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Infertile No More

Making the Transition from Infertility to Pregnancy

By Mark Stackpole

Mitchell and her husband had battled infertility for years before finally achieving this short-lived success. "After losing that pregnancy, the second pregnancy celebration was much more subdued," she says. "No dinner celebration with friends, but definite relief. There was a feeling of cautious jubilation, but I really felt like it was real."

But the Mitchells did not relax just yet. They felt their relief expand a bit after the first ultrasound. "Finding out he was a boy was huge – not because he was a boy but because he was instantly real," Michell says.

It was this experience that helped her let go of her fear and indulge in some stereotypical motherhood experience – she went shopping, an activity that she had previously avoided. "I was terrified to do things like buy baby stuff because I did not want to 'jinx' it all," Mitchell says. "Buying blue was fun! Planning his room, picking his clothes, dreaming of his interests and wondering what he would look like. It all became much easier."

As she was coming to terms with the good news, Mitchell also paid closer attention to her own needs, which were, of course, also the needs of her unborn son. She found a massage therapist certified to perform prenatal massages. "While I am more of a traditionalist, I really enjoyed my Eastern medicine-oriented massage therapist," she says. "Not only was I relaxed by the massage, but she would report to me the energy she felt coming from my belly."

n addition to the massages, Mitchell took great comfort, physically and emotionally, from taking a prenatal yoga class. "It was nice to be around other pregnant women and to understand that my feelings and experiences may be similar to theirs, even those who have not struggled with infertility," she says. "Realizing you are part of a pregnant crowd is a calming and exciting feeling."

Want to see more?

• Am I? The Early Signs of Pregnancy
• "Mark!" One Man's Story of Fertility Success
• Pregnancy Can Be Stressful: Managing Stress During Pregnancy
• Check out our Article Library.
• Talk about it!