Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Infertility And Me: Stories of Infertility Survivors, IVF, & TTC

Monique returns after a long hiatus to discuss the emotional challenges faced during infertility treatments. She emphasizes the importance of feeling safe in one's body, the role of energy centers in emotional regulation, and the power of self-love. Monique also guides listeners through a visualization meditation to help them connect with their inner selves and find peace amidst the struggles of family building.

Connect with Monique on socials: IG

Emma and her husband found themselves at a crossroads when deciding to proceed with IVF with their dual-factor infertility diagnosis. In the U.K., where they lived, specialists were hell-bent on Emma's BMI because of the NHS's guidelines. After losing over 80 lbs, her RE refused to proceed with IVF and told her she needed to lose more weight. It was clear to Emma and her husband that with the cost of IVF in the U.K. and the BMI restrictions, they would need an alternative method for becoming parents. It was then their story of IVF abroad began. 

*Follow Emma here! Emma's FREE resources for IVF abroad

Connect with Monique on socials: IG

Jacqueline Vazquez, an international wedding guru and Master Wedding Planner, speaker, and author, never believed she would face much adversity when trying to conceive. After being diagnosed with low egg reserve in her late 20s, Jacqueline endured 10 years of TTC before deciding to live child-free. In this episode, Jacqueline shares what it was like to plan other people's lives through her event-planning business while suffering mentally and emotionally from infertility. 

What else is discussed:

• Considering Adoption
• Depression
• medicated IUI cycles

*Follow Jacqueline here! Grab your copy of Jacqueline's book: Your Release Journal.

In this episode, we are joined by Charlie Dice, an amazing individual who has triumphed over both infertility and the profound challenges of major depressive disorder. Charlie's story has been marked by resilience in the face of adversity, including enduring three heartbreaking miscarriages, navigating the emotionally taxing process of IUI, and undertaking the demanding path of one IVF cycle. As time passed, Charlie and her husband reached the decision that ultimately reshaped their lives—they chose to embrace a child-free existence after their arduous battle with infertility.

Full Show Notes Here: infertilityandmepodcast.com

*Follow Charlie here or here! 

Gleenobly and her husband have faced a challenging journey in their quest to start a family for over 13 years. Their path has been marked by significant obstacles, including Gleenobly's diagnoses of endometriosis, ovarian cysts, miscarriage, and even a brain tumor. 

She states: We have tried everything under the sun except for IVF. We are still not yet parents, but we hope to be as soon as possible. Not only have we had to deal with the heartbreak of disappointment after disappointment after disappointment, but in the last three years, we also had surprise medical problems like knee surgery (my husband), a brain tumor (me), natural pregnancy, miscarriage, and moving to a different country (U.S.A. to England). We will try adopting an older child as soon as we are allowed."

*Follow/Listen to Gleenobly's podcast here or email her at iptck@yahoo.com

Full Show Notes Here: infertilityandmepodcast.com

Support Our Show Sponsors:

*Learn more about the Mosie Baby Kit and read some of the amazing stories from the Mosie Community. 

*Use code INFERTILITYANDME for [15% off] your order at checkout and join the 100,000-plus families who have included Mosie on their journey to conceive.

Lisa McCarty, a passionate writer and a tireless advocate for women's health and infertility, courageously opens up about her journey, which has been marked by multiple diagnoses, including post-amenorrhea and PCOS. Her story takes a heartbreaking turn as she grapples with secondary infertility, recurrent loss, and the challenging Asherman's Syndrome.

   In this emotionally charged conversation, Lisa sheds light on the profound toll infertility has taken on her mental well-being. She candidly discusses the relentless battles with anxiety, panic attacks, and depression that have accompanied her on this arduous path. 

   For almost a decade, Lisa and her devoted husband were led down a path that ultimately resulted in the miracle of their first child, conceived through the remarkable journey of IVF. This is a story of resilience, love, and unwavering determination in the face of adversity.

*Connect with Lisa on Instagram here!

Full Show Notes Here: infertilityandmepodcast.com

Support Our Show Sponsors:

*Learn more about the Mosie Baby Kit and read some of the amazing stories from the Mosie Community. 

*Use code INFERTILITYANDME for [15% off] your order at checkout and join the 100,000-plus families who have included Mosie on their journey to conceive.

*You can help support the continuation of I.A.M by Buying A Coffee

Erica Ferraro, an ambitious pharmaceutical sales and marketing manager, never imagined she would be part of the 1 in 6 community. She shares her turbulent battle with endometriosis, diminished ovarian reserve, and needing donor eggs to conceive future children. 

Follow Erica on Instagram here & her read blog!

Full Show Notes Here: infertilityandmepodcast.com

Support Our Show Sponsors:

*Learn more about the Mosie Baby Kit and read some of the amazing stories from the Mosie Community. 

*Use code INFERTILITYANDME for [15% off] your order at checkout and join the 100,000 plus families who have included Mosie on their journey to conceive.

*You can help support the continuation of I.A.M. by Buying A Coffee

Jelissa opens up about the profound emotional toll she's endured on her journey through IVF, alongside the heartache of pregnancy loss. To cope, she immerses herself in a whirlwind of activities, all while battling the pervasive anxiety that creeps in as she prepares for new cycles of IVF. Her world is further rocked by her husband's startling diagnosis. Jelissa's relentless pursuit of parenthood spans over 7 years, during which she grapples with a blood disorder known as antiphospholipid syndrome. This condition triggers an autoimmune response, erroneously targeting vital blood proteins. Tragically, it heightens the risk of miscarriages and stillbirths among expectant mothers. The syndrome may also manifest in the form of blood clots, potentially arising in the limbs or even the lungs.

*Follow Jelissa on Instagram & learn more about her monthly loss-mom events here!

Support Our Show Sponsors:

*Learn more about the Mosie Baby Kit and read some of the amazing stories from the Mosie Community at try.mosiebaby.com/InfertilityAndMe. 

*Use code INFERTILITYANDME for [15% off] your order at checkout and join the 100,000 plus families who have included Mosie on their journey to conceive.

*It's going down (D)C, (M)aryland, and (V)irginia Friends! Hang with your girl in Annapolis, MD, for our first IRL event(it's free): No more Silent Silent Suffering Sip N Party, a fun night of socializing & connecting.

Since this will be an intimate and PRIVATE party, tickets can only be snagged with this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/no-more-silently-suffering-sip-n-paint-tickets-694477118757?aff=oddtdtcreator Spaces are VERY limited, see ya soon!

*Submit your story to Monique for a chance to record and help end the stigma surrounding infertility. Connect on Instagram & SUBSCRIBE on YouTube

*You can help support the continuation of I.A.M. by Buying A Coffee

Maiclaire became pregnant naturally, really quickly, but miscarried at nearly 12 weeks. She and her husband then started fertility treatments with IUI. She became pregnant through her second IUI (Intrauterine insemination) but sadly miscarried at 9 weeks. Maiclaire completed 5 rounds of IVF as well. In this episode, we also discuss egg donorship and epigenetics.

"After the 2 miscarriages and the 2nd IVF cycle with no embryos, I was in a really low place and I was frustrated that no one talks about infertility and recurrent loss, so I wrote my book "Prequel to Parenthood: An Infertility Story."

