After Episode 1, Fiona realised there was a chapter missing — one that changed everything. Before certain options were even on the table, there was South Africa.

In this episode, she returns to that turning point, and to what came after years of IVF had already taken their toll. It’s a chapter shaped by travel, loss, hope that refused to disappear, and moments that quietly shifted the course of what felt possible.

Rachel joins the conversation not only as co-host, but as a psychotherapist — gently pausing the story to name what’s happening emotionally beneath the surface. Together, they explore what it’s like to be so deep in the process that perspective becomes hard to find, how grief can layer itself over time, and why people so often stay longer than they ever planned to.

They also hold space for the small human moments that can keep you going when nothing else can — unexpected kindness, words that land at exactly the right time, and the subtle ways we learn to stand again.

This episode begins to trace the path that would eventually lead to a form of parenthood many would consider unconventional — a path so unique that Fiona still doesn't know anyone else who has done the same thing.

If you’re in the middle of your own journey, feeling worn down, conflicted, or unsure how much more you have left to give, this episode is for you. You’re not alone, and there is no single “right” way through.

Content note: This episode includes discussion of infertility, miscarriage, and recurrent pregnancy loss. We know these topics can be deeply personal — please take care while listening, and only engage in ways that feel supportive for you.