Surprisingly, I am doing really well on the diabetes prevention drug metformin. This drug is shown to increase fertility in women with PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), as well as helping to prevent diabetes, improve insulin resistance, lower miscarriage rates (miscarriage risks are high with PCOS), and possibly reduce gestational diabetes. I’ve taken metformin in the past, but it has many not so pleasant side effects. And, it was not helping me at all on the dose I was at (1500 MG). This time I am on 2000 MG and I am seeing a difference in how I feel as well as my food cravings. Unfortunately, I am also getting the lovely side effect of mild nausea most of the time. UGH!

My OB is working with us on basic infertility treatments since our insurance will cover them – if her methods fail, we will have to go to a cash only basis with one of the fertility clinics (only 2 choices in this little city). Our insurance will reimburse us for some, but when treatments run into the thousands per month – well, if this does not work then we are going to be waiting a good long while before we are able to afford more expensive treatments.

So, we tried 50 MG of clomid (a common fertility drug) two months ago. No dice. So, we tried 100 MG the next month. No help either. So, my doctor said that at my age, I can’t afford to mess around. She prescribed 200 MG of clomid. I was worried about the side effects, since the 50 MG stuff was giving me bad headaches and making me think – very- slowly – and – forget – stuff – a – lot! To my great surprise, I am feeling much better on the big dose than on the little dose. So, we cross our fingers and hope that the massive drugs get my ovaries working again.

If the drugs work, the next step is to schedule a trip to the doctor to give nature a boost with an IUI (intrauterine insemination – yes, it is JUST as much fun as it sounds!). We had James tested just to rule out a problem.  Seems I am not the only one with a fertility issue, and an IUI will give us a better chance of success than just hoping for the best. IUI also bypasses some of the side effects of clomid, making it easier for the key pieces of DNA to meet up.

Fertility treatments are no fun. First, no one can seem to agree on what the odds of success or risky multiples are. I suppose this is because every situation is different. Few studies have been narrowed down to “secondary infertility with PCOS and low sperm morphology (lotsa soldiers, they march well, but far too many are out of uniform).” So, we can only guess. And even if you know the statistics, you can never know how THIS month will go. At least we have one healthy little girl, so we know it CAN happen. That makes it a lot easier. And, if she was our only child together, I’d be ok with that. She is such a joy.

 Studies show that clomid alone is effective about 10 percent of the time for women with PCOS. Clomid and metformin bump the odds up to about 27 percent pregnancy rate. The doctor said that adding the IUI would increase our odds about 4 percent. So, we have about 1 in 3 chance of all of this working within 6 months – but if my body does not respond to the drugs – they have a zero percent chance of working! Then, there is the question every one asks when they hear the words “fertility drugs” – will I have a litter? Most likely not. Clomid is a pretty low level drug. It can and has caused a few cases of high order multiples (HOM – more than 3 babies at once). But, it is far less likely to do so than most other fertility drugs.

The drug pamphlet that came with the clomid says there is an 8 percent chance of multiples. That is 7 percent chance of twins, 0.5% chance of triplets, and a tiny chance of more.  You takes your chances in this game. The goal is one baby. One healthy baby. But, if it is twins or triplets, I’d be ok. The fear with more than 2 is that these babies nearly always come too early and have complications. Not to mention that I had a tough enough time being pregnant with Eva, I am not sure my body could handle twins or more. So, we pray for one healthy baby!

So, I try to ignore the morning sickness from the clomid (metformin makes me mildy nauseated – clomid is making me remember how horrible I felt when I was pregnant). I spend a lot of time wondering. Waiting. Praying. And keeping my fingers crossed.

Good Morning Mama!

Who needs breakfast in bed? I have a blue-green eyed alarm clock that blows kisses when she wakes me each morning. Just now she interrupted her exploration of her toys, the tag in the back of her discarded pajamas and the headboard to squirm over and give me a hug. This is one sweet baby and I am one lucky mama. If you are a mama – be sure to take a moment today to reflect on how lucky you are to be a mama.

This is my first Mother’s Day as a mama. Last year I was pregnant, but had just passed my first trimester and I was still so scared that all the cramping, bleeding and throwing up would hurt my unborn baby. I am still amazed each day to see this active, inquisitive little girl who made me a mom. Being a mom is not easy. We’ve had cold after cold, food allergies that cause tummy aches and even bleeding, sleepless nights, months of fussy teething, biting, pulling hair, and all of the other not-so-fun parts of parenting. Through it all, the sight of her smile reminds me that this adventure is one of the greatest on earth.