*It's going down (D)C, (M)aryland, and (V)irginia Friends! Hang with your girl in Annapolis, MD, for our first IRL event: No more Silent Silent Suffering Sip N Party, a fun night of socializing & connecting.

Since this will be an intimate and PRIVATE party, tickets can only be snagged with this link. Spaces are VERY limited; see ya soon!

*Submit your story to Monique for a chance to record and help end the stigma surrounding infertility. Connect on Instagram & SUBSCRIBE on YouTube

*You can help support the continuation of I.A.M by Buying A Coffee

Support Our Show Sponsors:

*Learn more about the Mosie Baby Kit and read some of the amazing stories from the Mosie Community at try.mosiebaby.com/InfertilityAndMe. *Use code INFERTILITYANDME for [15% off] your order at checkout and join the 100,000 plus families who have included Mosie on their journey to conceive.

It's going down (D)C, (M)aryland, and (V)irginia Friends! Come hang with your girl in Annapolis, MD for a night of fun, socializing, and painting. This event is free and just for YOU, other community members, and I to finally meet in person in a fun atmosphere.

Since this will be an intimate and PRIVATE party, tickets can only be snagged with this link: No More Silent Suffering Sip N Paint Spaces are VERY limited, see ya soon!

Tasha Van Howe, a wife, author, and repeated loss mom, shares her tumultuous battle with unexplained infertility that began two years after she and her high school sweetheart & husband married. Tasha goes into great detail about caring for her mom, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's & dementia while going through a complicated pregnancy, newborn loss, repeated grief, IVF, and an unbelievable adoption story to which she and Jeff are still fighting. 

-You can purchase a copy of Tasha's book, Miss Me Always here & connect with her on Instagram!

*It's going down (D)C, (M)aryland, and (V)irginia Friends! Hang with your girl in Annapolis, MD, for our first IRL event: No more Silent Silent Suffering Sip N Party, a fun night of socializing and painting. Since this will be an intimate and PRIVATE party, tickets can only be purchased with this link. Spaces are VERY limited see ya soon!

*Submit your story to Monique for a chance to record and help end the stigma surrounding infertility. Connect on Instagram & SUBSCRIBE on YouTube

Support Our Show Sponsors:

*Learn more about the Mosie Baby Kit and read some of the amazing stories from the Mosie Community at try.mosiebaby.com/InfertilityAndMe. *Use code INFERTILITYANDME for [15% off] your order at checkout and join the 100,000 plus families who have included Mosie on their journey to conceive.

Let's face it, infertility and trying to conceive (TTC) can be incredibly costly! Oftentimes, people are forced to walk away to avoid draining their savings or fertility treatments, adoption, surrogacy, and egg/sperm donorship aren't an option financially. From the moment of diagnosis to the extensive research and exploration of various family-building options, it feels like a significant financial burden with no end in sight. 

Non profits mentioned:

• The Tinina Q. Cade Foundation
• Bundle of Joy Fund
• Cozy Warrior

Resources:

• Episode mentioned w/Lauren Makler on AppleiTunes & Spotify about her digital health company Cofertility.
• Article written By Amber Ferguson, reporter/video editor of The Washington Post: Shortage of Black sperm donors in America.
• 'Socioeconomic disparities in fertility treatments and associated likelihood of livebirth following invitro fertilization.'

Hey friend, thank you for tuning in to Infertility And Me Podcast. Connect with me on Instagram and or watch episodes on YouTube. 

• Submit your story to me, Monique for a chance to record and end the stigma surrounding infertility. 
• You can support the continuation of I.A.M by 'buying me a coffee' on Ko-fi;) 

Support Our Show Sponsors:

*Learn more about the Mosie Baby Kit and read some of the amazing stories from the Mosie Community at try.mosiebaby.com/InfertilityAndMe. *Use code INFERTILITYANDME for [15% off] your order at checkout and join the 100,000 plus families who have included Mosie on their journey to conceive.

In this episode we're joined by Dr. K. Duga for an educational discussion about racial disparities in health care and how it affects Black women while TTC, why functional fertility care is important before or while seeking ART (assisted reproductive care) and advocating for yourself as a patient.

Connect with Dr. Duga on her website or follow her on Instagram to learn more about her services and how she can help YOU.

Submit your story to Monique for a chance to record and end the stigma surrounding infertility. Connect on Instagram & SUBSCRIBE on YouTube

If this podcast has helped you, please consider leaving a 5 star Rating & Review on Apple iTunes or Spotify. Ratings & Reviews help increase the show's visibility so that we can reach more friends who may be silently suffering too!

Infertility can make us feel invisible due to a combination of emotional, social, and cultural factors. In this episode we're discussing reasons we may be feeling this way and learning to identify our triggers.

Overall, infertility is a complex and emotionally charged issue that can leave us feeling invisible, both to others and sometimes even to ourselves. It is essential for society to foster greater empathy, compassion, and support for those going through infertility, creating a more inclusive and understanding environment for individuals and couples on their fertility journey.

Submit your story to me for a chance to record and end the stigma surrounding infertility. Connect with me on Instagram & SUBSCRIBE on YouTube

If this podcast has helped you, please consider leaving a 5 star Rating & Review on Apple iTunes or Spotify. Ratings & Reviews help increase the show's visibility so that we can reach more friends who may be silently suffering too!

Have you had a rough summer navigating infertility? In this episode I speak about boundary setting, how to prepare yourself for the engagements you've committed to, and the obsessiveness TTC creates in us.

Submit your story to me for a chance to record and end the stigma's surrounding infertility. Connect with me on Instagram & watch on YouTube!

If this podcast has helped you, please consider leaving a 5 star Rating & Review on Apple iTunes or Spotify. Ratings & Reviews help increase the show's visibility so that we can reach more friends who may be silently suffering too!

You’ve married your college sweetheart and well on your way to creating the life you’ve imagined, together. Some time passes and you've begun TTC. Our guest Steven Miller MS, shares his shocking diagnosis of male factor infertility, and the steps he is taking as a Social Worker to raise awareness about the effects of infertility. 

Follow Steven @sjmiller2024

Follow Monique

If this podcast has helped you, please consider leaving a 5 star Rating & Review on Apple iTunes or Spotify. Ratings & Reviews help increase the show's visibility so that we can reach more friends who may be silently suffering too!

Nicole Gomez Fisher shares her devastating endometriosis and scarring diagnosis from previous surgeries at 19 years old. Nicole's right ovary, both fallopian tubes, and part of her left ovary was removed during surgery. After marriage, TTC would be equally arduous for Nicole and her husband's eight year journey. 

What's Discussed:

1. Endometriosis
2. Surgical removal of reproductive organs.
3. 00:17:45:00- Egg donorship & Jealousy.
4. Loss
5. Surrogacy 
6. 00:19:00- "Good Egg" film's conception.
7. 00:24:00- Difficulties bonding after birth & adoption.
8. 00:26:40- Being LatinX and infertile.

• Nicole Gomez Fisher, writer, and director of "Good Egg" film. 

 " A woman struggling to get pregnant becomes embroiled in the criminal underworld with her potential egg donor."

