ATHENS WEEK 2! What a week. Lauren’s been prodded and poked, drained of blood and taken up the Acropolis. 

We get into the nitty-gritty about IVF in Athens - the treatments, the clinic, the scans, the blood tests. We discuss whether culturally it feels like they have different bedside manner here. Lauren gets triggered (by her trigger injection) and David gets triggered by everything else. 

Some news from Great Ormond Street about our failed last round, throws up lots of new questions.

We have our first on air “heated debate” (argument), as we discuss who is to blame for making a mistake with an injection. Think we can all guess who’s at fault.

Once David is found guilty, we talk build-up to our egg collection. We are all systems go!

Trigger Warning - This week we talk about pregnancy and loss.

https://buymeacoffee.com/thebabymakingbusiness

We are back on the hope-train and are in GREECE for our next egg collection! However getting here was an absolute omni-shambles, with periods that didn’t come, chopping and changing of flights and accommodation and  a kick,bo***ck/vagina scramble to the airport of Home Alone proportions. 

We talk about settling into our new home for the next few weeks, the mystique around the famous Mr G, airport rage and David almost ending up on a no-fly list.

We offer an official apology to the man who tried to sit at the bar at the airport and just wanted to get smashed at 9am on his own, but was subjected to Lauren being an IVF pin cushion again - and completely bringing the vibe down. 

We do a deep dive into one of David’s biggest triggers - gender reveal parties and Lauren strategises how to talk him round. Like he has a real choice, anyway. 

Please like and subscribe. It helps us to stay on the air!

And if you'd like to support our quest, please do so here:

https://buymeacoffee.com/thebabymakingbusiness

Shaun Greenaway is a male fertility advocate and co-founder of NeXYs Fertility. After being diagnosed with azoospermia, he experienced first-hand the silence and stigma surrounding male infertility. 

Now a proud father to donor-conceived twins, Shaun shares his journey through @Knackered_Knackers, using honesty and humour to break the taboo and support others navigating similar paths.

He also co-hosts The Male Fertility Podcast, listened to worldwide, and leads NeXYs Fertility - a platform transforming how men access fertility support. Shaun is dedicated to ensuring no man faces infertility alone or uninformed again.

Trigger warning - this week we talk about loss. 

We do a deep dive into Shaun’s story and his journey (quest) to parenthood. 

We cover everything from his former job as a Police Officer in the Met and how that impacted how he navigated his diagnosis and his mental health to why there’s always one kid at school who lies about being on the books for a professional football club. 

Shaun gives us some tips on how to best show up and support your partner through IVF and how to reach out and connect with other men who may feel isolated in the process. 

Also, Lauren has some drug-induced brain farts in real time. 

This episode is sponsored by IMPRYL. Find out more at www.fertilityfamily.co.uk and use the code; BABYMAKINGBIZ10

Episode Links:

wwwthemalefertilitycoach.com

https://www.nexysfertility.com

https://www.instagram.com/knackered_knackers/?hl=en

Jodie Relf is a Registered Dietitian with close to a decade of experience working in women’s health, and a specialist focus on polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

As the creator of the PCOS ReBalance Protocol™, Jodie has supported hundreds of women worldwide to reduce their symptoms, restore confidence, and improve long-term health through an evidence-based, food-first approach.

Having navigated her own PCOS journey, she brings empathy, clarity, and empowerment to her practice. Jodie also speaks regularly on PCOS awareness, the gaps in healthcare, and the vital role dietitians can play in women’s health.

This week we, two potatoes with a microphone, sit down with nutrition expert Jodie and discuss her own journey with PCOS, how she received her diagnosis while beginning her studies as a dietician and how the intersection of those two things changed her life. 

PCOS is such a misunderstood condition and it impacts a huge amount of women - we go into details as to how the wraparound care for such a common condition can be so limited, the work being done by people like Jodie and other charities and foundations who are beginning to make real headway into bringing real change into how it is treated. 

PCOS is so common within the IVF and infertility space and Jodie talks us through some very simple, actionable steps that can be taken to help combat the symptoms. 

