I am a happy and proud mother to a 16-month-old girl today. However, this happiness didn’t come easy. Let me share my part of the story and hope to inspire mums-to-be or those trying to have a baby.
Getting Pregnant After 35 Naturally
Image source: Ng Soo Rong Judy
I married at 33-years-old and my husband is 13 years my senior. Throughout the two years of dating, I was addicted to night life and alcohol consumption.
When I got married I knew immediately that I wanted to have a baby and we tried for a year but nothing happened. Desperate and confused, I did not understand why people around me got pregnant so easily but it was so tough for us.
We decide to get our fertility checks done and the results came back fine. I got so desperate and stressed because my age kept creeping into my mind, especially since most around me said that fertility drops for woman after 35.
Although everything was fine between us, I kept feeling stressed and our relationship got strained.
A friend of mine recommended TCM to me, as it is believed that if a woman’s womb is “cold” it is difficult to hold a baby.
Now, because acupuncture is part of the treatment, it got me a bit scared.
Being somebody who fears the needle to now becoming somebody who can take 100s of needles all over my body, imagine the courage I had to muster just so I could conceive a baby.
After one year of treatment, we still did not have any luck. With a lot of restrains on diet and lifestyle, I was still feeling very stressed that I decided to give myself a break for a while.
It was during this relaxed time that I did not think about getting pregnant and I GOT PREGNANT!
Journey To Motherhood Was Not Without Challenges
Image source: Ng Soo Rong Judy
We were so excited that we rushed ourselves to our gynaecologist the next day. The gynaecologist did a check up and mentioned that the baby was about 5 and ½ weeks, still too small to know if it will survive or if there was any heartbeat.
My heart sank. I thought that getting a positive sign on a pregnancy test kit meant I will be waiting to give birth to a baby. It was not the case.
We went back a week later for the appointment to check for heartbeat and the gynaecologist told us that our baby’s heartbeat was strong, but the whole pregnancy was a roller coaster ride.
I had to be on progesterone pills for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. My progesterone levels were dangerously low and it could cause a miscarriage. The medication made me feel nauseated, giddy, I had no appetite and felt depressed, which were the side effects of the medication.
A week of happy news, then a week of not so good news made me worried and I pretty much cried throughout my pregnancy. Plus, on-and-off bleeding got me real worried. I had gone through checks after checks just to make sure my baby is doing okay.
Finally, I survived and reach my third trimester where all the bleeding stopped and my baby was growing healthily.
My gynaecologist is a fatherly figure and is super assuring, which put me at ease throughout the pregnancy despite all the ups and downs. He wanted me to control my diet and gain not more than 2kg a month, whilst eating lots of proteins and veggies, and choosing the right kind of food whenever I was hungry.
Due to that I became pregnant at 35.
He was extra careful with my pregnancy, taking note of signs of gestational diabetes and also recommended me to eat a balanced diet, take my vitamins, drink plenty of water, and sleep on my left side.
Some would say why go through this hell, just eat what you want but I’d rather to suffer now than regret later. All I needed to do now was to wait till 40 weeks when my baby decides it is time to see the world!
Finally Welcoming My Baby To The World
Normally 36 weeks of pregnancy, however at 37 weeks, my amniotic fluid started to decrease to a border line. Three days later, my amniotic fluid dropped even lower and I had to prepare for the birth of my baby on that day itself!
After 37 weeks, I was finally going to see my baby.
I had to be induced. The labour procedure was smooth and with epidural done, my baby was born within 24 hours.
She was born with at a slightly lower birth weight but that doesn’t matter anymore. She is ready to see the world and with my utmost care she is in good hands.
She has now grown to be a very healthy chubby girl. All my efforts and hardship has now paid off.
Image source: Ng Soo Rong Judy
Tips On Getting Pregnant After 35 Years Old Naturally
To all who are facing difficulties in getting pregnant with no fertility or health issues, stress is usually the culprit. I understand that it is not easy to “not think about it” because it sounds so contradicting that you are trying to get pregnant, but you shouldn’t.
Stress also causes a strain to your partner, which might cause poor performance or low confidence. I guess age does not matter when it comes to getting pregnant, but we tend to get more eager when we are mentally prepared for it.
That’s why some people say unplanned pregnancy is easy.
My personal tip is, first of all I really encourage regular TCM to strengthen your womb, creating a warm and cozy nest in preparing for your baby. It does not take days or weeks, so be patient.
Next, quit all your bad habits like smoking, alcohol, late nights, which are bad for your health. Third, count your days and just enjoy your moments without thinking about getting pregnant. It’s not easy I know, just try.
Lastly, jia you to all who are trying to get pregnant, all who are already pregnant. Mums are the best! We always want to be our best for our babies.
This article was written by VIP Parent Ng Soo Rong Judy for theAsianparent.
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