***This is a sponsored post for IVF Australia and Digital Parents Collective***
A woman’s biological clock. Does it tick louder for some?
Mine was on constant snooze. I’d meet a guy, start to get tingly feelings matched with contented sighs of, “Ooooh, I’ve met ‘The One’!”
Only to have my heart splattered in a million pieces.
While I went through relationships like a pair of cheap stockings, not once did I worry about fertility. I didn’t have to because I just kept hooking up with douchebags, anyway.
Then, at the ripe age of 33, I met Surfer Boyfriend. Blonde, blue eyes, broad swimmer’s shoulders and sunkissed from all that time in the surf, it wasn’t hard to find him even a tad cute.
As for husband/father material? Not quite there yet.
What followed was a bumpy, yet slowly progressive ride to commitment. I’d make demands, we’d almost break up. Then we’d take one huge step forward (moving in together)
A couple years later, I’d start to nag again (who said only wives have that right?), packing my bags threatening to leave, which then resulted in buying a home.
By this stage, I was 37. No longer a spring chicken with a very tired finger still on the snooze button.
Speaking from personal experience, when men eventually decide to settle down, the transition is at lightening speed.
Miranda on Sex and the City nails it when she likens men to taxis: “You gotta get ‘em when their lights are on.”
As soon as Mr Surfer’s light went on, he wanted it ALL. STAT.
I had been off the pill for six months and while we were regularly doing the horizontal hustle, not a positive sign was in sight.
My darling future husband didn’t automatically assume that the problem was on my end and instead booked in to get his swimmers checked.
I spat coffee at my work computer screen reading his text that delightfully told me:
“All good, babe! I have triple A rating sperm!”
Through a friend’s recommendation, we went to a naturopath who prescribed us both with disgusting herbal concoctions to drink daily.
It was hippy la-la all the way.
We even had a little baby moon calendar, making up our own little symbols for “ovulating”, “menstruating” and of course, when we had some bow chica bow wow.
All that love making always concluded with me stark naked, legs straight up, in perfect V formation, making sure those little spermies only swam one way.
Back in the 60’s you had a smoke after sex. We drew pretty love hearts. Or performed bedroom gymnastics.
All those sexually active years worrying about unwanted pregnancies. Ironically, there was nothing to worry about.
Knowing that almost killed me inside.
At an appointment with a fertility specialist, speaking of my concerns being pregnant during our wedding and whether I could wait until afterwards, our doctor held no bars.
“You’re not getting any younger, Grace,” she flatly said.
So, we kept trying and trying and trying.
Even the naughty minx in me was sick of all that sex. (I know!!!)
Almost six months before our wedding, a blood test confirmed my pregnancy.
The dressmaker wasn’t too happy about having to make alterations to my wedding dress but who was I to even care?
Friends asked why I didn’t wait until after the wedding to fall pregnant. Was I okay walking down the aisle 25 weeks knocked up?
The “inconvenience” of a shot gun wedding doesn’t even come close to the dreaded fear of infertility.
There are some things in life you don’t have any control over.
Fertility, I discovered, is one of them.
If you’re trying to fall pregnant, and it’s not happening as quickly as you’d expected, get some tips from the experts in fertility, IVF Australia. Visit https://ivf.com.au/contraception-to-conception
Joining Essentially Jess for #IBOT
I’m so glad you got there in the end. It took us 18 months first time round. We’d started to look into IVF. Lucky for us, hypnotherapy and herbs seemed to do the trick!
Bec @ Seeing the Lighter Side of Parenting recently posted..5 vintage toys with unexpected histories
I can’t even imagine the struggle some people go through to conceive- glad it worked out for you!
Amy recently posted..Uncommon Sense
Oh I had forgotten that yogaesque pose!
We tried for 2 years to conceive my little boy,who I had when I was 38. We only had to try 3 months to get pregnant with my (now 4 months old) baby girl, born 2 months after I turned 40.
I, like you, discovered that fertility is not always as clear cut as you think, and that some times you will try month after month, having been tested to make sure there is no medical impediment, and it just doesn’t happen. Happily for me, it did happen eventually!
Dani @ sand has no home recently posted..Webs Woven
So very happy that you not only got one, but 2 bundles of joy! 🙂
Ai Sakura recently posted..Where to Make Custom Toys & Jewellery from Kids Drawings
Glad that in the end it all worked out well for you lovely.
leaving some fairy wishes and butterfly kisses from #teamIBOT
Rhianna recently posted..Windjana Gorge
I’m so glad that things a have a way of turning out well in the end. By the way you look so happy in that wedding photo!
