I have always known that I wanted to be a mom. But like many, my fantasy of how my life would go never really came to pass and so I find myself Googling the crap out of donor insemination, IUI and Single-Moms-By-Choice.
At 28, I am single, or mostly single. The man I'm currently "figuring things out" with (his words) and I want very different things at this point in our lives. I want a family; children, a home, holidays surrounded by those I love...and he wants to do his thing and will talk about marriage and children when he's ready. I've had lots of input from people saying to leave him, I still have lots of time, try online dating, "You're still so young" etc, etc. Personally, finding a partner really has become secondary to having a child.
Ultimately, I have decided that I don't want to put my life on hold while I'm waiting. Waiting for "the one", waiting for someone else to be ready etc. I understand the process can be long, and may even be unsuccessful but I'd really like to get the ball rolling.
I'm wondering if there is anyone else who is, or was in a similar situation and if so, how did you begin your journey to being a parent?
I don't have experience with your situation, but a friend of mine did donor sperm. But she was 42 and had spent 10+ years of her life waffling around with guys who wouldn't commit.
So from a purely advice perspective: you indicate that you want a family. A baby is not a family per se. I don't know if you have thought about what day to day life would be if it was just you and a child, financially, emotionally, psychologically. I think most women who want babies want a family but they get focused on the cute little thing bc they perceive it as being less work than a relationship. It is doable, single, if you can afford it and have other forms of support. Optimal? No. And imagine how much more complicated it would be to try and date with a kid. Babysitters, making sure you aren't dating a molestor, doing what is best for the child, etc.
As an internet stranger, I would echo what the people who know you are telling you. Just quit fooling around with a guy who isn't at the same place as you, and keep on your journey of trying to find a partner who has similar desires on a similar timeline. They are out there. I met my husband on eharmony, as did several of my friends. You can toy with this idea, but make sure you are toying with the reality of being a single mom. GL.
I'm going to second that I met my wife on eHarmony. I was a month or so out of a breakup with a woman who was in her early thirties and still unsure about having children. It hit me that I'd always been look for someone to marry but instead of limiting my picks to just those women who also were ready I was going solely off emotion. Eharmony allowed me to weed out those who weren't ready to get married, thoroughly question the woman who later I would marry about everything including having children and frankly speed everything up. We didn't meet until I knew she wanted to have children and had an interested in getting married to someone soon. We were dating within a few months of getting our profiles, living together 3 months later, engaged 6 months later and married a year after that. Honestly, at 28 I wouldn't hang out with people that don't have your life goals.
I I have a best friend that got tired of waiting in her mid-thirties and did one IUI. She has a beautiful 7 year old daughter and still isn't married.
***Loss and success mentioned*** Me:34, Wife: 32 IF reasoning = MFI: Zero Sperm Count using FairFax donor bank
IUI #1 - #3: 2011 = BFN IVF: 2011 = BFN, lost all 10 embryos (with C/Ps) Jan 2014 - OBGYN (not RE) found and removed wife's "field of" uterine polyps after failed IVF
Moving on to surrogacy (actually a planned adoption) Surrogate IUI#1: 7.17.12 = BFP!! 15dpiui = 256, 17dpiui = 346 Oliver Zane born - 3/29/2013 on Good Friday!
IUI #4 - #6: 2014-2015 = BFN (with C/Ps) Switch sperm donors, start ketosis diet to reduce inflammation late 2015 IVF 2: Jan and Feb 2016, 3 great looking, 8 cell 3 day embryos. Two ET, one frozen 2.18.2016 (8dp3dt) = BFFP! 2.22.2016 (12dp3dt) = 649!!
Started foster care experience in 2012. Now waiting to adopt our foster daughter, 7, who has lived with us for 3 years.
"Wait for your God, and don't give up on Him - ever!" Hosea 12:6 (msg)
I was in a very similar situation. I echo the previous two posters and their comments. I grew up in a single parent household, so I knew I did not want to be a single mom by choice. Of course, some people go that route and are very happy. It took me longer to find my partner (also on EHarmony). I got married at 33. If you want to be proactive, you could consider freezing your eggs. That way you know you will have an opportunity to be a mom when the right person comes along.
