The Ribbon Box Podcast

O ur world is becoming increasingly toxic and we’re exposed to many toxins in our everyday lives that can harm our health and fertility.  Yet no one wants to feel worried or stressed about living a healthier lifestyle - especially when trying to conceive or pregnant. So in this  FHH  podcast, we speak with Rachel Bartholomew, a nutritionist from Nutri Advanced (visit their  website here ) to under...

In her early thirties, Hayley discovered she was donor-conceived during a family argument.   Years on, she and her wife have their own donor-conceived children. On the FHH podcast today, Eloise speaks with Hayley about her experiences as a donor-conceived person and how these have shaped the way she and her wife raise their children.   Hayley shares her and her wife’s thoughts behind choosing a do...

The grief of trying to conceive with no clear vision of how things might turn out is unimaginable. Alice Rose was initially unsure about how to overcome her grief and turmoil, but she knew she wanted to make things better not just for herself but for everyone going through their fertility journey too. Listen to find out what advice Alice has for The Ribbon Box  readers to overcome the pain and str...

This week, on The Ribbon Box podcast, we had the great pleasure of speaking with Natalie Hart about her egg donor conception journey. Natalie met her fiancé late in life and, while she knew it would be difficult to conceive naturally, she didn’t expect to have less that 1% of her eggs remaining. When she began to show signs that she was peri-menopausal at 41, using an egg donor was one of her limi...

What would you say if we told you that there is a new conception aid available in the USA, and soon to be in the UK, to help you conceive naturally? We’re so excited to chat about  twoplus , and find out how this device works, helping sperm reach the cervix during / after sex and ultimately increase chances of conception. Fewer than 1% of sperm reach the egg. Insert  twoplus sperm guide cup  befor...

Today on The Ribbon Box Podcast, we are joined by  Dani Wade , a lifestyle influencer, who has begun incorporating the topic of (in)fertility into her Instagram content. Following Dani's own unexplained fertility struggles, and wanting to create a narrative around it, Dani shares support and her personal journey with others who are new to  infertility treatments  and also trying to conceive. L...

Today on The Ribbon Box Podcast, we speak with the Founder and CEO of  BELI (male and female fertility prenatals) , Joni Davis. Listen as we discuss which vitamins are good for male infertility and I ask, ‘Can guys take prenatal vitamins?’ We also speak about fertility pills for women and men, and why you should swap a multi vitamin for fertility supplements. Joni gives super useful information ab...

This week on The Ribbon Box Podcast, we had the great pleasure of speaking with a sperm donor from California Cryobank – a leading international sperm bank. Listen in full below, or via your favourite podcast app, to find out why he became a sperm donor, what he thinks of the California Cryobank programme and whether he would donate if he wasn’t paid. We also discuss his feelings and thoughts abou...

This week on The Ribbon Box Podcast, we’re delighted to welcome guests, Katherine and Grace, an LGBTQ+ couple from London, who together are one of our eight successful recipients of free fertility treatment, following our recent Fertility Clinics vs. Covid international initiative. These lovely ladies have already started their fertility testing at CRGH fertility clinic in London, where their comp...

The Intricacies of Fertility Preservation with the UK’s Leading Fertility and Family Lawyer for Modern Families www.louisaghevaertassociates.co.uk | @louisaghevaert We had a brilliant chat this week with fertility lawyer, Louisa Ghevaert, whose pioneering legal practice has won multiple changes and improvements to law and policy in the UK for fertility patients, parents, children and families. Lis...

www.luvablelashes.com | @kirsty_lee_ Our guest this week was the delightful Kirsty Lee, who is currently 12 weeks pregnant, following her challenging conception journey. Kirsty talks candidly about trying to conceive naturally and her early miscarriages / symptoms Kirsty explains about being diagnosed with low egg quality and AMH (Anti-Mullerian Hormone) and the concern over her age and fertility....

www.exseedhealth.com This week we spoke in-depth with the Head of Medical Affairs at ExSeed Health, Dr Fatin Willendrup. Listen as we discuss how at home male fertility testing and ExSeed works, why it’s important to know about sperm quality and the accuracy of ExSeed’s test. You’ll hear about the benefits of at home testing vs at a doctor’s or in a fertility clinic, what happens if the result sho...

www.johnwass.org.uk This week we welcomed highly experienced fertility hormone specialist, Professor John Wass, from Oxford University. Listen in full below as he explains what ovulation is, when ovulation occurs and what common ovulation signs can be (such as cramping). He tells us more about the luteal phase – its meaning, length (short luteal phase) and symptoms. If you’re trying to conceive an...

