This week (April 24-May 1) is National Infertility Awareness Week. I have written about my own infertility struggles before - we waited almost seven years before seeing those double lines on a pregnancy test.
I have to say that infertility was one of the hardest things I've gone through. I know that all parents love their children, but I think my husband and I appreciate our daughter so much more because of the difficulties we went through.
In the post that I linked to above, there are several links that are helpful if you're on the other side of the fence: if you have friends or family who are going through the heartache of infertility, it is hard to know what to say or not to say, and sometimes you probably just don't know what to do! So do take a moment and click through to those links. The articles are short, so it won't take long to read through them.
And...if you're going through infertility right now, my heart goes out to you so much. Primary infertility (no living children) isn't understood by others and is very difficult to go through as I can attest to. I understand that secondary infertility (one or more living children, but unable to conceive after 12+ months of trying to conceive), which I have no experience with, is often harder for friends and relatives to understand and empathize with. Either way, it is a difficult and mostly lonely road to walk down.
Here are some great resources that helped me:
Stepping Stones, a free newsletter that you'll get every other month. Follow the link and click on the button "Subscribe Now".
Stepping Stones, look through the links on the side for a lot of encouragement and helpful information
Hannah's Hope, written by Jennifer Saake
Don't Waste Your Infertility, a blog article written by a man whose wife and he were going through infertility
There is also a lot of information at the RESOLVE site
5 comments:
I 've been there too Tammy-took 10years to have our son.
thank you for putting up this post/sharing your experience-
it's a lonely journey few understand-
all the best
jennifer
Almost 4 years for us. Still waiting. Thanks for helping others to understand. :)
Going on 2 years here I am clinging to Psalm 113:9 "He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD." I don't know if God will ever grant me a child which is flesh of my flesh but I do know He knows the very longings of my heart and I am blessed to know that God has still give me wonderful children to mother in the Lord thru childrens ministry. that does not diminish my longings but it sure does help in those moments of despair
Thank you for bringing this up. We were married nine years (to the day!) when we finally saw the positive lines!
Caroline is now three and a half, but I don't think you ever fully forget how hard it is to wait and wonder if it will ever happen.
I agree that all parents love their children, but when you go through lengthy wondering and waiting, you do appreciate them in a way that others won't quite understand. :-)
Hugs,
Sallie
Jennifer and Sallie, thank you for your comments!
Charity and Laura - I'm sorry you're still waiting. :( Love and prayers!
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