IVF Failed You - The "So Now What?" Podcast

Have you been living in a holding pattern—waiting, hoping, and unsure of when you'll finally start living again? For years, infertility treatments dictated your schedule. You held off on vacations, skipped girls' weekends, and put projects on pause, thinking, Maybe by then, I'll be pregnant. Maybe I'll have a baby. But now, fertility treatments are behind you, and you're still feeling stuck. You h...

Infertility and Self-Blame: It's Time to Let Go of Guilt After IVF and Fertility Treatments Failed Have you ever found yourself questioning every decision you made on your fertility journey? Wondering if you should have started trying sooner, chosen a different doctor, lost more weight, or pursued another round of IVF? If self-blame has become a constant companion after infertility and failed fert...

How to Handle Pity When You're Childless After Infertility If you've ever felt the sting of someone's pity—whether it's the sad look, the heavy sigh, or the "I just feel so bad for you" comment—you're not alone. When you've been through fertility treatments like IVF and IUI, only to walk away without the child you dreamed of, the last thing you need is for others to make you feel like your life is...

Do you feel like you don't belong because you're not part of the "parent club"? Maybe you've noticed friendships shift as kids come into the picture, or you've caught yourself feeling excluded from conversations or outings. That sting of being left out is real, and it often taps into a much deeper wound—the grief of the dream of motherhood that didn't come true. In this week's episode of The 'So N...

Episode Summary: Many people believe that time will naturally heal the pain of being childless after infertility, but what if that isn't true? In this episode of The 'So Now What?' Podcast , Lana dives into a powerful story shared by a woman in her 60s, who has spent decades hoping time would ease the ache of childlessness—only to find herself still struggling with the same feelings of disconnecti...

In this week's episode of The So Now What? Podcast, we're diving into a deeply relatable topic: the habit of self-blame when things don't go as planned—especially when it comes to your fertility journey. If you've ever poured your heart and soul into IVF treatments, followed every protocol, and still didn't achieve the outcome you dreamed of, this episode is for you. Drawing parallels from a recen...

Welcome to  The So Now What? Podcast with Lana Manikowski. In this episode, we kick off the new year by exploring a life-changing question: How long are you willing to wait to believe that something is possible for you? If you've left fertility treatments without the child you dreamed of—or if you're feeling stuck in the aftermath of your infertility journey—this episode is for you. You'll hear: W...

Merry Christmas to Those Who Celebrate This week's episode of The "So Now What?" Podcast is here to guide you through the complexities of the holiday season, especially if you're navigating the challenges of being childless after infertility treatments. Christmas can be a beautiful season of nostalgia and tradition, but it can also bring unexpected emotions - grief, longing, and loneliness - if yo...

The holidays can feel especially heavy when you're childless after infertility and IVF. In this episode, I'm sharing heartfelt insights and practical strategies to help you navigate this season with grace, even when it feels like everything revolves around kids. Whether you're grieving the loss of a dream of motherhood after fertility treatments failed you, feeling out of place at family gathering...

In today's episode of The 'So Now What?' Podcast, we're tackling a deeply personal fear that many women who are childless after infertility and IVF struggle with: the fear of growing old alone. When the dream of motherhood doesn't become a reality, it's natural to worry about who will be there to care for us as we age. We often think that without children, we're missing a safety net for the future...

  Welcome to The "So Now What?" Podcast. I am so glad that you're here. I created this podcast because I remember what it felt like after I left fertility treatments without the child that I dreamed of.  When I looked around for resources to help me navigate a life I hadn't planned for, I found so few that truly spoke to the experiences of an unexpected childless life.  In 2021, I became a certifi...

Welcome to Episode 147 of The "So Now What?" Podcast with Lana Manikowski. In this special episode, Lana dives deep into the often-overlooked journey that follows fertility treatments for women who leave without a child. Whether you're a fertility doctor, clinic staff, mental health provider, or a woman navigating life after infertility, this episode highlights the unmet needs and real stories fro...

