Fertility – Grief, Despair & Sadness

This week, we’re opening up about the side of infertility that doesn’t always get airtime: the grief, despair, deep, lingering sadness.

We talk about why infertility can feel like a cycle of constant loss, what disenfranchised grief really means, and how we’ve each coped (or crumbled) along the way.

From crying in toilet cubicles to facing the big “what if it never happens?”, this one’s honest and raw.

We also share what’s helping us cope. From catching intrusive thoughts early, to creating space for grief (even when it’s messy).

If you’re in the thick of it, or just need to feel a little less alone, we’re right here with you.

 

Notes:

0:20 - What's knocked Emma since reflecting on the last episode?
3:00 - Definitions of sadness, dispair and grief
6:05 - Infertility is a cyclical griefing process
08:17 - Grief is as unique as your fingerprint
08:39 - What is disenfranchised grief?
10:00 - Self-imposing grief and deciding on the end point
11:05 - How can you grieve infertility when it's not tangible?
11:35 - The neuroplasticity of grief and how your mind processes grief
13:20 - What if a child never materialises?
15:38 - Grief just wants space
18:45 - Understanding infertility if you've never experienced it
19:38 - The reality of talking about grief out loud
23:58 - Breaking down grief and how it played out for us both
31:15 - Is it possilbe to get to a place for acceptance?
34:39 - Feeling sad for all the strong women going through this
36:15 - Hiding in a toilet cubicle crying
37:41 - When dispair hits you hard 
40:10 - Catching catastrophic thoughts early
41:08 - Starting to prepare for the 'what if's' and the worst 
47:02 - What is helping Lara deal with this journey
51:40 - Looking back on Emma's journey
54:12 - Coping with intrusive thoughts
59:00 - Final reflections

 

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