Category Archives: Fertility

Not My Baby on Board Part3

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Hello friends, and welcome back to another edition of “Not My Baby on Board”. When we last left off, I was going to go through the medical steps involved in becoming a surrogate. While it’s not quite as tough as brain surgery, there are still quite a few steps involved. So without further ado, here we go.

After having Skyped with the intended parents and agreed that we were right for each other, it was time to make sure that this oven was in tip-top shape. One of the steps involved in this was meeting with a shrink and answering some questions to make sure that I wasn’t crazy and really wanted to do this.

I’d been told that these were standard questions but they ranged from “How are your relationships at home?” to “Have you ever thought of killing your spouse?” (My response to that one was a very mumbled “All the time”, followed quickly by “Hmm? No I haven’t”). This meeting was supposed to be in fabulous Las Vegas where all of the actual medical testing and procedures were to take place, but the psychiatrist was on vacation. So rather than being in a nice doctor’s office, relaxing in a nice chair, I had to answer those lovely questions at home with two little ones running around. Apparently a little gallows humor when it comes to my spouse is a plus, because only a couple of days later I was in Vegas.

I traveled with my friend, Doula, and business partner Jenn. It was in Vegas that the medical procedures began, and took a lot less time than I thought they would. These were simple things like having blood drawn and also having saline pumped into my uterus to check for any defects via ultrasound. Like I said, these didn’t really take that long, and I got the results before I flew back out too. Everything was great and we were right on track.

The best part of the trip was getting to actually meet the intended parents. We got to have dinner together, and they were adorable! I can’t tell you much because they are international super spies (not really) but I assure you they are absolutely wonderful and I am eager to help them grow their family.

After arriving home, and being cleared medically, I was tasked with starting all of legal side of things. Much like a game of telephone I started with all my desires for birth and prenatal care and after it gets passed around to lawyers and the intended parents I eventually ended up with a contract. In my case it was nowhere near the standard surrogacy contract and instead, mainly because of my career path as a doula and two previous unmedicated births, I was able to have a lot of natural sway to our plans.

Did I mention how fantastic the couple I am working with is? Onward and upward, things start moving quickly after this step. I’m excited to tell you all about it next time.

Lauren
Working with families has been Lauren’s passion for over ten years. Her tremendous work ethic and devotion to helping parents has made her a must have in the birth setting, postpartum, and beyond.
Lauren serves her community as an educator, via postpartum planning curriculum and as a Labor and Postpartum Doula. She has a certification in breastfeeding counseling and started her training with DONA; being mentored by established Doulas in Colorado Springs. Lauren is now a professional member of ProDoula and a pre-certified Labor and Postpartum Doula. Lauren will be taking additional training in placenta encapsulation and business by the end of the Summer.

Paving the way, Lauren is the Co‐owner of Colorado Mountain Doulas LLC provides the community with much needed education, local resources, sibling, postpartum, and labor Doula services.

Lauren is the mother of two young children, and has been married since 2008. She loves to cook and entertain for her friends and family in her home in Colorado Springs.

http://coloradomountaindoulas.com

Reproductive Justice in Colorado Springs

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Colorado Mountain Doulas commitment to supporting GROWING FAMILIES in Colorado Springs goes far beyond the “typical” mainstream, nuclear family. We hold a special place in our hearts for those whose families don’t come about in the traditional way. Supporting families through FERTILITY, ADOPTION, SURROGACY, and LOSS is of primary importance to our business model and the local LGBT community is a large part of that. Colorado Mountain Doulas and the Colorado Springs Queer Collective have begun building strong relationships in the local community. This October, we’re turning our attention to Reproductive Justice in Colorado Springs.

Colorado Springs Queer Collective fosters community leadership, education, and empowerment. Our mission is to address inequality, re-invest in the local economy, and celebrate the creative contributions of queer and trans people. We are a group of artists, entrepreneurs and everyday changemakers who are committed to transforming our communities. We lead with a visible commitment to intersectional and intergenerational work.