Submit your story to me via email at infertilityandme@outlook.com for a chance to record and end the stigma surrounding infertility. Connect with me on Instagram & watch on YouTube

If IAM podcast has helped you, please consider leaving a 5 star Rating & Review on Apple iTunes or Spotify. This helps us become more visible to friends who may be silently suffering with infertility too!

In this episode, Monique chats with instagram advocate Sabrina De Lellis. Sabrina has been TTC since 2019 and has stage four endometriosis. Before meeting her current partner, Sabrina began TTC in her previous marriage. She and her partner are still in the thick of TTC and figuring out what their next steps will be.@ivf_baby_d

In this episode we discuss:

Endometriosis, low ovarian reserve, & andenomyosis.

Embryo adoption

Unsuccessful IVF cycles.

Miscarriage.

Submit your story to me via email at infertilityandme@outlook.com for a chance to record and end the stigma surrounding infertility. Connect with me on Instagram & watch on YouTube

If this podcast has helped you, please consider leaving a 5 star Rating & Review on Apple iTunes or Spotify. Ratings & Reviews help increase the show's visibility so that we can reach more friends who may be silently suffering too!

Imagine your doctor discovers signs of ovarian cancer during a routine ultrasound to prepare for an IVF embryo transfer, what would you do, how would you respond? In 2019, Jenny Lowe was diagnosed with stage III ovarian cancer in the midst of her first round of IVF after four unsuccessful IUI cycles; she was 34 years old. 

Jenny also shares with us the day she tested positive for BRCA Gene Mutation, also known as BReast CAncer gene. Every human carries these genes. For a small percentage, their BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 genes mutate. As a result of her illness, she lost the ability to carry a baby and have genetic ties to future children.

Jenny shares what it was like to overcome ovarian cancer, the process of finding a surrogate, and the surprising volunteer surrogates. Just when the storm begins to clear, surrogacy would prove to be tumultuous too. 

To raise awareness Jenny wrote a memoir called Saved By Hope-affectionately named after her daughter. Snag your copy of Jenny's book, here! Follow Jenny on Instagram

Grab a copy of Jenny’s book here!

Submit your story to me via email at infertilityandme@outlook.com for a chance to record and end the stigma surrounding infertility. Connect with me on Instagram & watch on YouTube

If this podcast has helped you, please consider leaving a 5 star Rating & Review on Apple iTunes or Spotify. Ratings & Reviews help increase the show's visibility so that we can reach more friends who may be silently suffering too!

In this episode, Monique chats with Megan Whiting. Megan and her husband were diagnosed with unexplained infertility in 2016, after several years of marriage. Meghan describes her experience through infertility as deeply traumatizing and life long. 

Megan Whiting is the Founder of the Pursuit of Rainbows Foundation and an advocate for Resolve. It is Megan's mission to spread infertility awareness, educate, and use her title as Mrs. Ohio International 2022 to give voice to the silent sufferers everywhere.

Key Moments: 

00:00:00- Intro

00:03:21- Meet Megan

00:09:24-Unexplained infertility & the emotional impact.

00:13:55- What does a life without children look like?

00:15:39- There's value in the pause & rest.

00:19:34- Miscarriage.

00:21:11- Pregnancy after infertility.

0:27:47- The right to family building. 

Submit your story to me via email at infertilityandme@outlook.com for a chance to record and end the stigma surrounding infertility. Connect with me on Instagram & watch on YouTube

Diagnosed with a rare abdominal disease that caused large masses in her abdomen, Lauren was told she may never have biological children. After exploring all of her options, she embarked on the path to motherhood with her husband. While on maternity leave, Lauren Makler, CEO, Co-Fertility Founder decided and felt a new passion for reproductive health care, which led to the creation of CoFertility. 

*Lauren states: "At its core, egg donation is someone doing something good and providing a life-altering opportunity for a family." "This stigma is a problem on multiple fronts. It discourages women from helping a family grow when that might be something they want to do. It leaves intended parents without options, and it especially hurts the LGBTQ community that needs to rely on egg donation for family planning."-Lauren Mackler on fastcompany.com

We'll be discussing: 

• The stigma of donor conceived persons and donors.
• How CoFertility is A more thoughtful, human-centered matching, education, and communication platform for families in need of egg donation.
• How Freeze by Co Empowers women to take control of their fertility timelines by making egg freezing more accessible. Our Split program enables them to freeze for free when they donate half of the eggs retrieved to a family who can't conceive. 
• Family by Co: A more thoughtful, human-centered matching, education, and communication platform for families in need of egg donation.
• Laurens's Fertility Struggles.
• What inspired parent company CoFertility?
• A more human approach leads to better egg donor and intended family match success, was this discovered during your research to build the new initiatives?
• 00:25:00- Article written By Amber Ferguson, reporter/video editor of The Washington Post: Shortage of Black sperm donors in America.

Submit your story to me via email at infertilityandme@outlook.com for a chance to record and end the stigma surrounding infertility. Connect with me on Instagram & watch on YouTube

If this podcast has helped you, please consider leaving a 5 star Rating & Review on Apple iTunes or Spotify. Ratings & Reviews help increase the show's visibility so that we can reach more friends who may be silently suffering too!

Have you considered being a single parent by choice or know someone who has? Whether man, woman, or non-binary, the decision to pursue parenthood without a mate is tough.

Will family support you, can you handle the judgement of outsiders, are you emotionally, and financially prepared? Monique chats with Julia Karol about how she realized her dreams of motherhood & took matters into her own hands. Julia shares with us her unique and unconventional social-infertility story to motherhood.

Julia started her podcast Stork'd during her family-building journey. She started asking questions to anyone and everyone as she was exploring her options and gaining comfort in her decision to become a solo parent she's now the mother to a beautiful 10-month-old boy conceived by a sperm donor. 

Key Moments:

00:01:44- Meet Julia

00:05-23- Social infertility

00:08:18- My Eat, Pray, Love

00:12:18- Support.

00:16:32- I felt empowered by fertility preservation.

00:18:54- Embryo freezing.

00:20:40- COVID & at home Insemination with my obGYN bestie.

00:26:17- Success in modern family building looks different for everyone.

00:27:33- Supporting others when I needed support too.

00:30:55- Do what feels right to you. 

  Tap here to take our yearly podcast and community survey!

Submit your story to me via email at infertilityandme@outlook.com for a chance to record and end the stigma surrounding infertility. Connect with me on Instagram & watch on YouTube

If this podcast has helped you, please consider leaving a 5 star Rating & Review on Apple iTunes or Spotify. Ratings & Reviews help increase the show's visibility so that we can reach more friends who may be silently suffering too!

Jade Barrett spent two years TTC before getting the diagnosis of endometriosis, despite Doctors telling her she didn't have it. In this episode, Jade shares her uncensored opinions and the leaps and bounds she had to get through to be properly diagnosed. Her spouse had male factor issues as well. Connect with Jade on IG!

Key Moments:

00:02:24- Meet Jade.

00:07:56- Disastrous fertilty clinic consult.

00:14:58- Fighting for medical care.

00:17:46- All of it is crazy and a bitch.

