Infertility And Me: Stories of Infertility Survivors, IVF, & TTC
Monique
2 Creators
2 Creators
Real-life uncut stories of infertility survivors & expert advice that validates, educates, & creates a community where no one is left silently suffering. Your host is Monique Farook, an IVF-mom to one, entrepreneur, and women’s health advocate. Join us as we amplify infertility awareness, heal, & end the stigmas!
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Top 10 Infertility And Me: Stories of Infertility Survivors, IVF, & TTC Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Infertility And Me: Stories of Infertility Survivors, IVF, & TTC episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Infertility And Me: Stories of Infertility Survivors, IVF, & TTC for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Infertility And Me: Stories of Infertility Survivors, IVF, & TTC episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
TTC AT Advanced Maternal Age w/Maiclaire Smith [2020 REWIND]
Infertility And Me: Stories of Infertility Survivors, IVF, & TTC
09/04/23 • 48 min
Maiclaire became pregnant naturally, really quickly, but miscarried at nearly 12 weeks. She and her husband then started fertility treatments with IUI. She became pregnant through her second IUI (Intrauterine insemination) but sadly miscarried at 9 weeks. Maiclaire completed 5 rounds of IVF as well. In this episode, we also discuss egg donorship and epigenetics.
"After the 2 miscarriages and the 2nd IVF cycle with no embryos, I was in a really low place and I was frustrated that no one talks about infertility and recurrent loss, so I wrote my book "Prequel to Parenthood: An Infertility Story."
*It's going down (D)C, (M)aryland, and (V)irginia Friends! Hang with your girl in Annapolis, MD, for our first IRL event: No more Silent Silent Suffering Sip N Party, a fun night of socializing & connecting.
Since this will be an intimate and PRIVATE party, tickets can only be snagged with this link. Spaces are VERY limited; see ya soon!
*Submit your story to Monique for a chance to record and help end the stigma surrounding infertility. Connect on Instagram & SUBSCRIBE on YouTube
*You can help support the continuation of I.A.M by Buying A Coffee
Support Our Show Sponsors:
*Learn more about the Mosie Baby Kit and read some of the amazing stories from the Mosie Community at try.mosiebaby.com/InfertilityAndMe. *Use code INFERTILITYANDME for [15% off] your order at checkout and join the 100,000 plus families who have included Mosie on their journey to conceive.
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There is no quick fix to heal the body and conceive w/Ruby Ben
Infertility And Me: Stories of Infertility Survivors, IVF, & TTC
09/18/20 • 36 min
Hey friend, have you ever been searching google and stumbled upon a website promising to help you "get pregnant faster?" I think we all have. These marketing devices prey upon our fragile emotions when we're having trouble getting pregnant. We become entangled in the darkest recesses of our minds, feeling ashamed, hopeless, and misunderstood. Whether you're in the care of a reproductive endocrinologist or trying to conceive naturally, the fertility issues' despair is the same. In today's episode, Ruby Ben educates us on the body's inner workings, its response to the foods we eat, supplements, and the power of allowing the body to heal on its own. We delve deeply into food combing and ways to ease digestion discomfort, bloat, and excessive gas. Ruby specializes in guiding her clients to restore their bodies to a healthy state. Especially endometriosis, (in)fertility, and weight loss. She teaches her clients the Natural Health Method.Â
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What will life look like with a child w/Joanna Pendergrass
Infertility And Me: Stories of Infertility Survivors, IVF, & TTC
05/29/20 • 38 min
Joanna Pendergrass joins us to discuss her battle with multiple losses due to chromosomal egg abnormalities and unsuccessful IVF cycles. Joanna's journey is unlike many we hear about in the fertility community because she once held uncertainty about motherhood and how that would affect the career she worked arduously to achieve.
We explore the expectations society forces onto women to bare children after marriage, the grief of miscarriage, and planning a nursery. Joanna is a veterinarian and freelance medical writer in Atlanta, GA. In her writing, she focuses on pet owner education and human health journalism. JoAnna is passionate about providing patients and pet owners with the medical information they need to make informed health decisions for themselves and their pets. In her spare time, JoAnna enjoys baking, exercising, and playing the viola in a local community orchestra. She and her husband have been married for seven years. Join us as we break down societal structures and heal the silent-sufferer within.
