🙋🏻‍♀️Your IVF and Pregnancy Questions Answered

This is Rise and Conquer, the podcast where we strive to become the highest version of ourselves through curious conversations, healthy mindsets, laughter, connection, and a deep desire to evolve. I'm your host, Georgie Stevenson. Join me as we explore parenthood, business, manifestation, and so much more. It's positive, it's practical, and it's about putting you in the driver's seat of your own life. Are you ready? Hello, my loves, and welcome back to

the Rising Honker Potty. Today we are doing a pregnancy Q and A. So I can't believe I haven't done like a proper pregnancy episode and I'm like over halfway truly. Everyone says this, but your second pregnancy is just so different to your first, and it just goes so fast. Like obviously having a toddler and working full time helps with that, but I feel like most moms feel that way. I did just record the intro for my Trying to Conceive Journey episode, So we have kind of like two

episodes going out. The first one is all about trying to conceive and like infertility and some like live audios of the whole twelve months of going through infertility. And I just wanted to open up about that because I said this in the episode, but I just don't feel like it's spoken about it enough and I feel like a lot of people struggle with it and it's very isolating, and so I wanted to do a whole episode on that.

So if you're currently in a trying to conceive journey or you have friends or family going through it, I would suggest listening to that first. It's going to give you like a lot more contexts and maybe just kind of help you feel a bit more seen and validated with how you're feeling. So that episode is there, and then this episode is literally a Q and A episode. I put a call out on my stories. You guys

had so many questions, so let's get into it. The first question, the biggest thing that you and Tim change that you think contributed to falling pregnant, Well, we had to go through IVF so our journey is a little bit different. We didn't fall naturally. We also didn't fall naturally with IV our first baby. We actually did IUY, which WHI is basically a procedure kind of think like before IVF. If there's like unexplained in fertility, they will recommend you do IUI, which think of like a Turkey

based star like. Basically, they time your ovulation and your period for the exact days, so you do blood tests. Sometimes you're taking hormones, sometimes you're not. I did take hormones with IV. You know, your partner does a sample which is like his sperm and at like the perfect time of ovulation. Basically the doctor inseminates you, so think like long Turkey based a thing going inside you and puts the sperm at the highest point, so it's giving you like the greatest chances. So we did IUI and

got pregnant the very first time. So basically they'll encourage you to do IUI four times and then if that doesn't work, you'll go on to IVF. This time, though, we couldn't do IUI because we just had issues with me having pcos and not ovulating on time, and then tim sperm mobility wasn't great, and so we couldn't even do IUI. We had to go straight to IVF. And so your doctor will like tell you about all that.

So I highly recommend to see a fertility specialist if it has been more than six months, because for instance, like maybe you're fine, but your partner sperm isn't like great quality, and so there's like supplements he can take, there's things you can do before going through something like IUI or IVF, but it just like really helps to know about it. So like nothing changed for us. We just did IVF and it worked the first time. Well, I'm sure I'll get into that in a second. Okay,

So someone said, I'm starting IVS soon. What are some tips and how was the experience? Guys? IVF was kind of fucked. Ah, And I don't mean to scare you. I'm just gonna be very honest. Firstly, like the IVF drugs to stimulate you. So basically how IVF works, or my understanding of it, is you take hormone drugs to stimulate you because you usually produce like one egg, but with an IVF cycle, they want you to produce more than that, so you take these drugs that will make

you produce more eggs. So basically think like, you know, all the hormones when you get your period and you ovulate, and how you feel that on steroids because you're producing, like I produce like twenty four eggs, which is wild. That's actually not good. The hormones are really crazy. It's fine when you're on them. I just had severe side effects with bloating and like, yeah, just like didn't feel great. But also if you get baby at the end of it,

it's obviously so worth it. So the yeah, the drugs are really harsh. And then our experience was honestly a bit fed because so you do an egg retrieval, you get so many eggs and you either do like a fresh cycle or a frozen cycle. So the fresh cycle means straight after them getting the eggs out, they can put one back in in the same twenty eight you

know day cycle. But if you're overstimulated or your hormone levels are like too hay wire, they freeze the eggs and you do it like the next month if your hormones like you So, I got over stimulated with my medication, which means like I was so bloated so sick, like felt horrible, and then they were like, your hormones are too haywire. And I got overstimulated because like my body just reacted really well to the ovulation drugs. So our eggs, we had eight eggs in the first round and they

