She is here....

Welcome little Alice Elizabeth Havrilla

Born at Home

8lbs and 21inches

More details to come. Everyone is in Love!

Highlight of the Trip

"Dr. Hilgers, this is little Claire."

"So you are a NaproBaby. Nice to meet you!"

The Family with Dr. Hilgers

Annual Meeting: American Academy of FertilityCare Professionals

The American Academy of FertilityCare Professionals was founded in 1981 to foster, advance, and promote the Creighton Model FertilityCare System through service, education, leadership, and research. The Academy was known as the American Academy of Natural Family Planning until 2001.

Any fellow bloggers planning on making the trip in a  couple weeks to Utah? I'll be there and would love to meet you.

Meeting Brochure! 

Nicole

Progesterone is going up!!!

Just a fast update. PPVI called yesterday, my progesterone went up and it seems my body is processing everything. I can stop inserts and lower my shot. I feel so much better! I think she said it was 53! I am 21 weeks along. Again, a big thanks to my midwife! She has been the connection and saving grace to get my blood draws done and shipped to Omaha!

My placenta is at the front of my belly.. so little kicks are more difficult to feel at this point. However, no mistaking the little ones I am feeling off to the side now :)

Had to believe we are 1/2 way there!!! I said to George yesterday, "Are there things we are suppose to get for a second baby, or do we have everything already?" LOL

Nicole

Progesterone... is it really that complicated?

I have been MIA for two reasons: 1 - having a toddler and being pregnant is a new level of sacrifice on its  own. WOW, this little one gives me a run for my money all day! 2 - I was dog sick the first trimester, really sick. I even went and stayed with my Mom & Dad for a couple weeks so they could help me take care of Claire. With how sick I was, I was beginning to worry I wasn't taking good care of her during the day. That brings us to today, worn out and just tired. But I feel the need to write and share my progesterone journey with you. Its been different this pregnancy... and given some of the comments from the FTW medical community, no one was gonna help me until I found my midwife!

Shortly after conceiving baby #2, I was called by PPVI to talk about my T3 and have the nurse point out I was 16 days PO. Of course, as an infertile who needs a blood test to confirm HCG and progesterone, I wasn't even really excited about day 16 bc I knew I needed to schedule blood work. The nurse called me in an order and we confirmed I was pregnant, but progesterone was low again. PPVI sent out the progesterone injections and we started injections at 4 weeks, just like we did with Claire. However, this time we made a mistake and were only doing 100MG x2 a week. I had blood work again two weeks later and things looked fine. Now mind you, I can not find a lab in this 6th largest city of Fort Worth, that will send my blood to Omaha to be reviewed by PPVI. EVERYONE and I am serious when I say EVERYONE refused to fill this request. So for three months I have had Lab. Corp run my blood work. Which my levels were coming back fine. I had an early ultrasound done at 6 weeks. AGAIN, no ONE in this town would fill Dr. Hilgers request for an early OB u/s. I ended up having a midwife write the order so we could get it done. Baby looks fine, heart beat is good and I am actually further along...bc it took longer to get this all ironed out and actually have the u/s done. So I continue along with being sick, dropping weight and managing the progesterone injections. Lab results are coming back fine. Remember, I am NOT able to have Omaha look at my blood, everyone in the big corporate city is refusing to draw my blood and give it to me... or mail it themselves to Omaha. Even when I offer to pay a premium. (This was not a problem in Amarillo, nor was my ultrasound request)

The ONLY thing that is different this pregnancy, I am cramping. Mild cramping and then cramping that wakes me in the middle of the night. I am uncomfortable but figure it has something to do with my second pregnancy and the body doing this all over again. But the cramping continues to get noticeable... and wakes me up more at night. Like I am going to start my period cramping...which I have not felt since surgery in 2008.

I did consult a provider here in FTW during this time about my care and history of low progesterone. However, they were not interested in monitoring me. I asked why they were not concerned and she said, "Well, you have no history of miscarriage so we won't treat you for low progesterone until you have a miscarriage and we know its a problem." --- um, not comfortable with your office. I shared with her the current injection level I was on and the fact I felt this cramping. Still no concern.

