Jaclyn Misch is a former Miss Michigan who competed on the CBS reality show "Survivor" with her now husband, Jon. Today, she talks to Ali about being born with a very rare condition called MRKH Syndrome, and how it has affected her life and her ability to have children. They discuss her two IVF retrievals, what happened when she started sharing publicly about MRKH, and what happened when they decided to use a surrogate. See more of her story at @jaclynmisch

EPISODE SPONSORS: 

PROOV

Today’s episode is sponsored by PROOV’S NEW PREDICT AND CONFIRM KIT, which helps you both predict your most fertile days and also confirms successful ovulation. Get yours at proovtest.com

CIRCLE SURROGACY

Circle Surrogacy provides exceptional knowledge and experience, fixed costs and financing, and the highest success rate in the business. Learn more at circlesurrogacy.com, and follow them on social media @circlesurrogacy

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This is the first time Ali has interviewed best friends on her show--but she was so smitten by the friendship between Nora and Ani, she couldn't resist. Today, the founders of @modamobofficial and @noranibaby are talking about their rough and respective infertility journeys--including 8 IUIs, 9 IVF treatments, gestational diabetes, awful progesterone injections and bloating, a blood clotting disorder and a baby in the NICU. Nora and Ani get into all the details, including fresh vs. frozen transfers, Ani's ectopic pregnancy, infertility as trauma, and how they got through the roughest times—even when one of them would be laying in the fetal position on the floor—together.

 

Today’s episode is sponsored by FERTILITY RALLY—Community, Content and Curated Events at www.fertilityrally.com

 

FERTILITY RALLY MEMBERSHIP IS OPEN OCTOBER 1-8--SIGN UP NOW! www.fertilityrally.com/join-now

 

Tickets are now on sale for FERTILITY RALLY LIVE on October 24th at

https://www.accelevents.com/e/FertilityRally

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code INFERTILEAF for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com
* Check out My Life in a Book and use my code INFERTILEAF for a great deal: https://mylifeinabook.com


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Today, Ali talks to infertility advocate, all around bright light and her dear friend Monica (aka @my_so_called_Ivf) about IUIs, secondary infertility guilt, vaginas, marriage probs, dealing with stress and depression and what Jared Leto, Gwyneth Paltrow and Oprah have in common.

Today’s Sponsor: www.fertilityrally.com

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code INFERTILEAF for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com
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Today, Ali talks to her friend Kim, who she met via Instagram in 2019, right after Kim had given birth to her third child, Meredith Samantha. On her IG page, mera_rula_of__the__sea, Kim chronicled Mera's very short, very sweet life after she was diagnosed in utero with a host of birth defects, including very little brain tissue. Kim tells the story of having her two kids before Meredith, bringing Mera home from the hospital, and how the entire family had to say goodbye to the sweet baby nine days later. Kim also explains how she has gracefully (and sometimes, not so gracefully) managed losing her baby daughter, and what is next for her family. For more on Mera's story and to find out about the nonprofit, Mera's Mission, which Kim launched to change the way parents experience grief after pregnancy and early childhood loss, follow @merasmission. 

Today’s episode is sponsored by FERTILITY RALLY—Community, Content and Curated Events at www.fertilityrally.com 

FERTILITY RALLY MEMBERSHIP IS OPEN OCTOBER 1-8--SIGN UP NOW! www.fertilityrally.com/join-now

Tickets are now on sale for FERTILITY RALLY LIVE on October 24th at https://www.accelevents.com/e/FertilityRally

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code INFERTILEAF for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com
* Check out My Life in a Book and use my code INFERTILEAF for a great deal: https://mylifeinabook.com


Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/infertile-af/donations

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Paige Dennis is a fashion designer, and an infertility warrior who describes herself as, "If Dolly Parton and Suzanne Sugarbaker had a baby." She's also the breakout star of "DeMarcus Family Rules," the Netflix reality show that chronicles the lives of Rascal Flatts bassist Jay DeMarcus and his beauty queen wife, Allison. Today, Paige tells Ali all about her infertility journey, including a pulmonary embolism that rocked her health, getting pregnant very easily but then suffering a miscarriage at nearly 12 weeks, and how and why she and her husband found a surrogate without going through a surrogacy agency. She also talks about the tragic loss of her first son due to an umbilical cord accident, and how now, as the mother of twins, she feels passionate about giving back to the infertility community. 

