LORI STOTT
Writer/Clay Artist
The Book
After I finally had my daughter, a doctor said to my husband with a wink, “If she can get pregnant—and stay pregnant—almost anybody can.” One might say that I have an over-the-top story. It is one of hope, fortitude and inspiration, not to mention a great deal of stubbornness and grit.
Currently in the United States, one in six couples experience infertility. World wide, the
statistics are even higher. When couples so desperately want to start a family and cannot,
many turn toward endless modalities in an attempt to find answers: research, Western
medicine, and alternative therapies such as acupuncture, psychic healing, and dietary changes.
If they are like me, they look for answers in books. There are a multitude of books on the
market that detail the exams and procedures, both invasive and noninvasive, that infertile couples must endure. However, there are few books that provide hope to those who are labeled infertile.
This is the book that I could not find when my husband and I were going through the pain,
isolation and craziness of infertility.
“But how can someone breathe faith?”
I was asked that question by the sweet woman who was editing an anthology that was to
include one of my essays. In that essay, I spoke of the lengths to which a woman would go
to bring a child into the world and referred to a woman “ . . . who had prayed, chanted, and cried; endured endless poking and prodding, operating rooms, foul-tasting Chinese medicines, injections, doctors, nurses, acupuncture needles,and blood draws; and breathed fear, heartache and faith to bring this child into the world.”
I'll tell you what I told her in response to that question. It is indeed my experience that one can breathe in faith, goodness, and light in order to bring in more faith, goodness, and light. My intention with this book is to offer hope to people who may be going through infertility or know someone who is.
Book Reviews
"I’ve been a perintalogist for 36 years and have delivered 10,000+ babies. I’ve just finished reading Breathing Faith and have been enthusiastically recommending that my colleagues, nurses, and students read it as well. I must confess that sometimes physicians and nurses do not appreciate the difficult road that some of our complicated patients have tread to get to our doorstep. We are so focused on the obstetrical challenges in front of us; we are naive to the infertility and other obstacles that our patients have already overcome. I strongly believe Stott’s story, as so wonderfully told in this book, highlights the need for all of us to pause in the moments of our busy clinical days. We need to interpret some of the events that often seem so common to us in the more proper context of the perspective of these special patients.
Lori Stott, in writing Breathing Faith, has presented a real story of fortitude as she and her husband navigated the waters of serious infertility challenges followed by a very high-risk pregnancy. Her previous uterine surgeries and the need to attend to cervical insufficiency were the final hurdles in this beautiful, inspiring and compelling story that ends with the birth of her daughter. I was present for the final part of this journey but didn't fully appreciate the "rest of the story." I think all obstetrical providers can do better."
-Rich Porreco, M.D.
Director, Maternal Fetal Medicine
Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center and the Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children
Denver, Colorado
"As an obstetrician I've listened to, or participated in, several thousand birth stories, but always from the doctor's perspective. This story lets me experience it from the patient's perspective. It should probably be "required reading" for future doctors and
midwives. Lori's tale is of an arduous journey that is riveting and well told. Humorous at times, heart wrenching at others, and nail biting at yet others, she describes a journey through the maze of an underlying medical problem and then the complications of infertility. It's a compelling story and will help other women or couples deal with their own struggles and the powerful emotions that will accompany those struggles.”
-David Thayer, M.D.
Director, Thayer Group for Women
Boulder, Colorado
"Breathing Faith is honest, thoughtful, inspiring and real with a twist of humor that makes the reader laugh out loud as the tears stream down her cheeks. I have worked in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for 9 years and this book is a must read for anyone whose life has been touched by infertility. Breathing Faith allowed an honest glimpse into the hopes, fears, pain, and unimaginable joy that the journey through infertility creates and that glimpse helped to deepen my empathy for the families that I care for. Truly a wonderful book."
-J. Booth, BSN, RNC-NIC
Presbyterian/St. Lukes Medical Center
“Lori's journey to motherhood captivates you from the first page. Immediately, you feel engaged, immersed and deeply touched by her courage, vulnerability and humility. For those who are dancing or have danced the fertility promotion dance, Lori's personal details and frustrations will resonate as familiar. The unique ingredient in this story is faith. We discover along with Stott how her deep and
abiding connection to her daughter continued to fuel her faith… faith to trust that somehow she was coming. Nothing like a little faith and a few pints of ice cream to sweeten the deal!”
-Teresa Robertson RN, CNM, MS
Intuitive Counselor/Birth Intuitive
"Lori Stott's story is a reminder that the path to motherhood is never as easy as we'd like to believe and is often fraught with challenges we never imagined, be they physical or emotional. Her journey implores us to persist in our goals, even when the odds are against us."
-Lauren Ward Larsen, author of Zuzu's Petals: A True Story of Second Chances
“Lori Stott’s journey to become a mother is an inspirational story of personal courage and the capacity of the human spirit to overcome the most challenging of obstacles. Her commitment to her unborn child and what she is willing to endure for that child is deeply touching. Breathing Faith offers hope and the encouragement to persevere in the face of trying circumstances no matter in what area of life they occur.”
