I Knew I Wasn't Alone
I had this feeling since I was a teenager that I would have problems having babies because my period was always irregular. At the age of seventeen, I started birth control to help with regulating my cycle. I had no idea at the time how BCPs (birth control pills) could affect my fertility health later in life, I just knew that it was helping my cycles at the moment.
Fast forward a few years.
My husband Ryan and I met in high school ... we're high school sweethearts, I guess you would say. He is amazing! My calm in any storm. We got married in 2008 after college and have been together now for sixteen years! After being married for two years, we discussed having kids, and we decided that it was time for me to get off of birth control.
To my surprise, we got pregnant naturally only four months after I stopped birth control ... I couldn't believe it! We welcomed our precious baby boy, Owen, into the world in September 2010. Since it was so easy for us to get pregnant with Owen, we decided that in order to prevent getting pregnant too quickly, I would go back on birth control after he was born.
Not quite so fast. Ironic, huh?
Once we decided we were ready for another baby, I stopped theBCPss again and thought it would be just a few short months before we announced that we were expecting baby number two. Unfortunately, it didn't quite work out that way for us. After a year of trying to conceive, Ryan and I realized that we were going through what is called "secondary infertility."
So, we started seeking out help from a family friend who was also a Reproductive Endocrinologist (RE). After many tests and laparoscopic surgery, I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (also known as PCOS). My doctor told me that my eggs were basically fried by the time I ovulated every month. We went on to perform different fertility procedures with the RE, including two failed IVF rounds. We also had the awful experience of a chemical pregnancy.
As you can imagine, I was devastated. I did not want to give up hope, but I started coming to terms with the fact that we may just only have one child. We loved Owen. We knew he was such a blessing .... but there was something missing.
After our chemical pregnancy and last failed IVF, I began researching holistic ways to turn my diagnosis of PCOS around and help my fertility in more natural ways. I changed my diet and lifestyle, and I began practicing yoga. Through those changes, I was able to find some inner peace. I noticed that my menstrual cycle started becoming more regular, and I knew I was on to something. I realized that it was just going to take some.
Around that time, I met Joelle and connected with the HUSH support group. I will never forget how much connecting with the HUSH support group made me feel ... I {knew} wasn't alone!
I also started seeing a holistic doctor in Bloomington, Indiana, and she put me on a vitamin and herb regimen that was supposed to help with my overall fertility health. Connecting with these two professionals made all the difference in the world. On Mother's Day of 2015, I noticed that my period was late (because it had become more regular over the past 5 months), so I took a pregnancy test. To my complete shock, it instantly turned to (+) positive!
After 3.5 years of trying, we were pregnant. NATURALLY! Our sweet Olivia Lu was born in January 2016 ... we finally now feel complete. I know how hard this journey is, but it is my hope that this story can, at the very least, inspire you. Inspire you to listen to your body and not to give up on it just yet. If you have not yet tried a more holistic approach to fertility, I encourage you to do so. Connect with your body and give it the opportunity to heal itself ... it was created to carry a baby!
Much love,
Kaitlin
Kaitlin McKee, Noblesville, IN