Let's Be Real - Mama Journeys - Episode 129 W/Kalissa Braga

Kalissa Braga is the Regional Program Coordinator for the Strong Mamas, Thriving Babies program through our nonprofit, YANA.  She has quite a birthing story with her 3 babies. She was diagnosed with PCOS as a teenager so she knew getting pregnant was going to be a struggle so they started with Clomid to get the process started and sure enough, she was able to get pregnant after the second round! She struggled with breastfeeding and had no support nor did she know what she was doing.  She thought pumping and feeding would be such a great way to feed her new baby but boy did she realize that wasn't easier! She found out she was spontaneously pregnant 18 months later but lost that baby. After lots of fertility treatments and IUI's and after 9 rounds of IUI's, she finally found out she was pregnant, right before they were going to start IVF! They moved from Iowa to Colorado with her mom and dad, having family close by for the first time in her life! She was so excited to have a 2 ½ year old and about to give birth to number 2, was helping her mom start a business, moved to another state and her water broke! The birthing center she was supposed to deliver at didn't have the capabilities she needed so off to the hospital they went (NOT the plan!). Incompetent medical providers made it quite the story but she eventually had her second baby but she wasn't crying and it was a traumatic situation from start to finish. They started the fertility process again quickly, including IUI's and Progesterone shots. After 5 IUI's and were about to start IVF treatments when she finally got pregnant…AGAIN on the last IUI!  She was almost rushed into emergency surgery to stop the hemorrhaging that happened because of a "piece of placenta that was left."  She is blessed to have her 3 but was told she had to stop having babies because of her inability to stop bleeding.  This was heartbreaking and sad for her but at the age of 32 she had to have a hysterectomy.  Her story hopefully will encourage you that it CAN happen for you, even when you think you might not.