The Decision

For Better Or Best Podcast

This week the Kuykendolls dive into making a decision about having baby girl Beloved. Charles recalls the first episode ever being about the vasectomy and now 15 months later they're preparing to go through the process of IVF. Shireen says that he revealed he really wanted a little girl during her 37 week ultrasound while pregnant with Carter and she thought he was joking. Now that Carter is almost 2 and Shireen's snapback is crazy, Charles thinks its time for them to do the egg retrieval. Shireen says she was intentional about her prayers and there was never a prayer for baby #3. Charles remembers still wanting to be outside and travel when CJ was born but now he loves being at home. Shireen is now traveling more and Charles jokes that he's gotta get her pregnant to keep her from going on all these girls trips!(1:02-8:57). Charles says if he had his way, there would be a 5yr gap between kids, Shireen says they should've started younger. Shireen doesn't want to wait longer becuase she's already loving the freedom she's getting as Carter grows, she's not gonna want to give it up. CJ is perfectly content with his little brother, he thinks 2 kids is enough. Shireen explans the egg retrieval process; injections 10-12 days, doctors visits etc. and said she needed Charles to be present to help her. Charles doesn't believe in needles, apparently, so she was on her own. Both have agreed they're only going through all this for a baby girl. So once fertilized, if the embryos turned out to be all boys, they've agreed not to do another round of egg retrievals(9:09-19:34). Charles recaps his sperm retrieval experience; from the buzzing lights to the turn dial tv to the magazines. Shireen shares the hurdle that is fibroids, and wasn't sure if she would be able to carry. She suggested a surrogate, and Charles said he was down as long as she follows his set of rules, its giving princess/prisoner. Charles recalls Shireen locking in on her health during pregnancy so the bar is high. Shireen said the exam on her uterus was painful but the doctor cleared her to carry. Baby shower for a surrogate? They did a gender reveal for CJ and Carter, so the same will stand for baby girl. Adoption is also not off the table as a last resort, and would be an option for Shireen into her 40s. She shares that pregnancy was not easy for her, as beautiful a feeling as it was, it was rough both times. Despite how physically and emotionally taxing, Shireen loves Charles and having baby girl Beloved will be her love letter to him(22:13-37:08).