S2 E11 - Infertility Carousel

After treading through the pandemic for the last year, the girls make the difficult decision to pause the podcast indefinitely—but not before leaving you with a recap of some of the most important takeaways from the last two seasons.Please know we are always here for you! Our social media accounts and private FB group will remain active, and all of our episodes will continue to be available for streaming!

Erica helps Christa mull over decisions regarding her next round of IVF, and the girls share feelings of PTSD that still exist after having children.Then they switch gears to discuss the mind-blowing news of the oldest embryo to result in a baby, before moving on to Lena Dunham’s at-times-bizarre essay on infertility for Harper’s Magazine.

Christa is in the midst of a detox after a lethal glass of wine, while Erica is still reminiscing about the neighborhood compliments of her outdoor Halloween decor. Then the girls travel back in time to discuss infertility in the 1500s through the lens of Catherine of Aragon. Needless to say, this episode earns its own special place in history with an ending fit for King Henry VIII. Now pass the crumpets, sip your tea and enjoy!

Erica and her hubby reminisce about her campfire pee, while Christa regrets a prank she pulled back in the day. Both ladies celebrate their anniversaries in different ways – Erica with footlong garlic bread, and Christa with total embarrassment over being a messy bride.Then it is on to the topic of using IVF to have a “Savior Sibling,” a child born to save the life of an older sibling.

This episode kicks off with a conversation about clip-in bangs. Erica’s not-so-recent purchase of a succulent puzzle is incredibly underwhelming, while Christa recalls being hoodwinked into eating a spoonful of wasabi. Then IN THE NEWS is coming in hot with country artist J.D. Shelburne and wife Amy Jo’s infertility story.

With October being Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month, the girls cover the recent and incredibly heartbreaking loss suffered by Chrissy Teigen and husband John Legend.

Erica dwells on the missed opportunity when using the most epic pop culture reference of all time. Irrational fears are back with a clenched fist and a vengeance. Christa fills us in on a recent visit with her RE and what it means for her future decisions regarding doing IVF again. Then the girls commiserate on the heaviness of 2020 and the toll it has taken on their mental health. After filling you in on minor formatting changes, the focus is on In The News as we discuss Jenna Bush Hager admitting feelings of survivor’s guilt over her most recent pregnancy.

Christa is replaced with guest cohost Lara Croft, complete with cargo pants and side braid. A night of bad weather has the girls twisted, and Erica takes a rare outing only to witness the ultimate Karen situation.Then the girls share the aspirations they put on hold (thanks, infertility!) to pursue their dreams of motherhood.

After filling us in on all the sordid details of their lives, including Erica’s recent visit to the hospital and Christa’s embryo storage fee, the girls dive in to the topic of egg freezing. The conversation ranges from “eggcations” with friends to celebs who have decided to go through the process.

The girls continue to pod from separate quarantine locations. Erica is embarrassed about a recent trip to the Target parking lot, and Christa has an epic brain fart that results in a flood. Then it is on to discussing the true definition of secondary infertility. Erica offers an update on how the ongoing blood pressure issue is impacting her pregnancy and the measures she is taking to keep it at bay (less salt…more sugar!). The ladies discuss a Twitter thread that offers new names for your self-cleaning oven before the podcast’s very own self-proclaimed Queen of Clean, Christa, offers up 5 ways to green your life for good that are (hopefully) non-intimidating and easy to do! Be sure to go out to the TIP website for a full list of articles and products mentioned.