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On Fecund Thought

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    • Hi! I’m Lauren
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    • The Bump (2014)
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  • Archives
  • A Love Letter to Parents & Parents-in-Waiting

Birth Story, Part 1: Delivery

Baby· Caesarean Birth

12 Nov

I had a caesarean birth plan, a list of preferences. But that’s mostly all they were – preferences. Loss and infertility have taught me that sometimes the best laid plans go to waste and you have to adjust your expectations. Whatever would happen on October 24, there were four things that transcended any mere preferences: … Read More about Birth Story, Part 1: Delivery

24 Comments

Introducing Baby V

Baby· Caesarean Birth

2 Nov

Baby V October 24, 2014 7 lbs 11 oz / 3,486 g 20″ / 51cms V, after my beloved great-grandmother. Her middle name is a twist on another family name, with a nod to Spain, where I grew up. She has made every bit of pain and suffering worthwhile. Without my loss and infertility, she … Read More about Introducing Baby V

14 Comments

Caesarean Birth Plan

Caesarean Birth

23 Oct

When I first embarked on this TTC journey, I imagined conceiving quickly, having an uneventful pregnancy, and a natural delivery. HA. By the time I was pregnant again, there had been so much pain that I truly believed nothing else could go wrong–except, perhaps, having another miscarriage. SIGH. How naive I was. Once I made … Read More about Caesarean Birth Plan

8 Comments

36 – 37 Weeks

Thoughts

22 Oct

Crazy that I can now respond to the question, “When are you due?” with a one-word response: FRIDAY. Holy shit. I tweeted this last Friday. The next morning, DH said, This is our last Saturday before we become parents. I feel strangely calm. I’m ready to meet our daughter. And although I feel, were it … Read More about 36 – 37 Weeks

7 Comments

T-Minus 10 Days

Pregnancy· Thoughts

14 Oct

Whoa. Ten days? Just… whoa. People keep asking how I’m feeling and if DH and I are ready. I say I feel great in spite of the discomforts, and that we are excited to meet our daughter but the main emotion in the V household is mainly one of terror! But are we ready in … Read More about T-Minus 10 Days

4 Comments

Eight Months: T-Minus 2½ Weeks

Caesarean Birth· Pregnancy· Thoughts

6 Oct

I have officially reached the point in pregnancy where I can understand how some women long for their pregnancies to be over. I am physically uncomfortable much of the time. My belly feels like a lead weight, so it’s hard to get up without grunting, and hard to sit down without a clunk! I’m up … Read More about Eight Months: T-Minus 2½ Weeks

3 Comments

The Countdown Has Begun

Grief· Infertility· Thoughts

24 Sep

A year ago today (Wednesday — or, tomorrow, September 25th) I learned that I have a chromosomal issue which means I create abnormal embryos. Just thinking about the day I learned my AMH was barely detectable is enough for tears to roll down my cheeks. I can never relive that time in its full intensity, … Read More about The Countdown Has Begun

6 Comments

32 Weeks: We Have a Birthday…!

Caesarean Birth· Pregnancy· Thoughts

18 Sep

First, a few fun stats: Weight Gain: 28 lbs / 13 kgs (from 142 to 170) Cravings: Ice cold water, orange juice, milk. Aversions: Fish Belly Button: Beginning to do strange things. It sticks out more on my right and you can sometimes see it through my clothes, especially if V is directly underneath. Also … Read More about 32 Weeks: We Have a Birthday…!

7 Comments

Seven Months

Caesarean Birth· DEIVF· Infertility· Pregnancy· Thoughts

8 Sep

It’s hot. So hot. Possibly the hottest part of summer. My feet are swollen and I can’t wear flip flops because my arches have fallen. My arse, hips, and thighs are bigger which, along with this glorious bump I’m sporting, has changed my balance.  Between that and the extra almost-25 lbs (11+ kgs), it’s a … Read More about Seven Months

7 Comments

29 Weeks: Another Ultrasound

Pregnancy

27 Aug

What a week! Since my last post, I: started kick counts (I usually get to 10 movements in 5-7 mins, although it’s been in as few as 90 seconds or as much as 14 minutes); took an infant CPR class; noticed that my belly button is extremely shallow; have self-diagnosed diastasis recti (separation of the … Read More about 29 Weeks: Another Ultrasound

3 Comments

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HI! I’M LAUREN

Lauren laughing on a beach

Photo credit: Jasmine Fitzwilliam 

I’m Lauren, a London-born, Southern Spain-raised, San Diego-based writer, graphic designer, and reproductive warrior. And now I’m finally a mama to three kids (including twins), thanks to my fabulous egg donor. You can get to know me a bit better here.

WRITER/EDITOR

Motherhood Nurture: a memoir about losing family and finding it again

My Conception Story: a photo journal storybook for non-traditional families

Let's Talk About Egg Donation, by Marna Gatlin (Found of PVED) and Carole LieberWilkins, MFT

San Diego Writers, Ink, Year in Ink

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