Hello, beautiful! I'm so glad you're here for this week's episode of The "So Now What?" Podcast.  If you're watching on YouTube, you'll notice I'm in a different setting than usual. I'm currently in Denver, attending the American Society of Reproductive Medicine  (ASRM) Annual Congress. This episode might sound a bit different, but it's coming straight from the heart, and I think it's one you'll c...

Welcome to this week's episode of The "So Now What?" Podcast. In this episode, you'll dive into something that may resonate deeply with you, especially if you're a woman who is childless after infertility treatments. Lana opens up about those painful moments when you're surrounded by reminders of what you longed for but never came to pass. If you've ever felt that pang in your heart when someone e...

In this week's episode of The "So Now What?" Podcast , we explore an issue that many women who are childless after infertility experience—feeling overlooked or dismissed as adults simply because they don't have children. If you've ever felt like society doesn't take you seriously because you didn't become a mother, this episode is for you. In today's conversation, we talk about the challenges of n...

After going through infertility treatments, including IVF, many women find themselves facing life without the child they hoped for. This journey of being childless not by choice is filled with grief, heartache, and often, a deep sense of comparison. You may be asking yourself questions like, "Why can't my life look like hers?" or "What am I supposed to do now without the milestones of motherhood t...

If you're childless after infertility treatments, you are not alone, even though it might feel like you are. In this episode, I open up about my personal journey through seven years of fertility treatments, only to end up without the child I dreamed of. I know firsthand how devastating and isolating this experience can be. What most women don't realize is that these feelings—grief, confusion, loss...

Welcome to another episode of The "So Now What?" Podcast! This week, we're diving into the important topic of body image after infertility—a struggle many women face when their journey to motherhood didn't go as planned. If you've been feeling disconnected or resentful toward your body after years of fertility treatments, this episode is for you. In this episode, you'll learn: Why body image strug...

In this episode, Lana dives into the complex emotions that can arise when you're the only one in your group of friends who is childless after infertility. If you've ever felt like an outsider among your BFFs as they talk about their kids, this episode is for you. Lana explores how to maintain meaningful connections, even when your life looks different from those around you. She shares personal sto...

Welcome to this week's episode of The "So Now What?" Podcast! In this episode, we're diving into a subject that many women who are childless after infertility can relate to—managing emotions during back-to-school season when you weren't able to have kids. This time of year can bring a mix of emotions—sadness, frustration, comparison, and even a deep sense of loss—as you see friends, family, and so...

Welcome and Personal Update Vacation Preparation: Lana discusses the anxiety she felt as she prepared for her first vacation since leaving her corporate job, and how this trip is a significant change from her previous work-focused vacations. Upcoming Free Coaching Class Free Webinar Announcement: Lana is hosting a free coaching class on September 10th at 6 PM CT. This session is designed to help t...

Introduction Welcome back, gorgeous! By the time you listen to this, I'll be in Turek, Poland, celebrating a family wedding. As excited as I am about this trip, I want to share something equally important with you—how to let go of the disappointment that often follows unsuccessful IVF and infertility treatments. If you're struggling with feelings of failure or sadness because you couldn't have chi...

Hey there, lovely listeners! Did you know I have a YouTube channel? Yes, I do! You can watch the video version of this podcast, including some fun outtakes, on my YouTube channel at Lana Manikowski on YouTube . This week, I want to share something that hit me deeply: the parallels between the journey of Olympic athletes and women who undergo fertility treatments. Watching a recent track and field...

Hey there! It's been quite a week in the media, and I felt compelled to address some comments circulating about childless women being miserable. As someone who deeply values integrity, especially in my role as a life coach supporting women crafting fulfilling lives without children, I want to make it clear: this isn't about politics, and it never will be. My goal here is to provide a space where a...

On this episode, we're diving into a topic that often gets overlooked: embracing abundance after infertility. It's something many of us struggle with because we rarely see examples of women thriving in a life that doesn't include motherhood. That's precisely what inspired me to start this podcast — to fill that gap and provide a space where we can explore where these communities exist, how to navi...