got frozen. So then when I went the next month to k get one of the frozen eggs put in, I was like tracking all good, and basically like they thaw out one of the eggs and then that's what gets inseminated. And there is like a percentage where you can thaw out an egg and it's not viable, and so they will just like thaw out another one. And I was on the way to my doctors the IVF clinic, sorry, and my doctor was like, hey, don't go to the IVF clinic, come straight to my office, and I I

knew something. I just knew something was wrong when he said that, and I went to his office and he explained to me that basically, the like the IVF clinic had stuffed up and they had put the wrong solution in our a eggs, and it was the solution that they're supposed to put when they're thawing it out and they put that solution on when they were freezing them and basically killed all eight eggs or eight fertilized embryos, which is wild because how we found out was like,

they took one egg out, they thought it it wasn't viable. They did a second, it wasn't viable. They did a third, it wasn't viable. And then they were like, I think something's not right here, because that like never happens, And they looked into it further and basically confirmed that it was a human error. And one of the scientists fucked up. And I'm laughing about it because otherwise I will cry.

It was obviously devastating because it was so harsh on my body and it's just so tough mentally, and then to find out that that whole cycle everything was wasted because human error was you know, was something so important And like I just thought, imagine if I was a cancer patient and those were like my last eight eggs, or if like you know, Tim had died and those were my last eight fertilized eggs of his babies, and I wanted to have another one of his babies. Like

I just could not believe it happened. And obviously we would devastated. They did obviously compensate us with like you know, refunding us, you know, from our IVF. So technically we got our IVF for free and doing the next cycle for free, but like surely that's the bare minimum they can do. So then we had to do a whole other egg retrieval back to back. So, like I said, these drugs are so harsh on your body, and it's

not usual to do them back to back. So I really like hormonally got pretty like stuffed up by it. And that's why, if you guys have been following along my journey, I was showing so early, but it was literally just because of the IVF and how big my ovaries were because they were like overstimulated. But then we had our we had a fresh transfer, and it was really interesting because I posted on social media about the

trying to conceive journey. I had the second egg retrieval and that week my hormone levels were quite heightened and I had seventeen eggs taken out and to get a fresh transfer, the CUSP is like anything over fifteen to seventeen eggs, you have to do a frozen frozen transfer and Also, my doctor was retiring the next week, and so basically, if he didn't do a fresh transfer, I

was going to get passed on to another doctor. And it was like, this is like mid December, so it would have landed near Christmas time, which they're closed, so we would have had to wait like January. I basically, so I got out of surgery for my second egg retrieval, you know, and my doctor was like, oh, look, your levels are pretty high. We do get a lot of eggs. I don't think it's going to be a fresh transfer, but we'll call you next week with how many eggs

you get. That was like a couple of days later, I posted our infertility journey on Instagram because that was like my like done moment, being like are you fucking kidding? Like back to back egg retrievals now having to wait till the next year, and I was just exhausted and devastated. And it for me, who I share my whole life. I share my whole life on Instagram and on the podcast and you know, on YouTube, and I love that.

But when you're going through something mentally and physically and you're having to show up like everything's fine, it just was exhausting and I was overdoing it, and so that's when I posted about our trying to conceive no joke. I think I posted it on like a Friday or something, and then no joke. The doctor called on Monday and was like, look, your hormones are elevated, like you are right on the cast. But if you want to do

the fresh transfer, we can. I just would not recommend it because chances are things won't work and we end up getting i'm pretty sure the same amount of eggs, like eight eggs, and I was like, we're doing it, let's just put one in, like I've got eight, and so we did a fresh transfer and it took, and

that's current baby and my stomach. So it's wild because like even even think about that from like a manifesting like energy perspective of me, like finally sharing what I was going through, just being like, oh, surrendering, like fuck this, I'm over carrying this, like throwing in the towel vibes. And then to find out the next week you can do the transfer and then get pregnant, Like I was

like shocked. Me and Tim were shocked, like because I think we just had at that point were like so exhausted and so like, this isn't going to happen for us. So it was wild. And then the cherry on top is when we did the pregnancy test. You guys will would have maybe seen this on Instagram. We got a dud pregnancy test. So the first pregnancy test I took came negative and you should see me in Tim's faces and he literally goes I'm like, oh, this is the

saddest video ever. And then I realized that it was dud because like there's this second line that should be filled and it wasn't. And the instructions were like, if you don't see this line, test again because it's not true. And basically I tested again and Tim wouldn't even be in the video with me because he was like, no, I'm not testing it again because he was just like

