Starting IVF: The Next Step On Our Infertility Journey
Disclaimers:
Please note that today's episode is an in-depth discussion about infant loss. If that is triggering for you, please listen with care or skip this episode if needed. While there may be conversations about medications or medical treatments, I am not a doctor, and I am not offering any medical advice. Please consult an actual doctor for your own medical care.
On a journey this difficult and fraught with grief and sadness, it’s hard to get excited about taking the next step but it does feel good to be trying something new.
After four failed rounds of IUI my husband and I have recently started IVF for the first time. It’s brought up a lot of emotions for me–anxiety about trying something new, dread for all the medical procedures, hope for our little embryos–but in the midst of it all I’m finding ways to be kind to myself throughout.
In today’s episode, I share my experience so far with IVF and go into detail about our first egg retrieval. I talk about finishing IUI and making the decision to move forward with IVF, and I touch on all the emotions that brought up for us. I share how I’m being kind to my heart and body and how Todd is supporting me. And finally, I talk about the hope I have for the little embryos waiting for our transfer.
What’s in this episode:
My experience finishing our final round of IUI and starting IVF [2:16]
How I practiced being kind to myself during IVF [3:50]
How my husband stayed involved throughout the process [7:09]
My most recent retrieval [10:24]
Coming down from the retrieval emotionally and physically [12:54]
Thinking about our embryos before the transfer [15:23]
How I’m processing my emotions as we begin IVF [17:49]
If you are feeling alone on your infertility journey, I invite you to tune in to this episode.
Resources Mentioned
Schrafts 2.0., the pharmacy I recommend for fertility meds.
The heating pad I’ve been using.
My favorite acupuncturists in OC, Magnolia Wellness and Coastal Acupuncture.
Support us on Patreon here, where 10% of proceeds will also go to support others on their journey through The Stork Foundation.