by Kelly Wilbanks posted in Pregnancy

The other day I ran into a friend at a going-out-of-business sale. We had snatches of conversation as I tried to keep my 2-year-old in the store and make selections at the same time. My friend has a little boy, just a little younger than my 2-year-old, and is currently trying for a sibling.
As she spoke it reminded me of all the variables that play into "planning" our families. My husband and I waited three years before we "pulled the goalie," thinking a spontaneous pregnancy was just around the corner. When that failed to happen after a year or so, we began looking into ways to make a baby happen.

I invested in books on the subject, Taking Charge of Your Fertility gave me a lot of information about my cycle, basal temperatures, and the right kind of mucus texture needed to conceive. But, still no baby. Then we had my husband's sperm tested and he was given a list of vitamins to pep those puppies up. But still no baby. As we waited for any sign that I was pregnant, it grew harder and harder to plan for our future. Can I book this flight seven months out" Do we get a family vehicle now that this one is wearing down" Do I make a dental appointment six months from now"

My "plan" to have children in my late twenties shifted to my early thirties. I added acupuncture to the line-up, began taking Chinese herbs, and made sure my legs were in the air after each time. It seemed ironic that...