Today’s episode is sponsored by FERTILITY RALLY—Community, Content and Curated Events at www.fertilityrally.com 

Tickets are now on sale for FERTILITY RALLY LIVE on October 24th at https://www.accelevents.com/e/FertilityRally

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code INFERTILEAF for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com
* Check out My Life in a Book and use my code INFERTILEAF for a great deal: https://mylifeinabook.com


Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/infertile-af/donations

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Partners-in-biz-and-Claw Ali and Blair Nelson, who started the Fertility Rally membership site on June 1, talk about their latest creation: Fertility Rally Live, taking place virtually on Saturday, October 24th! The event will be a one-day, action-packed infertility celebration, with more than 30+ speakers, exhibitor booths, tons of giveaways and plenty of surprises. Ali and Blair talk about how they came up with the name for Fertility Rally, the importance of community, why it's going to be an incredible and valuable event for anyone no matter where they are on their fertility journeys, and some other amazing things that have been happening in their lives this week (hint: Blair is pregnant!).

 

To get your RALLY LIVE TICKETS, GO TO www.accelevents.com/e/FertilityRally

 

Early bird prices are available for a limited time!

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code INFERTILEAF for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com
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Victoria Nino, aka @expectinganything, talks to Ali about her long path to mamahood, beginning with a diagnosis of Stage 3 endometriosis. After medicated IUIs that didn't work, they turned to IVF, but her low egg quality led her to research donor eggs. As she and her husband went down the donor egg path, she explains how they "grieved their genetics," why at one point they maxed out their credit cards to travel around the world, ("YOLO!"), the spiritual experience she had in Thailand, why going through the donor profiles was so intense, how she feels about epigenetics, and her baby daughter, Flo. She also talks about her new ebook, "Why I'm Glad My Eggs Didn't Work" -- and the second transfer that didn't work, bringing her to her knees with grief. 

Today’s ep is sponsored by FERTILITY RALLY—Community, Content and Curated Events at www.fertilityrally.com

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code INFERTILEAF for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com
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Chloe Melas is an entertainment reporter for CNN, and today, she is getting realAF with Ali about her years-long infertility journey. They cover it all, including IUIs that didn’t take, the shock and heartbreak of IVF, a pregnancy “in an unknown location,” getting phone calls from doctors while on double dates, how it all affected her marriage (and her sex life!), and SO MUCH MORE.

Today’s ep is sponsored by FERTILITY RALLY—Community, Content and Curated Events at www.fertilityrally.com

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code INFERTILEAF for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com
* Check out My Life in a Book and use my code INFERTILEAF for a great deal: https://mylifeinabook.com


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Wes, aka Detour to Dad, who's been very vocal about the difficult journey that he and his wife, Amanda have traveled to have a baby—including a diagnosis of "extremely low sperm count" that made him feel "emasculated" and like he'd been punched in the face." Today, Wes tells his story, from when he and Amanda met playing softball, to making the decision to use donor sperm and how he came to terms with that—and what's happening with them now. 

EPISODE SPONSOR

Fertility Rally

Fertility Rally is the all-inclusive community for anyone who has gone through infertility, is going through infertility, or who are building modern families in “non-traditional” ways. The space is for anyone seeking support, information, inclusion, humor, kick ass virtual and IRL events, and fun discounts on the journey of infertility and parenthood. To start your Free 7-Day Trial or join now, go to fertilityrally.com.

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code INFERTILEAF for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com
* Check out My Life in a Book and use my code INFERTILEAF for a great deal: https://mylifeinabook.com


Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/infertile-af/donations

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Today, Ali is talking to artist Jasmine Katatikarn, a fertility warrior who struggled to have a child for six years. After multiple IUIs and her 2nd IVF, she was told that she had a less than 1% chance of having a baby and to stop trying. However, Jasmine didn’t give up. Jasmine tells Ali about the devastation she went through, how she and her husband had a hard time talking about what they were both going through, why finding community is so important, and how she applied her artist's mindset to take control of her fertility journey.

EPISODE SPONSOR:

*Fertility Rally*

Fertility Rally is the all-inclusive community for anyone who has gone through infertility, is going through infertility, or who are building modern families in “non-traditional” ways. The space is for anyone seeking support, information, inclusion, humor, kick ass virtual and IRL events, and fun discounts on the journey of infertility and parenthood. To start your Free 7-Day Trial or join now, go to fertilityrally.com.

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code INFERTILEAF for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com
* Check out My Life in a Book and use my code INFERTILEAF for a great deal: https://mylifeinabook.com


Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/infertile-af/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy