My husband and I met in our late twenties. We are both the oldest children of big families and neither of us was particularly fixated on having kids. Instead, we spent an amazing ten years working and traveling. One of our first big experiences together was moving to London, and from there, we also lived and worked in Barcelona.  In our late thirties, while we were living in New Zealand, we both felt the pressure of the biological clock's countdown but still remained ambivalent about having children. We talked about it a lot and always...

Most women and AFAB (assigned female at birth) people can relate to feeling the pressure to be pregnant. A layer of worry may be added when you're single, in a same-sex relationship, or experiencing reproductive health challenges. There’s power in tuning in and listening to what you’re truly desiring with regard to parenthood.  Depending on your age, financial circumstances, and relationship stability, the idea of having a child can seem exciting, confusing, or panic-inducing. However, through peaceful preparation, the idea of motherhood and pregnancy could feel a lot calmer. Whatever barriers you may feel are...

When I miscarried after my first pregnancy, I was shocked by how long it took me to feel like myself again. At the time, I was a journalist covering reproductive health — intellectually, I knew so much about pregnancy loss. But despite all that information (as well as the massive shift in public awareness of miscarriage, and the de-stigmatization of people sharing their own experiences), I had absolutely no idea how my loss would affect my body and mind.  For months, I felt like I was walking around in someone else’s body. And in speaking...

Trying to conceive has a way of taking over your life, especially once you’ve hit the point of infertility. You go home to find an entire drawer in your bathroom devoted to ovulation kits and pregnancy tests. You look at your calendar and wonder how you’ll fit in all the appointments alongside work and personal commitments. You cringe through conversations about when you’ll “finally” have kids. You reconfigure your social media feeds to block out pregnancy announcements and updates. And you juggle a mental load that’s crushing…and largely underrecognized.   That mental load begins mounting before...

It’s no secret that major, or sometimes even minor, life transitions and challenges can put a lot of stress on relationships. Infertility is one such stressor that can take its toll on both partners, wearing away at their patience, intimacy, and healthy habits.  So, Can Marriage Survive Infertility? Couples counseling can help that. It can help you both feel seen, heard, and understood, so that it doesn’t feel as though you are on opposite teams but representing the same jersey and fighting for your future together. Keep reading for some ways you and your partner...

Good sleep is essential for our physical, emotional, and mental well-being. While adults require about 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night, 35% of adults in the U.S. sleep less than 7 hours per night, according to the CDC. Studies have shown that sleep disorders negatively impact health, including increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, hypertension, anxiety, and depression.  Infertility also presents a challenge to overall well-being. For instance, the anticipation of a failed attempt, the stress of complex procedures, and the strain in relationships can cause high stress and anxiety. This same stress...