Sisters in Loss Podcast: Miscarriage, Pregnancy Loss, & Infertility Stories

In today's episode we have Jeanae Hopgood-Jones who shares her IVF journey and loss of twins due to PPROM and how Adoption chose her for motherhood. Jeanae and her partner had been trying to conceive for four years they decided in February 2017 to do a round of IVF and were able to conceive their twin daughters on the first round. They lost their twins due to PRROM and in this episode we talk about her healing journey and how she chose her path to motherhood through adoption. She is an angel mom to two beautiful twin daughters Aviva & Jora. Jeanae is also a wife, a writer, blogger, a therapist, a professor and a clinical sexologist. This episode is for you to listen to if you have experienced PPROM and maybe on the fence about adoption as your path to motherhood.

You can shop my Amazon Store for the Book Recommendations

Jeanae's Therapy Website

Black Angel Mom Website

Jeanae's Instagram

Black Angel Mom FB Group

Join the Sister's in Loss Facebook Group

Erica's Website

Erica's Instagram

Erica's Facebook

Erica's Twitter

Today's episode is a solo episode as I'm sharing my personal infertility journey with you all. I share why I'm choosing to go through IVF to retrieve eggs and freeze embryos for a future gestational surrogacy, and why I'm still team Surrogacy vs. team Adoption. In this episode I talk about my first year podcasting and what I've learned about myself and this amazing Sisters in Loss community. Thank you all so much for listening to this podcast and the evolution of it this past year. I committed to myself to release an episode every week for at least a year and I made it here! Thank you Lord for grace upon grace upon grace for reaching this goal. Now, if you have never rated or reviewed the podcast please do so wherever you listen to podcasts that would bless me in my first year as a Indie podcast.

Thank you all so much for listening to this podcast over the last year. After 1 year, 55 episodes, a podcast name change, a growing community on Facebook and Instagram, and over 10,000 downloads later we are here. What have I learned from this year being a podcaster? Sisterhood is a real thing. And that community and being in relationship online and offline is EVERYTHING! I have made so many new friends this past year. I was definitely on that "No New Friends" cue Drake kick especially in my 30s. I was just tired of investing into friendships that were surface and wanted to go deeper with friendships, even those who are close to me. I realized in my grief and healing journey that I build walls up around people and there are very few people that I'm vulnerable to because I was afraid I would lose them. I allowed myself this year to be open and honest with myself first about the pain I was experiencing and I had to forgive myself. Then I was able to be open and honest with those closest around me and not think twice about sharing my heart and being vulnerable. Because vulnerability is a sign of strength and courage. I believe I cultivated deeper relationships with my mom and my sister, friends I have had for years, strengthened my marriage (because marriage is a constant dying of oneself), and made a new group of good girlfriends. Shout out to my circle of Angel Sisters, many of whom I interviewed on this podcast. I reached out, we connected online, and in person, and our group chats are LIT literally cheering, praying, encouraging, rooting for each other every step of the way. I'm so blessed by the relationships I have cultivated from this podcast. It is my hope and prayer that we all develop meaningful, purposeful, vulnerable relationships with women that are deeper than just surface. Brene Brown say's it best in her book Rising Strong "Vulneralbility is the best measure of courage." The willingness to show up and be present and be brave in a time of tragedy and grief.

Join the Sister's in Loss Facebook Group

Erica's Website

Erica's Instagram

Erica's Facebook

Erica's Twitter

July is Fibroids Awareness Month and over 90% of black women are affected by fibroids by the age of 50. In today's episode we have Fibroids Activist and Health Coach, Gessie Thompson who shares her Uterine Fibroid Journey and Eliminating Fibroids through Diet and Detox. Gessie Thompson is one of the 90% of Black Women affected by fibroids by age 50. She personally battled the epidemic for 14 years and the resulting infertility for 10 of those years to have her miracle baby Nia. Her grueling journey included 10 surgeries, five IVF cycles, a devastating miscarriage and even her heart stopping on the delivery table. In this episode Gessie takes us back on her healing journey spiritually and physically, we both share how our hysterectomy's led to us eating a plant based diet, and how she is helping other women eliminate estrogen dominance and inflammation through her DetoxNow and Fibroid Elimination program.