Episode Highlights:
02:50- Hesitant to have kids
05:33- I don't want kids
07:55- Societal structures and expectations
12:58- I'm ready now
16:58- Understanding grief
20:58- 1st IVF round and COVID
24:25- Fertility treatment is not elective
29:48- Baby room planning
33:50- Finding community on Instagram
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Infertility Diagnosis
Infertility And Me: Stories of Infertility Survivors, IVF, & TTC
11/22/19 • 12 min
In this episode I discuss my own account of what it felt like to finally get the diagnosis of infertility and hypothyroid disease. I also give simple and effective tips on how to deal with and process your diagnosis, whatever it may be.
Enjoying the show? Please leave a rating & review—just one sentence helps tremendously!
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Fertility Friend Check-In: egg retrieval win, janky doctor, and anger
Infertility And Me: Stories of Infertility Survivors, IVF, & TTC
07/26/22 • 31 min
For Fertility Friend Check-In we celebrate with Kris who recently had her first egg retrieval. Another friend who we'll call A, is dealing with anger towards God, and the loss of her embryo after the first BETA came back positive. Lastly, our friend CJ suffered unethical care during an IUI procedure, which resulted in her having to report the performing Doctor.
From there we move into the topic of shame and blame as the infertile spouse. Have you ever said to your spouse, you should go be with someone who isn't infertile... Too often, guilt drives our emotions when struggling to conceive, going through fertility treatments, adoption, etc. The challenges of being the infertile spouse as a hetero cis-gendered woman, the toxic ways shame manifests, and ways to get it under control. What should we do, and how do we feel secure in our relationship during tumultuous times?
If nothing else, this episode serves as a reminder that you friend deserve the love of your partner, you deserve to be accepted, and you are worthy of peace of mind.
Enjoying the show? Please leave a rating & review—just one sentence helps tremendously!
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*Monique is not a licensed mental health therapist or counselor. Commentary and suggestions are life-experience based.
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Infertility and shattered self esteem: rebuilding self worth
Infertility And Me: Stories of Infertility Survivors, IVF, & TTC
12/08/21 • 25 min
Have you noticed a change in the way you view yourself since your fertility struggles began? After being diagnosed with infertility, we second guess who we are. Things we were once passionate about don't seem to bring joy any longer. In this episode, Monique shares tools and tactics she used to help rebuild low self-worth, after being diagnosed with infertility.
**Please be advised that Monique is NOT a mental health professional. All commentary is life experience based**
00:00:00-Intro
00:01:52-Topic intro and recommended episodes mentioning BMI discrimination from reproductive endocrinologists.
1.) Denise-3/26/21-Trying to conceive when you're a single woman
2.) Ashley-8/21/20-I'm still in here: PCOS, fibromyalgia, and lupus survivor
00:04:22-Self-esteem and Infertility
- 00:08:07-After the diagnosis.
- 00:09:46-Assess whether you had feelings of low self-esteem before pregnancy loss and infertility.
- 00:12:43-Healthy ways of coping that won't create more toxicity.
- Keep up with meditation/praying if you can.
- Continue exercising, keeping in mind your Dr's recommendations. Otherwise, low-impact exercise such as walking can have the same physical and mental effects.
- Indulge in hobbies and passions.
- 00:16:40-Have honest discussions with your spouse about how you're feeling about your self-imagery.
- 00:19:46-Increase intimate moments with your spouse if it applies, that is nonsexual.
- The way you speak to yourself matters subconsciously.
- 00:22:26-Remember, you are worthy of self-love. Infertility and loss does not make you less of a woman or man.
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Healing From Shame While TTC w/ Emily Ginn
Infertility And Me: Stories of Infertility Survivors, IVF, & TTC
11/09/20 • 44 min
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 your fault, nor does it bring disgrace upon your loved ones. Yet we cannot seem to heal entirely from shame. Too often, we allow outside forces to influence the thoughts and emotions concerning our circumstances. Within this episode, Monique and Emily discuss how we can heal and be fully empowered again while on our journeys.
Emily states: Shame is a non productive emotion and compassion is the antidote. Emily Ginn is a Certified Life Coach, Licensed Master of Social Work (LMSW), grief and crisis expert, IVF survivor, wife, and mom. She offers a proven framework, deeply rooted in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, to help you process your emotions about your journey and create a different experience around your fertility treatments.
