Whitney’s Unexplained Infertility Story

Each week I interview someone who has experienced infertility firsthand.  This week I interviewed Whitney from Beauty and the Mess.  I love her blog and I was so happy she was willing to share her infertility story with us.

Q.  Tell us a little about yourself.

Hello! My name is Whitney and I blog over at Beauty in the Mess. Married to my husband for 13 years, we have four children ranging in age from 5.5 years and 9 months. I am a DIY crafter at heart, and love to encourage women right where they are. We all have a story that needs to be told.

Q.  How long did you TTC and what issues were you facing?

We tried to conceive for 7 years. If only we knew what the issues were. All the tests came back normal. We were in the small percentage that didn’t have answers. That was hard.

Q.  What was your lowest point and how did you survive it?

After seven years of living the roller coaster of emotions each month, I was finished. I couldn’t hope and wish for a baby anymore. I gave up. It was a very lonely time. I survived by inviting my friends in. It was hard. They didn’t fully understand, but they tried.

Q.  How did you take care of yourself physically, emotionally, and spiritually during your struggles?

I didn’t do a great job of taking care of myself. It was before I was really aware of just how much our food affects our bodies. Sharing our struggle with our small group from church was extremely helpful. Although I still felt broken, a weight was lifted after I shared my heart with them.

Q.  Which books, quotes, websites, verses, movies, songs, etc. have been an encouragement to you during your journey?

Proverbs 3:5-6 has been one of my favorites since high school. It was especially helpful during this time.

Q.  Did your experience with infertility affect your subsequent pregnancies or how you view your children now?

I am completely aware of what a blessing it is to be pregnant. I will never forget my empty arms. I always dreamed of being a Mommy and having those dreams dashed for years was heartbreaking. I wouldn’t wish infertility on anyone. It’s interesting though, that now I feel guilty for not having all the babies. It’s kind of hard to explain and I’m currently working through it. Expect a blog post soon :). I remember desperately wanting a baby and begging God to have favor on me. It’s hard to go from that to getting pregnant quickly.

Q.  Have you been able to find a “silver lining” in your infertility?

Being able to share our struggle and letting others know that they aren’t alone. While I know that not every story ends as ours did, I pray that couples find hope in our story.

Q.  Anything else you’d like to tell my readers?

Infertility sucks. It just does. But know that you aren’t alone. Infertility is a silent struggle that few talk about but many walk down that road. Open up to your close friends. They may not completely understand, but it will bring light to the struggle of infertility. You never know, they may share the same secret. Even if they already have one child, or even two. Secondary infertility is a real thing that even fewer people talk about or even acknowledge. Hugs, sweet friends.

Many thanks to Whitney for sharing her story.  Please leave a comment below to let her know you appreciate her.  You can find out more about Whitney on her blog.  You can also follow her on Instagram, and Twitter.

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