00:20:14- The Doctor offered us fertility meds from Mexico.

00:25:06- The TWW (two week wait)

00:26:39- Good news is, it's not endometriosis.

*Tap here to submit your Fertility Friend Check-In, your story for a chance to record with Monique, or say hey & introduce yourself;)

Submit your story to me via email at infertilityandme@outlook.com for a chance to record and end the stigma surrounding infertility. Connect with me on Instagram & watch on YouTube

If this podcast has helped you, please consider leaving a 5 star Rating & Review on Apple iTunes or Spotify. Ratings & Reviews help increase the show's visibility so that we can reach more friends who may be silently suffering too!

Monique chats with Rianna Hijlkema, who like most of us spent years TTC. Rianna has low AMH (Anti-Mullerian Hormone) and has been a nomad for 12 years while dealing with infertility for 6 years. She has completed 6 IUI's and 3 IVF cycles in 3 different countries: Indonesia, Nepal, Bulgaria, and Belgium. At the time of this recording in May 2022, she was told by her clinic in Colombia that they could not move forward with IVF because her AMH was too low. 

Rianna and her husband are currently in limbo with how they will move forward in their path to parenthood. For now, they are living life childless. You can find Rianna on IG and through her coaching services supporting others in the throes of infertility.

Childless after Infertility accounts mentioned in this episode: @chasing.creation @tanyahubbardcounselling @bloomingwithcare @childlessnessintheroom @livechildfree @mindbodyrevival_coach

00:01:34- Meet Rianna.

00:02:30- Finding Love.

00:08:45- TTC

00:13:22- Childless after fertility treatments.

00:20:12- The disappointment of unsuccessful IVF cycles. 

00:22:56- How do I take my power back.

24:34- Childless after infertility accounts.

25:48- A last word.

Submit your story to me via email at infertilityandme@outlook.com for a chance to record and end the stigma surrounding infertility. Connect with me on Instagram & watch on YouTube

If this podcast has helped you, please consider leaving a 5 star Rating & Review on Apple iTunes or Spotify. Ratings & Reviews help increase the show's visibility so that we can reach more friends who may be silently suffering too!

We work tirelessly to create embryos in hopes that they will “stick” around. When that doesn’t happen, it’s completely devastating. 

In this episode, Meg of @for_the_barreness shares her diagnosis of adenomyosis and endometriosis. Meg also shares why she did not waste time digging deeper and getting to the root cause of her recurrent miscarriages. It's been years now since Meg and her husband began TTC- during this time she has created an online support group for women who've suffered miscarriage and loss.

​00:03:08- Meet Meg.

00:06:42- Painful periods with no diagnosis.

00:10:44- The first miscarriage.

00:17:00- Grief turned into anger

0018:00- Time is a thief when TTC.

00:21:59- Finding balance and calm. 

00:24:54- Healing through community.

Submit your story to me via email at infertilityandme@outlook.com for a chance to record and end the stigma surrounding infertility. Connect with me on Instagram & watch on YouTube

Tap here to take our yearly podcast and community survey!

Have you been struggling with the grief of infertility and or loss? Licensed psychotherapist, Karen Balumbu-Bennett, joins us. She'll be answering community questions regarding infertility and grief. Grief rears its ugly throughout many phases of family-building, especially if you've suffered miscarriage or pregnancy loss. Healing from grief is not linear. It requires us to consistently work through it and it evolves over time. 

*This episode is not meant to derail or serve as a substitution for the help of your therapist or counselor.*

We'll be discussing:

 When Karen was diagnosed with infertility & what was the diagnosis?

• How to handle fertility monitoring/scan anxiety?
• How to make peace with possibly not having genetic ties to your future child/children, when an egg donor etc. is needed?
• Healing from the envy of fertile people? 
• Women of Color and infertility.
• How to move forward after giving birth/getting the BFP and working through conflicting feelings of parenthood?

Karen recently created a memoir meets guided journal to support those struggling with fertility challenges. Connect with Karen here!

Karen specializes in women's mental health, maternal health, and infertility. She and her husband also suffered from fertility challenges-eventually they conceived through IVF. 

If this podcast has helped you, please consider leaving a 5 star Rating & Review on Apple iTunes or Spotify. Ratings & Reviews help increase the show's visibility so that we can reach more friends who may be silently suffering too!

Submit your story to me via email at infertilityandme@outlook.com for a chance to record and end the stigma surrounding infertility. Connect with me on Instagram & watch on YouTube

If this podcast has helped you, please consider leaving a 5 star Rating & Review on Apple iTunes or Spotify. Ratings & Reviews help increase the show's visibility so that we can reach more friends who may be silently suffering too!

Are you considering, in the midst of, or have completed embryo adoption? Like most of us, our guest April thought that TTC and having kids would be easier, but six years of infertility struggles said otherwise. After April's infertility diagnosis, she and her husband adopted embryos to become parents. They now have a four-year-old son and are so thankful for embryo adoption as an option.

April Ebeling states: I was adopted into my current family almost two decades ago, so it would be natural to think that when it came to building my own family, I would not be as rigid about how it happened. Instead, I saw this as my chance to finally be "normal." I just wanted to be a regular person having a family the regular way.

April Ebeling, is an adoptive mom, award-winning musician, and military veteran who is passionate about creating musical experiences that make a difference in our daily life! She created Singalong Switch to rescue her mindfulness practice as a new mom and has now helped thousands of people around the world (23 countries and counting)! Fun, fulfilling, and most importantly FAST-ACTING, this technique is a wonderful addition to your mental health toolbox! www.aprilsingsalot.com

0002:44- Meet April

00:05:54- We're the late bloomers of our friend group.

00:08:18- We really wanted to be parents.

00:10:36- Healing emotionally as a couple.

00:13:21- Embarking on the embryo adoption journey.

00:17:38- We found our adoption family.

00:21:12- Should we try for a sibling?

00:24:05- Sing Along Switch: a shortcut to calming the mind and spirit.

00:27:25- A last word.

Submit your story to me via email at infertilityandme@outlook.com for a chance to record and end the stigma surrounding infertility. Connect with me on Instagram & watch on YouTube

Tap here to take our yearly podcast and community survey!

If this podcast has helped you, please consider leaving a 5 star Rating & Review on Apple iTunes or Spotify. Ratings & Reviews help increase the show's visibility so that we can reach more friends who may be silently suffering too!

Have you ever thought, well maybe my body just isn’t made to procreate? In this episode, Danielle Faith shares why it took years to get a full spectrum diagnosis of her fertility health. She states that she had to be an advocate for herself in order for her Doctor's to believe her.

Danielle has endometriosis, PCOS and ovulatory dysfunction. Danielle also shares her miscarriages and how it changed her. She endured 6 embryo transfers, before finally welcoming her baby girl. @makingamiracle8421

Danielle has created and published books to help others through the unthinkable struggles of infertility and loss. She also has been organizing a group of IVF warriors to encourage and uplift those going through infertility, and "Infertility survivor kits," which she delivered by hand to her former fertility clinic. Danielle is a rainbow mama to a beautiful baby girl after 6 years of infertility treatments.

00:01:45- Meet Danielle.