@tobytriceracing | www.tobytriceracing.com With Fertility Week coming to an end, we felt it important to speak to a rather brilliant voice for male infertility. Statistically, in approximately half of couples experiencing difficulties when trying to conceive, part of the problem lies with the man. Male infertility has a variety of causes and factors, so today we hear Toby Trice’s personal experien...

This week on our  Fertility Springboard Podcast , we had the pleasure of being joined by guest,  Shannon M. Clark, MD, MMS, FACOG ,  a double board certified Obstetrician, Gynecologist and Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist in Texas, to discuss the implications of having babies after 35. Dr. Clark has taken a special interest in pregnancy after the age of 35, which according to age alone, is consi...

The month of October marks pregnancy and baby loss in the USA, as well as the UK. One of our TRB readers is generous enough to share their personal story on our podcast, to help raise awareness of the reality of stillbirth and how their daily grief lives on. Sarah also discusses a world of support that she didn’t know existed before their trauma. Listen as we discuss the meaning of stillbirth, the...

This week we welcomed guest  Trystan Reese , who is a Canadian trans man, living in the States. Trystan is recognised across the world and has been featured in many  mainstream publications  globally - bringing awareness to trans fertility. Trystan talks openly to us about his childhood, the realisation that he was a man and the transitioning process into becoming a trans man. We discuss transgend...

That’s a hell of a title isn’t it? Meet Mental Health and Trauma Mentor, Emma Belle. Emma is one of the bravest people we’ve ever met and we’re not only talking about her trying to conceive struggles. Listen, as we discuss Emma’s diagnosis of Bipolar, symptoms (including depression) and treatments for Bipolar. We also catch up on her personal TTC (trying to conceive) journey to date. Emma is curre...

Common Anxieties & Considerations When Considering Donor Conception This week we had great pleasure speaking with Author and Therapist, Jana Rapnow. Jana is the author of ‘Three Makes Baby’ and has vast experience in supporting couples and individuals who are trying to conceive using donor conception (egg donors, sperm donors and embryo donation). Jana was adopted herself and has an adopted da...

Are you a #GGB fan (The Great British Bakeoff)? This week on our  podcast series , we caught up with bubbly and highly creative Manon Lagreve - Great British Bakeoff star from the 2018 #GBB series. As ‘star baker’, Manon has used her talents to create  Manon’s Little Kitchen. Listen as we chat about all things baking, feeling good, feeling blue and tips for picking yourself up during difficult tim...

Just in the UK alone, a shocking 60,000 babies are born prematurely each year, accordingly to Tommy’s Charity and it’s estimated that 1 in 4 pregnancies end in baby loss during pregnancy or birth. Raising baby loss and miscarriage awareness is a massive part of the trying to conceive community and for this reason, we share stories of loss frequently on The Ribbon Box, so that others can realise th...

This week on our Fertility Springboard podcast series, we chatted with nutritionist and Founder of The Fertility Kitchen, Charlotte Grand, about foods which help fertility - for both men and women. Charlotte tells us all about her own personal journey to conceive, following two successful rounds of IVF, with a lot of heartache in between. We then delve into ways we can increase fertility and impro...

Motherhood and parenthood is daunting at the best of times, but what if you haven’t met the person you want to be have a family with and you hear that biological clock ticking louder than ever? Listen as we speak to the lovely Mel Johnson, AKA The Stork & I. Mel decided enough was enough - one day she realised that even if she met Mr Right that night AND got pregnant, time was still against he...

Recently, during UK Gay Pride 2020, we did a #fertilityexpertslive with The LGBT Mummies Tribe and they also  wrote for us  Following on from that, it was really interesting and informative to sit down and have a further natter with the lovely Laura-Rose, founder of The LGBT Mummies Tribe this week. Listen to our podcast in full, to hear about how Laura-Rose and her wife personally selected their...

We really enjoyed this week’s chat on our  podcast series , with founder and inventor of The FERTI·LILY Conception Cup, Robert Stal. Robert and his wife just welcomed their second baby into the world, thanks to this product. If you’re trying to conceive naturally, hear about this innovative new conception aid, which helps more sperm swim closer to the cervix. We recently published a personal story...