This archive series of The Fertility Podcast will hopefully give you a real insight into the many places you can get support from online communities to professionals who can help guide you through what seems impossible when you are in the midst of it, yet rest assured there are amazing people who share their insights and experiences and have walked the path ahead of you. Whether they have come out of it with a child or childless, they are inspirational in what they share.

About guest:

Leading fertility and pregnancy expert Zita West is a practicing midwife, acupuncturist, and nutritional advisor. In 1992 she set up ‘The Zita West Clinic’ – London’s most famous holistic fertility clinic which ten years later now combines cutting-edge medical science with complementary therapies. She is the author of nine fertility and pregnancy books and her latest book, Eat Yourself Pregnant was released earlier this month, September 2014.  Zita's high profile clients have included Kate Winslet, Cate Blanchett, Stella McCartney, Ulrika Jonsson, Jemma Kidd, and Sophie Wessex and she has a loyal and sophisticated following amongst women looking for mainstream and alternative treatments and practical support during one of the most exciting and daunting times of their lives.

Items mentioned in this podcast:

• How too many women go down the IVF route too quickly
• Impatience to conceive
• Benefits of the holistic approach
• Increase in men with fertility problems

In this podcast you will learn:

• How there isn't enough information about why you might be able to conceive
• Infertility is 50/50 between men and women
• Tips for Men
• About whether you can carry naturally if you have the 'Killer Gene'
• Zita has just launched a new blog

Follow on Twitter @Zita_West

Unexplained infertility, Kate Brian and Jessica Hepburn

About Guests: 

Kate Brian

Kate Brian is an author and journalist who specializes in talking about infertility. She has written four books, including 'The Complete Guide to IVF' and 'Precious Babies - Pregnancy, Birth, and Parenting after Infertility. Kate is London Representative for Infertility Network UK and Editor of the Journal of Fertility Counselling.

Jessica Hepburn 

Jessica Hepburn is Chief Executive of the Lyric Theatre Hammersmith and also the author of the Amazon best-selling book The Pursuit of Motherhood about her own long and heartbreaking struggle to have a child. Since publication, she has become a high-profile commentator on the subject of infertility and IVF in newspapers, magazines, radio, and TV. She is a trustee of the national charity Infertility Network UK and a columnist for the leading fertility magazine, Fertility Road. She’s also a regular speaker at events and will be giving a talk at the Fertility Show on 2nd November about how to manage your fertility clinic.

Items mentioned in this podcast:

• Dealing with unexplained infertility
• Changes in costs over the last 17 years and now around the UK
• York case study on IVF funding
• The Fertility Show and how you can get a discount code
• How to ensure you don't let fertility treatment become the main focus of your life
• How long it can take to get NHS funding
• Age IS a significant factor
• Fur Friends

In this podcast you will learn:

• How  unexplained infertility affects 25% of couples who have difficulty conceiving
• About the work done by the Fertility Fairness campaign
• How much the NHS pays for IVF
• 3.5 million people at any one time in the UK are experiencing fertility problems
• The benefits of support groups
• 2/3 IVF cycles are not successful
• 25% of women are entering their 40's childless

Useful links: 

Kate Brian's blog 

Jessica Hepburn's blog 

Fertility Fairness

The Fertility Show 

Follow on Twitter  @katebrian  @JessicaHepburn 

Susan Seenan, CEO of Infertility Network UK explains what the charity offers people who are going through infertility treatment or just embarking on their fertility journey.

About Susan:

Susan Seenan is Chief Executive of the patient charity Infertility Network UK – the only national charity in the UK which supports anyone experiencing fertility issues.  Having experienced first-hand the rollercoaster of infertility and treatment, she understands completely what it’s like to discover that having a family is not as always that simple, and passionately believes that eligibility for NHS fertility treatment should not depend on postcode.  A strong advocate of emotional support and counseling for everyone struggling to conceive, her mission is to change the conversation and get people talking about fertility issues, help promote a better understanding of the options which exist, and highlight the extent and impact that infertility can have on people’s lives.

Items mentioned in this podcast:

• What the Infertility Network offers:
• Freephone line
• Access to regional and national support groups
• Act as a go-between for local authorities and links to associated bodies
• Events 

In this podcast you will learn:

• Infertility is NOT your fault
• NICE criteria for eligibility for fertility treatment
• How you can lobby your local CCG
• Templates for letters to send to your MP
• The Fertility Fairness network  

Follow on Twitter @infertilityNUK

Interview with Fertility Expert Emma Cannon  'To nourish another we must nourish ourselves

About Emma:

Emma Cannon is a fertility, pregnancy, and integrated women's health expert, registered acupuncturist, and author.  Emma holds a Bachelor of Science from Westminster University, where she received first-class honors in clinical work and is a member of the British Acupuncture Council and The College of Medicine. She has completed post-graduate training with The Royal College Of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in the management and treatment of infertility. Emma specializes in infertility, but she also treats pregnancy, pre-birth, post-partum, and menopause. Her special interests are the immune system and how that impacts our fertility, how the mind affects the body, and helping people through difficult life challenges and ultimately giving them a fuller, healthier more balanced life.

Items mentioned in this podcast:

• We need to be honest about our biology and our physiology
• The health industry is on steroids, with the best detox juice / extreme yoga
• Effects of lifestyle on secondary fertility
• Importance of having joy in your life when TTC
• Not to underestimate the power of rest
• Make sure your acupuncturist is credible

In this podcast you will learn:

• Food is the first form of medicine
• In order to nourish another first we have to nourish ourselves
• Importance of educating of younger people about fertility
• Damage Limitation
•  

Follow on Twitter @emma_cannon

HELLO!

