Fertility Life Raft

🎙️ Resistance, Acceptance & the Unexpected Path to Motherhood

I’m joined by two remarkable guests — Kreena Dhiman and Seetal Savla — for a deeply layered, honest, and soul-shifting conversation on fertility, cultural pressure, and what it means to stop resisting and begin accepting the journey as it is.

Both women share their raw paths to motherhood — cancer, heart failure, miscarriage, surrogacy, donor conception, and finally, miraculous birth — each story laced with grief, hope, grit, and love.

We explore:

South Asian cultural expectations and the shame-silence loop

Redefining success and letting go of “the plan”

What it means to surrender without giving up

How hope evolves beyond outcomes

Why grief and gratitude often walk hand in hand

🔥 Special Segment for the Soul:
"I didn’t just survive death to listen to you tell me how to live."

💥 FREE LIVE EVENT

📲 Kreena Dhiman

📲 Seetal Savla

🛟 Your Life Raft Reminder:

Let this episode remind you of your strength — even if all you’re doing is breathing through today.

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What if the very thing you’re doing to try and stay in control… is actually what’s making you feel so lost?

In this solo episode, I’m unpacking what happens when the journey to conceive takes over everything. Not just your calendar, your diet, your sleep, and your supplement regime — but your sense of self.

I’m sharing my own experience of feeling consumed by advice, routines, “must-dos,” and the crushing pressure to optimize every detail of my fertility — right down to one very memorable (and strangely guilt-inducing) slice of ham. Because when we’re in the thick of it, even the smallest deviation from the plan can feel catastrophic. And that’s the problem.

This episode is for you if:

You’re feeling overwhelmed by the pressure to “do everything right”

You’ve lost touch with the person you were before TTC

You need permission to just breathe without tying it to fertility outcomes

Let this be your reminder: you are allowed to reconnect with yourself — not just as someone trying to conceive, but as someone worthy of compassion, space, and care… now. Not “once it works,” but now.

I’ll walk you through what that kind of reconnection can look like and why it’s not just fluff — it’s essential.

If you’re nodding along, make sure to sign up for the free Fertility Exhaustion Remedy — we start soon and I’d love to support you inside.

👉 fertilityliferaft.com/remedy

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Can’t sleep… even though you’re bone tired?

I get it — and so does today’s guest, Khaliah O’Guillory, certified sleep coach and founder of Nap Bar. Whether your insomnia or sleep issues are tied to stress, fertility struggles, burnout, or just a brain that won’t switch off… this episode is here to give you both comfort and actual tools to help.

We talk about:

What to do in those dreaded 2am wide-awake moments

The “don’t look at the clock” rule (seriously, stop doing that)

How to stop putting pressure on sleep so you can actually… sleep

What segmented sleep is and why it might be a game-changer for you

The 10-3-2-1-0 method for better sleep hygiene (even if you’re a night owl)

The surprising impact of joy and true rest on your health + resilience

We also explore the deeper stuff — like how rest isn’t just about sleep, but about reclaiming who you are when life feels overwhelming. If you’ve been feeling like a shell of yourself, or you’re trying to “push through” exhaustion (hello, type-A energy), this is your gentle invitation to pause and rethink what your body really needs right now.

Khalia’s blend of infectious positive energy, science, soul and seriously practical advice makes this one of the most grounding and encouraging conversations I’ve had in a long time. Come for the sleep tips, stay for the reminder that you’re a dope human who deserves rest.

Subscribe so you never miss these life-rafty convos.

Follow Khaliah @kogspeaks + @napbarhou

Nap Bar’s curated sleep playlists on Spotify: search “Nap Bar Sleep Scape”

Book recommendation: Sacred Rest by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith

Resources & Links:

When you know yourself, you can give yourself what you need - take our Fertility Voyager Archetype quiz and start your path of reclamation today.

