quick clicks

preconception articles

preconception q&a

message boards

research baby names

prepare a birth plan

content channels

ip channel rss feeds

read birth stories

read parenting stories

recommended books

e-newsletters

safety recalls

ip diaries

ip store

mom of the month

dad of the month

editor's letter

letters to the editor

Planning Pregnancies

Trying to Conceive at the Same Time

By Megan Kopp

Are you considering planning a pregnancy with a friend? Are you uncertain as to what to expect? There are pros and cons to consider in sharing this very personal experience.

Barb Hall of British Columbia, Canada, planned a pregnancy with a close friend and co-worker. Both couples were considering starting families, but employment was an issue.

"Jeanette and I started going to the gym at lunch hours, riding the stationary bikes and debating whether or not we should have kids," says Hall. "We convinced ourselves that [starting a family at this time] would be a good thing ... only we weren't sure whether or not we wanted to totally get out of the work scene. A plan was hatched that we would try and get pregnant on or about the same time so we could propose job-sharing after maternity leave."

The reality of employment and job-sharing is one reason why two women might want to try to get pregnant at the same time. For some women, the support they receive from another person going through the exact same process is simply exciting.

"A few years ago, I came up with this 'secret plan' that me and two of my co-workers (and very close friends), Sue and Audrey, would all become pregnant at the same time," says Lori McKenzie of Pennsylvania. "It wasn't really such a secret, because we joked about it all the time." McKenzie and her friends talked about the issue of getting pregnant together for almost a year before it actually happened. They discussed how their boss would react to them all being off at the same time, periods and ovulation dates, and "how neat [it would be] to have children exactly the same age who may one day be as good of friends as we are."

Why would women try and become pregnant at the same time? For the most part, these women are already considering pregnancy. Having someone around who is wanting the same thing is simply encouraging. The camaraderie of this shared experience creates a bond between these women that is not easily severed. "We all became pregnant within a month of each other and had a great time at work sharing our miseries and pigging out on morning pretzels and Diet Coke to keep us awake from not having slept due to stomachs the size of Michigan," says McKenzie. The trio went on to have their sonograms done right around the same time, shared the common details of developing babies and commiserated about aches, pains, nausea and moodiness throughout the ensuing nine months.

Found 1 comment
Displaying all 1 comments below