https://lychee-lobster-tf9x.squarespace.com/stories daily 0.75 2023-09-26 https://lychee-lobster-tf9x.squarespace.com/stories/working-title monthly 0.5 2023-09-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/755cdd9c-725d-4656-aca1-69265035b0d0/Rachel+pregnant+2.jpg Stories - Late Loss at 31 Weeks and Finding The Way to Try Again: Rachel’s Infertility Journey “The doctor ended the consult saying, ‘I’m very sorry this is happening’, and even without concrete answers, I knew that something was wrong…our child’s brain was only half developed.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/1ac81d94-b46b-4126-8d21-3e76d25edffd/Rachel+IVF+Meds.jpg Stories - Late Loss at 31 Weeks and Finding The Way to Try Again: Rachel’s Infertility Journey “I felt like I was on a treadmill running, not really processing the emotional burden of this process and this had to be my mental default to start our family because it truly felt like IVF was our only option to get there.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/4197b185-ee11-4e18-b528-b76007920902/Rachel+Exam.jpg Stories - Late Loss at 31 Weeks and Finding The Way to Try Again: Rachel’s Infertility Journey “The journey is defined by unknowns…get educated as much as possible…Knowledge is power on this journey.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/ab53ff65-b19a-455f-af3e-9207f618c6bb/Rachel+Baby+Announcement+.jpg Stories - Late Loss at 31 Weeks and Finding The Way to Try Again: Rachel’s Infertility Journey “We have leaned on each other more than we have with anyone else, and I think that is one of the biggest blessings we could have ever asked to come from this experience.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/0a3fc762-bd95-4b95-9344-c12737d2976d/Rachel+Pregnant+1.jpg Stories - Late Loss at 31 Weeks and Finding The Way to Try Again: Rachel’s Infertility Journey “I feel empowered to have the found the voice that I do through my own experiences of loss and grief.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/1f7894c2-5a9e-43f8-8a9e-9aaa26e975b3/Rachel+with+Bear.jpg Stories - Late Loss at 31 Weeks and Finding The Way to Try Again: Rachel’s Infertility Journey “When you read stories of others getting pregnant after a late loss, it provides proof that our story could be different a second time around…I wanted our story to be different.” https://lychee-lobster-tf9x.squarespace.com/stories/a-cystic-fibrosis-diagnosis-two-losses-and-three-transfers-to-get-pregnant-allisons-infertility-journey monthly 0.5 2023-09-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/fd33606f-ede6-417f-9e57-7b349803038b/Allison+Transfer.jpeg Stories - A Cystic Fibrosis Diagnosis, Two Losses, and Three Transfers to Get Pregnant: Allison’s Infertility Journey “I was naïve and thought we would be one of those couples that would have a successful retrieval and be pregnant after a single transfer.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/b088bd99-8602-4f2c-8cd5-7a8215a1a47a/Baby+Announcement.jpeg Stories - A Cystic Fibrosis Diagnosis, Two Losses, and Three Transfers to Get Pregnant: Allison’s Infertility Journey “I was terrified of being pregnant and having another miscarriage, but I was also terrified of never being pregnant again.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/c9035ef4-fed3-4558-9ca8-276c1a91a84b/Allsion+Treatment.jpeg Stories - A Cystic Fibrosis Diagnosis, Two Losses, and Three Transfers to Get Pregnant: Allison’s Infertility Journey “No one goes into starting a family thinking it’s going to take two losses and three transfers to get pregnant, and that’s after you go through IVF…the unknowns of infertility are the hardest part of this journey.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/fb743ffc-78d4-447d-9fcb-9b13c93e217e/Pregnant+with+Husband.jpeg Stories - A Cystic Fibrosis Diagnosis, Two Losses, and Three Transfers to Get Pregnant: Allison’s Infertility Journey “My grief and pain will never go away, and I’ll always wonder what could have been with our lost babies. But I can say that it does get a little easier with time.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/88c13704-da64-4e15-a7c0-e4361c76ed23/Honoring+Loss.jpeg Stories - A Cystic Fibrosis Diagnosis, Two Losses, and Three Transfers to Get Pregnant: Allison’s Infertility Journey “Losing our baby girl at nine weeks was horrible…I would lay in bed, literally just screaming and crying thinking that there was no way that I was ever going to get over this.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/db1d2a79-2474-46c3-ab17-3403b530c113/Allison+and+Husband+Treatment.jpeg Stories - A Cystic Fibrosis Diagnosis, Two Losses, and Three Transfers to Get Pregnant: Allison’s Infertility Journey “My husband called me first and shared that there was no sperm…At this point, we knew nothing at all and our whole world instantly shattered.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/50908789-ebd3-4011-9e9b-33d5bd49fd2a/Needle+Scars.jpeg Stories - A Cystic Fibrosis Diagnosis, Two Losses, and Three Transfers to Get Pregnant: Allison’s Infertility Journey “There is so much trauma attached with going through infertility…There are moments when you must allow yourself to say you don’t want to do any of this.