Along the journey of the first trimester, I connect with a great midwife who takes my very seriously. She even agrees that she will draw my blood and we'll send it to Omaha to better manage my injection dose and watch my levels more accurately. At the end of April I have my first draw that I am able to freely send to Omaha.... within 48 hours I am getting a call from PPVI asking if I am having symptoms of bleeding, cramping etc. My levels are so low, might I miscarry? They don't say that, but the line of questions had me concerned. The nurse calls me back that afternoon to say, I need to double my injection and get in for another u/s. Mind you, I am 18 weeks now. My progesterone is low zone 1. I am cramping, but no bleeding. We double the injection that night and within 24 hours no more cramping and none since!!!!!!! SEE SOMETHING WAS WRONG!!!! The cramping was an indication. The national lab was way off on my numbers according to the standards PPVI compares levels to.

We have an 18 week u/s done and baby to perfectly fine. Injections are now 200mg x2 a week and cramping has never returned. I wonder, not that I would miscarry.... since some people argue that point with me, and not having a history of a miscarriage.... would I carry my babies to full term without the progesterone monitoring and support? Either way, I AM SO THANKFUL for my midwife who sees the importance of my care with Dr. Hilgers because of his history with me and my prior pregnancy AND for Dr. Hilgers and his staff. EVERY BABY COUNTS!!! We do not need to miscarry to see a problem.

We are at 20 weeks now and I am still in zone 1, but high zone 1. Which is better than at 17.5 weeks when we freaked out. So now I have added progesterone suppositories. Something different for this pregnancy. I didn't need them with Claire. I just had my blood taken today, and we will ship it tomorrow to see if the last two weeks have improved.

Who knew making babies was this hard :)

Anyways, thats the drama of the progesterone update. I'll keep you informed as we move along. As a side note, I am also on T3 again. I was taking it two months before we conceived.

Love reading everyones blog updates and new babies. Sorry I am not able to comment. I do most my reading on the iPhone these days.

Off to get some rest, morning comes early with a 2 yo :)

Nicole

A little picture to update you on Claire. Looks like she survived the first trimester :)

New Team Member!

More details when I get over being so sick. I forgot how bad it was. Lets pray it's like last time, 14 weeks. --- Nicole

When there is a better option

Couples can struggle for years with infertility...and be no more closer to a baby than they are to answers as to why. Infertility can be a symptom that the body is sick. Let's heal the body and possibly discover that a natural pregnancy can occur. Here is a great article about NaproTechnology. The Waiting Womb

Several of my couples have been labeled "infertile" and put on a fast track for IVF. Before they know it, their insurance company is denying claims because they are "infertile". With NaproTechnology, you are considered sick and not billed under infertility. In my personal experience, so many of my clients express feeling better after NaproTechnology treatment...with the possibility of pregnancy down the road.

Ladies, you owe it to yourself to monitor and maintain your own gynecological health from the teen years on. Take the opportunity and empower yourself with this knowledge!

Nicole

Omaha, Not Just a City

Last summer George, Claire and I were waiting for our flight from Houston to Amarillo. While we sat in the terminal George said, "Hey, you want to go where gate #73 is headed?" For a moment I thought of some places I wanted to visit... like Italy or Chicago... as I looked up I saw Omaha. I smiled and said, "Sure lets go!" and tears came to my eyes. George was surprised I got all sentimental... and asked if I was OK. Sure I was fine, but for a brief moment I was back in May of 2008.

To most people, Omaha is a city in the middle of the United States... but to women who are suffering, it is a city that holds a doctor who provides a lot of answers. They may not be all the answers we want, but they are answers that move us towards soluntions. From our 12 hour car ride, the hotel, downtown brewery, botanical gardens... Creighton hospital, Pope Paul VI Institute, the staff, the restaurants... all of it was an experience that built a memory I will always cherish. It brought us closer together as husband and wife and placed us in an environment where I had complete trust and confidence that someone was going to take very good care of not only me, but us.

As I connect more to the online community of women on Facebook, I find so many are suffering not only with infertility, but with gynecological issues that are simply not being addressed by their OB. How is it that we live in 2012 and the best answer an OB can give us is "We are really not sure how to fix your problem, but if you take this birth control pill we can fix mask your symptoms"- this so burns me!

I may not be an OB, but I am a strong woman who has been down the road of suffering. To help other women from suffering any longer, I am going to use this blog as a platform for discussing solutions, current information and my continued fertility story. While I love posting about the happenings of our cute little family and the renovation of our 1920's home... that will now take place on our family blog, HavrillaVilla.

So ladies, lets stand-up and demand more! Direct your questions to the comment sections and I promise to post weekly on fertility matters!

