A vegetarian told she would never have children has had triplets after her final round of IVF – and a daily breakfast of McDonald’s sausage McMuffins.
Laura Dixon, 34, failed to get pregnant naturally for 10 years before turning to IVF in a bid to have the family she dreamed of with husband Tim.
Her first cycle had to be abandoned and she suffered a devastating miscarriage at eight weeks on her second attempt.
The couple pinned all their hopes on their third NHS IVF cycle and Laura finally managed to conceive.
Doctors warned her she had a high risk of miscarriage and a dangerously early labour and she underwent fortnightly checks.
Laura, a lifelong vegetarian, decided to improve her chances of success by increasing her protein levels with daily portions of meat.
Naturally slim, she piled on more than five-stone gorging on chicken, bacon and burgers plus a DAILY McDonalds big breakfast AND a sausage and egg McMuffin.
Her meat cravings became so strong she was tucking into THREE portions of meat a day with a Marks & Spencer chicken and stuffing salad sandwich her favourite snack.
The protein-high diet carried her pregnancy through to 35 weeks when she gave birth to identical boys Max and Mason and daughter Mia.
Laura, a PA from Essex, said: “When the sonographer found a third heartbeat I remember shouting ‘oh no’ and crying – thinking I’d loose them all.
“After losing one baby to a miscarriage, I thought I would never be able to carry three.
“But then my hunger kicked in and despite never eating meat I craved it. I ate about six meals a day.
“It all seems like a blur now. I just remember the cravings were so strong that I would wake up in the night and make my husband go and get me a McDonalds.
“Several times my husband had to go up to Nandos for chicken and chips with me.
“Eating meat definitely helped me get all the protein you need when you’re pregnant.
“I think it could be one of the reasons I managed to carry all three to full term.”
Laura was diagnosed with endometriosis and polycystic ovaries which doctors told her would stop her getting pregnant.
She underwent two laparoscopies in a bid to correct the problems but both were unsuccessful.
Her first cycle of IVF failed when she developed dangerously swollen ovaries and treatment had to be abandoned.
She became pregnant during the second cycle using frozen eggs but miscarried at eight weeks.
During the third IVF attempt she got Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome but decided to proceed at her own risk and two fertilised eggs developed.
On her 33rd birthday she and Tim heard three little heartbeats and on Tim’s 33rd birthday doctors told them they were expecting identical boys and a girl.
Max was born weighing 3lb 12oz, Mason was 5lb 4oz and Mia came in at 5lb 15oz – all three were born by C-section within a minute of each other.
The triplets, now 14 months, were allowed home from hospital just two weeks after the birth.
Since then Laura and Tim, 34, a finance manager, have gone through 8,000 nappies and done more than 10,000 feeds.
Medics believe Laura’s meat protein boost will have contributed to her successful pregnancy.
Nutritionist Jo Travers, who runs The London Nutritionist, said: “There is a lot of evidence that women experience taste changes throughout the pregnancy, which in turn can alter their preferences as they progress through the trimesters.”
The NHS recommends pregnant women who do not eat eggs, meat and fish get the vital iron and vitamin B12 from other foods to ensure a healthy pregnancy.
Since becoming a mum of three Laura still goes to McDonalds – but has reverted to her vegetarian diet and only has a veggie-wrap and fries.
ENDS
PREGNANCY FOOD DIARY
6am – family sized yoghurt and McDonalds big breakfast
11am – chicken and stuffing sandwich and egg salad and large punnet of strawberries
2pm – packet of buns and choc milkshake
5pm – large salad with bacon, a desert and a smoothie
8pm – cereal
Night time – cereal bars
Advice from fellow veggie, –make sure you have more protein in your diet and never need to eat that trash again!
Laura and Tim, what an inspiration you are! My daughter is currently following a fertility diet that also includes plenty of meat,eggs and fat. I am going to show her your story right now. Please do keep spreading the word. These two sites below explain a little about why eating the meat, eggs and fat can help. This way of eating is also said to be good when breastfeeding too. I know quit a few people caring for their children this way and their children’s health is excellent too!
http://www.cheeseslave.com/my-fertility-diet-food-log/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hbskXZP4VI
Thank you so much for your story!!!!
Love Joanne