My Journey to Motherhood: Why am I on the journey to motherhood?

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Why am I on the journey to motherhood?

Most people think that becoming a mother is a no-brainer, but for the 10 percent of women ages 20-40 being a mother is dream. At times a seemingly impossible dream. I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrom or PCOS. My husband and I have been married for almost five years and have spent nearly four of them trying to start a family. We have been to doctors, suffered through many tests, tried different treatments all to no avail. Most people who know us tell us things like "be patient," "stop trying so hard," "everything happens for a reason." We understand they mean well and appreciate the fact that they care, however, all these people have children and don't understand what we are going through. We are the only couple amongst our group of friends without children. We either have no one to hang out with or are the designated babysitter. People who have known me all my life are often surprised to learn that I don't have children yet because I love children so much. Most have the sensitivity to understand that it is not by my own choice. I WANT KIDS!! I get angry that it is so easy for people who probably shouldn't be parents to become parents and that people like me cannot. You may wonder why I don't just adopt. Well, it's simple. Adoption is very expensive and we cannot afford it. Look up the costs of adoption it's ridiculous. We wonder why there are so many orphaned children in this world.

The bare-bones of my reason for this journey is this:

*I love kids and have a heartbreaking desire to be a mother.
*I have a very loving husband who really wants a child.
*I've tried things the regular way without sucess.
*I do not get a monthly period, I have gone as long as a year at times.
*I am overweight (A big factor in my infertilty and a result of my PCOS). Along with conceiving I will be healthier as well.
*I have PCOS: An insulin resistance disease that makes it hard for my body to break down sugars properly.
*I will be held accountable to the readers of this blog to stay true to the journey.

What My Journey Will Include Is This:

*A strict "Fertility Food Plan" to aid in both conception and weightloss. I will post my "Fertility Food List" and my daily menus on the sight.
*A daily excercise plan. So that my body will be healthy enough to conceive, carry and give birth to a baby.

I will post daily blogs about my struggles and give updates about my progress. I will love to hear any ideas that have worked for others in my situation. My main goal for this blog is accountability. I am a lazy person and am not easily self motivated, however I hate to let people down and be a disappointment.

Day 1 starts tomorrow. I have start my day without coffee or any caffeine. Caffeine and Sugar are the red-headed step children of this journey. And also my addictions. We'll see how it goes.

Let My Journey to Motherhood begin...

3 comments:

JackieJanuary 27, 2010 at 6:06 PM
Girl, I am so proud of you for being so open and honest with your struggle towards motherhood! I still pray for you and Flor daily and that God will fulfill this desire soon! Hang in there with the no caffeine thing...your body will adjust in a couple days! Love you!
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UnknownJanuary 28, 2010 at 11:21 AM
If anyone would make an amazing mother it is you. My thoughts and prayers are with you through this journey. The caffeine and sugar withdrawals won't last too long and it will all be worth it! xoxoxo
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VictoriaJanuary 29, 2010 at 10:34 AM
I will be praying for you in this. You WILL make a great mom! I have 2 friends who have this same problem - one now has 2 children and one has 1 little girl. Would it be ok if I asked them about what they did? Different places, even within the US, do different things. Anyway - praying!!!!
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Yummy Fertility Recipes...they are good for anybody.

Breakfasts:
** Whole Wheat French Toast w/Turkey Bacon.--Beat 2 eggs, 1/4 c milk, 1 tsp each cinnamon and nutmeg and 2 tsp vanilla extract. Soak 1 piece whole wheat bread for 2 min. (since whole wheat is a little thicker it takes longer to soak in the egg mixture.) Place on skillet sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle with 1 tbs of powdered sugar and top with berries or bananas.
Snacks :
**1/2 c organic granola, 1 c Oikos organic Greek yogurt, and 1/2 cup sliced strawberries
**Celery with PB and Raisins (I know flash backs to Kindergarten)
Lunch:
** 1 c Pasta Salad- 2 cups cooked whole wheat pasta penne (drained and cooled) at 1 can of Tuna, chopped onions, cucumber and tomato. 1 c Feta Cheese & 3/4 c Kraft Tuscan House Dressing and Marinade. Mix ingred well and chill 2hrs b4 serving.
Dinner:
**Italian Baked Salmon- Drizzle olive oil on bottom of baking dish. Place 4 Salmon Fillets in dish. Sprinkle with salt&pepper and turn over to coat both sides with oil. Squeeze juice of one lemon over top. In a mixing bowl, combine 160z can diced tomatos (organic if possible), chopped onion and garlic, juice of 2 fresh lemons, 2 tsp of each basil, oregano and italian seasoning. Mix together and pour atop Salmon. Spread to cover all. Bake at 350 for about 20-30 min.

