Very Beginning

Today's episode is my first German episode with the amazing Lisa @villetta.papillonLisa is sharing her incredible journey of finding out she was unexpectedly pregnant, navigating mental health struggles and anxiety in early pregnancy and fighting for the birth centre birth she envisioned.I am so thankful for Lisa's openness and willingness to share her story - I designed Carea exactly for women like Lisa: who are keen to inform themselves about all their choices to then feel empowered to make the decisions for themselves and their babies that feel right to them.If you are pregnant or postpartum why not give Carea a try: https://careaapp.onelink.me/I5Vw/f3pvkfddInstagram:Lisa: @villetta.papillonCarea: @careaappCarea will also soon be available in German - stay tuned!

Over the moon excited to share that my mindful pregnancy & postpartum tracker Carea is finally live in the App Store and on Google Play!This episode is a behind the scenes look on what led me to start a femtech business, why and how Carea is different from what is on the market, and why I think there is never a right age or time to start something new.If you are pregnant or postpartum it would mean the world if you would give Carea a try and download it on the App Store or on Google Play.Follow Carea on IG: @careaappReferenced Episodes: Making the Forbes 30 Under 30 List I with Anisha Gupta Learn more about Carea & my story on our websiteFor any feedback, ideas or suggestions please email: support@careaapp.com

We have all been there- we have this perfect idea in our head but keep overanalyzing how to get started. In this episode I share 5 tips on what helped me get started with my FemTech start up Carea to hopefully help you break out if the vicious cycle of overthinking and postponing. Follow along Carea's journey on our Instagram @Careaapp

In this week's episode I share my learnings about being a new mom and running a business. From managing unrealistic expectations, to struggling with accepting help, I share with you tips that help me be present with both my baby and my start up.Follow Very Beginning on Instagram: @verybeginningofficial

After pausing for almost one year, Very Beginning is finally back!!In this episode I give all the details for my long absence and share some very special news!This season will be a full circle as I will be taking you behind the scenes of my personal founder journey of my FemTech start up CAREA.New episodes will be released every second Thursday.

This week I had the honor to sit down with founder, author & functional nutritionist Alexandria DeVito. Alexandria is the CEO and founder of Poplin- the first pre-pregnancy wellness company. She is also the author of the book "9 Months Is Not Enough: The Ultimate Pre-pregnancy Checklist to Create a Baby-Ready Body and Build Generational Health". In her book, Alexandria debunks several fertility myths and aims to educate women and couples on how they can identify underlying health issues that can impair fertility, prepare for a preconception visit with their doctor, and adopt an overall fertility-friendly diet, supplementation, and lifestyle plan. In this episode: 00:00 Intro 01:23 From McKinsey consultant to nutritionist 05:13 Preparing for pregnancy like you would prepare for a wedding or job interview 08:29 Optimizing nutrient needs before you are even pregnant 11:47 How the male partner can optimize their health 15:06 Sperm quality and quantity declined by over 60% in recent years 17:55 Optimizing overall health: in with the good & out with the bad 24:16 Reproductive Anxiety: the fear of not being able to conceive 31:17 Biggest fertility myth: age is the main fertility predictor 35:08 Advocating for your health to be personalized & individualized 39:22 Does running more tests only increase our anxiety levels? 45:40 How can IVF patients optimize their chances to conceive? 48:30 Unexplained Infertility: "infertility diagnosis is similar in mental health impact to cancer diagnosis" 55:10 Closing If you liked this episode it would mean the world if you follow & leave a review♥ Follow Very Beginning on Instagram & TikTok: @verybeginningofficial Learn more about Alexandria's company Poplin: https://getpoplin.com/

