Reassurance from Ms. Bird

On Monday, I had an important conversation with Ms. Bird before she needled me. I bring a list of questions every time I see her, but usually they are about current stuff, and the answers aren't earth shattering. This week, though, I had some future questions about what to do once I get pregnant. Specifically, I wanted to know about her experience treating women with MTHFR.

My protocol from Dr. R. is to continue on the Fol.gard and BA I'm already taking and start Love.nox just after ovulation, continuing through week 10 (assuming I get pregnant and stay pregnant that long). After 10 weeks, Dr. R. thinks that Fol.gard and BA will provide enough protection on their own for the rest of my pregnancy. This was worrying me, because I haven't seen any other MTHFR ladies on-line who discontinue Love.nox that early, although I know some don't take it at all. In fact, most who do use Love.nox seem continue with it throughout pregnancy. So I asked Ms. Bird if any of her other patients with MTHFR had gone off Love.nox at 10 weeks and had a healthy outcome and here is what she said:

• Yes, she's had patients go off Love.nox as early as 10 weeks.
• None of them had late term miscarriages or stillbirths.
• She has had very few late term miscarriages and stillbirths in her practice, and those few have all been in women who had no diagnosed issues.
• Did you get that? Let me say it again: Ms. Bird has had no late term miscarriages or stillbirths amongst her patients with diagnosed issues, regardless of their western treatment protocol.

This gives me an incredible sense of relief. Of course, there is a first time for everything, but now it seems that my chances of carrying to term are actually higher than I was imagining. My confidence in Ms. Bird's skills just rose dramatically. I'm starting to feel hopeful that, if I get can past the first trimester the next time I get pregnant, my chances of a take home baby will be really good.

Okay, maybe I'm a bit too optimistic, but I need some hope to cling to right now. January has been a really hard month, bracketed by two would-have-been due-dates as it is. I'm really missing my babies these days. (This results in a powerful longing to hold a baby, any baby, but I don't know anyone with a baby I can borrow, so I hold my doll . . . it helps some.) I need this shred of hope to brighten a really tough time.