Trying to Conceive

The Other Side of Infertility

Sarah Preston Gorenstein — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 05:37:56 +0000

I’ve been fantasizing about this for a long time—the day I’d get to share this news with you. After nearly two years of trying to conceive our second baby, about a year-and-a-half of fertility treatments, and 10 months of chronicling this difficult journey, we’re finally pregnant! I’m just entering my second trimester—excited, nervous, sick, tired as hell, thrilled, a little terrified, but supremely grateful.

One and Not Done

Sarah Preston Gorenstein — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 18:56:07 +0000

It’s odd to think of Preston as an only child since it’s not by our choice. He’s an only child now, sure, but he might not always be. I never thought of my brother as ever being an only child, though he was for the first four years of his life too.

Is Infertility a Rich Man's Disease to Treat?

Sarah Preston Gorenstein — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 05:21:28 +0000

I get a lot of personal emails from readers, about everything from miscarriage to IVF, and by far the most common theme among them is what a big role the cost of fertility treatments plays in their decision to seek more advanced fertility care. Namely, IVF is a very costly procedure, yet it yields the highest success rates in infertility patients. Depending on your company’s insurance plan, or your own health insurance, your policy may not cover in vitro fertilization or multiple embryo transfers, or your coverage can be very minimal.

How Infertility Affects HIM

Sarah Preston Gorenstein — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 02:37:16 +0000

I won’t go so far as to say infertility is harder on my husband than it is on me, but it’s easy to forget that this affects both of us. I might be the one complaining about the drugs and shots, and generally feeling like complete shit most of the time—but he’s the one who has to deal with me complaining and feeling like shit. And I’ll be the first to admit: That’s not a job I’d be thrilled with either.

Keeping Up with the Kardashians’ Fertility

Sarah Preston Gorenstein — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 14:29:04 +0000

Did you see the season finale of “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” two Sundays ago? A little background on my infatuation with the Kardashians... Right before season one started airing in 2007, I interviewed Kim Kardashian for Playboy. Kim was about to appear on the cover of the magazine when I interviewed her for Playboy.com; she happened to be in Chicago to make an appearance at a nightclub.

Four Years and Counting…

Sarah Preston Gorenstein — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 18:59:11 +0000

We’ve been through a lot of ups and downs over the last four years. As every marriage does, we started out on a high note—and at warp speed. We were on fast forward from the minute we met (or re-met) that fateful summer night in 2007—dated for eight months, were engaged for six months, then three months after our wedding I got pregnant with Preston. My husband opened a restaurant the same month (same week!) we conceived Preston (TMI?), coincidentally also the same night we moved into our condo and first home together.

What Do You Believe In?

Sarah Preston Gorenstein — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 04:05:56 +0000

Is there anything you wouldn’t try to conceive a baby? Sometimes I think the answer for me is no, but it depends on when you ask me. When I’m in the middle of a cycle, taking nightly injections of progesterone, daily suppositories (twice or three times daily), estrogen in some form or another, prenatal vitamins, baby Aspirin, pill upon pill, shot upon shot, it often feels like I would do—and have done—almost anything I can to try to have another kid.

Is Pregnancy the Same After Infertility?

Sarah Preston Gorenstein — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 20:35:17 +0000

I read this great piece on texashealthmoms.com the other day by a woman who finally got pregnant after more than two years of trying to conceive, struggling with infertility. You’ve probably seen it circulating the interwebs or on Facebook, where I found it, but if not you must read it. It’s a moving and very relatable account of how infertility has robbed her of the joys of being pregnant, killed her innocence, rained on her pregnancy parade.

Imagine Infertility without Options

Sarah Preston Gorenstein — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 15:33:07 +0000

I had a very hard time watching Mitt Romney’s GOP presidential acceptance speech last night (I had an even harder time watching Clint Eastwood—what was that!?). Romney and vice presidential running mate Paul Ryan are supporters of the Sanctity of Human Life Act—Ryan co-sponsored the HR 212 Bill last year—“to provide that human life shall be deemed to begin with fertilization.” Similar legislation called the “personhood” bill declares that life begins at conception and a newly fertilized egg is entitled to the same legal rights as a human being.

A Letter to My Son on His 3rd Birthday

Sarah Preston Gorenstein — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 05:08:05 +0000

Dear Preston,