Life Abundant Blog

living life abundantly in spite of PCOS

I’m Still Standing: When Infertility And Miscarriage Hurt The Child Left Behind

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In case you didn’t see my announcement on Facebook and Instagram, I’m now writing monthly over on Still Standing Magazine about infertility and miscarriage. Stepping out to write for Still Standing was an act of bravery for me. I’ve been a long-time reader of Still Standing, and when they put out a need for some additional writers, I swallowed my fear and applied.

Today, my first post is live. I would love if you would head on over there, read it, and maybe leave a comment if you feel led to do so.

Read> When Infertility And Miscarriage Hurt The Child Left Behind

Image used with permission by Samantha C. Photography

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How DHA Omega-3 is Helping Me Prepare for Pregnancy

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Disclosure: This post sponsor – life’sDHA® – educated me on the importance of nutrients – including DHA omega-3 – for all stages of life. This is a sponsored post for which I’ve received compensation, but the opinions are 100% my own. LifesDHA-IG

I started taking prenatal vitamins as soon as I got married. I was always told how important it was to get key nutrients in your body well before pregnancy so that your body is better prepared to welcome pregnancy when the time comes. I took prenatal vitamins the entire time I was trying to conceive my daughter, while I was pregnant, and have continued since.

Last fall, a good 8 years into taking prenatal vitamins, I did some major research and decided for myself that it was time for a switch to a vegetarian-sourced vitamin. I should note that I don’t live a vegetarian lifestyle. I eat lean, hormone-free meat and fish daily! But as someone who struggles with non-genetic PCOS and infertility, I worry about how sensitive my body is to artificial agents that can potentially affect hormone levels. I strive to limit exposure to synthetic vitamins, supplements, and even body care products as much as possible. As such, I felt like if I am going to take a vitamin every day and expose myself to something regularly, I should choose one that is plant-based.

Throughout most of my pregnancy with my daughter, I also took a DHA omega-3 supplement to assist with her brain and eye development. After she was born, I naively stopped taking it thinking my relationship with DHA omega-3 was done. It wasn’t until recently that I discovered how important DHA omega-3 is for growth and development throughout all of life’s stages (maternal health, infant health, children and adult health). I thought it was just mainly for the 3rd trimester of pregnancy when significant brain growth occurs!

Research shows that DHA omega-3 supports brain and eye health throughout life, and it’s also great for your heart. As someone who has been trying to conceive a second child for 4.5 years, I should have been taking a DHA omega-3 supplement this entire time. Especially now that I know that DHA omega-3 plays a possible role in helping with maintaining normal triglyceride levels and blood pressure. I often struggle with high blood pressure associated with having PCOS (163/93 is not okay). The stress of trying to conceive under infertility doesn’t help with that blood pressure.

Since I take vegetarian-sourced prenatal vitamins, I started researching plant-based DHA omega-3 after hearing about life’sDHA®.  I had no idea that plant-based DHA omega-3 was even an option, to be honest. When I realized how important DHA omega-3 is for maternal nutrition before, during and after pregnancy, I knew I had to get my hands on some. And then felt kind of guilty for not taking it the last 6 years since Zoey was born, especially the last 4.5 years we’ve been trying to conceive again.

life’sDHA® is a high-quality vegetarian source of DHA omega-3 sourced from algae! Yes, algae! I never would have thought that algae was such a great, natural source of DHA omega-3. When I heard about the algae, my first thought was “oh no, this stuff is probably going to smell (and taste) like swamp thing.” I ordered a bottle to try and I was pleasantly surprised! It doesn’t smell bad at all, and it’s so easy to swallow. Additionally, I only have to take 1 life’sDHA® tab each day to get 200mg of DHA omega-3

Between my vegetarian-sourced prenatal and now my DHA omega-3, I feel better prepared for pregnancy, whenever the time comes. I want to provide the best possible environment for a baby to form and grow – between eating healthy, exercising, and taking good quality prenatal vitamins and DHA omega-3, I feel so much better about welcoming new life in my womb.

If you’re interested in learning more about vegetarian-sourced DHA omega-3 and life’sDHA®, you can find out more information on the life’sDHA website, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube channel.

