I am currently spending a disproportionate amount of my waking life looking at images of Petri dishes from google images .

Not completely unusual for someone with my interests and in my line of work , but even for me  , sitting in Starbucks and looking at image after image of all things ( and I mean ALL things ! ) fertility related is taking it  a little too far I think …I am amazed I didnt get kicked out actually …

Anyway the reason for this new found hobby of mine is that we are in the final stages of putting together the book we have been working on over the last year or so entitled ” FERTILE THINKING ” .

It is an exciting process and one which is hurtling towards completion , hence the huge push to get the front cover right . And hear in lies my dilemma . And indeed not just mine but one many people involved in the world of A.R.T have had to deal with :

” ARE IMAGES OF BABIES HELPFUL OR UNHELPFUL ?”

For example many many clinics I know and respect choose actively to cover their walls with the success stories . Their literature has babies , their merchandise have babies , it is a very pro baby stance indeed !

And certainly there are many positives to doing this . I remeber many times during treatment when reading a success story , or looking at the baby walls would be such an encouragment .

IT CAN WORK !!

This could be me next !

More exclamation marks !

I remember especially a programme on the Discovery channel following IVF stories which became my absolute must see TV ( though my husband never could quite understand why a hard day at the clinic should be followed by watching someone eles hard day at the clinic …! )

Babies and all things related was at times a real source of hope .

HOWEVER …You knew it was coming .. equally there were days when I just couldnt bear to see anything to do with babies or pregnancy . I would walk out of rooms , cross streets and avoid looking at anyone even remotely knocked up .

One particular day I remember walking into a room of 5 friends , two of whom I didnt realise would be there , and came attatched to newborns . Needless to say I stayed for a very short amount of time and then pro actively went and sat in the car and screamed …it helped .

It was always such a double edged sword .

And yet that is the experience of anyone going through Infertility in general .

Bloomin double edged  ,Bloomin sword .

Not an easy one at all .

Remaining hopeful positive and realistic whilst remaining cautious , scared and realistic..

To look at the baby or not .

Possibly both then .

And so I am left with the decision re the cover , and the indecision re how to best get the book out there and hopefuly being of use to as many people as possible .

Watch this space .

Now ..back to those images of Petri dishes …

Best wishes

Anya