Stephanie Wissig Fertility Support

11/01/2023

If you’ve been following me over time, you may know that I’m not a fan of the traditional New Year’s fanfare. Grand announcements of intentions for the new year just feel a bit disingenuous - too simplistic to me. That said, this year, I do have some exciting news to share.

What's the news? I've returned to school.

What? Yes, at 42 years old with 9 years of graduate study already under my belt and a young child at home, I’ve returned for more. I am currently 12 credits into completing a Masters of Social Work.

I explain this rather unconventional decision in my post recent blog post and discuss what it means for my work right now. TLDR, I love what I do and want to be able to broaden and deepen my practice. But, I encourage you to read the full story here: https://www.swfertilitysupport.com/blog-posts/newyearnewfocus

What does this mean for Stephanie Wissig Fertility Support? Not much! Whether you are currently a client, have been thinking of reaching out, or know of someone who might benefit from my help, I remain committed to serving you! But, you will be seeing less of me in this space. While I love writing posts to educate and advocate for the infertility community, I'm needing to be more strategic with my time. So, right now, I'm choosing to prioritize my time and attention on the needs of my clients. However, even if this space is quieter, I have not gone anywhere! I’m just shifting my focus so I can continue to grow.

What will 2023 bring you? Regardless of where you are on your family building journey, I hope this year brings both a sense of peace as well as opportunities for growth and pride. And, remember, you can always reach out if you have a question or could use some support, whatever the year brings.

https://www.swfertilitysupport.com/newyearnewfocus

28/12/2022

Just started IVF? Here's what to expect from that first appointment...

New to IVF treatments? Check out the rest of this video, where I discuss all the typical steps of an IVF cycle and what it's like to experience as a patient: https://bit.ly/ConsiderThisVideos

You can also check out my entire "Considering IVF? Consider This..." series where I explore the 6 most common questions about IVF treatments--what it is, how much it costs, how to assess if it is the right approach for you, etc.

13/12/2022

When you are struggling with infertility, the holidays tend to be uniquely challenging times of the year for a lot of reasons.

First, any annual event like a holiday reminds us of the passing of time and the things we had already hoped to achieve.

Then, there are the family gatherings. For many of us, “The Holidays” represent a kind of annual pilgrimage home. Suddenly we are back under our parents’ roof. We are once again the daughter, son, sister, or brother, and our adult identities aren't as relevant. And, unlike our siblings or cousins who already have children of their own, we haven’t yet established a new adult role in the family context. This can heighten feelings of being stuck or left behind, which are already so common among those struggling with infertility.

Finally, we worry about what people make ask or say about our infertility or family building plans.

If you are worried about navigating the holidays this year, check out my blog post in which I discuss these challenges and offer suggestions on how to cope: https://bit.ly/30NcZxX

Here's my personal favorite of the suggestions:
Start developing holiday traditions within your couplehood. Just because you don't have kids, doesn't mean you can't have holiday traditions! For example, in my family, Thanksgiving is often hosted by my mother in the hills and farmland of Western Massachusetts. It is a beautiful place, but after a couple of days, my husband and I start to crave the pulse of our normal city lives. In the years before our son was born, we’d drive home and want to go out to dinner just to feel the bustle of the city. But, we really didn't want to eat anything remotely similar to poultry, stuffing, or root vegetables. So, we started a post-Thanksgiving sushi dinner tradition. Now, we have my son, so it’s order-in sushi instead. But the tradition remains and, somehow, it still helps us recalibrate from the trip.

This year, I decided to try my hand at making the sushi. Do not recommend.

Wishing you wonderful holidays and please don't hesitate to book that complimentary one-on-one if you need some additional help navigating the season.

22/11/2022

Parenting after infertility—the journey doesn't end where most people think it does.✨ What most view as the end of infertility—a baby in their arms—is actually the beginning of their journey as a parent—often a parent in need of processing and healing from the journey that came before. Here's what I've learned about that journey beyond...

It's pretty natural to worry about how the experience of infertility might affect us or our families over time. Check out the blog article below where I draw on the academic literature and my experience as an IVF parent to try to tackle this question and allay fears:
https://www.swfertilitysupport.com/blog-posts/parentingafter

12/11/2022

Parenthood is HARD, but as IVF parents, we often don't let ourselves admit or feel that. So this is your PSA to STOP IT! Give yourself the grace to feel that struggle just like every other parent, and not beat yourself up about it.

Let's encourage each other in giving ourselves grace. Put a 🙌 in the comments if you're on board!

28/10/2022

When you're dealing with infertility and fertility treatments, those adorable trick-or-treaters can be triggering. There is nothing wrong with turning out the lights and skipping the festivities all together. But, if you do love halloween, here are a few ideas for enjoying the holiday without the triggers. Have fun! 🥳

07/10/2022

October is . 🤍 Like many of you, I too have experienced pregnancy loss. (This picture is of me back in 2015 trying to hike my way through the pain.) And, like you, it is not something I talk about much.

But as an advocate and coach in the infertility community, it is my job to educate about this very common, but often misunderstood, loss.