00:02:41- Endometriosis as an adolescent.

00:04:50- PCOS & Anovulation.

00:09:04- Miscarriage & Ovarian Hyper Stimulation syndrome.

00:12:43- Hyperemesis Gravidarum & HELLP syndrome during pregnancy.

00:13:42- Fertility Treatments during COVID.

00:14:58- Healing emotionally.

00:22:16- Our stories are very different, but we're all fighting the same monster.

Tap here to take our yearly podcast and community survey!

Submit your story to me via email at infertilityandme@outlook.com for a chance to record and end the stigma surrounding infertility. Connect with me on Instagram & watch on YouTube

For Fertility Friend Check-Ins, we have an update from CJ, who suffered terrible bedside care. To recap, the Doctor who performed her previous IUI maneuvered her cervix in a way during the procedure that caused extreme pain. We also hear from a friend dealing with both unexplained & secondary infertility. She is at the end of TTC for a sibling and is feeling intense jealousy for people getting pregnant successfully.

"Knowing I'm going to have much more treatments, procedures and surgery, it makes it hard mentally to want to go back, but in the end, we will because we do anything to grow our family.”—CJ

In this episode, you will learn:

1. How do you deal with jealousy and loneliness when you see other people getting pregnant?

2. What are some ways to cope with triggers related to grief?

3. Being solution driven when you're feeling negative emotions.

Resources:

[00:19:26] - Book by Marisa Renee Lee mentioned in this episode: Grief Is Love Living with Loss

In this episode Monique shares an excerpt from Marisa's book, Grief is Love Living with. Monique thanks you for tuning in to the episode and asks you to share it with your fertility friends.

Enjoying the show? Please leave a rating & review—just one sentence helps tremendously!

*Tap here to share your Fertility Friend Check-In, submit your story for a chance to record with Monique, or say hey & introduce yourself;)

*Follow on Instagram 

Have there been times when TTC that you’ve felt like a failure? Our guest Mallory states, she often felt like a failure after her diagnosis, 8 unsuccessful IUI's, 3 rounds of IVF, and one miscarriage.

Mallory describes herself as an optimist, which helped her move through the sadness, anger, and grief of infertility. It wasn't until she had a candid conversation with her Pastor about her unsuccessful fertility treatments and loss that a "light bulb" turned on for her. He helped her realize that infertility was happening to her and she was not at fault or to blame. Tune in as Mallory McGary shares her story of unexplained infertility and miscarriage.

Time Stamps:

00:02:11- Meet Mallory

00:06:20- 8 unsuccessful IUI's & IVF.

00:09:02- Infertility is like a constant mindset game.

00:11:43- Miscarriage & IVF.

00:17:00- Healing emotionally. 

 Tap here to take our yearly podcast and community survey!

*Follow on Instagram

For Fertility Friend Check-In we celebrate with Kris who recently had her first egg retrieval. Another friend who we'll call A, is dealing with anger towards God, and the loss of her embryo after the first BETA came back positive. Lastly, our friend CJ suffered unethical care during an IUI procedure, which resulted in her having to report the performing Doctor.

From there we move into the topic of shame and blame as the infertile spouse. Have you ever said to your spouse, you should go be with someone who isn't infertile... Too often, guilt drives our emotions when struggling to conceive, going through fertility treatments, adoption, etc. The challenges of being the infertile spouse as a hetero cis-gendered woman, the toxic ways shame manifests, and ways to get it under control. What should we do, and how do we feel secure in our relationship during tumultuous times?

If nothing else, this episode serves as a reminder that you friend deserve the love of your partner, you deserve to be accepted, and you are worthy of peace of mind.

*Follow on Instagram

Enjoying the show? Please leave a rating & review—just one sentence helps tremendously!

Tap here to take our yearly podcast and community survey!

*Monique is not a licensed mental health therapist or counselor. Commentary and suggestions are life-experience based.

Things move so quickly during fertility treatments that we often don’t realize just how much we’ve been through. After years of infertility, diminished ovarian reserve-also known as low AMH (Anti-Mullerian Hormone), and poor egg quality, Amanda Monelli and her spouse welcomed their first child.

Amanda went through 3 unsuccessful IUI cycles, an IVF cycle with no chromosomally normal embryos, a successful cycle with one normal embryo, and her last-ditch effort for a sibling. Surprisingly, we learn something special about how Amanda was conceived.

Connect with Amanda @the_elusive_egg 

00:00:00- Intro

00:02:15- Meet Amanda

00:0:4-41- Unforseen struggles TTC. 

00:07:14- Accepting the diagnosis.

00:12:07- Surely IVF works on the first time.

00:18:28- TTC for a sibling.

00:21:05- Genetic links to possible fertility issues.

00:22:02- Healing the trauma of infertility.

 Tap here to take our yearly podcast and community survey!

*Follow on Instagram

You guuuyyyys, in this solo episode, I share why I decided to stop trying to conceive a sibling. New community friends have asked will I return for fertility treatments and how I mustered the strength to walk away from IVF for good! I also share that there will be more solo episodes and introduce a new segment called Fertility Friend Check-in. 

Fertility Friend check-in is a new segment for you to share an area of your journey that you're struggling with, wins, questions, or comments. I will share on solo episodes of the podcast and offer my wisdom, advice, and hold space for you!

 Tap here to take our yearly podcast and community survey!

*Follow on Instagram

You guuuuuys, how are you holding up? Where are you in your family-building efforts? What are your thoughts about the overturning of Roe V Wade? In this community check-in episode, I ask for YOUR input about the show and community we've built. How can I be of better support through the podcast? Guests you'd like to have featured, diagnoses, or topics you'd like me or guests who've experienced them to speak on? Let me know. I want to hear from YOU!

00:08:06-  Tap here  to share your honest thoughts and opinions:)

• 00:00:57- Roe V Wade thoughts (short and sweet)

The Heart of Healthcare

*Follow on Instagram

Enjoying the show? Please leave a rating & review—just one sentence helps tremendously!

Tap here to take our yearly podcast and community survey!

Has IAM podcast helped you? If so, please leave a 5 star Rating & Review on Apple iTunes or Spotify—just one sentence helps tremendously!

Does the thought of walking away childless frighten you? Do you avoid the discussion of being childless with your spouse? Our guest, Lana Manikowski, shares her story about how she spent a lifetime dreaming of motherhood. After seven years of various fertility treatments, Lana realized that she could not have children. The following years were full of loneliness, self-judgment, and confusion about living a childless life. 

Lana yearned to connect to a community of infertile women to grow past this together. She could not find one, so she created it! Stitch Coaching and The "So Now What?" Podcast. Lana is a certified coach with a specialty in "causal coaching." A methodology based on the relationship between one's beliefs, feelings, and actions - Lana helps women rediscover their meaning and build a future they truly love. 

00:00:00- Intro

00:03:05- Meet Lana

00:05:05- Another close friend started IVF treatments.

00:07:39- The back and forth of deciding to walk away from having children.

00:09:44- Healing from the trauma of infertility begins.

00:16:17- Acceptance: the answers will come to you.

00:20:38- Belief, Feel, Act.

00:22:54- Believe that you are good enough.

