For Trying Out Loud: The Infertility Years

Sorry for the radio silence but life has taken an unexpected turn and we're ready to share some big news!  This episode comes with a trigger warning.  Please only listen if you are feeling in a good place and able to listen to positive news. Although this is the last podcast episode you can still keep up with our adventures on Youtube.  If you enjoy our videos please subscribe to our channel 'Romana and Ewan'. You can watch all the vlogs here Thanks for all of your support over the years.  We are eternally grateful to everyone who has listened to the podcast and we feel so blessed that we are ending things with some happy news.

It's been a while.  We thought it was about time that we returned for an update.  We've been quiet on socials and felt we owed it to you guys to let you know where we're at with things.   Check out our Vlogs on Youtube.  They are released once a week on a Friday.  If you enjoy them please subscribe to our channel 'Romana and Ewan'. You can watch all the vlogs here If you'd like to buy us a coffee please visit www.buymeacoffee.com/romanaandewan You can also donate directly through Paypal by clicking here www.fortryingoutloud.com @fortryingoutloud @romanaandewan

We've missed you!  Thanks for tuning back in for our update.  The last few months have been busy so it was great to finally get back to the podcast.  In this episode we chat about how our most recent transfer went in Bulgaria.  This was our 7th transfer and our 8th embryo.  Thanks for sticking with us!  We really appreciate it! Check out our Vlogs on Youtube.  They are released weekly every Friday.  If you enjoy them please subscribe to our channel 'Romana and Ewan'. You can watch all the vlogs here Thank you to everyone who has bought us a coffee and donated to the podcast.  If you'd like to help support our creative endeavours please visit www.buymeacoffee.com/romanaandewan You can also donate directly through Paypal by clicking here www.fortryingoutloud.com @fortryingoutloud @romanaandewan      

It's the final episode of Season 3 and in this weeks bumper episode we answer some listener questions.   Romana also chats to fellow IVF warrior Saira (@ivfmyeggshatesperm).  Saira has been a great support buddy (something everyone going through IVF needs) over the last 18 months so it seemed fitting to chat to her for this final episode.  Plus, Saira's an avid researcher and after being on a mega long journey herself, her IVF knowledge is on point.  We chat about lots of things including chemical pregnancies, embryo grading, miscarriage and travelling abroad for IVF.     Check out our Vlogs on Youtube.  They are released weekly every Friday.  If you enjoy them please subscribe to the channel Romana and Ewan. You can watch all the vlogs here Thank you to everyone who has bought us a coffee and donated to the podcast.  If you'd like to help support our creative endeavours and keep this podcast running please visit www.buymeacoffee.com/romanaandewan You can also donate directly through Paypal by clicking here www.fortryingoutloud.com @fortryingoutloud @romanaandewan  

We're going solo this week as we reflect on the past 5 years.  It's not been an easy few years so we thought it was time to take stock and ponder on some of the highs and lows.  We ask each other some thought provoking questions and as always, we answer with complete honesty and hope in doing so it is helpful to you, the listener.   Check out our Vlogs on Youtube.  They are released weekly every Friday.  If you enjoy them please subscribe to the channel Romana and Ewan. You can watch all the vlogs here Thank you to everyone who has bought us a coffee and donated to the podcast.  If you'd like to help support our creative endeavours and keep this podcast running please visit www.buymeacoffee.com/romanaandewan You can also donate directly through Paypal by clicking here www.fortryingoutloud.com @fortryingoutloud @romanaandewan  

After an epic four and a half months away we're back on home turf. Today we discuss how our follow up went at our clinic in Bulgaria and what the plan is moving forward.   Romana also chats to Anita Beckwith (@anitab_rd and @fertility.hormone.dietitian).  Anita is a UK Clinical Lead Dietitian specialising in diabetes and fertility, practising in both the NHS and her own private practice. Anita qualified as a dietitian over two decades ago, of which 17 of those years she has specialised in diabetes, regularly consulting with people with type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes. It was during this time working with women and couples living with diabetes who were planning to have families, that Anita's interest grew in fertility, and she now sees people with and without diabetes. Whereas, traditionally diabetes preconception care is glucose focused, Anita bridges the gap and provides a more holistic approach supporting diabetes management, overall nutrition and lifestyle. Anita supports many women, men and couples through their fertility journey, with the goal of providing a clear roadmap and the tools and confidence to advocate through their journeys.  She works in all areas of fertility with particular interest in the over 35s, miscarriage, IVF, diabetes and PCOS. Check out our Vlogs on Youtube.  They are released weekly every Friday.  If you enjoy them please subscribe to the channel Romana and Ewan. You can watch all the vlogs here Thank you to everyone who has bought us a coffee and donated to the podcast.  If you'd like to help support our creative endeavours and keep this podcast running please visit www.buymeacoffee.com/romanaandewan You can also donate directly through Paypal by clicking here www.fortryingoutloud.com @fortryingoutloud @romanaandewan