"Go on a vacation, have fun with your partner, and simply don't stress"- these are some of the most common things I heard from people when sharing my struggles to get pregnant. And while these might work for some, I found stress not to be something I could easily switch off. Even more so while being in the midst of TTC hardship I would find myself being stressed about feeling stressed leading to a vicious cycle of ever growing stress levels. So in this week's episode I share my top realistic tips that have helped me to reduce some of the stress fertility and even work has caused my over the years. 00:00 Intro 02:11 Why stress cannot be simply turned off 03:13 Feeling stressed about being stressed 04:11 Realistic tips to reduce stress levels 05:36 Tip #1: Serenity Prayer "I accept the things I cannot change..." 12:12 Tip #2: Putting things in perspective 17:12 Tip #3 Define what drains & gives you energy 21:50 Closing If you liked this episode it would mean the world if you follow & leave a review♥ Follow Very Beginning on Instagram & TikTok: @verybeginningofficial #fertility #ivf #podcast #ttc #stressrelief #stress #stressmanagement

No matter if it's a career milestone, getting married, or having a baby- we tend to always compare ourselves to others and start feeling like we are a failure if we see our peers reaching their goals seemingly easier or faster. In this episode I talk candidly about the things I struggled with over the years when it came to comparing myself to others- including the challenges I encountered on my fertility journey. I share what helped me to start embracing every chapter of my life instead of constantly longing for that one thing that seemed to be missing. In this episode: 00:00 Intro 04:25 Having It All Figured Out By Age 30? 06:55 When Our Goals & Fertility Challenges Misalign 09:00 Feeling Like A Failure Compared To Peers 09:53 Tip 1: Taking One Step At Time 13:01 Why A Positive Pregnancy Test Is Not My End Goal Anymore 14:32 Tip 2: Everyone Is On Their Own Timeline & Journey 19:46 Why My IVF Experience Might Be Completely Different From Yours 21:07 Tip 3: Remember Where You Are Today Is What You Dreamed About 5 Years Ago 27:14 Closing If you liked this episode it would mean the world if you follow & leave a review ♥ Follow Very Beginning on Instagram & TikTok: @verybeginningofficial #fertility #ivf #podcast #ttc #mentalhealth #stopcomparingyourself

Trigger warning: this episode discusses sensitive mental health topics and pregnancy loss. Today's episode is dedicated entirely to the taboo topic of mental health. While the physical aspect of IVF is certainly tough, I found the mental health struggles to be a whole different beast. In this episode I talk super openly about the main feelings and emotions I struggled with the most during my IVF cycles and my TTC time and try to give some helpful tips that have helped me to deal with some of these challenging emotions. In this episode: 00:00 Intro 03:03 Societal Expectations To Power Through 06:00 Trigger Warning 07:10 Feeling Like Desire To Get Pregnant Is Taking Over Entire Life 14:10 Feeling Like I Am Not Good Enough 21:36 Fearing That My Body Is Not Able To Get/Stay Pregnant 27:46 Closing If you liked this episode it would mean the world if you follow & leave a review ♥ Follow Very Beginning on Instagram & TikTok: @verybeginningofficial #fertility #ivf #podcast #ttc #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness

Today's episode is the third and last part of my experience with an entire IVF cycle. The day of the transfer was probably one of the most exciting days in my life followed by the dreaded waiting game to find out whether the transfer was successful or not. In this episode: 00:00 Intro 03:22 First Cycle Following Egg Retrieval 05:17 Medicine Schedule & Monitoring 13:03 Day of the Embryo Transfer 20:32 Next Steps After Transfer 21:54 Trying Not To Take Home Pregnancy Test 23:22 Blood Test To Find Out If Transfer Was A Success 26:37 Closing Download my free Fertility Clinic Key Questions Guide: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1v48c1qmYCcT9yZQzhnvjVQ4geRO0SIjX/view?usp=sharing If you liked this episode it would mean the world if you leave a review ♥ Follow Very Beginning on Instagram & TikTok: @verybeginningofficial #fertility #ivf #podcast #ttc

