Gratitude for my Fertility Journey in Retrospect
Warning: the following may be triggering to some
It’s a privilege to introduce you to my daughter. And my privilege is to realize my dream of a healthy baby after an uncertain journey. Many who read this may still be on a turbulent journey of their own. And if you are, I hope you read this.
I count my lucky stars that I was stubborn enough to take my curious case of melasma down a rabbit hole. My quest was initially propelled by a bit of vanity; however, it evolved into a thirst to understand how nutrition can be a tool for women’s health. This led me from a stretch of 8 years without a natural menstrual cycle (on top of other PCOS-related symptoms), to ovulating regularly, to conceiving and ultimately birthing my baby girl, Jade.
It’s easy to be grateful for this journey, in retrospect, as I sit here with a baby in my arms. Bear with me. You do not deserve any adversity in trying to conceive. That said, I am personally grateful that the diligence in navigating my fertility has positively affected me beyond the joy of Jade’s existence in 4 major ways:
Although conception is typically the goal when adopting preconception nutrition changes (and what an important goal it is), preconception diet also affects a baby's early development. While the placenta grows, babies get their nutrients for all those multiplying cells that eventually form organs, including the spinal cord, from mama’s nutrient stores! Knowing about early embryonic development, I’m grateful to have prioritized my nutrition earlier than a pregnancy confirmation.
Gestational diabetes, or diabetes developed during pregnancy, affects about 8% of pregnant people with a significant higher likelihood among those with PCOS. Gestational diabetes can contribute to an array of complications for mother and baby - and not just at birth. Elevated blood sugar in pregnancy can affect a baby their whole life. These babies are 6x more likely to experience blood sugar imbalances and obesity by their teenage years. The changes I had been implementing to manage PCOS helped me avoid this and other serious pregnancy-related complications.
The postpartum period is even more nutritionally demanding on the body than pregnancy. Lactation aside, replenishment post-pregnancy and post-birth requires careful attention to both macro and micro nutrients and a diligent commitment to rest. In my case, preparing to conceive was like a pretest for postpartum.
Without the option for expert guidance taking a holistic approach to women’s health, I studied to become my own nutritionist. Baby Jade is the literal embodiment of this work. Learnings from my personal journey, from TTC through pregnancy and postpartum, have undoubtedly made me better at my job.
While I appreciate the phrase, “It's not the destination, it's the journey,” it’s heart-wrenching in practice. I hope you are doing okay along the way, and with all my soul, I hope you get to your destination.
QuickStats: Percentage of Mothers with Gestational Diabetes, by Maternal Age — National Vital Statistics System, United States, 2016 and 2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2023;72:16. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7201a4
Holder, Tara et al. “A low disposition index in adolescent offspring of mothers with gestational diabetes: a risk marker for the development of impaired glucose tolerance in youth.” Diabetologia vol. 57,11 (2014): 2413-20. doi:10.1007/s00125-014-3345-2