We're back in Sofia and back at the clinic.  This time for a Hysteroscopy. Find out why Romana really enjoyed it!! Ewan also chats to Tony aka @thehopefulfather.  Tony is a big advocate for raising awareness around male infertility and in this chat he opens up about his own personal journey.  It's an extremely moving but also funny discussion.  The Wank Room being one such topic covered!!  You can find Tony's vlog at www.infertilitysucks.net To support Tony's Everest Base Camp trek for Fertility Network UK click here Check out our Vlogs on Youtube.  They are released weekly every Friday.  If you enjoy them please subscribe to the channel Romana and Ewan. You can watch all the vlogs here Thank you to everyone who has bought us a coffee and donated to the podcast.  If you'd like to help support our creative endeavours and keep this podcast running please visit www.buymeacoffee.com/romanaandewan You can also donate directly through Paypal by clicking here www.fortryingoutloud.com @fortryingoutloud @romanaandewan

3 back to back rounds of IVF is bound to have an impact and in this episode we discuss how it has affected us both individually.   Romana also chats to Tracy Weiss, Executive Director of The Chick Mission @chickmission. Tracy is a cancer survivor who was diagnosed with cervical cancer at age 30. She definitely knew what the cervix did, no matter what anyone tells you. Tracy was pretty annoyed when her insurance company denied her claim to preserve her fertility under it being ‘elective’ -- as if having a tumor was something anyone would choose. She remained angry until The Chick Mission was founded to help women standing in her shoes -- now she gets her revenge every time another woman receives assistance from the organization.  To find out more about The Chick Mission visit www.thechickmission.org Check out our Vlogs on Youtube.  They are released weekly every Friday.  If you enjoy them please subscribe to the channel Romana and Ewan. You can watch all the vlogs here Thank you to everyone who has bought us a coffee and donated to the podcast.  If you'd like to help support our creative endeavours and keep this podcast running please visit www.buymeacoffee.com/romanaandewan You can also donate directly through Paypal by clicking here Don't forget that we have teamed up with Screen and Shield to offer you 10% discount on all of their products including masks and hand sanitiser.  Visit www.screenandshield.co.uk/trying and enter code TRYING10 at checkout. To claim £25 off a Mira Starter Kit visit www.miracare.com and enter code TRYING25 at checkout.   www.fortryingoutloud.com @fortryingoutloud @romanaandewan  

This is it!  The results of our 7th and final IVF round are in!  Do we have any normal embryos?  Tune in to find out.   Romana also chats to Hayley @hayleybanxy  Hayley has been trying to conceive for a few years and has had multiple rounds of IVF.  She shares everything she has learnt so far.  Like us, she is a big believer in advocating for yourself.  We discuss PCOS, Adenomyosis, travelling abroad for IVF, coping with failed IVF cycles and loads more.   Here's a link to the podcast Ewan mentioned https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/why-have-sperm-counts-more-than-halved-in-the-past-40-years/id1440133626?i=1000519794942 Check out our Vlogs on Youtube.  They are released weekly every Friday.  If you enjoy them please subscribe to the channel Romana and Ewan. You can watch all the vlogs here Thank you to everyone who has bought us a coffee and donated to the podcast.  If you'd like to help support our creative endeavours and keep this podcast running please visit www.buymeacoffee.com/romanaandewan You can also donate directly through Paypal by clicking here Don't forget that we have teamed up with Screen and Shield to offer you 10% discount on all of their products including masks and hand sanitiser.  Visit www.screenandshield.co.uk/trying and enter code TRYING10 at checkout. To claim £25 off a Mira Starter Kit visit www.miracare.com and enter code TRYING25 at checkout.   www.fortryingoutloud.com @fortryingoutloud @romanaandewan  

This week we update you on our 7th and FINAL round of IVF. Romana also chats to Ravid Israel (@embie2baby) founder of Embie, the first app exclusively designed for women going through fertility treatments. Ravid’s fertility journey began in 2012 with a Cervical Cancer diagnosis, followed by severe endometriosis, multiple fibroids, and an MTHFR mutation. This prompted a move abroad for more affordable reproductive care which was followed by six full IVF cycles, 4 transfers and a lot of experimentation.  After five IVF cycle attempts with a partner, Ravid succeeded on her SMBC/first donor cycle, which resulted in the birth of her son in Nov 2020. Embie (@embieapp) launched in Oct 2020, is the world’s ​only tracking app exclusively made for women going through IVF, IUI and Fertility Preservation Cycles. It enables women to stay organized and feel empowered through their journeys. The app provides one place where women can log their medications, keep track of symptoms and appointments, track results, get insight and support from the community ​http://embieapp.com/ Check out our Vlogs on Youtube.  They are released weekly every Friday.  If you enjoy them please subscribe to the channel Romana and Ewan. You can watch all the vlogs here Thank you to everyone who has bought us a coffee and donated to the podcast.  If you'd like to help support our creative endeavours and keep this podcast running please visit www.buymeacoffee.com/romanaandewan You can also donate directly through Paypal by clicking here Don't forget that we have teamed up with Screen and Shield to offer you 10% discount on all of their products including masks and hand sanitiser.  Visit www.screenandshield.co.uk/trying and enter code TRYING10 at checkout. To claim £25 off a Mira Starter Kit visit www.miracare.com and enter code TRYING25 at checkout.  Also don't forget we will be running a competition on instagram soon (@fortryingoutloud) to be in with a chance of winning a Mira Starter Kit. www.fortryingoutloud.com @fortryingoutloud @romanaandewan    

