Fri 6 Jul 2007
Maybe, baby.
Posted by Liza under Pregnancy, TMI, Baba-Mamas
We are actively thinking about our baby-making plans, and whether Plan A is still the best plan.
We haven’t changed any of our plans at this time. We are just *thinking* about it. Since we still have almost 2 months before Jill could try for the first time, we’re considering about alternatives.
The main alternative being me trying to get pregnant again, instead of Jill. Or maybe Jill trying once, and if it doesn’t take on the first try, then switching over to me.
What it really comes down to is trying to find the right balance within our family for everyone getting to have the experience she hopes for, and the best chance of having a second child using the same donor.
Mainly, I love the idea of being pregnant again. In fact, a day or so after this first came up, I confessed to a secret fantasy plan where Jill got pregnant on the very first try and then a couple of years down the road, I convinced her that I should try for one more baby with the last vials of our donor.
But thinking about moving that plan from the realm of airy-fairy future to concrete reality is so different. For one thing, there would have been a good stretch of time where I wasn’t pregnant or nursing in that fantasy. I do miss having my body being entirely mine.
Anyway, she’s going to get the follow-up thyroid bloodwork etc done in the next couple of weeks, and at the same time, I’m going to make an appointment with the RE practice that got me pregnant with Noah and find out what course of action they recommend. Although I’ve had my period back for 5 months, I haven’t been charting, but I’ll start this month.
Wish us luck sorting through our alternatives and figuring out what course of action makes the most sense for our family.
I know that some of you have gone through similar questions and quandries in your families — I’m curious to hear about your thoughts and experiences.
July 6th, 2007 at 10:27 am
Good luck with whichever route you decide to take. My partner and I both carried children to make our family complete. Although we consider the children ours regardless of who carried them, I’m glad we each got a chance to add to our family.
Loved your quote on how do lesbians get pregnant. It is truly the most surreal online shopping experience one can experience. I hope to be able to use that one soon.
July 6th, 2007 at 12:08 pm
You know, Kristin has hypothyroidism AND PCOS and she got pregnant with no problems. But, and this is something for down the road if Jill gets pregnant. Her thyroid totally went wacked after the pregnancy and now, nearly 2 years later, STILL isn’t regulated. Blood draws and constant monitoring and fussing with the dosages and a lot of Kristin not feeling well. Plus the wacky thyroid was the biggest problem keeping Kristin from nursing. My advice (not that you need it, but maybe someone googling will) make sure that Jill’s ob is VERY familiar with thyroid problems, and make sure that Jill drags herself into whoever her normal thyroid doctor is within a few days or weeks of the birth. Yes, her thyroid will be wacky after the birth just from the normal course of events, but having a specialist take care of her could keep her from having problems nursing or just living healthy later. It took Kristin 3 months to get back into her endocrinologist after she gave birth to Julia, and by that time her milk supply was completely gone. We waited becuase her OB told us that it was pointless to do anything about thyroid levels in the post partum period. She was wrong.
I think this was all tangential to what you were asking, but I thought I’d add this to the mix while you two are talking over options. We don’t have a limited quantity of our sperm, and I’m glad, because if we had to add that to our calculations it would be really hard. I think talking to the clinic about the best chances is a really good idea.
July 6th, 2007 at 12:11 pm
Oh! Kristin’s hypothyroidism was very well controlled for years before the pregnancy. And she got pregnant on the second month that she ovulated and we had good timing. So, it’s possible that Jill would have no problem if it’s just thyroid issues…
July 7th, 2007 at 9:21 pm
I feel compelled to point out that from an environmental point of view, the best thing to do is not to have another child.
Though I admit my own hypocrisy, as this is about the only topic that brings out the “green” in me.
July 8th, 2007 at 8:25 pm
Thanks for the info and thoughts.
Sean, that’s a point we haven’t really talked about, and while it factors into a lot of our decisionmaking, it really hasn’t here.
When I think about how I make decisions about environmental issues, what I really wind up realizing is that I’m willing to do the right thing so long as it isn’t particularly difficult, inconvenient, or feel like a deprivation.
So…curbside recycling, eating a substantial amount of organically grown food, even part-time cloth diapering — doable, managable, feel-good things to do. But not trying to have another child? Too much of a sacrifice for me.