In today's episode, I continue breaking down my IVF journey focusing on my egg retrieval experience. This part of the process was probably the biggest emotional roller coaster, having to wait anxiously by the phone in the days following the egg retrieval to find out how many embryos we would be able to freeze. In this episode: 00:00 Intro 03:57 The Morning Of The Egg Retrieval 06:38 Fears Before Egg Retrieval 07:45 Egg Retrieval Procedure 10:38 How I Was Feeling Post Egg Retrieval 11:53 Partner's Role During Egg Retrieval 12:45 Receiving Disappointing News 15:49 Recovery Process 18:00 Fresh vs Frozen Embryo Transfer 19:21 What is PGT-A Testing? 22:45 Daily Updates On Fertilized Eggs & Embryo Development 32:00 PGT-A Results & Embryo Grading 36:31 Closing Download my free Fertility Clinic Key Questions Guide: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1v48c1qmYCcT9yZQzhnvjVQ4geRO0SIjX/view?usp=sharing If you liked this episode it would mean the world if you leave a review ♥ Follow Very Beginning on Instagram & TikTok: @verybeginningofficial #fertility #ivf #podcast #ttc

Continuing my IVF series, today's episode is a deep dive into the step by step process of the IVF stimulation phase (also applies to egg freezing procedure). Sharing my learnings form my own experience, I go over all the things that you can expect at your first consultation appointment at your fertility clinic including detailed next steps if you decide to proceed with the IVF route. In this episode: 00:00 Intro 02:45 Free IVF Questions Guide 05:38 What Happens At Your First Fertility Clinic Appointment 13:42 Difference Between IVF and ICSI 17:13 IVF Medicine Schedule and Stim Cycle Timing 20:13 What Do IVF Shots actually do? 22:52 OHSS Complication 22:53 IVF Medication Demonstration 28:10 Monitoring During IVF Cycle 30:57 Tip #1: Integrating IVF Shots Into Your Life 32:52 Tip #2: Keeping Medicine Organized 35:17 Tip #3: Reducing Bruising and Discomfort 37:14 Closing Download my free Fertility Clinic Key Questions Guide: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1v48c1qmYCcT9yZQzhnvjVQ4geRO0SIjX/view?usp=sharing If you liked this episode it would mean the world if you leave a review ♥ Follow Very Beginning on Instagram & TikTok: @verybeginningofficial#fertility #ivf #podcast #ttc

In today's episode I dive into the learnings of my personal IVF experience. Having gone through all the ups and downs, I summarized some of my main learnings that I truly hope can help others when deciding when and if they should embark on their IVF or egg freezing journey. In this episode: 00:00 Intro 02:14 What is egg/embryo freezing? 03:20 Is IVF or egg freezing affecting your ability to conceive naturally? 08:38 Reasons for IVF or egg freezing 17:50 Considerations when going into IVF or egg freezing 18:32 Consideration #1: physical & time impact  25:00 Consideration #2: financial impact  28:30 Consideration #3: emotional & mental health Impact 33:05 Being careful to not become a fertility clinic cash cow 35:00 Closing If you liked this episode it would mean the world if you subscribe, like, comment & leave a review ♥ Follow Very Beginning on Instagram & TikTok: @verybeginningofficial #fertility #podcast #ivf #eggfreezing

Happy Valentine's Day! No matter if you are a hopeless romantic or find Valentine's Day super tacky- we can always use this day to remind ourselves to practice more self love, self care & self acceptance. In this episode I share my top tips for practicing self love, especially when it comes to going through fertility struggles when your body feels like your biggest enemy. In this episode: 00:00 Intro 02:53 Be Your Own Valentine 04:00 Self Love & Fertility Struggles 05:35 Self Love vs Self Acceptance 06:43 Top Tips For Self Acceptance 07:09 Mirror Negative Thoughts On Someone You Care About 09:55 Seek Out Spaces That Inspire You 12:07 Protecting Your Mental Health On Social Media 14:27 Taking Time For Yourself 16:56 Speak Kind Words To Attract Growth (Plant Experiment) 21:21 Closing If you liked this episode it would mean the world if you subscribe, like, comment & leave a review ♥ Follow Very Beginning on Instagram & TikTok: @verybeginningofficial #valentinesday #selfcare #selflove #fertility #podcast

