[blparent] Challenges With Getting Pregnant

[Sarah Clark]

Hi Allison,

I have sought fertility treatments and my husband is also blind, so I've needed to deal with all of the things you mentioned.  Let me mention first that you don't really need a basal body thermometer. Any good thermometer will work, so you can use a talking one. Just be sure to use it first thing in the morning before you get up, and try not to really even move much before using it (other than needing to reach for it on your nightstand or whatever.)

Next, as for privacy, this bothered me first too. There's almost nothing that bothered me more than needing to show someone else my pregnancy tests to read the result. By default this meant that someone else would technically know the result before I did, and for some reason this bothered me. All I can say to this, is that you need to try to let that go. Until there are accessible ovulation and pregnancy tests, this is going to be an obstacle for which there are no solutions other than having another sighted person read it for you. Once I accepted that (and viewed it as being more clinical than anything else), it didn't matter so much that I had to show it to someone else or who I showed it to.

I have used both kinds of tests, and have had to have someone read them each time. FaceTime works fine, I have done that (just use the back-facing camera because its higher quality.). If you want to be anonymous, you can try the Be My Eyes app that is available now on the iPhone. Or, if you don't mind going into your doctor's office, you could do the test there and have them read it for you. (But this would be harder for you with ovulation tests since you don't know when you ovulate.) 

I hope this helps. And if you have other questions and would feel more comfortable contacting me offlist, feel free to email me at sarah at sarahaclark.com.

Sarah