*Follow on Instagram

Tap here to take our yearly podcast and community survey!

Our guest Kyla Saphir knows firsthand the struggles of living with fibroids and secondary infertility. In this episode, Kyla shares how at the age of 37, after almost two years of TTC for a sibling, and getting the news from an HSG test that she also had a blocked fallopian tube, she and her husband made the hard decision to stop trying. Kyla states: We live in the South and it seems like everyone has 3-5 kids and with no problems. Like they sneezed and they got pregnant! Kyla Saphir is an early childhood educator, yoga instructor, published author, wife, and mom. 

00:04:09- Meet Kyla

00:08:29- TTC for a sibling & fibroids.

00:13:05- Enviromental issues and its effects on fertility:-

00:16:00- Fibroid removal: TTC to Infertile, in a day.

00:21:03- Natal Yoga & TTC.

00:23:30- My spouse was okay with whatever decision I made when TTC for a sibling.

00:24:39- Therapy gave me clarity.

*00:30:52- Baby-making isn't all that we're capable of.

*00:32:41- If you're struggling to conceive, know this...

Grab Your copy of Kyla's book here!

*Follow on Instagram

Has I.A.M podcast helped you? If so, please leave a 5-star Rating & Review on Apple iTunes or Spotify—just one sentence helps tremendously!

Tap here to take our yearly podcast and community survey!

Has I.A.M podcast helped you? If so, please leave a 5-star Rating & Review on Apple iTunes or Spotify—just one sentence helps tremendously!

Do you feel a sense of connection to motherhood/fatherhood so deeply that it drives and fuels you forward through your fertility struggles?

Our Guest Akitra Johnson-Olatuyi describes her desire for motherhood as a deep knowing that her baby is still waiting for her. In this episode Akitra shares her experience with ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth, two miscarriages, and her sisters selfless decision to donate eggs.

Currently, she is working with an agency to find her perfect surrogate match. Akitra hopes to encourage and uplift you through her story to motherhood thus far. 

Time Stamps:

00:00:59- Akitra

00:05:15- Stillbirth & Pregnancy Loss

00:09:55- Fibroids & Egg quality.

00:12:16- Holding onto Faith & considering all options.

00:20:27- This baby is for me.

00:23:40- All bets on you. 

Find Akitra here! 

Support Akitra's GoFundMe here!

*Follow on Instagram

Tap here to take our yearly podcast and community survey!

Have you been keeping up with the possible overturning of Roe v Wade, are you concerned with how this will affect your current or future reproductive care? In this episode, Monique chats with Dr. Tara Bradner- IVF mom, Nurse Practitioner, Doctorate degree holder, and women's health advocate. Tara was diagnosed initially with unexplained infertility, but after switching to a new reproductive endocrinologist, endometriosis was found. Tara suffered painful periods for years and no previous doctors would take her complaints seriously. 

Tara states: I endured a long road through infertility followed by infertility treatments and a traumatic pregnancy. Tara sought professional and medical intervention from two fertility clinics, which led me to google and social media for answers. 

Tara and Monique take a deep dive into reproductive rights, justice, the lack of women's health research, and how we can better advocate for ourselves and loved ones.

After experiencing a long road through infertility, Tara decided she wanted to help couples in their journey to grow their family. She chose to change paths to provide a full suite of coaching services and support for those struggling to build their family. Tara is certified through the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), a natural family planner with the Marquette Method, and a Certified Hormone Puzzle Fertility Coach.

00:03:44- Meet Tara

00:08:30- IUI's, mental health break, & uterine biopsy.

00:10:00- Don't be scared to get second, third, and fourth opinions

00:11:24- Aren't heavy & painful periods normal?

00:13:58- Why do women have to fight so hard for reproductive rights and justice

00:18:00- Infertility is a healthcare disparity.

00:19:40- IVF 

00:25:45- Creating more peace & calm.

Has I.A.M podcast helped you? If so, please leave a 5-star Rating & Review on Apple iTunes or Spotify—just one sentence helps tremendously! *Follow on Instagram

Has I.A.M podcast helped you? If so, please leave a 5-star Rating & Review on Apple iTunes or Spotify—just one sentence helps tremendously!

Have you ever said to yourself, I'll be happy when...and proceed to create the ideal outcome of the situation?

In this episode Monique chats with Kristin Dillensnyder. After 4 unsuccessful IUI'S, she and her husband knew they needed more help and went to a Reproductive Endocrinologist. Kristin not only suffered from unexplained infertility, but she was of advanced maternal age and her husband had male-factor infertility issues. Kristin experienced 3 different outcomes IVF, one that didn't work, one that ended in miscarriage, and one that gave them their now 4 year old daughter. Kristin is a certified life coach specializing in helping women who, like her, need IVF to grow their family.

Kristin states: I decided to become what I needed in the hardest parts of the infertility journey. To take all of that experience and pain and loneliness and turn it into a positive and embrace who I am. Connect with Kristin!

Time Stamps:

00:00:36- Meet Kristin

00:04:11- 4 IUI's & unexplained infertility.

00:10:22- IVF cycle 3 & Miscarriage.

00:11:50- Healing from grief.

00:13:53- I'll be happy when...

00:15:47- Two Week Wait is like a jail sentence.

00:19:09- Processsing emotional traumas.

00:26:38- It's ok to need help.  

Submit your story to me via email at infertilityandme@outlook.com for a chance to record and end the stigma surrounding infertility. Connect with me on Instagram & watch on YouTube

Has I.A.M podcast helped you? If so, please leave a 5-star Rating & Review on Apple iTunes or Spotify—just one sentence helps tremendously!

Have you experienced medical red flags? Our guest, Carrie Severson went through a whirlwind TTC as a single woman. She shares the difficult decision to be a single mom by choice and the process of two rounds of IVF, both of which were unsuccessful. Carrie experienced terrible bedside manner from her specialist, who blamed her "mindset" on the first IVF round being unsuccessful.

She also dealt with unethical care and suffered eight bacterial infections from the same clinic after her last IVF cycle. It took Carrie an entire year to recover from the infections and much longer to heal from the emotional trauma.

Carrie is an accomplished journalist and publisher and has written a book, Unapologetically Enough. In it Carrie details what it was like to go through fertility treatments as a single woman and her traumatic experience with the clinic.

00:03:2- Meet Carrie

00:05:52- Preparing for IVF treatment.

00:09:08- I would have loved to not go through this alone.

00:10:15- Unsuccessful IVF cycle & early ovulation.

00:12:48- Despite the red flags, I agreed to a second cycle of egg collection.

00:13:58- Eight bacterial infections: ignoring the red flags.

00:15:49- To me, it was about opportunity.

00:18:30- Healing from guilt, shame, and blame.

00:19:58- IVF burnout.

00:20:48- I am enough with or without children.

00:22:33- I hope women can find peace.

00:24:16- I wish I had found community sooner.

Grab your copy of Carrie's new book!

Follow Carrie on Instagram!

Submit your story to me via email at infertilityandme@outlook.com for a chance to record and end the stigma surrounding infertility. Connect with me on Instagram & watch on YouTube

Has I.A.M podcast helped you? If so, please leave a 5-star Rating & Review on Apple iTunes or Spotify—just one sentence helps tremendously!

