Emoblopedia: Third Party Reproduction

Welcome to the third party reproduction page of the emoblopedia. This section is written by men and women who have chosen donor egg/insemination or surrogacy as their path to parenthood. Some are also the product of third party reproduction themselves, but in the interest of space and the fact that the emoblopedia is housed on a blog about infertility and pregnancy loss, we have chosen to include only entries written from either those contemplating or actively utilizing this aspect of assisted conception as well as people who are parents after utilizing donor egg/insemination or surrogacy. We hope that you find reading these blog entries helpful and they bring you a modicum of emotional comfort. They may help you find words to express how you are feeling or show you the light at the end of the tunnel. If you have your own blog and would like to contribute to the emoblopedia, submit all links to entries to Melissa at thetowncriers@gmail.com.

Deciding to proceed with a donor or surrogate

• No entries yet

Emotions surrounding the donor or surrogate experience

• Views From This Side of Using Donor Eggs (from Are We There Yet?)
  

Emoblopedia: Adoption

Welcome to the adoption page of the emoblopedia. This section is written by men and women who have chosen adoption as their path to parenthood. Some are also adoptees themselves, but in the interest of space and the fact that the emoblopedia is housed on a blog about infertility and pregnancy loss, we have chosen to include only entries written from either those contemplating or actively adopting as well as adoptive parents. We hope that you find reading these blog entries helpful and they bring you a modicum of emotional comfort. They may help you find words to express how you are feeling or show you the light at the end of the tunnel. If you have your own blog and would like to contribute to the emoblopedia, submit all links to entries to Melissa at thetowncriers@gmail.com.

Deciding to proceed with a domestic adoption

• No entries yet

Deciding to proceed with foster-to-adopt

• Tears and Fears (from Are We There Yet?)
  

Deciding to proceed with international adoption

• No entries yet

Getting through the homestudy

• No entries yet

Matching with an expectant mother

• No entries yet

Birthmothers and children

• No entries yet

When adoption plans change (terminating a match)

• D Day (from They Grow in Your Heart)

The emotions of a broken match

• Feeling Good (from They Grow in Your Heart)

The first day feeling at peace again after a broken match

• I'm a Happy Girl (from They Grow in Your Heart)
  

Long periods of waiting

• Homesick (from They Grow in Your Heart)
• Becoming Real (from Journeywoman)
• Oh Well (from Hell and High Water)
• Adoption Reflections (from Stranded on Infertility Island)

The first time meeting your child

• No entries yet

Expecting

• Expecting (from Stranded on Infertility Island)
  

Emoblopedia: Fertility Treatments

Welcome to the fertility treatments page of the emoblopedia, a catch-all category for all medications and forms of assisted conception--from Clomid to IVF with ICSI. Some of the entries below are written by men and women who have just started fertility treatments. Other entries are written by those who are into their seventh IVF cycle. We hope that you find reading these blog entries helpful and they bring you a modicum of emotional comfort. They may help you find words to express how you are feeling or show you the light at the end of the tunnel. If you have your own blog and would like to contribute to the emoblopedia, submit all links to entries to Melissa at thetowncriers@gmail.com.

The first time you took Clomid

• My Story (from Fertility Challenged in Florida)
  

The dreaded HSG

• New Kid With the Block (from Southern Comfortable)
• The HSG (from Relaxing Doesn't Make Babies)
• Is This a Sign? (from A Cop, A Nurse, 3 Dogs, and Maybe Baby)
  

Laparoscopy

• One-Tube Wonder (from Southern Comfortable)
• Hello Diagnosis... (from Relaxing Doesn't Make Babies)

Fears about starting fertility treatments

• The Road to Uncertainty (from Southern Infertility)
  

Excitement about starting fertility treatments

• Optimism (from The Waiting Womb)
  

A mix of emotions about starting fertility treatments

• Expectations, Hopes, Fears (from Southern Infertility)
• Expensive Ambivalence (from For the Flavor)
• Fashionably Late (from For the Flavor)

Deciding to proceed with IUI

• Feeling Better (from Relaxing Doesn't Make Babies)
  

Deciding to proceed with IVF

• I Should Add IVF to My Spellcheck (from Entrusted)
• Under Pressure (from Sticky Bun)
• Looking Forward Is Easier Than Looking Back (from Mission: Impossible)
  