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/d7ebc7cb-17b7-4239-a693-8037bbdaf556/Allison+Pregnant.jpeg Stories - A Cystic Fibrosis Diagnosis, Two Losses, and Three Transfers to Get Pregnant: Allison’s Infertility Journey “I can’t tell others to stay positive because there were many days where I was not positive. But when you are going through the trenches and you are taking it day by day, keep breathing.” https://lychee-lobster-tf9x.squarespace.com/stories/cyyj4mbf1gq41tdg0urjvxxv51mm4f monthly 0.5 2023-09-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/14f9413f-a3ab-4259-8fd5-d781c4f9ff45/6J3A4461+copy.jpg Stories - Three Failed IUI’s, Two Failed Rounds of IVF, and Three Miracle IVF Babies: Jenica’s Battle With Infertility “People would look at me and I know I looked just fine but, in my heart, there was sorrow that couldn’t be seen.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/3522ae7b-cf43-45a9-be09-139e16d0b36a/6J3A9121+copy.jpg Stories - Three Failed IUI’s, Two Failed Rounds of IVF, and Three Miracle IVF Babies: Jenica’s Battle With Infertility All the gestures of kindness reminded Jenica that she had a village of support ready to lift her up and it’s what helped her stay positive and happy during a challenging time. https://lychee-lobster-tf9x.squarespace.com/stories/thirty-two-with-the-ovaries-of-a-forty-two-year-old-rene-longs-battle-with-infertility monthly 0.5 2023-08-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/16642323-4282-4145-886d-c2d2bbea8149/721EECFD-F686-4637-B72A-A80B64620BA7.JPG Stories - Thirty-Two With the Ovaries of a Forty-Two-Year Old: Renée Long’s Battle with Infertility “Our doctor called and told us our IVF success rates were abysmal…all the sudden, it felt like I was being told I was completely out of time. It felt like the doctor was ready to give up on me.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/94ea2807-4527-44b3-8d25-a5457f636d01/01519353-4682-4C3D-A1E3-B2E6DDB8D909.JPG Stories - Thirty-Two With the Ovaries of a Forty-Two-Year Old: Renée Long’s Battle with Infertility “It’s important to build a support system…You need people because this journey is incredibly hard.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/ac842cb4-0ed8-410c-836e-32bd3dc7780d/C42D1737-2A82-4E77-83FF-1BEAEF3387C4.JPG Stories - Thirty-Two With the Ovaries of a Forty-Two-Year Old: Renée Long’s Battle with Infertility “Even though we didn’t make it to retrieval for all 11 attempts, each of those cycles counted for something and each of those cycles impacted my personal and professional life.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/2b73725d-a334-40f7-b401-ad4b6be2e1a3/01EE8DA4-6939-42E6-A80E-673AC5743DDA.JPG Stories - Thirty-Two With the Ovaries of a Forty-Two-Year Old: Renée Long’s Battle with Infertility “I had done six cycles in a row and two of those months were two retrievals in the same month. We decided we were done with IVF and would walk away with our one frozen embryo.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/d6e082de-e5e9-4cb5-a1ad-1b699f10785d/60996B07-4C8D-43E6-B367-9CD185CCAEF0.JPG Stories - Thirty-Two With the Ovaries of a Forty-Two-Year Old: Renée Long’s Battle with Infertility “If I knew for sure that I could spend $100, 000 CAD, suffer for four years, take hundreds of needles, go through six egg retrieval procedures, endure countless 3am drives to Toronto for an 8am ultrasound, all to have a guaranteed baby at the end, I’d have a different ability to cope with everything.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/1d000217-14b1-4941-8707-4876c0e8d086/60A53241-900B-4927-99B4-E94B8E5DAE13.JPG Stories - Thirty-Two With the Ovaries of a Forty-Two-Year Old: Renée Long’s Battle with Infertility “It’s not jealousy that we feel at a baby shower…it’s an unmet need that is tied to deep grief.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/5dc97eb2-aee8-4605-8a69-489031c087cf/C1DE98D9-A876-44AD-B381-95B1A4D8D904.JPG Stories - Thirty-Two With the Ovaries of a Forty-Two-Year Old: Renée Long’s Battle with Infertility “Because building families is seen as optional, the treatment to build that family with IVF is also viewed as optional. But for me, my desire to be a mom is a need and not a want.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/ddf59881-9d8d-465c-a457-243397ca27f2/DE1CB3B0-BCB8-45E8-8E10-1BB3EC47EC4D.JPG Stories - Thirty-Two With the Ovaries of a Forty-Two-Year Old: Renée Long’s Battle with Infertility “I came home from what was supposed to be a standard baseline visit to then tell my partner we had to watch a needle training and sign papers deciding what we would do with our embryo(s) if one of us passed away.” https://lychee-lobster-tf9x.squarespace.com/stories/unknown-infertility-and-the-daily-battle-with-anxiety-and-worry-sarahs-infertility-journey monthly 0.5 2023-07-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/f9995974-9ad7-429a-93ff-e3eb003cc066/SM-LR-portraits-2.jpeg Stories - Unknown Infertility and the Daily Battle with Anxiety and Worry: Sarah’s Infertility Journey “Knowing that we still had options always helped me stand up and take another step forward on our infertility journey…I knew that we weren’t at the end of our infertility road yet” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/6a836b04-1156-4db2-bf54-346f59f47af2/IMG_0329.jpeg Stories - Unknown Infertility and the Daily Battle with Anxiety and Worry: Sarah’s Infertility Journey “I [saw] other people find success eventually and I held on to the thought that we could have that same story.