Colorado Mountain Doulas believe that ALL families should be nurtured and treated with respect. Our support teams help families make empowered decisions about the care they receive continuously, through early preparations, pregnancy, labor, birth and the postpartum period. Colorado Mountain Doulas is also dedicated to elevating professional Doulas by empowering them to make sustainable contributions within the community.

What Does Reproductive Justice Mean?

Colorado Springs Queer Collective believes that “Reproductive Justice exists when all people have the social, political and economic power and resources to make healthy decisions about their gender, bodies, sexuality and families”. We’re also deeply interested in and invested in the history of this movement since the term reproductive justice was first coined by women of color organizing to improve their communities in 1994. That’s around the same time the first International Bill of Gender Rights was drafted in 1993, so there are a lot of important intersections between the reproductive justice movement and queer/trans families locally.

How Does the Reproductive Justice Movement Affect Local Families?

The ability to make healthy decisions for ourselves and our families is a universal issue.

In the broadest sense, the economics are clear. Today, 13% of all Coloradans and 17% of Colorado’s children are living in poverty while 1 in 7 Coloradans are facing insecurity. These figures are even more staggering if we consider that the Federal Poverty Guideline is only around $24,000 gross annually for a family of 4. The issues are even more pressing for LGBTQ families. Trans people, for example, are 4 times as likely to live below the federal poverty guideline and 2.5 times as likely to be unemployed making it more difficult for them to provide for themselves or their families as a result of discrimination and inequality within our communities.

LGBTQ people also face barriers to reproductive justice in the medical and mental health fields. For example, they may have difficulty finding a queer/ trans friendly provider in their area or be unsure where to access information about safer sex and healthy relationships. LGBTQ people who wish to start families may also face particular challenges as they navigate their adoption, birthing, surrogacy, and other parenting options locally.

We want to ensure that all families are treated fairly and have the opportunity to thrive in Colorado Springs.

How Did Colorado Mountain Doulas Get Involved?

Colorado Mountain Doulas initiated a partnership with Colorado Springs Queer Collective after a LGBTQ Strategic Planning workshop in March of 2015. Our organizations recently re-connected at a Springs Equality Chamber of Commerce meeting where we discussed strengthening local LGBTQ health networks. Together, our vision is to establish a bold new precedent for inclusive care and professional leadership.

Colorado Mountain Doulas is excited to help improve the birthing experience for all families. For LGBTQ families in particular, the goal is to create a safe and welcoming environment for queer and trans people to learn more about their options and resources. For fellow birthing professionals, the goals is to serve as mutual resources in an expanding network of inclusive providers and practices including physicians, mental health workers, etc. CSQC verified businesses will receive an electronic badge for their websites and Colorado Mountain Doulas is one of the first in the Springs to be awarded this distinction.

How Else Are You Connecting with People in Colorado Springs?

Colorado Mountain Doulas is excited to co-facilitate a session on Reproductive Justice at the Colorado Springs Queer Collective Leadership Summit for 75-100 participants on October 24th.

We’ve reached out to more than 25 organizations to join the discussion so far including Rocky Mountain Planned Parenthood, The Elephant Circle, Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights, local faith leaders, and more. Everyone is welcome to attend and participate!

We’ll be sure to make related resources available on our websites after summit day. Beyond the summit, we look forward to partnering on some continuing education credits and professional development opportunities to cover these topics in greater depth for those who’d like to help take the lead with us in 2016.

Sounds Great! How Can I Get Involved?

To learn more about Colorado Mountain Doulas, visit www.coloradomountaindoulas.com. To learn more about Colorado Springs Queer Collective or register for the leadership summit, visit www.csqueercollective.org or contact Adison Q. Petti: Leadership Development Coordinator: 720-862-6126 or [email protected]

Thanks for taking an interest in Reproductive Justice in Colorado Springs!

