Marcia Cross on considering adoption, trying a sperm donor, and her pregnancy complications
Although she loves being a mom of multiples now, when Marcia Cross first found out she was expecting two babies, another emotion piggybacked on the feeling of joy -- fear.
I was terrified. As a mother, being outnumbered is scary.
The Desperate Housewives star, now 45, tells Health that she was lucky to be expecting at all -- given her age and past history, she wasn't sure she would be able to become a mother in the first place.
In my early 40s, I considered adoption, and I tried getting pregnant on my own through a sperm donor, but neither worked out. [When I married Tom,] we decided to skip our honeymoon and try in vitro after the wedding. I had already been through infertility treatments. It's very, very difficult to get pregnant in your 40s. It's costly and tough on your body and your relationship.
The pregnancy wasn't easy. Marcia says she had "really romanticized pregnancy." There were the constant cravings -- 'You would
think it'd be fun, but it wasn't. I was up at 2 in the morning eating
steak!' -- and the nausea. However, the complications became more serious as Marcia reached her seventh month.
I started having contractions at 28 weeks and had to go on bedrest for two months. I was constantly worried that the babies would be born premature. Then, in January, my eyesight started going, and I gained 12 lbs. in one week. Both are symptoms of preeclampsia, a complication that is life-threatening for mother and baby.
Although Marcia had symptoms through weeks 28-34, it wasn't until 35 weeks that she was officially diagnosed with the condition. After that, things moved quickly. Her babies, not due until the end of March, had to come out.
[I was scared.] Within 12 hours of being diagnosed -- at 35 weeks -- I had a C-section.
However, the birth and welcoming home of the twins, Eden and Savannah, was "amazing," recalls Marcia -- even if having two has its own set of difficulties!
I'd go through it all again. I don't want to, but I would. Eden had trouble latching on, but breastfeeding was the most wonderful thing -- so beautiful, so sweet and intimate. I had to stop when Eden and Savannah were 4 months old to go back to work, though. The challenge is with juggling two. When they both cry, I think, Who do I pick up?
As for more kids? Marcia says she's done birthing babies, but says she and Tom are "not 100% sure we won't adopt."
Source: Health
- Posted on Feb 13, 08 at 5:31 PM
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