Welcome back to the Life Raft Podcast with me, Alice Rose. It’s 2025 and I’m going to walk with you (literally!) through all the hard stuff, all the questions and all the worries. I recorded this episode while out for a walk so I’m going to invite you to join me. Grab your phone, stick in  your earphones and listen to me as if I’m walking along beside you. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: • Why walking and movement can positively impact your brain and emotions. • How to process feelings of rage, grief, or fear in healthy ways. • Tips for preparing emotionally and mentally for family gatherings. • The importance of community and support during fertility journeys. • Permission to set boundaries and say “no” if attending feels overwhelming. Resources and Links: • Join the Life Raft Community: Fertility Life Raft Membership • Connect with me on Substack • Follow us on IG: @fertilityliferaft • Contact us: hello@fertilityliferaft.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I get asked so many questions through Instagram and through my membership and community spaces, and a lot of them are often quite similar. My mission here is to impact as many people as I can in the most accessible way possible, so in these Bitesize episodes, I'm going to take a question and give a pointed answer which I hope will be inspiring to you! I would love to hear how it lands and if it’s helpful for you, so please do reach out and let me know! In this Bitesize Episode, I answer the question: How Do You Stay Positive and Realistic at the Same Time? I share two ends of the spectrum and then dive into the specifics of The Positivity Balance, which are things you can use for support on your journey. There's such freedom and empowerment available for you, and I hope this episode is an encouragement! In this episode, we speak about: • A common question asked: How do you stay positive and realistic at the same time? • How to stop worrying about being positive all the time • How to stop deliberately choosing negative thoughts • How anyone can stay truly positive always, completely, effortlessly - and it isn’t what you think! • A reminder that we are all human beings on planet earth having a human experience Powerful Quotes: It is not possible to be a human having a human experience on planet earth and only be positive. It’s really hard to feel energized or motivated or excited about anything in your life if you’re keeping yourself in a negative mindset to protect yourself from the pain if things don’t work out. How we stay effortlessly positive is by understanding that positivity means truthful and truthful means alignment with who we are and what we’re going through and not judging ourselves for what comes up. ——— Thank you for listening to the Fertility Life Raft! I would love for you to share this episode and let me know what you think! Join our Instagram community for more support: www.instagram.com/thisisalicerose . As always please take a moment to rate and review right now or half way through or at the end - it makes the world of difference!! Thank you so much to everyone who has already. I’m running a free live event, Reclaiming You, for anyone trying to bring home a baby and finding themselves feeling lost; stuck in a ‘left behind’ mentality; exhausted and in comparison mode.  Read more about it, to see if it’s suitable for you and join me by saving your space here. About Alice Rose Hi! I'm Alice and I am on a mission to support and empower anyone trying to grow their family (and while I’m at it, changing the social narrative we see around fertility too...) Learn more about me at www.thisisalicerose.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I had the honor of chatting to Dr. Belinda Coker in today's episode of Fertility Life Raft. I love speaking to women who are entrepreneurs who have been through something incredibly hard, that have looked at what they’ve experienced and have decided to do something useful with it. It makes me feel really excited! I love that by using all of her experience both in life and professionally, Belinda’s chosen to put her energy into this amazing thing. She's so inspiring! Dr. Belinda Coker is the founder and CEO of Your Trusted Squad. Belinda has been a medical doctor for almost 20 years, initially training in obstetrics, gynaecology, reproductive and sexual health before becoming a GP. She is an executive medical director with extensive experience in virtual healthcare, quality, compliance, patient safety, and patient experience. But it was Belinda’s experience of infertility and repeated miscarriages that led her to start Your Trusted Squad. Your Trusted Squad empowers and supports couples who are trying to have a baby and finding the journey harder than expected. Your Trusted Squad helps you make informed decisions by providing coaching support and by signposting and introducing you to trusted services and sources of health information that are relevant to your specific needs. In this episode, we speak about: • Dr. Belinda’s story and how she ended up in this space • Using evidence-based research and information to make informed decisions • Situations and experiences Dr. Belinda’s clients are coming to her with and how she’s helping them • When you’re running a support space, making sure to have the community of peer support and also being clear on what’s a trusted, reliable source of information and what might not be • Mindset as a key part to the infertility journey to help take back self-ownership and reduce stress as much as possible • You don’t have to fight all of the time - there’s no shame in having others advocate on your behalf • The items in Dr. Belinda’s Life Raft • and more! Powerful Quotes: That’s what I found on my journey, even though I’m knowledgeable about the ecosystem of women's health, I still found I did a lot of research… It did take a lot of time and energy, so what I’m trying to do is just make it easier for others. When you make informed decisions, you need to know the pros and the cons of whatever choice you’re trying to make. Mindset is the key part to all of this. Having that right mindset, and feeling calm and in control as much as possible. So much is outside of our control. If we can get control where we can, it helps us feel that we are somewhat having some power over it. It’s helpful to have others to advocate on your behalf - your partner, relative, trusted friend. There’s so much power in that. That’s also something that does come up… You feel like you have to really fight, but sometimes you don’t have to. There are other people who can help you and there’s no shame in asking for help at all. Connect with Dr. Belinda Coker: Website - https://www.yourtrustedsquad.