Dear Annie: We live across the street from a married couple — man and woman — who have a 16-month-old girl. Every time they get her out of the car, no matter what the weather is, they have nothing on her head. Even when the temperature was in the teens, and another time when it was pouring rain, there was nothing on her head.

I’m 60. I raised three daughters and always covered their heads with some kind of toboggan hat, hood or rain gear when appropriate.

The couple’s defense, I’m sure, would be that they’re just going from the car and up about 20 steps to the house, but still, I think it’s ridiculous. I’m not sure if I should say something to them or not. Should I? — Neighbor

Dear Neighbor: Assuming that they have a jacket on the 16-month-old and the girl does not seem in distress, i.e., freezing or crying uncontrollably, it’s probably better not to say anything. Perhaps you could buy her a really nice hat and bring it over as a neighborly present. Maybe they would get the hint.

Dear Annie: My heart goes out to “Bitter,” who wrote about failed in vitro fertilization treatments and her bitter feelings toward her husband’s brother and wife. They had encountered similar difficulties, and yet, knowing “Bitter” and her husband’s struggle, they made a sudden announcement of their own pregnancy.

I, too, had difficulty getting pregnant, with my only pregnancy ending in miscarriage. The medical profession gave up on me. In fact, one day I happened to see my record and the diagnosis, “hostile environment.” It broke me.

Not long afterward, I started working for a chiropractor and discussed my history with him. He took X-rays and found that I had a subluxation (vertebra out of place), where the nerves left my spine to control my reproductive organs. He said he felt that with regular adjustments to get my spine back in line, I could become pregnant within a year. Given that I was 39 years old, I had my doubts but kept them to myself. Five months later, I was pregnant. Three other patients in the practice who had difficulties getting pregnant were also able to become pregnant. We were quite a club! At the age of 40, I gave birth to a wonderful, healthy baby girl!

I’m not saying this is the answer for everyone, but after all the trials and suffering we went through, chiropractic seemed such a simple answer, and in my case it was: Due to a slight misalignment in my spine, my brain couldn’t deliver messages to my reproductive organs in order to sustain a pregnancy. Once the spine was aligned and stayed that way, well, the proof is in my 27-year-old daughter! — Grateful

Dear Grateful: Whatever works. You sound like a wonderful mother and person, with a remarkable success story. Thank you for sharing your experience. I am printing your letter because it is important for everyone to know that there are many ways to boost fertility. There is some evidence that a healthy diet filled with fresh fruits, vegetables, and lean meats and fish can increase the chances of conception. Yoga and acupuncture are great things to try as well.

Dear readers: Annie is on vacation this week. Today’s column originally ran in 2020.

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“How Can I Forgive My Cheating Partner?” is out now! Annie Lane’s second anthology — featuring favorite columns on marriage, infidelity, communication and reconciliation — is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit Creators Publishing for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to [email protected].

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