LifesDHA-PIN

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How My L’il Girl is Preparing to Play Soccer with L’il Critters Gummy Vites

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Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post for which I’ve received free product and/or compensation, but the opinions are 100% my own.

I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but starting in August, I’ll be a soccer mom! Zoey came to me in March and said that she wanted to play soccer. Up to now, she hasn’t been involved in any extra-curricular activities outside of church, but we had been discussing putting her in something, whether it be dance or an organized sport. In June, we registered her with the local city league, and she starts in August!

Lil Critters - Soccer Play

She has no idea how to play soccer.

Neither do I.

The good news is a dear friend bought her a soccer ball for her birthday, so she has been practicing kicking it around, running as fast as she can, and trying to not trip over her own feet.  I not only worry about her coordination (or lack thereof), but as a mom, I also want to make absolutely sure her body is ready to take the hits that come with playing soccer.

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Starting this month, Zoey officially started taking L’il Critters™ Gummy Vites™ vitamins to make sure her body is strong for this new sporting adventure she is about to embark on. We’ve never been much of a sports family, but if she falls in love with soccer, I not only want to support her as her biggest fan, but I also want to make sure we fully support her body to handle it with enough nutrients. We want her to be the best she can be.

Lil Critters Family

So, why did we choose L’il Critters™ Gummy Vites™?

  • They have no high fructose corn syrup and no synthetic (FD&C) dyes.
  • They are gluten-free, and are made with natural fruit flavors and colors derived from fruits, vegetables and plants.
  • They are easily available at most major retailers, including Walmart, Target, Costco, Walgreens, and CVS. We purchased ours from Walgreens.
  • They are the #1 Kids Gummy Vitamin brand and give kids the essential nutrients they need to go on to do big things.
  • They have been supporting children’s nutrition for nearly 20 years and contain essential nutrients without any chalky aftertastes or hard-to-swallow pills.

Did you know that to meet the recommended daily intake of fruits and vegetables, moderately active children would need to eat 1.5 cups of fruit and 2-3 cups of vegetables a day?* As a mom, it is important to me to make sure Zoey is eating healthy, and she already does a wonderful job at eating anything we offer her, but it’s nearly impossible for our little bird to eat that much. Also, sometimes a busy on-the-go lifestyle (or having a child who is a selective eater) makes it difficult to ensure he/she has received adequate nutrition. L’il Critters™ Gummy Vites™ help establish healthy habits, provides essential nutrients, and tastes great.

So, what’s the verdict? Does Zoey like L’il Critters™ Gummy Vites™?

Yes! She absolutely loves them and feels like a big girl because she has always seen mommy and daddy taking vitamins, but has never had any of her own until now. Plus, now she has gummy vitamins just like her daddy. 😉 She’s so excited to be extra healthy and strong for soccer, and looks forward to her L’il Critters™ Gummy Vites™ every evening at bedtime. So far, they have been a great option for our family.

Lil Critters - Stronger

If you are interested in trying L’il Critters™ Gummy Vites™ for your own l’il critter, there is a $1 coupon available on GummyVites.com, so be sure to check it out before purchasing. You can also follow them on Facebook for product updates and more information.

So what about you? How do you ensure your own l’il critters live the healthiest life possible? Let me know – do your children take multivitamins? Leave a comment for a chance to win a $100 Visa Gift Card!

This is a sponsored post for which I’ve received free product and/or compensation, but the opinions are 100% my own.

*SOURCE: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. Fruits and Veggies More Matters® April 2016. Available here.

Lil Gritters Gummy Vites vitamins sponsored post

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How Your Voice Can Help Families Choose Their Reproductive Endocrinologist

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Today’s guest post is provided by the founders of FertilityIQ.com, a new website with real patient reviews designed to help couples find a good infertility doctor. Read more to find out how you can find the best doctor for your own personal care, as well as how you can help others in their search. And please, consider submitting a review of your doctor. All of the reviews on the site are patient-driven and are not provided by doctors trying to market themselves.

