Showing posts with label what to tell children about IVF. Show all posts
Showing posts with label what to tell children about IVF. Show all posts

Saturday, April 18, 2015

WHAT TO TELL CHILDREN CONCEIVED THROUGH IVF OR FERTILITY TREATMENTS

Difficulty Getting Pregnant Over 40 Doesn't Have To Be A Secret

I fully plan to tell my daughter how long we waited for her and how happy we were when she finally came into the world.  Even though she was conceived naturally, I still plan to tell her about our challenges getting pregnant. My hope is that she won't make some of the same mistakes I made and she will grow up with a better attitude toward family and children than I had for most of my adult life.Many couples who conceived through IVF wonder how much they should share with their child/children. Here are my recommendations:
  • Assuming you did not use donor eggs, or ICSI, let you child know that the doctors helped the egg and sperm get to each other, but the fertilization was natural. 
  • Let your child know that you wanted them very much and you wanted to do whatever was necessary to bring them into the world
  • Let your child know that approximately half of all pregnancies are unplanned.  For them, it was very well planned and you were ready in every way for their arrival.  
  • I find that whether or not a child was conceived through assisted reproduction, it is important for me to constantly tell my daughter that she's the best thing that ever happened to me.  Even though she knows I love her, she just beams when I tell her that.  Coming myself from a family with parents who never once said "I love you" or showed affection, I know how important it is to always verbalize these things to your child.  
 SEE ALSO: SHARING INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR FERTILITY(getpregnantover40.com)