Fight Like a Girl: You Are Not Alone

Sunday started National Infertility Awareness Week. You have probably seen me talk about it on my other social media sites by now (and if you haven't and are interested in following then check out the side panel for links to all my sites to follow). This week is one that I never knew existed until recently. In fact I never gave much thought to infertility. Why would I? We conceived our daughter the second month we tried. And suddenly now we are struggling to get pregnant, including two miscarriages. We are now the one in eight.

Infertility, no matter when it happens with the first or the second or the third, is a very isolating feeling. It's heartbreaking. It's frustrating. It's exhausting. It's lonely. More than once over the course of the last year I have felt hopeless.

This year's theme is 'You Are Not Alone.' And truly it has been interesting to check out the #NIAW or #YouAreNotAlone and look into all the different stories. I have written about my story here several times, and truthfully I was always conflicted about how much to write. Or even if I should write anything at all. But in the end I always came back to sharing my story. After talking to my husband about it (and getting his approval because it also affects him as well), I posted our story and I haven't regretted it. I have had many people send me messages about their own struggles, looking for someone to talk to. And that just reminds me why I wrote it all down and shared our story.

Going through the miscarriages and the secondary IF and getting the diagnosis of PCOS, I felt lonely. I felt like I was the only one in the world that was going through that. But I wasn't. I started looking online to find other blogs that talked about their experiences. And I felt inspired. I felt a little more hopeful. Writing down my story wasn't just therapeutic for me. I hoped that it might help someone else going through something similar. I wanted my readers to know that they weren't alone. I wanted to open up the dialogue and tell everyone that it isn't something to be ashamed of. I wanted to show that it was okay to talk about.

Since I started posting, I have had many conversations one-on-one about my miscarriages and infertility. I have also had bigger group conversations. My posts may not have been the thing to open the dialogue but it's being talked about and I feel like there is more awareness. And as someone who is just starting this journey, that means a lot to me. Being able to openly talk to others has been amazing and awesome. I don't mind talk about it. It's part of my life and the cards that has been dealt to us. We don't want to pretend like it's not happening because it is, so I'll talk about it. I'll be open about it.

So if you are going through this, know you don't have to "suffer in silence." There are many women out that that understand. There are women out there going through similar heartaches and frustrations.

If you want to follow my story then check out the links before:
We Aren't Done
Fight Like a Girl: Part I
Fight Like a Girl: Part II
Stronger Than Yesterday: My Playlist
Fight Like a Girl: Grateful

If you are looking for more information check out Resolve's National Infertility Awareness Week. Also check out 25 Things to Say (and Not to Say) to Someone Living with Infertility. And if you're looking to support but don't know how, you can always donate to Resolve, which goes to support and educate about infertility and those families going through it.

Just remember if you are the one in eight: You Are Not Alone.

xo, B