I remember vividly the events that lead to me finding out I was pregnant with my first child. We had taken nearly 12 months to fall pregnant. We started “trying” before I turned 30. Prior to starting to try to conceive I was on a regular 28 day cycle, once we started trying my body started playing tricks and my cycle some months extended to 36 days. Each month my period was “late” I’d think I was finally pregnant and buy a pregnancy test only to be disappointed that I wasn’t….
I remember the roller coaster ride of emotions each month. Then I would learn that another friend was pregnant and I was happy for them but sad for us. We had been to our GP in London and she had run tests on both of us and other than my Prolactin levels being slightly elevated, everything appeared normal. My family history was good – my Mum was one of 8 children, my Dad one of 4 children. My parents had fallen pregnant with the 3 of us on the first month of trying and my younger sister had fallen pregnant unexpectedly.
My husband and I started juicing, then we went on a special diet and cut out all alcohol. I attended many Reflexology sessions, used those ovulation test kits, took my body temperature and kept a diary of each day of my cycle. Then one day when I was reading The Times, they had an article on Chinese Doctors who had assisted people with fertility issues. We both visited a Chinese Doctor in North London where we were given Chinese herbs and acupuncture. The herbs needed to be boiled and taken twice a day from memory. They tasted so awful (I remember this) but gradually you would get accustomed to the taste only to have the herbs changed on your next visit and the process would start again.
During this time I had to return to Australia for work, around the time of the Rugby World Cup (yes the one that England won). I had to take all my herbs in tablet form and obviously had a break from “trying” which we were well and truly over – after months of timing and not being spontaneous. My cycle was now back to its normal 28 days.
When I arrived back in the UK it was late November and the Christmas festivities were starting. I had to go overnight to visit a client and afterwards as we were having dinner all of a sudden I had an insatiable thirst. All night in the hotel room I needed to get out of bed to drink copious amounts of water. The next morning we had to get back to London quickly and didn’t have time to stop for breakfast, by the time we arrived after the short train ride I was ready to eat my arm! I stopped off and bought a huge breakfast Panini and ate the whole thing in no time at all.
That night I was at home alone because my husband had his work Christmas party. I fell asleep on the sofa which I never do. I was sooo tempted to use my last pregnancy test that night but I decided to wait until my husband was home and use it first thing in the morning (per the pregnancy test directions). That Friday night I was so excited and at 5am on Saturday morning I needed to go to the bathroom. I’d left the pregnancy test out near the toilet and it changed to show that I was pregnant. My husband was still asleep so I came running into the bedroom, jumped on the bed shouting “WE’RE HAVING A BABY! WE’RE HAVING A BABY!” like some mad-woman! We then phoned all our family back in Australia to tell them. They were all very excited for us.
The only other person I told at this early stage was my very close friend Maura and her reaction was priceless, “THAT’S ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS” she shouted joyfully down the phone in her Irish accent. She was over 6 months pregnant at the time with her first child and I’d confided in her the troubles we were having. We were booked into a fertility clinic on the Tuesday so called them to let them know that we didn’t need to attend. I called the clinic and the woman who answered the phone who I’d never even spoken to was so genuinely happy for me, that I also still remember her reaction. She went on to explain that this often happens, the appointment is made in advance, people relax and then they fall pregnant.
I know many people, as probably we all do, who have had a difficult time falling pregnant. Some have had artificial insemination, some IVF and some just have not been able to fall pregnant or keep their pregnancy. Others just haven’t met that special person they would want to share having a child with. Everyone has their story and I’m truly grateful that my story had a happy ending.