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	<title>WIRL Project &#187; Pregnancy</title>
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	<description>What It&#039;s Really Like.</description>
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		<title>My Most UNEXPECTED Reaction to Becoming a Mother</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/this-is-the-story-of-my-most-unexpected-reaction-to-becoming-a-mother/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/this-is-the-story-of-my-most-unexpected-reaction-to-becoming-a-mother/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 24 Jul 2015 07:30:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ashley]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life/Leisure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Motherhood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=3341</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This is just a little story about me, it&#8217;s kind of personal and very honest. I hope that, maybe someone who is, or has felt the same is given some piece of mind knowing that there is someone else out there like them! So I&#8217;ll start off by saying something you probably aren&#8217;t used to hearing from a woman&#8230;I never dreamed of having children or being a wife. Shocking, right?!? Most little girls dream of their wedding day, and their children (how many they&#8217;ll have AND their names). I never did that. I was a very shy little girl who grew up with 3 brothers so I didn&#8217;t have a lot of &#8216;playing house&#8217; or &#8216;girl talk&#8217; involved in my daily activities. My brothers and I played a lot outside, climbing trees, playing baseball, swimming, and exploring the woods around our house.  I also grew up LOVING animals, like they were my passion! I wanted to be a veterinarian and help sick animals. So with that little bit of background being said, being a mom wasn&#8217;t something that I felt the least bit ready or prepared for! My husband and I got married in July 2011, and we decided to go off of birth control and just let things happen however they were meant to happen. We were &#8216;trying&#8217; to conceive for 6 months and NOTHING was happening. I made an appointment with my dr and she assured me that everything was fine, that I was a healthy 27 year old girl, and that I hadn&#8217;t given it enough time, that it would happen. After what at the time seemed like years, 3 months later we found out I was pregnant, and we were ecstatic!! Don&#8217;t get me wrong, we were also terrified of what we had hoped and prayed for for all this time&#8230;&#8217;what if we weren&#8217;t ready?&#8217; My entire pregnancy was relatively uncomplicated and easy, so to speak. We were discussing name possibilities and getting a room in the house all prepared for HER, this little creature that is going to soon come into my quiet, ORGANIZED, controlled environment&#8230;and I would soon have zero control anymore.  If it hasn&#8217;t been established yet, I&#8217;ll throw it out there&#8230;I am an absolute control freak!  I have severe anxiety and had depression through out my college years. My life revolves around to-do lists, and time&#8230;ohhhh time! I must look at the clock a bazillion times a day, and if we are ever 5 minutes late for something&#8230;I can literally feel my heart ready to jump from my chest. It&#8217;s awful. So anyways, back to this little &#8216;thing&#8217; that is about to disrupt all of my lists and make me late for everything. Even as a pregnant woman&#8230;I never felt that instant connection or protectiveness that you read so much about. People would gush over the idea of there being a precious little baby girl inside my belly, and I felt nothing. Don&#8217;t take that literally, I felt all the kicks and stuff, just not the &#8216;instant motherly bond&#8217; you hear so much about. Now, fast forward through my 9 months of pregnancy towards the end. I felt like, &#8216;when this baby comes out I will gladly let anyone babysit who wants her!&#8217; &#8216;I just want my normal life back&#8217;. I was due on January 12, 2013, and my little bundle of joy decided to put on the brakes, she apparently was just as not ready as I was. I was scheduled to be induced on January 18,2013 and that is the day that Ailyn was born and my life was forever changed. That &#8216;instant connection&#8217; you hear women say they have when they find out they&#8217;re expecting, I didn&#8217;t get that, however&#8230;I DID instantly feel this huge bubble surrounding me, my husband, and my new little, not so disruptive all of a sudden, sweet little angel from God. I say it all the time, I may not have realized how much I would love her when I was pregnant with her&#8230;but the absolute second that I layed my eyes on her little face, I knew that she is the reason I&#8217;m here, in this particular point in my life, my heart was whole again&#8230;and I have never felt so perfect in my own skin. In the few months after Ailyn was born, people wanted to hold her, and feed her, and babysit her&#8230;and I could not, or would not give her up. I didn&#8217;t care about how tired I was, or how sore and achy I was, or that I hadn&#8217;t showered that day. I only wanted to hold my baby, and breathe in the smell of her skin. I felt like she is the reason I was put on this earth, and still to this day&#8230;over 2 years later, I can honestly say that I still feel exactly the same. She is my best little friend and we do everything together. So to wrap things up, it&#8217;s ok to be scared at first, orrrr throughout your entire pregnancy.]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>Leaving Your Baby at the Hospital &#8211; Two Weeks as a NICU Mom</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/leaving-your-baby-at-the-hospital-two-weeks-as-a-nicu-mom/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/leaving-your-baby-at-the-hospital-two-weeks-as-a-nicu-mom/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 23 Jun 2015 18:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Mandi Johnson]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Baby]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Blood Pressure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[boy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dad]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hospital]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[newborn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[NICU]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pre-eclampsia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Preeclampsia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnant]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[protein]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Urine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[weight gain]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=6922</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[15 Days. Fifteen days that felt like an eternity. Having a child in the NICU is a long, emotional roller coaster that nothing can prepare you for. Luckily, my story is a good one, and we now have a healthy 19 month old. However, I’ll never get back those minutes, those hours that I could not hold him, I could not kiss him. I wasn’t the first, second, or probably even the third person to hold my son. Back to the beginning – after 34 weeks of what seemed like a “normal” pregnancy, I was starting to swell.  My shoes didn’t fit, my ring didn’t fit and I felt miserable –but I thought this was all “normal” pregnancy symptoms. I gained 10 pounds in two weeks. At my 34 week appointment I was admitted to the hospital for high blood pressure. After 24 hours and an extremely high protein count I was diagnosed with severe pre-eclampsia. My son needed to be born now. Pre-eclampsia is the the leading cause of maternal and infant illness and mortality.  (For more information visit here) Pre-eclampsia is the the leading cause of maternal and infant illness and mortality. I was rushed to the OR – I didn’t have time for my doula to arrive, I didn’t have time to think about what was going to happen to me, and I definitely didn’t get to ask the question about what would happen to my baby after. I knew he would likely spend some time in the NICU. But no one warned me that I couldn’t hold him, that I wouldn’t even get to see him (other than the quick – over the sheet glimpse) for OVER 24 hours. Those hours were the most agonizing 24 hours I have ever had to endure. Because of my blood pressure and my high protein levels, I was at risk for having a seizure. To minimize that risk I was on a magnesium sulfate drip. “Mag” as it is lovingly referred to – is really nasty stuff. I felt like I was on fire. It makes your muscles feel like rubber bands. &#8230;no one warned me that I couldn’t hold him, that I wouldn’t even get to see him (other than the quick – over the sheet glimpse) for OVER 24 hours. Those hours were the most agonizing 24 hours I have ever had to endure. I felt like I was a prisoner. I couldn’t go see my son – I was hooked up to two IV lines, oxygen, leg pressure cuffs, an oxygen monitor and a BP cuff. They had the lights off in my room, and the TV was not on. All to minimize the risk of having a seizure. My husband split his time between staying with me and visiting our son. I recorded a tearful message on his phone that he played for him in his incubator. It wasn’t until months later that I found out that he didn’t hold him in the NICU until I was allowed to go and see him. My husband wanted me to hold him first. It wasn’t until months later that I found out that he didn’t hold him in the NICU until I was allowed to go and see him. My husband wanted me to hold him first. The day after he was born the doctor came in and I was awaiting the words that I was ok to be taken off of the magnesium and wheeled down to the NICU and I could finally hold my baby boy. My blood pressure was still high and initially I was told I would not be allowed to see him – that I still needed the “mag” for another 24 hours. I broke down. I balled. I couldn’t handle it.  They couldn’t keep me from my baby! I was told to “calm down”  because my BP skyrocketed. In the end I was told I could be taken off the magnesium to go and see him for an hour. I could barely stand to get into the wheelchair and the nurse shielded my eyes in the hallway from the lights. Finally, I got to meet our son. This was just the beginning of our NICU journey. I was discharged two days later – only to leave the hospital and leave our baby boy behind. Coming home without your child is probably the hardest thing to do. However, knowing he was ok, and was in good hands in the NICU is a small comfort. Coming home without your child is probably the hardest thing to do. Our daily routine consisted of my mother-in-law driving me to the hospital in the morning, me sitting by his side – staring at him in the incubator and hoping that all of the nurses notes would show that he was doing better, getting stronger, and meeting the milestones he needed to in order for us to bring him home. Those milestones consisted of getting him to eat so much at a feeding, gain weight, and to keep his body temp up on his own. I was an emotional wreck and anytime there was any setback I wanted to scream. I remember trying to coax him to eat just a few more milliliters from his bottle. My husband went back to work so that he could take time off when we got the baby home instead of spending time at the hospital. We would both go back in the evening, or if I was too exhausted my husband would go and stay with him. Our first diaper changes were through the portholes of the incubator.  We had to watch the “wires” and re-connect his oxygen monitor. We would sit and listen to the different beeps that came from the monitors showing that he was breathing, and that his oxygen level was ok. The first few times an alarm goes off it&#8217;s scary! Those beeps become strangely comforting and the first night home without them is nerve-wracking! Our first diaper changes were through the portholes of the incubator.  We had to watch the “wires” and re-connect his oxygen monitor. Each night we had to say goodbye. They tell you it’s hard to leave your baby, but they fail to mention that you have to repeat this day after day after day. I was told that this wouldn’t last forever, that it would come to an end and it did. Thankfully, I had a wonderfully supportive husband and we got through it together. We were the lucky ones, our baby boy is doing just fine and at the end of our 15 days – we finally got to take him home. &#160;]]></description>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Twin Life: What It&#8217;s Really Like</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/twin-life-what-its-really-like/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/twin-life-what-its-really-like/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 03 Jun 2015 21:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Guest WIRL]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WIRL Challenge]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Birth]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Girls]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nausea]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nursing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sisters]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[that twin life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Twins]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WIRL Twin]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=6711</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[My toddler and I had a great thing going. We napped when we wanted (yes, we). We came and went as we pleased. I had a kid-friendly, work-from-anywhere business that I could do with him in tow. 18 plane rides by the time he was 2, and monthly 4ish hour car rides to see mom and family in DC – he was used to being on the go. We had fun. We loved the non-stop adventure. Thankfully, my husband was pretty understanding. We did it with relative ease. And then, I hit the jackpot with a twin pregnancy. They tell you it’s going to be hard. Who, you ask. Everyone. Parents of twins, doctors, family, friends, random strangers at the grocery store. Guess what, it is. All of it. The pregnancy, the delivery, the breastfeeding, the sleepless nights, the napless days, the general speedy blur of the first year. Now, I’m not downplaying a singleton pregnancy, delivery or home-life. (By the way, singleton is a word I never thought I’d be using. Ever.) It’s not easy. Every parent knows that. But I’ll put it to you this way – almost every person that found out I was having twins asked one question, “Do you have help?” My response was usually a casual, “yea, mom and in-laws will be in town for the first few weeks.. we’ll figure it out after that.” Okay people, I get it now. I totally and completely get it.  They tell you it’s going to be hard. Who, you ask. Everyone. Parents of twins, doctors, family, friends, random strangers at the grocery store. Guess what, it is. All of it. Help would have been really nice as early as the first trimester. How is it that most people feel the absolute worst before most people even know they&#8217;re pregnant? The nausea. Completely debilitating for 3 months straight. Having nausea so bad you feel like you’ll pass out at any moment. To move from bed or even think about food was virtually impossible. ‘Double the nausea’ – and they’re not kidding. Trying to keep an extremely energetic toddler alive and entertained, survive myself, and eat to nurture two energy-sucking blessings that had yet to enter the world.. probably the most difficult task of the century. At least, up until that point. Sex. Who&#8217;s having sex? By the time you feel like you won’t vomit at the thought of movement, you feel bigger than a house. That’s right, a house. (My poor husband.) But get this, you feel like a house only for the mere fact that your belly is growing at twice the speed of a normal pregnancy. You’re not a house. Yet. Yup, just when you think you can’t get bigger, you do. I remember this from my first pregnancy – but it is to the 50th power in a multiples pregnancy. I marvel at the fact that the human body can expand, shift and retract that way it does. Sex. Who&#8217;s having sex? By the time you feel like you won’t vomit at the thought of movement, you feel bigger than a house. That’s right, a house. Which brings me to labor and delivery. I had a cesarean with my first. That’s a story all in itself. To be brief, I was all gung-ho about a natural and intervention free delivery. 