Written By: Colorado Springs Queer Collective: August 2015

Jenn Leonard
A passion for helping families to make educated decisions about their families and their birth choices has lead Jenn to become a great source of information for many across the country. She has been educating families on their choices and guiding them to find their own voice in maternity care since 2002.

Jenn is a certified Labor Doula, beginning her studies with CAPPA, taking many additional trainings along the way and is recertifying with ProDoula in 2015. She is also a trained childbirth educator and Postpartum Doula teaching childbirth preparation classes, and also creating her own curriculum for a pre and early pregnancy workshop focused on families who are just beginning to plan for a family, into the 2nd trimester.

Today Jenn is the Co-owner of Colorado Mountain Doulas LLC, providing the community with much needed education, local resources, sibling, postpartum, and labor Doula services.

When she is not guiding families through their birthing year, Jenn is living in Black Forest, CO with her husband and two children on their hobby farm.

http://codoulas.com

Nutrition and Pregnancy: An Interview With Christi Trimble, SBD APPAC

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Every time I speak to Christi Trimble, of Luminosa Wellness and Birth Services, I learn something new and I’m inspired to continue to strive toward my goals that, sometimes feel so far out of reach. She has a way of making you believe you can do anything!

This week I had the wonderful opportunity to chat Christi about nutrition, specifically in regards to pregnancy.

How long have you been studying/working with nutrition?

5 years.

How did you get started?

My mom has always been a fitness and health fanatic so I was kind of raised around it. Then in my early 20’s I had freedom and started to eat whatever I wanted, which was not a great idea in hindsight. Then I got married and comfy, and then pregnancy really is what propelled me back into it.

I gained almost 90 pounds by first pregnancy, then had to try and lose it. That’s where things really started for me, again, 5 years ago.

I was in a really unhealthy place back then.

It seems like pregnancy is a motivator for a lot of woman to really start paying attention to what they are putting into their bodies.

Absolutely!

I had Gestational Diabetes with my first and second baby. With #1 I was like “ok I’ll take the meds and still eat what I want” but the second go ’round was totally different.

 

We all get a little bit better each pregnancy, I think. How do you apply your nutrition experience in your work with women?

For me, they fit seamlessly together. So many times I talk to pregnant women who are experiencing very common and typical pregnancy issues that are causing stress in their daily life. Many times they can make a small dietary or daily habit change to alleviate an issue and they just don’t even realize it’s that simple. We are told to take our prenatal {vitamins} and eat a balanced diet, stay hydrated, and everything will be fine. But, so many people don’t know what a ‘balanced diet’ is, and the ideal diet for one woman is usually a little different from another. Supplements are a big deal during pregnancy, as well, but not many people really understand what’s needed, what’s not, what should be paired together for the best absorption and what shouldn’t be taken with something because they compete with each other or inhibit each other in the body. Herbal intake is another thing to be cautious with in pregnancy. Some women stay entirely away, but there are so many herbal remedies that can help with things during pregnancy. It’s just important to get good information from qualified people vs google.

Yes! There is so much misinformation out there! So, you help your clients “custom fit” their diet to what they truly need?

Exactly, everything I do is customized to mother. Each has their own needs, health concerns, things to work on. There is no one size fits all health approach for nutrition or exercise. To have your healthiest pregnancy you need a plan specific to your needs.

Currently, I’m working on setting up pregnancy and postpartum holistic health and nutrition programs. I’d like to start offering them in the fall so I can help other moms outside of those I doula for, in addition to one-on-one counseling.

The curriculum is being developed this summer and so much research and development is going into it.

That is such a worth-while pursuit and much needed! You also specialize in infertility. Can you tell me a little about that?

Yes! Before I got pregnant with my first I had a miscarriage and some infertility issues. I was able to figure out what I needed and get myself on the right track. This goes back to the no ‘one size fits all’ approach because the cause(s) of infertility really vary from woman to woman.

