Talking About Infertility

Most relationships, as time goes by, will cover the same types of topics. 

Is this the ‘one’?

Shall we live together?

Marriage?

Are we ready for children?

… what is wrong with us?

Although in an ideal world, everyone will be able to all of the conversations apart from the bottom one, life doesn’t work that way. One of the most amazing things about the internet is that bloggers are covering topics that really matter in this area. Sharing tips for the two-week wait, fostering process, adoption process, surrogacy, egg donation, miscarriage, and that is amazing. It means that people truly see all of their options.  

You can pour through real-life experiences like “this fertility clinic has above average success rates,” or “tips to help you destress your body.” 

Here are a few tips to help you and your partner work through the tougher times, and make it easier on yourselves. 

Communicate

You might think that you are both wholly talked out, but the chances are if you sit down with your partner, there is more than you, and they want to say. Try to set aside a few minutes each day with a warm drink or something to eat to see what comes to the surface. Excellent communication is going to be the key to being on the same page and alleviating stress.

Safe space

Try to make a space in your home a little bit of a sanctuary. Whatever the process you choose to go through, there are going to be ups and downs. But the news of the cycle is not positive; although the meetings have been pushed back or more complicated than they first appeared, that can be quite difficult to handle. 

But having somewhere dedicated to you to make you feel better surrounded by the things you love can help lower that stress. Think about your own self-care process and ensure that you have everything you need, ready to go. 

Discuss this with your partner and make it a place that both of you can go to or create separate spaces for when you really need it.

Be kind

During periods of stress, it is highly likely for people to be a little more short-tempered than usual. And it just so happens that infertility, adoption, and more can cause some of those feelings. Remember that you and your partner are both going through something that is mentally, physically, and emotionally demanding. There might be days with the jokes that you share don’t land quite well, or when one of you loses sight of the end goal. 

Take a few deep breaths and remember to be kind to each other.

Build a network of people you can talk to. While 1 in ten people in America has fertility issues, finding people who understand can make a lot of difference to how you feel and how supported your journey is.