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/yourtrustedsquad/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/yourtrustedsquad/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/your-trusted-squad/ Join our Instagram community for more support: www.instagram.com/thisisalicerose . As always please take a moment to rate and review right now or half way through or at the end - it makes the world of difference!! Thank you so much to everyone who has already. I’m running a free live event, Reclaiming You, on 21 April and 22 April for anyone trying to bring home a baby and finding themselves feeling lost; stuck in a ‘left behind’ mentality; exhausted and in comparison mode. Read more about it, to see if it’s suitable for you and join me by saving your space here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I had the pleasure of chatting to Helen Davenport Peace in this week's episode. I have found Helen to be somebody I can talk to about pretty much anything, and she's one of the most wise and gentle people out there, full of knowledge and wisdom. If I’d known about Helen when we were going through our own journey, she’s someone I would have wanted on my team supporting me. I Just think she’s wonderful and I'm excited to share this conversation with you! Helen is a yoga teacher in Greater Manchester, teaching at her new studio The Fold. She specialises in yoga for women who are trying to conceive, with an emphasis on creating a restorative space for connection to self and others. The studio is a hub for trying to conceive support with other events such as women’s circles and from autumn 2021 holistic treatments including womb massage. In this episode, we speak about: • Helen’s vision of wanting to create a community to be seen and heard and understood for those who are trying to conceive • Bringing in more tenderness and self compassion, and needing to normalize conversation around guilt, shame and blame • The personal responsibility around what information we take in and the importance of asking ourselves: what makes me feel nourished? • Shifting out of the rigidity of the view on food and diet into one of intuition and the joy that comes with eating • Using breathwork as a micro-moment of grounding and embodiment • Honoring our pain and realising that it’s okay to not have a label for every feeling we experience • The items in Helen’s Life Raft • and more! Powerful Quotes: So many of us have these moments and our bodies don’t always know how to process them. The physical impact of long term anxiety and stress on our physical being is really tough. We have to begin slowing down and taking some space to think, “what can I do with that?” You have to find the breath that works for you. Just taking 30 seconds just to do that in your day when everything feels too much can be an energetic reset. We don’t always know what we’re feeling. Maybe numbness is perfectly valid. I think it’s about adding validity to all of the things that we feel and experience. You don’t always have to have language to attach to something; you don’t always have to know. We just have to give ourselves space. Connect with Helen Davenport Peace: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/at_the_fold Website: https://thefold.uk/ Thank you for listening to the Fertility Life Raft! I would love for you to share this episode and let me know what you think! Join our Instagram community for more support: www.instagram.com/thisisalicerose . As always please take a moment to rate and review right now or half way through or at the end - it makes the world of difference!! Thank you so much to everyone who has already. I’m running a free live event, Reclaiming You, on 21 April and 22 April for anyone trying to bring home a baby and finding themselves feeling lost; stuck in a ‘left behind’ mentality; exhausted and in comparison mode. Read more about it, to see if it’s suitable for you and join me by saving your space here. About Alice Rose Hi! I'm Alice and I am on a mission to support and empower anyone trying to grow their family (and while I’m at it, changing the social narrative we see around fertility too...) Learn more about me at www.thisisalicerose.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I had the pleasure of chatting to the wonderful Naomi Woolfson in today's episode. We share a helpful, actionable conversation with lots of stuff you can take away and use right now to start feeling better straight away. Be sure to visit Naomi's website to download her free “3 ways to stress less and enhance fertility using the mind-body link.” Which includes the first chapter of her upcoming book, a three minute reset MP3 and a beautiful guided visualisation. Naomi Woolfson, of Embrace Fertility, is a therapist who specialises in supporting women through trying to conceive, fertility treatments and then pregnancy and birth following infertility. She and her partner went through almost 4 years of infertility, IUI’s, IVF, anxiety, surgery and a miscarriage before they went on to conceive both of their ginger children naturally! For the past eight years, Naomi has worked to raise the level of understanding