No better time than National Infertility Awareness Week (April 24-30, 2016) to finally begin sharing my personal journey through infertility on social media.  Even after crying tears of joy, making it to some major motherhood milestones —successfully getting pregnant, a smooth birthing experience, and even upon celebrating my daughter’s one year birthday– still, I wasn’t ready to openly discuss it.  

However, I received an email today about Kaya Singer — entrepreneur, mentor, and author of the book Wiser & Wilder.  Singer says that success comes to those who focus on being authentic, in the right circle of people, in a balanced and actualized way, with a strong voice.  It also means being willing to face the unhealed parts of yourself that hold you back.

I have no reason to remain held back by my infertility, I have beat it once and I can beat it again.  Kaya’s mission is to support visionary women to wake up, stop hiding and invest in themselves so they can reach their true potential and make a bigger difference in the world.  So, I’m following Singer’s advice and facing my experience head-on by sharing that tough part of my life as openly and honestly as possible.  Look out for a more personal post here later this week, as well as one I wrote to go live soon on Austin Moms Blog. 

Back to this being National Infertility Awareness Week:  the theme for this year is #StartAsking.  Awareness is important as there are so many women and men (7.5 million suffers) that don’t know where to begin.  Every day people with infertility are asking real and important questions. “Why me?” “How can we afford this?”  National Infertility Awareness Week is not only an opportunity to raise awareness about this disease, but also motivate all that are touched by infertility to commit to the cause.

#StartAsking

Employers for insurance coverage.
Your lawmakers and legislators to support issues important to the infertility community.
Friends and family to support you.
The media to cover infertility and the real challenges we all face.
Your partner to get involved.
Those who have resolved their infertility to stay involved.
OB/GYN or healthcare provider to talk about YOUR reproductive health.
For affordable care for treatment of a disease.
Legal access to all family building options nationwide.
About men’s reproductive health