Real life

A story of hope

“WE USED TO

sit in the fertility clinic waiting room and joke about potential baby names that would befit the journey that we had been through. Names like ‘Persevere’ and ‘Nevergiveup’ were at the top of our list,” jokes Sarah Hillermann from Cape Town.

FINALLY, A MIRACLE

“After many failed attempts to fall pregnant, countless injections and with not much hope left, we heard of an immunologist who examines your digestive system and menstrual blood and through this determines what could be causing failed implantation of embryos. At the time it seemed like a far-fetched idea, but we were clutching at straws. After some testing, he was convinced that chronic inflammation in my gut was the potential cause of my infertility. He prescribed some natural medication and told me to come back the following month. “But, we never needed to go back, because during that two-week period between taking the medication and waiting to see him again, I fell pregnant… naturally. The excitement and happiness that filled our hearts that day and over the next few months I’ll always treasure. It was so hard to believe I was pregnant. I didn’t allow myself to get too excited, as I was so anxious that something was going to go wrong.”

WELCOMING BABY ISLA INTO THE WORLD

“We decided to opt for an elective caesarean. Nine exciting months passed and it was finally time for our baby to make her entrance into the world – the day we’d been waiting and dreaming of for such a long time. We were incredibly nervous, and desperately wanted everything to be perfect. “We got to the hospital at 9am and had to wait anxiously until 1pm for our time. The hours seemed like days. I’m generally quite an anxious person and don’t enjoy hospitals, so I became quite emotional when I was wheeled into theatre. I remember lying on the table and feeling my baby kicking as if to say, ‘Don’t worry, Mom, I’m alive and well and I can’t wait to meet you’. The procedure seemed to go well, my tummy muscles held her quite tightly and so forceps had to be used to get her out. My gynaecologist then lifted our baby girl up and I couldn’t believe my eyes. She was the most beautiful baby I’d ever seen! When her eyes met mine I couldn’t help the tears. I was so grateful. I got to hold her for some time while they stitched me up. I’ll never forget her fast breathing against my cheek; it was so overwhelming. “My husband and I often say to each other that we still can’t believe we fell pregnant, and our precious baby is finally here. Maybe when she’s 10 we’ll get over it! It definitely only hit us when she was born.” “We named her Isla Hope as a reminder of the hope she has instilled in us throughout this trying process. Despite Isla not being conceived via treatments in the end, we would be more than happy to do the same again, for the pure reason that our little miracle is worth it in every way.”

MY HUSBAND AND I OFTEN SAY TO EACH OTHER THAT WE STILL CAN’T BELIEVE WE FELL PREGNANT, AND OUR PRECIOUS BABY IS FINALLY HERE