📍 Welcome back to the Her Fertility Podcast. In this episode I will be sharing,  in this episode, you get a sneak peek into a conversation I had with one of my most beloved clients, Heather. Heather's story includes pregnancy loss, IVF, and some deep, deep fear around getting pregnant again, but it also includes some, but it also includes.
A huge source of inspiration for anybody who is navigating their fertility journey, pregnancy loss, or IVF. Heather and I work together not only for her first baby, but again for her second baby, and she is currently pregnant with baby number two. And this is a, and this, and this is a candid conversation between us.
And this is a candid, and this is a candid conversation between us connecting on what it was like to work with a fertility doula and all of the ups and, and the ups and downs of her journey.  I.
I love that we've had so many years together working with you. I know on baby number one and baby number two. It's so special. Yeah. And I'm so grateful for that. Thank you. Of course. I'm grateful for you if you'll share your story and how we started working together.
Yeah. I was trying to think back about when I had first, where I was in my journey when I first heard about you, but it was through word of mouth. A you were doing like some free group sessions on Zoom, and I decided to attend one of those and it was an eye-opening experience.
I hadn't had any sort of group. Aside from friends that were going through similar experiences, but that was like really individual. This was like sharing with strangers, which was really cool for me. I had two miscarriages at that point, and I was able to share like the loss and the grief of that.
That was just like really healing for me. And this was before I started my IVF process. I went through the IVF process and, I had just remembered your services. And after my IVF transfer, I felt that I needed more support because I still had all of that grief and loss in my head from the previous miscarriages.
The sound of your voice, the advice that you were offering, like the way that you like, talked to everyone. I think that was, were probably the reasons that I wanted to reach out to you.
Again, it was just like. Very organic, very natural, not forced. It felt like I was talking to someone or someone was sharing with me, like the same experience. Even if you had a different experience, it just felt very natural. So that's why I wanted to reach out to you again. Thank you for sharing that.
And it was unique because you were pregnant through IVF when we started working one-on-one, but I loved that because it's not just about getting pregnant, but also staying pregnant.
Yeah. And for me, that, I think that was the biggest hurdle for me is just getting through the fear of staying pregnant. And all the unknowns that come with why don't you stay pregnant or why do you, and all of that.
So that, that was really helpful. I needed the support even being pregnant. It wasn't the same as for another person finding out they were pregnant. It was a different experience for me, so I definitely needed that extra support.
We worked through a lot of, especially a lot of the fear that I was holding and just like different tools to kind of keep me moving forward and, and not be so in my mind about everything.
For anybody, listening to this, like it's really hard to do that by yourself, right? Like we're really strong, completely women, but like to have somebody to like hold the space and go through that with you is Yeah. Is very a different experience. Yeah. And I mean, I would say anyone going through that experience needs a strong support system.
And I had one, I had my family, I had my husband, I had. Doctors and friends and things like that, but you still feel isolated even with all those people around you. It's nice to have a voice in your ear almost, or like a buddy or someone who's you feel like they're on your shoulder all the time, like with you through the process.
And you definitely gave that for me and I felt. A different type of support through the process and like a different type of uplifting that I, I couldn't have gotten through anyone else. And it also helped me have a better relationship with my partner because I wasn't leaning on him a hundred percent.
And, and you can't, you know, they have their own grief and loss they're going through. So it was huge for me to have you thank you. You did surround yourself with a full team.
You had your clinic, you have a therapist. Yeah. And you're working with me. And a lot of times I'll get asked, what's the difference between you and therapy? Or I'll hear oh, i'm working with a therapist. Which is great, but it is different. Do you mind speaking to how it's different?
I look at you as like part doula, part like health and wellness, part therapist part, spiritual guide and the spiritual piece for me was a little bit different than therapy. I have a special therapist and she does wonders with me and very similar to your like approach, but.
It's just different therapy is scheduled and you go to your appointments and you kind of prepare, at least I do. And with you, I could come as I was and whether that was happy and excited or you know, sometimes I showed up in tears.
You could kind of meet me where I was and you that the same thing happens in therapy, but I think it was just much more present in real time with you. Um, like literally feeling like I had a person with me all the time moving through the experience where therapy but there's just like a little bit more distance between you and your therapist than like me and you.
It's such a beautiful way to say it. I mean that for me, that was huge. I didn't realize how much I needed like that guidance and that, support. Mm-hmm. But I did. And it, it was really helpful
I was very into the science and the support that science was giving me around IVF. And you untapped a spiritual side to me I think you have this ability to unap areas that are either weaknesses or strengths or things that we have to work on in any human, I'm sure.
And for me it was the spiritual piece that really, once we unlocked that, I started feeling my own intuition and my own power, which was really helpful. They can't not smile right now. I know. It just makes me feel like filled with joy because that's really what this is about. It's what I didn't have where I just felt so powerless. And so being able to use the tools and support people so that they do find their inner power and like really lean into that inner intuition and feeling like they have like agency that's the goal of this whole thing. Yeah. Yeah. I felt like I could be a confident pregnant and non-pregnant woman. Yeah. I mean, we even worked together before I got pregnant with my second, and I wasn't really sure at what point that was going to happen, but I needed to sit in my womanly power and you helped me get there too, I was so grateful when you reached out again for baby number two and that journey was so different from journey number one. Um, yeah. I first started working with you before baby number two, I I it was a successful transfer, but the pregnancy didn't last.