22 hours of natural labor, a baby that was not cooperating with his position, and I ended up with every intervention possible. Not at all my dream delivery. So, fast-forward 3 years a month and a day, and we&#8217;re ready to bring the girls into the world. My dream delivery, a VBAC. I had an amazing doctor who was known as the ‘if anyone will let you attempt that, she’ll be it’ doctor. She had the experience and the willingness to take risks other doctors would not take. But that being said, she was also known as the ‘that doctor saved my life’ doctor. So, she was really really good. I had to be induced at 37 weeks. Strike one. (The fear that lingers after a previous cesarean delivery is hard to deal with. And the fear is often what takes us right back to where we don’t want to go. I did a lot of praying. And He did deliver.) The girls were doing great, but I wasn’t progressing as fast as the doctors like to see. Water (one) was broken. (Yes, one. Remember, there are two in there. Twice the everything.) Contractions unbearable. Epidural. Strike two. Once we got to the point of pushing, it seemed to take forever. They tell you the epidural doesn’t help with the very end. But my gosh, I swear they turned that thing down because it was hard. All of it. Vaginal delivery is no easy feat. Even with an epidural. Abigail was born healthy and thriving. Miracle number one for the day. There is something to be said about ‘delivering’ your child. It was very different for me than the cesarean. I had my moment. Then, crap, there’s still another baby that needs to come out. Ultrasound to check positioning. Crap, she’s breach. Strike three. Attempts to flip her were unsuccessful. Strike four. I had to sit and not push for 45 minutes. That was even harder than pushing was. That is, until I had to push out a Frank Breach baby. That’s right, butt first. I’m still in awe at the fact that my doctor even attempted this. But we were both determined to get that baby out without a cesarean. We did. It was merely impossible. With shear determination, the grace of God, and a lot of encouragement from a supportive husband and doctors, we did it. Selah only needed a little bit of oxygen to be safe – but not at all like your typical &#8216;less than thriving&#8217; breach baby. A true miracle. Another testament to the wonder of what the body is capable of, pushing out a butt-first baby. And I even got to delay cord clamping for both of them. Amazing I tell ya. There is something to be said about ‘delivering’ your child. It was very different for me than the cesarean. I had my moment. Then, crap, there’s still another baby that needs to come out. Feeding and breastfeeding, the first month. Pumping, there was a lot of pumping going on. Pumping and breastfeeding and feeding. It seemed like it never ended. I was determined to have enough milk for twins and to not give formula. I had no idea it would be so much work. But we plugged along. There was no ‘oh I’ll just pump and have mom or Ben (husband) feed them when they wake. And I can continue sleeping.&#8217; That’s not possible. Why? Because I would have to pump again while they were feeding them with the bottle I pumped earlier. They were gassy. They cried. They wanted to be close to me. To be held. By me, by anybody. They wanted to be close to each other. There were many nights I only got one full hour of sleep. And that was ‘with&#8217; help most nights for that first month. I was determined to have enough milk for twins and to not give formula. I had no idea it would be so much work. There’s so much more to tell. But for the sake of keeping this from being a novel, I’ll close with this. Chaos ensues. And then, we up and moved to Switzerland. Crazy? Yes. And the blessed chaos continues on the other side of the Atlantic.  &#160; Join the conversation! Easily contribute your story here. &#160; About the Author… This WIRL was contributed by Kimberly Whitfield. Kimberly can be found via Email or Instagram.  &#160;]]></description>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Being a Twin with Twins: What It&#8217;s Really Like</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/being-a-twin-with-twins-what-its-really-like/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/being-a-twin-with-twins-what-its-really-like/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 03 Jun 2015 15:00:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Caitlin Bloom]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WIRL Challenge]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Birth]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Blessing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fraternal]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Multiples]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnant]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Siblings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sisters]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Twins]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WIRL Twin]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=6668</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[My name is Caitlin and I am a fraternal twin. This is my story. My sister’s name is Chalise. We grew up in a small town in northwest Pennsylvania. We had a pretty normal childhood with amazing parents and two older sisters, Alison and Amanda. Once we reached high school, we started having different friends and different interests. Chalise is very smart and very talented. She was always the star of our high school plays because she had an awesome voice. I was more interested in hanging out with my friends than schoolwork. I was homecoming queen and she was one of the top students in our class. We always remained pretty close. We never looked much alike, so we were never able to play any tricks on anyone! I always wanted to be an identical twin; I thought it would be so cool. After high school, Chalise went to college while I stayed in town and worked for a little less than a year. I decided to join the Marine Corps. Living so far away from her was rough. She was in Pittsburgh and I was stationed in Camp Lejeune, NC. Over the past 7 years, we’ve seen each other less than 10 times. She moved to Florida for work, and I moved to Illinois with my fiancé. It’s hard for both of us to find the time to visit home, or each other. I wish so badly we lived closer, because I miss her. We pretty much grew up just like regular siblings would. I guess I just don’t know what it’s like to NOT be a twin! I never thought too much about whether I wanted twins of my own or not, I suppose it just never crossed my mind. Well, about 11 months ago, I had fraternal twin girls of my own! I’ll start from the beginning&#8230; I got pregnant late fall of 2013. I hate to say I wasn’t trying, but I wasn’t trying! Haha! I already had a daughter of my own, and my fiancé, John, has two kids from a previous marriage. One morning I woke up with some familiar symptoms, so when I got to work (I worked in a hospital) I went to the women&#8217;s clinic for a test. The results came almost immediately. I was happy, but nervous. What would my fiancé think? We had just gotten a house and we were starting renovations. I noticed I was showing much faster than I did with my first, but everyone told me that you show faster with your second pregnancy, so my “what-ifs” were calmed down a bit. In the back of my mind I kept thinking, “twins.” When I went in for my first appointemt with my nurse practitioner to listen to the heartbeat, I asked her if she only heard one heartbeat and she told me yes. So, once again, my “what-ifs” were calmed. In the back of my mind I kept thinking, “twins.” When John and I were waiting to go in to our first ultrasound we were talking about how we would react if she told us it was twins. We were just being silly. When I got back there, she started doing some measurements without showing it on the big screen. Just messing around and making small talk, I asked, “There’s only one in there right?” She just looked at me. I knew by the look on her face there was more than one in there. I asked if she was for real, and she was. I was at a loss for words. I couldn’t believe it. Twins?!?! What am I going to do? What’s going to happen to my body? Am I going to have major complications and have to deliver early by way of an emergency c-section?? Will I have to visit my babies for months in a NICU? What if I can’t handle two babies at a time? I was scared. Although I remained pretty scared throughout the pregnancy, I got so excited. I was lucky enough to be absolutely blessed with TWO babies at the same time!! Not everyone gets to say that, and I can. I was very happy when I found out I was having two girls. At first, they thought they were identical, but it turns out the placentas were just fused together making it look like one. When John and I were waiting to go in to our first ultrasound we were talking about how we would react if she told us it was twins. We were just being silly. My pregnancy was rough. I had terrible headaches and was always nauseous. I didn’t puke much, though. I ended up getting carpal tunnel in both wrists, making it hard to do pretty much everything! I also had some symptoms that most might not want to hear about as well! Haha! Twin pregnancies are considered high risk, so I had many more appointments than what I did with my first. Many more ultrasounds as well, which was nice. When I got pregnant, I was only about 115 pounds and stood only 5’2”. I was amazed that my little body could possibly support two babies inside!! It’s really something when you think about it. Towards the end, I started having 2-3 appointments a week. My baby “B” wasn’t growing as much as baby “A” so they were monitoring us closely. Intrauterine growth restriction is what they called it. I received a shot to