Introduction
Introduction
When I conceived my daughter at age 36, I was blissfully unaware that my eggs might be on the verge of expiring. I simply knew I was emotionally and financially ready to become a mother. I rejected (for reasons I don't recall now) two gynecologists before I walked into the low-key Greenwich Village office of lone practitioner Dr. Eric Wahl and his seems-to-remember-everyone office assistant Christine.
Dr. Wahl has a wonderful penchant for treating his patients like smart human beings. He lets you dress again before meeting him in his non-fluorescent office for an educational conversation about whatever it is you need to know. And he has a good sense of humor that helps defuse any nervousness. I became one of those patients who eventually sent holiday postcards that fill the family albums in his lobby of the little ones he was the first to usher into the world. I still feel as grateful to him for helping walking me through pregnancy, induced labor and quicker-than-expected delivery as I do the known donor who helped me conceive.
Years later, after I'd relocated to Minnesota, it was more challenging to conceive. I was irregular, my donor lived 1,000 miles away, I was 41 years old. While shopping around for the right doctor in my new home state, I had a free phone consultation with Dr. Wahl, and even made an appointment during a visit to New York City. Within a year my son was born.
My point is: I knew nuthin' 'bout birthin' babies, as the line from Gone With the Wind goes. But I found a doctor I trusted to talk me through the process. And that's what every one of us needs - some to a greater extent than others, depending on the challenges. Because for Choice Moms, it's not a simple matter of rolling over at the right time of the month. We need to know precisely when our bodies are ready for the sperm we've ordered or contracted for. We can feel urgent about succeeding, since it is expensive and/or awkward to be creating our family in such a deliberate manner. And we need to know intimate details about our eggs, since most of us have reached this stage of life after our reproductive zones have peaked.
Considering we need to get to work in both a relaxed and conscientious manner, what is it that we need to do first? Then what? And after that?
That's what this book is for. To corral the wisdom of fertility specialists, Choice Moms and mental health experts to talk specifically about what we know from research and hindsight.
As always, welcome to the journey, and the discussion!
Mikki Morrissette