The results are in from IVF cycle #6  We discuss the implications of our Pre-Implantation Genetic Screening and the Natural Killer Cell Test.   Romana also chats to Sylvia Kang.  Sylvia is the co-founder and CEO of Mira www.miracare.com Mira (@mirafertility) is the first FDA and CE registered comprehensive women’s health monitoring platform with 99% of accuracy in clinical trials. Mira allows users to see the numeric fertility hormone concentrations and uses AI learning to provide personalised insights based on this quantitative data. Mira tracks cycles, predicts ovulation at home, with expandability into monitoring fetal health, measuring ovarian reserve, and detecting menopause chronic disease using the hospital-levelled technology within a palm-sized device. The data automatically syncs with the Mira app and the AI learns personal health patterns. To claim £25 off a Mira Starter Kit visit www.miracare.com and enter code TRYING25 at checkout.  Also don't forget we will be running a competition on instagram soon (@fortryingoutloud) to be in with a chance of winning a Mira Starter Kit. Check out our Vlogs on Youtube.  They are released weekly every Friday.  If you enjoy them please subscribe to the channel Romana and Ewan. You can watch all the vlogs here Thank you to everyone who has bought us a coffee and donated to the podcast.  If you'd like to help support our creative endeavours and keep this podcast running please visit www.buymeacoffee.com/romanaandewan You can also donate directly through Paypal by clicking here Don't forget that we have teamed up with Screen and Shield to offer you 10% discount on all of their products including masks and hand sanitiser.  Visit www.screenandshield.co.uk/trying and enter code TRYING10 at checkout. www.fortryingoutloud.com @fortryingoutloud @romanaandewan      

Lots has been happening in Bulgaria since the last episode.  As always we share the highs and the lows! Romana also chats to author of new graphic novel Catalogue Baby: A Memoir of (in)fertility, Myriam Steinberg.  In her past life, Myriam was a visual artist, and event organizer. For 11 years, she was the brains and brawn of the In the House Festival, which brought live performances of all kinds into people’s living rooms and backyards throughout her hometown of Vancouver, Canada. Myriam was nominated for the YWCA Women of Distinction Award for her work on the festival.  Myriam has been on an EPIC journey and speaks candidly about trying to conceive as a single woman in her 40's.  She also discusses miscarriage, termination for medical reasons, PGS testing and the path to donor conception. (There is also a tiny section of pregnancy chat near the end). Connect with Myriam on Instagram @catalogue_baby For links to buy the book visit https://www.cataloguebabynovel.com/buy-the-book-1 Also please check out our Vlogs on Youtube.  They are released weekly every Friday.  If you enjoy them please subscribe to the channel Romana and Ewan. You can watch all the vlogs here If you'd like to buy us a coffee to help support our creative endeavours and keep this podcast running please visit www.buymeacoffee.com/romanaandewan You can also donate directly through Paypal by clicking here Don't forget that we have teamed up with Screen and Shield to offer you 10% discount on all of their products including masks and hand sanitiser.  Visit www.screenandshield.co.uk/trying and enter code TRYING10 at checkout. www.fortryingoutloud.com @fortryingoutloud @romanaandewan  

Thanks for listening!  If you're new to the podcast we highly recommend listening from the very beginning.  We share our story from episode 1 right up until present day and there is ALOT!  We also chat to lots of really brilliant guests who also share their stories and offer information and support to anyone going through Infertility.   In this episode, the start of series 3, we share what's been happening for us in Bulgaria.  There's been highs and there's been lows and lots in between.  What is IVF really like abroad?  What's it like travelling during a pandemic?  What does the next chapter hold for us?  All of these questions are answered and more!  Also please check out our Vlogs on Youtube.  They are released weekly every Friday.  If you enjoy them please subscribe to the channel Romana and Ewan. You can watch all the vlogs here If you'd like to buy us a coffee to help support our creative endeavours and keep this podcast running please visit www.buymeacoffee.com/romanaandewan You can also donate directly through Paypal by clicking here Don't forget that we have teamed up with Screen and Shield to offer you 10% discount on all of their products including masks and hand sanitiser.  Visit www.screenandshield.co.uk/trying and enter code TRYING10 at checkout. www.fortryingoutloud.com @fortryingoutloud @romanaandewan      