In this episode, we discuss: Emily's infertility journey Root causes of shame How to trade shame for positive vulnerability How to recognize of be mindful of when shame arises Why healing from shame is critical for emotional wellbeing How shame affects intimacy with our spouses Emily's three biggest tips to healing.
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The Mind Body Approach To Fertility: Diminished Ovarian Reserve w/Monika Friedman
Infertility And Me: Stories of Infertility Survivors, IVF, & TTC
10/16/20 • 39 min
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 cortisol levels for fertility through the mind body approach. Reproductive hormones that aid in conceiving are more effective when cortisol is decreased. Coach Monika will also share her diagnosis of POR and being told she had the egg reserve of a 44-year-old woman. Monika was determined to beat the odds, so she began her quest to develop a holistic approach to fertility. Monika's program focuses on mindset, lifestyle, and fertility tactics. It was evident to Monika that Western Medicine would not be enough and incorporated Eastern Medicine as well.
Make no mistake, Monika does not push or preach to her clients that you should "just relax." instead, she emphasizes lowering cortisol levels through mind-body practices such as walking outdoors, yoga, deep breathing, or meditation. Monique and Monika also discuss the importance of not expecting your reproductive fertility assistance to help you get pregnant quickly.
Enjoying the show? Please leave a rating & review—just one sentence helps tremendously!
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Navigating The Emotional Barriers of Infertility w/Amanda Osowski
Infertility And Me: Stories of Infertility Survivors, IVF, & TTC
10/09/20 • 29 min
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.
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What happens on Patreon stays on Patreon
Infertility And Me: Stories of Infertility Survivors, IVF, & TTC
03/02/22 • 7 min
A survey created to gauge if you would be interested in being a part of a private community with me:) Please tap here to take the survey and give your honest thoughts;) https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdOlzegUCqHSQv0A81JE6qCWijdzXLhThtqqAReHildpB7zpg/viewform?usp=sf_link
If you're ready to join, tap here! https://www.patreon.com/infertilityandme to get behind the scenes, private community, monthly Live chats, and early access to AD-free episodes.
When I was very much in the thick of TTC and struggling through the shit-show that is infertility—I yearned for community, but never quite found one that I felt “safe” in. Which is why I created Infertility And Me—to be the support to you that I needed.
Infertility And Me sheds light on the struggles of infertility in a safe space. The ultimate goal of the show is to create community, infertility awareness, advocacy, and to learn from one another’s experiences.
IAM Podcast began November 22, 2019 as a passion project, which quickly turned into SO much more. It has been my vision from the beginning, to share diverse stories of (in)fertility, be a voice to silent-sufferers, and a face for Black women and men. Through the platform, thousands have found hope, validation, and community.
WHY Patreon?
For almost 2 1/2 years, I have been creating episodes and passing the mic to other friends in the community to share their stories with you;) Needless to say, it requires a lot of time and hard work. With your patronage, I will be able to hire help for the production of audio and visual episodes. It will also enable more marketing for the shows exposure and possible meet-ups. Don’t worry though, episodes will still be FREE on streaming platforms!🙌🏾😌None of this is possible without you!
- Private community away from social media
- Live zoom chats/check-ins
- Local meet-ups
- You would be supporting the work and efforts that go into creating audio and visual episodes.
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FAQ
How many episodes does Infertility And Me: Stories of Infertility Survivors, IVF, & TTC have?
Infertility And Me: Stories of Infertility Survivors, IVF, & TTC currently has 158 episodes available.
What topics does Infertility And Me: Stories of Infertility Survivors, IVF, & TTC cover?
The podcast is about Health & Fitness, Alternative Health, Mental Health and Podcasts.
What is the most popular episode on Infertility And Me: Stories of Infertility Survivors, IVF, & TTC?
The episode title 'Single and TTC; My story is unconventional and that's okay w/Gianna' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Infertility And Me: Stories of Infertility Survivors, IVF, & TTC?
The average episode length on Infertility And Me: Stories of Infertility Survivors, IVF, & TTC is 35 minutes.
How often are episodes of Infertility And Me: Stories of Infertility Survivors, IVF, & TTC released?
Episodes of Infertility And Me: Stories of Infertility Survivors, IVF, & TTC are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of Infertility And Me: Stories of Infertility Survivors, IVF, & TTC?
The first episode of Infertility And Me: Stories of Infertility Survivors, IVF, & TTC was released on Nov 15, 2019.
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