The Obligatory First Post

A new blog always warrants the history of the blogger. A new blog that extends an invitation to take part in any journey always warrants the obligatory rules, restrictions, warnings and advice.

What is Visible Conception?

Visible Conception is a blog that hopefully will help bring women who are facing infertility, miscarriage or trying to conceive a new child a new way of exploring their family building journey.

Through the use of visual images and daily affirmations I hope to take you on a journey through your cycle to help bring about new understanding and coping strategies for the cycle.

Who are you?

I'm Jen, a miscarriage veteran and former infertile. We tried for 39 cycles with 4 miscarriages before conceiving our daughter. We went down the path of adoption but conceived our daughter before placing a profile in the adoption 'pool'.

On a whim I created a series of visual cues to help me express my interest in my cycle as well as the conflicting emotions I felt. With as much rage, sadness and jealousy I felt I knew I would not be creating a 'good' environment for pregnancy.

I began researching the Chakras, meditation and visual imagery and affirmations.

Do I really think these things help?

Yes. As someone who did struggle with infertility I know the majority of my life was spent focusing on what I didn't have and what I wanted with all of my heart: a child.

I had to learn that jealousy was simply a way of being happy for someone but being so, so sad for myself at the same time. Then I could dispel it.

Anger was a harder emotion to unwind.

So was the depression I felt.

I think most infertiles will tell you they'd skate naked on a half-frozen ice patch in NYC if it meant they could get pregnant and stay pregnant. So why not go to a lesser extreme and focus on what our body is naturally trying to do and celebrate the successes of each cycle -- even if pregnancy isn't the outcome.

Am I a doctor?

Heavens no. Nor do I pretend to be. I am just a fertility geek who wants to learn more about the human body and share her findings. I'm also very interested in the power of body based healing and using the mind to access this wonderful vitality.

Should you give up seeing a specialist and focus solely on this?

Again, Heavens no! Mainstream treatment, specialist treatment, herbs, homeopathics, imagery, meditation, charting, message boards, etc all play a vital role in maintaining YOUR mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical health during your family-building journey.

Do I make guarantees?

Again, sadly no. I wish every woman who wanted a child to love and nurture could be blessed with a perfect pregnancy and the perfect child. Sometimes it's not the case. More often than not, however, women are turning to new avenues to pursue family-building and it's essential a woman be mentally fit when pursuing donor eggs, donor sperm, donor embryos, surrogacy and adoption.

Many women continue trying, without medical intervention, while pursuing the 'paper' side of donor gametes, surrogacy or adoption. Just because you're no longer dropping your pants for doctors, nurses and ultrasound technicians doesn't mean your cycles stop.

Often these women feel betrayed by their bodies while focusing on the legal and 'paper' sides of these journeys. Visual imagery and affirmations can help restore some peace to the process.

Am I professional trained in this art of imagery and affirmations?

Nope. Again, just a woman, a mother, a person who experienced the pain of infertility and knows how important it is to retain, regain and renew the peace of the soul.

I have had 7 miscarriages, 6 natural ones, 3 D&Cs (for the same loss) and have been diagnosed with an auto-immune disease. I have had to fight tooth and nail to resume my daily life after a total immune melt-down and I want to share my story, my journey with others.

Does this cost any money?

Nope. What you see is what you get. I do always welcome comments, stories, poems, images, and warm wishes. And maybe a collaboration will come together.

Is this a bunch of nonsense and fool-hardy internet crap?

Well, if you want to believe that. I'm not peddling goods, asking for money or selling your pipe dreams.

Thanks for reading. Warm wishes. Jen