It's Christmas and it's also the last episode of this Series.   Christmas and the holiday season can be a tough time for many of us going through infertility so we hope this episode helps (even just a little bit).  We bring you messages of hope and love from past guests, share some Christmas presents with each other and as always keep you up to date on what is happening in our lives. We're delighted to have Molly Nichols www.mollynichols.com on the podcast this week.  Molly is a mama of four, business mentor for soulful entrepreneurs, renowned fertility coach, healer, and the queen of guided visualizations.  Her unique approach to using guided visualizations, positive psychology, energy healing and spiritual practices paired with proven sacred fertility and soulful business strategies support her clients worldwide in calling in and receiving all that they desire in life, family and business.   Molly shares her Christmas coping strategies as well as treating us to a beautiful visualisation.  It's just over 8 minutes long so grab some quiet time to yourself and enjoy!  The visualisation timestamp is 01:33:28-01:41:44 Thank you so much for listening to the podcast.  If you have enjoyed it and found it helpful please spare a minute to leave us a review if you can.  It would be greatly appreciated! Our Harry Potter Walking Tour YouTube vlog is now on our Youtube channel.  Check it out at www.rebrand.ly/youtuberomanaandewan Don't forget that we have teamed up with Screen and Shield to offer you 10% discount on all of their products including masks and hand sanitiser.  Visit www.screenandshield.co.uk/trying and enter code TRYING10 at checkout. Also check out Dr Fiona Tassoni's (@dr.fionatassoni) free webinar www.pregnancyaccelerator.com

Ever feel sluggish and generally yucky at the end of an IVF/ICSI cycle?  That's because our bodies are having to deal with lots of extra hormones.  In this episode Coral Dabarera Edelson, MS, RD shares some tips for detoxing our bodies after fertility treatment.   Coral is a registered dietitian nutritionist and nutrition coach. Specializing in women’s health and fertility, and practicing from a holistic and functional perspective, Coral aims to meet the unique needs of Black women in her virtual private practice. Coral received her Masters of Nutrition, Healthspan, and Longevity at the University of Southern California, and her Bachelors in Sociology at the University of Chicago. You can connect with her on instagram @browngirl.nutrition, or at www.coralrd.com Our next Youtube video has now been released.  Please give it a watch and subscribe to our channel https://rebrand.ly/youtuberomanaandewan You'll also find us on Instagram @romanaandewan and @fortryingoutloud

Today we talk Clomid and TSH Levels.   Ewan chats to Jasmine Katatikarn (@jazzkatat).  Jasmine is a fertility warrior who struggled to have a child for 6 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.  Using her background as an artist, she applied a strategy, through her FREEdom method to overcome her roadblocks and design a life that gave control of her fertility journey and life moving forward.  As a result, she became pregnant within months of being told she had less than a 1% chance. Today, Jasmine now has two kids, both through IVF.  Using her designer point of view and tools, Jasmine shows you how to strategize your journey to create your unique blueprint to see how to get you to your goal.  Book a Free 30-minute Strategy Call (limited availability): https://jazzkatat.com/call/ FREE Fertility Training: https://bit.ly/FertilityTraining Our next Youtube video has now been released.  Please give it a watch and subscribe to our channel https://rebrand.ly/youtuberomanaandewan You'll also find us on Instagram @romanaandewan and @fortryingoutloud

It's all about upleveling your fertility tracking this week as we chat all things BBT (Basal Body Temperature), CM (Cervical Mucus) and Hormones.  Chantelle Meikle is a registered Naturopath and Fertility Educator who loves to help women and couples conceive healthy and happy babies. Chantelle lives with her husband and 2 very spoilt cats in West Auckland, New Zealand.  Connect with Chantelle on Instagram @myfertilitynz or visit her website (for some reason at the start of my chat with Chantelle I reference the Simple-Thermal Method!  Not sure where my brain was as I knew it was the Sympto-Thermal Method.  Although it is rather simple once you know how :)) Our first travel blog is now up and running on Youtube.  Please check it out and subscribe to our Youtube Page Watch the video here

The nights are drawing in.  It's getting dark.  So grab a cuppa, get cosy and listen to this weeks chat with Zoe Jones (@zoe_joneshft). Zoe is a holistic therapist and specialises in helping women with fertility challenges.  After enduring 8 years of fertility treatment, which finally resulted in her son Lloyd, Zoe has the experience to empathise, support and inspire other women to succeed in their own fertility journey.  Zoe has recently left the Army (after 25 years) and has trained in Hypnotherapy, NLP, EFT and other techniques.  She is currently setting up a holistic fertility therapy business aiming to change the lives of women and couples who are struggling to fulfil their dreams of parenthood.  To watch Zoe's Facebook Live videos click here To find out more about the work Zoe does please visit www.zoejoneshft.com

Ewan is back and this week we reflect on how we're feeling after being sucker punched by our last round of IVF! The winners of the soap competition are announced and Ewan chats to Eli Weinstein, LMSW (@elivation_therapist) Eli is a Social Work therapist who has worked in a psych hospital, intense outpatient clinic and currently works in a community clinic in Queens, NY.  Previously he worked in NY and West Coast NCSY (Youth Organization) for over 7 years.  Eli has created ELIvation (www.elivation.org) to help those who are struggling and to add extra inspiration and motivation into everyday life.  Eli has gone through his own struggles with anxiety, ADHD, infertility and men’s issues (being a new dad, body image issues, relationships, and general self-esteem/confidence).  His main goal is to help people on their journey to add support, care, empathy, expertise, and insight.  Eli run events, seminars and individual coaching on topics from mental health awareness, public speaking coaching, relationship coaching and confidence boosting.  Eli also hosts his own podcast The Dude Therapist.  

