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From helpless to helpful
From hopeless to hopeful
Wherever you are on your journey - your pain is real, your trauma is real, your needs are real
IVF
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Breastfeeding
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Birth Trauma
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Pregnancy
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Parenting
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Surrogacy
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IVF ❁ Breastfeeding ❁ Birth Trauma ❁ Pregnancy ❁ Parenting ❁ Surrogacy ❁
Letting Go of Self-Blame: Understanding the Impact of Past Behaviors on Fertility Struggles
It's common for women struggling with infertility to experience a deep sense of self-blame. You might find yourself questioning if something you did—or didn’t do—contributed to your current fertility challenges. Did the choices you made in your past, whether in terms of lifestyle, diet, or even emotional stress, somehow affect your ability to conceive? Or, on the other hand, are you grappling with guilt over what might feel like "missed opportunities" for care in the past?
How to stay sane when your most called contacts are your Infertility Clinic, Pharmacy, and Insurance
For many women struggling with infertility, the journey to becoming a mother can feel like an emotional rollercoaster, and unfortunately, delays and waiting are often part of the ride. If you're trying to move forward with an IVF cycle but are caught in the frustrating loop of needing insurance approvals—whether for a retrieval or transfer cycle—you are not alone. It’s completely natural to feel a sense of anger, loss of control, or even helplessness as you wait for the green light from insurance companies and clinics.
Jealous of Your Sibling’s Pregnancy? You’re Not Alone
Infertility is a deeply personal journey, one that can feel isolating and filled with uncertainty. But what happens when your path to parenthood intersects with the journey of a sibling who is experiencing pregnancy or planning for their own family? How do you navigate the complicated emotions of wanting to celebrate your sibling’s joy while grappling with your own grief, envy, and feelings of inadequacy?
When to Stop IUI and Move to IVF
If you’ve been struggling with infertility, you might be asking yourself: When is it time to stop trying IUI (Intrauterine Insemination) and move on to IVF (In Vitro Fertilization)? It’s a question that comes with so much weight—emotional, financial, and physical. And it’s perfectly normal to feel confused, frustrated, or even defeated by this decision.
Beginner's Guide to IVF: Navigating Your Journey with Mental Health Support
This guide aims to provide you with essential information about IVF and highlight the importance of mental health support throughout your journey.
Understanding Endometriosis: A Guide for Women Navigating IVF
Are you navigating the challenges of IVF and wondering if endometriosis could be affecting your journey? Many women experience silent endometriosis—where symptoms may be mild or absent—yet it can significantly impact fertility.
How to Know When It’s Time to Switch IVF Clinics
Choosing the right IVF clinic is a pivotal decision in your fertility journey. It can make all the difference in how you feel supported, informed, and empowered. If you're questioning your current clinic, here are some signs that it might be time to consider making a change.
Patience During Infertility Treatment: Finding Calm Through Nature’s Timeless Wonders
Infertility treatment can often feel like an endless series of waiting periods—each step, from IUI to IVF, comes with its own set of waiting times and uncertainties. It’s completely natural to feel overwhelmed or impatient as you navigate this challenging journey. One mindfulness technique that can be particularly soothing...
Is PGT-A Testing Worth the Cost?
Starting or growing a family can be a journey filled with hope, excitement, and often, tough decisions. One of these decisions involves Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Aneuploidy (PGT-A). If you're considering this option, you might be weighing its potential benefits against the financial investment and the ethical questions it raises. Let’s break down what PGT-A is, its potential advantages, and how to balance these with the cost and ethical considerations.
I Have Zero Regrets about PGT-A Testing Our Embryos
Navigating the path to parenthood through IVF is a deeply personal journey, filled with hopes, challenges, and tough decisions. For me, one of those significant decisions was whether to invest in Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Aneuploidy (PGT-A). Reflecting on my experience, I want to share why this choice, despite its cost, proved to be right for me.
Facing the Challenge of a Second Egg Retrieval
Imagine this: You’ve just completed your first IVF cycle. After a successful egg retrieval, you feel a mix of hope and anticipation as you learn that 13 eggs were retrieved. Then you learn 11 were mature and 6 were successfully fertilized. You wait as those 6 embryos develop, only to learn...
PODCAST - My own experience rebuilding trust in my body, and how you can do the same
Exciting News! I recently joined Clara O’Rourke on The Mindful Womb podcast to talk about my journey through infertility and pregnancy. We covered how to rebuild trust in your body, manage anxiety, and use mindfulness to stay grounded. Tune in for practical tips and heartfelt stories that can offer support and comfort on your own path. 🌸✨
Coping with Isolation
Ever wondered why people undergoing IVF treatment share less as their journey progresses? Discover the emotional toll of infertility and how silence can impact those in need of support. As a perinatal mental health therapist specializing in infertility, I delve into the complexities of navigating hope and isolation during multiple treatment cycles. Read on to understand how we can break the silence and foster empathy in the journey to parenthood.
Bridging Personal Struggles with Systemic Realities (and an apology to the pharmacist I yelled at)
While I intellectually understood that healthcare providers manage dozens or hundreds of patients daily, emotionally, my treatment cycle felt like the most crucial thing in the world at that moment.
Invited to a baby shower when you have infertility? Here’s how each zodiac sign RSVPs
Few occasions carry as much emotional weight as a friend's baby shower for those navigating the winding path of infertility treatments. How does a Scorpio respond to the invitation? Or a Pisces?
How Technology Kept Me Organized During My IVF Journey
As someone who has navigated the challenging path of infertility treatments, I understand firsthand the emotional rollercoaster and logistical challenges that come with the territory. However, integrating technology into my journey eased some of the stress and uncertainty I faced.
The Home Test Conundrum (with DBT skills to help!)
It's a scenario many of us undergoing fertility treatments are familiar with: staring down at that little stick, feeling a mix of hope and dread swirling in our hearts. Do we wait for the clinic's blood test, clinging to the hope that this time, it might finally be positive? Do we risk getting a phone call in the middle of our day with a potentially negative result? Do we reach for some semblance of control and take the test in our own bathrooms?
Feeling Stranded: A Personal Reflection on the IVF Journey
I have a vivid memory from one of the mornings during my second cycle of IVF. It was just another routine monitoring appointment, or so I thought when I headed out that day. But even the routine appointments still consumed my mind with anticipation and anxiety. Little did I know that this particular visit would also leave a lasting imprint on my heart.