about an infertility diagnosis – from the debilitating emotional impact and the overwhelming feelings of sadness, helplessness and grief, to the simple yet powerful mind-body techniques that provide relief and build resilience during this highly emotive time while greatly increasing your chances of conceiving. In this episode, we speak about: • How some on this journey reach rock-bottom early on rather than near the end • Finding mindfulness and other support techniques through books, people, and synchronicities  • Practicing EFT and supporting others whilst going through fertility treatments • The story behind Naomi’s choice to call her business “Embrace Fertility” • Regaining control and personal power through recognition of the choice we have over our thoughts and emotions • Naomi walking us through the “Yes, Please” technique that you can begin incorporating today • The items in Naomi’s Life Raft • and more! Powerful Quotes: Instead of striving for: Pregnancy is the goal. The goal is for you to find yourself again, and to release the anxiety, stress, and overwhelm. That book [Full Catastrophe Living] was saying to me, it wasn’t the fact I was infertile that was causing the anxiety and panic attacks. It was the thoughts I was having about it. So then I started and it was 3 rounds of tapping and saying statements, and I felt a shift. I felt vividly different to how I had five minutes before. Another moment where I felt that this is some kind of magic or I need to understand more You can’t pick what thoughts come into your head, but you get to pick the next thought and what you do with that. It’s very much about finding the thing that does work for you, and realizing that on different days different things will work for you. Connect with Naomi Woolfson: Instagram: www.instagram.com/embracefertility Facebook: www.facebook.com/embracefertility Website: https://embracefertility.co.uk/ Thank you for listening to the Fertility Life Raft! I would love for you to share this episode and let me know what you think! Join our Instagram community for more support: www.instagram.com/thisisalicerose . As always please take a moment to rate and review right now or half way through or at the end - it makes the world of difference!! Thank you so much to everyone who has already. I’m running a free live event, Reclaiming You, on 21 April and 22 April for anyone trying to bring home a baby and finding themselves feeling lost; stuck in a ‘left behind’ mentality; exhausted and in comparison mode. Read more about it, to see if it’s suitable for you and join me by saving your space here. Free Gentle Mindset Challenge Join me and nearly 500 people from all over the world for this free 3 day challenge- we start today, but if you’re finding this later, you can still sign up to get the replay sessions…there is no expiry. Join today at https://alicerose.lpages.co/the-gentle-mindset-challenge/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I had the pleasure of chatting to Becky Kearns in today's episode. Becky is a friend of mine who I met through the online community sharing our stories and how we found we didn't have the support we needed as we were going through our experiences. In this episode she shares her story and says she remembers how lost and alone she felt. By hearing these stories, by opening the dialogue, by smashing down these taboos it just makes it so much easier and so much better for all of us to understand much more about donor conception. I hope that you love this episode! Becky is a mum to three girls all thanks to egg donation. After an early menopause diagnosis in her twenties she went on to have five unsuccessful cycles of IVF, including a miscarriage, with her own eggs. Making the decision to move to donor conception wasn't easy, but eventually Becky found hope in this path to parenthood as she began to redefine what it meant to her to be a mum. Becky and her husband were fortunate that with their first attempt using donated eggs they were successful and welcomed their eldest daughter Mila into the world in 2016, before having their twins in 2018. Now finally a mum, Becky remembered just how alone and lost she felt on her fertility journey as well as how little donor conception was talked about and so she started her DefiningMum blog almost three years ago, sharing both her fertility struggles but also her reflections and parenting journey now. In 2020 she launched a virtual donor conception support platform - Paths to Parenthub, designed to offer information, support and much needed connection for anyone needing to use a donor to build their family. In this episode, we speak about: • The importance of self-advocation and finding a good GP who can empathize and help you through an initial diagnosis • Defining hope and shifting your perspective to become hopeful for many different outcomes in your life  • Processing grief and the emotional challenges that come up along your journey of infertility • Having self-compassion as we experience sadness and happiness coexisting with anything we go through in life • The items in Becky’s Life Raft • How important it is to have a space where you can share how you’re feeling and not worry about judgment or shame • and more! Powerful Quotes: There’s so much work to be done around supporting people through that, and helping them to build their own family narratives and having that confidence to talk about their story without shame. There are so many different pathways within donor conception. It all can feel quite lonely until you meet someone else who’s been on it. It took me saying “I’m sure there’s something wrong.” I think it was just having to really find that within me to know that This is MY life and my body. They don’t really mind what happens to me and I do. It’s affecting my mental health. All I’m asking for are some tests. Connect with Becky Kearns: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/definingmum