We got some really awful news today and although it was a tough episode to record we felt it was important to share. On a lighter note Romana chats to the wonderful Helen @at_the_fold.  Helen is a ray of sunshine and discusses yoga for fertility alongside her passion for essential oils.  She also shares some beautiful self care tips to help ease the disappointment of cycle day one!

This episode Romana chats to the brilliant Dr Trolice www.myfertilitycare.com   Dr Mark Trolice is the director of Fertility Care: The IVF Centre in Orlando, Florida and is Board Certified in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility.  As well as being a leader in his field he has also experienced the trauma of infertility on a personal level and shares his story on this episode.  We also discuss the developments in fertility treatments over the years and how things may progress in future years which was SUPER interesting!  Dr Trolice also gives his opinion on PGS and AMH testing.   Dr Trolice's  brilliant book 'The Fertility Doctors Guide to Overcoming Infertility' is now available to buy on Amazon Dr Trolice also hosts Fertility Health Podcast.  Check it out! 

We're relaxing in the Scottish highlands this week and taking a break from all things TTC.  We highly recommend a change of scenery and some fresh mountain air when the grind of infertility starts to get you down.  It's definitely helping us!  Andrea Clarke (www.rootmedicine.co.uk) returns to the podcast this week to chat all things Vaginal Steaming!  This ancient practice can benefit women in all stages of their life through the menstruating years all the way to menopause and beyond.  In particular we talk about how vaginal steaming can be used whilst trying to conceive.  We discuss how to do it safely, when to do it, what it feels like and delicious herbal blends to complement this self care ritual.  To purchase any of the blends mentioned by Andrea please visit her website or contact her via Instagram @root_medicine

This week we reflect on what we've been through over the last few weeks and look forward to the future.   Ewan also chats to Russell Davis https://thefertilemind.net Russell Davis is a Fertility Coach and Cognitive Hypnotherapist, Author and Speaker with personal experience of infertility from pretty much every angle (resulting in the birth of his son against all odds).  Russell removes psychological blocks to getting pregnant and has helped hundreds of couples all over the world fast-track their journey to parenthood.  Russell believes too many couples go through treatment unnecessarily and the success rate of treatment is unnecessarily low because the mind is not treated.  Russell also has great videos on Youtube.  Check out his channel https://www.youtube.com/c/RussellDavis/videos

This week we discuss our PGS results.  Did our 3 embryos make the grade? Romana also chats to Genevieve Uys from Traveling Donors www.travelingdonors.com about what it's like to be an egg donor, IVF and how her company helps clients to find the perfect egg donor.  Here's the link to  Romana's interview with Tony from The Broonfords https://youtu.be/whGVZAUHGlk And don't forget to purchase your face coverings from www.screenandshield.co.uk/trying and enter Trying10 at check out for 10% off. 

This week Romana chats to the wonderful Jessica Bourke aka @thefertilitydetective.  With over fourteen years of experience in the field of reproductive health, Jessica has gained a reputation for helping women to successfully conceive where everything else has failed.  Jessica provides a unique, individualised service that is founded on her in-depth knowledge of all aspects of male and female fertility. Based on the latest scientific research, she uses a combination of acupuncture and nutritional protocols alongside functional lab testing to ensure her clients have the greatest chance of conception and welcoming a healthy baby into the world.  For more information visit www.jessicabourke.com. Watch Jessica's Tedx talk here This chat covers so many interesting topics including Unexplained Infertility, Sperm DNA Fragmentation testing, TTC over 40, AMH and being your own advocate when going through fertility struggles.   Romana also discusses the results of her and Ewan's most recent IVF cycle.   Please visit www.screenandshield.co.uk/trying and enter code TRYING10 at checkout for 10% off all face masks.  

Welcome to our warts and all account of IVF Round 3.  We've been through 2 fresh rounds of IVF and 5 transfers in total.  Will it be third time lucky?! In this episode we take you through our third fresh IVF round from start to finish with a few dramas along the way! And don't forget, visit www.screenandshield.co.uk/trying and enter code TRYING10 at checkout for 10% off all face masks.  

