I clearly remember the exact moment that I realized that I wanted a baby. Wow! That was a surprise. I had never wanted to have a baby and had made an appointment to get my tubes tied because I was approaching my 35th birthday and thought that I should come off of birth control. I was sitting in a rocking chair after finishing my patient’s bath and morning care and the Johnson & Johnson Baby products commercial came on with the lilting background music and lyrics that said, “Make me…make me your baby…” I burst into tears as a flood of unknown, intense emotion washed over me, wrenching my heart and carrying me downstream to uncharted waters. I had been bitten by the “baby bug”. Against all odds, I realized that I wanted a baby. Until that moment, I had always been adamant that I wasn’t going to do that. Once bitten, I would have done anything to insure a safe pregnancy for me and the baby that I so longed to bring into the world. Although he did not exist in this world, I felt him in my spirit and could not rest until I saw his face. I got pregnant within 5 months and was delighted. That pregnancy ended in a miscarriage however and my world was shattered. Again, I got pregnant within the year and this time, I got my baby. The joy and fear of being responsible for that precious soul that has been entrusted to me was immediately overwhelming and terrifying. He is the source of my articles, “Lost In “The Spectrum:” Lucas is autistic and I love him with all my heart. He also graduated from college. As I write about getting pregnant and the trials of this mystical experience, believe me, I understand the torrent of emotion that whirls around all things “baby”. I never intend to hurt your feelings. My objective in writing here at David’s Way is to help you. Believe me, a hard truth is better than a soft lie. We will always “kick you the real deal”. (Henry Rollins)
Impact of Obesity
It is well known that there is an association between obesity and infertility. (1) Although all of the reasons for this phenomenon are not known, it is still a fact. Overweight women have more “female problems” with more difficulties with menstruation and ovulation. They are more affected by anovulation, or difficulty releasing an egg for fertilization. It takes more time for an overweight woman to get pregnant from the time that a couple decides to “try”. Conception rates are lower in overweight women and even assisted pregnancies, such as in vitro fertilization, have the same difficulties. If you are serious about having a baby, it would serve you well to discuss your weight with your obstetrician. ALWAYS see your doctor before beginning any weight loss program.
Not Just You, Ladies
While we at David’s Way want to see the entire world healthy, quite often so many things like this are relegated to “Women’s Health” with women being blamed if anything goes wrong with a pregnancy. In the case of difficulty in conceiving, obesity in men is a problem. “Increased weight in men has been associated with a lower testosterone level, poorer sperm quality and reduced fertility as compared to men of normal weight.” (2) Many factors are believed to affect male fertility in relation to obesity including sexual dysfunction and possible inflammatory elements of epididymitis. Insulin resistance, sleep apnea and an increase in the temperature inside the scrotum are all associated with affecting sperm quality and production. Metabolic syndrome is also credited with poor sperm quality and quantity. Guys, if you want to be a dad, control your weight.
The good news is that this is usually reversible by getting healthy! See your doctor and get his approval to begin a weight management program. Ask what kind of exercise that he recommends. You can go to our Calorie Counter Pro to see how many calories that you need to eat to lose 1-2 pounds per week. We strongly advise you to aim to lose 1 pound per week because it’s easier and you are more likely to stick with your program and you will learn better habits when you lose the weight over a longer period of time. Talk to your doctor and see if he believes that this will up your odds of having a baby. I truly wish you well with all my heart.