Things You learn About Yourself in TTC

Trying to conceive (ttc) is one of the most challenging things a person can experience. There are so many things to navigate and despite the appearance of people “popping up pregnant”, it’s really not as easy as it sounds. There are a few things that I know I learned about myself and possibly, you’ve learned about yourself also, during this process. I figured I’d share the top 7 because, well, 7 is my number (in case y’all haven’t figured it out yet).  Enjoy.

1. You’ve become “that person”.
   • The one obsessed with menstrual cycles, acronyms (like ttc and 2ww and FSH) and mucus consistency.
2. Just how old your body says you are.
   • Maybe you feel young & spry but your egg quality says otherwise. Or maybe you’ve been hit with the dreaded “advanced maternal age” categorization but your eggs are acting like their 17! Whatever the case, you learn exactly where your body is in terms of childbearing and it really puts things into perspective.
3. You’re a nervous wreck. Is this neuroticism?
   • Where tf did all this anxiety come from? All this worry… wait did I just feel an egg release?
4. How sensitive your gag reflex is.   
   • Maybe you’ve already learned what your threshold is (*wink wink*) or maybe you’re just now finding out how HUGE some of these prenatal vitamins are and that you almost vomit every time you take a pill. I personally have a hard time swallowing pills anyway but I quickly became a 4 year old putting my pills in applesauce just to get them down.
5. Just how resilient you are.
   • Nothing tests your feelings of adequacy & stick-to-it-tiveness as much as trying to conceive.  Truth is, getting pregnant is actually hard work. I’ve mentioned that before but look it up if you’re curious. The chances of getting pregnant for the average person is 15-20% per month. Many people experience at least a few “no’s” or “negative” before getting to a desired result. And I’m not even talking about whether your pregnancy stays. I’m just talking about getting that HcG level up.
6. Just how many needles you can take.  
   • Whether you are just getting blood tests or you’re going through the IVF process, you are going to get stuck a lot. Sometimes in a vein, sometimes in the belly, sometimes in the arm and sometimes in the dreaded “butt-back” muscle.  These sticks can be 1-4 times on a daily basis and geesh, you thought you hated flu shots?! Bless your heart…
7. Just how much you really want to bring a little person into the world.
   • You may have always thought about being a parent or being pregnant. You may have fantasized even, about what it would be like once your kid was here. Honestly, feeling like that reality is so close yet so far really drives that desire home. You are really tested to decide just what lengths you will go to in order to make it happen.  It’s kind of amazing (and maybe a little nuts?) how hard you’ll work and the things you’ll endure to make a human.