FAMILY
words by ERIN MARIE HEINERT photography by GEARED PHOTOGRAPHY
a long journey that’s
worth the wait ONE COUPLE’S WINDING PATH to PARENTHOOD
P
hoebe and Madalyn are twins but they are as different as two 15-month-old girls can be. Rambunctious, sweet and total Daddy’s girls, they have brought a whirlwind of joy and happiness to their parents, Stephanie and Norman Tupper. But the path to becoming parents wasn’t always clear for this North Dakota couple. The Tuppers aren’t alone. In fact, one in eight couples struggle with infertility. When things weren’t happening for them, they visited a nearby clinic for some tests to see what was going on. “Essentially the doctor said that we were young and should keep trying,” states Stephanie. “That was kind of devastating, because I knew in my heart that something wasn’t right. So I said I was done with them and we found our way over to Sanford Reproductive Medicine.” Once at Sanford Reproductive Medicine, the Tuppers learned a bit more about why they might not have been successful on their own. The Sanford team created a customized treatment plan to help the Tuppers become parents. They started down the path, but after some time, they decided to put pregnancy on hold.
... I want other women to not be scared to go to your doctor and get answers. AND IF YOU DON’T LIKE THEIR ANSWERS, GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. BECAUSE IF THIS IS SOMETHING YOU WANT, IT MIGHT BE HARD, BUT IT IS SO WORTH IT. 48
a r e a wom a n
| areawomanmagazine.com