At Dr. Tanya Williams Fertility Centre, we believe that sharing stories of success and perseverance helps inspire others undergoing or considering fertility treatment. We know that the pathway to fertility isn’t always just a smooth, straight line, but the destination is always worth it.
For most people, including our very own Kristin and her husband Triston, trying to conceive and grow a family is a journey and an adventure that has many unexpected twists and turns. But in the end, as Kristin says, “With a lot of love and even more science, [their] dreams became a reality,” and she welcomed her beautiful baby boy, Greyson, to the world in March 2020.
This is what Kristin has to say about her time with Dr. Tanya Williams and the story of her fertility journey.
If you could summarize your entire experience with Dr. Tanya & your fertility journey in one word, what would it be and why?
“Safe. I always knew that my husband and I were in the best possible hands and that everyone on Dr. Williams’ team, didn’t just talk the talk, but they walked the journey with you and were invested in your story. I felt comfortable and heard; no matter how many questions or concerns I had, I was always met with warmth and care that made me feel that I was in a safe place where I would always be valued.”
Before going to Dr. Tanya did you try any fertility tips and tricks at home? Did you feel like they helped?
“Not really. I think we knew pretty early on that there was something going on that required medical intervention. It was a gut feeling that something was just off.”
What was the “straw that broke the camel’s back” so to speak and led you to reach out to a fertility specialist?
“After 6 months of VERY active trying and monitoring ovulation without any success, I went to my family doctor who referred me to Dr. Williams as she trusted in me that I needed answers.”
Walk me through the emotional experience of your fertility journey with Dr. Tanya
“Naivety in the beginning and almost innocent optimism. Once we were told what was wrong (my husband does not have a vas deferens), it turned to shock, then anger (not at him, just at circumstance) and then sadness. After speaking with Dr. Williams and going through a lot of testing (both my husband and I), the optimism returned and we felt that our dream of having a child, making us a family, could actually happen.”
Let’s get technical: What fertility treatment or treatments did you go through? How many did you try before you found success?
“IVF with ICSI, and sperm aspiration for my husband. After our 1st full round (2017) we got pregnant but had an early miscarriage and the other embryo did not take. 2nd round (2018) was successful, but unfortunately, we lost our pregnancy with our son Mateo at 24 weeks. He lived for 5 hours. Then we did a 3rd full round (2019) and welcomed our perfect little boy Greyson, in March 2020.”
What was the most difficult moment throughout the whole process?
“Loss of hope. Losing one baby at 7-ish weeks was horrible, but the loss of our son at 24 weeks almost broke us. The idea that our hopes and dreams might never become reality was heavy and extremely difficult to navigate through.”
What helped you the most through the hardest parts of your fertility journey?
“The goal of becoming parents. We knew that we were meant to have a child, and even though we faced the worst pain I believe someone can go through after losing our babies, we went to counseling, we trusted in each other, and knew that Dr. Williams and her team were there with us every step of the way. We had invested so much of ourselves to this journey that we couldn’t give up when we truly believed that it would happen for us. With a lot of love and even more science, our dreams became a reality, and while the journey was an incredibly stressful one, full of beautiful highs and crushing lows, our perfect little boy is proof that the process works.”
How has your life changed since your experience with Dr. Tanya?
“It began. We are a family. The only reason we are is because of Dr. Williams and her team. They wouldn’t let us give up and gave us hope, held our hands, cried with us, and then dried our tears, allowing us the strength to persevere and remain focused on our goal. They are, and will always be, part of our family.”
Since your success with your fertility journey, have you considered options for having more children in the future?
“We have 2 embryos left that we are hoping to transfer in early 2021.”
Would you go back and change anything about your experience?
“No. Everything taught us something about ourselves individually and as a couple, and ultimately brought us Greyson.”
As is clear from Kristin’s words, there’s nothing that compares to the joy of welcoming your baby into the world after the rollercoaster of your fertility journey.
At Dr. Tanya Williams Fertility Centre, we’re always eager to help you through the ups, downs, ins and out of your fertility journey. After all, deciding to pursue fertility treatments can lead to some of the biggest – and happiest – surprises of your lives.
Are you on the first steps of your road to fertility and are unsure where to begin? Our team of fertility specialists are here to provide you with the trusted counsel and advice you need to grow your family.
Fill out our patient referral form to get started on your pathway to fertility today.