and https://www.instagram.com/paths_to_parenthub Website: www.definingmum.com and www.pathstoparenthub.com Thank you for listening to the Fertility Life Raft! I would love for you to share this episode and let me know what you think! Join our Instagram community for more support: www.instagram.com/thisisalicerose . As always please take a moment to rate and review right now or half way through or at the end - it makes the world of difference!! Thank you so much to everyone who has already. I’m running a free live event, Reclaiming You, on 21 April and 22 April for anyone trying to bring home a baby and finding themselves feeling lost; stuck in a ‘left behind’ mentality; exhausted and in comparison mode. Read more about it, to see if it’s suitable for you and join me by saving your space here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I had the pleasure of chatting to Professor Joyce Harper in today's episode. We have a real mix of guests on this show as you know. It's important to recognize that a part of this journey is just absorbing information, and that can be absolutely overwhelming. It can sometimes be hard to hear the truth or the science behind all of this because sometimes it’s not what we want to hear. In this episode, we hear from Joyce what it was like working as a profession in the field going through fertility treatments, and how it still impacts her now having this insight, knowledge and empathy. I love her way of way of talking about this information. I hope that by listening, you begin to empower yourself with knowledge, while not getting overwhelmed by it or allowing it to dictate your life. Professor Joyce Harper. Joyce is a Professor of Reproductive Science at the Institute for Women’s Health at the University College London. She's the Director of Education at the IFWH and Head of the Reproductive Science and Society Group. Joyce has worked in the fields of fertility, genetics, reproductive health and women’s health for over 30 years and she’s particularly passionate about education and discussion about all aspects of women’s health. Joyce is also the mother of 3 sons all born through IVF. In this episode, we speak about: • Joyce’s passion for education about reproductive health • The importance of normalizing menstrual cycle conversations to minimise misinformation and properly provide people with information and support • Working as a professional in this field while personally going through fertility treatments • Preconception health as evidence for fertility and how balancing your 4 pillars of wellbeing - Nutrition, Exercise, Sleep, Mental Health/Wellbeing - can empower you on this journey • Specific, technical advice for those who are at the start of trying to get pregnant • The disconnect between patient and healthcare professional, and why it’s even more important to empower the patient not just with knowledge, but understanding what's happening emotionally and mentally. • and more! Powerful Quotes: I also want women to understand their menstrual cycle, just for their own reproductive health. There are some women who have problems with their menstrual cycle - if you’re never taught this, how are you going to know what’s not right? We need to get these conversations on the table. Let people know what’s not normal. It’s not all about having babies. Majority of it is education about reproductive help. What my mission is with the education is just to give men and women the information to make sure they know, because we’re never taught this. We are all totally individual. So what applies to one person will not apply to you. What anyone needs to do, individually and as a couple, is take it all in and then decide what’s right for you. That’s what’s really important. There is nothing magic that says: if everyone does this, they’ll get pregnant. It just doesn’t work like that. We’re too varied and too individual. Take in what you can, be aware that people are going to have different views and decide what’s best for you.  Connect with Professor Joyce Harper: www.instagram.com/profjoyceharper/ www.joyceharper.com Thank you for listening to the Fertility Life Raft! I would love for you to share this episode and let me know what you think! Join our Instagram community for more support: www.instagram.com/thisisalicerose . As always please take a moment to rate and review right now or half way through or at the end - it makes the world of difference!! Thank you so much to everyone who has already. I’m running a free live event, Reclaiming You, on 21 April and 22 April for anyone trying to bring home a baby and finding themselves feeling lost; stuck in a ‘left behind’ mentality; exhausted and in comparison mode. Read more about it, to see if it’s suitable for you and join me by saving your space here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trigger Warning: Miscarriage I had the pleasure of chatting to Natasha Lunn in today's episode. I remember feeling incredibly humbled that she got in touch to say this podcast was helpful for her. I feel really honored and grateful to Natasha for coming onto this podcast and sharing in this conversation. Within the last 2 weeks, she has released her first book - Conversations on Love - and it is just absolutely amazing! There are so many little golden, magical nuggets, and I just love it so much. I'm delighted to share this episode with you! Natasha is a writer, author and journalist, who works as features director at Red magazine. She also writes a bimonthly email newsletter called Conversations on Love. In this episode, we speak about: • How important it is to name and make space for messy feelings • Feeling like there’s no “right decision” to make in particular moments, and the shame that accompanies these decisions • How waiting to start treatments can feel like you’re stuck between two possible futures • The Unbearable Unknown and how to live with uncertainty • By divorcing the hope from the