so devastated and sad. And then we tested again and I videoed it and I was like it was a positive, and then he like jumped in the frame that it was very, very exciting, but in a nutshell, that's how IVF dirty. And I'm not meaning to scare anyone, but it was wild. Okay, this is a good question, couldn't you touch on newborn essentials. So newborn essentials honestly for us because Ivy was like a colliquy baby and she vomited all the time, so like like rags, like vomit rags,

and a sleep suit. Like if you think about how cramped the baby is in your stomach and how you're moving around all the time, and then you give birth and this baby's like expected to like sleep in its crib, not moving all like with so much space. It doesn't like it, And so like wrap your baby, wrap them so tight or use a sleepsuit, make them so warm, and think about like if it is upset. I used to hold Ivy on my chest so she could hear my heartbeat and just walk around the house, and I

swear that worked every time. But like just understand they're obviously like transitioning from being like warm and snug in this beautiful little environment where they're all like tight to having their legs and arms everywhere and being go uncomfortable. So that, honestly newborn essentials was a sleep suit, wraps and bib not bibs, yeah, actually bibs, and like vomit towels, because that was my newborn experience honestly, the other stuff, it's like a nice to have, like obviously you need

to cut a prem all those sorts of things. But what I want to say when people, especially this is a message for first time mums is I know because I was the exact same with Ivy's pregnancy. But you focus on the prem you focus on the nursery, you focus on like the cute little clothes, and look, I get it, I've been there. And also a lot of

people focus heavily on the birth. I did hypno birthing, which I highly recommend, but honestly, I spent so much time focusing on like the things the baby had and the birth, and then I had Ivy and it was like the biggest shock And what I wish I had

focused on was not newborn essentials. It was postpartum. So when I say postpartum, I'm talking about like food prepping, like literally, you guys, if you're a first time mum, food prep, lactation snacks for yourself, food prep some like slow cookers, some really beautiful nourishing food because like you're honestly, it's like so wid when you have a newborn, you just can't do anything because they feed and then they sleep for thirty minutes, but like you've got to like

burp them, You've got to like change their nappy, and then I swear after you've done the little things, they're ready to feed again. It's like wild. So you like, you know how people like, oh, I didn't even have time to shower. I completely get that, Like that can

be a total reality. So being conscious like and also postpartum, like stock up on like comfy outfits, have TV shows, ready, have a lactation consultant, ready, read books about postpartum in regards to if your baby does have colic, you know what sort of problems can come up and how you can fix them. Because we were so unprepared for the postpartum period and it really took me by surprise and

it really rocked me. I personally didn't experience postpartum depression, but I can totally understand why women would because it's such a shock to your system and it's so different, and I feel like no one prepares you, and I feel like no one prepares for postpartum. No one even

talks about it. We're all talking about like what pram which by birthing, and it's like birthing is like twelve twenty four hours, twenty seven hours if you're unlucky like me, and then you have this like six month period that is wild. Like even we had a sleep and feed routine with Ivy and that was really helpful. You know, researching if they're not latching and lactation, et cetera. Do that research. Don't just be like, oh, what one sees

shy buy, what pramshy buy. Obviously we need to do that, But that's what I would say two first time moms. Next question, any tips on a successful transfer. I honestly didn't do any of like the old wives tell of, like the chips. Actually I think I did Pineapple. I

know it's like you get macas chips or something. Honestly, I just I'm really big on my trying to conceive meditations and pregnancy meditations, and we actually have them in the Rise app the exact ones that I was doing our whole journey and still the pregnancy one I do now. And I just was really locking into the energy of like you attract what you are, So it's like I was embodying being safe to myself. I was embodying feeling love, like anything that I thought the baby would want to feel.

That's what I was embodying with our transfer, and I was doing meditations to help me tap into that, and it was it was like, you know, I'm safe with myself. I love myself. My body is a home, my body is a sanctuary. Like really embodying those feelings because I truly believe like energy's energy, the baby's going to feel it. So I just really wanted them to feel safe and like you know, obviously try not to stress, clear your calendar,

just feel good in yourself. Like that's what I would recommend. What oil are you using on your bump? In an ig reel this week you probably would have seen. So there's two oils. I'm using. Summer Skin Rejuvenation Oil has been ten out of ten. I do have a code for that, which I'll put in the discount. And then also Pure Mama, which was gifted to me, and that oh my god, it smells so amazing and it feels so amazing and it's like actual bump oil. Incredible. Those

two would be my recommendations. Would you guys go for a third down the track, I'm pregnant with the number two and it's on my mind. I have always envisioned myself with three children. Tim on the other hand, said he just wants to He comes from a family of just him and his brother, whereas I come from a family of four, and I just loved having so many siblings, and I just always wanted a sister. And so if you guys don't know, the gender is a baby girl.