Choosing a new RE

• No entries yet

Injection classes

• Insert Straight Into Skin Until Needle Disappears (from TTC with DH through IVF with AMA and a MF for a BFP)
• The Orientation Class (from Subfertile Sadness)

The first injection

• What Is Fear? (from Looking for 2 Lines)
  

Emotions after a first failed cycle after starting treatments

• The Classroom of Infertility, School of Life (from Infertile Fantasies)
• I Think It's Over (from Relaxing Doesn't Make Babies)
• Pour Me a Glass of Wine (from My Journey Towards My Little Miracle)
  

Emotions after a first failed IVF cycle

• Not Pregnant (from Relaxing Doesn't Make Babies)
• The Process of Mourning (from Relaxing Doesn't Make Babies)

GBLT experiences with clinics

• No entries yet

Good interactions with the RE or clinic

• No entries yet

Terrible interactions with the RE or clinic

• The Bad Patient (from Princess Smartypants)
• Presto! You're (not) Pregnant! (from Princess Smartypants)
• Why My Clinic Irritates Me (from Southern Infertility)
• CD4 Debaucle (from The Island)
  

Coming to terms with treatment not working

• Bye Bye Bio Baby (from Fortune Cookie Follies)
  

When enough is enough

• A Decision (from Miss E's Musings)
  

Deciding to move on from treatment

• Trying to Let Go (from Stranded on Infertility Island)

Hope management during a cycle

• More on Hope Management (from Serenity Now!)

Going into another cycle after a failed cycle

• FET Musings (from Serenity Now!)
• Being Positive is Tough (from Serenity Now!)
• Groundhog Day (from Somewhat Lower)
• Another Failed Cycle (from Sean and Mary's Family)
• The Review (from Our Own Creation)
  

OHSS

• The IF Chronicles: OHSS #1 (from Southern Infertility)
• No Transfer for Me (from Southern Infertility)
• Emerging to the World of the Living (from Southern Infertility)

Becoming a treatment veteran

• Why (from When's It Gonna Be My Turn?)

Waiting to start treatments

• Halfway There (from Our Own Creation)

Glucophage/Metformin

• Not For the Faint of Heart or Delicate of Stomach (from Our Own Creation)

Treatment stories

• It Could Have Been a Movie Scene [IUI] (from Entrusted)
• My "Ras" Hurts [IUI] (from Reproductive Jeans)
• You Asked, So I Will Answer [Multiple Treatments] (from Are We There Yet?)
• Miracles (from Relaxing Doesn't Make Babies)

Progesterone

• My G-d, I Hate Progesterone (from Princess Smartypants)

Emotions of cancelled cycles

• Insult to Injury (from TTC with DH Through IVF...)
• The Reality (from TTC with DH Through IVF...)
• The Junkie. The Pain (from TTC with DH Through IVF...)

Injection Fun!

• The Big Dipper (from Southern Infertility)
• Torture, Part One (from Southern Infertility)

Learning from cycles

• From Up to Down in the Blink of an Eye (from Relaxing Doesn't Make Babies)

Emoblopedia: General Infertility

Welcome to the general infertility page of the emoblopedia, a catch-all category for the emotional journey of infertility. Some of the entries below are written by men and women who are already doing fertility treatments. Other entries are written by those who are newly diagnosed with infertility. We hope that you find reading these blog entries helpful and they bring you a modicum of emotional comfort. They may help you find words to express how you are feeling or show you the light at the end of the tunnel. If you have your own blog and would like to contribute to the emoblopedia, submit all links to entries to Melissa at thetowncriers@gmail.com.

Receiving a diagnosis

• The Diagnostic Blilt (an all-blog compilation on Stirrup Queens and Sperm Palace Jesters)
• The Diagnostic Blilt Unraveled (an all-blog compilation on Stirrup Queens and Sperm Palace Jesters)
• Zip, Zero, Zilch! (from A Somewhat Ordinary Life)
• Zero and Clothes-On Consult (from Things Get IF'fy)
  

Family relations

• Stealthy Blogging (from Looking for 2 Lines)
• More Political Correctness? No Thanks... (from Coming2Terms)
• Mothers and Daughters (from The Waiting Womb)
• Fathers, Daughters, and TMI (from The Waiting Womb)
• Open Season (from Miss E's Musings)
• Ode to My Dad (from Princess Smartypants)
• Donor (from TTC with DH through IVF with AMA and a MF for a BFP)
• 3 March 2007 (from TTC with DH through IVF with AMA and a MF for a BFP)
• Waterworks Weekend (from Southern Infertility)

Coming out about infertility

• On the Issues of Coming Out with My Parents (from Serenity Now!)
• Coming Out (from The Waiting Womb)
• Grandma Wisdom (from Infertile Fantasies)

Being outed as infertile by another person

• He Knew Me When... (from Infertile Fantasies)
• Missed Milestone (from ...As Good As It Gets?)
  

