Disclosure – this is collaborative post.
Learning that you may never be able to have biological children can be very difficult to hear. You will need to take your time to mourn and start looking at ways that you can get back on your feet and get on with your life. Don’t think that there isn’t hope, however. Some alternatives can give you the feeling of being a parent without conceiving one biologically. There are also tons of ways to live a full life without having biological heirs. Let’s take a look at a few tips that will help you with an infertility diagnosis.
Know That You’re Not Alone
The first thing you should know is that you’re not the only one with this diagnosis and that there are plenty of groups for people like you. Groups like Infertility Network UK, for instance, have tons of resources and events for women and couples dealing with infertility and can provide advice on possible treatment options, provide support, and give you guidance on how to live a normal life with your condition.
Consider Alternative Pregnancy Options
If you don’t qualify for things like IVF therapy or if only one of you is infertile, then you could look at alternative options like surrogacy. If you have healthy zygotes, then you could go for gestational surrogacy. This is when the sperm and the egg get fertilised in vitro and implanted into the mother. With this type of surrogacy, the baby will be fully yours and will have no biological connection with the surrogate mother whatsoever. The child will be yours legally as well, which is very important to note.
If you can’t produce healthy eggs, on the other hand, then the other option would be to go with a traditional surrogacy where the surrogate mother is fertilised by the sperm of the father. You will get custody of the child, but it will remain the surrogate’s from a biological standpoint and nothing is stopping them from claiming the child as their own, so be prepared for that.
Consider Foster Care
Another thing you could consider would be to go for foster care. This could allow you to feel like real parents and the children you welcome will often see you as a parent as well.
We could suggest adoption too, but that’s too permanent of a choice to be making if you don’t know how things will work out. Starting as a foster parent will allow you to know if you’re cut out for parenting and how you like the experience. You should also know that you can adopt children after being their foster parent under special circumstances. If you want to learn more about how foster care works and about different types of foster care arrangements, you can check out thefca.co.uk.
Getting hit with an infertility diagnosis is tough for anyone but know that there is still hope. Don’t be afraid to reach out and consider looking for professional help if you feel it is too much for you to cope with.
Disclosure – this is a collaborative post.
