Need recommendation on books on taking control of infertility

[Anonymous]

A very good friend of mine is experiencing infertility, and is very overwhelmed with all the information on what to do, who to see, options, etc. She has confided in me that she really needs help in this journey, but I do not have experience in this yet I really want to help her. Does anyone have any recommendations on books that discuss how to take charge of one's infertility that I can recommend to her? Thanks in advance.

[Anonymous]

Elizabeth Swire Falker, The Infertility Survival Handbook - hands down the best book I read (and I read many).

[Anonymous]

I recommend "Navigating the Land if If" by Melissa Ford. It walks you through the treatments options and also gives tips for dealing with annoying advice/questions from well-meaning friends/strangers. Also, some people like "The Infertility Survival Handbook: Everything You Never Thought You'd Need to Know," but I found its tone to be a bit bossy (if that makes sense).

Alice Domar's "Conquering Infertility" is a must-read, but is more about getting through infertility with your sanity (somewhat) intact -- and is less about the technical aspects of infertility.

[Anonymous]

I loved Alice Domar's book and she also recommends:
http://www.amazon.com/100-Questions-Answers-About-Infertility/dp/0763743046

[Anonymous]

PP, you don't need to buy the book, you can read Dr. John Gordon's blog which is basically excerpts from the book.
http://www.100infertilityquestions.blogspot.com/

[Anonymous]

I also thought 100 Questions and Answers was good - short and to the point. I got mine for free when I went in for a consult (donated it to the Chevy Chase DC library, but I don't know if they sold it or put it on the shelves).

[Anonymous]

Dominion Fertility gives all their patients a free copy of it, I passed mine on to a friend, but DF gave me an extra copy to give to another friend going through IVF at Cornell.

[Anonymous]

I'd also recommend "Waiting for Daisy" by Peggy Orenstein. It's a memoir about her experiences TTC and going through IVF. It was really good and gave me and DH a preview of what was to expect from IVF. Also, it's really funny (ex: the book starts with the line "Clomid was my gateway drug," which is true for many of us!!!)and more of a "page turner" than a more clinical book (although the clinical books are great too!).

[Anonymous]

PP, I agree and feel I could have written that book! Humur really helped my DH and I get through the many hurdles of IF and a difficult twin pregnancy.

[Anonymous]

I didn't always appreciate the humor while I was going through IF, but now it helps ease the pain, my DH and I have moved on to adoption, and we are hoping to get an infant from Haiti.

[Anonymous]

Maybe more of us need to consider adoption.

[Anonymous]

Waiting for Daisy (agree it's a pageturner!)

Perfect Hormone Balance for Fertility, by RE Dr Greene

Making Babies by David and Blakeway

[Anonymous]

Inconceivable is supposed to be good; I have not read it, though.

[Anonymous]

OP here, thank you very much for all the recommendations. I will pass them along to my friend in California and hopefully one or more will be of help to her. And to the poster who made the remark about adoption, I appreciate the suggestion, the couple has considered adoption, but the money they are being told it will cost is completely out of their budget at this time.

[Anonymous]

It is totally insensitive to suggest adoption, do these people have any clue how difficult it is to adopt these days?? My husband and I have been going through the home study, marketing ourselves for 3 years and it sucks.