outcome it gives you the space to live. • There is no hierarchy of love and mother-child love doesn’t have to be the defining energy of your life • Love is not the thing you’re given or you acquire; it’s the daily choices you make and how you move through the world. • and more! Powerful Quotes: "I think we need to get much better at making space for these messy feelings. Those conversations have made me understand that we have to honor our individual heartbreaks because if we don’t and we don’t deal with that, it’ll show up somewhere else." "Hoping in the face of uncertainty is not just courageous, but we cannot love anyone without doing that." "You’re being kind to yourself by hoping. you are saying “I’m going to allow you to hope during this space because that’s a more joyful way to survive this horrible time I’m going through." "It’s okay to have one day where you feel really sorry for yourself. Allow yourself to indulge the misery. Then tomorrow, just get up and try again. It’s useful to make space to let ourselves be a little cynical now and again." "Life is this unfolding thing and when we can see that everybody else experiences in life what unfolds too, I think it just helps us to be a little bit gentler." Connect with Natasha: www.instagram.com/natashachloelunn www.instagram.com/conversations_on_love Thank you for listening to the Fertility Life Raft! I would love for you to share this episode and let me know what you think! Join our Instagram community for more support: www.instagram.com/thisisalicerose . As always please take a moment to rate and review right now or half way through or at the end - it makes the world of difference!! Thank you so much to everyone who has already. I’m running a free live event, Reclaiming You, on 21 April and 22 April for anyone trying to bring home a baby and finding themselves feeling lost; stuck in a ‘left behind’ mentality; exhausted and in comparison mode. Read more about it, to see if it’s suitable for you and join me by saving your space here. About Alice Rose Hi! I'm Alice and I am on a mission to support and empower anyone trying to grow their family (and while I’m at it, changing the social narrative we see around fertility too...) Learn more about me at www.thisisalicerose.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trigger Warning: Mentions of suicidal ideation, mental health struggles, and rape I had the pleasure of chatting to Kat Brown in today's episode. I first met Kat at a women's circle I was hosting. She was so honest and open and raw and just had this magnetic quality, that I really wanted to learn more about her. This conversation with Kat is no different. She shares her honest and important story, expressing what it's like to go through this experiences and how she's finding life right now. My hope with sharing Kat's honest and raw story - and all those which have endings we hope won't be our own endings - is that you know whatever happens, you'll be okay. Kat is a freelance journalist covering arts, social media culture, and equestrian travel. Her work has appeared in The Telegraph, the i, the independent, Grazia and others. In this episode, we speak about: • Kat’s journey from growing up to where she is now • The sense of claustrophobia when you’re trying to conceive and feeling like there’s no way out • The importance of not bulldozing real, raw feelings and emotions with toxic positivity • How common it is to become so consumed by what we’re trying to achieve that we lose all the little parts of ourselves • The realness of Disenfranchised Grief, and how it needs to become more normalized and supported in society • Not everyone is having pets over babies - the companionship is incredible! • Being unsure of what’s coming “next” is okay, and how the passing of time is an important part of the process of healing and growth • and more! Powerful Quotes: We were excited about it in the same way you’re excited about getting a new carpet...Then it just didn’t happen. And it kept not happening.  When I had that realization, it was like the universe collapsed into a black hole. Lost all ability to think, be or do anything. All my feelings were just concentrated on this insane, laser focused, diamond sharp devastation. I remember going: Everything is lovely. How can everything be so broken and awful when the world is so sunny and beautiful and lovely? Not even remotely grateful for infertility, but life happens and something else happens after that, and eventually we may be able to chart a course. Something I do feel really happy about is that I don't feel like the infertility is my fault or it’s my fault for not being able to give my husband any children. The only reason I'm in any kind of all right state right now is because of the passing of time. Unfortunately when something really aggressively, violently bad to you happens, the only thing that’s going to “fix” that is time. Connect with Kat: https://twitter.com/katbrown https://www.instagram.com/katbrownwrites/ https://www.katbrownwrites.com/ Thank you for listening to the Fertility Life Raft! I would love for you to share this episode and let me know what you think! Join our Instagram community for more support: www.instagram.com/thisisalicerose . As always please take a moment to rate and review right now or half way through or at the end - it makes the world of difference!! Thank you so much to everyone who has already. I’m running a free live event, Reclaiming You, on 21 April and 22 April for anyone trying to bring home a baby and finding themselves feeling lost; stuck in a ‘left behind’ mentality; exhausted and in comparison mode. Read more about it, to see if it’s suitable for you and join me by saving your space here. About Alice Rose Hi! I'm Alice and I am on a mission to support and empower anyone trying to grow their family (and while I’m at it, changing the social narrative we see around fertility too...) Learn more about me at www.thisisalicerose.