And I'm just so excited for me and Ivy. Yeah, the girls. And Ivy literally said the whole pregnancy, it's a baby sister. I want a baby sister, and so I should have believed her. I actually did think for the whole pregnancy it was a girl. Before the pregnancy, when I was doing like my meditations to the rise app, I did see a boy. Like I fully I thought it was a boy. And then as soon as I got pregnant, I literally I like thought to myself, oh my god, it's a girl. I know it's a girl.

I know like Tim would love a baby boy. And so we were kind of talking about like boys and girls, and I was thinking the whole time, I'm like, I think it's a girl, which I also would love a baby boy. But I think having Ivy and like having a mini you that it's so special, and I'm such a girly girl, like look at me, well you can't see me, but I'm like wearing pink, my head's all curled, and Ivy such a girly girl. I just I love

our dynamic. I love I love it so much. Like I said, I didn't get a sister, so I'm so excited to have a sister for Ivy and to have another girl because they're just, I don't know, they're just the best. But also I would love to have a boy, so I would love to have a third child. Tim, I don't know, guys, we'll see if we can get him across the line. I honestly think it's going to be up to what this baby is like because Ivy was a difficult move born, Like obviously love her so much,

but oh my god, she was so difficult. And obviously Tim is a stay at home dad too, so he takes on so much more responsibility. So maybe it's like with the third child, we have to kind of like switch rolls a bit, which I'm totally up for. But we will see. But yeah, I could totally go three.

But also let's just let's see how two goes, because I just feel like, you never know, I might have two and be like I feel completely, I feel good, or I might be like, oh, I really want a third, but dear me is like, Babe, I don't know if I could do three because imagine if we have another girl and I'm so outnumbered. But also he's like the best girl dad. So we'll we'll see, we'll see. I'm

just I'm so excited. Okay, So next question, any health issues. Literally, as I'm recording this episode, I have just been to my doctor and we had our halfway scan and bub looks amazing. She's very healthy. But unfortunately, my placenta is sitting right on my cervix. So I've never really heard of this condition. But basically it's not good because you can't like birth the baby because like the placenter's there,

if that makes sense. So hopefully as my tummy grows and the baby grows, the placenta just like shoots up. But my placenta has been there the whole time, and my doctor was hoping it had moved by the halfway point and it hadn't, so we kind of had this sit down discussion. I've got to wait until thirty two weeks, and at thirty two weeks will know if it's moved or not, and if it hasn't moved, it is classed a high risk pregnancy, and he recommends that you go

on bed rest. Like he's like, you'll literally get admitted into the hospital at thirty two weeks and stay there for four weeks on bed rest because it's such a high risk of the placenta rupturing because it's right on the cervix, and if the cervix dilates or moves or you go into spontaneous labor, there's such a high risk you bleeding out and baby bleeding out, and it's not good. It's really not good. So I'm like, ah, amazing. Yeah, so literally I found out that today was recording, so

obviously I've got to do my research. I'm going to look more into it. I'm going to chat to my doctor. Fingers crossed. We get the scan at thirty two weeks and it's fine, but otherwise it's like bed rest, c section sort of vibe, which if that's what it has to be, like, that's what it has to be. The goal is always healthy baby, healthy mum, So you do whatever you have to do. It's just not a deal. I really, you know, I had a natural birth with Ivy.

It was a long berth, it was a natural birth, and I really kind of pitched myself doing another natural birth. So yeah, I think I just need to process it and take it in. But that's currently what's happened. I don't know if anyone has gone through this condition and has like a successful story, maybe DM me. I would love that. If you don't, maybe don't, DM. I'm just trying to stay positive, you know, I'll be locking in my meditations and stuff. But yeah, not what we foresaw,

but also got to do what you gotta do. And I'm probably just gonna chill out a bit more from now on, which it's fine, it's you know, it's perfect. But I think the part that stresses me out is he's like at thirty two weeks if it's not good, like you'll have to get admitted to the hospital, and that's like ten weeks away, and it's like we haven't done the nursery. I haven't even really wrapped up or

like thought about maternity leave. Like there's so many things that we haven't done, even in the house and stuff and that stresses me out, the almost planning aspect of like ten weeks left, where it's like in reality it should be eighteen weeks left. If that makes sense. So it's a curple. It's fine, we can do it. Can you get both while you're pregnant? Absolutely not. Botox is a toxin. I would not be getting botox when you're pregnant.