develop their lungs just in case I delivered early. I was doing very well. I worked until I was 35 weeks and 2 days pregnant. That following week, my doctor recommended a induction. Trying for a vaginal delivery was very important to me, unless medical necessary. We decided on the date July 3rd, only two short days away. I was so ready to have those sweet girls in my arms. My poor body was ready, too! I was amazed that my little body could possibly support two babies inside!! It’s really something when you think about it. July 3rd comes along. My fiancé and I headed to the hospital at about 5:30 am. The nurses got me ready and I was given drugs to start the process. At about 7:30 or so, my doctor came in and broke my water for me. I was checked hourly and I was progressing smoothly. My epidural went in without a problem and helped me with the pain. My nurse came in close to 1:30 and checked me. Little did I know I was 9cm dilated and baby “A” was ready! She rushed to call my doctor. She came back to get me started on pushing. Well, that didn’t take long at all, and if my doctor would have come into the room 5 seconds later than what she did, my nurse would have been the one delivering my first! Like I said, she was ready!! Baby “B” was a whole two pounds smaller than baby “A”. She was breech after her sister came out. My doctor was confident that she could get her out without a problem since the first was so much bigger. My sweet baby was born exactly 5 minutes after her sister by being pulled out by her legs! I was so extremely relieved to be able to have just what I wanted, a perfect vaginal delivery. No problems. No tears. Very quick. Hearing so many other twin delivery horror stories makes me so proud and grateful that I was able to do it. My body is amazing. Not only did my delivery go perfect, my girls were pretty much healthy with the exception of a little bit of jaundice. Baby “A” was named Avery Mae, was born at 1:30pm and weighed 6 pounds 3 ounces. Baby “B” was named Reagan Marie, was born at 1:35pm, and weighed 4 pounds 3 ounces. They were absolutely perfect. We left the hospital two days later. No NICU time!!! If you were to ask my fiancé or myself what it’s like to have twins, we would tell you it’s not that much different than just one. You’re already breastfeeding or making a bottle, so doing the same for a second baby isn’t much more work. Same with diaper changes. Sure, it’s more expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. You really don’t need two of everything. The only things you really need double of are car seats, diapers and either breast milk or formula. They can share most everything including clothes, a crib, bottles and toys. We had two swings that really helped, so I would totally recommend some of those! We bought them used so we didn’t break the bank. The worst part of having these beautiful girls is that my mom never got to meet them. My mom passed away in 2012 due to her second stroke. She was only 51. It was very hard, and it really doesn&#8217;t get any easier. I wish so bad I could call her and ask for twin stories and advice&#8230; but I can&#8217;t. She was an amazing mother and amazing grandmother. It absolutely breaks my heart that my twins will never personally know her. But, I will never stop talking about her and &#8220;keeping her alive&#8221; in my heart. I believe she&#8217;s here, keeping an eye on these sweet babies every day. Avery and Reagan are perfect. They’re about to be 11 months old in a couple days and this last year has been amazing. The girls have been sleeping through the night for many months now, which I couldn’t be more thankful for. Getting them on a schedule was the best thing I could have done. It’s a little tough going places by myself with my three girls, so most of the time I just wait until John is able to go or stay home with them. Whenever we are out, it never fails, someone stops us to see them, or talk about them. We have heard “you sure have your hands full” more times than I can count. The best thing you can say to a twin parent when you see them out is telling them how blessed they are. Not how busy they must be or how it’s better them than you. Just say, “You have been so blessed.” Because, really- we have. Us twin (and other multiples) parents are special. We have been chosen to raise two (or more) babies at once. The best thing you can say to a twin parent when you see them out is telling them how blessed they are. Not how busy they must be or how it’s better them than you. Just say, “You have been so blessed.” When people babysit, they tell me they don’t know how I do it. Even though my girls are seriously so well behaved, they are crawling now, and they don’t always go to the same place. They’re busy. It’s tough. Even for me it’s tough. Every day is hard work. When asked how I do it, I respond, “I just do.” My girls have filled an empty void I didn’t even know I had. I feel complete now. Sure, I love my oldest daughter, but something was missing. Not anymore. My family is complete and I have never been happier. My life has more meaning. I am so lucky to be able to stay home with them and raise them, to watch them grow and learn. My heart explodes with love every single day. I have brought these beautiful girls into the world. I am happy and blessed beyond words.]]></description>
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		<title>Preeclampsia: What It&#8217;s Really Like</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/preeclampsia-what-its-really-like/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/preeclampsia-what-its-really-like/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 02 Jun 2015 22:40:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Sara Brennan]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health/Fitness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Blood Pressure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[C-Section]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Delivery]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hell]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Preeclampsia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Swelling]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=6687</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#160; Don’t you love when someone points out to a pregnant woman that she looks &#8220;terrible&#8221;? Who do they think they are telling you that you’re swollen, puffy, look tired, or even that you look “painful”. I think people who aren’t, especially those who have never been, pregnant say these things as if it&#8217;s somehow comforting for a second or third trimester pregnant lady to be reassured that yes, you actually are pregnant. Well, guess what people; it&#8217;s not comforting! In fact, it sucks and makes us feel like crap! &#160; I felt great during about 90 percent of my pregnancy, but I would actually get both sides of this spectrum. For a while, some people said to me that I looked too thin to be pregnant then others, who knew that I was just petite in nature, would say, wow you’re getting so big so fast! And I have to admit, I wanted to get the “belly”, I wanted to “show” and it wasn’t until about 6 months that I had a significant enough bump for strangers to notice and comment on. But I did notice that everyone loved to point out how “huge” I was getting once the real “growing” started. So when I approached the 9th month of my pregnancy, in the heat of a Carolina summer, I noticed that I actually was starting to really swell up. My feet and ankles would get very puffy, along with my hands and fingers. So I bought new shoes, asked my husband to rub my feet and kept on with life as usual. Then, people told me I looked like I was “in pain” and “puffy” and although it wasn’t the nicest comment I&#8217;d ever received, I summed this up to the heat, the baby, me not taking enough time to rest, but never Preeclampsia. The dreaded Preeclampsia – the jerk of pregnancy! It&#8217;s the little sneak that hijacks your body, inflates you with water weight, and constricts your blood vessels so much that your kidneys can malfunction and your blood pressure soars. It beats on your head like a drum while also making you feel like you’re being spun around on a merry-go-round too fast, when all you really want to do is get off. It’s not fun and loves to make it&#8217;s appearance when you’re least expecting it, 37 weeks to 48 hours post delivery. It&#8217;s the little sneak that hijacks your body, inflates you with water weight, and constricts your blood vessels so much that your kidneys can malfunction and your blood pressure soars. It beats on your head like a drum while also making you feel like you’re being spun around on a merry-go-round too fast, when all you really want to do is get off. Below, I tell the story of my joyride with Preeclampsia along with signs