Getting Pregnant
QUESTION
Dear Midwife,
My partner and I have been trying to have a child for 2 years already and we haven't achieved our goal. He has a daughter with his old relationship, and I'm starting to think that I'm the one with the problem.
I'm a healthy 24 year old, don't smoke, drink, I'm in good health. My partner on the other hand drinks. I would like more information on trying to get pregnant and tip's to maximize my chances of becoming a mother soon.
ANSWER
If your partner drinks a lot, his fertility may have changed (especially if he also smokes), but only a sperm analysis could say for sure.
Since it has been more than 12 months, it is time to have a check-up with someone experienced in infertility. Often, it is something pretty simple that solves the whole problem.
-- Cynthia, CNM. PhD.
Cynthia Flynn
Cynthia Flynn, CNM. PhD, is the General Director of the Family Health and Birth Center which provides prenatal, birth, postnatal, gynecological and primary health care to underserved women and their families in Washington, D.C. Recently Cynthia served as Associate Professor of Nursing at Seattle University. There she not only taught, but remained in full scope clinical midwifery practice at Valley Medical Center where she cared for pregnant and birthing women, and practices well-woman gynecology, family planning, and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.
Cynthia founded Columbia Women's Clinic and Birth Center, where she took care of pregnant women and infants up to two weeks of age and attended both birth center and hospital births. Before Cynthia earned her CNM, she worked as a registered nurse in labor and delivery and postpartum and is a certified Doula and Doula trainer.