This week we chat about the endless cycle of hope and disappointment whilst battling infertility.  We also mention the 'P' word and discuss its role when trying to conceive.    Romana talks to Emma from www.yourivfabroad.co.uk all about travelling abroad for IVF and also about what led her and her husband Adam to start their company.  Emma also discusses egg and sperm donation and embryo adoption.  Your IVF Abroad offers practical and emotional support to help match you to the right world class clinic and then organise everything for you, taking away the stress and saving you money.   Connect with Emma @yourivfabroad on Instagram and for added support check out her Facebook group (Infertility Warriors - let battle commence). To buy a community face mask and support the NHS and this podcast please visit www.screenandshield.co.uk/trying and enter Trying10 at checkout for 10% off all masks.  

This week we bring you fabulous Melanie Brown (www.melaniebrownnutrition.com)  Mel has specialised in nutrition for fertility, IVF and pregnancy for 20 years. Having experienced miscarriage, secondary infertility and premature menopause she has a great empathy with her clients.  She has a special interest in male fertility; her MSc research thesis was on the effects of male obesity on IVF outcome.  She loves food and cooking and strongly believes that good nutrition positively affects eggs, sperm and embryo quality.  You can connect with Mel on Instagram @melaniebrownnutritionist If you would like to sign the fivexmore petition to improve Maternal Mortality Rates and Health Care for Black Women in the UK click here To buy a community face mask and support the NHS and this podcast please visit www.screenandshield.co.uk/trying and enter Trying10 at checkout for 10% off all masks.  

Welcome back to Season 2!  Thanks for listening and continuing to support the podcast.  We've really missed you and we can't wait to bring you lots of great content over the next few months.  The podcast will be coming to you once a fortnight from now on but the format won't be changing and we'll continue to bring you real life stories and lots of useful advice and information.    This week we talk about staying sane during lockdown and the highs and lows of TTC whilst trying to survive a global pandemic.  Ewan chats to Kev aka @them_ancave who shares his story and talks about the toll of infertility on mental health.  He also discusses his passion for raising awareness and breaking down barriers and stigmas surrounding male factor infertility. 

We wanted to bring out this Update episode to let you know what's been happening with us over the last few months.  Despite the title it's not all been doom and gloom and we have managed to still find the happy moments in amongst the hard times.   This episode contains very honest chat about pregnancy and about loss so please only listen if you think that's something you can deal with right now.  We won't be offended if you decide to skip it or come back to it another time. This is a standalone episode however we are busy prepping and recording some great chats with brilliant people and look forward to launching Season 2 over the next couple of months.  

In the final episode of this season we reveal the results of our fifth and last NHS transfer.  We also reflect on this first season of the podcast and share some resources which have really helped us over the last few years.  We also talk about our recent counselling session and also about the future of the podcast.  Thank you to each and every one of you who have listened to the podcast.  It really does mean so much to us.  If you have enjoyed listening to Season One we would be really grateful if you could take a couple of minutes to rate and review us.  If you are a new listener we highly recommend going back to the start of the episodes as we chronicle our journey week by week and speak to lots of brilliant people within the fertility world.     To keep up to date with us during our break please follow us on Instagram @fortryingoutloud or on Twitter @ftoutloud. 

This week Romana talks about her fear of pregnancy tests as we gear up to find out the results of our recent IVF transfer. Romana also chats to Michael Frank.  Michael is the author of The Mighty Franks, which was named one of the best books of 2017 by The Telegraph and The New Statesman and won the 2018 JQ Wingate Prize in England.  His new novel, What is Missing is (among other things) a love triangle, a father-son story, and an exploration of the subject of infertility.  'It may possibly be the first literary novel to take on the ''uncharted ground'' on which families can be built, or rebuilt, by IVF (The Wall Street Journal).'  You can read more about Michael and his books at www.michaelfrank.com. Michael has also written an article for Time Magazine 'What Almost Four Years in the Land of Infertility Taught me about Waiting'. You can read it here   Talking to Michael was hugely insightful.  We chatted about many things including what inspired him to write What is Missing, how he dealt with the waiting that comes with infertility and IVF, meditation, buddhism and the strange atmosphere in IVF waiting rooms!  Michael also read a couple of excerpts from the book.  We hope you enjoy listening as much as we enjoyed recording.

This week we talk about winning the lottery (we haven't won!), our last NHS frozen embryo transfer and feelings of anxiety and overwhelm. We also chat to Chris aka @ittakes_three on Instagram.  Chris shares his story and chats about documenting his TTC experience through social media lifestyle changes dealing with an unexplained infertility diagnosis NHS treatment vs Private  immune medication PGD testing 'That Fertility Show' which he co-hosts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bN8HeQdb2Es The importance of communicating and asking questions whilst going through IVF and infertility.   Chris also talks about Miscarriage (44:35-51:50).  This may be upsetting for some listeners so please feel free to skip this section if you feel this may be triggering.  