Taking a break

• You Think You Know Me (from My Many Blessings)
• The Big Break (from Serenity Now!)
• Time Off is Good (from Southern Infertility)
• Faking a Break (from Me the Bumblebee)
• The Big Break (from Are We There Yet?)
• Thoughts From a Tornado (from Are We There Yet?)

Marriage difficulties while trying to conceive

• No entries yet

Marriage strengthening while conquering infertility

• Infertility as a Marriage Strengthener (from Serenity Now!)
• Being Thankful (from Serenity Now!)
• In My Dreams (from Princess Smartypants)
• Marriage Is... (from A Cop, A Nurse, 3 Dogs, and Maybe Baby)

Depression and infertility

• Passing Through Darkness (from Serenity Now!)
• Confessions of a Lurker (from Somewhat Lower)
• On Other People's Lives (from Looking for 2 Lines)
• What Kind of Person Am I? (from Southern Infertility)
• Sharing Secrets (from Southern Infertility)
• How I'm Feeling (from When's It Gonna Be My Turn?)
• Hauling Myself Out of This Hole (from Our Own Creation)
• Tuesdays 9 P.M. (from TTC with DH through IVF with AMA and a MF for a BFP)

Friendships and infertility

• A Confession About Newborns (from Coming2Terms)
• The Last Woman Standing (from Somewhat Lower)
• The Elephant in the Room (from Somewhat Lower)
• Conversation Etiquette for Fertile Myrtles (from Coming2Terms)
• Barrenness and Its Discontents (from Entrusted)
• Caution, Long Post Ahead (from Hell and High Water)
• More High Anxiety (from Stranded on Infertility Island)
• Varying Degrees (from A Cop, A Nurse, 3 Dogs, and Maybe Baby)

Need a good laugh?

• The Question, Revisited (from Somewhat Lower)
• Shuffling Through the Wait (from For the Flavor)
• Somewhere, An Interior Decorator Is Laughing Really Hard (from Our Own Creation)
• Mutiny (from Entrusted)
• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (from Princess Smartypants)
• I'm Too Sexy For This Infertility (from Princess Smartypants)
• Evolution of an Infertile (from Princess Smartypants)

Need a good cry?

• It's My Cave (from Journeywoman)
  

Emotions after a BFN (big fat negative)

• Trying...and Not Succeeding (from Serenity Now!)
• It is Definitely NOT Warm Out (from Looking for 2 Lines)
• Gloomy Tuesday (from Southern Infertility)
• Yesterday (from Flutter of Hope)
• Hate, Loathe, etc. (from Flutter of Hope)
• All Too Familiar Sight (from The Waiting Womb)
• IVF&M (from Infertile Fantasies)
• I Wonder What It's Like (from Kir's Corner)
  

Acceptance and peace during infertility

• I'm Feeling Good. And Ready. Really (from Serenity Now!)

Hope and infertility

• On Changes (from Serenity Now!)
• Taking Stock (from Serenity Now!)
• The Other Side Effects (from Somewhat Lower)
• Transfer (from Somewhat Lower)
• Cautious Optimism (from Flutter of Hope)
• Cautious Optimism--Part Two (from Flutter of Hope)
• Listen Now, to the Gentle Whispers of Hope (from Me the Bumblebee)
• Feeling Optimistic (from Third Time Lucky?)
• Huge Hope (from My Journey Towards My Little Miracle)
• Kazakhstan (from Infertile Fantasies)
• Better Than Good (from Infertile Fantasies)
• Hope (from Seed Dispersal Mechanisms)
• Hope Management (from Southern Infertility)

Infertility: a dirty little secret

• My Secret (from Serenity Now!)
• The Question (from Somewhat Lower)
• The Girl Next to Me (from Infertile Fantasies)
• Reminders Everywhere (from Southern Infertility)
  

Thinking about changing paths to parenthood

• On Quitting: Part Two (from Serenity Now!)

