If you’re a reader here who has experienced infertility, I’d love to hear from you. I’m looking to write a longer piece on the different experiences we can have with this particular path, tapping into your stories, and allowing space for you to share what has helped you and your spouse.
One of the difficulties with infertility is you never know how long you’ll be walking this path. You don’t know how to prepare for this, or what you can do to manage it. It could last a few years, forever or anything in-between. That uncertainty, that limbo, can be exhausting and a real joy suck. This is truly a process of grieving, although we don’t often think of it like that.
I find it very helpful to read other people’s stories. That’s why I started writing mine down, hoping to make other people feel less alone, to share tips and humour to help you through. In some senses, it’s cathartic for me to just put my feelings out there. This way it isn’t just me sitting with it, or rehashing it with my husband.
Challenging the culture that says you can do anything
I have also found that our society is very uncomfortable with infertility. We’re used to being able to achieve whatever we want, using technology and science to get there if we need it. Running up against the reality that this is something you can’t make happen can be painful. Shocking, perhaps. Often the discourse around infertility is focused on pushing through to achieve pregnancy, come hell or high water. It doesn’t often talk about doing what you can, but also just sitting with the reality that this is outside your control.
I’d love to have a discussion here about how we handle this challenge which doesn’t focus getting a baby at any cost. I’d like to look at how we handle it when the answer is no, or at least, not yet. This is why I’m reaching out to you today. I’d like to get more view points on how you or someone you know, has handled their time of infertility. How can your experience help uplift and encourage others, whether you grew your family or not.
I know this is deeply personal, and I promise I will treat your stories with sensitivity. It can be hard to share, but if you’d like to I think this is a great way to support your other sisters going through infertility.
If you are interested in being interviewed for this article, please leave a comment below and I’ll get in touch with further contact details.
Thank you!
xoxo Maddie
