a note on infertility awareness week

this week is infertility awareness week, and many people the world over have experienced or are currently experiencing challenges with infertility, which can be compounded with complex feelings in the lead-up to mother’s day. our founder, maggie, is and was one of those people— and she is sharing some reflections on how this experience has impacted her and lingered around her experience of IVF, pregnancy, and motherhood. her note from last year can be found here.

it’s hard to understand the challenge of working through infertility issues until you’ve been through it. It’s an emotional, physical, and relationship challenge in many ways. There was another layer of challenge for me in coming to terms with not knowing why this challenge existed, and if my aspirations of motherhood would come to fruition. 

the uncertainty was overwhelming at times. I was often in a state of anticipation, mixed with grief around letting go of a future I wished for. 

my biggest learning from working through fertility challenges has been to surrender into the experience. Surrender into the unknown, into what is, and what is not. To allow life to be just as is without needing to change it, fix it or rearrange it. 

i am grateful that my journey included motherhood— but I also know that if it hadn’t, as is the case for many, there would be beauty in that as well. 

this time of year is much like my journey: it encapsulates all of the emotions. And like everything in life, there are always so many sides and nuances to the story. 

wherever your personal feelings and experiences around motherhood and infertility reside, I wish all of you love + support, this week, next week, and always. 

For resources around infertility please visit https://infertilityawareness.org