What do you do when your Faith in God's plan for your life is disrupted by infertility? In this episode, Dr. Anna Locke shares how she bridged the gap between Religious beliefs and getting help through reproductive assistance. Dr. Anna and her husband suffered from dual factor infertility and when she gave birth through c-section to her twins, endometriosis was discovered. 

Dr. Anna is an international award-winning author and educator who has worked in the mental health profession for more than 15 years. She holds a doctorate in counseling and is a licensed professional counselor in multiple states, including Puerto Rico. She currently owns Charlandra Counseling Services, a virtual infertility counseling center; and is an assistant professor at Nyack College. Dr. Anna is an active leader in the American Counseling Association, and author of "Body Betrayal: Living and Understanding Infertility" and "Introduction to 21st Century Counseling: A Multicultural and Social Justice Perspective". From her personal and clinical experience with infertility, Dr. Anna created the Fertility Clarity © approach to infertility counseling. 

00:04:38- Meet Dr. Anna

00:08:29- Endometriosis is found during emergency c-section.

00:10:26- Catholicism & shame

00:15:50- Are we being punished by God?

00:20:00- Bridging the gap between Religion & reproductive care.

00:26:16- Acceptance.

Submit your story to me via email at infertilityandme@outlook.com for a chance to record and end the stigma surrounding infertility. Connect with me on Instagram & watch on YouTube

Has I.A.M podcast helped you? If so, please leave a 5-star Rating & Review on Apple iTunes or Spotify—just one sentence helps tremendously!

Are you still in the thick of TTC (trying to conceive), have you and your partner/spouse been diagnosed with dual factor infertility? Our guest Stephanie Reyes and her husband have.

Stephanie will begin IVF after 2 years of infertility this Spring season. She suffers from PCOS, Neurofibromatosis, and her partner has MFI (male factor infertility) with poor morphology, and borderline motility. Stephanie is a military spouse and there's a chance her husband will be temporarily deployed during the entire IVF cycle. Because of Stephanie's genetic condition, she suffers from chronic pain, which adds another layer of TTC struggles. @ivfyou_2022

Time Stamps:

00:00:00- Intro

00:02:20- Meet Stephanie

00:06:30- TTC when your spouse is active Military.

00:12:00- PCOS diagnosis.

00:13:59- Neurofibramotosis

00:15:29- Male infertility

00:17:10- Uterine polyps were a surprise.

00:21:08- Who was I before infertility? 

00:29:00- Preparing to possibly do IVF with my husband deployed. 

00:32:30- Today, I feel hopeful about IVF. 

• Showcase your infertility advocacy & use code: IAM15 to receive a discount on your Infertile Tees purchase!

Submit your story to me via email at infertilityandme@outlook.com for a chance to record and end the stigma surrounding infertility. Connect with me on Instagram & watch on YouTube

Tap here to take our yearly podcast and community survey!

Has I.A.M podcast helped you? If so, please leave a 5-star Rating & Review on Apple iTunes or Spotify—just one sentence helps tremendously!

How many losses have you experienced, when did you decide to get help with your grief and trauma? Our guest Lindsay Blair went through 7 years of unexplained infertility, 5 miscarriages, 2 ectopic pregnancies, which resulted in both of her fallopian tubes being removed through emergency surgery. All of this happened before welcoming her miracle twins in 2020. 

In this episode we discuss being a newly wed while going through so many losses, a detailed account of ectopic pregnancy surgery, navigating the layers of grief to healing, taking breaks from TTC, and knowing when to get help from a trained professional. Lindsay became certified as a Fertility Coach, Trauma Specialist, & Miscarriage and Bereavement Doula to help other women find courage during their pain-filled journeys of suffering, grief, loss, and uncertainty. 

Showcase your infertility advocacy & use code: IAM15 to receive a discount on your Infertile Tees purchase!

Follow Monique on IG for more Content!

Have you or your spouse been diagnosed with male factor infertility? In this episode with Dr. Barrett Cowan and Dr. Natan Bar-Chama you will gain a better understanding of male infertility, causes, and what options are available to diagnose and treat it. 

Dr. Cowan, is co-founder of Posterity Health. A comprehensive digital male fertility management platform designed to help assess, evaluate, and treat male fertility. The company seeks to educate, engage, and treat men, shifting the burden of conceiving from solely the woman and creating a unifying experience for the couple.

On Monday, March 14th, Posterity Health launched a new nationwide initiative called Project AIM (Access to care - Inclusion of the Male partner). Project AIM provides men with at-home testing and access to male fertility specialists through leading OB/GYN's across the country, beginning with RMA of New York, widely acknowledged as a national and international leader in state-of-the-art reproductive medicine.

Project AIM’s benefits include:

• Supporting the couple through their journey to parenthood by promoting the coordinated evaluation of both parties
• Exploring the root cause of male infertility and possibly detecting underlying men’s health conditions
•  Embracing the LGBTQIA+ community with inclusive family building services
• New Yorkers looking to conceive will have the opportunity better navigate a fertility journey together through a new initiative called Project AIM

Dr. Cowan is the Co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of Posterity Health. He has specialized in treating men with infertility for over 20 years. He received his medical degree with honors and completed his urology residency and fellowship at Stanford University School of Medicine. He remains committed to helping couples who struggle with infertility issues. He has published multiple scientific articles and authored a chapter on a commonly read fertility book. He is a member of the American Urologic Association, American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the Society for the Study of Male Reproduction, and the Society for Male Reproduction and Urology

Dr. Bar-Chama is the Director of the Center of Male Reproductive Health at RMA of New York, is a board-certified Urologist and Male Infertility Specialist. Following his urology residency at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, he was awarded the New York Academy of Medicine F.C. Valentine Fellowship and sub-specialized in Male Reproductive Medicine and Surgery at The Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. For the last 20 years, Dr. Bar-Chama has been the Director of Male Reproductive Medicine and Surgery and is on faculty in both the Departments of Urology and Obstetrics/Gynecology and Reproductive Science at The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Dr. Bar-Chama’s practice is exclusively dedicated to the fields of male infertility and sexual medicine, and he has published extensively and lectured throughout the world in these areas. He is currently on the Board of Directors and slated to be President of the Society for Male Reproduction and Urology (SMRU), is past president of the Society for the Study of Male Reproduction (SSMR) and serves on the board of directors of the patient advocacy organization.

Grab your (in)fertility Awareness & Advocacy products-Use Code: IAM15 for a discount on your next purchase. https://www.infertiletees.com

Has I.A.M podcast helped you? If so, please leave a 5-star Rating & Review on Apple iTunes or Spotify—just one sentence helps tremendously!

Have you felt shame about your infertility diagnosis? Our guest Ceire Nevins did and she hid her fertility treatments from family, friends, and co-workers. Shame, unconscious, and limiting beliefs of what family-building should look like kept her from being open with loved ones. 

Ceire and her husband went through three years of unexplained infertility, multiple Clomid rounds, four unsuccessful IUI's (Intrauterine Inseminations), two cycles of IVF (Invitro Fertilization) before welcoming their twin girls. Not long after giving birth to her daughters, Ceire was pleasantly surprised to discover that she was four months pregnant.