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/39982210-d463-429d-84fd-6f6778aad5fb/B6441C2D-7055-40FE-9025-B2EA73A4BF35.JPG Stories - Unknown Infertility and the Daily Battle with Anxiety and Worry: Sarah’s Infertility Journey “I thought infertility was so rare, knew little about the statistics, and had no idea how common it is…I never thought it would be me.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/b74ecf3b-0bf4-438b-959b-47adc36644d2/E08AF22E-B2AF-4479-9E08-739EC71B5F14.JPG Stories - Unknown Infertility and the Daily Battle with Anxiety and Worry: Sarah’s Infertility Journey “However, and whatever you feel at any point in this infertility process is valid.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/64ac1004-bf02-4cd9-ad8a-f03b50406bc3/IMG_1555.jpeg Stories - Unknown Infertility and the Daily Battle with Anxiety and Worry: Sarah’s Infertility Journey “How this has impacted my body physically has been a struggle but I’m also proud of what my body has done…it’s incredible!” https://lychee-lobster-tf9x.squarespace.com/stories/three-miscarriages-ohss-and-being-her-best-advocate-rebeccas-infertility-journey monthly 0.5 2023-07-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/0627aee1-b760-48c4-b3ab-921cc50dafa7/D374905A-8DBC-45C5-B054-798B4CB4E246.jpg Stories - Three Miscarriages, OHSS, and Being Her Best Advocate: Rebecca’s Infertility Journey “I’ve come full circle with IVF, and I really want to share my story to encourage women and hopefully share hope through my own journey.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/0a50ea9b-3015-4e32-a763-b656598758a3/5E7FEE5D-C9D7-4E85-8122-35C9F9A2BF0E.jpeg Stories - Three Miscarriages, OHSS, and Being Her Best Advocate: Rebecca’s Infertility Journey “Stay the course…If I had given up after my second transfer and not continued to pursue IVF because I was discouraged, I wouldn’t have my son today.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/44c428c7-999c-4a6c-be9e-35199598fc52/F2405B27-29D7-4EC7-BDEF-92EA5847CE2E.jpeg Stories - Three Miscarriages, OHSS, and Being Her Best Advocate: Rebecca’s Infertility Journey “Be your own advocate…A fresh set of eyes and a new perspective could literally be the answer to helping you reach your goal of becoming a mom. It was for me.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/25f6d357-4d99-4d48-b085-fdf9a73c5cef/5452472C-2BF6-43B0-AB07-1DE6D583ACCB.jpeg Stories - Three Miscarriages, OHSS, and Being Her Best Advocate: Rebecca’s Infertility Journey “Follow your heart and keep going if that feels right to you because sometimes the moment you give up or want to give up is when the miracle happens.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/d3adbd3c-1e64-4706-8ded-d04a6ebb3c07/9CA9F048-707E-4F06-86E2-A4D22F855F81.jpg Stories - Three Miscarriages, OHSS, and Being Her Best Advocate: Rebecca’s Infertility Journey “From the beginning, [our RE] said that there was never a guarantee with IVF…But what she could promise us was that she would do everything in her power to help us and that is exactly what she did.” https://lychee-lobster-tf9x.squarespace.com/stories/5-miscarriages-5-ivf-cycles-and-balanced-translocation-columbias-infertility-journey monthly 0.5 2023-07-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/6fe67f8e-f4fa-4472-87ec-40d1c40d1dca/2B48AE13-1124-4A6A-88DA-1D5BF6477071.JPG Stories - 5 Miscarriages, 5 IVF Cycles and Balanced Translocation: Columbia’s Infertility Journey “It’s easier to talk about my infertility journey than not. People don’t want to bring it up but it’s already up. It’s everywhere I go and everywhere I look. It’s constant.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/41187b42-1c95-4408-b209-37ffac9ae539/A9A80775-EB90-4674-83B0-114F7AA38089.JPG Stories - 5 Miscarriages, 5 IVF Cycles and Balanced Translocation: Columbia’s Infertility Journey “I was at the point where a positive pregnancy test was not a baby…the positive test meant a miscarriage. It was just a question of when it would happen, not if.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/4c2a0f00-5459-473a-89a6-62acd30e6533/E6727A77-1425-49B6-BA31-16E86A02E970.JPG Stories - 5 Miscarriages, 5 IVF Cycles and Balanced Translocation: Columbia’s Infertility Journey “I always say hope is relentless…the thing that keeps me sane is my community of infertility sisters and feeling supported by other people who have been through their own infertility journey.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/a94cd478-21c3-4908-a6b8-d6300d6e71fa/8E7DDCCC-3F6D-4732-9C3F-C9974B5C61F3.JPG Stories - 5 Miscarriages, 5 IVF Cycles and Balanced Translocation: Columbia’s Infertility Journey “The doctors tell you that miscarriages are so common, but if it’s so common, why don’t they know how to deal with it?” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/049c4100-2ae5-4853-b319-bd8a21e38946/C0BBE6C3-8AEE-4E39-A76F-BB4EA1212E0F.JPG Stories - 5 Miscarriages, 5 IVF Cycles and Balanced Translocation: Columbia’s Infertility Journey “There are so many ways it can go wrong and even though so much of this process is out of my hands, I still feel responsible for them.