Kiersten Coughlin & kyle Coughlin

Kiersten Coughlin & kyle Coughlin's Story:

My husband and I had decided we wanted a large family while we were still dating. We never really "started trying" but we also never prevented. After dating for about a year, we got pregnant in July of 2016. We were thrilled, only to then miscarry 7 weeks later. We waited until my HCG counts went back to 0, and decided to start trying again immediately. In the mean time, we got engaged, moved houses, changed jobs, got married. By December 2017 we figured there must be an issue. I went to my OB/Gyn and he told me to try for 3 more months, lose some weight and get my husband a sperm analysis. I scheduled a follow up for March 2018, but was convinced I would be pregnant by then. With PCOS, weight control is a huge deal, and I decided I was going to defy the statistics and really, TRULY, lose weight. I started eating better, working out etc. My husband got a Sperm analysis and we learned he had swimmers, but they were not shaped properly which could be a contributing factor. By March 2018, I was down about 27 pounds, and ready to really figure out why we were not pregnant. At that time, we were referred to a fertility specialist. By fall of 2018, it was clear we were going to need some more help. HSG was clear, Clomid had failed 3 months in a row and an exploratory lap (for Endometriosis) was done. My RE recommended IVF. When quoted the price, with my insurance - we would have out of pocket total of $11,000! We just simply could not afford it. Additionally, my RE wanted to have my labs better (labs, I could not change! AMH, FSH etc..my TSH was the ONLY lab he was happy with...). I really started panicking at this point because I was convinced we would never be parents. We explored fostering, adoption, and just kept coming back to IVF.

I joined some Facebook groups and learned about CNY. We scheduled a consult and met via phone with Dr. Corley on January of 2019. From here, things went very fast! He made my medication recommendations and by early February we were ready to start. My husband and I traveled to Albany on Presidents Day weekend of 2019 for retrieval. We were blessed to freeze 12, Day 5 embryos all high quality.

I returned with my mom and grandmother in tow March 12, 2019 for FET. Hubby stayed home to care for the dogs! We had an amazing spa weekend in Albany at the Healing Arts Center and I swear it was needed after the bitter cold temperatures. I did massage and acupuncture before and after. March 18, 2019 we learned we were pregnant!

I kept thinking, waiting, praying the other shoe did not drop - CNY seemed too good to be true. But it never did. I was very nervous throughout my pregnancy, whether it was suffering a loss, or seeing the worst situations first hand (thank you to being a nurse!) but somehow everything worked out perfectly. November 12, 2019 - nine months to the day of FET - at 37w6d, I went into labor at work and gave birth to our beautiful daughter, Kennedy Mae!

Favorite Team Member at CNY:

So many to mention, but Jackie was great! I also loved Donna. She is no longer with you, but I remember calling her after my second ultrasound for retrieval (the first one after starting stims) and being HYSTERICAL because the sonographer told me "I had no follicles, and my doctor must be a sham!!" Donna calmed me down, explained I had TONS of follicles, all still very small because we were very early in process and we would keep watching them grow. She was right!!

Helpful resources Kiersten Coughlin & kyle Coughlin found:

I wish I had known about the programs you offered ahead of time. I feel like a welcome packet should go out to people (even electronically) that tells them what "extras" we can do and prices! I got lost in those consent forms and I definitely think if we had known about massages and acupuncture and yoga earlier, I would have taken more advantage of them.

Unique Moments:

Donna - calming me down after my breakdown about having NO follicles - silly Sonographer....

Biggest high was finding out we were having a little girl, and meeting her!

Hope, Inspiration and Advice:

Do your research - don't rely solely on others. Also, find cycle buddies. It can be hard when your cycle works and theirs doesn't (or vice versa, which happens....) but you NEED these women in your life, fighting this rollercoaster called infertility. Lastly, be thankful and don't compare yourself. We got 12 embryos, some get 30, others get a single one. It's ALL okay!