Pregnancy announcements and baby showers

• Surviving...Intact? (from Serenity Now!)
• I Was Never the Jealous Type (from Looking for 2 Lines)
• Green Monster (from Looking for 2 Lines)
• Envious (from Flutter of Hope)
• Pity Party For One (from The Waiting Womb)
• New Arrival (from Miss E's Musings)
• New Arrival, Part Two (from Miss E's Musings)
• You Down With OPP? (from For the Flavor)
• Other Peoples' Pregnancies (from Third Time Lucky)
• The Co-ed Baby Shower Extravaganza (from Stranded on Infertility Island)
• Sock It To Me (from Stranded on Infertility Island)
  

Thinking through choices

• 20 Questions (from Flutter of Hope)
• Gambling (from Miss E's Musings)
• Letting Go (from Miss E's Musings)
• Horoscopes (from Seed Dispersal Mechanisms)
• Panel Night (from Are We There Yet?)

A day in the life of an infertile woman

• Hello to Everyone I Missed (from When's It Gonna Be My Turn?)
• Anatomy of a Cycle (from The Waiting Womb)
• Strike That Last Post (from Miss E's Musings)
• A Day in the Life (from Princess Smartypants)
• Writing From Where I'm At (from Kir's Corner)
• Put Me in Coach (from Excuse Me...I'd Like a Refund on These Ovaries)
• What Happened to All My Plans (from My Soul Quest)
  

How infertility changes you

• Little By Little... (from Relaxing Doesn't Make Babies)
• My, Myself and I(nfertility) (from Princess Smartypants)
• Careful, That Infertility Stuff Can Kill Ya (from Kir's Corner)
• Test Me (from Curves With Attitude)
• Step Away From the Bee (from Me the Bumblebee)
• Will the Real Me Please Step Forward (from Stranded on Infertility Island)
  

Anger and infertility

• Frustration and Undirected Anger (from Relaxing Doesn't Make Babies)

Time and infertility

• Timing (from Third Time Lucky?)
• Woe-fullness (from Stranded on Infertility Island)
• 13 Degrees and Windy (from TTC with DH through IVF with AMA and a MF for a BFP)
• Tapping Into a New Vein (from Coming2Terms)
• The Waiting Blilt (an all-blog compilation on Stirrup Queens and Sperm Palace Jesters)
• The Waiting Blilt Unraveled (an all-blog compilation on Stirrup Queens and Sperm Palace Jesters)
• The Infertile's Dilemma (from Southern Infertility)

Finances and infertility

• And That's That (from Our Own Creation)
• Introductory 0% Fixed APR. No Annual Fee (from TTC with DH through IVF with AMA and a MF for a BFP)

Lifestyle changes for infertility

• Food and Family (from The I Word)

The ups and downs of the two week wait

• Counting Down and Cracking Up (from Princess Smartypants)
• Two Weeks' Wait (from Infertile Fantasies)
• T-2 Days (from Relaxing Doesn't Make Babies)
• T-1 Day: Stress and Panic (from Relaxing Doesn't Make Babies)

Thoughtless comments and other assvice

• So When Are You Going to Have Kids (from The I Word)
• The Selfish Route? Are you Serious?! (from Coming2Terms)
• Helpful Hints (from Subfertile Sadness)
• Dear Ass-Face (from Gypsyhick)
• In Which I Return to Ranting (from Gypsyhick)

Submission Format

In order to ensure quality and deter Internet abuse, the emoblopedia is entered by hand. It usually takes a few days for links to be entered in the emoblopedia. I always send back a note when the links have been added. You can help speed up the process by using the format below when sending your links.

Topic Name
Category Name
Title (URL)
Name of Blog (URL)

Obviously, it also helps greatly if you group together all of the links that are to be placed under the same topic (for example, all adoption links together or all general infertility links together). It also helps if you place a star next to any new category name (for instance, if you are creating a new category and sending a first link for the category, place an asterik next to the category name).

SAMPLE SUBMISSION

General Infertility
Friendships and Infertility
Sensitivity Chips and Salsa (http://stirrup-queens.blogspot.com/2007/03/sensitivity-chips-and-salsa.html)
Stirrup Queens (http://stirrup-queens.blogspot.com/)

If you have any questions about the emoblopedia or submitting links, please send them to thetowncriers@gmail.com.

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