Bridge To Baby's My Fertile Food app for iPhone and iPad has gone through a few upgrades recently. We've had a lot of great feedback about how useful the app is but that there were a few features missing. I've been working hard these last few months to create these features and release a new updated version of that app. Those of you who already have it don't have to worry about paying for it again. Just be sure to…

I had the pleasure of doing a video interview with Dr. Abbasi of Columbia Fertility Associates a couple weeks ago. As an Expert Bridger on Bridge To Baby she has been providing great content in her blog. She expressed interest in discussing DOR in more detail so a video interview seemed appropriate.

She feels that many women come into her clinic at an older age and are surprised that their chances of having…

I'm happy to announce I'm an Aunt again! That makes 12 nieces and nephews in all. I'm beyond happy for my brother and sister-in-law as they embark on parenthood again for the 3rd time. They deserve this happiness.

It's still bittersweet of course. Seems like everyone and their grandmother is pregnant these days. Lots of our friends are having their thirds and we seem to be only backtracking. But that's just how it goes. I have my amazing miracle son who is almost 5 and my…

It's been a remarkably stressful few months, personally and professionally. This year is finally coming to a close, and for me, that's a really good thing. It's been a year of tragedy with the preterm loss of our daughter and tragedy of trying to find the answers as to why it went down this horrible path. But out of this tragedy came a lot of amazing perspective and hope, drive and validation that I want to continue to help others dealing with infertility and loss and raise…

Considering surrogacy to create your family? There are many issues and topics to think about as you embark on the route to baby via a gestational carrier. Things you wouldn't normally have to think about months and even a year in advance of conception.

Maybe one of the hottest topics for discussion when considering surrogacy is selective…

I've been working hard on upgrades to my iPhone/iPad app, My Fertile Food. Call it what you want but it's been a great distraction from a heartbreaking summer losing our daughter via surrogacy to preclampsia and preterm birth. It has almost a year since my IVF cycle. Somewhat hard to fathom. I have been feeling stronger and even more motivated to make a difference in the infertility community. Since day one I have always wanted to help others going through what I have and I will continue to…

Our infertility roller-coaster took a drastic turn this year. We were on the steady up and down, stomach dropping in a consistent rhythm until BAM! The ride took us to a dark place, lights out, upside down, screaming. We lost our baby we were so close to having home. Our baby via a gestational carrier after years of infertility due to Asherman's…

Guiliana Rancic and her husband Bill are currently in Denver waiting on the arrival of their first child, a son via gestational surrogacy. I am beyond excited to hear the news that their son has arrived and that they are FINALLY parents. Something they have been hoping for for so long after so much.

As…

This is the best way to describe how I have been feeling lately. It feels as if my heart was ripped out of me and broken in to tiny bits and pieces that look impossible to put back together.

Our journey dealing with infertility has been comprised of years of struggles. Dealing with surgeries to attempt to carry a child again on my own and then finally making the plunge into surrogacy to find someone willing to sacrifice their time and body to bring our child into the…

This post is not a positive blog post like I want all my posts to be but the reality of infertility and surrogacy is that it isn't always a pretty picture and a perfect story-book ending.

On May 17th, our daughter was born at a mere 1.6 pounds, 11 inches long at 25 weeks and 6 days gestation. My husband got a call from our surrogate that she had been admitted to the hospital. When I arrived home my husband broke the news to me gently, "don't freak out, but she's in…

Took a road trip with grandma-to-be, my mom, to go to the 24 week ultrasound for our baby who is being gestated nicely within our wonderful gestational carrier. It was about a 2 hour drive and for the first time, since my husband didn't attend this ultrasound, I drove. I'm usually the one in the passenger seat feeling anxious while hubby takes over the wheel to all our appointments and visits.

It was exciting to have my mom with me this time. So I'm full of anticipation hoping…

Feeling overwhelmed by the multitude of information out on the internet about trying to conceive? It can feel like information overload. The best advice is to focus on a well rounded approach; charting, diet, supplements, exercise and stress reduction. Of course, always consult with your doctor before making any major changes to your lifestyle.

Top 5 favorites for trying to conceive:

 …

Today begins National Infertility Awareness Week, April 22-28. The theme last year had to do with busting an infertility myth. This year it's Don't Ignore Infertility.  NIAW asks that people help raise awareness "to educate millions of people about a disease that is…

We are 22 weeks along now! Amazing to finally be over the hump. We are more weeks into the pregnancy with 18 weeks to go. While it's an exciting milestone, the second trimester can feel like a slower time period. The pregnancy has gone from a very fast and exciting and nerve racking first trimester to an exciting yet slower progressing second trimester. I think things will pick up again once we reach the third trimester when the due date will be slowing approaching.…

NPR recently posted an interview with intended parents and their surrogate discussing aspects of their surrogacy arrangement and the birth of twins. Ties That Bind: When Surrogate Meets Mom-To-Be by Jennifer Ludden

I can honestly say that this audio clip…

Took about 4 months of convincing my husband that we should find out the sex with this baby. We kept it a surprise with our first son but given the very unique situation with having a child via surrogacy, I really felt like I wanted to take one other element of surprise out of the equation.

For me I felt like I would benefit from knowing the sex so I could spiritually bond more with the pregnancy and baby if I knew what the gender was. Even when I didn't care what the sex is.…

We just went to the 20 week ultrasound for our biological baby, via my egg and my husband's sperm, who is growing inside our surrogate. For the most part everything went very smoothly. I hadn't seen our GS, gestational surrogate, in about 7 weeks; the last time was at the 13 week checkup. It was really good to see her and know our baby was very close to us. It is still mind-boggling to know our baby is growing is someone else!

It is a nerve-racking experience going…

After a bleeding scare our surrogate has been released from bed rest! Woohoo! The bleeding had stopped and she rested and followed up with her doctor for a checkup and a heartbeat check. Heartbeat was 160. Does that mean girl? Or boy?



We don't know and we aren't finding out. Some of you must think it's crazy not to find out the sex of the baby in a surrogacy pregnancy. Some people probably think it would help intended parents bond with the baby. The reality of it is that…

Well the subchorionic bleed has shown it's bloody self. We thought this blood clot behind the placenta that was found at about 7 weeks was either a non-issue now or even mistakenly seen by the ultrasound technician but we were wrong. Here's the definition of what this hematoma is.

...the accumulation of blood within the folds of the chorion (the outer fetal membrane, next to the placenta) or within the layers of the placenta itself. These bleeds, or clots, can cause the…

With Asherman's syndrome, intrauterine adhesions, a women still goes through the same hormonal changes every month...just ask my husband! He'll tell you.



I get PMS, moody and more crampy than before my D&C gone wrong. My hormones still function normally it's just that my uterine walls don't thicken with endometrium like your average girl. My uterus is basically sewn shut with bands of scar tissue. Any lining that would develop would grown in between the bands of…