Lauren & Chris

Chris and I first met in 2011 through a mutual friend, and after texting back and forth, we met up the following day to go hiking and out to eat. After that, we were pretty much inseparable and eventually got engaged a few years later. When we got married in 2014, I expected getting pregnant would be a piece of cake, considering we were still young in the world of fertility.

After years of not having a period, I thought I was lucky not having to deal with it every month, but I was naive at the time. I didn’t put two and two together that I didn’t ovulate and wouldn’t be able to get pregnant naturally. Once we began trying on our own, I did some research and although I still never ovulated or got my period, thought maybe one day I would. After a year of nothing, I talked to my OB/GYN at my annual appointment and she suggested going to Shady Grove Fertility. I made the call that same day!

Coming to Shady Grove Fertility

What would come to happen after our consult with Shady Grove Fertility in January of 2016 is both a dream come true and devastation. After all of our testing came back, we were so excited to do our first IUI in March 2016. I was good during the two-week wait. We got the results back from our first beta–we were pregnant! Unfortunately, I miscarried soon after, and it was onto the next IUI.

This cycle went on for what felt like an eternity. Ultimately, I did not respond to meds right and we had to cancel the cycle. I was impatient, but we waited for our consult with Dr. Bromer and as always, he was so helpful and kept us on the right path.

Switching to IVF

We jumped into IVF and our first fresh transfer worked! Pregnant again! We got past the “safe zone” or at least what everyone said was the safe zone. After making it to this point, and even announcing the pregnancy to a few people, we lost our sweet baby boy at 16 weeks when we found out too late that I have an incompetent cervix. We were clueless and knew nothing about it, but I did know that I would not give up.

When the time was right, we jumped back into it since we still had a few frozen embryos left. We were lucky enough to again get a positive and were so grateful! Everyone felt good about this baby and we had a plan. After getting a vaginal cerclage placed around 13 weeks to help my cervix and keep our second little baby boy in, things did not go as we had imagined.

After hospital bed rest and my cerclage failing, we said hello and goodbye to our second son at 22 weeks and 5 days. We were shocked. Why is this happening again? We have to go through so much to get pregnant and then each time, it’s taken away from us. I was still not giving up. I told myself I will exhaust all avenues before we have that talk.

After researching and talking to my doctors, I found two amazing doctors/surgeons who could place an abdominal cerclage laparoscopically before I tried to get pregnant again. The surgery went great and a couple of months later, we were back with Dr. Bromer, feeling as eager and hopeful as ever. Our FET came around the corner and we were keeping our fingers and toes crossed this was the one! Beta results were in and another positive came our way! This time a little baby girl, which was very fitting considering her two brothers up above were protecting and watching over her.

This pregnancy was so easy, smooth, and everything I could have hoped for! It was our time to be happy and excited, knowing after we hit the 24-week mark, breathing became a little easier and we could enjoy the moments without doubt and worry.

Our SGF miracle

Our little Hannah graced the world over a month early at 35 weeks and 5 days, and is every bit of perfection! Would I have ever thought my journey to becoming a mother would have taken me through this rollercoaster of events? No, but we now have a beautiful and healthy baby girl, and she has two precious angels looking down at her every second of every day. Always staying positive and not giving up is what kept me going these past few years. After all of the heartbreak and loss we encountered at such young ages, it makes us forever grateful for what we have now. Don’t lose hope, even when it feels like everything is against you.