******* Married Jan. 2014 Me:36 DH: 39 TTC since August 2014, Mild PCOS + uterine fibroids Myomectomy June 2015- 18 fibroids removed IVF #1, May 2016 = 32 eggs retrieved, 12 fertilized, 7 frozen, 3 PGS normal FET#2, July 2016 = one embryo transferred TRIGGER BFP! Beta = 617 Due date = 4/9/17 Delivery date = 3/20/17
I agree with PP who suggested freezing your eggs. In general, I would recommend testing for fertility, because I'm a good study in "young" not equaling fertile. It would help you make an informed choice about waiting or moving forward with egg freezing or treatments.
TTC #1 since June 2012
Me (28) - DOR (AFC <10, undetectable AMH, >10 FSH), homozygous E429A MTHFR DH (29) - MFI low count and morphology
Nov 2013 IVF/ICSI #1 - Protocol: BCP prep, high doses Menopur and Bravelle (12 days), ganirelex Results: 5 retrieved / mature, 4 fertilized, 1 arrested and 3 complex abnormal after day 3 PGS = Cancelled after ER Jan/Feb 2014 IVF/ICSI #2 - Protocol: Estrogen priming, high doses Menopur and Bravelle (11 days), microdose lupron Results: Cancelled after 11 days of stims due to low response and E2 levels Feb 2014 IVF/ICSI #3 - Protocol: No prep, low dose Menopur (6 days), ganirelex, Bravelle booster with trigger Results: 1 retrieved / 0 mature = Cancelled after ER
Officially moving on to embryo adoption! We used and love Embryo Adoption Services of Cedar Park October 2014 FET #1 - BCP/Lupron/Estrace/Prometrium, transferred 2 of 4 from match #1, BFN December 2014 FET #2 - BCP/Lupron/Estrace/Prometrium, transferred 2 of 4 from match #1, BFN March 2015 FET #3 - BCP/Lupron/Estrace/Prometrium, transferred 2 of 6 from match #2, BFN May 2015 FET #4 - BCP/Lupron/Estrace/Prometrium, lost 2 to thaw, transferred 2 of 6 from match #2, BFN October 2015 FET #5 - Natural cycle, lost 1 from match #3 and 1 from clinic backup to thaw, transferred 1 backup, BFN February 2016 FET #6 - Natural cycle, transferred 1 from match #4, B FREAKING P! Beta 1 = 162, Beta 2 = 316, doubling just over 48 hours
Re: Young, Single and I want a baby
So from a purely advice perspective: you indicate that you want a family. A baby is not a family per se. I don't know if you have thought about what day to day life would be if it was just you and a child, financially, emotionally, psychologically. I think most women who want babies want a family but they get focused on the cute little thing bc they perceive it as being less work than a relationship. It is doable, single, if you can afford it and have other forms of support. Optimal? No. And imagine how much more complicated it would be to try and date with a kid. Babysitters, making sure you aren't dating a molestor, doing what is best for the child, etc.
As an internet stranger, I would echo what the people who know you are telling you. Just quit fooling around with a guy who isn't at the same place as you, and keep on your journey of trying to find a partner who has similar desires on a similar timeline. They are out there. I met my husband on eharmony, as did several of my friends. You can toy with this idea, but make sure you are toying with the reality of being a single mom. GL.
Me: 42, DH: 46, Married: 11/12
Losses: MMC#1 11/12 BO, MC#2 11/13 at 8w BO?, MMC#3 8/14 chromo healthy M @12 weeks, stopped growing at 10.
Negligible AMH, FSH finally went high. Pursued DE.
DD born at 38w2d on 5-27-16. Finally!!
Pregnant again with OE. EDD 11/9/17 Girl!
I I have a best friend that got tired of waiting in her mid-thirties and did one IUI. She has a beautiful 7 year old daughter and still isn't married.
