Infertility And Me: Stories of Infertility Survivors, IVF, & TTC

"My body made a decision for me and without me. I did not consider having kids until someone told me that I can't.'-Stacey Brown Imagine being told over the phone by your doctor that you have an underdeveloped vagina; no empathy, no compassion, no explanation. Stacey Brown, a 25-year-old college graduate diagnosed with MRKH in 2019 while preparing for her Master's degree finals. Wh...

Today Marilyn B. Gomez is back as a co-host and helps celebrate the end of season 1 on the podcast by Shootin The Sh*t with us. This is an unstructured episode full of laughs, candidness, and a few TMI moments. Thank you, friends, for being here in this space over the last year! Happy Holidays, Happy New Year, and I'll be back on January 12th, 2021, with season 2. In this episode, we discuss:...

Are you preparing for IVF treatment, in treatment, IUI, medicated cycle, or in the midst of trying to conceive naturally? If you said yes, then today's episode is for you. Caitlin Townsend, a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, discusses simple and effective ways to create healthier eating habits. In This Episode:  Caitlin shares herbs and foods to help increase conception naturally o...

Picture for a moment, being young, vibrant, and in a healthy place in your life, only to be told that your husband has a condition called Azoospermia. How would you react, would it be a deal-breaker in your relationship, do you believe your spouse would be willing to use donor sperm? Men with Azoospermia have a complete absence of sperm from the fluid ejaculated during orgasm (semen). Azoospermia...

Like many of us, Brett waited until she was in her 30's to find love and settle down. Brett Russo was born and raised in New Jersey. She graduated with a degree in business management from Bucknell University, where she also met her future husband. After graduation, Brett found her passion working beside her twin brother and father for her family’s printing company, of which she is now the chi...

Amy was diagnosed with infertility and spent years trying to conceive, thousands upon thousands of dollars, and countless days rethinking every step of the process. Amy shares her reasons for writing The Trying Game; get through fertility treatment and get pregnant without losing your mind. Amy states that she has always written about whatever she was going through, from jumping out of a plane to...

Are you worried you won't survive the holidays without indulging too much in your favorite comfort foods? If so, you'll want to tune-in to today's episode with Charlotte Grand, the founder of The Fertility Kitchen. Charlotte gives us tips on surviving the holiday season and maintaining our healthy lifestyle for fertility. Bio: Charlotte is a Qualified and Registered Nutritional Therapi...

Have you been searching the internet for simplified ways to improve your lifestyle for fertility, but often become overwhelmed by the vast amount of information? The holiday season is here, and this week's theme is wholistic living. Kicking the week off with Kela Smith, the founder of The Hormone P.U.Z.Z.L.E Society. Kela gives us an inside look into her program and how she became pregnant aft...

If you need a good laugh, some candid conversation, and a few TMI moments; this episode is for you! Today's episode features the host of Tootsie Rolaids Podcast, Rocio. A NY native and mom to one IVF miracle baby boy. Rocio's journey to motherhood would test every facet of her life, including her faith. Rocio knew that she might one day have trouble trying to conceive because infertility w...

Do you often feel shame around your infertility, miscarriage, or loss? If you answered yes, then you will want to tune-in to today's episode with Emily Ginn. The dictionary defines shame as: the painful feeling arising from the consciousness of something dishonorable, improper, ridiculous, etc., done by oneself or another. susceptibility to this feeling. disgrace; ignominy. Infertility is not...

What does being a mother or father mean to you? How far are you willing to go and what are you willing to risk to achieve your dreams of parenthood? Shara Hutchinson shares her eight-year journey to motherhood, miscarriage, selling items from her home, and other resourceful ways she and her husband funded their fertility and IVF treatments. After enduring a tumultuous journey to pregnancy, Shara p...

We all know how expensive and financially taxing IVF treatment and other forms of fertility treatment can be, which is why today's Bonus episode features Gift Of Parenthood Grants. G.O.P. is a charitable grant program for uninsured couples and individuals who seek financial assistance. If you follow G.O.P. on social media but do not know much about them, tune in to today's episode. Misson...

