What they don't understand...

This post is probably going to be all over the place, but it is something that has been on my mind, so I just need to get it down in writing, regardless if it makes sense. 

When we started trying to conceive, I knew a little bit about infertility, but I wouldn't call myself an expert by any means. I knew there were other ways to conceive a child, or become a parent, but I had no idea about all of the different ways. Since I didn't know much about it, it is safe to assume that others didn't know about it, either; however, I guess I still assumed people knew there were others ways to have a child.

After our first miscarriage, I began looking at options for us and the first thing I looked at was surrogacy. I just assumed I was the problem and my body wasn't meant to carry a child, so surrogacy seemed like a good option. After looking at surrogacy, I was stunned... it was SO expensive! My husband's cousin confronted me and told me she would be willing to be our surrogate because she, too, struggled with infertility.  She had already done IVF and had her two precious babies, so she felt called to help. I will admit that at first, I was shocked... why would anyone want to help us like this. Second, would it be weird to have someone I know carry our child?

Those thoughts continued to cross my mind, and after our second miscarriage, I felt like it would be our only option. Nevertheless, I went to a different clinic, found out I needed to be put on progesterone and a few other things, and the rest is history.

This leads me to a thought that has been bugging me... why don't more people know about other ways to conceive a child (donor eggs, donor sperm, IVF, IUI, surrogacy, etc)? I was talking to my brother about all of these things and he made the comment "Maybe God doesn't want us to intervene and this is a sign..." I was shocked. I know my brother didn't mean anything in a mean way because he has been my number one supporter from the beginning, but I think he is just uneducated as to the possibilities which lie ahead of a person trying to conceive. How many others are clueless? How many others believe we are intervening with God and don't quite understand what we are doing?

These questions made me want to shout to the world that although people don't conceive a child the "typical" way, it doesn't mean they aren't deserving of a child or are intervening with God.  I'm sure this post is all over the place, but I think it is important we educate others on infertility, the struggle, and the pain that comes with it. If they have a little more knowledge about infertility and the different wants to become a parent, maybe they, too, will educate others and we will have a much more educated world.  I know I don't even know a tenth of the different ways, but that's why I think educating people on this topic is important. 

If you are still with me, thanks! I know most of the blogging world "gets it," since we are all in the same boat, but I think we need to start talking to others.  I'm not saying you have to or this is the only way we will get the word out, but I do think it is important for others to hear our voices!

On another note, we have our BIG ultrasound tomorrow, so please pray that everything turns out okay and our baby is healthy and right on track.  

Until next time, God bless!