FertilityIQ-YourVoice

My wife, Deb, and I had good jobs and a predictable life here in San Francisco. We gave all of it up to see if we could bring the field of fertility treatment into the sunlight. As patients, Deb and I went to multiple doctors, in multiple states, and after we spent over $75,000 in treatment, we never found care the care we deserved. After my wife’s egg harvest at our last clinic, the nurses made a medical error and we rushed in a panic to the closest ER. When we tried to let our clinic know what had gone awry, they could not have cared less. “Someone should do something about this,” Deborah muttered under her breath. And one day we woke up and thought “we’re somebody” and maybe we should try and help.

[Read more…]

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12 Signs of Ovulation You Might Miss

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Today, I am pleased to share a guest post provided by OvulationCalculator.com. I know that sometimes the most difficult part of our infertility journeys can be the actual act of ovulating. A lot of us need some sort of medication to help our bodies in that process. But if you do ovulate, with or without medication, and even if it’s late ovulation, these 12 signs might help you identify when your fertile window is open!

12 Signs of Ovulation You Might Miss

Do you know when you are ovulating? If you are like most women, the answer to that question is no. But this does not have to be the case for so many, especially when you are trying to conceive. Once you know the signs and symptoms of ovulation, it becomes easy to track. And if you experience some of the symptoms, they may be hard to ignore once you know what you are looking for. Let’s first start with some of the lesser-known symptoms of ovulation. If you experience any of these, you may have noticed but probably did not realize they were linked to ovulation.

12 Signs of Ovulation You Might Miss 3

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Thoughts of Thanksgiving: Gratitude in Infertility

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Today I am guest posting on WithGreatExpectation.com and sharing my thoughts on gratitude in infertility. Logan asked me to provide a guest post while she is visiting family over Thanksgiving, and I was honored to get to share my heart (and my confessions) on her blog. Please check out the post and leave it some love! If you’re not following Logan regularly yet, you should. I love her blog and look forward to her posts every week.

Thoughts of Thanksgiving:
Gratitude in Infertility

I’m going to be completely transparent with you: I often find it difficult to see anything “grateful” in my infertility. It’s easier for me to see the grief of my circumstance and to throw myself a pity party. I didn’t ask for this. I didn’t want this for myself or for my husband. And I definitely didn’t want this for my daughter, who is rapidly approaching 6 years old and asking us daily for a sibling.

But you know what?

Life is so much more than my infertility, and for that, I have gratitude.

[Read More…]

Gratitude in Infertility

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Fertility Authority: The Five Stages of Grief

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Today on Fertility Authority, I am sharing on the five stages of grief and how to forgive yourself when fertility treatment doesn’t go as planned. This was a hard topic to write on, but it flowed from the heart. Please check it out and consider sharing it on social media. These posts are helping me earn extra funds to cover the twice-weekly follicle ultrasounds I’ve been having. Every page view adds up!

The Five Stages of Grief and Learning to
Forgive Yourself When Fertility Treatment
Doesn’t Go As Planned

It was my 23rd day of Follistim. I had just finished my 5th ultrasound of the cycle, and was still waiting on my 6th estrogen lab results. Things weren’t looking good. My three leading follicles were gone, and my lining decreased from 10mm to 4mm. The long walk from the ultrasound room, to the elevator, to the parking lot, to my car… was sad. I think I held my breath the whole way to my car, and I could feel my heart beat hard with every step I took on the cold, wet pavement. I felt like my lungs were about to burst. I could feel the tears welling up inside, and if they weren’t going to come out of my eyes as I held them back, they were definitely going to come out of every pore on my body. I got into the car, put my head on the steering wheel, and wept.

And wept.

And wept.

[Read More…]

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Fertility Authority: A Glimpse into a PCOS Patient’s First Follistim Cycle {plus a quick cycle update}

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First thing’s first, the cycle update if you missed it on Facebook & Instagram:

  • Today is CD8, day 7 of Follistim.
  • My baseline E2 on CD2 was 83.
  • My second E2 on CD6 was 65. It went in the wrong direction!
  • As a result of the decreasing E2, we increased my Follistim dose from 75 IU to 100 IU. I’m still in the “baby steps” phase of this cycle, and still feel pretty hopeful, but was definitely discouraged to hear my E2 went down. But, as I said before, this cycle is the “trial and error” cycle… I’ve never done Follistim before now so we’re taking it slow.
  • My third E2 is tomorrow, CD9, and we’ll see what is going on from there. I’ll have results after work.
  • The injections make me pretty tired and fatigued, but I’m sleeping well at night because of it, so that’s a win.
  • The injection sites are starting to get tender. Most of the time it’s not too bad, and some bleed more than others, but I’m definitely noticing tenderness the next day.