Nicole
NaproTechnology & Creighton FertilityCare Model

Project 52:48 - Story

We are very big into books right now. She loves to carry a book over to me and say, "Story". As we shared our morning together, I look over to find her sharing a story. Love watching her pretend.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Project 52:45 - Babywearing

Babywearing: Since Claire was about 3 months old I have carried her in a sling. I loved having my hands free, the support of the sling on my back and the ability to sense what it was she was needing because I held her so much. Well, now we are allllll toddler... and I could not continue to carry a 25lb toddler in a sling on my hip for very long. I mean, its still a fast way to pop her into my arms... but not for extended periods of time. With the time change, little one has been really fussy around 4pm when I start dinner. She wants to see what it is I am doing up at the counter... and will constantly push herself between me and the stove/counter/pantry whatever it is, until I pick her up. Well that is not too productive and clearly she is needing some attention during this time. Enter the woven wrap! Wraps are good for all ages and weights, I just now found one I could try before I purchased. They are handmade and actually could increase in value. So this is how we cook these days... or maybe take a walk...or go shopping. I can carry her in several different positions... and the key..... I have worn her for over 30 mins and due to the support of the wrap, felt GREAT! When she wants to get on my back, she will go grab the wrap, bring it to me and say "Back, back, back" - love it! Its a new thing for toddler and Mommy. You can also learn more at Fort Worth Babywearers - mamas helping other mamas figure it all out! 

PS: I have been a little slow to post bc in the move I misplaced my camera battery charger. Those babies are $50 bones to replace... so I just kept hunting until we found it! More to come soon.


I picked up the Project 52 idea from StyleBerry's blog - check her out, she inspires!

Project 52:41 - Afternoon Lunches

This week we took our lunch to the front porch and the park down the street. Claire and I have really enjoyed the drop in temperature...and she is also trying to enjoy my sandwich!




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Claire's Birthday Pictures

A couple weeks after Claire turned 1 we sold our house...which followed with us sleeping in 7 different beds before we unpacked here at Willing. As I work on her baby book tonight, I realized I never made a birthday post of her photos from the party and "mini" shoot we did in the backyard. It's hard to believe she will be 19mo in a couple days! Time is flying by... at lightening speed!

Fort Worth Creighton Model Intro Session

I will hold a Creighton Model Intro Session on October 25th at 7pm. If you are in the Fort Worth area, and interested in learning this method of family planning or want more answers because you are struggling with infertility, take a look at this website www.creightonmodel.com and RSVP to me for the October session. This first meeting is free of charge. 


Nicole 
nicolehavrilla@gmail.com 

Before & After : Living Room, Inspiring Willing

Well, it is coming together! I am such a creature for comfortable spots. From the cozy spot at a coffee shop, to the window seat on a plane - I must always find the spot I am most comfortable in, to enjoy myself. Well, this house is a work in progress... but, the living room is almost done. We need a fan to replace the beautiful chandelier (that we will reuse somewhere else in the house) and a rug that will run from the bookcase to the love seat - both could take a while longer, so I wanted to share what we have so far. Thanks for helping me make the curtains Mom, I think they are fabulous! 

Before & After:

Body Healed...

When I started my blog I wanted to share the journey I was having with endometriosis... and how there are better answers for women out there - NaproTechnology! While I was sharing my story, I held back on our TTC story. It was too emotional to share, knowing co-workers might see too much. 

I didn't have an opportunity to share how George and I went over to a friends house in December of 2008.... so the husband could show George how to do HCG injections for me. When I look back now... laying on their couch, having the husband get everything ready and then giving step by step directions to George on how to do the shot properly. It blows my mind the journey we started out on. 

So a little recap and lesson learned... I was on HCG shots, Fertile CM, and Vitamin B6. I was having CM issues. We started this monthly process in January 09 and by May I was pretty emotional that after surgery and 5 months of this, maybe it wasn't going to happen. I know its a short time... but the needles every month were messing with my mind. I would rather you throw spiders at me then stick me with needles. I once told my mom as a little girl, "I am not going to have a baby bc they have to stick a needle in your arm!" - Joke is clearly on me! 

So June we conceived Claire and the rest you should know... took a blood test at 4 weeks to confirm pregnancy and test progesterone. I was low on progesterone, like we expected and started shots that week. Didn't see my local OB until 10 weeks - and he was very open to working with Dr. Hilgers and his progesterone protocol. We had a beautiful pregnancy and delivered at 40 weeks! 