and symptoms that should raise a red flag. So, go ahead, read about my misery…you know you want to! I visited my OB for the typical routine checkups and towards the end, we noticed a trend…high blood pressure. Starting at about 33 weeks, they’d strap on that stupid cuff and it would read around 140/90. It wasn’t that bad (not good either), but normally my BP is very low, so that was pretty high for me. I’d also do the whole pee in a cup thing and my urine never showed signs that anything was wrong (no keytones or proteins). This continued on for weeks but with each visit, I was gaining about 5 pounds, swelling more, and my blood pressure was increasing. I knew there was something wrong; I didn’t feel like my glowing pregnant self anymore. So, what is Preeclampsia? It&#8217;s characterized by having high blood pressure and protein in the urine after 20 weeks of pregnancy (Preclampsia Foundation). Basically, it&#8217;s like a huge, grey storm cloud that suddenly forms over your head and rains on your beautiful pregnancy parade. It is sometimes referred to as Toxemia as well. It&#8217;s like a huge, grey storm cloud that suddenly forms over your head and rains on your beautiful pregnancy parade. &#160; I never, ever, had the protein in my urine, but by the time I was 38 weeks, I had full blown Preeclampsia and my doctors weren’t on top of it until it was almost too late. I found out that it&#8217;s a very progressive condition that is only cured by having the baby. So, to “cure” me, I was induced and eventually had an emergency C-section because my condition kept worsening. This was not what I wanted to do and I was quite frustrated that nobody caught this along the way, but I later learned that it’s typical to not have any signs or symptoms until about 37/38 weeks. Now, ladies, if you’re reading this and you’re pregnant; don’t freak! Preeclampsia only effects about 5-8% of all pregnancies and a little (sometimes even a lot) of swelling is expected with pregnancy. Below, I am going to go through the signs and symptoms to help to distinguish between whats “normal” and what should raise a red flag about this condition. Here are some signs and symptoms to watch for, along with my take on each symptom that I had: 1) The most obvious one – High Blood Pressure. When I’d visit my OB, they’d strap on that stupid cuff at the beginning of each visit. Starting at about 33 weeks, my blood pressure (BP) started to get really high. By the time I was 38 weeks my BP was 190/120 and I was admitted to the hospital. My advice would be to pay close attention to the number from week to week and if it increases a little, it should be alright, but if it ever reaches 140/90 then you should talk to your doctor about it, even if they brush it off. 140/90 is the threshold between normal and “high”, so if you are reaching these numbers tune into your body closely. Because the condition is quite rare, they sometimes assume the high BP is nothing to worry about unless it’s accompanied by protein in the urine. They also would have me lay on my left side to “bring it down”. This is a bad idea and provides a false sense of assurance. I was told that laying on your side helps the blood flow better temporarily and gives you an improved BP reading, but it does not mean the problem is fixed. 2) Protein in the Urine Preeclampsia temporarily changes the way the kidney filters out some proteins from your blood, therefore extra protein can show up in the urine; this is a sign that you may have Preeclampsia. I never had this show up in my urine, not even once, and I think that’s why nobody at my OB’s office took me too seriously. My warning is that you don’t need to have extra proteins show up in your urine to have Preeclampsia. If you are feeling other symptoms and also have high blood pressure, talk to your doctor and if they don’t take you seriously, get a second opinion. 3) Excess Swelling This is technically called Edema and it&#8217;s different than the typical pregnancy, swollen ankles type of thing. This is when your face, eyes, and hands feel so swollen that you might just explode. This is how I felt! And looking back, I did look terrible with a capital “t”, but because it was my first pregnancy, I thought this was just normal. By the time I was admitted to the hospital, I thought my feet were going to get stretch marks because they’d grown so large. The top of my foot almost came up over top of my sausage toes…it was weird, painful, and ugly! Absolutely no shoe fit me, not even slippers, and I had several chins at this point because my face had become so swollen (I’d post pictures, but nobody wants to see that!). If you start to feel like you’re swelling more rapidly than the pace you’d been keeping, talk to your doctor. 4) Headache and Dizziness No matter what kind of headache it is, dull, throbbing or stabbing, if it’s accompanied with high BP and any other symptom listed above, call your OB and schedule a visit right away. This is a sign that your BP is getting too high and your body is not handling it well. Try to rest and prop up your feet, but don’t ignore this symptom. Honestly, it was the only way I knew my blood pressure was high, beside taking an actual reading, because I could feel it in my head, like a pounding headache that would not go away accompanied by dizziness. 5) Rapid Weight Gain Up until about 34 weeks, I’d gained about 25 pounds from my pregnancy. I was doing really well, staying active and even doing some strength training. Then, at my 33 week visit, I had gained about 3 pounds, which wasn’t bad, but more than previous visits. Then I gained 5 at my next visit, then 5 again, and I ended up tacking on almost 25 extra pounds, in the last 5 weeks, due to this condition! 25 pounds in 5 weeks people! It was bad. So, again, if you experience this type of weight gain, it’s not normal. Your baby is not growing THAT much that you should pack on the pounds like this. For me, this was a huge sign of preeclampsia looking back. There are a few other signs and symptoms that you can encounter with this condition and you can read more about them here, but it&#8217;s really important to pay attention to what your body is telling you. I also want to put out there that Preeclampsia can actually have no symptoms, in some cases, because many of the signs resemble regular pregnancy progression type things. Just pay attention to what is normal for you along your entire pregnancy and if this “normal” ever changes, ask your doctor. And if they tell you you’re fine, but you don’t feel that in your gut (no pun intended), ask another doctor. This condition can be serious and lead to seizures or even death, so please just pay attention and watch for little signs. Who gets preeclampsia? Some people are more prone to getting this than others: this list includes, but its not limited to, women who are: Pregnant for the first time Over 40 years old Having multiples Already have a blood pressure condition Overweight The complete list can be found here, and if you fall into one of these categories (and just because its your first pregnancy does not mean you have to freak!), know the signs and pay attention for changes as you progress. &#160; I ended up having to be induced and put on anti-seizure medication because my blood pressure had reached the point where it was dangerous for me and the baby. My baby was fine during the entire course of this, he was happy and healthy with a very strong heartbeat and lots of movement, but it was me that was going downhill quickly. It was important to control the seizure component, because if I had a seizure, the baby could possibly suffer due to lack of oxygen. So, after 26 hours of labor and all was said and done, I had my baby boy and was on my way to being “cured” from this condition. It did take me a few extra days in the hospital and about 3 weeks to actually completely recover, as my blood pressure stayed high and I had headaches and felt dizzy for quite a while (plus the pain from my lovely c-section). I lost that extra 30 lbs I gained towards the end of my pregnancy in about 10 days after giving birth, it was mostly water weight anyway, but losing 30 pounds felt great nonetheless! I lost that extra 30 lbs I gained towards the end of my pregnancy in about 10 days after giving birth, it was mostly water weight anyway, but losing 30 pounds felt great nonetheless! Well, that’s it for you – my preeclampsia story. If you think you might have symptoms, definitely call your doctor or even send me an email and I’ll be glad to talk this over with you personally. I am not qualified to give medical advice, and this article is just for awareness purposes, but I will help anyone in any way that I can. I’ve been through it and it is not fun, but it’s important to know the signs and symptoms and how to handle something like this. Remember, preeclampsia is rare (only 5-8% of pregnancies), so don’t over analyze and pay attention to your symptoms. Most pregnant women will, thankfully, never have to go through this! &#160;]]></description>