It's just like you don't drink alcohol when you're pregnant. I don't know. I'm really big on those sorts of things. But obviously, guys, you can google this. I'm sure what was your cause for infertility currently in the same boat? Like I said, if you haven't listened to the Trying to Conceive Slash infertility episode, we will link it in the show notes. Go listen to that because I really go deeper on it. Basically, we had with IVY it was unexplained infertility, Like we got all the test done.

Tim's sperm was great, I was great. I had a thyroid issue, but like I had that under control. This time I got diagnosed with p SOS, which just makes it like a bit harder because of ovulation, and Tim had issues with his sperm with mobility, which can happen, especially just as men get older, and definitely we had a bit more issues. That's why we went straight to IVF.

Not IUI with this one. But I just I would encourage, like, if you're going through it, like to see a doctor, because it just it helps to know because if it is unexplained infertility, it's like okay, good to know you can move forward. Or if you can help it, you do, you know, whatever you need to do. How did acupuncture help? So? Acupuncture basically uses meridian points to reset the body and work with the body on a different let's say, like

a different level. Like it's not conscious, it's almost like subconscious level using your meridian points. It is like an ancient Chinese medicine tradition. And I just love acupuncture. I got acupuncua with IVS, you know, pregnancy and infertility journey with this one and this pregnancy, I also find like if I am like having a shit week, if I'm disheveled, if I feel like crap, I'll literally go to acupuncture and I always feel good the next day. Like you

can just you can feel it in your body. The thing is, you've got to find a good one because yeah, I've just I've heard some interesting stories. So my acupunctreist, she's like this older lady, she's like very traditional, So I would really go off recommendations, and you're probably looking for someone who's like older, who's like, you know, more traditional. Yeah, that's what I would say. But I love acupuncture. I

very much do swear by it. Favorite maternity clothing honestly, I'd invest in maternity sport tights I got mine from LSKD and maternity jeans I got mine from Soon Maternity, and then honestly just get stretchy clothes like I love. Especially it's a bit warmer now, but like knit dresses, I'm still getting size like medium, and the bump just stretches and fits and I know I can wear it after, so I'm not spending like all this money on maternity clothes. But I don't know, I don't think you have to

have maternity clothes. Also, like I'm wearing my maternity jeans and I just wear whatever, like T shirt and like my little bump sticking out. But I just I kind of just don't care. It's kind of the vibe. So yeah, that's my that's my vibe on maternity. Any different pregnancy

symptoms this time around. Yes, Honestly, this pregnancy has felt completely different to Ivy's pregnancy, which is why when I had that intuitive vibe off it's a girl, I was like, but logically that doesn't make sense because I was still craving a syeballs with Ivy. But then otherwise this pregnancy like very carby, sour, chilly, like really different to Ivy's pregnancy. I've had so much more energy this pregnancy. I wasn't

sick as much, so many things. I was like, oh, it is giving boy pregnancy, but then it's a girl, so yeah, I don't know different. Do you have baby names? Absolutely already had a girl and boy baby name, so we know what she's called already. Someone asks how did Tim cope through the IVF journey. I think men process things differently, and they just they're a lot more logical and we're a lot more emotional. And I think because you know, they are the male, they think they kind

of have to carry themselves a different way. So Tim was just really good, like he was really positive, like, you know, when we found out that we can do aUI, we had to go straight to IVF he's like, it is what it is, let's just do it, like it's all good. And then you know the same thing with like the failed egg retrieval and like all those sorts of things. Like he definitely sat in the feelings and it was like this is what and like let me

cry and let me be sad. But you know he's very different, like he's not emotionless, but he's just like very supportive, very like the masculine in it. So yeah, he was amazing through it all. Did you change your diet through IVF. No, I am eating more of a PCs A diet which is highly protein and fats orientated, trying to get at least thirty grands of protein in each meal. And then I've always eaten like whole foods, very healthy, So no, not really. What were the symptoms

in your early state of pregnancy. I was just really sick in the first trimester. I just felt nauseous, hungover. I had to eat all the time, like little meals all the time because I just felt so sick, and you just feel so tired and so drained. Well that's how I felt. But then literally as soon as I turned to eleven weeks, I was feeling good and literally felt like a new person, like energy wise, So, yeah, what are you loving most about being pregnant this time round?