Gessie Thompson's Bio Gessie Thompson is one of the 90% of Black Women affected by fibroids by age 50. She personally battled the epidemic for 14 years and the resulting infertility for 10 of those years to have her miracle baby Nia. Her grueling journey included 10 surgeries, five IVF cycles, a devastating miscarriage and even her heart stopping on the delivery table.

Her story gained national attention when ESSENCE published her profile titled "My Fertility Journey" in the 2014 Mother's Day issue sparing a chain reaction of transformation that included releasing her bestselling book HOPE BEYOND FIBROIDS: Stories of Miracle Babies & the Journey to Motherhood, becoming a Nutrition & Health Coach and co-founding both the Hope Beyond Fibroids Elimination Program and The Detox on her mission to end inflammatory diseases such as Fibroids, Diabetes, Heart Disease and more by educating and empowering women to cure and prevent disease holistically.

From diet to stress management, her transformative holistic Hope Beyond Fibroids Elimination and The DeTox programs teach lifestyle changes that have resulted in the documented cases of one woman alone eliminating up to 50 MRI documented fibroids without surgery, women having miracle babies—including one case involving 12 years of infertility—and the reversal of inflammatory disease such as Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol and more.

Gessie Thompson's Social Links

Her personal website http://gessiethompson.com/

www.thedetoxnow.com

Gessie's Instagram

Gessie's Twitter

Gessie's Facebook

Gessie's Youtube

Check out her Podcast

Join the Sister's in Loss Facebook Group

Erica's Website

Erica's Instagram

Erica's Facebook

Erica's Twitter

There are so many paths to motherhood and for many women diagnosed infertile Gestational Surrogacy is their chosen path. For the month of July we are featuring Surrogacy stories and journey's on the podcast.

In today's episode we have Chelsea Hernandez who shares the beginning stages of her gestational surrogacy journey. Chelsea is a wife of 4 years to Pedro and mom to two boys Nicholas and Aramis. She is a perinatal educator to low income families to ensure healthy pregnancy outcomes. In this episode Chelsea shares how she has wanted to become a gestational surrogate before she had her own children, how her close family and friends who suffer from infertility have inspired her to do so. She knew her last son Aramis was going to be her last so she decided to have a double salpingectomy in 2017 and help other mothers grow their families. This episode is for you have considered becoming a gestational surrogate and the steps you need to take to prepare your body and mind for this pregnancy.

Chelsea Hernanadez's Bio My name is Chelsea Hernandez and I live in the beautiful city of San Diego, CA. I am the wife to an amazing man, Pedro of almost 4 years and mother to two boys: Nicholas (9) and Aramis (2). When I'm not at baseball practice or tackling terrible twos, I am working as a perinatal home visitor for Neighborhood House Association Early Head Start Services to Pregnant Women where I provide prenatal education to low income families to ensure healthy pregnancy outcomes. I have been in the field for almost 3 years and I love every moment of it. I am currently in the early stages of a gestational surrogacy journey (we are looking at a July transfer date), something I have been wanting to do since before I had my own children. I have close friends and family who suffer from infertility so I have seen the hurt, anger, pain it can cause those who may not have children on their own. Children are blessings, and everyone who desires to have them should be able to be in traditionally, through adoption or in this case, gestational surrogacy.

Blog

Instagram

Join the Sister's in Loss Facebook Group

Erica's Website

Erica's Instagram

Erica's Facebook

Erica's Twitter

There are so many paths to motherhood and for many women diagnosed infertile Gestational Surrogacy is their chosen path. For the month of July we are featuring Surrogacy stories and journey's on the podcast.

