do/did. And she recently wrote a book and I would love to tell you about it! Pain Redeemed, when our deepest sorrows meet God …
Overcoming the Ugly {my guest post}
Do you ever feel that bitterness or jealousy creeping up inside you? Me too. Today I’m guest posting at Still Standing, an online magazine dedicated to helping women embrace life in the midst of infertility and loss. I’d love to invite you over there to join me in the conversation about how we can overcome …
Verses for infertility – I’m infertile, but whole in Jesus
Ann’s story of hope and healing: I am infertile. Just wanted to get that out of the way. It’s true. Two and a half years and 9,000 tests and procedures later, we know. We’ve known since December 23, 2010 actually, but it takes a while to process something like that and really accept it. I’ve …
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Finding the heart of God through broken dreams
Even before I was married the doctors were telling me that babies would be difficult to have, at best, and I was wiping tears and crying out to God that I didn’t want to travel this road. I had been mothering everything around me since I was a child myself. Being a mom was in my blood. …