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I had the pleasure of chatting to Dr. Anita Mitra, Gynae Geek, in this episode How to Self Advocate. It was so great to hear her perspective on the doctor/patient relationship and hear what we can do to advocate for ourselves even in the middle of everything. I hope this episode will be helpful to you and give you the tools and empowerment to self advocate for the treatment that you need and want! Dr Anita Mitra is an NHS doctor specialising in Obstetrics & Gynaecology who also appears online as 'The Gynae Geek', and has been described as 'A trusted source of knowledge in an era of self-proclaimed gurus & internet-experts'. She has a PhD from Imperial College London for her research into cervical cancer & the vaginal microbiome. She has published her research in clinical & scientific journals and is an internationally renowned expert in the vaginal microbiome and is often invited to present her research & as a keynote speaker at various learned societies in Europe & America. She continues to work full-time as a doctor in the NHS. During her time in the hospital, Anita realised there were so many myths & misconceptions about Women's Health, often complicated by inaccurate information & false claims online. She, therefore, embarked on her mission to provide reliable yet engaging healthcare information, educate and empower women about how their bodies work & cut through the nonsense about Women's health. In this episode, we speak about: • The importance of a two-way street of communication between doctors and their patients • The difficulty of finding great engaging sources of reliable healthcare information • Tips for self-advocating in medical consultation • How powerful it can be writing a letter to your doctor which may provoke them to reflect on what they do and might help them to change their practice • Retaining dignity and ownership during vulnerable experiences • Recommendation for apps to aid with tracking your cycle • and more! Powerful Quotes: “When you can use information and improve someone’s experience, you can’t put a value on that.” “I think we have to sit a little bit uncomfortable with the truth that unfortunately there are lots of people who are finding it really difficult to get the medical help that they need, and we really have to do something about it.” “Having a blue tick doesn’t always mean you’re putting reliable information out on social media.” “You have to make somebody feel comfortable enough to make themselves vulnerable in that consultation and say, ‘Can you explain that again because I don’t understand.’” Connect with Dr. Anita: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/gynaegeek Website - https://www.gynaegeek.com/ Thank you for listening to the Fertility Life Raft! I would love for you to share this episode and let me know what you think! Join our Instagram community for more support: www.instagram.com/thisisalicerose . As always please take a moment to rate and review right now or half way through or at the end - it makes the world of difference!! Thank you so much to everyone who has already. I’m running a free live event, Reclaiming You, on 21 April and 22 April for anyone trying to bring home a baby and finding themselves feeling lost; stuck in a ‘left behind’ mentality; exhausted and in comparison mode. Read more about it, to see if it’s suitable for you and join me by saving your space here. About Alice Rose Hi! I'm Alice and I am on a mission to support and empower anyone trying to grow their family (and while I’m at it, changing the social narrative we see around fertility too...) Learn more about me at www.thisisalicerose.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trigger Warning: Infertility I had the pleasure of chatting to Samantha Busch in this episode Strength, Empowerment, and Community. I was so excited when I approached Samantha to see if she might be happy to speak with me, and I was really moved by her honesty and openness as she shared her story with me. I hope this episode will be an encouragement to you! Samantha Busch is a wife (to NASCAR champion Kyle Busch), mother, author, entrepreneur, lifestyle blogger, infertility warrior, philanthropist and co-owner of a professional race team. Busch’s first book, Fighting Infertility, was published on March 30, 2021. In this episode, we speak about: • The support and blessing of connection within the Infertility Community • How Samantha and Kyle manage their relationship • What going through Secondary infertility is like • Why ‘just adopt’ is such an unhelpful comment for everyone involved • The importance of being aware of how each person deals with their feelings and having compassion within relationships and with ourselves • How discussing boundaries with friends and family actually creates less awkward or hurtful situations in the long run • The items in Samantha’s Life Raft and how her faith plays a massive role of comfort • Samantha’s Bundle of Joy Foundation positive impacts on children AND parents • Finding humor and joy in the small things, as well as the importance of taking everything day by day, one step at at time • and more! Powerful Quotes: “Before you’re even going to start trying, you need to know the cards you're dealt.” “I do find advice from the fertility community from people who have gone through it to be helpful...but I caution people both on social and in the book, it’s okay if you don’t know what to say, but don’t try to fill that void with unsolicited advice. That doesn’t help someone who’s tried it all.” “Just to have that sense of connection and somewhere you can go to turn your problems over and get that guidance and feel filled up. I think sometimes when you’re going through struggles you just feel so empty, and then when you go to church and you hear the word and that message, it fills you up and lifts your spirits and helps you keep fighting through