A New Year's Resolution: Don't Give Up Hope!

As one year ends and another’s set to begin, many women start to feel a sense of urgency over their biological clocks and inability to get pregnant.

Infertility by nature is a struggle that can leave couples feeling a myriad of emotions any day of the year: frustration, sadness, anger, and hopelessness - just to name a few. As the holiday season approaches, each of these feelings tends to intensify. People wanting a child or baby are surrounded by family-fun activities and traditions they long to start with little ones of their own.

If the inundation of holiday moments you’re yearning for has left you scrambling for answers and solutions, don’t give up hope.

While it may not be possible to conceive before the end of the year, as many couples wish they could, there are simple steps you can take to survive the holidays and achieve your goal of getting pregnant in the new year.

Now‘s the Time to Set New Year’s Resolutions: Getting Pregnant in 2019

If you’ve unsuccessfully tried to get pregnant for more than a year, simply setting a goal to conceive might not be enough to speak a baby into existence.

However, there are several active steps you can take to turn your dream into reality. If getting pregnant in 2019 is on your to-do list, consider this checklist of options.

1. Forgive Yourself

Since you first started trying to get pregnant, how many times have you asked yourself questions like:

What am I doing wrong?

Why can’t I get pregnant?

Why don’t we deserve a baby?

Kick these thoughts to the curb and understand that YOU aren’t the reason you haven’t gotten pregnant. In the vast majority of cases, infertility is caused by uncontrollable biological issues or genetic anomalies.

Cut yourself some slack and stop trying to second-guess life decisions that might (or might not) have affected yours and your partner’s fertility.

One in seven couples struggle with infertility and, more often than not, they’ve done nothing “wrong.” By choosing to forgive yourself for the inability to get pregnant, you’ll be greatly reducing certain types of stress you’re placing on yourself.

In fact, the simple act of remaining anxious over issues like these and not relinquishing the guilt you may be feeling could eventually become another deterring factor in your quest to have a baby.

So, take a good look in the mirror and remember this – you are not to blame.

2. Consider Making Changes to Your Diet and Exercise Regimen

When you’re considering fertility treatment, you might find it worthwhile to start making healthier life choices.

By choosing to eat a cleaner, more nutritious diet and developing a gentle exercise routine, you might not only increase your odds of success with the treatment protocol your doctor decides is necessary, but you might also find it makes the upcoming process easier to manage.

3. Make an Appointment

Infertility is overwhelming and scary to experience.

Somehow, though, making the call to try and fix it can sometimes seem even scarier.

Many couples put off contacting a fertility specialist because they don’t know what to expect. In reality, making an appointment is one of the simplest - and most effective - first steps to finally getting pregnant.

When it comes down to it, it’s nothing more than a phone call – easy enough!

If you’re feeling proactive about your quest to have a baby and don’t want to wait until 2019 to make things happen, this step can even be taken right now. Give your doctor a call and set up an appointment for the first of the year.

Knowing you have a scheduled date might bring you some mental reprieve and it’ll certainly give you something to look forward to.

4. Don’t Give Up Hope!

When couples spend months on end being confronted by negative pregnancy tests, it’s obvious why they tend to lose hope.

One of the most important things to do when you’re trying to conceive is finding ways to maintain positivity. When you allow yourself to get stuck in a negative headspace, it’ll begin to yield ill-effects on your body, both mentally and physically.

While it’s easy to sit around and focus on nothing but your desire to have a baby, it’s essential to seek out distractions and support.

Are you having a hard time coming up with some? Here are a few great ideas to get you started:

• Pick up a hobby
  
• Make plans with friends
  
• Eliminate negative influences
  
• Consider joining a local or online support group
  

Not only will these distractions help pass time more quickly, but they’ll also assist in alleviating harmful stress which can interfere with your ability to have a baby.

Getting Pregnant After the Holidays: What Do You Need to Know?

Did you know, on average, over 365,000 babies are born every October?

This means the beginning of each year is one of the most popular times to conceive a child. Take that information and let it give you hope for what the new year can bring!

When the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Day, we all enter a realm of fresh starts and new beginnings. Whether your goal for 2019 is a new job, a healthier lifestyle, or yes, even having a baby, you now have 365 beautiful days to make it happen.

If 2018 has been a year of failed attempts to get pregnant, then let next year be one for proactive measures.

It’s well-recognized that conceiving a child naturally is the preferred choice for any couple, but when that doesn’t happen, there are a multitude of options at your fingertips.

Here are just a few of the various assisted reproductive technologies available to individuals hoping to have a child:

Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)

Have you ever heard people jokingly refer to the “turkey baster” method of getting pregnant?

They’re most likely referencing the IUI process.

Most commonly used in circumstances where a couple’s infertility is caused by low sperm count or poor motility, IUI is a less-expensive and less-aggressive course of treatment than in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Combining a course of fertility medications and the process of washing semen to remove excess fluid, a larger quantity of semen is inserted directly into a woman’s uterus using a catheter.

In many cases, fertility specialists choose this method of treatment first.

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)

When an IUI hasn’t worked or isn’t a valid option, many doctors proceed to IVF as the next treatment option since it tends to be the most effective.

During this process, your ovaries will be stimulated using a variety of medications to produce more eggs than is typical during a normal reproductive cycle.

These eggs are then collected during a simple surgery known as the “egg retrieval” and fertilized outside of the woman’s body. While the fertilized eggs are developing, doctor’s will put the woman on a protocol of medications, such as estrogen and progesterone, to prepare her uterus and endometrial lining for the upcoming embryo transfer.

Under the guidance of ultrasound technology, the growing embryo will be placed directly into the woman’s uterus with a catheter.

Donor Egg IVF

Following the same basic procedures as a general IVF cycle, donor egg IVF is for circumstances in which a woman’s eggs are nonviable for pregnancy.

This can be caused by a variety of factors, including:

• Age
  
• Genetic conditions
  
• Premature ovarian failure
  
• Poor egg quality
  

Once it’s determined a woman is incapable of using her own eggs for conception, she and her spouse or partner will have the option to choose between local, fresh egg donation or from a national bank of frozen donated eggs.

Prior to donation, each donor applicant is put through a demanding screening process covering areas such as mental and physical health history, drug tests, and background checks. Potential recipients will be provided this information, along with photos, to help them make their decision.

After a donor has been selected, the recipient will undergo general health screenings before starting a similar medication regimen as those found in a basic IVF cycle.

Starting a New Year and Starting a New Family

As the days and weeks of 2018 dwindle down, it’s understandable you might be feeling the neglect of infertility. An entire year has come and gone without a pregnancy and your urgency to have a child could be escalating.

Look deep within yourself and find the resolve to put these worries away for a time. Enjoy the upcoming holidays and treasure the moments with your partner. There’s only so much that can be done within a small amount of time, so instead of trying to rush through the days, take advantage of them.

When the ball drops on this current year, look to the future with fresh eyes and determination. The possibilities are endless and the beginning of a new year feels like the perfect time to get pregnant.

All hope is not lost – the baby you’ve been waiting for could be just a phone call away!