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		<title>PPD Forces Changes</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/ppd-forces-changes/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/ppd-forces-changes/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 Apr 2015 09:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Becky Babo]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Antidepressants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Baby]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Body]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Daughter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[depression]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Emotional]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Faith]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Motherhood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[new mom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[postpartum]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Postpartum Depression]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PPD]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=5401</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#160; My beautiful baby girl just turned one in March, and motherhood has forced it&#8217;s fair share of changes on me, the least of which being my pants size. The elephant in the room is Postpartum Depression. I was diagnosed with Postpartum Depression (PPD) four weeks after I had my bundle of joy. I wanted to be happy, but I couldn&#8217;t stop crying. The bottom line is that postpartum depression has changed me. I&#8217;ve always been an emotional person, but generally I&#8217;ve been able to see the good in situations, not just the bad. Now, I feel like I&#8217;m not the person I was before I became a mom. I&#8217;m not the perky, bubbly person who was so sure of herself anymore. I&#8217;ve become someone else that I don&#8217;t quite recognize. I&#8217;m trying to beat this &#8211; trying to overcome what I&#8217;m feeling and what my body has decided to do. My doctor has me on antidepressants, my third different brand, and the fact of the matter is, I&#8217;m scared. What if I always feel like this? What if they don&#8217;t help? What if being on them is going to make me a bad mom? Research tells me that PPD is a chemical imbalance, and that it&#8217;s a lot more common then most women know. Why? What makes it so hard for women to talk about? Maybe it&#8217;s the constant feeling that you&#8217;re just not good enough. Or the sadness that comes around when you really should be happy. This is not an easy road for me to walk. This is not what I expected. And yet, I know that this is not my fault. I don&#8217;t understand why &#8211; but this is happening to me for a reason, and God is truly in control. If He put this in my path, then I have to walk around it. I have to overcome this obstacle. And if it brings me closer to Him, and turns me into a more sympathetic and better mother, then it&#8217;s worth it. Until then, I will keep trying. For her.]]></description>
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		<title>Pregnancy and Anxiety</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/pregnancy-and-anxiety/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/pregnancy-and-anxiety/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 02 Apr 2015 22:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anonymous WIRL]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Love/Relationships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[anxiety]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[compassion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mental illness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Motherhood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[understanding]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[worry]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=4827</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#160; I feel like these two things do not go well together. Anybody else? Having anxiety is one thing, and being pregnant is another. But having both&#8230;is a whole new ball game. I could go on and on, but someone who understands/has/deals with someone with anxiety knows how awful and traumatic and debilitating it can be. Now if you&#8217;ve ever been pregnant WITH anxiety you&#8217;ll understand everything I say in this blog. Pregnant women tend to carry a little bit of anxious tendencies to begin with. Worried and wondering about child birth, starting or adding to their family, picking a pediatrician and so on. But let me tell you a little bit about what a pregnant woman with pretty bad anxiety lives like. I am pregnant, but not far along (which is why this post is anonymous ). When I&#8217;m not pregnant I worry about what I&#8217;m going to make for dinner, or what I&#8217;m going to dress our toddler in for the day, or having enough time before nap time to get all the errands fitted in. Those are common everyday stresses for me. Now that I&#8217;m pregnant, it&#8217;s times a hundred. And keep in mind that this is NOT my first pregnancy! When you find out you&#8217;re pregnant and you call your doctor to make an appointment, and they schedule it 2 weeks out&#8230;that gives me anxiety. Worrying what if something happens before that?? Don&#8217;t they know that I&#8217;m an anxiety ridden person that needs answers RIGHT NOW?!? I neeeeed to know that everything&#8217;s ok. When they have my chart/information in front of them and still offer me a 2pm appointment = ANXIETY! Don&#8217;t they know I have a 2 year old that needs to nap, isn&#8217;t that an average nap time?! Thinking about afterwards, coming home with a newborn and a toddler, gives me anxiety. It makes me wonder if I can do it all. If I will be enough for two little dependent human beings. How will I run all of the errands with not just 1, but 2 kids now?!? I am very stubborn and refuse help at any circumstance and insist that I can &#8216;do it all!!&#8217; (I am superwoman too if I didn&#8217;t mention that already ). Thinking about all the people that will want to stop and visit and hold my new precious little bundle, gives me severe anxiety!! (I know that I&#8217;m not due for a while still, but this is stuff that my anxiety will not let me subdue). I immediately think about all the sickness that&#8217;s been going around, colds and coughs and runny noses, pneumonia, and stomach viruses, and these people are going to want to TOUCH MY KID! Aghhhhhh!!! I may be a second-time mommy, but I bet my anxiety would fool anyone to believing it was my first time. Thinking about everyone wanting to sit and stay for hours and just holding my baby just throws me into a whole new dimension of nuts!! Haha  I want to sit and hold him/her! I am damn proud of my little family and want us to have our time together, letting my little one get to know my new littlest one. When people tell me, &#8230;it&#8217;s ok, no need to get all worked up!! I wanna scream  I read an article this morning about dealing with a person with anxiety and a list of things to consider/understand and I will link it down below. Mental Illness is not something that can just be &#8220;dropped&#8221; because it&#8217;s inconvenient. It is something that I not only live with, but so does everyone around me. It&#8217;s something that my husband tries very hard to understand and he has been so patient in working with me and my &#8220;issues&#8221;, if you will. I know someone may read this and think this girl needs medicated!! And maybe I do need some kind of therapy of some sort, but me dealing with it in my own way is part of the quest for me. I need to be able to conquer each and every task, every single day, in my own way and on my own time. This is where the stubbornness comes in again. Am I the only person who goes through this?!? Sometimes I feel like that&#8217;s the case, but I know it&#8217;s not. For more advice/tips on how to treat and understand anxiety please read the link below. It fit almost every one of my needs to a T. And someone that you know that may have anxiety would be so grateful for your compassion.]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>Sperm, Meet Egg!