In today's episode we have Dr. Vernette McKnight, a Cognition & Movement specialist, who shares her healing journey to becoming a gestational surrogate of twins. In this episode Dr. Vernette shares an experience during her teenage years that inspired her to become a surrogate, how she knew the parents of the twins were the family for her, and how she plans to have a natural vaginal birth with the twins. This episode is for you if you have ever considered becoming a gestational surrogate or are curious of the process of working with a surrogate.

Dr. Vernette McKnight's bio Dr. Vernette McKnight, a Cognition & Movement specialist, was educated at the University of Louisville (B.A.), California University (M.A.), and Life University (D.C.). She has a combined 15 years of experience with Psychology, Kinesiology, Chiropractic, Mindful Meditation, Reiki and Pilates. Her hunger for learning and field experience has inspired her to find a deeper approach to holistic health through her brand, dr.vernette | Holistic Health. Her personal evolution in cultivating self-awareness has her excited about igniting that desire in others. Dr. Vernette's mission is to educate and empower people in connecting with and reclaiming their inner power, and learning to become their own healer. She is deeply involved in the metro Atlanta health and wellness community. She is a holistic health educator with IAAP, a healthcare correspondent with JR the Bossman show, and has hosted three television shows for AIB network that include Pilates Please, Walk to Wellness and Growing Up Fit. She is a proud member of the Junior League of Atlanta, Buckhead church, the North Georgia Black Healthcare Professionals Network and active with the Cobb County PTSA. Dr. McKnight currently resides in Marietta, Georgia with her two children Jeremiah and Laila Kym.

Instagram: @dr.vernette

Facebook: Dr. Vernette McKnight

Twitter: @drvernette

YouTube: Dr. Vernette McKnight

LinkedIN: Dr. Vernette McKnight

Website: www.drvernette.com

Email: [email protected]

Sisters in Loss Community Baby Shower Donation Link

Join the Sister's in Loss Facebook Group

Erica's Website

Erica's Instagram

Erica's Facebook

Erica's Twitter

There are so many paths to motherhood and for many women diagnosed infertile Gestational Surrogacy is their chosen path. For the month of July we are featuring Surrogacy stories and journey's on the podcast.

In today's episode we have Eloise Drane owner and CEO of Family Inceptions on of the first Black Owned Surrogacy Agencies in the United States. Eloise is a married mother of 5, she has donated her eggs 6 times and was a gestational surrogate for 4 babies. Yes, you heard that right she was pregnant 8 times and once with twins as a gestational surrogate. She felt the call as a gestational surrogate her to start her own egg donation and surrogacy agency and that is how Family Inceptions was born. Family Inceptions was started back in 2008 and it is the agencies goal to provide intended parents, egg donors, and surrogates with a unique and comprehensive experience—from someone who has truly been in their shoes. In this interview Eloise shares her journey to motherood, donating a kidney to a family member, surrogacy journey, and how God's purpose and call on our life is bigger that ourselves. This episode is for you if you want to increase the understanding and knowledge of the family building journey because there are many paths to motherhood.