each day.” “Nothing about infertility is easy so you have to do everything you can do to find that comfort, love, and support to manage it.” “I honestly think for any woman going through infertility, you are so much stronger than you know. When you look back on what you’ve had to face and overcome and still keep moving forward, it’s very powerful. It’s easy to feel defeated or broken or less than when you’re going through infertility, but when you take a step back and see it all, it’s something you should be proud of.” Connect with Samantha: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/samanthabusch Website - https://www.samanthabusch.com Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/samanthabusch Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/mrssamanthabusch Thank you for listening to the Fertility Life Raft! I would love for you to share this episode and let me know what you think! Join our Instagram community for more support: www.instagram.com/thisisalicerose . As always please take a moment to rate and review right now or half way through or at the end - it makes the world of difference!! Thank you so much to everyone who has already. I’m running a free live event, Reclaiming You, on 21 April and 22 April for anyone trying to bring home a baby and finding themselves feeling lost; stuck in a ‘left behind’ mentality; exhausted and in comparison mode. Read more about it, to see if it’s suitable for you and join me by saving your space here. About Alice Rose Hi! I'm Alice and I am on a mission to support and empower anyone trying to grow their family (and while I’m at it, changing the social narrative we see around fertility too...) Learn more about me at www.thisisalicerose.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trigger Warning: Baby Loss This week I had the pleasure of chatting to Sophie Martin, otherwise known as @theinfertilemidwife on Instagram. This chat is really packed with helpful information, personal insight and it’s so moving to listen to Sophie’s story but so uplifting too. So looking forward to sharing this conversation with you! Sophie Martin is a Registered Midwife and has worked in a Central London hospital for the past nine years. One of her special interests is antenatal education, and she regularly teaches on antenatal courses. She has written for the Royal College of Midwives Magazine, alongside blog posts, and appearing on Radio and podcasts. Sophie has personal experience of fertility treatment, having undergone 6 rounds of IVF herself. She also writes about the loss of her sons, Cecil & Wilfred who were born very prematurely. In this episode, we speak about: • How Sophie was able to find strength through grief in the loss of her twin boys • Sophie’s ability to work as a midwife while personally experiencing loss and infertility • The items of support in Sophie’s Life Raft • The importance of establishing and maintaining healthy boundaries within relationships within infertility • Advice for finding an infertility clinic • How to find the confidence to self advocate even when you’re feeling very vulnerable and desperate • Where to find legitimate research pages to stop yourself from falling down the google rabbit hole • and more! Powerful Quotes: "There’s no infertility handbook, no one tells you how to negotiate relationships." "It’s okay to get home and not remember or not understand. Just pick up the phone or write an email and be really persistent. There should be a standard of care, and this is potentially your one shot at something so massive … Other people get 12 months of the year to try for a baby, whereas people doing IVF get one chance. It’s your body, your cycle." "Coping is a funny word. I don’t know if anyone really copes [with losing a baby]. You just get up every day…or you don’t. But, the days pass." Connect with Sophie: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/the.infertile.midwife Website - https://www.theinfertilemidwife.com Other links mentioned: Petition for care after miscarriage - https://actions.tommys.org/a/miscarriage-petition?utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid_search&utm_campaign=miscarriage-lancet&utm_content=&gclid=CjwKCAjwz_WGBhA1EiwAUAxIcWLDZyQffyl1p0Lb-dTwmEB4nDK1w-7r1vUuxrt21BzEAn355bTjoRoC0J0QAvD_BwE Contribute to Tommy's fundraiser - https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-display/showROFundraiserPage?userUrl=500milesfor5losses&pageUrl=8 Additional Resources: Cat Strawbridge: Hangout Community - https://www.catstrawbridge.com/a/v867x Zoe Clark Coates - https://www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/books/zoe-clark-coates/pregnancy-after-loss/9781409195948 Thank you for listening to the Fertility Life Raft! I would love for you to share this episode and let me know what you think! Join our Instagram community for more support: www.instagram.com/thisisalicerose . As always please take a moment to rate and review right now or half way through or at the end - it makes the world of difference!! Thank you so much to everyone who has already. I’m running a free live event, Reclaiming You, on 21 April and 22 April for anyone trying to bring home a baby and finding themselves feeling lost; stuck in a ‘left behind’ mentality; exhausted and in comparison mode. Read more about it, to see if it’s suitable for you and join me by saving your space here. About Alice Rose Hi! I'm Alice and I am on a mission to support and empower anyone trying to grow their family (and while I’m at it, changing the social narrative we see around fertility too...) Learn more about me at www.thisisalicerose.