Well, it has been a little quiet on the posting side on The Fertility Podcast which I can only apologize for. Despite my best-laid plans of being organized to keep my podcasts and posts rolling out so that when I had my baby things would run smoothly..  I didn't manage it! I was 41 weeks before our son Phoenix arrived and bouncing up and down on a ball due to bad sciatic pain and trying to edit - just wasn't happening.. then he arrived and I've been a bit busy. Now, however, we're all getting better with naps, so hopefully, The Fertility Podcast will return to being bi-weekly. Here is a much-awaited chat I had with a lovely lady called Sheila Lamb who you will hear gets upset telling her story about finally getting pregnant after various different infertility treatments. I and Sheila are both success stories and I hope if you're reading this whilst on a journey to conceive this will give you hope.

FPEp14: Fertility treatment after 40 with Sheila Lamb

 About guest:

Sheila Lamb is the founder and editor of My Fertility Specialist a new magazine every three months, featuring a wide range of interviews, discussions, and information for people trying to conceive. Sheila was a qualified nurse and registered midwife and when she and her husband found themselves at their GP’s after trying to fall pregnant for a year, (Sheila was 40 years young, he was28!), the couple started what turned out to be a six-year journey to start their family. Sheila tells her story and explains their decision to go abroad for treatment. Also, she explains her decision to launch My Fertility Specialist which she did in February 2015.

Items mentioned in this podcast:

• Dealing with perceptions of being a 40 plus woman trying to conceive
• IUI and IVF
• Acupuncture
• Visualization and Mindfulness

In this podcast you will learn:

• How to go about getting fertility treatment abroad
• The logistics of the treatment
• How to manage your stress levels during treatment abroad

Check out the latest issue of My Fertility Specialist here

• Subscribe NOW for your chance to WIN a signed copy of Kate Brain’s ‘The Complete Guide to IVF’ paperback book
• Find out what Fertility Events are on in May/June and July
• Read one Readers True Story about their journey to complete their family
• Loads more articles on miscarriage, PCOS, working whilst having treatment, and the lowdown on Sperm DNA

Follow on Twitter @myfertilityspec

— Sheila Lamb (@myfertilityspec) May 26, 2015

WELCOME!!! This is the first episode in Season 2 of The Fertility Podcast. I admit that my podcast production has slowed slightly due to being somewhat otherwise engaged with my now 7-month-old son, who is the result of fertility treatment and an absolute blessing for my husband and me. He is a constant reminder each day of how lucky we are to have a family and my motivation to continue to make this podcast.

I am constantly overwhelmed by the number of people I see on Twitter who are going through treatment and this season will once again visit some of your stories, from 'Tweetsville'. If you're reading this and would like to share your story, just add a comment below and we can speak more.

Now, what lies ahead for Season 2 is a catalog of fascinating interviews from fertility experts, clinics, and everyday people going through their own challenges. I am on a mission to finish this season with an exclusive interview with someone who I'm sure will be of great interest to anyone going through fertility treatment, but until I have it in writing, I'll keep it to myself.

This year's National Fertility Awareness week runs from 2nd - 8th November so I caught up with Kara Myhill who is the Campaign Manager for INUK

About Kara: 

Kara has two children, aged 13 and 9, and lives in West Berkshire. After having her own problems conceiving, Kara seized the opportunity to work with Infertility Network UK. For the last three years, she has been working with the charity and is looking forward to her third National Fertility Awareness Week. Kara's background as a marketer meant the position was a great opportunity to bring career and personal life together and is something she is very passionate about.

What you will learn in this podcast:  

• The Embryo Challenge
• What you can do to support the week with the Help Make Babies Wall 
• How to get active  and get sponsored to Run, Walk or Swim with Nuffield Health 
• Baking tips
• #1in6
• How you can donate
• For the 'Great Cake Bake' see below for inspiration

Jessica Hepburn speaks to The Fertility Podcast after sharing her story of The Pursuit of Motherhood in Episode 6. This time she shares her mission to swim the English Channel to raise much-needed funds for Infertility Network UK.

Jessica Hepburn swimming the Channel for INUK

Jessica Hepburn is to swim the English Channel, so The Fertility Podcast had to chat to her once again to find out if she was ready for this epic challenge. Jessica spoke to me previously about her personal journey in  Episode 6 about her relentless fertility journey of 11 rounds of IVF! Jessica works as the Chief Executive of the Lyric Theatre Hammersmith and is also the author of the Amazon best-selling book The Pursuit of Motherhood about her own long and heartbreaking struggle to have a child. Since publication, she has become a high-profile commentator on the subject of infertility and IVF in the media. She is also a trustee of the national charity Infertility Network UK and a columnist for the leading fertility magazine, Fertility Road. Jessica is a regular speaker at events and will be giving a talk at this year's Fertility Show. Have a listen to her reasons for doing what she's doing and I'm sure you'll be as uplifted and inspired as I was.

Items mentioned in this podcast: 

• Only 2000 people have successfully swum the Channel
• How Jessica is an advisor for the HFEA 
• How Jessica is working with INUK to improve levels of emotional support for couples going through Fertility Treatment
• The importance of making sure the information you are getting on fertility is correct as the internet can be misleading
• Women DO get pregnant with their own eggs or donor eggs in their 40's and 50's
• Sponsor Jessica for her English Channel swim here 

Follow Jessica on Twitter