And so that was the first time working with you as a guide, which was really helpful. I mean it, that was a hard one for me because. For some reason I placed IVF as kind of like this foolproof method, and that was the first time where it didn't feel as unknown as the other pregnancy losses.
It felt like, wow, this was a good embryo that we lost. Like that hurts. But having you to be able to work through, I think helped me to gain confidence to be able to do it again. Because otherwise I think without you, I don't know if I could have gone through the potential of more loss. Um, but it definitely gave me strength to do another transfer and to just take my time.
You know, every journey is so different and I'm so grateful that you're sharing yours because it highlights like. You can use IVF, you can do all the things and it's still unknown and that is really scary. Yeah. I had this mental understanding that IVF was a leg up or something.
But there's a lot of unknown. Yeah. It's such a great tool and they can do so much testing and the clinics are. Wonderful. But there's still that part that's unknown and we can't control. And so having this type of relationship can be really supportive as you navigate that.
Yeah, yeah. Yeah. You're able to talk to someone in real time. And really like dissect out what needs to change or what needs to happen. So that was helpful. Of course we talk about fertility and of course we're talking about getting and staying pregnant, but like there's all these other things we talk about too, like relationships with your family and your partner and your job and like all friends.
Yeah. And it's just like so much feeds into this, it's not siloed. And on that note, I think that's what my favorite. Part of our sessions together is that like that initial download I get to do with you in real time and like we, you always relate it back to like how it is impacting fertility or what we can do to make things better
I think that part was my favorite and why kept coming back. And then, the tangible things I got was I just, I don't do meditations at all. And so having the guided meditation was really helpful. You have a great voice for it and you have a good nature for it. So I think that was really helpful for me.
Thank you. There's something unique in the way that we use it in the sessions where we're really helping the brain and the body connect and come down and get clear and allow it to dream again and do all these wonderful things as a tool.
So I'm glad it's supported you, I think that is one of the things that if somebody's thinking about working with me or with a fertility doula, like it does take you being open and showing up and being available for all of it to work and to support you.
And that can be really scary, like trusting in someone. I mean, there's so much available to them and the support that's available, like through someone like you Yeah.
Is huge. Awesome. So you are pregnant with baby number two. Congratulations. I am. Yeah. Yep, he is. It's a baby boy. He is in there fully growing and starting to move now, so that feels, good. Um, and I still feel like strong in my body with whatever happens, and I know that's from the foundation of work we've done.
Together. But now I'm just hopeful for the end. And hopeful for a healthy delivery. Yes, yes. And it does take one strong mama to do what you're doing, and I'm so honored to have been a part of your journey and it is so nice to see you again here because we were meeting every week, and now you're pregnant this work is so customized to you and your journey. And sometimes I'll get asked, like what do we do in sessions and do you have a protocol or a process and I have a lot of tools to use, but it's really what you need in that moment and in that day and at that point in your journey.
Yeah, and, and I explained it earlier, it was like sometimes I would show up with excitement or happiness or anxiety, and other times I would show up and it would be a pile of tears and everything we had planned to go through, it was like, okay, let's switch gears and we have to move through this now.
So I think you have a really great intuition with humans, because you are able to change your, whatever your plan is, depending on how your client is showing up, which is great. Thank you. Yes, yes. Thank you. It says that's a really good way to say it.
There is no roadmap. There is, I mean, I've looked, I've read, I've read so much even before I worked with Jess. I think you just have to accept and learn to be present, and that is probably the biggest gift you've given me. Wherever your journey leads, you will help accept wherever you are I'm very happy I'm pregnant and not everyone, that's where the journey ends, but it's all beautiful. What a beautiful way to say it. Thank you. Yeah. Is there anything else you wanna add before we wrap up? I'm very grateful for you. I've recommended you to others and I think.
When it comes to fertility, it takes individuals a while to come around and to, to think, oh, yeah, that, that would be a great guide to use, I know it took me a little longer than I wanted and I'm very grateful that I did. Yeah. Yeah. People will ask me like, so when do you start working with someone?
And I always say like, when they're ready. Because, it's very individual and some people are ready, uh, very different points in their journey. So it's, whenever you're ready is a good time Yeah. I would recommend Jess she did wonderful things for me.
Thank you. That means so much, I wish you the best. I'm always thinking of you and hoping for your success and all of this. Thank you, Heather. It was such an honor working with you.
I'm so grateful. You too. You too. Thank you. And I'll keep you updated as things progress. Please do. I will.
  📍 📍 Before we wrap up, I want to offer something special just for you listening right now. If you're on a fertility journey that feels overwhelming, lonely, or uncertain, you don't have to walk it alone. At Her Fertility support, I offer private one-on-one sessions designed to hold space for your entire self, body, mind, and spirit.
These aren't just coaching calls, they're sacred containers where we breathe, we listen, we release. And together we process your emotions, shift limiting beliefs, and gently guide your system back to harmony.
Whether you're trying to conceive navigating a loss or exploring IVF, your story is safe here. Go to www dot Her Fertility support or click the link in the show notes to schedule your free consultation. Now. I can't wait to meet you and walk with you on this path.