I Love that so much! Where did you gain your knowledge about addressing infertility?
It first started with my own personal experience. Then as I began my Holistic Health Practitioner program, that topic kept coming back around. It’s not something I specifically intended on studying. But so many women kept circling back asking for help I began to feel a real calling to learn and study and help them. I’ve lost count of all the books I’ve read and keep in my library for reference on it. It’s fascinating to discover all the ways the inner workings of our bodies are connected. And it’s such a joy to help in even a small way and contribute towards conception for a couple
With such an amazing spirit and so much that sets her apart, we are so very blessed to have Christi in our area.
Shellee Semrad
Shellee is a full-time wife and mommy. She has two sweet little boys, Grey (3 years) and Linc (1 year). In her limited free-time, Shellee loves to sing, dance, write, read, crochet and watch Netflix with her hubby. She has an entrepreneurial spirit and also LOVES to serve others. She loves her job and calling as a doula and can’t imagine not supporting laboring women and their loved ones.

Shellee strives to continually grow her knowledge and understanding so that she can serve her clients in the best way possible.

http://whitelotusbirthservices.com

Not My Baby On Board Part2

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When last we talked, I told you about how I’d been matched with a nice couple from the East Coast. Now I’ll tell you all about how we met, in this segment called “How I met your Surrogate”. I really think CBS stole the title from me, but I could be wrong.

I have to back track a little again to get everything set up for you.

One of the steps in becoming a surrogate is that the future oven (me), and all future ovens, have to fill out a profile, very much like a famous social networking site.

In filling out the profile, I had to answer all of the standard questions you’d find such as “Where do you live?”; “Do you have children?”; “Why do you want to become a surrogate?”; “Who is your favorite Star Wars character?” You know, all the standard questions.

For those of you wondering, my answer to that last question (an answer that still makes my husband shake his head in disbelief), is Jar Jar Binks. (Seriously, my husband is shaking his head and muttering “WHY?” under his breath as I type this).

Now, you’d think that saying something like “I love Jar-Jar” or “sometimes Mommy needs a stiff drink” would automatically disqualify me from becoming a surrogate, but nope. In the end I think my honesty in saying that Yes, I really do love my kids, but sometimes I still need a tall cold beer or a nice dirty martini, helped the IPs in choosing me to be the oven for their bun. Not only did they get to see my profile, but I got to see theirs. Once I saw their profile, I knew that we were going to be a good match.

After talking it out with my husband, and deciding that I had found my match, it was time to meet the IPs face to face.

Now, seeing how this is the 21st century, meeting face to face no longer means having to travel half way across the country and be a nervous wreck when the meeting finally takes place.

Now there’s Skype. Now you get to be a nervous wreck at home.

I had that feeling….that pit in your stomach awkwardness that comes with a first date.

The plan was for me, Darci, and the IPs to talk to each other, using Darci as the “mutual friend” who set up the biggest blind date any of us had ever been on. Like all blind dates, things didn’t work out as planned.

Sadly I’m not the best at Skyping, so even though I was in the comfort of my own home, I couldn’t get my end to work. I’m really not good with these computer contraptions believe it or not.

We couldn’t get Darci to dial in so we had to go it alone, just me and the IPs.

Remember all that nervous wreck stuff I talked about before? Yep, it was there, times a million! I wasn’t in full blown I-think-I’m-gonna-throw-up nervous wreck mode, but I definitely wasn’t cool-as-the-other-side-of-the-pillow either.

The good news is, it went really well. We talked, and talked some more. Babies, families, vacations, upbringings, and the future were just some of out topics. I told ya, first date, right? After almost two hours (longer than I thought), the call, sadly came to an end.

The next step was that both parties had to confirm with Darci, that yes, they were right for me and I was right for them. I was itching to tell Darci how eager I was to help make the intended parents dream come true but they beat me to it!

Minutes after the call ended I got a text from Darci “THEY LOVED YOU!”

Whew. Next up: the medical steps involved in becoming a surrogate.