Have you ever considered traveling abroad to receive IVF treatment? Going abroad for fertility treatment can be scary, but each year; a small portion of US Citizens make their way across borders for a shot at parenthood at a significantly lower cost. In today's episode, Lucia Lambert from the UK joins us to discuss her path to motherhood. For some, her journey may seem a little unconventional....

This is the last week Infant & Pregnancy Loss Awareness month. Advocacy, awareness, and celebration has been tremendous all over social media. Remember that our work does not end here. Much like infertility, stillbirth, miscarriage, and pregnancy-reductions are very taboo topics, and we often tiptoe around them as a society. The closing of this month's awareness to the babies we have lost...

Do you have days or weeks that you feel like you’re just surviving and not fully thriving and living your best life while trying to conceive? In today's episode, Amber Fischer shares her diagnosis of endometrial cancer, PCOS, and her infertility journey. Amber never envisioned that she would be a cancer survivor, let alone it reoccurring after she gave birth to her miracle boy. Amber's end...

*WARNING* This Bonus episode is about stillbirth and may be triggering for some. The month of October is Infant & Pregnancy Loss Awareness month. Today's episode features the story of Brittany and Quesse. A young twenty-something couple from the East Coast of the United States, that suffered the loss of their baby girl Saije, at 7 months gestation in May of 2020. According to the CDC: &#34...

Have you heard of the term reproductive justice? Many often confuse reproductive justice with reproductive rights. The two are distinctly and philosophically different. Reproductive rights are centered around the legal right to access reproductive care services. Reproductive justice bridges reproductive rights with social, political, and economic inequalities that affect a woman's ability to o...

Have you been diagnosed with POR (poor ovarian reserve) or DOR (diminished ovarian reserve)? Females are typically born with two million eggs. At puberty, four hundred thousand, and by her late 30's, just a mere 27,000 on average. Unfortunately, there are no medical interventions to slow-down ovarian aging. (data found here) In today's episode, you will learn the importance of lowering cor...

Today's episode was recorded outside, so I apologize if the sound is not as crisp as other episodes. Amanda Osowski discusses how her path to motherhood inspired the idea to create Heartfelt Beginnings. Amanda realized that her experience as a patient advocate and Masters in Public Health could greatly serve families struggling to conceive. * Follow on Instagram Enjoying the show? Please leave...

Picture for a moment, struggling with addiction while also navigating the uncertainties of infertility. Today's guest Ellen Elizabeth knows all too well about the dangers of addiction. Not only was Ellen struggling to become sober, but she was also diagnosed with infertility in the midst of it all. Plummeting farther and farther into the never-ending abyss of addiction. Shame and guilt plagued...

Are you struggling to decide if embryo adoption is the right path for you? In today's episode, Jenna Bieber shares her story through female factor and male factor infertility, as well as embryo adoption with the NEDC(national embryo donation center) in Knoxville, Tennessee. Jenna and her husband knew from the beginning of their diagnosis that IVF treatment was not for them. Jenna states: "...

Regina shares her 10-year journey to motherhood and suffering from PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome). Regina and Monique also discuss the lack of brown representation within the fertility and infertility community, the roller coaster of emotions that infertility brings, being an advocate for yourself, and opening the conversation of health issues with our private circle of friends. The lack of ed...

Are you a bonus-mom suffering from female factor infertility and often wonder when it will be your turn to give the gift of parenthood to your spouse? Today's episode is with Asia Cash, a wife and mother. After suffering from tubal infertility, the Cash family pursued IVF(invitro fertilization) and birthed their miracle child, Maliya January 2020. But their journey was not without moments of u...

Wouldn't it be nice to step away from social media and receive support and mentorship during your fertility journey? Our guest in today's BONUS episode 12 created a platform to fulfill that need. Her name is Elyse Ash, and she is the Founder of Fruitful Fertility, a mentorship app for individuals suffering from infertility and loss. All mentors are volunteers who are eager to be that shoul...

Have you often felt as if someone else was writing the story to your fertility/infertility journey, leaving you feeling like you have no control? In today's episode, Marilyn Gomez reminds us through her journey to motherhood that we are the authors and possess the pen and paper to write our narrative. We discuss how infertility helped both of us tap into a level of our feminine divine energy t...