Hi and welcome to my blog. I am 28 years old, and a stay at home mom to 3 children, ages 7, 4, and 20 months. My husband and I will be celebrating 9 years of marriage in December. We were married in 2008. We dated for 3 months and were engaged for 3 months. If you think that is quick, I have a sister in law who married her husband after 2 weeks of dating! (And yes, they are still married.)
I grew up as an only child, so my motherhood dreams are big! I want the white picket fence and to hear the pitter patter of many little feet across the hardwood floors (or laminate, I’m not picky) and a house big enough to raise four or more children. I told my husband on our first date that I was looking for something serious. I wanted 8 kids and marriage and if he wasn’t interested in that, there wouldn’t be a second date. He gave the perfect answer, "Let’s make it through the first seven and see how it goes."
In our first year of marriage, I was diagnosed with Stage 1 Endometriosis at 20 years old. It was unexpected, but I was relieved to have an answer after 7 months of going to doctor appointments, undergoing labs, and testings with no answers. The doctors weren’t sure if I would or would not be able to have kids (because Endometriosis affects all women differently), which was devastating for me to think about a life where I would never become a mom.
I grew up as an only child, so my motherhood dreams are big! I want the white picket fence and to hear the pitter patter of many little feet across the hardwood floors (or laminate, I’m not picky) and a house big enough to raise four or more children. I told my husband on our first date that I was looking for something serious. I wanted 8 kids and marriage and if he wasn’t interested in that, there wouldn’t be a second date. He gave the perfect answer, "Let’s make it through the first seven and see how it goes."
In our first year of marriage, I was diagnosed with Stage 1 Endometriosis at 20 years old. It was unexpected, but I was relieved to have an answer after 7 months of going to doctor appointments, undergoing labs, and testings with no answers. The doctors weren’t sure if I would or would not be able to have kids (because Endometriosis affects all women differently), which was devastating for me to think about a life where I would never become a mom.
However, I put my faith in the Lord and before I even started trying to get to pregnant, I started preparing for a baby with the hope I would be blessed with one someday. I got pregnant in 3 cycles post my laparoscopy surgery, taking my gynecologist’s advice to try to conceive within 6 months of having the surgery. In the surgery, they removed the Endometriosis by laser and a cyst from one of my ovaries. (Unfortunately, Endometriosis has no cure so it will continue to grow back).
The second baby, I was worried I would need another surgery to get pregnant since some women with Endometriosis can become pregnant following the laparoscopy. Unfortunately, I read this is not a solution because too much surgery can increase scar tissue. We decided to start trying when our first child was 9 months old while I was breastfeeding. We figured it would take a while and wanted to get started right away. So, we tried for 8 months and 1 week without a period and did not become pregnant.
When I got my period at 17 months postpartum, we continued trying. Breastfeeding unfortunately made my cycles irregular and I had a short luteal phase. My gynecologist would only help me after I finished breastfeeding. He said if I weaned and wasn’t pregnant in 3 months, he would put me on Clomid. I wasn’t interested in weaning my baby for a baby we didn’t know for sure we would be blessed with (although I had hoped we would be blessed with another) and we continued to try. I researched and experimented with natural supplements to help regulate my cycles and finally became pregnant with baby two. It took 6 cycles out of 9 periods.
Baby 3 took the longest to conceive. Postparum menstral returned at 10 months and 27 days postpartum. The fear of needing another surgery always worried me, but I kept hope that there was another one. Both gynecologist and OB refused to give me fertility help while I was breastfeeding. OB said if you got pregnant once while breastfeeding, I am sure you can do it again and sent me on my way.
I wasn’t willing to sacrifice breastfeeding for a hypothetical baby (because who knows how long it will take to get pregnant and if it will be a viable pregnancy). To help deal with the irregular cycles and short luteal phases, I turned to help of a midwife and natural supplements. It took 10 cycles to conceive baby 3!
I still dream of more kids. But the birth of baby 3, I had postpartum pre-hypertension (resolved in a little over a year), diagnosed with hyperthyroidism at 27 (still battling over a year later) and undiagnosed but suspected diastasis recti at 19 months postpartum, which led to a hernia. Fibroids run strongly in my family at hitting women in their 30s, so I know my fertility will be decreasing with age and most likely genetics. I am trying to keep hope alive that I will get to pick the number of children I want versus not being able to have more.
Last Edited: November 9, 2017
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