Our Road of Infertility

So I have been thinking a lot about this article that I had come across on Pinterest a few months back.  I have told several people about it, but I feel like I need to post about it as well.  As many of you know it took Doug and I several years before we were able to conceive David.  It was a very frustrating and trying time for me as an individual and for us as a couple.  I just couldn't get over the fact that my body was not doing what it was meant to do.  In 2010 I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).  (You can read about it here http://women.webmd.com/tc/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos-topic-overview)  Basically all of my hormones were out of whack

Shortly after being diagnosed with PCOS, I ended up having surgery to remove one of my fallopian tubes due to another test showing that it was needed.  Although, once they cut me open it was found that I could keep both of my tubes, and that removal was not necessary.  So everything was deemed good except for the fact that I didn't ovulate.  After I recovered from my surgery our specialist gave us two options.  The first being artificial insemination, and the second putting me on clomid.  We had done both of these options before with no success.  But I felt very strongly that we should try clomid once again for two cycles and then move on from there if that didn't work.  The first cycle was not a success and so we moved on to the second cycle with really no thought that it would work.  We were just going through the motions.  During the second cycle I had a very strong prompting that I needed to give up caffeine completely.  I have to admit I drank a lot of Diet Dr. Pepper at the time.  It was what got me through the day, and I loved it.  But once I had this voice tell me that I needed to stop, I listened.  And it was that cycle that I became pregnant with David.  A complete wonderful shock it was!  Before that I was beginning to think that pregnancy was just not an option for me.  But I know that it was all in Heavenly Father's timing, and by listening to His promptings my body was finally able to ovulate and conceive. 

Now back to the article I found on Pinterest, which can be found here http://wellnessmama.com/5425/balance-hormones/, in the article she gives tips on how to balance your hormones.  After reading the article I realized that I had already made some of those changes that she suggests in the months leading up to me getting pregnant.  At the time I had no idea they were even linked to hormones.  I thought that I would always need clomid or some sort of intervention to get pregnant.  But I am now 32 weeks pregnant with #2 that I conceived all on my own.  So now I am a huge believer that making some of the changes she suggests in the article could help others to regulate their hormones as well.  Below are some of the changes I had made prior to getting pregnant. 

1. I stopped using margarine and only used real butter in all my cooking and baking.  Before this I never used real butter.  I had actually preferred the taste of margarine.  It grosses me out now to think that I actually liked margarine at one point, Yuck!  I also had started using more olive oil and cut back on all other oils.
2.  I stopped using caffeine, just as I had stated above.  This was the only change that I had made for only a few weeks prior to getting pregnant.  All of the other changes I had made at least 5 to 6 months prior.
3.  I got rid of all of my plastic food storage containers and switched to all glass containers.  This was all of Doug's doing.  He hated it when I would put plastic in the microwave and so because of that we switched containers.
4. I started taking a daily magnesium supplement.
5. I stopped exercising as intensely as I had been previously.  I was no longer running for extended lengths at a time.   

I know that I am not the only one that has had issues with infertility and PCOS.  I hope this can give some help to those searching for ways to help them.  Even if you don't need help regulating your hormones, it is still a very interesting article to read.  Enjoy!!!