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/132b4c26-36c9-4de5-8399-783ea712c4fa/D7E7CD3C-6C96-49A3-A7EB-C6740D8398F7.JPG Stories - 5 Miscarriages, 5 IVF Cycles and Balanced Translocation: Columbia’s Infertility Journey “There is never-ending heaviness going through infertility and I can look at a photo of myself from five years ago and see a different look in my eye.” https://lychee-lobster-tf9x.squarespace.com/stories/five-losses-to-discover-balanced-translocation-lisas-battle-with-infertilitynbsp monthly 0.5 2023-06-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/332a99bb-6af8-4223-99a9-f23071eb5ddd/image5.jpeg Stories - Five Losses to Discover Balanced Translocation: Lisa’s Battle with Infertility  “You’re investing so much of your time, money, and hope into something that’s not guaranteed…I think both of us have felt deep in our souls that we just haven’t been ready to stop trying.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/f6ffa974-d21f-4407-9065-e49c2b7e0a3e/image6.jpeg Stories - Five Losses to Discover Balanced Translocation: Lisa’s Battle with Infertility  “Infertility is a full time job…you have to be your own advocate, you have to do your own research, and you have to come to the table fully prepared.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/1bc1d881-49b0-4593-af51-3cd40386ae90/image7.jpeg Stories - Five Losses to Discover Balanced Translocation: Lisa’s Battle with Infertility  “I have learned so much about compassion and kindness from how people have treated us…we have been smothered in love, compassion, and kindness. It’s overwhelming in the best way!” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/708aad17-88b3-433b-bb6b-f1933454894c/image4.jpeg Stories - Five Losses to Discover Balanced Translocation: Lisa’s Battle with Infertility  “I know the fear will never fully go away…changing your thoughts and words from ‘IF’ to ‘WHEN’ is hard after infertility.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/f7b4de22-f0b1-41cb-8e1f-7629cd10a5dd/image3.jpeg Stories - Five Losses to Discover Balanced Translocation: Lisa’s Battle with Infertility  “I would find a little bit of joy in every day…I worked to make sure that I was happy first because I felt like I couldn’t have success if I wasn’t healthy and happy.” https://lychee-lobster-tf9x.squarespace.com/stories/jyaeoxlbmfh9pgnuq5dzs55u1ff0no monthly 0.5 2023-05-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/feba9fa7-1d66-4478-adca-38db4104ab90/Tam_3.jpeg Stories - Finding a Way Forward with Low Ovarian Reserve: Tam’s Infertility Journey “Not sharing when you go through a miscarriage, or any part of your infertility journey is armor to protect yourself and armor to protect your peace.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/bc61ce2c-187a-4d29-bf58-ce7cc850f9f9/Tam+and+Husband_2.jpeg Stories - Finding a Way Forward with Low Ovarian Reserve: Tam’s Infertility Journey “When I got my diagnosis of low AMH, it hit me hard, but it also impacted my husband and especially on an emotional level…He wanted to have a say in all of this, too.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/c919fa4c-b291-49c3-9b11-7360ccd0e544/Tam_2.jpeg Stories - Finding a Way Forward with Low Ovarian Reserve: Tam’s Infertility Journey “When I first joined [the community], there weren’t many women of color sharing their stories and now we are everywhere. I’m so proud to say that because it’s so needed.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/f91dcde5-9330-41de-b004-e0791dffabc6/Tam+and+Husband_3.jpeg Stories - Finding a Way Forward with Low Ovarian Reserve: Tam’s Infertility Journey “If we are dealing with infertility, and we’re one in six, then you know, seven houses down somebody else is probably going through and dealing with the same thing. We’re in this world together, walking through similar situations.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/16ff136a-a1b3-4ac1-a79b-2be4c3188a83/Tam_4.jpeg Stories - Finding a Way Forward with Low Ovarian Reserve: Tam’s Infertility Journey “If you choose, you can change your perspective and see the financial challenge as an opportunity to be creative.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/4826aa42-41fe-4b09-9761-6327e69633e0/Tam+and+Husband.jpeg Stories - Finding a Way Forward with Low Ovarian Reserve: Tam’s Infertility Journey “God really has given us glimmers of hope that the promise is not in vain. It’s not null and void and it will still come to pass.” https://lychee-lobster-tf9x.squarespace.com/stories/the-numbers-of-balanced-translocation-laurens-infertility-journey monthly 0.5 2023-05-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/d199165b-99df-4630-be8b-755260e572b4/New+State.jpeg Stories - A Battle With Balanced Translocation: Lauren’s Infertility Journey “We joke that we’re now diamond members with Hilton because we have spent so much over the last year on infertility treatment.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/6b8c70fe-2f19-48ec-844b-7d9e4edd5d05/Lauren+and+Husband+2.jpeg Stories - A Battle With Balanced Translocation: Lauren’s Infertility Journey “Be patient, especially with yourself…It’s also ok to hide out and to tell people that your journey is just that…yours.