Interview with Ashlyn - Navigating Loss and Grief

In today's episode, we have the pleasure of welcoming Amy Glass. Amy's story is truly remarkable, and we believe it will touch many hearts. Initially, Amy experienced success with her first round of IVF but later faced a devastating loss. She opens up about her journey through grief and the proccess of healing, revealing her persistant desire to have another child at the age of 40 despite not having any embryos left. Join jus as Amy shares her journey, offering invaluable insights into the challenges of infertility. 

In this week's episode, we will discuss when you might take a break from fertility treatments. Some breaks are voluntary, while others are not in your control because of some hiccups along the way. Taking a break from fertility treatments can be devastating because you feel like you are already behind. Listen in as we talk about ways you might have to take a break, not by choice, and times you might decide to take a voluntary break. Breaks during infertility can be challenging, and we are here to help validate those feelings and hopefully give a few tips to help. 

In this week's episode, Madison welcomes Vann Gilbert onto the show! Vann holds a special place in Madison's heart for many reasons, one of which is that Vann was Madison's first nurse. Vann not only made a significant impact on Madison's medical journey but also provided emotional support. Currently serving as an IVF coordinator at a fertility clinic, Vann continues to touch women's lives every day. With years of experience and having undergone IVF herself, Vann and her husband are parents to twin boys, a result of their own IVF journey.  Tune in to hear Vann share her journey with IVF, now from the perspective of a coordinator rather than a patient, as she continues to inspire hope to others navigating their own fertility journeys. 

In today's episode Morgan welcomed Laura Watson of @postive.fertility. Laura shares her story about starting her family at age 40 via IVF and eventually donor conception. The focus of today's episode is exploring the complicated emotions that come with pregnancy after loss, especially coupled with infertility. Laura validates the complex feelings of holding both fear and excitement and gives practical tips for how to navigate being pregnant after loss. 

In this week's episode, we will discuss receiving a positive pregnancy test and the following emotions. You might be excited, but you might also be scared. You have waited all this time and finally got the big fat positive, but now what? Receiving a positive pregnancy test after fertility treatments can be challenging and bring on emotions you were not expecting. We will talk about all these emotions and what the process looks like in the few weeks following. 

In today's episode, we're excited to welcome two special guests onto the show: Griffin Buser, the husband of Morgan, and Brad Brizendine, the husband of Madison. We recognize that during the challenging journey of infertility, our spouses often have unique perspectives that can offer valuable insights. Understanding their experiences and hearing their advice can be helpful for both men and women navigating this difficult season. So, we've invited Griffin and Brad to share their thoughts and feelings about infertility from their standpoint. By opening up this conversation, we hope to provide a platform for men to connect with our husbands' experiences and gain valuable tips on being supportive partners during this challenging time. 

In today's episode, Morgan is joined by Alex Kornswiet of @ourbeautifulsurprise. Alex has experienced many facets of infertility, conceiving her first son through IVF, experiencing multiple losses, utilizing a surrogate to conceive her second son, and conceiving her third son spontaneously. Alex and Morgan discuss the hardships that come with trying to grow your family with living children, feeling like you don't fully belong in the "infertility community" or the "mom community", and the complex emotions of both gratitude and longing.    Alex has provided a free guide for our listeners: Navigating Motherhood during Infertility. Alex also has a 12-week coaching program for those seeking extra support during their fertility journey, no matter where you are. Mention Never Alone to get a special discount on her program. discovery.embraceyourmotherhood.com

In this week's episode, we have Ashley Pence on the podcast, an infertility warrior who created a side business to help offset the costs of her fertility treatments. Madison and Ashley discuss the financial toll of infertility, insurance coverage (or lack thereof), and ways to get creative in raising money to help with the costs. 

This episode is intended for friends and family supporting a loved one who's experienced a miscarriage. We often avoid checking in with those who are grieving as we don't want to be the reason they are feeling sad, but it's always better to say something rather than nothing to someone who's lost a baby. We're debunking beliefs like this one and sharing tips and recommandations on when to reach out, what to do, what to ask, what not to question, and generally, how to best support. 

In this week's episode, Morgan and Madison welcome Ashlyn Ellington to discuss grief and loss. Not only is Ashlyn a licensed therapist, she's also personally experienced heartbreaking loss. We discuss Ashlyn's story, what it feels like to navigate an impending loss, and the deep grief associated with miscarriage. Tune in to hear practical tips for coping as well as the simple validation that you are not alone if you've experienced pregnancy loss.