MARCH 2021 DIGITAL ISSUE ABOVE

Celebrating Life

March holds the birthdates of two people who are very important to me: my mother, who will be 92 this year, and my father, who sadly is no longer with us. When I think of my parents, I think of this month. Birthdays were a big deal in my family; each was acknowledged and celebrated. We never took them for granted. I always loved knowing that my birthday fell on a holiday—Bastille Day, the French equivalent of our Fourth of July. It was fun to think I was born when fireworks were going off in France! Both my children were born around holidays too. I refer to our oldest as our “turkey baby” and our youngest as our “Christmas gift.” 

Of course, both our boys were gifts, greatly wished for and anticipated, especially because the road to parenthood was a tough one for us. This month’s feature article, “Getting Pregnant,” resonated with me, as it speaks to those who have difficulties trying to conceive. I was in that category. I never thought for a moment that pregnancy wasn’t going to be easy, especially since my mother had no issues having me and my brothers. Boy was I wrong.

Two years into marriage, Michael and I tried to start our family, but nothing went as planned. At the time there wasn’t a lot of strategic info out there like you’ll read in “Getting Pregnant,” about taking targeted supplements, upgrading your diet, and ridding your home of toxic chemicals. For us it was a lot of doctor appointments, getting everything checked that could be checked, and then some—trying different methods, injections, pills, timing, you name it. It was two years of trying until finally one procedure did the trick and, thankfully, we had baby boy #1. When it came time to try for number #2, we tried the old-fashioned way and were shocked to find out we were pregnant, only to miscarry in the 11th week. I was devastated and immediately wanted to try again, but I was told to pump the brakes. That was very difficult for someone like me who wanted another baby, like, yesterday. I was worried that it would be another two years or more for the gift of a second child to happen, or that it wouldn’t happen at all. I went back to our doctor, who was an out-of-the-box thinker, and he recommended . . . acupuncture. I went to an acupuncturist—I would have tried anything—and when I told her about the miscarriage and that the baby would have been due the following month, she said, “You will be pregnant by then.”

I’m sure you can guess the end of this story. And if you’re surprised that acupuncture did the trick, keep in mind that, as our article notes, regular acupuncture treatments “can stimulate the body’s hormonal system to do what it is supposed to: secrete the right hormones at the right time in a woman’s cycle.” Thanks to our acupuncturist, everything was well planned, from treatments to “go time.” We could not believe our good fortune when we found out baby #2 was on board exactly when the acupuncturist had said he would be. 

For our male readers, let me add that there’s info for you too in “Getting Pregnant,” which states that “although researchers have long focused on female infertility, studies now show that for 40 percent of interfile couples, the problem lies in male sperm that is too sparse, slow, damaged or misshapen.” Bottom line, if you’re hoping to be a parent in the near future, don’t miss this article, which includes great strategies worth considering so you and your partner can achieve success.

If we’ve learned something from this past year, it’s that we can’t take life for granted—the life we have or the lives we are trying to create. May your spring bring you what you hope and wish for.

Enjoy our new March editorial below.

Always in health, Cyrece.