Answering 12 of the Hardest Questions for Fertility Smarts June Blogger of the Month

 

Squeal!

Arms flailing in excitement!

Y’all I was asked to be Fertility Smarts June Blogger of the Month! Well, actually I was asked to be their blogger of the month for April but when they sent me the 12 questions to answer for their interview, I froze because they were tough! I am not one to just give simple-sentence answers and so with each question I felt overwhelmed. I mean, how can you put in a few sentences your infertility journey and how it has unfolded so far? Or not submit a 1,000 word essay on why I started blogging, the meaning behind the name and the best and worst parts about having everyone read about my lady bits? It’s impossible! As well as giving only one piece of advice to someone who is struggling to grow their family. I mean, do they need advice? Or can’t I just give them a shoulder to cry on. Because isn’t that what they really need? Regardless, I did it. So take a peek! It will make the long hours I sat pouring my heart out into each answer worth it.

Here are a few excerpts from each question:

Tell us about yourself.

My birth certificate calls me Elisha. My Daddyo calls me Punkin-Head. My friends have named me Wishwa. And my husband of 11 years? I wish he would call me something sweet and endearing, but he calls me Waladog. Regardless, I just don’t want anyone to call me late for a Sunday afternoon dinner of fried chicken with all of the fixins! Alongside my name and the all-important favorite food, you should also know that I am a 30 something gal living the small town life in rural Southern Illinois not only as a wife but also a stay-at-home Momma; because while my womb has remained empty, my arms have not. (You can find the rest of my answer here.)

How did your experience with infertility start and how has the story unfolded?

Weight gain. Excess sweating. Facial hair. Mood swings. Bloat. Irregular cycles. All of these were signs my body was changing in late 2006 and I couldn’t figure out why. It wasn’t until 2007 while watching an episode on Oprah, in which special guest Dr. Oz was on discussing Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) that the dots started to connect. However because I wasn’t ready for children, and through diet and exercise I was able to maintain the symptoms, I didn’t seek an official diagnosis or treatment until 2010. It was then during that appointment I learned the severity of my situation. And it was also during that same appointment in which I was told that conception was going to be near impossible without the help of medical intervention. Leaving that appointment scared, yet hopeful, my husband and I did seek the advice and help of medical science in 2011. But after several failed medicated cycles of timed intercourse and one early miscarriage after becoming pregnant through the use of IVF, we have decided…(You can read more of my answer here).

Why did you start blogging?

That’s a great question! Because the funny thing is…I hate writing! So it would seem odd that I would start a blog, right? Right. But it wasn’t my idea (trust me!), it was God’s. In July 2012 after I had experienced my early miscarriage after our first IVF treatment cycle, something began stirring within my heart to help those who were also struggling with infertility and miscarriage. I remember a certain moment while looking out of a window when I heard in my spirit three words: (Find out the three words God spoke to my heart here).

What are three words that describe your blog?

The three words that would best describe my blog are…(Find out here).

What’s the story behind the name?

I chose the name “Waiting for Baby Bird” because that is what I am doing—I am waiting on our baby bird to come flying into our nest. Not to mention…(Find out the other reasons here)

What topic do you find yourself covering most often and why?

If you are looking for documentation of my treatment cycles, a list of my supplements, pictures of my cervical mucus, or screenshots of my ovulation charts, then my blog is not for you. Because you won’t find it. Instead what you will find are stories. Such as the time I went to a family event and everyone around me was pregnant. Or the moment I broke down in the shower begging God to not do it for me, but for him, my husband. It’s typically in these stories you will not only find my real and raw thoughts and feelings, but also how I worked through them. Because have you ever read a blog and after you were done reading it you felt worse than before? I know I have, which is why I never…(Continue reading here).

Who is your target reader?

I understand the struggle and I know the feelings that arise when everyone around you is getting their answers to prayers. But you? You are still begging. You are still hoping. You are still pouring your heart out in prayer. You know God can do it because He is God. You know the verses that say anything is possible, and you believe them. You just doubt and question if He will do the impossible for you. I think it is a general fear and mindset that those struggling with infertility have. It’s not that they don’t believe God can, it’s just that they struggle to believe God will. And so for me, my blog targets those who…(read who I believe my target reader is here).

What’s unique about your blog?

…it’s not just the transparency and my ability to make you feel as though you are in the story, but also my ability to intertwine hope within the heartbreak. People need both. They need to see your wounds but also your scars. Because your scars show that the wounds can and will heal…(Find out more about what makes my blog unique here).

What was your most popular post ever? Why do you think it was popular with readers?

Every year I have one blog post that becomes a crowd favorite and nearly gets swept away by the internet. But there has been one article that despite being written three years ago, it continues to receive my top views for that given year. It is called…(Find out my most popular post ever and why I think it has been such a hit here).

What is the best thing about writing about infertility?

It’s….(It’s what?! Find out here what is the best thing and what I think everyone should do daily).

What is the worst thing?

Writing about the heartbreaking experiences in your life, such as infertility, can be therapeutic as I have mentioned before. But at the same time, it can…(Find out what else it can do here).

What’s the best tip you have to offer someone struggling with fertility issues?

The best tip? Ay, yi, yi! That’s a toughie. There are so many little nuggets of advice I would give someone struggling with infertility. Ya know…maybe take a vacation. Or just relax. Perhaps have their husband stop wearing tightie-whities? Just kidding! Just kidding! Those don’t work. Not even the one about how if you adopt then you will get pregnant. How do I know? I can put a check mark next to them all. But on a serious note, if I had to narrow it down to just one tip I would tell the other person to…(Find out my best tip to someone struggling with fertility issues here).I would love to get connected with you on a more personal level, so if you liked this post, pass it on. Then find Waiting for Baby Bird on Facebook, or come follow me on Instagram @waitingforbabybird. I can’t wait to “meet” you!

If you are looking for a faith-based infertility community of other women who just “get it”, then head over to the *PRIVATE* Waiting for Baby Bird Support group for hope + encouragement. There you will find opportunities to ask for prayer, watch *LIVE* encouragement videos from me, author of “Waiting for Baby Bird”, as well as be able to share your heart with others on the same path, enter into exclusive giveaways, and so much more! So what are you waiting for? Find us here!