Now, 18 mo later, we are trying for #2... and I figured I would share. Share for two reasons... to help others and to spread the word of NaproTechnology! 

Last Friday I drove around all afternoon trying to find someone to draw my blood for a peak plus 7 draw...so I could send it to PPVI lab. See, the way the normal medical communities works is not the same as the lab at PPVI, so I wanted to ship my blood to Omaha and have their lab run the test. Hours later I come home so frustrated because NO ONE WILL DO THIS! I would have paid $100 dollar for the service of taking my blood, spin it and then give it to me... nope, no can do. I came home beyond frustrated. Within the hour I got a call from a sweet dear friend who has been down this road here in the DFW area... and she had answers. She directed me to a hospital with a lab that was happy to help... a small hospital with a sweet wonderful lady. Got everything taken care of and then off to the airport to overnight the sample... and wait. 

You see, we have tried for a couple of months... and while its only been a couple of months, to someone with infertility I am already freaking out. With my history, after calling PPVI, they wanted to see what my levels were this month... and you know what... I am fine, TOTALLY FINE! Estro was 11 and Progesterone was 13... absolutely within range. We just need to relax and try... they see no reason why it would be a problem for us this time. So, we'll relax for a couple of months and maybe do some cycle reviews. 

I am currently waiting for thyroid results... those take a couple weeks.

In the end... after surgery... after hormone support to get pregnant... hormone support to keep the baby growing... drug free delievery... I am healed. 

Everything looks good. Gods time.... 

You should read the blog I follow below, Hebrews... she has a good story too. 

If you are still searching for answers, there is a community here to support you.. and real doctors who are open to different treatments to help you. More to come :)  

Project 52:36 - Coasters

Coasters - Everyday she takes notice of what I do. This morning, she went and picked her own coaster to set her water on... just like Mommy sets her coffee.

She didn't feel her self today... there was lots of holding and rocking... and lots of times I thought, "She is only 18mo once"... how does she grow so fast? When we were in high school we wanted to be in college... when in college we wanted to be conquering the business world... when single we wanted to be married so badly... now that I have her, I want time to just slow down... slow down. Staying at home with her is a sacrifice, I want to work... but, "She is only 18mo once"... and this struggle I have to be creative, is poured into sharing coasters together.

I picked up the Project 52 idea from StyleBerry's blog - check her out, she inspires!

NaProTechnology vs. IVF - - LIVE DEBATE

Live Webcast of Dr. Hilgers’ Debate in Poland

Thomas Hilgers, MD will be debating one of Poland’s leading IVF physicians on Friday, September 23rd (2:00 am CST) following his Thursday, September 22nd (4:00 am CST) lectures on NaProTechnology at the Polish Society of Perinatal Medicine meeting in Poznan, Poland. Both meetings will be broadcast live on the Internet. Tune in to hear the live webcasts of Dr. Hilgers as he presents the culture of life and the benefits of NaProTechnology at a conference for perinatologists in Poland.    

For more information visit:  http://www.drhilgers.com

Project 52:35 - Mommy Trips

Mommy Trips:catching a fast trip from DFW to ORD to spend time with family...and to show everyone how fast we are growing. On a trip to Grant Park, Claire wanted to skip the little kid swing and prove she can manage the big kid one. Where does the time go? No more baby, all toddler.





- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Project 52:34 - Dinner on Time

Recently we developed a bit of a routine around here. After the massive move... massive in that any move with a baby is massive.... we are now sleeping and napping regularly! To keep this new routine requires mommy and daddy to eat dinner during dinner time and not at 7:30. Dinner is ready when George gets home (normally) and we move right into sitting down before 5:30. Afterwards, we have cleanup and some play followed by bath and in bed by 8! Enjoying her dinner :)

I picked up the Project 52 idea from StyleBerry's blog - check her out, she inspires!

Its becoming a home...

Thought I would load a couple before and after photos of the recent paint and stair remodel. Its a process, and we are starting to feel more like its our home.

Dark green - - - too dark for our things!  

Nice new cream.... makes the room seem lighter

too dark

light and ope 

Dark red and a light pink on the ceiling.... too much

Light grey... looks blue, but its grey

Master bedroom... Fathers Day

Light Blue... and we painted the ceiling... not sure we like it 

other side of the master

No pantry store... 

Really, no where to out my cans of soup!  

Welcome to the land of IKEA! 

Its a process... getting everything put in its place. 

So, its coming together. More photos with furniture and such to come.