This week, we have the pleasure of interviewing one of the UK's leading fertility specialists and acupuncturist, Ian Stones. Ian has 14 years of fertility treatment experience, and is the director of Hove Fertility & Wellness, co-founder of Fertility Network UK's male fertility support, and facilitator of the HIMfertility support group. 

https://hovefertilityandwellness.co.uk/
https://fertilitynetworkuk.org/
https://www.himfertility.com/

It's been about 8 months since we started our preconception journey, so this week we're getting honest with ourselves and each other about how it's been going so far. We revisit the topics of mental health, movement and exercise, and diet and nutrition discussed in Episode 2 "Preconception Care," and check in about how well we've been preparing for pregnancy.

This week, we're tackling how to balance the planning and preparation involved in preconception health with letting go of timelines and expectations for conceiving. 

Just Trey talking about male fertility and this webinar that he watched.

Mentioned Webinar Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwoGiVKpKOw

This week, we're sharing and reviewing a few of the books that have inspired us in our preparations for pregnancy and parenthood.

Books mentioned in this episode:
What to Expect Before You're Expecting by Heidi Murkoff
Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv
The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative by Florence Williams

This week, we talk about the "where" of family planning from our home to our community.

Also mentioned in this episode are some of the inspiring parents we've been following on YouTube:
EMBERS & ASH
Celia DW
Hapa Family
LoeppskysLife
RawBeautyKristi
Tamara Lee
Kitty Cotten
Carissa Cleans It All

This week, we're talking about career planning alongside family planning.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/ashleystahl/2020/05/01/new-study-millennial-women-are-delaying-having-children-due-to-their-careers/amp/

https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/03/31/working-while-pregnant-is-much-more-common-than-it-used-to-be/?amp=1

https://www.google.com/amp/s/medicalxpress.com/news/2019-04-pregnant-women-jobs.amp

https://www.nature.com/articles/nj7500-389a

https://www.outsideonline.com/2423714/amelia-boone-motherhood-essay

Getting pregnant is not always as quick and easy as one might hope. So this week, Astrid and Trey are talking about a few of the first options available for folks with irregular menstrual cycles and difficulty ovulating, as well as the emotional toll of TTC.

https://www.miracare.com/

It's no secret - baby gear can get expensive. So this week, we're exploring some of the economic and environmental reasons to buy second-hand, how to decide if something is safe to purchase used, and where you can find pre-loved gear.

This week, Astrid and Trey wrestle with the question of how soon is too soon to take a leap; to pick a name, seek fertility treatment, create a baby registry... or tell the whole world you're trying to have a baby by making a podcast about it.