We were so excited as newlyweds to start our family, but after a few years of trying, we were left with empty arms. It’s hard to hear the questions of “when are you guys having kids?” and watching your friends and family make their own happy announcements while you wait to make your own. My doctor recommended we see a specialist at Heartland to see if we could get things moving in the right direction. After having some tests done, it was recommended to do IVF. “Unexplained infertility” was our diagnosis. Dr. McTavish was always so kind and patient as he explained our course of treatment and encouraged us through the process. He was always willing to answer any questions we had and honest in telling us the statistics and facts. I was also so appreciative of our nurses who always had a smile, encouraging words to share, were there to ease our fears and hold my hand while having an egg retrieval when my husband wasn’t able to attend due to Covid. Our first round of IVF produced good quality embryos, but unfortunately none decided to stick. We decided to do a second round but added on genetic testing to further assess what could be preventing us from reaching our dream. One “normal” embryo was transferred in August 2020 and the two week wait began. Finally we saw a positive pregnancy test! 9 months later, here we are, blessed with our baby girl who is now 2 weeks old. We are so grateful to Heartland for helping us to make our family. To anyone hoping and wishing for your baby: Infertility is the hardest thing I have ever been through and it can be a very lonely journey... but you aren’t alone. There are many people out there hoping for the same dream to come true and feeling the same frustrations and sadness as you are. Don’t be afraid to talk about your journey and reach out for support. Wishing you all lots of baby dust!