Malinda @mybrownpaperpackages recently posted..My Wedding Day
Awww, teeny tiny twinions! What a perfect end to your fertility worries!
Emma Fahy Davis recently posted..Fear of Flying
Mate, I had my first through IVF after four years of struggle, so I know that rollercoaster of feelings all too well. Nothing compares to that ice-cold fear that you will never have kids. I’m glad your story had a happy ending as well, and I wish everyone was as lucky as us xx
Hugzilla recently posted..Case Study of Patient X: The Thermomix Viral Epidemic
Screw the wedding dress, the baby is the imposrtant thing!!!
Not planning on having kids, but we’ll see!!
Great post Grace! I think often we don’t realise what an amazing gift from God children are to us and I am really glad you did what you did – just look at how gorgeous they are! You need to have more! I remember trying to achieve that perfect V position too, but very clumsily so and never quite perfected the art 😉
Winnie @ bubfriendly recently posted..Preschool Storytime at Strathfield Library
Oh bless Grace I’m so glad you have this lovely happy ending you deserve it! x
Emily @ Have A Laugh On Me recently posted..Is it time to get over ourselves?
You looked gorgeous on your wedding day and how lovely your boys could share the occasion with you!
Kaz @ Melting Moments recently posted..{Recipe} Super Easy Pulled Pork and Coleslaw Rolls
It took us ages too Grace, I thought I would never get pregnant. But it’s all worth it when you hold that little bundle in your arms – or in your case two little bundles xxx
Denise recently posted..5 ways to silence your inner critic
oh my gawd the twinions even started out super cute. Everyone must’ve clucked at the hospital.
The fertility gig is not a fair game. I have one friend, healthiest person I know and she’s still trying and another friend, a very naughty party girl, fell pregnant first month of trying. no logic there xxx
Cybele @BlahBlah recently posted..The hypocrisy of me: I feel most in love at home and most alive on the open road
Wow hun, reading this brought a tear to my eye! Firstly because of the douchbags *gag* but mostly because of what you got out of all that in the end *sniffs*. Love to you x
Dating Mumma recently posted..Boyfriend Material Part II
Thanks for sharing this Grace. We tried for seven stressful, anxiety filled, standing on heads, hippie herbal years before we turned to science. We were in our early 30’s when we first started trying and just assumed we’d “be good” but we weren’t and in the end Raffles and Sugarpuff were both made in cocktail shakers at an IVF clinic. I am so grateful to them for my babies. I only wish everyone could get the happy ending that we did. x
Aleney @ BoyEatsWorld recently posted..Raffles reviews… The Dining Room, Park Hyatt, Sydney
I can’t even imagine how awful it must be to contemplate infertility.
I was the opposite end of the spectrum. Preggers at 19 and wondering what to do next. We all find our happy endings in different ways don’t we?
EssentiallyJess recently posted..Things That Make You Go Ripper #IBOT
How awesome that you got two little cuties. Mother nature must have known xxxx
Robyn recently posted..A grain of truth and a delicious, healthy bread and butter pudding
AWWW that’s such a great story Grace.
Ps. I LOVE your new look. Where the F have I been?
How lucky you are that you got there in the end. Yep unfortunately fertility is definitely something we can’t control. xx
Lucy @ Bake Play Smile recently posted..Salted Caramel Popcorn Sundae & A Giveaway!
I think you look glowing and gorgeous in your wedding photo xxx
Janet aka Middle Aged Mama recently posted..Does Dry Shampoo Really Work?
I’m so glad it worked out for you! And you were a stunning bride.
Fairlie recently posted..10 memorable Italy experiences
wow, such a happy ending, what beautiful boys you have.
Mandy, Barbie Bieber and Beyond recently posted..A Grain Of Truth – De Mystifying Bread
What a special photo of your with your precious boys. We unfortunately know all too well infertility is something you can’t control and it often happens when you least suspect it. A few months after we got married we decided to try and start our family and naively I thought at 25 and 27 years old, we wouldn’t have any issues – ha ha! I watched friends have their first and even second child whilst we were still trying and going through IVF. For us infertility has defined the past six years, and how could it not, when we’ve undergone many surgeries, hundreds of needles and blood tests, 11 IVF cycles, four premature births, one funeral and now blessed with two happy (well most of the time!) little boys. I am so happy you got your happy ending xxx
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