</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/sperm-meet-egg/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/sperm-meet-egg/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 23 Mar 2015 18:00:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Sara Brennan]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Basi Body Temperature]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cycle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Egg]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HSG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Infertility]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ovulation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ovulation Kit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Period]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnitude]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sex]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sperm]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trying to get Pregnant]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=4487</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#160; It happens all the time and it pisses me off! People who don’t want to (or shouldn’t be allowed to) get pregnant, do, and those who want to get pregnant, can’t! Why! Why? WHY!? You see people who are unfit to be parents, juggling six kids they can’t afford, and it’s sickening. But yet an educated, mature, couple who are capable and ready to have a baby, can’t. Then there’s this scenario, that one friend who “really-wasn’t-trying”, got pregnant so easily. She calls you with the “exciting” news that she is pregnant (while all you can think about is the fact that you’re STILL not) and it makes you want to vomit. But you still wish them the best (and the worst morning sickness) as you hang up the phone and then bawl your eyes out. I know too many stories like this, most of them are heartbreaking but many have a happy ending. So here’s the big question…if everyone’s done it for years, why is getting pregnant so tricky sometimes? If you know me, I used to be a Biology teacher, so the science drives my thinking. And scientifically, it’s actually quite difficult to get pregnant in the sense that there is only a small window of time that this can actually happen per cycle. So, to me, the fact that this happens accidentally so often is crazy! If you ask me (and you’re reading my WIRL, so you’d obviously like to hear my opinion), I think all people should come with a switch that needs to be activated before they can get (somebody) pregnant. Maybe I can isolate a gene someday, in all my spare time, to make this happen; I AM a scientist you know, just ask my former students. Unfortunately, I had to travel down this path. The path of aggravation, frustration, crying when my period came and not-so-fun-because-we’re-on-a-mission lovemaking but, thankfully, I did get a happy ending…my sweet baby boy Mason. So I am going to outline the steps I took to make the formal, practically forced, introduction: Sperm, Meet Egg! Not “Trying” Don’t try to get pregnant if you don’t have to! What does this even mean? It means have sex and enjoy it! Don’t worry too much about technical things such as &#8220;the perfect time&#8221; or &#8220;when you&#8217;re ovulating&#8221;; worrying about these details can become very stressful and it makes the process not nearly as fun. Most women ovulate (release their egg) somewhere in the middle of their cycle, day 1 being the first day of your period. So, count about 12-15 days from then and plan to make some whoopie around that time. For most people, this works just fine (and I hate you for it). Monitor your Cervical Mucus GROSS!! I know, it is gross but its really helpful to keep track of the changes. When you are about to ovulate, most women get a discharge that resembles, get ready… stringy egg whites! AHHHHH!!! I’ll bet you are going to go make an omelet now aren’t you. But it&#8217;s true…so if you notice a slippery, “different” type of discharge, it may mean you are about to ovulate. You may not actually see it either, it may just be a little bit more slippery when you wipe after going to the bathroom…either way, try to pay attention to it. If you ever read forums online, this will be referred to as EWCM (Egg White Cervical Mucus) &#8211; come on, get with the lingo. Count the Days of your Cycle OK, so you’ve gone a few months without success, now you can start to figure out how long your cycle is without too much stress/worry. Just start charting how many days your cycles last, again day 1 of your cycle is the first day of your period. Figuring out when you ovulate can be tricky because it can be different each month, so you need to know the average length of your cycle. Now some new vocabulary (see I really was a teacher!) – The first half of your cycle is called theFollicular Phase, these are the day of your period and before ovulation. Then you ovulate, or release your egg, and move into the Luteal Phase, which is the second half of your cycle. To really determine when you will ovulate, you will need to know the length of your luteal phase, which is usually (on average) about 14 days before your next period. So, for example, if you have a 35 day cycle, you will probably not ovulate on the 14th day. You will probably ovulate on day 21, because this is 14 days before your next period. So, if you were “trying” on day 12 or 15, then you would be missing the window…I hope that makes sense. Make some adjustments and then try again next month. *If this is all super confusing to you, forget it, you don’t really need to understand any of this to actually get pregnant! Buy some Ovulation Tests These puppies can be expensive but it really takes the guessing game out of the situation and it will tell you if your body is even ovulating or not. Depending on the type you get (read the instructions!) you will just pee on a stick (like a pregnancy test) and you will get a positive or a negative. If you get a positive, that means your hormone levels have reached the point where your body could release the egg any second. So, GET BUSY! If you find you do not get a positive ovulation test in a cycle, you may want to talk to your doctor; you may not be ovulating at all, which is why you’re having trouble getting pregnant! Monitor and Chart your Basil Body Temp Your basil body temperature is your lowest body temperature and it&#8217;s obtained during rest/sleep. To monitor this, you need a Basil Body Temperature Thermometer , it has a few extra decimal numbers on it to give you a more precise reading. To use the thermometer, you need to keep it on your bedside table and reach for it the second you wake up in the morning. It is very important you hardly move (don’t roll over and walk to get it) and put very little energy into getting the thermometer in your hand and popping it in your mouth. Because you want to get an accurate Basil Body Temperature, you will want to get it when you’re still resting or half-asleep. After you’ve taken your temperature, you’ll need to write down the number (because you’re still so sleepy, you will probably forget) on some kind of tracker to track your results. I used an app on my phone or a sheet that looks something like this from Baby Center. You will look for trends, not necessarily “spikes” and you should see the temperatures in the beginning lower than the temps at the end…this is called a biphasic chart (two phases). Once you see that upward progression with your temps, you have probably ovulated. No two cycles will be the same, so watch for overall changes and trends. Seeing the changes in your cycle on paper or on a screen may help you to see the big picture and make adjustments as necessary. Don’t Go to the Doctor Yes, you read that correctly, don’t do it…unless you’ve been trying to get pregnant for over a year or are having some serious medical issues. Who am I to tell you what to do, but I went to the doctor after having only been trying for six months and I was laughed at. You are only deemed the status of having “infertility issues” after one 1 year with no success. I mean you don’t really want to have the status of being infertile anyway, so keep trying other methods. Try Supplements/Herbs/Medications At your Own Risk I did a lot of research on this stuff, and I’m not really an “all natural” kind of girl…but I did find one supplement that I took after 11 months of trying and it was called Pregnitude. I hate the name, but I took the product for one full cycle and it may have been a coincidence, but we were successful that month! Apparently it helps with egg quality and ovulation. Each dose provides Folic Acid to support ovulatory function and quality of eggs (product packaging). I don’t get paid to talk about their product, but I am pretty happy with the success I had with it! Some people in our world are sick and mean though; they know they can make money from desperate couples who are trying so hard and they market unsafe or ineffective products just to earn a buck. So you really need to do your research before you choose a supplement that’s right for you (if any) and double check that its FDA approved. I even talked to my gynecologist and pharmacist before I started taking something, just to be on the safe side. Also, our men need to consider the supplements they are