Motherhood. It’s one of the greatest desires of a woman. It’s real and it’s raw. The mystery of pregnancy and the anticipation of meeting the tiny human growing inside you keeps humankind moving forward. Yet, for many women, the desire for pregnancy is plagued with infertility. According to the CDC 1 in 5 women in the United States are diagnosed with infertility [1]. This struggle may stem from various factors, such as irregular cycles, endometriosis, or polycystic ovarian...

Induction into the new mama club is one humbling surprise after another. After I had my first baby, I still looked pregnant. Thanks for the heads up, Mom. No one told me I'd need to wear a supersized maxi pad for the next three weeks for something called the lochia--google it. I also had no idea that breastfeeding is a lot more complicated than it sounds. 

Granted, this was a looong time ago, my firstborn is now a teenager. There has been a vast increase in the accessibility to...

Living with PCOS is a big part of who I am, even when I’m not trying to get pregnant. Which is most of the time. Prior to receiving a formal diagnosis, it consumed me in a very real, raw, and exhausting way. Before I understood the underlying metabolic dysregulation of PCOS, I was operating in reactionary mode. My day-to-day life was a constant battle of too much caffeine to battle my constant fatigue and post-meal energy slumps. Popping Motrin to manage headaches and pelvic pain....

A few months after celebrating my sweet sixteen I found myself sitting in the doctor's office. Wearing a paper-thin gown and shivering from the chill of the cold examination table, I tried to make sense of my prognosis. The doctor didn't have an explanation for my irregular cycles and painful periods. She gave me a prescription for the pill and told me that IVF was my best option at ever getting pregnant.

I was SIXTEEN! I’d never heard of the term IVF and having kids wasn’t on my...

Did you know that many pregnancy failures can be avoided by making important lifestyle changes during the periconceptional period?

What is the periconceptional period?

Researchers define this as the span of time that lasts a total of 5-6 months. It starts in the 3-4 months PRIOR to ovulation, when the egg cells begin to undergo their final maturation processes. And it lasts until 2 months after conception, or around week 10 of gestation.

Now it is true that as women age, egg quality tends to...

Charting your cycle leads to a greater awareness and understanding of how a woman’s reproductive system works.

You may have heard that charting your cycle (which is different from just tracking your period) can provide you with insight about your body, health, and mind. Did you know that there are three distinct benefits of charting your cycle? 

1. Living a charting lifestyle creates a powerful tool for self-advocacy. 

We know how a woman’s body works – we...

Who's had this conversation before:

You: "I want to avoid getting pregnant right now, but I'm not happy with the pill."

Doctor: "I understand. Let's switch you to this type of birth control instead."

You: "Um...no, I don't want hormonal birth control at all."

Doctor: "Oh, I see. You want an IUD?"

You: "Actually, I started using fertility awareness, and it's..."

Doctor: [Interrupting you while shaking their head] "I'll see you in a month or two to confirm pregnancy."

I practice an...

As an infertility veteran myself, I know that being told to “Just relax” or “Let it happen” is not helpful. Period. But as a PhD scientist, I also know there is science that shows that stress can actually impact fertility. Keep reading to learn more about the link between stress, hormones, and fertility! 

The Science Behind Stress and Fertility

While there is still research to be done on all the ways stress can impact fertility, studies show that our bodies can...

Did you know that stress can affect your fertility?

We know there are two basic phases to the monthly cycle every woman experiences. During the follicular phase, the ovary brings an egg (or two) towards maturation in ovulation.  In the luteal phase,  the body either prepares for a long haul of 9 months supporting a newly-conceived baby OR the shedding of the lining of the uterus in the process called menstruation, when the cycle then repeats itself. The length of the cycle hinges on...

Stress is inevitable. It’s the elephant in the room that, when ignored, has a tendency to multiply in size and magnitude. While COVID did force us to slow down, it simply replaced the stress of living too fast, too hard, for too long (frantic commutes, packed calendars, and late nights, anyone??) with the stress of navigating a global pandemic. In my dream world, neither situation would exist.  

There is no denying that stress has a deleterious effect on health and wellness,...