My Fertile Foods List

Proteins: 3-5 Serv./day: Full fat dairy (when the fat is taken from it, the hormones are messed with and the chemicals mess with fertility, because of fat only 2 dairy serv. a day), beans, nuts, eggs, salmon, oysters, canned tuna. Limit intake of animal protein, lean poultry and lean red meat are okay once or twice a week.
Friuts & Veggies: 5 Serv./day: Leafy greens, spinach, avacados, sweet potatos (all help fertility and control sugar), Most fruits are fine, except bananas. Fertile fruits include: fresh pinapple, blueberries, oranges, grapefruit, all citrus.
Carbs: 5 serv./day :Whole grain bread, pasta, rice and cereal. No sugar or sugar substitutes. (Aspartame is very bad for reproductive system)
Beverages: 64oz.water daily, (I squeeze orange, lemon and grapefruit into mine to help) Green Tea sweetened with honey, and Milk. No caffeine, sugar, or even sugar-free drinks.

What is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome?

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common hormonal disorder among women of reproductive age. The name of the condition comes from the appearance of the ovaries in most, but not all, women with the disorder — enlarged and containing numerous small cysts located along the outer edge of each ovary (polycystic appearance).
Infrequent or prolonged menstrual periods, excess hair growth, acne and obesity can all occur in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Menstrual abnormality may signal the condition in adolescence, or PCOS may become apparent later following weight gain or difficulty becoming pregnant.
The exact cause of polycystic ovary syndrome is unknown. Women with polycystic ovary syndrome may have trouble becoming pregnant due to infrequent or lack of ovulation. Early diagnosis and treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome can help reduce the risk of long-term complications, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
Symptoms
Polycystic ovary syndrome signs and symptoms often begin soon after you first begin having periods (menarche). In some cases, PCOS develops later on during your reproductive years, for instance, in response to substantial weight gain.
Signs and symptoms vary from person to person, in both type and severity. To be diagnosed with the condition, your doctor looks for at least two of the following:
1.Menstrual abnormality. This is the most common characteristic.
2. Elevated levels of male hormones (androgens) may result in physical signs, such as excess facial and body hair.
3.Polycystic ovaries. Enlarged ovaries containing numerous small cysts can be detected by ultrasound. Despite the condition's name, polycystic ovaries alone do not confirm the diagnosis. To be diagnosed with PCOS, you must also have abnormal menstrual cycles or signs of androgen excess. Some women with polycystic ovaries may not have PCOS, while a few women with the condition have ovaries that appear normal.
4. Infertility. Women with polycystic ovary syndrome may have trouble becoming pregnant because they experience infrequent ovulation or a lack of ovulation. PCOS is the most common cause of female infertility.
5. Obesity. About half the women with polycystic ovary syndrome are obese.
6. Prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. Many women with polycystic ovary syndrome are insulin resistant, which impairs the body's ability to use insulin effectively to regulate blood sugar. This can result in high blood sugar and type 2 diabetes. Prediabetes is also called impaired glucose tolerance.
7.Acanthosis nigricans. This is the medical term for darkened, velvety skin on the nape of your neck, armpits, inner thighs, vulva or under your breasts. This skin condition is a sign of insulin resistance.

Talk with your doctor if you have menstrual irregularities — such as infrequent periods, prolonged periods or no menstrual periods — and have excess hair on your face and body or acne.

Causes:
In polycystic ovary syndrome, the pituitary gland may secrete high levels of LH and the ovaries may make excess androgens. This disrupts the normal menstrual cycle and may lead to infertility, excess body hair and acne.Doctors don't know the cause of polycystic ovary syndrome, but these factors likely play a role:
1. Excess insulin. Insulin is the hormone produced in the pancreas that allows cells to use sugar (glucose), your body's primary energy supply. If you have insulin resistance, your ability to use insulin effectively is impaired, and your pancreas has to secrete more insulin to make glucose available to cells. The excess insulin is thought to boost androgen production by your ovaries.
2. Low-grade inflammation. Your body's white blood cells produce substances to fight infection in a process called inflammation.
3. Heredity. If your mother or sister has PCOS, you might have a greater chance of having it, too. Researchers also are looking into the possibility that mutated genes are linked to PCOS.
4. Abnormal fetal development. New research shows that excessive exposure to male hormones (androgens) in fetal life may permanently prevent normal genes from working the way they're supposed to — a process known as gene expression. This may promote a male pattern of abdominal fat distribution, which increases the risk of insulin resistance and low-grade inflammation. Research continues to establish to what extent these factors might contribute to PCOS.

Researchers continue to explore possible causes of PCOS. Among topics of current research are whether low-grade inflammation and fetal exposure to excessive androgens might trigger the condition.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/polycystic-ovarian-syndrome

I have found this website to be helpful for me.
http://www.pcossupport.com/

My Journey to Motherhood

My Inspiration