taking and how they can effect conceiving. Excessive amounts of protein, especially in the form of protein bars and shakes, are not recommended for men if you are having trouble conceiving. My husband was not too thrilled about this news, but did what he had to do. Some studies have also suggested that you cut back or eliminate caffeine, alcohol, tobacco and any other drug related substance. These supplement ideas might sound silly, but it’s something to think about and definitely worth considering. Get Tested After you’ve been trying for a year without success, it&#8217;s time to visit the doctor and get tested for actual infertility problems or issues. My husband had his sperm evaluated (an entire other post in itself) and luckily he had good swimmers along with good numbers! I was also tested and had an ultrasound on my &#8220;mama&#8221; organs, which came out fine. The doctors assured us we should be able to get pregnant; but, umm…Hello!, we can’t, that’s why we’re here!! So, being the scientist I wanted more tests to gain more answers. The next test was something called a Hysterosalpingogram (HSG) and I’ve read forum after forum of people who swear by these things. Most of these tests yield “normal” results, but that’s not the exciting part. The exciting part is that A LOT of people actually get pregnant after having this test done because the test itself shoots a dye into your uterus and fallopian tubes and the radiologist can see if there is any kind of blockage or something causing the sperm and egg to never meet. But, here’s the amazing side effect…it really lubes up your fallopian tubes so that the sperm slip and slide through very easily, making it much easier to connect with the egg! YAY! SCORE! Go ahead, Google it. You will find lots of forums with women who say they had the test done, and got pregnant the next month! And guess what, I’m one of them! So between the Pregnitude and the HSG test, I am a believer! If your tests don’t come back normal and there are other issues to work through, don’t panic. You have countless options to discuss with your OB/GYN or specialist…I can’t even begin to write about them all. Unfortunately, too many people struggle with getting pregnant and don’t have success naturally, but using fertility medication, drugs and procedures have lead to happy endings for many couples; so don’t give up. WIRL Project is actually looking for members to contribute about their journey though infertility treatments; if you are interested please use the Contact form to request an &#8220;invite code&#8221; and we’ll get you scheduled. Sharing your journey can be very beneficial for others and therapeutic for yourself. &#160; My Happy Ending Some of you reading this post may be sensitive to this issue, I know I sure was, but I wanted to share my story because I know what it feels like and I also know how confused and frustrated I was about the whole process and didn’t really have a lot of people I felt comfortable turning to. If you want to read the ending to my success story, scroll down and read on, if you are not at place in your journey where you feel comfortable reading about one more person succeeding, then don’t, but its there if you ever want it. So, scroll down to read the ending to my story… &#160; &#160; &#160; &#160; &#160; &#160; I made an infertility appointment to discuss the next options, because we were not getting pregnant on our own; this appointment was January 10, 2013. My last period (at this time) was December 5, 2012; it had been a long cycle for me but I could not bring myself to take one more stupid, negative pregnancy test. So I went to the appointment and the first thing they asked me was, “Have you taken a test?” and my reply was, “No, and I don’t want to. I’m not pregnant and I just want to know the next step in our “process” so lets get to it”. My doctor would not proceed with the appointment until they knew I was not pregnant. My husband was out of town, and not even with me, and so I said, “Fine, but I’m not going to be the one reading it – you read it and we’ll just proceed as planned. I don’t want to talk about another negative test.”…I was very frustrated by this point. So, I peed in a cup, handed it to the nurse, she ran the test and the doctor came in. She said, “Sara, I know you’ve been through a lot, but I don’t really know why you’re here”. And I looked at her, about to say “Please….We’ve been trying for a year, you have to help us!” and then, to my surprise, she said….”You’re pregnant! This was the easiest infertility appointment I’ve ever had – Congratulations!”. I looked at her, in shock, didn’t say a word and tears filled up in my eyes. My husband isn’t even here!!! Oh. My. Goodness!!! I prayed she wasn’t joking and the nurse, my doctor and I had a group hug. I was pregnant, we did it!! I waited until Mitch (my husband) got home, didn’t tell a soul (except for a few cashier strangers at Target) and wrapped up a little POSITIVE pregnancy test and gave it to my husband when he got home. We laughed, cried and celebrated…we FINALLY did it! There is hope, so don’t give up; we have our angel baby, Mason, now and all the struggle we went through was so worth it. &#160; &#160; &#160;]]></description>
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		<title>Infertility &#8211; 1 Samuel 1:27</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/infertility-1-samuel-127/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/infertility-1-samuel-127/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Mar 2015 22:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Kylee]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[1 Samuel 1:27]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Don't Give Up]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hope]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Infertility]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[IVF]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Keep Fighting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[love]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Struggle]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=4297</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A little over a year ago, my husband and I shared this video with our family and friends. For anyone struggling with infertility, please don&#8217;t give up. It&#8217;s worth it all. I&#8217;m hesitant to post this because I&#8217;ve been on the other side &#8211; constantly seeing success stories while I was still waiting for mine. But I want to encourage people to keep fighting the good fight. There were so many days I thought I can&#8217;t do this anymore. I&#8217;m so glad I kept fighting &#8211; we kept fighting. My husband is my rock and I couldn&#8217;t have done it without him. Thank you for never giving up on me &#8211; for never giving up on us! And thank you God for choosing me to be Easton&#8217;s mommy. &#8220;You have to fight through some bad days to earn the best days of your life.&#8221;]]></description>
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		<title>The Best and Worst of Three Prenatal Workouts</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/the-best-and-worst-of-three-prenatal-workouts/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/the-best-and-worst-of-three-prenatal-workouts/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Mar 2015 19:00:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Alessandra Macaluso]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Health/Fitness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life/Leisure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Style/Beauty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fitness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pregnancy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prenatal]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[workouts]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=3980</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Pregnant, avoiding the gym at all costs, and trying to decide which at-home workouts will give you the most bang for your prenatal buck? Well, look no further: I’m sharing with you my three favorite at-home pregnancy workout videos – and I’m going to tell you the best and worst of them both. I’ll answer your burning questions, such as: Which instructor will make you want to punch her because of the effortless, rapid way she moves around while 10 months pregnant? Who makes you wonder if she wolfed down a batch of pot brownies in her dressing room before filming her segment? Who will make you wonder if maybe you accidentally ate some funny brownies before sitting down with her to practice your kegels? And with that I bring you… The Best and Worst of My Three Favorite Pregnancy Workouts]]></description>
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