Navigating Infertility: Sharing Stories and Building a Supportive Community

I had the honor of connecting with Sarah Hammond through Threads and she was so gracious to share her story of her past and current experience navigating infertility as she grows her family.

She’s a mom of a sweet boy and is right now trying for her second baby. She shares her experiences with ovulatory dysfunction, PCOS, and treatments like IUI and IVF while navigating emotional challenges and family planning. We talk through how important it is to find community support, find joy in small activities, and the evolution of her relationships throughout the process.

And some of the best parts are when she highlights the significance of embracing a multi-faceted identity and building resilience against unpredictable challenges and setbacks.

Honestly, I just loved this whole conversation because it was so deeply rooted in the power of connection, empathy, and positive reframing during your infertility journey and I know it'll help you on your own path to motherhood!

If you found this helpful in anyway, do you mind leaving a review? I'd appreciate it so much!

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Welcome to the Podcast

00:24 Meet Sarah Hammond

00:52 Sarah's Infertility Journey Begins

01:29 Navigating Medical Diagnoses

02:00 Starting a Family

03:12 Challenges and Miscarriages

03:58 Trying for a Second Child

04:15 Switching Clinics and New Diagnoses

04:47 Considering IVF

06:51 Emotional Conversations and Decisions

12:04 Coping Mechanisms and Support

15:39 Dealing with Jealousy and Resentment

22:23 Focusing on the Baby's Welcome

22:36 Radical Acceptance of Unfairness

23:16 Randomness and Faith

24:23 Reframing Infertility

26:35 Financial Burdens of Fertility Treatments

27:31 Deciding on IVF and Adoption

29:59 Navigating Relationships and Boundaries

33:44 The Value of Vulnerability

36:16 Appreciating Parenthood

38:14 Finding Joy Beyond Parenthood

40:41 Embracing the Present

43:22 Fin!

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Back for a little bit of me and my thoughts! I take you through some of my own reflections on the emotional challenges I faced during my surrogacy journey. I talk about THE pivotal moment where I realized that GRIEF plays a big part in your infertility journey. For me it was grieving the loss of experiencing pregnancy firsthand. Tune in if you too are experiencing high emotions due to unexpected circumstances or random triggering moments that caught you off guard after having already come to terms with certain parts of your journey. I can’t stress it enough the huge shift I had when I realized that simply having the support to help me put words to my feelings validated so much for me and allowed me to really start healing from a lot of my infertility struggles. I’ll never stop talking about how important it is to find your support systems!

REFERENCES

• Dr. Aimee aka The Egg Whisperer
• Interviews with women sharing their stories here on the podcast: Episode 22, 23, & 24
• My Surrogacy Journey: Episode 7

TIMESTAMP

00:21 Reflecting on Recent Conversations

01:11 Diving into the Surrogacy Journey

02:53 The Emotional Impact of Surrogacy

03:42 Realizing and Coping with Grief

05:48 Seeking Support

13:54 Understanding the Uncertainty of Infertility

15:29 Offering Support and Coaching

16:04 Fin!

Connect with me!

IG: @rachel_mangahas

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Join my email community

Ready for 1-1 Coaching?

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**TRIGGER WARNING: Miscarriage**

Finding Strength and Community in the Fertility Journey: Priscilla's Infertility Story

Join me in this heartfelt conversation with Priscilla Guasso, an HR leader, coach, mom, and author, who bravely shares her eight-year journey through infertility. Priscilla opens up about her battles with PCOS, the emotional toll of multiple miscarriages, and the IVF process. Discover how she and her husband supported each other, the importance of community, and maintaining a positive mindset. Priscilla highlights the emotional ups and downs, touching on anxiety and depression, and shares how she found strength through faith and affirmations. This heartfelt episode offers hope, inspiration, and support to anyone navigating infertility, IVF, loss, grief, and the pursuit of motherhood. Can’t wait for you to tune in and let me know what you think!

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Introduction and Mission

00:25 Meet Priscilla: A Journey of Resilience

00:43 Early Struggles and Miscarriages

04:15 Discovering PCOS and Health Challenges

06:24 Building a Support System

07:59 Coping with Miscarriages

13:45 Deciding on IVF

14:55 Navigating the IVF Process

30:57 Communication and Relationship Challenges

32:29 Navigating Family Dynamics and Mutual Respect

33:05 Deciding to Have a Child: Challenges and Choices

34:28 The Role of Therapy and Personal Growth

35:04 Recommitting to Parenthood and Communication

37:43 Balancing Parenthood and Personal Aspirations

40:08 Coping with Anxiety and Depression

48:05 Finding Joy and Support During IVF

54:26 Building a Community and Career After Miscarriages

01:03:08 Final Thoughts and Words of Encouragement

Connect with Priscilla:

IG: @priscillaguasso & @latinasinhr

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/priscillaguasso/

Connect with me!

DM me on IG: @rachel_mangahas

Book a free call ⁠here⁠

Join my email community

Ready for 1-1 Coaching?

Apply here