In this episode I share my top 5 tips for answering the dreaded "So when are you finally going to have kids?" question. While the majority of people does not have bad intentions and is simply being curious it can be so hard to be asked that question especially when dealing with fertility issues, having a non mainstream opinion about it, or when simply not having a clear 'yes' or 'no' answer. In this episode: 00:00 Intro 02:49 Societal Pressure Of Achieving Next Big Thing 05:06 Why You Really Shouldn't Ask People When They Are Having Kids 05:50 Some People Don't Want To Have Kids 09:21 Some People Go Through Fertility Challenges 13:07 Some People Don't Know If They Want To Have Kids 16:26 Are You Doing More Good Than Harm With Your Question 17:10 Top 5 Tips For Dealing With Question 20:12 Tip #1: Be Honest 23:10 Tip #2: Using Humor 24:18 Tip #3: Shut Question Down 26:20 Tip #4: Reminding It's Not Up To You 28:25 Tip #5: Use It As Educational Opportunity 30:10 Closing If you liked this episode it would mean the world if you subscribe, like, comment & leave a review ♥ Follow Very Beginning on Instagram & TikTok: @verybeginningofficial

In this week's episode I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with Samina Haider who is an incredibly talented and passionate fertility acupuncturist and naturopath. From reducing PMS symptoms to using acupuncture to improve IVF outcomes, this episode is for everyone who is ever wondered about the healing powers of acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine. In this episode: 00:00 Intro 01:39 Transforming Power of Acupuncture 06:08 Cycle & Temperature Tracking 13:39 More Than Just Sticking Needles in People 15:43 Being Afraid Of Needles 18:37 Naturopathy Support For Fertility 20:00 Best Diet to Optimize Fertility 22:20 Lifestyle Changes to Optimize Fertility 29:21 Supporting Patients Through Miscarriage & Failed IVF Cycles 32:38 Unexplained Infertility 35:36 Acupuncture Support For IVF 43:20 Closing And for anyone currently going through their personal fertility journey: I see you, I am you, we got this ♡ If you liked this episode it would mean the world if you subscribe, like & leave a review ♥ Follow Very Beginning on Instagram & TikTok: @verybeginningofficial #podcast #fertility #ttc #acupuncture #naturopathy #ivf This episode was recorded with Riverside- use the following link if you'd like to try it out to start your own podcast: ⁠https://riverside.fm/?utm_campaign=campaign_1&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=rewardful&via=anastasia⁠

From feeling ashamed about my period, being on the pill for over 14 years, to living in tune with my cycle- today's episode is all about how I learned to not only manage the symptoms of my menstrual cycle but also came to appreciate it. I also share how being in tune with my menstrual cycle helped me on my natural TTC journey, including my honest learnings and reviews of various fertility tools & trackers. In this episode: 00:00 Intro 00:44 Taboo Topic Period 02:58 Starting Contraceptive Pill To "Normalize Cycle" 04:16 Coming Off Birth Control After 14 Years 07:38 4 Different Seasons Of Your Menstrual Cycle 09:17 Living More In Tune With Your Cycle & Body 12:27 Conceiving Naturally & Experiencing Miscarriage 14:35 TTC Tip 1: Basal Body Temperature Tracking 18:51 TTC Tip 2: Ovulation Tests 22:00 Experience With Mira Fertility Tracker 25:20 Fertility Supplement Experience 28:41 Watch Outs For Mental Health 33:18 Closing & Next Episode And for anyone currently going through their personal fertility journey: I see you, I am you, we got this ♡ Book Recommendation*: 'It Starts With An Egg' by Rebecca Fett Follow Very Beginning on Instagram & TikTok: @verybeginningofficial If you liked this episode it would mean the world if you subscribe, like & leave a review ♥ #podcast #fertility #TTC This episode was recorded with Riverside- use the following link if you'd like to try it out to start your own podcast: ⁠https://riverside.fm/?utm_campaign=campaign_1&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=rewardful&via=anastasia⁠ *Disclaimer: all recommendations are based on personal experience and are not sponsored