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In this deeply moving and empowering conversation, Alice welcomes Katie to the Fertility Life Raft Podcast. Katie shares her unexpected journey through infertility, the decision to step away from treatment without a baby, and how she has built a joyful and fulfilling life on her own terms.

Together, they discuss:

The "escalator of life" and the social conditioning around marriage and motherhood

Two distinct chapters of infertility in Katie’s 30s

The intentional decision-making process before trying again in her mid-30s

The relief and grief that came with walking away from IVF

Creating Afterglow, Katie’s Substack community for women navigating life after fertility treatment

Why we need more honest stories about when treatment doesn’t work out

How acceptance, joy, and personal growth can coexist with grief

Katie’s story is an inspiring reminder that fulfillment and purpose don’t depend on following society’s blueprint, and that there is beauty in rewriting your own story.

Katie is the writer and founder of Afterglow, a growing Substack community for women who are considering stepping away—or have already stepped away—from fertility treatment. Through honest essays and personal reflections, she challenges dominant fertility narratives and creates a compassionate, uplifting space for those navigating life beyond IVF.

Follow Katie on Substack: Afterglow

Connect on Instagram: @afterglow_by_Katie

Listen to related episodes:

Jessica Hepburn

Kat Brown

Katie is a client and previous Life Raft member; you can click here to see what sort of support is available now: http://fertilityliferaft.com/everything

✨ “It’s such a personal decision to walk away, but for me it was about realising a baby would add to my life—not complete it.”

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Mini chat with Alice and Lucy on what happens when both of you feel burnt out (relevant if you're doing this solo too) and discussing a post by Katie from the wonderful https://fertilityaction.org/ on gel nail polish...

Come and follow us on social media https://www.instagram.com/fertilityliferaft

Email us with a Message in a Bottle: [email protected]

Get some free support https://fertilityliferaft.com/quiz

See you next week,

Alice and Lucy x

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I'm lucky enough to have met a lot of leading fertility experts over my time working in the space and Ro Huntriss, award winning fertility dietician is one of them.

In this episode I'm honoured to have Ro share more than ever before about her personal story - choosing to freeze her eggs after her engagement ended - and what choices she made to increase her AMH by 40%.

We focus on:

- how to make positive nutritional choices without being overwhelmed

- what's really worth doing

- the role supplements play

- why doctors might tell you not to bother (and why you should!)

- how Ro quickly made decisions on her clinic, what her egg freezing procedure was like and how she feels sharing her own story is part of how we change the wider conversation about women's choices and empowerment

Because I'm a coach and mindset mentor I'm FASCINATED by how differently we all approach these chapters in our lives and so we also touch on the reasons why I believe it was straightforward for Ro to make these decisions, while many of us are finding 'food noise' so stressful.

This is also the first time we're introducing our brand new Message in a Bottle segment, so have a listen and Lucy and I chat about this week's message - if you want to send us one, follow us on IG and send a DM we are https://www.instagram.com/fertilityliferaft OR send us an email [email protected] - we would looooove to hear from you

If you love our podcast please leave a rating, review and subscribe and help us spread the word! We are super proud to have more than 250 five star reviews on apple but we want more. We're greedy like that. Help us reach 300!!

Take care - and remember, if you haven't taken our free quiz yet to see how you can support your mindset to let go of the food stress, make strong choices without feeling overwhelmed, go to https://fertilityliferaft.com/quiz

Ro Huntriss contact:

https://www.instagram.com/fertility.dietitian.uk

https://fertilitydietitian.co.uk/

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING,

Take care,

Alice x

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WE ARE BAAAACK!

Trigger warning: This episode contains discussion of pregnancy loss, recurrent miscarriage, IVF, and TFMR (termination for medical reasons). Please take care of yourself as you listen. While we do talk about incredibly tough experiences, the conversation is shared with compassion and honesty and it’s one that ultimately leaves you feeling hopeful, supported, and uplifted.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re stuck in an endless cycle of exhaustion while trying to bring home a baby, this conversation is one you won’t want to miss.