Now down to business:

Fertility Authority October

Today on Fertility Authority, I am sharing a glimpse into a PCOS’s patient journey to the first Follistim cycle. This post was really hard for me to write. I’m not sure why I struggled so much, but I eventually got it out of me and I am pleased with the final result.

Please go check it out and share it on social media. As previously disclosed, my posts for Fertility Authority are paid opportunities for me. I get paid based on the number of views each article receives within a 30-day period. All funds are going towards our cycle. The first pay I received covered my first ultrasound last week that I had to pay cash out of pocket for. The second pay I received will cover my next ultrasound. Every little bit helps.

A Glimpse into a PCOS Patient’s First Follistim Cycle

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Essential Oils to Soothe Anxiety {Guest Post: In Due Time}

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Today’s post is one I was really excited to read! I learn a lot about essential oils and natural living thanks to Caroline’s blog, and today is no different. In fact, the oil Deep Relief that she mentions in her post is one of my absolute favorites, and I bought it from Caroline several months ago. I use it for tension headaches, back aches, fatigue… you name it, it works. Thanks Caroline for sharing your expertise! Be sure to check out her blog In Due Time for more information on essential oils and natural living.

Presentation1 I’m Caroline and I blog over at In Due Time, which I started back in April of 2012. In 2011 my life changed for the better when I got married to my sweet husband, Colby. Besides working as a financial analyst and blogging, I enjoy spending time with Colby, traveling, watching football, and attending various small groups and bible studies. I’m a health nut, who enjoys working out and eating healthy including using natural alternatives to medicine, when possible. I have a passion for those who are going through trials, especially those who feel like they are waiting on God to answer their prayers. Thank you Jessi for giving me the opportunity to share with your readers! Blog Facebook Instagram Pinterest Bloglovin

If your life is anything like mine it is very overwhelming. Between work and everything else going on throughout the day, stress and anxiety can easily creep in. Add infertility or another health problem into an already busy day and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. While some people prefer to seek medicine including anything from advil to antidepressants, I have always preferred the natural remedies. I started using essential oils in May 2014 and haven’t needed any medicine since. If you aren’t familiar with oils, their is an oil for most needs including infertility, sickness, mental health, beauty, cleaning, etc. Today, I will be sharing on oils specific to anxiety.

[Read more…]

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I Was the Sibling-in-Waiting {Guest Post: A Sweet Aroma}

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Today’s post had me in absolute tears, in the best way! The heart and soul poured into this story is just beautiful. And oh, how I can relate so much… Brandy, thank you for sharing this with us. It’s like you peeked into my (and my daughter’s) soul and articulated what we are thinking and experiencing…

Siblinginwaiting

I remember her. She wore purple overalls and had stringy red hair. Her face was dotted with little freckles just like my own. The problem was this though: No matter how much I packed her around and no matter how much she looked like me, she wasn’t my baby sister that I wanted so so much. She was just my Kid Sister doll.

I was four. My mom had waited the average time for our neck of the woods when she got pregnant with the baby that we never got to meet. I had pleaded to Mom, Dad, and God for a baby sister and it seemed that I might be getting my wish. I don’t remember a lot of the details…. how they told me, the questions I asked, or even where we bought that “Kid Sister” doll from. But I do remember the longing. I remember the desiring of a baby sister and the not comprehending why I couldn’t just have one. I was at the age when everyone made having a baby seem so simple. In my “needing to know every detail” mind, the stork put the baby in Mom’s belly and when SHE (yes, I specifically wanted a sister) was done growing the stork would come make sure she arrived safely. That’s how it worked right? So in my mind, what could have gone wrong? But of course I didn’t understand…. I was only 4.

[Read more…]

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