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/edda2fa9-20ae-4740-9e95-ab14317c6af5/IVF+Round+1.jpeg Stories - A Battle With Balanced Translocation: Lauren’s Infertility Journey “Finding and creating a support system on this journey is a balancing act of having the support you need and finding the people who are willing to listen and not just talk.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/f2f8f123-3734-4eb9-b010-2d597deaabf9/Lauren+1+in+8.jpeg Stories - A Battle With Balanced Translocation: Lauren’s Infertility Journey “I’ve always envisioned being pregnant and having a family of my own…It’s this dream and vision that keep driving me forward and wanting it so badly that I will exhaust all resources and will try anything to make my vision come to life.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/f8a5d09c-c644-4415-9524-5f40884c9507/IVF+Round+1_STIMS.jpeg Stories - A Battle With Balanced Translocation: Lauren’s Infertility Journey “I think I’m open about our journey and struggles, and I think I try to portray that I’m strong. But as much as I want to share, this is all so vulnerable.” https://lychee-lobster-tf9x.squarespace.com/stories/a-miscarriage-endometritis-and-waiting-for-the-other-shoe-to-drop-sarahs-infertility-journey monthly 0.5 2022-06-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/a79fdf76-a200-4a34-9be6-1f56e066b134/Sarah+Jonston_Procedure.jpg Stories - A Miscarriage, Endometritis, and Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop: Sarah’s Infertility Journey “You go into each treatment with anxiety knowing this is just for a chance…there is simply no guarantee that it will work.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/b2b08368-06ef-476a-845e-5fe693c4b7ee/Sarah+Jonston_Injections.jpg Stories - A Miscarriage, Endometritis, and Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop: Sarah’s Infertility Journey “You are exposed, cut open, going through an incredibly intimate process and it is surprising how little information we are provided.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/a98b2ad0-c2ea-4d0f-bb59-1903a9a76308/Sarah+Johnston_Baby+Announcement.jpg Stories - A Miscarriage, Endometritis, and Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop: Sarah’s Infertility Journey “It took over two years by the time that we transferred our second embryo and finally had success...I couldn’t switch my brain fast enough from identifying as infertile and then being pregnant because infertility never really leaves you.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/19fdbba7-0a4e-4f8d-9ad9-077635717826/Sarah+Jonston_Headshot.jpg Stories - A Miscarriage, Endometritis, and Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop: Sarah’s Infertility Journey “Infertility will never leave me. I didn’t stop being infertile because I’m pregnant.” https://lychee-lobster-tf9x.squarespace.com/stories/title monthly 0.5 2022-04-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/5479b7ed-5d36-4b11-b499-270abdffc16f/Sherelle_Preg2+Announcement.jpeg Stories - IVF Took Over My Body: Sherelle’s Battle with Infertility “You don’t think about genetics, you don’t think about where they came from…you think this is my baby! It took so much for this baby to get here and you’re just thankful they are here.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/3105133c-5228-4d39-9f43-a49db61e4a48/Sherelle_with+Husband.jpeg Stories - IVF Took Over My Body: Sherelle’s Battle with Infertility “We must get to our babies, and they are going to come into our lives one way or another. We must keep going. The promise still hasn’t been fulfilled…but it will be.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/de204e65-be97-4997-9de1-ee4b09c59567/photo1.jpeg Stories - IVF Took Over My Body: Sherelle’s Battle with Infertility “Infertility took over my body. My body hasn’t felt like my own since before this journey and it’s hard.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/07f7603a-08fd-4e8e-8b91-d6beb0a1acf9/Sherelle_miscarriage2.jpeg Stories - IVF Took Over My Body: Sherelle’s Battle with Infertility “We were again devastated, and it felt like a bad dream. I kept wondering when I was going to wake up. We were just here last year but how is this happening again?” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/1ba084ca-7a0e-4375-9c05-9883ab1ed84d/Sherelle_Transfer+Day.jpeg Stories - IVF Took Over My Body: Sherelle’s Battle with Infertility “Not only does your infertility diagnosis not define you, but it also does not discount you or make you any less of a woman.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/26345374-9a47-42c1-8ecf-16ed7476a678/Sherelle_Preg+Announce.jpeg Stories - IVF Took Over My Body: Sherelle’s Battle with Infertility “My desire to be a mom is still there and it is so strong. I know that desire doesn’t come from just anywhere but the desire to be a mom is purposeful and it has meaning.” https://lychee-lobster-tf9x.squarespace.com/stories/it-took-47-eggs-to-get-pregnant-and-now-i-battle-vasa-previa-christines-difficult-infertility-journey monthly 0.5 2022-02-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/15125773-37fd-4746-9c46-b5cd9df06a43/Christine+R_Baby+Announcement.jpg Stories - It Took 47 Eggs to Get Pregnant and Now I Battle Vasa Previa: Christine’s Difficult Infertility Journey When people say it only takes one, that is not the case. We had 47 eggs, and it took way more than one to get pregnant. