A Bambina or Bambino of Our Own

Beginning

A month later, Maya and Carina were sitting in a fertility specialist office. They had gone over all their options about a million times and decided they were going to try to do reciprocal IVF, meaning Maya would undergo fertility treatments and have her eggs harvested, they would be inseminated by a sperm donor they would choose, and then the embryos would be implanted in Carina.

They decided this because of Carina's fears about passing bipolar disorder on to their children, but it would be much easier for Carina to be pregnant than Maya with their work lives. They also were toying with the idea of adoption and thought they would adopt at some point, but they wanted to try this first.

"Alright," their fertility doctor, Dr. Elizabeth Howard said, coming into the room,

"Well, Maya, your numbers look good and your ultrasound was perfect so on the first day of your next period, you need to call the office, and we will send the prescription to the pharmacy. You will then do injections for some time between 8 and 14 days. At that point, you will have to come in every other day until you are ready for retrieval. After that, we will inseminate the eggs with the sperm, and let them grow for five to six days. Then we will freeze them until Carina is ready for the transfer. Any questions?"

"I don't think so," Maya said, shaking her head as she looked at Carina.

"I do not," Carina said, agreeing with Maya.

The Italian woman had some experience with how IVF worked because of patients she had had who had been through it.

"Alright," Dr. Howard said, "Well, I will talk to you both soon. Remember, Maya, call as soon as you start your period."

"Will do," Maya said, nodding as they left the office.

They walked out to the car, Maya climbing in the driver's seat.

"I can't believe we are really doing this," Maya said, looking over at Carina.

"Are you having second thoughts?" Carina asked, worry filling her voice.

"No," Maya said, "No, not at all. I'm excited. Why? Are you?"

"No," Carina said, "No. I am sure, excited too."

Nine days later as they were getting ready for bed, Maya felt the familiar cramping she always got in her belly right before she started her period.

"I think tomorrow's gonna be the day," she said, climbing into bed next to her wife.

"Cosa?" Carina asked, not sure what the blonde was talking about.

"Tomorrow, I am going to start the injections," Maya said, "I'm cramping which means I'm going to start tomorrow."

"I almost forgot," Carina said, smiling.

"I don't think I have ever been this excited to start my period before in my life," Maya said.

"Are you sure you are going to be able to give yourself the shots?" Carina asked as they both leaned down in bed, "Because we are on opposite schedules for the next week."

"I'll be fine," Maya said, nodding, "And if I can't, I'll make Andy or Vic help me out."

"I wish I could be there to help," Carina said, brushing a piece of hair off Maya's forehead.

"It'll be fine," Maya said, kissing her wife gently, "Now, let's get some sleep."

The next day, just as Maya predicted, she started her period, calling her doctor and getting the prescriptions sent to the pharmacy. She ran to pick them up during some downtime at work.