For years, you’ve heard me talk about mindset, wellbeing and community as the three things that transform the journey.

But today I’m introducing you to someone who has been helping me hold this space behind the scenes since the very beginning; my right-hand lady, ⁠Lucy Sanger.⁠

This is the first time Lucy has shared her fertility story fully even while she's been supporting hundreds of women through the Life Raft's courses and membership.

From multiple pregnancy losses, to the heartbreak of being told by a consultant to “stop trying,” to the surreal experience of shipping embryos abroad, this is an incredible story and a chance for me to show off how fabulous my Ops Director is!

We talk about:

Why clinic relationships matter just as much as protocols

How to hold on to your sense of autonomy when decisions feel out of your hands

The role of connection and community in surviving the lowest points

What it looks like to keep moving forward, even when it feels impossible

The financial implications of private IVF

Whether you’re right at the beginning or you’ve been trying for years, I know you’ll find hope, strength, and a reminder that you don’t have to do this alone in Lucy’s story.

✨ Ready to understand your fertility archetype and what you personally need to feel more resourced on this journey? Take the free quiz here: fertilityliferaft.com/quiz

Resources mentioned in this episode:

ARC (Antenatal Results and Choices) – https://www.arc-uk.org

Fertility Life Raft Archetype Quiz – fertilityliferaft.com/quiz

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Welcome back to the Life Raft Podcast with me, Alice Rose.

It’s 2025 and I’m going to walk with you (literally!) through all the hard stuff, all the questions and all the worries. I recorded this episode while out for a walk so I’m going to invite you to join me. Grab your phone, stick in  your earphones and listen to me as if I’m walking along beside you.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why walking and movement can positively impact your brain and emotions.

• How to process feelings of rage, grief, or fear in healthy ways.

• Tips for preparing emotionally and mentally for family gatherings.

• The importance of community and support during fertility journeys.

• Permission to set boundaries and say “no” if attending feels overwhelming.

Resources and Links:

• Join the Life Raft Community: Fertility Life Raft Membership

• Connect with me on Substack

• Follow us on IG: @fertilityliferaft

• Contact us: [email protected]

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This week, Netflix called and asked if I would like to come to Bourn Hall, the first ever IVF clinic, to meet Louise Joy Brown, the first ever IVF baby and have a chat, ahead of the new movie Joy, all about the story of how Jean Purdy, Robert Edwards and Patrick Steptoe invented IVF.

UM…YES PLEASE!

It was a completely fascinating day and I was effectively at my version of Disneyland.

Not only do I find fertility fascinating but the vision and spirit of the three pioneers who made IVF possible was simply extraordinary to learn more about; be right there where they worked and of course meet Louise. I loved this conversation and it was just so humbling to be in this incredible location while I recorded it.

You can watch Joy the film now on Netflix and I would absolutely LOVE to hear what you think of this conversation and the movie so please send me an email [email protected] or come and find me on Instagram or substack - fertility life raft. Oh and of course as always, I’ll be there over on https://www.instagram.com/thisisalicerose

If you need support right now head to fertiltiyliferaft.com/everything where you’ll find all my free or low cost on demand support.

I would absolutely love for you to share this episode with anyone you think might find it interesting! Take care,

Alice x

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A short solo episode on all things triggers.

As long as I've been supporting people in this space, and from my own personal experience, triggers have been a big topic.

Here's some comforting reminders and knowledge about what's actually happening in your brain and body which I hope will help you feel reassured, empowered and gentle with yourself.

I really am here to help spread the word that even if right now things are feeling horribly unfair, frightening and lonely: there is another way through this which can feel so much better.

I'd LOVE for you to come to my free workshop which you can sign up for here:

https://fertilityliferaft.com/triggerworkshop-2024

Safe, warm, supportive and giving you lots of information, evidence based techniques and positive examples of how things can change.

See you there

Axx

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