375th Issue of the LFCA

Welcome to today's edition of Connections Abound. The point to Lost and Found is to level the support playing field. When LFCA works correctly, the newest blogger with the smallest readership can receive the same level of support as the oldest blogger with the largest readership. Anyone can submit news to LFCA by clicking here.

Lost and Found is open to anyone in the infertility, pregnancy loss, adoption, pregnancy-and-parenting after infertility, assisted conception, living child-free after infertility or loss community (as well as anyone I inadvertently missed on that list). Please support the list as well as anyone posting announcements below.

Connections Abound

MISCELLANEOUS NEWS
New

• Kirtsy'd Pick O' the Day: Please vote for this one from Little Bluebirds Fly. A heartbreaking post explaining how baby lost mothers feel on Mother's Day. How do you vote? Simply by clicking on the words "this one" above and then clicking on the post's title. Why the Kirtsy'd Pick O' the Day? Click on that link in the header navigation bar above for the story. And send me stuff!
• Radio Show: On this week’s Creating a Family Radio Show (Wed., May 6), we’ll be talking about how to make the BIG decisions in infertility. You may feel powerless in infertility, but once in treatment, there are decisions you have to make. How far up the technology ladder should you go? IVF? Donor egg? When should you stop? How do patients make these big decisions and what’s important when trying to decide. My guests will be one of the leading researchers in this field, psychologists Dr. Shana Millstein, Professor at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, and Dr. Madeline Licker Feingold, a therapist in private practice specializing in infertility. Send any questions to dawn@creatingafamily.com and listen in either during the show (12-1 Eastern Time) or after it airs at the radio page of www.CreatingaFamily.com, or download it from iTune.
• Question: My Life In Stirrups had a beta of zero today s our next step is clomid with IUI. She is in need of advice/suggestions on clomid and IUI.
  
• Question: Luna writes: "We’d like to prepare the kids in our family and in our circle of friends for the arrival of our little one. We are looking for a book to share with our young nieces and nephews, our child’s cousins, and other kids ranging in age from 1 to 12. After all, they know there is no baby growing in my belly. They actually have not yet met K, though some of them may meet her soon. We thought it might be a good idea to first prepare them with a story… My sense is there are no good books out there geared towards other children who were not adopted or siblings of a child who was adopted. Can anyone suggest a book to share with other kids about welcoming a child into our family through adoption? Any words of wisdom about how you prepared your nieces and nephews about the new addition to your family?" Go over to her blog to leave book titles.
• Question: Somewhat Ordinary asks: "I had a friend from college contact me because she found out her friend's 4th attempt at IVF didn't work. She wants to know what she should say or do for her friend. Since I haven't been through that situation I wanted to maybe get ideas from ladies who have had a friend do something really nice for them after failed cycles." If you have ideas on something special her friend can do to show this person how much they are loved, please send SO an email.
  

Old

• Blogger Beware: DD had a post last week about Wellsphere and since they seem to be leaving comments on blogs and since a lot of us are health bloggers, people should understand how Wellsphere works and why you may not want to give permission for them to use your RSS feed. There was a post last winter on the Wall Street Journal blog about the site.
• Giveaway: Kat is giving away a book about one woman's struggles with infertility. The book is called Waiting for Daisy, and provided Kat with a lot of hope during this journey. Just go to Kat's blog, and leave a comment, and you will be automatically entered into the drawing that will take place this Friday at noon [editor's note: it was the fourth selection of the Barren Bitches book choices if you want to read more about it].
• Forums: If you are not a member of the forums, you will not have access to the LFCA on days when we are utilizing an open thread in the forums instead of posting on this site. Any blog reader or writer can become a member of the forums by clicking here and registering. On days when we don't have the LFCA, it also follows that I'll be slow on approving new members (that whole lack of Internet access thing) so please be patient.

NEW BLOGS (started in April or May 2009)

• Stuck in a Baby Drought (general IF)
• Not Pregnant (pg loss, female factor)
  

BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES (celebrate your birthday or blogoversary with the community. Send me date at any point and I'll post them on the correct day)

• Salvageable celebrated her blogoversary last week. Go over and wish her congratulations.
• Rachel is celebrating her birthday this week. Go over and have a piece of cake with her.

LOSS REMEMBRANCES (send in the dates of loss anniversaries and I will post them on the correct day)

• None Today.
  

LOSS ANNOUNCEMENTS

• It Is Tuesday, Right? has lost her half-brother to a stroke, and could use some hugs.

MISCELLANEOUS SUPPORT AND CELEBRATIONS (scary scans, anxious waits, OHSS, and a host of other reasons why these bloggers could use some additional support right now. Also, celebratory retrievals, transfers, and other good news)

• Trying to Make Three has changed her blog name to Salvageable after separating from her husband. Please go give her support.
• Michelle is having her preventative cerclage put in May 19. She could use all the prayers/thoughts/support she can get. She is scared of the surgery and scared that it won't work.
• Turtle and Monkey's mama's divorce was granted yesterday, and she bought a house. She could use some love and goodness.
  

BEDREST BABES: on bedrest following infertility or loss and needing support. Drop in on them and keep them company.

• Sadie from Our Little Pebbles has been admitted to the hospital. She's 29 weeks today. She'll be in the hospital until the babies are born, hopefully not for a few more weeks, but based on her cervical measurements and contractions could be any day. She, her husband, and those babies need lots of good thoughts.
• Mrs M@sk has been put on bedrest at 26 weeks with incompetent cervix. She will be there until her little girls are born, which will hopefully not be too soon. Her doctor is aiming for 30 weeks. Go keep her company and send her good thoughts.

PREGNANCY ANNOUNCEMENTS AND NEWS

• After a brief bleeding scare, Infertile, Who Me's ultrasound showed a healthy baby measuring right on track at 7w4d!
• Polly saw a heartbeat and took home a picture!
• Annie had a great ultrasound at 25 weeks and has been cleared to go ahead with with the home birth plan she has been hoping for.
• By the Pricking of My Thumbs had a good ultrasound with a heartbeat! Go congratulate her.
  
• Barb is pregnant with terrific betas! Go congratulate her on being the bomb.
  

BIRTH AND ADOPTION ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Merlot and Jameson received "the call". They are on their way to Florida today! More news when they post.
  

Read and Support