Here are three key things that I believe every woman should understand about pregnancy and infant loss.
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1. It is very common. Miscarriage, the loss of a pregnancy before 20 weeks of gestation, occurs in roughly 10-15% of known pregnancies. 1-in-4 women will experience a miscarriage at some point during her reproductive years.⁠
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2. Despite the prevalence of pregnancy loss, we often struggle to find ways to process the experience. Perhaps because it is a kind of “disenfranchised loss” - a loss that doesn't fit in with society's attitudes and norms for dealing with death and loss. We traditionally mark the death of a loved one in a public way. But we have no traditional way of marking the loss of a pregnancy. Worse, we often feel that we can’t share it with others.⁠
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3. There really isn't anything you could have done to change it. The majority of losses happen because of genetic abnormalities in the embryo that are incompatible with life. In order to become pregnant and have a healthy baby, a series of complex biological processes need to occur. But, many of these processes are inherently error prone. ⁠
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If you'd like to learn more about this topic, I've written a blog post in which I share more information, my reflections on pregnancy loss and resources for those who have experienced this particular kind of loss. ⁠

Read it here: https://bit.ly/3FfVMN3

30/09/2022

Parenting after infertility...the journey doesn't end where most people think it does.

What most view as the end of infertility--a baby in their arms--is actually the beginning of their journey as a parent - a parent in need of processing and healing from the journey that came before. But what does that really mean? Should we be worried about how the experience of infertility might affect us as parents?

This question was on my mind recently so I went into research mode. I pulled together everything I could find on the topic from parents' first hand accounts to the results of academic research studies to try to understand what we're really talking about when we talk about parenting after infertility.

Read what I found in my most recent blog post: https://www.swfertilitysupport.com/blog-posts/parentingafter

This spring, my husband and I took a trip back “home” to New York City to celebrate our 11th wedding anniversary. As we met up with old friends and walked through old neighborhoods, we talked about the decisions we’ve made and the life we are proud to have built together. But at one point, my ...

27/09/2022

What a fun Sunday morning!😁 We joined the Resolve New England community for 👟Footsteps for Family Building👟, their annual fundraising walk. If you'd like to donate to this amazing organization, it is not too late! Donations will be accepted through this week.

Donate Now: https://bit.ly/3lyXRuO 👈🥰

20/09/2022

There are many things that IVF is not, but then, what is it?

I describe it as a set of medications and technologies that doctors use to facilitate conception for couples who are struggling to do so on their own.

Check out the my full video on what IVF is, how it works, how likely it is to work for you, and more: https://www.swfertilitysupport.com/videos

09/09/2022

Things People often don't understand about secondary infertility:

👉Already having one baby doesn't lessen the hurt of not being able to conceive a second.
👉Often, there is added guilt and shame -- shame for being sad or wanting more when you are already so blessed -- guilt for not being able to give your child a sibling.
👉People struggling with secondary infertility may feel alienated from others too - even in infertility circles.

Struggling with secondary infertility yourself? I'm always here for a one-on-one. 🤍 https://bit.ly/SWFertilityConsultation

02/09/2022

If you missed my conversation with Andy Lamb, Co-Founder of the nonprofit Raising Multicultural Kids and a fellow support group leader for Resolve New England on the male experience of infertility as a partner as well as those facing infertility themselves, tune in below! It was such an insightful conversation for me, and about a perspective that so often does not get discussed.

Watch the full video via my website: https://bit.ly/ConsiderThisVideos

26/08/2022

It's time to bust some myths about IVF!😁 What other ones have you heard?

Want to learn more about IVF? Check out the rest of this video--What is IVF--as well as my full video series--"Considering IVF? Consider This..."👇📺
https://bit.ly/ConsiderThisVideos

I answer the top six questions I get asked about IVF. This is information I've spent countless sessions with clients talking through. Now, it's available free for anyone that it may help. 🤍

19/08/2022

✨ I'm honored to have had the opportunity to write an article for the most recent issue of Resolve New England Magazine!✨✍️

Check it out--"Exploring SART: Answering the Top Six Questions about IVF with Data and Tools from the Society of Assisted Reproduction"--below. It provides a nice preview of my 'Considering IVF? Consider This...' video series. 🙂👇

Ready for more on this topic? Dive into the full video series here: https://bit.ly/ConsiderThisVideos

RNE Magazine, 2022 Vol. 2

13/08/2022

"Our first embryo transfer failed, what's next?"

I wish I could tell you that IVF works for everyone on the first try, but it's often not a fast or easy process. I, myself, went through four cycles of IVF before having my son. Here's some information to keep in mind...

For the vast majority of people, it's more likely that the first IVF transfer will fail rather than be successful. On average, it takes couples 2-3 full IVF cycles to have a child. So while it's normal to feel disappointed if things don't quite take right the first time, it's also so important to understand that this 'failure' is really part of the process.

Your first round of IVF is somewhat like a test round for doctors to then tweak your protocol. If it fails, there is still hope for the journey ahead!

28/07/2022

Let's talk about the male experience with infertility.

I had the opportunity to sit down with Andy Lamb, Co-Founder of the nonprofit Raising Multicultural Kids (Raising Multicultural Kids ) and a fellow support group leader for Resolve New England, to discuss what infertility can be like for those in the partner role, as well as for the men out there facing infertility themselves. It's such an insightful dialogue, and Andy even shares his personal journey with infertility and the beautiful, full life he and his wife have today.

Check out the full discussion on the videos section of my website:
swfertilitysupport.com/videos

21/07/2022

The six questions I get all the time about IVF, ANSWERED! 😁👍

I've created a series of videos containing the key information you need to feel informed and empowered on your family building journey. Whether you're searching for information about your options or preparing for your first IVF cycle, I suspect you'll find this video series worthwhile.

The best part? The videos are free to view! So, watch via the link below and share any thoughts, feedback, or questions -- I'd love to hear what you thought of them and if they helped you on your journey!

Watch Now: https://bit.ly/ConsiderThisVideos