Iām proud to be partnering with Northwell Health Fertility to bring National Infertility Awareness Week to light. With a holistic, personalized approach to fertility treatments, Northwell Health aims to be a source of support for the 1 in 8 women struggling with infertility. Though I have not received services from Northwell Health, I am committed to their mission to end the stigma surrounding infertility. #ad
When you have kids it is pretty clear that nearly nothing will go exactly as planned. I remember when I was pregnant with Ryder I talked to my doctor about our birth plan and how I wanted music in the delivery room, aromatherapy, a birth ballā¦she flashed a knowing smile and said weād try our best. Well, three kids (and three C-sections) later, I know that being a parent means being flexible and prepared, but ready for anything. And sometimes that ready for anything philosophy applies to the journey before you have kids, too.
We all imagine what our lives will be like from a very early age. I knew from when I was young that I wanted to get married and live in NYC and of course, have a big family. When Jason and I started trying for Ryder, everything happened seamlessly. We didnāt even really ātry,ā it just came together. I heard about other couples struggling to get pregnant but no one really talked about itālike it was an embarrassing secret if you couldnāt get pregnant.
We knew we wanted to have our kids close in age, so not long after Ryder was born we talked about baby number two. When we started trying for a second child things didnāt exactly go as planned. It took Jason and I over a year of ātryingā to realize we needed to get a little intervention. I was so confused because our first try was so easyāobviously, I could get pregnantāwhy was I having trouble the second time around? What I didnāt know was that 1 in 8 couples struggle to get and stay pregnant and many couples experience secondary infertility, like I did.
After several fertility treatments, I finally went through a round of IVF and it was a success. We felt so lucky. In retrospect, we should have sought help sooner. If you have been trying for a year (under 35 years old) or 6 months (over 35 years old) you should probably see a specialist about fertility. It isnāt a failure or tabooāwe need to remove the stigma attached to infertility and fertility treatments. The whole process becomes stressful and scary when you feel embarrassed to speak up or talk about trying.
Infertility can feel so isolating and frustrating, that is why I encourage everyone to check out Northwell Health Fertility. They aim to not only provide a holistic approach to care thatās personalized for each patient, but also a source of emotional support when you need it most. It is so important to have a community of people to turn to and a network of support on your fertility journey. We talk about building the mom community once we have kids, but we should also create an even more supportive community for couples trying to have kids. It is a vulnerable and scary time that many people keep themselves.
National Infertility Awareness Week is April 21-27, 2019 and I have partnered with Northwell Health to bring awareness to this emotional and difficult topic of fertility. You can visit here to learn about how to support a loved one dealing with infertility. While there isnāt a one-size-fits-all approach, Northwell Health Fertility experts can help you navigate this delicate topic.
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12 thoughts on “Infertility Uncovered”
Difficulties in having a baby can be so stressful on a marriage and on the emotions. Thank you so much for sharing your story with us.
This is such an important conversation to have! I struggled with infertility and feel so blessed to now have 3 healthy children.
This post hit home. I am no stranger to infertility and have no shame in sharing my story. I am from NYC and I too am married to a Jason. It took us over a year and a half to finally get pregnant and to have our son, also named Jason. We had just started doing some testing but didn’t have to do any more because I was suddenly pregnant. Phew! I blamed it on stress and not being “ready.” I didn’t think I would get pregnant with my second one quickly but had no idea what I’d go through next.
We waited until Jason was about 3 to try again. We tried for 6 months or so before we met with a fertility specialist. I did 5 Intrauterine Inseminations (IUI) and then did 1 IVF–both transfers failed. š I did another round of IVF, did some more testing, implanted one embryo and voila—my second miracle arrived. My boys are about 5 1/2 years apart. A LONG journey with a happy ending. I decided to take some time off after having Justin to focus on healing and taking care of me and actually slowing down the New Yorker inside me to just be a MOM.
I’m glad your story has a happy ending. Thanks for bringing awareness to infertility. I’m always happy to share my story and to support others.
This is a challenge for many and it’s hard for people to talk about. It’s always such a blessing when things happen.
I was told I could never get pregnant. And now I have a 4 month old boy. I found out about being pregnant last year around this time, so It’s weird to think back a year ago. It’s just weird in general to know that I now have a son. I definitely was NOT prepared for this, but honestly, I don’t think you ever can be! PS: I totally did NOT read any of the books or do any research, my bad LOL!
This is a great cause that you are promoting. It was nice to go through your journey. It is not always easy.
Thanks for breaking the shell. A friend of mine is unable to concieve. Will suggest her to check out Northwell Health Fertility. š
It can really take a toll on us. The mental strain we go to is enough as it is!
I am so glad everything worked out for you. I couldn’t imagine the feeling of not being able to carry m,y own.
Thank you for sharing your story. My brother and sister in law have been trying for years to have a child of their own. IVF can be expensive but I guess they should seriously consider this if they want to start their own family.
This is a very sensitive topic. I really admire women who can speak about it. I really like your courage. Will share to my friends!
Thank you for sharing your story. I am so glad you were able to have 3 beautiful, healthy children. They are all beautiful/handsome. Thank you also for talking about something that sometimes others have a tough time opening up about.