We also discuss the minefield of bad advice, fad diets, coming up in the 90s and how that can still impact our body image today. We ask Jodie how new GL-15 weight loss drugs such as Ozempic and Munjaro may impact the PCOS community.

This is also one for partners, friends and family of those with PCOS and how best they can support their loved ones with the condition. 

Trigger Warning - This week we talk about loss.

EPISODE LINKS:

Jodie’s website - https://www.thepcosdietitian.co.uk/

APPG report findings on PCOS - https://www.pcosappg.co.uk/2025-report-breaking-the-cycle

Verity (Leading PCOS Charity) - https://www.verity-pcos.org.uk/

NICE Guidelines on PCOS - https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ng10436

Support the Podcast here - https://buymeacoffee.com/thebabymakingbusiness

Please like, subscribe and comment!  AND SHARE! It really helps! X

The John and Yoko of infertility podcasts are back from their bed and resentfully drinking herbal tea (as copious amounts of caffeine has been banned).

The IVF and infertility journey continues and this week we dig deep into PGTA testing of our Embryos. We get the clearance from the Greek authorities so we are gonna find out what's inside those little buggers. 

We discuss thirsty-surface-feminist-ally dudes in beanie hats, who pretend-read Caitlin Moran books in public, the battle of the cats continues and David’s shoulder falls out of its socket for the 16th time. 

We discuss what happens if we fail on our quest and whether society would accept us attempting to breastfeed our dogs as we become slowly convinced they are our children.

We also cover surrogacy, adoption and donors as well as Lauren contemplating borrowing her sister's womb. ALL THIS IN UNDER 40 MINUTES!

Become a supporter at https://buymeacoffee.com/thebabymakingbusiness 

This week we grow up a little and chat with the amazing Dr. Andrea Liner - a clinical psychologist and IVF mum who works with people dealing with infertility, loss, pregnancy, and postpartum. 

She’s both an expert and card-carrying member of the “been there - injected that” club. If you’re trying to stay sane while your ovaries do their thing, Andrea is your person. She knows "this s**t is hard."

We cover how best to protect yourself, your brain-box and your partner as you wade through the swamp of IVF turmoil. With tips on keeping your relationship in good nick, intimacy and navigating our favourite subject; the unsolicited advice. 

At the end she didn’t say something really profound that definitely didn’t make us cry and we may or may not get a quote of it framed and put in our house.  

Dr. Andrea Liner : @reproductivepsychologist 

    https://www.fluxpsychology.com/

Support our podcast here; https://buymeacoffee.com/thebabymakingbusiness

Another round of new IVF test results leave us reeling, feeling a bit tired and even more poor.

We discuss life as a child in the 80s - watching films you shouldn't and being sent to the shops as an 8 year old to buy cigarettes for your parents.

Lauren tells us about her best ever first date (and it wasn't with David), and new robe she bought for her next transfer cos she's a comfie, cosy, bouji Queen and she reveals her one and only impression of a famous person.

We (start to) learn about Lupus Anticoagulant, a condition that sounds like it's exclusively for Victorian orphans, but actually impacts our fertility quest. We cover clinics dropping the ball and how to move past it and we begin prepping to roll out some "spermies" merch.

This week we take a deep dive in to (the subject of) sperm. Some confusing results are broken down and figured out.

We discuss family events and milestones through the lens of IVF, finding the joy in the small wins and is it weird to wish a baby "happy birthday" on the family whatsapp?

We discover the story of a 30 year old baby, discuss whether sperm can be bipolar and decide whether or not to retire the word "spermies".

We are back with some lols and a bit of hope.

This week we come to the realisation that we are the sexiest Podcast about infertility in the business, Lauren displays her singing prowess for the first time in her life and we discuss whether or not is a deep-cover agent sent to stop David from procreating.

We talk next steps after our unsuccessful final transfer - the difficulties of starting from scratch, PGTA testing and going abroad for treatment.

Lauren also fills us in on what it's like to have Ovaries that go from the size of walnuts to the size of baseballs.

Trigger warning - This week we talk about loss.

This one's a doozy. We promised warts n'all...

Here's the warts.

https://buymeacoffee.com/thebabymakingbusiness