Me:34, Wife: 32
IF reasoning = MFI: Zero Sperm Count using FairFax donor bank
IVF: 2011 = BFN, lost all 10 embryos (with C/Ps)
Jan 2014 - OBGYN (not RE) found and removed wife's "field of" uterine polyps after failed IVF
Moving on to surrogacy (actually a planned adoption)
Surrogate IUI#1: 7.17.12 = BFP!! 15dpiui = 256, 17dpiui = 346
Oliver Zane born - 3/29/2013 on Good Friday!
IUI #4 - #6: 2014-2015 = BFN (with C/Ps)
Switch sperm donors, start ketosis diet to reduce inflammation late 2015
IVF 2: Jan and Feb 2016, 3 great looking, 8 cell 3 day embryos. Two ET, one frozen
2.18.2016 (8dp3dt) = BFFP!
2.22.2016 (12dp3dt) = 649!!
Started foster care experience in 2012. Now waiting to adopt our foster daughter, 7, who has lived with us for 3 years.
"Wait for your God, and don't give up on Him - ever!" Hosea 12:6 (msg)
Married Jan. 2014
Me:36 DH: 39
TTC since August 2014, Mild PCOS + uterine fibroids
Myomectomy June 2015- 18 fibroids removed
IVF #1, May 2016 = 32 eggs retrieved, 12 fertilized, 7 frozen, 3 PGS normal
FET#2, July 2016 = one embryo transferred
TRIGGER
BFP! Beta = 617
Due date = 4/9/17
Delivery date = 3/20/17
TTC #1 since June 2012
Me (28) - DOR (AFC <10, undetectable AMH, >10 FSH), homozygous E429A MTHFR
DH (29) - MFI low count and morphology
September 2013 IUI#1 - Clomid + Trigger + IUI = BFN
October 2013 IUI#2 - Letrozole + Menopur + Trigger + IUI = BFN
Nov 2013 IVF/ICSI #1 - Protocol: BCP prep, high doses Menopur and Bravelle (12 days), ganirelex
Results: 5 retrieved / mature, 4 fertilized, 1 arrested and 3 complex abnormal after day 3 PGS = Cancelled after ER
Jan/Feb 2014 IVF/ICSI #2 - Protocol: Estrogen priming, high doses Menopur and Bravelle (11 days), microdose lupron
Results: Cancelled after 11 days of stims due to low response and E2 levels
Feb 2014 IVF/ICSI #3 - Protocol: No prep, low dose Menopur (6 days), ganirelex, Bravelle booster with trigger
Results: 1 retrieved / 0 mature = Cancelled after ER
Officially moving on to embryo adoption! We used and love Embryo Adoption Services of Cedar Park
October 2014 FET #1 - BCP/Lupron/Estrace/Prometrium, transferred 2 of 4 from match #1, BFN
December 2014 FET #2 - BCP/Lupron/Estrace/Prometrium, transferred 2 of 4 from match #1, BFN
March 2015 FET #3 - BCP/Lupron/Estrace/Prometrium, transferred 2 of 6 from match #2, BFN
May 2015 FET #4 - BCP/Lupron/Estrace/Prometrium, lost 2 to thaw, transferred 2 of 6 from match #2, BFN
October 2015 FET #5 - Natural cycle, lost 1 from match #3 and 1 from clinic backup to thaw, transferred 1 backup, BFN
February 2016 FET #6 - Natural cycle, transferred 1 from match #4, B FREAKING P!
Beta 1 = 162, Beta 2 = 316, doubling just over 48 hours
Me: 42, DH: 46, Married: 11/12
Losses: MMC#1 11/12 BO, MC#2 11/13 at 8w BO?, MMC#3 8/14 chromo healthy M @12 weeks, stopped growing at 10.
Negligible AMH, FSH finally went high. Pursued DE.
DD born at 38w2d on 5-27-16. Finally!!
Pregnant again with OE. EDD 11/9/17 Girl!