If you've gone through IVF or fertility treatments and didn't end up with the child you always dreamed of, this episode is for you.

During National Infertility Awareness Week 2025, it's easy to feel like the spotlight is only on the stories that end in a baby. But what if yours didn't? What if you're childless after infertility, and you've spent years wondering where your voice fits in?

This week, we're finally talking about the part no one wants to say out loud: The silence that follows when fertility treatments don't work. The awkward comments. The unsolicited advice. The way people try to "fix" you with adoption suggestions, miracle stories, or spiritual shortcuts.

But in this episode, you'll hear what you've been longing to hear: You are not an afterthought. You are not a failure. And you are not alone.

Lana shares:

• Why awareness doesn't always mean inclusion, especially when your journey ends without a child

• How society struggles to hold space for grief that's not "fixable"

• What it's like to be left without resources or support when you leave your clinic for the last time

• A reading from Chapter 14 of her new book So Now What?, called "Avoiding Isolation and Strengthening Existing Connections"

• What you can do to start reconnecting with yourself and others in an authentic way without having to explain or justify your path

Whether you've felt misunderstood, judged, or completely invisible, this episode will help you feel grounded, seen, and empowered to move forward, even when life looks nothing like you planned.

🧡 Want to keep going beyond the podcast? Here's how to get support and stay connected:

➡️ Join me LIVE during National Infertility Awareness Week:

• April 28 – Infertility, Identity, and the Fight to Be Seen – So Now What? at Indiana University Northwest, 11:30 AM

• April 28 – Interview on WCPT Radio in Chicago

• May 1 – Book reading and signing at City Lit Books, 6:30 PM (Logan Square, Chicago)

• May 10 – The 4th Annual Other's Day Brunch, a powerful gathering for women without children on the Saturday before Mother's Day

Get all the details at: www.lanamanikowski.com/events

🎧 Ready to talk about what's next for you? Book your free 45-minute Thrive Call with Lana and start mapping out what your future can look like, even if it doesn't include motherhood. 👉 Book now

📚 Haven't read the book yet? Download the foreword by Jody Day and Chapter 1 of So Now What? 👉 Get your preview

💬 Struggling with how to respond to awkward or hurtful comments? Download the free guide: The Top 27 Things People Say When You're Childless (...and How to Respond) 👉 Get the guide

If this episode spoke to you, please leave a review or share it with someone who needs to hear that a meaningful life is still possible, even without the children they dreamed of.

📲 Connect with Lana on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube:

• @lana.manikowski on IG

• @lana.manikowski on TikTok

• YouTube Channel