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/df41fcae-b32a-4422-91a7-5d58df211292/Egg+Retrieval_1.jpg Stories - It Took 47 Eggs to Get Pregnant and Now I Battle Vasa Previa: Christine’s Difficult Infertility Journey “I thought there was no way, and we would be one of those couples who got pregnant the first or the second month. Everything was going to be fine. I had no reason to believe that we should have concerns or that we would have difficulty.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/e9e48437-f40e-4704-ab3b-a96161aa68da/Christine_R_Just+Relax.jpg Stories - It Took 47 Eggs to Get Pregnant and Now I Battle Vasa Previa: Christine’s Difficult Infertility Journey “What are we doing?…this is rough, and I would rather be doing anything else, even if that something else is harmful, like restricting food. I would rather restrict than do these treatments and go through infertility.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/b2514678-7f4a-4eba-8762-5704e44e230d/Christine+R_Pregnant_1.jpg Stories - It Took 47 Eggs to Get Pregnant and Now I Battle Vasa Previa: Christine’s Difficult Infertility Journey “There's all this medical research and technology and advancements and yet for a huge chunk of us, we still have no idea what is going on.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/3c7cfd21-2184-46fa-a139-26f256cb3d92/Christine+R_With+Husband_2.jpg Stories - It Took 47 Eggs to Get Pregnant and Now I Battle Vasa Previa: Christine’s Difficult Infertility Journey “Moving forward was better than pausing and staying stuck in whatever that misery was at the time…It felt like I was doing something and taking action.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/c163be24-c562-4463-b6d7-b163e8fad97d/Christine+R_Transfer_1.jpg Stories - It Took 47 Eggs to Get Pregnant and Now I Battle Vasa Previa: Christine’s Difficult Infertility Journey “But the longer that I was a patient there and the more complicated my case became, the more it felt like the clinic wasn't personalizing their care for me… It felt more like a business.” https://lychee-lobster-tf9x.squarespace.com/stories/we-have-a-surrogateand-now-were-pregnant-alexs-infertility-journey monthly 0.5 2022-01-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/748443ee-5718-4492-8314-5833d2bfccf7/Alex_With+Husband.jpg Stories - We Have a Surrogate…and Now We’re Pregnant, Too: Alex’s Infertility Journey “I grew up not knowing how I wanted to have kids but then I found my husband, fell in love, and I knew I wanted to have his children!” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/2f35e0f8-2945-49f2-9579-3c22519d6a15/Alex_We+Matched.jpg Stories - We Have a Surrogate…and Now We’re Pregnant, Too: Alex’s Infertility Journey “[Our Surrogate] wanted to do this for a friend and not for someone that felt like a stranger. I wanted that too! I didn't want a stranger carrying my baby either.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/07c7040d-388c-4ece-8f46-33e367ff5ae6/Alex_Selfie+1.jpg Stories - We Have a Surrogate…and Now We’re Pregnant, Too: Alex’s Infertility Journey “After the second loss, I felt really alone and wondered who else does this happen to? Maybe they just never talk about it…I found out much later that people just don't talk about it.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/edc67ad2-2ac8-40f3-9ea5-1e55cfffd616/Alex_Baby+Booties.jpg Stories - We Have a Surrogate…and Now We’re Pregnant, Too: Alex’s Infertility Journey “I’m still holding my breath and feeling very surreal about all of it…If I'd known this was my end result, I could have gotten through it so easily.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/2577ae42-889d-43a9-813f-1e28a3688d7d/Alex_Serious+Selfie.jpg Stories - We Have a Surrogate…and Now We’re Pregnant, Too: Alex’s Infertility Journey “Because we had gotten pregnant, it was harder for me to move on to IVF…. If we're going to continue to miscarry, how do I transfer these two little embryos that took so much work, time and effort?” https://lychee-lobster-tf9x.squarespace.com/stories/rima monthly 0.5 2022-01-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/5d7f4f28-df7b-4944-bea1-95347a2d0922/Rima3_Patience+is+Virtue.jpg Stories - Everyone Gets Pregnant Naturally and Then There is Us: Rima’s Journey with Unexplained Infertility “We're not playing games right now…We want kids. Please, I'll be 35 next year. Just get me in.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/7dd7c4b8-8eef-46b6-ba41-04ecc63e0dc4/Rima6_Selfie.jpg Stories - Everyone Gets Pregnant Naturally and Then There is Us: Rima’s Journey with Unexplained Infertility “I don’t know why, maybe it was a fear actually, but I always had the unsubstantiated thought: what if I can’t have kids when I’m older? What if I’m going to be that person that is going to have a hard time conceiving? I don’t know if it was my inner voice trying to warn me. I don’t know what happened.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/0bf0df46-c8e7-4271-acab-3497483278d0/Rima1_Due+with+2.jpg Stories - Everyone Gets Pregnant Naturally and Then There is Us: Rima’s Journey with Unexplained Infertility “For me, it was tears. Tons of tears. More days than not, I was in bed. I couldn’t get out bed…I needed time away. I just wasn’t in a good spot.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/8fe9d334-3238-4fe2-8db4-34c7c8ef4795/Rima2_Ovary+on+Top+of+Uterus.jpg Stories - Everyone Gets Pregnant Naturally and Then There is Us: Rima’s Journey with Unexplained Infertility “I was diagnosed with stage three endometriosis. I had lesions all over my ovaries, over my rectum, my colon, and my bladder. It was just everywhere.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/52037404-a307-45ee-9181-03f6c459faa8/Rima7_Selfie2.jpg Stories - Everyone Gets Pregnant Naturally and Then There is Us: Rima’s Journey with Unexplained Infertility “My main goal is to be out there, to help, and to empower. Empower all women who are going through this.” https://lychee-lobster-tf9x.squarespace.com/stories/when-genetics-and-hormones-lead-you-down-the-path-of-infertility-taylors-battle-with-infertility-y7d6k monthly 0.5 2021-11-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/1634609874694-NC39C1RT37J3720SP451/A736F1E8-8409-44B3-8802-34B4F7AE4AA7.JPG Stories - When Genetics and Hormones Lead You Down the Path of Infertility: Taylor’s Battle with Infertility “I had a weird feeling about infertility and what my experience would be, but it didn’t happen the way that I originally thought.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/6a59131c-4559-4ad1-a2d5-66ebbffb166f/5944478B-AFC0-44FA-8FC5-4E96F8EFD16B.JPG Stories - When Genetics and Hormones Lead You Down the Path of Infertility: Taylor’s Battle with Infertility “I allow myself to be sad. I’m a positive person but I don’t try to put a silver lining on everything…We had bad results and it sucks. I allow myself to feel that.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/b4099996-b7e9-4be6-874f-c2c75ee223de/AB18F933-5157-49F0-A956-75A89DCCFA0E.JPG Stories - When Genetics and Hormones Lead You Down the Path of Infertility: Taylor’s Battle with Infertility “You have to advocate for yourself or you will be pushed along the path of least resistance.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/d5e0412c-7f5f-44ba-8321-0ff53fe21f6b/05B7F522-3479-47B8-9DF4-DC63CF2502B1.JPG Stories - When Genetics and Hormones Lead You Down the Path of Infertility: Taylor’s Battle with Infertility “You don’t get what you don’t ask for…your doctor is the brains of the operation, but you can still drive.” https://lychee-lobster-tf9x.squarespace.com/stories/genetics-and-late-loss-alyssas-courageous-infertility-journey-62575 monthly 0.5 2020-12-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/1634609874685-XGWX0ZUPOB8O0V27MSB7/Hopeful+but+Realistic+Photo.jpg Stories - Genetics and Late Loss: Alyssa’s Courageous Infertility Journey - “We are told to trust doctors. We are told not to question them. So, you sit there, and you say ‘Ok, I’m ready. Let’s go.’ And you sign on the dotted line and you pay thousands and thousands of dollars, only to be let down. Then you look back and you wish they had been more transparent from the beginning. You wish they had shown you the statistics from the beginning. You should have shown me the research.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/1634609874688-4S5JVN88U6SG8EGHM11X/Hope+is+Stronger+than+Fear.jpg Stories - Genetics and Late Loss: Alyssa’s Courageous Infertility Journey - “You are not alone. There are so many women out there who have been and are in the exact same position as you are right now…There is a community out there that can help bring you up.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/1634609874673-20674N7IL1FFFEGXJHSA/IMG_4016.jpg Stories - Genetics and Late Loss: Alyssa’s Courageous Infertility Journey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/1634609874682-KCN11HUT2IQYNE779TNY/Mama+at+Heart+Photo.jpg Stories - Genetics and Late Loss: Alyssa’s Courageous Infertility Journey - “[Infertility Treatment] is really not regulated. It varies state by state, and it is what the clinic wants to do...It is sad that not everyone can get equal care.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/1634609874679-28K23HPG0OLKGJ8IAMND/6+Months+Without+You+Photo.jpg Stories - Genetics and Late Loss: Alyssa’s Courageous Infertility Journey - “I think back to sitting in that chair with the genetics counselor and I wish that she would have asked more questions. We didn’t know. Maybe that could be on me, too but she was supposed to be counseling us.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/1634609874676-G6TZPC45TC6AEXFOYDAM/Alyssa+Pregnant+with+Cole+Photo.jpg Stories - Genetics and Late Loss: Alyssa’s Courageous Infertility Journey - Slowly, the pieces were being put back together…Maybe not the same as they once were, but they were coming back together to create a new picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/1634609874671-85GG30NI33QXD62F74D3/Alyssa%252Band%252BPineapple%252BPhoto.jpg Stories - Genetics and Late Loss: Alyssa’s Courageous Infertility Journey - 1 egg retrieval 1 successful transfer 23 weeks of pregnancy 1 late loss 2 failed FET (awaiting results of third) 4 medical procedures These are the courageous steps that Alyssa has already taken on her infertility path that she continues to walk today. https://lychee-lobster-tf9x.squarespace.com/stories/consumed-by-infertility-chambrees-ongoing-journey-ens9m monthly 0.5 2020-09-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/1634609874653-0SBR1EGUVKZJD2LL91TU/Chambree_Not+pregnant.jpg Stories - Consumed by Infertility: Chambree’s Ongoing Journey - Chambree has a hole in her heart for someone and is consumed by thoughts that she is unable to fill that hole because of a problem with her; A problem with her broken body. PCOS, Endometriosis, anovulation, PTSD, progesterone deficiency, recurrent miscarriage...She challenges someone to name something that isn’t wrong with her https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/1634609874655-UKXRLPC624RSUTK50O9Q/Chambree_Relaxing+is+not+a+cure.jpg Stories - Consumed by Infertility: Chambree’s Ongoing Journey - “I expected infertility to be a struggle, but I didn’t expect it to consume every bit of my thought process...It’s just so much.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/1634609874661-FKU2SKO3MW9J9WNGBBCL/Chambree_Infertility+out+of+control.jpg Stories - Consumed by Infertility: Chambree’s Ongoing Journey - The stress of tirelessly working for something your whole being desires is exhausting and then when you add the regime of hormones, it’s impossible for Chambree to relax. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/1634609874650-7U6K2H4UZF62DOT6ELNG/Chambree%2Band%2BHusband%2B2.jpg Stories - Consumed by Infertility: Chambree’s Ongoing Journey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/1634609874665-GSR6TV5X4CC07TTJDPJZ/Chambree+and+Husband_1.jpg Stories - Consumed by Infertility: Chambree’s Ongoing Journey - “I’m going to be a mom no matter what...we are going to be parents. It’s just a matter of when and a matter of affording it.” https://lychee-lobster-tf9x.squarespace.com/stories/candaces-eight-year-journey-to-motherhood-tphrc monthly 0.5 2020-08-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/1634609874641-Z7DQH3KKW9UT4K22C89D/Candace%2BPhoto%2B2.jpg Stories - Candace’s Eight Year Journey to Motherhood https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/1634609874644-5GYE8PM8S62GK6QP02VK/Candace%2BPhoto%2B3.jpg Stories - Candace’s Eight Year Journey to Motherhood https://lychee-lobster-tf9x.squarespace.com/contact daily 0.75 2021-10-19 https://lychee-lobster-tf9x.squarespace.com/humanize-infertility daily 1.0 2023-04-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/1634609868445-EJIJ6D1ASW1GQV0J62Y8/IMG_3613.JPG Humanize Infertility - HOW IT ALL STARTED I finished my PhD holding a couple hundred pages of my dissertation on infertility, egg donation, and risk disclosure and knew I wanted to grow what I started not simply finish what I started on those pages. Through seven plus years of research on infertility policy, ethics, regulations and practices I was left feeling like a major piece of the puzzle was missing: the woman. The individual or couple living, feeling, and experiencing infertility every single day and often times in complete silence and darkness. Using my research and my experience as a foundation, I am on a mission to humanize infertility. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/1634609868448-B0WA8IEFFF7492UWT95S/Baby+Charlotte-Charlotte+Newborn-0025.jpg Humanize Infertility - I am on a mission to humanize: the emotional struggles of feeling shame, powerless and broken when battling infertility; the physical pain women choose to endure when utilizing infertility technologies; the financial burden that infertility can quickly become; and the disease that the World Health Organization (WHO) has defined infertility to truly be. https://lychee-lobster-tf9x.squarespace.com/home daily 0.75 2021-10-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/1634609883611-FSSYDSA55BAC67968HQC/IMG_3406.JPG Home - I am a biotechnology researcher with expert knowledge in the policy and ethical conversations around infertility. Utilizing over 12 years of clinical science research experience, I am an activist for more robust, transparent and accessible research on infertility and infertility technologies that enable women to make informed and autonomous decisions about their health and well-being. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/1634609883617-IACKBTPQ9FROKL7EEZWQ/IMG_3892.jpg Home In order to fully support those struggling with infertility and in order to make fundamental changes in policies, regulations and standard practices that not only provide but protect women, we have to truly see and hear these women who bravely fight for hope and desire. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/1634609883619-WS7O3QFA6S9BPYBV8VFE/IMG_3433.JPG Home - Humanize Infertility aims to share the brave and strong stories behind the battle with infertility… The emotional struggles The physical pain The financial burden We see you. We hear you. We uplift you. https://lychee-lobster-tf9x.squarespace.com/work-together daily 0.75 2023-08-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/616e2acc0eba1e6183fc0667/1634609883611-FSSYDSA55BAC67968HQC/IMG_3406.JPG https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1607694583486-2PQT0LQ193RL7MCB6DX4/20140228_Trade+151_0046.jpg Work Together https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1618497259178-6XJGK9GR6YAVBQL5L519/20140301_Trade-151_012-2.jpg Work Together