The gift of the infertility I struggled with all those years is that it is a constant reminder of how lucky I am to be a mom. Last Sunday, I sat in church next to my own mother, her oxygen tank at her side helping to keep her breathing. In her lap, my little girl happily played with a tiny doll that was once mine. I was reminded again how lucky I am to have my mother still here with us – and how amazing it is to be a mama too.

No matter how your day goes, be sure to take a moment today to reflect on how lucky you are to be a mama. You have the most important job on the planet. You are creating the future with every diaper changed, every fever soothed, every question answered. Your every action will be scrutinized, every statement challenged, every choice second-guessed. You’ll go to bed tired and wake up exhausted. You’ll be lucky to eat an uninterrupted meal. You’ll wonder many days how you can do all that is required of you.

Motherhood is not for the faint of heart, but benefits are unmatched. The job comes with unlimited smiles, as many hugs as you can fit into a day, and the reward of knowing that you hold the future in your heart.

I just started a blog for Work at Home Moms to help other moms be able to stay home with their kids. As the bumpy economy works out the kinks, more and more moms are going to need a way to bring in an income without leaving their kids. Check out WAHMSolutions.com for more information about working at home and making your business a success.

I make everyone wash their hands before touching her and I limit where I take her, but obviously a germ or two made it through my new mom panic and got my little sweetie sick!

True to her sweet nature, she is still pretty cheerful all the way through this. I am so glad she is sleeping in our room. I can’t imagine trying to get up with her all night from another room – ro worse, listening to her on the baby monitor as she gags and chokes! At least with cosleeping I can pick her up immediately if I hear her having trouble breathing. We use an Arm’s Reach Cosleeper when she is not in bed with us. It has proven to be one of our favorite baby items since I know that she will be safe yet close at hand.

Studies show that prenatal stimulation and bonding before birth can help create calmer babies who have an easier time adjusting to “life on the outside!” Babies who have been stimulated before birth also show physical changes such as having a larger head circumference (due to having more brain connections). I am already eating right, taking prenatal vitamins and taking DHA to help her develop right, why not take a little extra time and bond with her while offering her some extra stimulation?

 I was particularly happy to see that Dr. Stoppard recommends using whatever music the parents like to stimulate the baby. Many prenatal stimulation programs I have seen recommend only certain types of classical music. I could not see me listening to hours of Mozart and Vivaldi. However, I do still believe that certain music would be upsetting to an unborn baby. Loud, angry music can’t be good for a baby any more than it is good for the rest of us (certain music has a beat that disrupts normal heart rythms, making people feel angrier).

I was also intrigued to learn that flavors from the foods we eat are present in amniotic fluid. Everything we eat after week 14 and during breastfeeding can influence the flavors baby learns to like. One more reason to eat healthy foods, including vegetables.

However, I am not quite up to springing for a more extensive program such as the Baby Plus Prenatal Education System. Sure, I want my kid to be smart, and maybe I’ll regret it when she can’t get a job to support me in my old age, but I am not sure I want to try this hard to have a smart kid. Maybe the Baby Plus people will send me a review copy so I can test it and see if my baby seems smarter when she is born.

Ignoring any thoughts that involve chocolate is pretty easy. From early on in this pregnancy I have been throwing up when I eat much chocolate. This is one reason I believe that these cravings really must be coming from the baby. I love chocolate. Always have. Until now. I was standing in line at the bank a few weeks ago and they had little displays set up for charity chocolate bars. Not only was I not even tempted, I actually had to fight the urge to throw up. Just from LOOKING at chocolate that was 10 feet away I was about to lose my lunch.

I have been fortunate that most of my cravings have been healthy ones. The first month I was aware that I was pregnant I wanted only meat and vegetables. Fruit and carbs of any kind gagged me. Then I could only eat carbs for several weeks. Now, I am craving fruits and vegetables the way I used to want chocolate. Despite the morning sickness (should be called ALL DAY sickness!), I have found that most foods taste better pregnant. I have always liked strawberries and tomatoes, but this is getting rediculous. I am actually dreaming about them now.