This week we talk about coping strategies as our fifth IVF transfer approaches.  We also share the story of our engagement which happened on a mountain top in Slovakia!   Romana chats to Irish Singer/Songwriter Sinéad McNally www.sineadmcnally.wordpress.com a fellow IVF Warrior who has recently released her new song 'My Silent Night'.  You will hear the full song in this episode and also hear all about what inspired Sinéad to write it.  We chat about so many things in this episode including IVF in Ireland, Hungary and Greece, the frustration and unanswered questions of unexplained Infertility, staying connected to the dream of having a baby after unsuccessful IVF and maintaining healthy relationships during infertility. Check out Sinéad's IVF Blog and follow her on Instagram @sineadmcnallymusic Listen to 'My Silent Night' on iTunes and Spotify Watch 'My Silent Night' YouTube Video  

This week Romana is delighted to be chatting to Andrew Loosely.  Andrew shares so much wisdom in our chat and regardless of the title we think that this episode will also be useful to listeners under the age of 40.   Andrew Loosely is a Chinese Medicine Fertility Specialist and is known as one of the most sought after Natural Fertility Experts and Consultants in the Fertility community.   He is famous for helping thousands of people around the world over the past 21 years to overcome their fertility struggles.   He specialises in working with women in their 40’s to enhance their fertility health to conceive and birth their healthy babies. Andrew believes that fertility issues are caused by deeper internal health factors that need to be addressed before pregnancy can be achieved naturally, or with IVF. He is the author of three books including The Ultimate Fertility Guide, a fertility health writer for Fertility Road Magazine, and a popular and regular speaker at online and offline world events about Chinese Fertility Medicine.   You can grab a free copy of his Ultimate Fertility Guide on his website: www.naturalfertilityexpert.com  

This week Ewan talks about the difficulties in discussing fertility issues with family and Romana talks to Elaine about all things IVF and trying to conceive.  Elaine is not only a beautiful person but also a wonderful actress and it was great to chat to her.  We cover a whole range of topics including endometriosis, coping with pregnancy announcements, IVF injections and hormones, miscarriage, breast lumps and surviving the two week wait (to name a few!).  

This week Romana shares her thoughts on the Fertility Show in London.  Hear what she thought of the various clinics she chatted to and also what she learnt from the Seminars she attended.  We also hear from other people who attended the show to get their opinion on what they enjoyed and took away from the UK's largest show for people trying to conceive.

We love our Fertility Chats episodes as we really enjoy hearing other peoples TTC and infertility stories.  This week Ewan chats to Mike aka @fortyyearolddad on Instagram.  Mike shares his fertility journey from beginning to end and goes into lots of detail about IVF, going abroad for treatment and using donor eggs.  TRIGGER WARNING: Mike also talks about pregnancy and birth so please, if you don't feel up to listening to that, skip this section 41:40-58:55  We completely understand that sometimes this can be upsetting to hear, especially when you are going through hard times on your own journey.  We do feel though that it's important to share success stories and a happy ending can sometimes give us hope when things seem pointless.  Sending you all lots of love and thank you, as always, for listening xxx

We had a lovely time in York last week and share some tales from our time there.  Including our scarefest adventures at Hallowscream!  We also chat to Zoe aka @drunkleopard on Instagram.  Zoe is a real warrior and we loved chatting to her and hearing all about her quest to be a mumma.  There was so much that Zoe talked about that is relatable to anybody on a TTC journey whether single or in a relationship and she has such a brilliant and inspiring outlook on life.  Plus, she's very funny! 

This week, as well as our usual ramblings, Romana chats to Sarah Clark (www.fabfertile.com) Sarah is a certified life coach with accreditation from the International Coaches Federation and a health coach with training from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.  She is the author of 'Fabulously Fertile – Supercharge your Fertility Naturally' and 'Fabulously Fertile Cookbook'.  We dig into Functional Testing, the Mind Body Connection, Lifestyle and Diet.  Sarah also talks about her Signature Fertility Coaching Program which includes functional lab testing and supports couples to make diet and lifestyle changes that dramatically improve the chances of a healthy pregnancy and baby!  Join the FREE 3-Day Fertility Diet Challenge here If you are enjoying listening to the podcast please take a minute to leave us a review.  We greatly appreciate it :)

It's always a struggle after a failed IVF transfer but we are starting to feel more optimistic and having a plan moving forward always helps.  This week we share some good news and also discuss what happened at our recent WTF appointment. Romana chats to Alice Crisci.  Alice is a cancer survivor, entrepreneur and activist.  She founded MedAnswers www.medanswers.com to speed up consumer access to speciality medicine and in this episode we chat about FertilityAnswers www.fertilityanswers.io, the company's first app product designed to connect users who are trying to conceive with a panel of experts who can answer their anonymous fertility questions.  The app is free to download and is a great resource for anyone on a fertility journey.  Connect with FertilityAnswers on Facebook by clicking here or on Instagram @fertilityanswers_

It's been a tough and emotional couple of weeks since our frozen embryo transfer and this week we share Romana's audio diary along with the result.  Have all of our hopes and dreams finally come true or are we back at square one?  This episode could be triggering for anyone listening who may be struggling as there are some emotional moments during the audio diary.  Feel free to skip to the end of the diary which is 1:25-22:22. If you are enjoying listening to the podcast please leave us a review.  We would be really grateful x 