-Nancy Van Domelen, author of A Spark of the Divine
"I suspect that a lot of trying-to-conceive couples would love to read this, since it really is such a hopeful story."
-Jeff Kleinman, Founder, Folio Literary Management
"This is a gripping story, told with humor and honesty. What really works is that there is a character—Lori Stott—who really shines with the funny, the frustrated, the hysterical, the irony—all of it. There’s a lot of story here, and she moves the reader right along.”
-Andrew Biel, LMT, author of Trail Guide to the Body
"Wow! I was definitely pulled in, and when I got to the end, I cheered for Lori Stott and her daughter. This narrative of this author's incredible experience is very compelling."
-Kathy Jacobson, author of Choosing Happiness: 30 Days to a Life You'll Love and The Miracle Factor
“Stott's compelling narrative is a redemptive odyssey through disappointment, resilience, and grace. A must-read for anyone facing fertility challenges.”
-Elizabeth Marglin, co-author of The Mother’s Wisdom Deck
“Infertility is a soul wrenching condition experienced by one in six American couples. It often leads to a rollercoaster of painful feelings including sadness, anger, and depression and can wreak havoc in a marriage. Lori Stott’s account of her and her husband’s own efforts to overcome their infertility is both brave and heartbreaking, but also laugh-out-loud funny. Written to educate and offer hope, this book is a true valentine to their daughter Marin.”
-Andra Fischgrund Stanton, MSW, author of Pilates for Fragile Backs
“Lori Stott's Breathing Faith is an inspiring book that should be widely read, especially by couples faced with the challenges around conception, pregnancy and childbirth. It is a memoir in the true sense in that it functions, not as sweeping autobiography, but is focused on a specific period of the writer's life. In this case it is the desire, the resolve and the ultimate near miracle of bringing life into the world. The writing is honest and clear and uncluttered, much like a friend telling you a story over a cup of tea (well, okay, several pots of tea). The story is poignant but some of it is quite humorous, even absurd. Faith is in the title and that is the fuel that drives the narrative. Although there are many frustrations and barriers that Stott and her extremely supportive husband Jay are forced to navigate, their will is such that there is never much doubt that they, and ultimately their daughter, will prevail. A sequel regarding the early years of child-rearing would be a welcome account.”
-Junior Burke (Amazon review)
"Although each person's journey to parenthood is unique, it is comforting for a person suffering through the process of fertility treatments to find common links to others. Lori's story provides this for her readers with her down to earth, honest depiction of her own journey. It is an uplifting, positive story...despite seemingly insurmountable odds, she and her husband were blessed with the outcome of a healthy baby. A must read for any woman (or couple) who are going through fertility treatments, especially those who may be losing hope."
-T. Menghini (Amazon review)
"As someone struggling with fertility issues, there are not many books out that to buoy your spirits. It seems that they are so technical, gloomy, short and depressing that I almost didn't buy this book. I thought to myself, what could this 150 page book say to me that hasn't already been said? And then I bought it anyway. That was my first lesson in breathing faith. And then, I started laughing. Lori Stott made me laugh about fertility. And then I cried. And then I laughed again and cried again. It was such a cathartic release hearing my thoughts echoed by this woman in another state, going through my same trials. And before I knew it, it was over. And the sadness that I felt, was not for a lack of hope or loss of faith, but sadness that she had no more words to share at this time because her words felt so right. She validated me during this struggle by sharing her incredibly personal and often painful experience. I cannot thank her enough for that. This is a read that every doctor should give to a struggling patient to remind us it is possible. And that maybe, just maybe, we could all breathe a little faith."
-A. Gillespie (Barnes and Noble review)
"If you or someone you know is dealing with fertility issues, this is the book you want. Stott has done a great service to her readers by sharing both a heartfelt memoir of her own experience, as well as the ABCs (and IVFs and CCTs) of fertility medicine in a digestible way. With a wry sense of humor, an amazing husband, humble yet fierce determination, the right doctors, a support system, and the power of positive thinking, Stott courageously faced and overcame some pretty bleak odds. I appreciated how well her story addressed the tremendous mental stamina it takes to walk this path. Regardless of the happy ending, I felt right away like this was a voice I could trust on the matter. I hope she writes a book on motherhood next."
-Ginny (Amazon review)
"I cried my way though this book. What an incredible story. I hope it reaches many women and that it fills them with hope. Lori's determination and courage is evident as well as the loving support of her marriage--a real testament to partnership. I was deeply touched. The theme is universal - loving your partner, wanting to have a baby together, overcoming obstacles, tentatively allowing the joy to be expressed, feeling terrified of anything that could hurt your baby in utero, as well as the overwhelming love that a mother can feel when she hasn't even seen her baby's face...multiplied when she finally does. I loved this book!"
-Roxanna Kopp Smith (Goodreads review)