Eloise Drane's Bio I'm Eloise Drane and since the founding of this agency in 2008, I've strived to keep compassion and intentionality at the center of everything we do. While I am a very spiritual person, I would never push my personal agenda on anyone. Rather, I consider it my privilege to pray over everyone we work with, and to look at each person I work with as a child of God—as family, not simply a client. This is what makes our agency different. At the end of the day my biggest concern is the child that we are about to bring into the world. Ultimately, this is who we work for. Of course, we are here for the intended parents, and the surrogates, and the egg donors, but—aside from God—the most important piece in this whole journey is this new life; this healthy baby boy or girl. And part of my mission as the founder of this agency is to make sure we never lose sight of that—as, unfortunately, many agencies do. This calling began back in 1998, when I was a kidney donor for my cousin. I didn't know at the time what the future would hold, but this experience turned out to be a true catalyst for me to dedicate my life to serving others. Later, I decided to become an egg donor. While my first experience wasn't perfect by any means, I felt compelled to help other families and went on to complete five more successful experiences. Then, in 2006, I began working with a surrogacy agency as their donor coordinator. I was fascinated with the journeys and knew that this was something I wanted to do. After thinking it over and receiving the blessing of my husband and family I embarked on a journey that would change my life forever. On my first surrogacy journey I delivered a set of healthy baby girl twins. I thought that I was surely done, but God had other plans for me. A year later a mutual friend introduced me to a second family, and I went on to have another successful pregnancy and delivered a beautiful baby boy. I completed my last journey for friends of mine and delivered another healthy baby girl. I was inspired to start my agency in 2008. With a combination of my personal experience and my MBA, I wanted to provide intended parents, egg donors, and surrogates with a unique and comprehensive experience—from someone who has truly been in their shoes. It is my goal and passion to increase the understanding and knowledge of the family building journey. My biggest joy comes from sharing the moment when intended parents finally get to realize their dream of having a family, and when gestational surrogates and egg donors feel an overwhelming sense of accomplishment for fulfilling someone's else's dream. I am grateful and blessed to be chosen by so many to assist them in this most precious journey. I'm so glad you're here.

www.familyinceptions.com

Instagram

Facebook

Twitter

Youtube

Sisters in Loss Community Baby Shower Donation Link

Join the Sister's in Loss Facebook Group

Erica's Website

Erica's Instagram

Erica's Facebook

Erica's Twitter

In today's episode we catch up with Episode 15 guest Dareshia Ervin also known as Dee who experienced five miscarriages and lost both her fallopian tubes leaving her completely infertile. Back in Episode 15 she shared how she planned to go through IVF and in today's episode she share's how God fulfilled his promises to her. Dee is currently 29 weeks pregnant with her rainbow baby girl named Zuri, and shares how her IVF experience went, from the daily shots to being declared a normal pregnancy. Dee also shares how she plans to celebrate Zuri and how she is preparing for her birth and motherhood. Today's episode is for your if you are diagnosed infertile and are on the fence about going through IVF or infertility treatments. Dee's story will inspire you on how God will fulfill the promises of your heart if you believe and have faith that it will come to past.

Dareshia Ervin's Bio Loving Angel Babies was founded in March 2016 by Dareshia Ervin who had survived five miscarriages, two being life threatening. During these experiences, she had no one to call on for support who had endured such losses. She decided it was time to break the silence of pregnancy loss by starting a personal blog to share her story.

LovingAngelBabies Instagram

Loving Angel Babies Facebook

Loving Angel Babies Twitter

Loving Angel Babies Website

Sisters in Loss Community Baby Shower Donation Link

Join the Sister's in Loss Facebook Group

Erica's Website

Erica's Instagram

Erica's Facebook

Erica's Twitter

For the month of June we are talking about infertility and IVF success stories on the Sisters in Loss podcast. In today's episode we have Parijat Deshpande a High Risk Pregnancy Expert who shares her IVF journey and High Risk pregnancy. She discusses how she ended up on bedrest after going into early labor at 22 weeks. She was able to deliver her son at 24 weeks, after managing the emotional stress of preterm labor, birth, and being on bedrest. Parijat hosts the Delivering Miracles podcast where they discuss the real, raw side of fertility, pregnancy, prematurity and the postpartum period. In this episode Parijat and I share our journey's being preemie moms and spending time in the NICU, how she used mindful techniques to reduce stress while being on bedrest, and her inspiration for the work she is doing to help other women have Healthy High Risk Pregnancies. Parijat has a new book coming out on June 25th called Pregnancy Brain be sure to check it out on Amazon or her website pregnancybrain.com