I love being pregnant, Like currently she's kicking, and I like, I just love the feeling. It's just so weird. It feels like this little fish inside my stomach. I love my body when I'm pregnant. I never feel so confident. I love my stomach getting bigger. I love looking at myself pregnant, like I just I love every aspect obviously when you're sick, not so much first trimester rough, but like the anticipation, the excitement, like you're literally growing life,

Like how cool is that? Like us as females wild, Like from scratch, I'm creating a human, Like what are you doing today? Tim, I'm just you know, growing an ear or a liver, you know, Like that is wild. And then like I don't know, pregnancy so beautiful. And then like you first hold your baby and you're like I made this. I do? Who know? I love being pregnant. That's why I'm like, oh, I could so go a third because like I just love being pregnant. I just I yeah, I really enjoy it. I'm one of those.

I don't know if that's weird or not, but I'm one of those people who loves it. Yes, did you have postnatal depression with Ivy? Like I said previously, I did not, but I definitely struggled bonding with Ivy at the start. And I think it's because in reflection, I can kind of see how and I truly believe you take on your energy of the baby. So with Ivy's pregnancy, I was like a machine. I was so creative. I did like a pedal and pop collab. I did all these things, and I had so much energy, and I

just was so out there. I was so independent. I was so just like which is so funny. It's literally Ivy's personality. And then I berthed Ivy and struggled in the newborn stage. She had colic. It was really hard, she didn't sleep. I just felt so out of touch. And I think someone who's like my personality is like type A, a bit of a high achiever. And so when you're going through something where you just feel like you're so out of depths where you feel like you're

not doing well, you can really struggle mentally. And I feel like I maybe disassociated a bit because I was struggling so much and I didn't really realize how much I was struggling, and so I disassociated bit, and I like, I went back to work after eight weeks, and I do regret it because it was kind of a crutch. It was me not knowing how to cope as a new mum and not really seeking help and just being like, well, I need to go back to work, like I need a part of my old identity, and I was really

chasing that. But then it suffered because I definitely went back to work too early. My milk supply suffered, I had stop breastfeeding, like kind of a chain of events. And look, I definitely it is what it is, and I have such a beautiful relationship with Ivy now, but it really felt interesting at the start, like I struggled with bonding, you know, Like I've seeing other people on Instagram about the newborn stage and I honestly just didn't feel it. I really struggled. But I can see now

probably you know why I did. And I obviously am putting things in place, so it's different, like I said, really focusing on that postpartum. So yeah, I do hope it's different, but also it's gonna be what it's gonna be, do you know what I mean? Like, if you do go through postnatal depression, if it doesn't look like what other people are doing social media or like the perfect newborn bubble, I think the worst thing you can do

is shame yourself and guilt yourself. It's great to have hindsight and it's great to have reflection, but also like, it's your journey and how it looks is perfect for you and your bubb and you can't change that. So rather than like regretting it or wanting to change it, or like feeling like crap or feeling shame or guilt, accept it and being like, you know, what can I learn from this? How can I move forward? I think that's kind of the best thing. What would your advice

be to someone who's currently experiencing a miscarriage? Oh, when Tim and I had our miscarriage, it was literally it's so devastating, especially I'm sure, like you know, for a long time you want what you want to do is be pregnant, have this baby, and then you finally get the positive tests and it's so exciting, and then you know, you find out the devastating news, whether it's like through the doctor, ours was through the doctor of my levels decreasing,

or you know, you bleed. It's heartbreaking, it's devastating, or you know you go to skin and you don't find the heartbeat. I don't know. Nothing can like prepare you for that feeling, like I'm feeling it now. You can even feel like so like so much sadness. So yeah, it's so sad, it's so devastating. The only thing you can do is like feel into it, like really feel how fucking much this sucks, feel how sad it is and being that and process it because you don't you

don't want to try and bypass it. You don't want to try and like get over it because it is. It's a shitty situation. Obviously, it was like so helpful to have Tim being like so supportive during that time. It was also really helpful for me to like tell people like I told my parents, I told my friends so they could comfort and support me, and like, I know you don't want to hear this right now, but it's like take a miscarriage as you can get pregnant,

like it can happen. It's just it's not. It's not if it's just not a right now and it's it's devastating.