Lauren
Working with families has been Lauren’s passion for over ten years. Her tremendous work ethic and devotion to helping parents has made her a must have in the birth setting, postpartum, and beyond.
Lauren serves her community as an educator, via postpartum planning curriculum and as a Labor and Postpartum Doula. She has a certification in breastfeeding counseling and started her training with DONA; being mentored by established Doulas in Colorado Springs. Lauren is now a professional member of ProDoula and a pre-certified Labor and Postpartum Doula. Lauren will be taking additional training in placenta encapsulation and business by the end of the Summer.

Paving the way, Lauren is the Co‐owner of Colorado Mountain Doulas LLC provides the community with much needed education, local resources, sibling, postpartum, and labor Doula services.

Lauren is the mother of two young children, and has been married since 2008. She loves to cook and entertain for her friends and family in her home in Colorado Springs.

http://coloradomountaindoulas.com
Getting pregnant without using drugs or intervention

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5 Easy Ways to Increase Your Fertility (Without Drugs)

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Growing your family isn’t always simple or quick. While some couples find that they can get pregnant without much effort, others have to put lots of time, money, and stress into getting pregnant. Before you invest in complicated fertility testing or expensive doctor visits, try these tips to increase your chances of conceiving:

  1. Be as healthy as possible

Quit smoking, get enough exercise and sleep, and reduce caffeine intake to 2 cups of coffee or less. Work to maintain a healthy weight, ideally at 20-30 BMI for women. If your partner is male, have him switch to boxers instead of briefs while you are trying to conceive (it can take several months for this to work, however).

  1. Learn to understand your body’s ovulation (egg releasing) cues

There are several clues that a your body is approaching its fertile days each month:

  • basal body temperature
  • the position of the cervix
  • the quality and the quantity of cervical fluid

While there are ways to monitor these 3 signs, it is usually easiest to notice the cervical fluid that appears on the toilet paper throughout the day. Typically, cervical fluid will become more slippery and elastic as the most fertile time approaches.

For more detailed information about cervical fluid and how it affects your fertility, read more here. To learn even more about your monthly cycle and how your hormones impact fertility, Fertility Friend offers free online educational courses.

  1. Have intercourse at least once during the 2 days prior to and the day of ovulation.

When you know you are about to ovulate, you need to be sure to have intercourse (or inseminate with sperm) during this 3-day window. Many people ovulate around the 14th day of their cycle, but there are others who do not. By watching your fertility signs, you will be able to predict more easily when you will ovulate. The convenience and simplicity of ovulation predictor kits (OPK’s) can be helpful if you don’t mind peeing on a stick once or twice a day. It can be a good tool to help determine when you will be ovulating. For more information about timing of intercourse, read Fertility Friend’s article here.

  1. Give your body lots of chances for pregnancy during ovulation

Some old wives’ tales warn against having sex too often during the fertile window, claiming that it can reduce sperm count. The reality is that for healthy couples with normal sperm, frequent intercourse or insemination will only increase the likelihood of pregnancy. If you and your partner can commit to at least once per day during the 3-day fertile window, that’s okay too. Do what you can to be sure that you have an orgasm each time, as that can increase the chances of conception as well.

  1. Use a fertility charting app or program to become familiar with your body’s patterns

I am a big fan of Fertility Friend, but there are other fertility charting programs out there to choose from. Once you have determined your patterns, you are much more likely to catch the egg during your fertile window, and even more likely to get pregnant! In addition, if you find that you still are not pregnant after 6 months of actively trying, you will want to talk to your care provider and show them your fertility data.

Although getting pregnant can sometimes seem like a job with uncontrollable variables, you can rest easy knowing that these tips will give you the best chances of conceiving without intervention. Good luck growing your family!

Sarah
Sarah is a birth and postpartum doula who provides services through Colorado Mountain Doulas. She is a La Leche League leader, a volunteer with her local babywearing group, church choir member, and mother to two young children. Sarah enjoys cooking, reading, and music.
http://www.florabirthservices.com