Parijat's Bio Parijat Deshpande is the leading high-risk pregnancy wellness expert who guides women to manage their physical and emotional stress to help themselves stay pregnant as long as possible so they can give their baby a strong start to life. She is also the host of Delivering Miracles®, a podcast that discusses the real, raw side of fertility, pregnancy, prematurity and the postpartum period. After personally experiencing loss, infertility, a very complicated pregnancy and the extremely preterm delivery of her son, Parijat empowers women to take charge of their health and shows them how they can experience medical miracles. Her book Pregnancy Brain: A Mind-Body Approach to Reducing Stress and Creating Miracles During Your High-Risk Pregnancy is coming in June 25, 2018. Parijat is trained in clinical psychology and is a women's wellness specialist as well as an experienced speaker on the impact of stress on health and wellness.

Website: https://www.parijatdeshpande.com/

Podcast

Youtube

Instagram

Facebook

Twitter

Join the Sister's in Loss Facebook Group

Erica's Website

Erica's Instagram

Erica's Facebook

Erica's Twitter

For the month of June we are talking about infertility and IVF success stories on the Sisters in Loss podcast. In today's episode we have Candace Farris who has been on her infertility journey for 10 years due to Uterine Fibroids. After a failed IVF in August 2017, having her mother pass away in the middle of her IVF cycle, she is currently 10 weeks pregnant from a successful 2nd round of IVF. In this episode Candace discusses her journey to motherhood, having surgery to remove fibroids, her husband having surgery to help with sperm quality, and preparing her body for her upcoming embryo transfer. This episode is for you to listen to if you are still in the wait for your miracle baby!

Candace Farris Bio I'm a wife of almost 10 years, a Christian, and lover of food. I find so much fulfillment in encouraging others while in the wait. I share my journey on my Youtube channel, Fruitful. I was born and raised in Detroit but currently live in the Phoenix area. I stay active by hiking, playing sports and doing yoga. My husband and I started trying to have a baby soon after getting married. After years of being unsuccessful and trying everything from herbal supplements, tracking ovulation, 2 surgeries (I had an open myomectomy to remove 13 fibroids and my husband had a varicocele surgery to correct a vein and help with sperm quality) we started IVF in August 2017. After dozens of blood draws, ultrasounds and weeks of daily injections, the dr retrieved 16 eggs but unfortunately only 2 were viable enough for transfer. To make matters worse, my mom passed away right in the middle of our IVF cycle. We transferred those two embryos and were heartbroken when we learned that our embryos had implanted but stopped growing. A few months later we started IVF cycle 2 in January 2018. This cycle we got 18 eggs and had 4 viable embryos, but only 3 were chromosomally normal. Since egg retrieval in Jan, I have experienced more delays and had to have more tests done before I can transfer again.

Youtube Channel

Instagram

Facebook

Twitter

Sisters in Loss Community Baby Shower Donation Link

Join the Sister's in Loss Facebook Group

Erica's Website

Erica's Instagram

Erica's Facebook

Erica's Twitter

For the month of June we are talking about infertility and IVF stories on the Sisters in Loss podcast. In today's episode we have Chimyra Powell a wife, mom, and blogger of journeyofchimyra.com. Chimyra suffered a 5 year journey with infertility and her first natural pregnancy ended due to a life threatening ectopic pregnancy. She and her husband decided to try IVF and it was successful as she birthed her rainbow baby boy Solomon. In this interview we discuss how she struggled with depression, severely grieving, and how she was overall unhappy and unfilled. Chimyra started her blog journeyofchimyra.com to empower women to achieve and obtain all that they want in life. Chimyra hopes that her transparency will help shed a light on infertility and how we can overcome it while sharing resources and her journey through her blog. Her desire for us all to be fruitful in all areas of life to include motherhood, marriage and career.

Blog: www.journeyofchimyra.com

IG: @_chimyra

Sisters in Loss Community Baby Shower Donation Link

Join the Sister's in Loss Facebook Group

Erica's Website

Erica's Instagram

Erica's Facebook

Erica's Twitter