But also what has helped me is I truly do believe our baby picks when they're coming in and how they coming in and all the things, and so you know, even like I feel like this, you know, our first egg retrieval that you know, the eggs got killed and whatnot, something that helped me process It was like maybe it's because we were going to do a fresh transfer and I'd get pregnant straight away, and like the baby wouldn't

have its birthday. It's star signed like when it was meant to enter this world, and so I don't know. It's again, I believe in the universe. I believe in like life happens for me and surrender and not that life was fucking happening for me when I had a miscarriage. But I had to believe in something greater and something higher and like, for example, if I didn't experience the miscarriage before Ivy, I wouldn't have Ivy, and like I

just couldn't imagine not having her as my daughter. So really trusting that it's like there's a bigger plan working here surrendering. Yeah, I think that can be very very helpful. Are you sleeping well, apps are fucking not lutely No, I'm only just experiencing insomnia, which is so annoying. So I'm like, dude, it's so early. I'm only halfway through.

I definitely got insomnia with Ivy's pregnancy later on, but what For example, last night, Ivy came into our bed because she's in her big girl bed and she came into our bed at two am, you know, cried, came into our bed and I was just wide awake, like I got woken up and I was wide awake, and then you know, my alarm went off and I was like, oh my god, I don't think i've really you know, when you like kind of think you sleep but you're

not sure. Yes, so not sleeping great, but also great advice I got in Ivy's pregnancy was like, if you don't sleep, don't get too worried about it, Like, don't get worked up about it, like just try and like read or like do some meditations or breathing. Again, it's just your body doing its thing and you kind of just got to accept it obviously, like try and do what you can like really focus on that night time routine, take your moon milk, all those sorts of things. But yeah,

it suck. It's just like a normal thing. Though. Are there any supplements you swear by? So I am taking a prenatal supplement, I'm taking a liver supplement. I take Creating every single day. Guys. Creating is the most researched supplement, and it's actually so amazing for pregnant women and like the pre menopausal. I don't know if I'm saying that right, but I'm sure you know what I mean. Basically like

older women when you're not getting a period anymore. It's so good for women and we don't produce as much as males, and so if you supplement with about five grams a day, it's so good for brain health, for like heart health, gut health, everything. It's not just like a workout supplement that you take to like get strong. It can help with muscle building, which is why you know it's more in the fitness industry. But creatine is

I don't know, do your research. Obviously mine has been approved by my doctor, and it's just it's I take it every single day. I swear by it. Obviously we have our nd hage creatine, which is pure cretine. I'll take greens if I'm kind of just like not getting my veggies in. I still have protein powders every now

and again. And collagen, Oh my god, collagen. So in Ivy's pregnancy, my doctor actually encouraged me to take collagen because the baby takes your collagen and when you turn twenty five, you kind of stop producing as much collagen. So I was on that shit. And I swear, if you guys look at Ivy's hair, she has such luscious long hair, and obviously, like you know genes, she gets it from me. I have luscious long hair, but I swear it's because I smack collagen with her pregnancy, and

I still to this day smash collagen. And I just think it's like one hundred percent. Like if you're buying any supplements from NH like collagen and creatine, of course use my discount Georgie if you I think it's like twenty percent off. And then a prenatal a liver supplement, and that's it. I'm trying to think if there's anything else, and like I'll take a moonmilk too, obviously just for magnesium to sleep better too. That's about it. How do

you deal with seeing everyone fall pregnant? I struggle so bad since I'm not feeling pregnant. I love this question again. When you feel jealous or you're feeling emvy, it's a great sign. It just means you want that thing. And instead of making that a bad thing, be like acknowledge that other people are getting pregnant, and instead of being like, oh my god, they're getting pregnant and I'm not. You don't want to focus on scarcity. You don't want to

focus on lack. You want to focus on, oh my god, people are getting pregnant. That means I can get pregnant, do you know what I mean? Like really focusing on like, well, if they can do it, I can do it too, and it's not if it's when, and really changing your mindset about that, because I do truly believe what you focus on expands. So if you're always focusing on why you're not getting pregnant, other people are getting pregnant, it's so hard. I'm infertile. That's what it's going to expand

that's what's going to continue. So you really want to be doing those mindset shifts. What I was feeling into was like, I am so creative. I have birthed businesses, I have birthed these creative projects into this world. Like I am a female. That is literally what I'm on this planet to do. So of course I can create and birth a baby, like That's what my body is

meant to do. And again I can't control the timing, but I know I'm a creator when I see other people getting pregnant, like amazing, I can get pregnant too. Like really instilling this beautiful mindset where you're feeling your feelings, of course, but you're not getting stuck in the what you don't want to focus on. How are you preparing Ivy to avoid attachment wounding? Oh, honestly, haven't thought about this.