Welcome back to season 2 of Very Beginning! This season will be quite different: focusing a lot more on being authentic and vulnerable while talking about all things fertility & women's health! Over the next weeks I am going to talk openly and candidly about all my fertility learnings- from coming of birth control, going through a long phase of TTC, experiencing loss, and going through IVF. Leave me a comment if there is a specific topic you'd like me to cover! In this episode: 00:00 Intro 00:53 New 2023 Focus 04:07 Reason for Starting Podcast 07:25 Fertility Topic Disclaimers 09:41 2023 Fertility Learnings 10:20 Learning 1: Importance Of Mental Health 13:48 Learning 2: The Only Way Through Is Through 16:48 Learning 3: You Are Not Alone & Sharing Helps 17:53 Important Fertility Statistics 21:20 Closing Follow Very Beginning on Instagram & TikTok: @verybeginningofficial If you liked this episode it would mean the world if you subscribe & leave a review ♥ This episode was recorded with Riverside- use the following link if you'd like to try it out to start your own podcast: ⁠https://riverside.fm/?utm_campaign=campaign_1&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=rewardful&via=anastasia⁠

Learning to not be afraid of failures has truly transformed my life. Going from someone who was so scared to make a mistake to now (almost) be glad about each bump in the road, I have come to realize that life is way too short to only share and be proud of the highlight reel. So in an effort to show up authentically & vulnerably on my podcast, I am sharing 3 of my biggest failures in life including the very important learnings each of these brought to me. From repeating a year in school, struggling to find a job after graduating, to my fertility issues, this episode has a topic for everyone. Let's #celebratefailures together & share your personal failure story and learning in the comments. 00:00 Trailer & Intro 01:08 Reason For Highlighting Failures 01:42 Definition & Studies of Failure 04:28 Personal Stories of Failure 04:47 Failure #1: Repeating Year in School 07:21 Biggest Learning Failure #1 10:27 Failure #2: Struggling To Find Job in US 14:55 Biggest Learning Failure #2 16:55 Penguin Metaphor 18:10 Failure #3: Fertility Challenges 19:54: Biggest Learning Failure #3 23:29 Closing Prior episodes mentioned: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRsWiisPhQc&t=8s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSfdw-9F44s&t=8s Follow Very Beginning on Instagram & TikTok: @verybeginningofficial If you liked this episode it would mean the world if you subscribe & leave a review ♥ Try out Riverside if you want to start your own podcast: ⁠https://riverside.fm/?utm_campaign=ca...

My very first solo episode is the most personal episode to date and marks the start of my fertility series. In the episode I open up about my personal experience with IVF and share my 5 main tips that helped me go through it. I also included one bonus tip for anyone who knows someone going through this process and is not sure for how they can best support. Opening up about this to my friends and now sharing it now more broadly has truly been incredibly helpful for me so feel free to ask any questions in the comments if you would like to see more content on this topic. And for anyone currently going through their personal fertility journey: I see you, I am you, we got this ♡ 00:00 Trailer & Intro 00:56 Reason for Opening Up Publicly About IVF 02:34 Disclaimer 03:12 Important Considerations For Family Planning 04:18 Fertility Check Process 06:53 Reason for Doing IVF 11:43 Thoughts About Sharing IVF Outcome 13:21 Brief Overview Of IVF Process 16:47 My Experience With IVF Stim Phase 17:58 Tip 1: Find Joy in The Process 21:16 Tip 2: Free Yourself From Expectations 23:55 Tip 3: Take Care of Yourself, Your Mind & Body 29:32 Tip 4: Do Your Own Research & Don't Settle 33:40 Tip 5: Learn To Let Go 36:12 Bonus Tip For Support Person 39:11 Closing Follow Very Beginning on Instagram & TikTok: @verybeginningofficial If you liked this episode it would mean the world if you subscribe & leave a review ♥ Try out Riverside if you want to start your own podcast: ⁠https://riverside.fm/?utm_campaign=campaign_1&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=rewardful&via=anastasia⁠