On the next part of her family-building journey, she struggled to conceive a fourth baby to complete her childhood dream, and constantly fought with her husband. This led to her self-healing journey and passion for helping other women with infertility. 

In this episode Ceire shares how she overcame shame into living a life of gratitude, embracing the present moment, and how she found her purpose as a fertility coach, helping women struggling on their journey to motherhood. 

Ceire states: "Through the struggles and lessons of my fertility journey, I'm inspired to support women with their journey, so they don't have to face it on their own."

Showcase your infertility advocacy & use code: IAM15 to receive a discount on your Infertile Tees purchase!

Has I.A.M podcast helped you? If so, please leave a 5-star Rating & Review on Apple iTunes or Spotify—just one sentence helps tremendously!

Would you TTC for an extended time, say, more than five years and would you continue into your 40's? In this episode Mandy Refvik shares her thoughts, feelings, and craziest TTC (trying to conceive) moments over the course of ten years.

Mandy ran into ample hurdles along the way. She states on one of her Instagram posts: "At first, my doctors told me I was "too old" to get pregnant, "too old" to pursue IVF. But I knew my body, and I knew it was worth a try. So I did it anyway."

Brandy and her husband embarked on their path to family expansion and did so by going abroad to Barbados to seek assisted reproductive care. After years of struggling to get pregnant and 3 rounds of IVF, they welcomed their first child, a baby girl when Mandy was 42. 

Time Stamps:

00:00:00- Intro

00:05:55- Meet Mandy

00:15:00- My spouse was my rock.

00:18:25- My craziest moments TTC (trying to conceive).

00:23:35- Let's get help.

00:39:25- IVF abroad in Barbados.

00:58:20- A last word.  

*Follow on Instagram

Tap here to take our yearly podcast and community survey!

Has I.A.M podcast helped you? If so, please leave a 5-star Rating & Review on Apple iTunes or Spotify—just one sentence helps tremendously!

Infertility And Me is currently featured in Apple iTunes, New & Noteworthy. eeeeeek! Thank you for your support over the last 2 1/2 years, friends!! Have you ever felt silenced by the pain of Infertility or loss? Today is a rewind from episode 33 with Olajumoke Iba. Our Nigerian friend and guest Olajumoke told us about her journey through five medicated Clomid cycles, one missed miscarriage, three IVF treatment cycles, and the difficult decision to be childless not by choice. 

Infertility often deceives us into believing that our story and journey aren't needed or that no one wants to hear it. Today and every day through the strong and authentic stories of men and women on this platform, we are reminded that we are not alone and that there is power in speaking up! 

00:06:16- Meet Ola

Submit your story to me via email at infertilityandme@outlook.com for a chance to record and end the stigma surrounding infertility. Connect with me on Instagram & watch on YouTube

Has I.A.M podcast helped you? If so, please leave a 5-star Rating & Review on Apple iTunes or Spotify—just one sentence helps tremendously!

Would you choose a surrogate from a different race? Have you considered using a surrogate or currently researching the path of surrogacy? In this episode, Kimberly Gowdy shares the steps she and her husband took to find their perfect surrogate.

Kimberly always yearned for a child, but after seven miscarriages, three unsuccessful surrogacy attempts, and two embryos left, she and her husband received an unexpected blessing. The twist—Kimberly is Black, her surrogate is white, and they live in the south! 

Kimberly Gowdy is the author of the book The Colorless Womb, which details her surrogacy and infertility journey. She also created a support group called MOBY (Mommy Older Baby Younger), a support group for mother's 35 & over.

In her book, The Colorless Womb, she tackles infertility, surrogacy, and racial and societal pressures of parenthood—dealing with ignorant comments from friends and family like, "Is your baby going to be white?" to "It took a white woman to save you?" The problem was that Kimberly searched high and low for a surrogate that looked like her, but all fell short in the health area. 

Time Stamps:

00:00:00- Intro

00:04:03- Meet Kimberly Gowdy

00:06:39- Miscarriages and pregnancy losses.

00:10:45- IVF & TTC

00:16:16- Three unsuccessful Surrogacy attempts.

00:26:00- The Colorless Womb: someone to call me mommy.

Submit your story to me via email at infertilityandme@outlook.com for a chance to record and end the stigma surrounding infertility. Connect with me on Instagram & watch on YouTube

Dr. Matrika Johnson answers community questions regarding fertility care. If you follow @infertilityandmepodcast on Instagram, you may remember seeing a Q & A in Stories, in preparation for today's episode with Dr. Johnson. 

00:00:00- intro

00:04:06- Meet Dr. Johnson

Community Questions:

1. 00:07:52- What are two or three main things that patients should look for when choosing a Reproductive Endocrinologist?
2. 00:11:12- Are heavy menses and large clots a concern? Considering all tests come back normal. (lap, etc)
3. 00:15:49- "Options" for blocked tubes other than removal?
4. 00:21:12- Can diabetes cause difficulty when TTC?
5. 00:23:40- Tips for the community.

Matrika D. Johnson, M.D., completed her undergraduate training at Davidson College, where she was a Davidson scholar. She later earned her medical degree from Wright State University where she received the Janet C. Thompson Memorial Scholarship Award for her academic achievements.

Dr. Johnson completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Washington University in St. Louis, where she served as a board member for the Residents & Fellows Diversity Initiative. After residency, Dr. Johnson completed a research fellowship at Case Western Reserve University, followed by a fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the Magee Women’s Hospital of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Dr. Johnson is board-certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology as well as Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility.

In 2020 and 2021, Dr. Johnson appeared in Charlotte magazine’s list of the Top Doctors in Charlotte for the specialty of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. Dr. Johnson is the founding physician of Reproductive Specialists of the Carolinas.

When Dr. Johnson isn’t helping patients, you can find her running in the beautiful city of Charlotte. Dr. Johnson also enjoys the musical arts, international travel, and the great outdoors. She is happily married and loves spending quality time with her husband, stepson and dog, Apollo.

Reproductive Specialists of the Carolinas 

⦁ Instagram: ⦁ @fertilitycarolinas

Support IAM Podcast at by Buying A Coffee https://ko-fi.com/infertilityandmepodcast

Have your or someone you know experienced devastating pregnancy loss or miscarriage? Are you taking the necessary steps to healing? 

Narelle's TTC story began when her husbands vasectomy reversal operation was unsuccessful. They started IVF and became pregnant after five cycles. Unfortunately, they suffered great loss at 23w gestation. Their baby boy River, did not survive. This episode is for you, if you have experienced a loss/es during your path to family expansion.

Narelle Hudson is the owner of a Counselling and Natural Therapy Practice ​in Brisbane Australia, which offers treatments for the mind, body, and soul. Narelle is also the author of a book called: The Baby Dream- Learning to Live with Infertility and Loss.

Time Stamps:

00:00:00- Intro

00:02:41- Narelle

00:19:24- Pregnancy concerns and premature labor.

00:31:54- Healing through grief however you need to.

Support IAM Podcast at by Buying A Coffee https://ko-fi.com/infertilityandmepodcast