I'm going to be very honest. It's very different with Ivy because I went back to work very early, and I, you know, in the family, Tim's to stay at home dad and I go to work every day. So she knows I go to work every day, and she has an attachment to me, you know, obviously when I'm home, we you know, attached to the hip. But she's very good with I you know, I get on her eye level and I look at her and I say, Ivy, baby,

Bummy's got to go to work. And you know, she's asked why a couple of times, and I'm like, you know, that's why we get to live in this house. Mommy has to go to work and I earn money and then I, you know, pay for things, and it's just what I have to do. And you know, daddy's at home with you, and you know, just literally explaining to her, not like an adult would, but just why. And I know it's like not you know, she'll kind of find out it's not actually normal, but for her it feels normal.

So it's actually very normal for her to be not attached to me. And also I go away from work. I don't know, she's a very independent baby, so I honestly don't think will struggle with this. If anything, she's probably got more attachment to Tim. But also Tim because he's a male, not that he's he's very soft, but you know, he kind of like doesn't have a buyer of it, Like he's like, Civy, do you know what I mean? So I don't know, it's very different with

our family because the dynamics are so different. And also when I have the newborn and I'm breastfeeding, like Tim will still be there the whole time, So I honestly think she's going to be fine. Of course, there's going to be that transition. She does hate when me and Tim like kiss and cuddle and like you know, are an affect without her, she gets like really upset. So I can imagine things are going to come up with a baby, but we will navigate that when they come up,

and I will do some more research on that. That's such a great thing that I honestly didn't even think about, So thank you so much. Last question, how did you stay positive during the IVF cycle? We've just found out it's our only option. Okay, So how I kind of looked at this is in life Again, this is like very esoteric going into like my values and my beliefs.

But in life, I just don't believe you're meant to like be born and get everything given to you and everything be one hundred percent and everything be like rainbows and sun shines and then you die like that. It doesn't make sense. I believe in like reincarnation. I believe you know your soul comes here, and it's for a journey, it's for lessons, it's for a learning, it's for a becoming.

And so when obstacles and challenges come up, like infertility, like having to go through IVF, like having a miscarriage, I very much like to see it as this bigger let's like zoom out and think, Okay, how am I going to grow from this? How am I going to learn? How am I going to show up during this time? Because honestly, the person who I am today, who I'm so proud of, she was built. I wasn't like this when I was thirteen or twenty or even twenty five.

Who you see now? How I show up and how I be and what I believe, it's because I have gone through challenges. It's because I have had obstacles, and I have had these you know, negative or not so great things come into my life and I navigate with them and I work through them. So again, anything that comes up that is anything like this a challenge, I just think of like, okay, this is something with dealt and how am I going to show up? How am I going to shop for myself? How am I going

to shop for others? How am I going to be supported, How am I going to ask for help? How am I going to move through this? And never being a victim, because as soon as you're in a victim mindset, you're in a scarcity mindset, and it's just nothing good can come from that. Feel the feelings, process the feelings, and then be like, who do I get to be in this moment? Because that's what you're going to remember. That's

what's really really important. A lot of these challenges are make or break, like make or break your relationship, make or break who you are. So instead of being like, oh no, I can't believe this is happening, I'm like, all right, this is happening. I'm gonna shop. And that's why in my last podcast, I documented my trying to conceive journey because I was really I felt like in a first trying to conceive journey, I didn't show up

the best. Obviously I had to go through it, and so I really wanted to document the new one, and I really am so proud of how I showed up and who I was and doing my meditations and practicing what I preach. So again that is what helps me with IVF. And it's like it's something we had to go through. It's something we had to do, and I was so adamant that we were getting a baby on the other side, so I was like, cool, of course I'll go through this, like I'll do anything for this baby.

And that's just how I looked at it, and that's yeah, that's what helped me. All right, my loves, this has gone so long. I am going to love and leave you. If you have a pregnant friend, are trying to conceive, a friends, or just someone you want to share this with, we would appreciate so much. We're an independent body. And also, if you do want to access the pregnancy and the trying to conceive meditations that I've been talking about in this episode, I'll put a link in the show notes

you can join rise. We do have a free month and they're all in there, literally a motherhood tap and there's also some like great pep talks and meditations around like if your toddler's having a tantrum, et cetera. Because it's all about regulating yourself and changing your mindset in the moment. I just I truly believe that. Thank you so much for listening. I really appreciate it, and I will chat to you in our next poty Bye.