It has been 6 months and I feel healed. However, I couldn't shake the fact that I need to get this message out.
After having my little one, I had lost all the weight I had gained during my first pregnancy and was back down to my pre-baby
shape. Some time had past and I was really enjoying motherhood. I began to feel cluckie, as you do and I wished for another baby.
Unbeknown to me I had a folic acid metabolizing issue in my body. Folic Acid is extremely important in cell health, and especially for those of cells that make babies.
As I didn't know I had no cause for any concern, I had delivered naturally and Codi was healthy. During this first pregnancy I really took care of myself and was taking a lot of vitamins and minerals that a friend who was into preventative medicine had given me. I am so thankful that I followed his advice and took this regime of vitamins and minerals which contained a lot of folic acid.
The second time round, I had forgotten that I had taken all these minerals and vitamins, being sooo busy with my first. I thought, like most mums/moms, I have done it before and voila, I am sure having baby number two will happen again...easy.
Not so. What I am about to tell you, has been an experience of really getting to understand life, nature and who I really am and the inner strength I needed to muster. I must say I am so much better for facing it, being able to share it, and have some purpose in getting this out for women to read, and hopefully encourages themselves to get the simple test done. I's funny now in hindsight I do remember a news cast about a warning for mothers to have this test. I was three miscarriages too late.
We lost our little girl Jasmine at 16 weeks (14 weeks gestation). I also had a previous miscarriage at 8 weeks (6 weeks gestation) which I was only given two options (naturally or D&C), I did the D&C. I also had a miscarriage that was like a normal period, in between these two, at the 4 weeks mark. The first miscarriage was a little difficult because of the lack of information of what I was about to go through and it wasn't a pretty experience (put it this way I wish I had the strongest pain killers times 50). I got over this mentally as I knew that this was a natural occurance after having a child. The second miscarriage just made me feel frustrated. The last miscarriage was more about the mental affects as I had already passed the three month mark and I subsequently went into shock when I was told the baby had died.
It was at this point I knew this experience was greater than me and I definitely said yes for pastoral care to come and talk to me. It was a great healing process and journey. One that made me feel like some sort of closure with all the other losses I have experienced (grandad passing, parents divorcing etc) and more importantly reminded me how precious the ones in your family who are already living.
I was told, don't be surprised if you don't find anything wrong with your body, after 5 vials of blood was extracted from me.
Well, they were wrong!
I had been referred to a lady that changed my life. She had previously worked for the
Jocelyn Centre in Sydney, whom the founder had written the popular book series "Natural Way to Better Babies" and whom the top IVF clinics send their patients to, to "get healthy" before they begin their IVF programs. This Natropath had recently moved to my home town Perth and was helping women with their fertility problems. She just did this extra test, that she mentioned doctors don't do.
As soon as she told me, poor thing she was so excited to tell me...I just burst out crying! More so in relief, but even more so, just how a close call my life is sometimes.
The most amazing thing was that I have found out why I have been miscarrying...I don't metabolize folic acid that comes standard in a bottle from the pharmacy/chemist. I am now taking the specially made Metagenics brand called "Vessel Care" for women with my metabolizing issue.
I really suggest anyone reading this to consider that out of 100% of women, only 70% of women can metabolize the standard bottled form of folic acid, 30% can't metabolize it
and don't know it...well, I am 10% of the 30% that not only can't metabolize from standard tablets, I can't metabolize from food as well, which is a real issue not only for normal body functions, but most importantly for healthy conceiving.
I even did a search for "
Healthy Methylation and Homocysteine Levels" and the information was a little unnerving. You see folic acid is an amino acid and it one of the most important building blocks of life. That is why you are told to take folic acid three months before trying to conceive and during the duration of your pregnancy.
If I hadn't found out about this, I would have kept miscarrying and if I did have a successful pregnancy, the baby would have serious problems as a consequence of no folic acid in my body, let alone provide it to the foetus.
I now take a form of folic acid made especially for people like me that cannot absorb folic acid in food or in the standard form.
I will now need to also take "
vessel care" for life as folic acid is an essential mineral that helps my body function as well as a vital mineral during my baby making years. Hubby will also need to take folic acid when we are trying. I have two genetic strands of this issue and hubby has one, so to boost our chances of a baby and a very healthy baby, we both will take folic acid when we start trying.
It is a simple blood test to find out. I am so lucky, I was taking very high levels of folic acid, along with omega three's, plant derived minerals etc with my only son against advice I was given, and didn't make the connection when I decided for number two, to just take the normal folic acid, as well as a pregnancy multi-vitamin from the chemist. So I am so glad I did take the high doses to have a healthy boy, with only a lazy eye to speak of, which is getting better after his mini operation.
Lets hope it works for number two. My natropath has told me that I still need to continue to keep my body healthy, but now I am in the US I am not charting my temperature consistently, but I do aim to get my levels checked out of iron and folic acid. At least I am following orders to take vessel care everyday and planning to lose the post-pregnancy weight gain from the last miscarry in a healthy way.
For all women out there, before conceiving I hope you ask for your folic acid absorption test, even if it's just for piece of mind.
I also must advise that you must see your doctor or a qualified person in the medical field to have the correct medical test and prescribed medication, as I have done. Find out all the facts and conduct all the necessary tests, if you have been miscarrying constantly. I am only recommending that this test also be included in your investigation to any fertility Issues. This is only the experience of what I went through, sharing my experience to encourage others to have this additional test done.
(April 2007) (