Embaby on board!  We finally got to transfer our little frozen embryo so we are now in the delightful two week wait!  We will update you on the results of our fourth embryo transfer on next weeks episode.   This week Romana chats to Andrea Clarke (www.rootmedicine.co.uk) about Fertility and Womb Massage; what the treatment involves and the wonderful benefits of this beautiful massage.  Angela has been working with women and couples trying to conceive for many years and it was such a joy to chat to her and hear her share her wisdom.  Andrea is very passionate about the work she does so we hope you enjoy listening to this episode.  She has also shared a wonderful visualisation (59:42-1:07:44) to help you to begin to connect with your heart and womb space. Background visualisation music: Oxygen Garden by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: http://chriszabriskie.com/divider/  Artist: http://chriszabriskie.com/

This week we talk Spiders, feeling left behind whilst going through infertility and we also discuss our upcoming frozen embryo transfer.   Romana also chats to Geraldine McCullagh (www.me-time-therapy.co.uk)  Geraldine is a Complimentary Therapist who loves creating her own natural skincare.  As well as sharing some really simple Body Butter and natural Perfume recipes, Geraldine also discusses her top essential oils to support you whilst trying to conceive and she also offers tips for leading a more toxic free life.  

This week Romana puts Ewan's fertility knowledge to the test with a TTC Acronym Quiz.  Romana is also put to the test with a (brief) football quiz! Ewan also chats to Charlie.  They have a really open and honest discussion about dealing with male factor infertility, who to confide in, lifestyle changes, social media and coping strategies.   Thanks as always for listening and if you have enjoyed this episode we would be really grateful if you could leave us a review.

We're delighted to bring you our first transatlantic chat with the fantastic Heidi Brockmyre.  Heidi is a Licensed Practitioner of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. She has a decade of experience helping women grow their families. She's supported hundreds of women in her clinic in San Diego, and thousands of women around the world.  In this episode Heidi shares lots of brilliant fertility tips.  She discusses the importance of nutrition in Chinese medicine, she talks about coldness in the body and what this can mean for our fertility, how to naturally boost luteal phase defects and she also talks about acupressure and shares a simple acupressure point that you can try yourself at home.   Heidi is also sharing these amazing resources (be sure to check them out): *FREE Fertility Activation Checklist Grab it here *Join Heidi's FREE online Masterclass: The #1 Fertility Secret to Getting Pregnant Now without IVF or Drugs Click here to save your seat If you would like to join Heidi's Signature Program Fertility Activation Method Click here      

This week we chat about mistaken identity (of the condom variety!). And we chat back up plans and the pros and cons of planning for a negative outcome. And we also share the second part of Romana's chat with Helen and Linzi.  If you haven't listened to last weeks episode we highly recommend you do so before listening to this one.  This week Helen and Linzi talk very honestly about their miscarriage, coping with grief and navigating through pregnancy after experiencing loss.  TRIGGER WARNING:  Pregnancy chat starts from 33:00.   If you are enjoying the podcast please Subscribe (on Apple Podcasts) or Follow (on Spotify) so you don't miss an episode. 

This week Romana chats to Helen and Linzi about the journey they have been on to grow their family.  This chat is split into two episodes and in this one Helen and Linzi talk very honestly about their IVF experience, their search for a sperm donor and artificial insemination at home.   (We weren't recording in our usual place this week so apologies if our chat sounds slightly echoey) If you are enjoying the podcast, which we really hope you are, please leave us a review and spread the word.  

We're going a bit mystic for todays episode!  Trying to conceive can be all consuming and tiring and sometimes connecting back with nature and the universe can be really empowering and can give us some perspective at a time when it's much needed.   This week Romana chats to Alison Smith (www.alisontheastrologer.com)  Alison is an astrologer and planetary wanderer.  Alison never lost her belief that there was more to life than the very obvious and, in 1999 took a leap of faith and learnt astrology.  A decision that would change her live forever.  Alison is passionate about birth charts and talks about the benefits of them and what they can tell us.  She also talks about the Moon, it's rhythm and how it can affect us. Thanks as always for listening.  We have some exciting and interesting chats coming up in future episodes.  And we're about to start prep for our frozen embryo transfer so keep listening for updates as we get back onto the IVF rollercoaster!

Welcome to episode 10!  Thanks for listening.    Today we talk about raising funds for IVF, coping with pregnancy announcements and 21 Miles by Jessica Hepburn. Ewan speaks to @infertilitybloke from Instagram about his ttc (trying to conceive) 'journey' and raising awareness for men going through infertility.  It's a really interesting and honest chat about what led Mike to set up his Instagram account, coping strategies and dealing with infertility.

In this episode we talk Cats (the fur baby kind not the new film!) and also discuss our recent WTF appointment.  Romana talks to Kat Wilson (co-founder of the www.thevaginismusnetwork.com) about living with Vaginisimus and the work that Kat is doing to raise awareness.