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trigger Warning: Infertility I had the honor of chatting to Amber Izzo in this episode IVF Postcode Lottery and Taking Ownership. We speak about her amazing Fight For IVF Campaign, and talk about working through the frustration of being told, "You're young. You'll be fine!" and what it feels like on the other side of those words. We also have a good chat about how to stay in your own lane while still being part of this supportive community, and how important is is to not compare our stories with anyone else. So looking forward to sharing this conversation with you! Amber is navigating the world of infertility having been through multiple cycles of failed IVF, embarking on another cycle whilst acting as a fertility advocate, leading the Fight For IVF campaign, and the founder of Innovation Fertility, an online support hub for people trying to conceive! In this episode, we speak about: • Working through the frustration of being told, “You’re young. You’ve got plenty of time. It’ll be fine.”  • Amber’s choice to take action and begin making changes through her Fight For IVF campaign • The importance of taking ownership and identifying where we are responsible in finding a way through infertility in a more positive and proactive way • What support and tools Amber has in her Life Raft • Learning how to stay in your own lane while still being part of a supportive community • Reframing what positivity means for each individual experience • Innovation Fertility as a space created from a desire to offer support Amber wished she’d had at the start of her infertility journey Powerful Quotes: "It’s forced me to be a bit more confident in myself. Infertility has done that in general; it’s forced me to really get to know myself as a person." "You can learn and take on board what other people say to you but ultimately you have to stay true to yourself." "I’m not accepting of the fact I’m infertile. I don’t accept it but I have resigned to it. I understand this is the situation I’m in, and all I can do is ride the wave." "When I think about accepting my situation, I don’t want to accept the fact I`m infertile. I don't want that to be my story. That it’s my beginning and my end. But I resign to the fact that this is the situation I’m in right now and I resign to the fact that my path to parenthood isn’t going to be easy. I accept it’s the situation I’m in, but it’s not who I am." Connect with Amber: Instagram - www.instagram.com/amber.izzo Website - www.amberizzo.com Innovation Fertility - www.innovationfertility.com Thank you for listening to the Fertility Life Raft! I would love for you to share this episode and let me know what you think! Join our Instagram community for more support: www.instagram.com/thisisalicerose I’m running a free live event, Reclaiming You, on 21 April and 22 April for anyone trying to bring home a baby and finding themselves feeling lost; stuck in a ‘left behind’ mentality; exhausted and in comparison mode. Read more about it, to see if it’s suitable for you and join me by saving your space here. About Alice Rose Hi! I'm Alice and I am on a mission to support and empower anyone trying to grow their family (and while I’m at it, changing the social narrative we see around fertility too...) Learn more about me at www.thisisalicerose.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trigger Warning: Infertility I had the pleasure of starting off Series 3 by chatting to Aisha Balesaria in this episode Finding Happiness, Whatever Happens. This is a powerful conversation which I hope will encourage you to feel empowered in taking space and time to process your experiences, as well as to find happiness for yourself each and every single day. Aisha and her husband spent 10 years trying to conceive and finally decided to embrace a childfree-after-infertility life. With real courage and determination, they eventually got to a place of healing and acceptance. Aisha is now a coach, and her aim is to empower those struggling with infertility or chronic illness. In this episode, we speak about: • The effects of hormones and medication on our bodies and our minds during treatments. • How reaching rock bottom can often be the catalyst for moving you into a much healthier and more positive and more uplifting point • The importance of space and time needed to process what happened in the past and currently in order to move into that next chapter and new mindset • What waking up and finding happiness looks like for someone who identifies as childfree after trying fertility • How it feels not to feel triggered by pregnancy announcements and baby showers • The things in Aisha’s Life Raft and Clean PJs!! Powerful Quotes: "It got to a point where I just couldn’t carry on anymore, and it was literally infertility or me, and I chose me."  "Everyone has their own way of navigating how they get through grief and sadness but I would always advocate for therapy for being the best component for helping me through grief and sadness." "I understand why we’re not included in the narrative. We’re peoples’ worst nightmare: “I'm not going to end up like Aisha. I’m not going to end up like her.” Not having a baby is still a viable option. You can have a happy life. My husband and I are living proof of that."  "At the end of the day, I have to make my life the best life it can be, even though there’s something I wanted that isn’t here." Connect with Aisha: Instagram - www.instagram.com/mindbodyrevival_coach Twitter - https://twitter.com/mindbodyrevival Website - www.mindbodyrevivalcoach.com Thank you for listening to the Fertility Life Raft! Your thoughts on our topics are really important to hear...this is definitely a conversation between us all so please do drop me a line alice@thisisalicerose.com if you've got anything you want to share, or discuss after listening. If you enjoyed this podcast it would mean the world if you left a rating/review - thank you! Join our Instagram community for more support: www.instagram.com/thisisalicerose. You're not alone. I’m running a free live event, Reclaiming You, on 21 April and 22 April for anyone trying to bring home a baby and finding themselves feeling lost; stuck in a ‘left behind’ mentality; exhausted and in comparison mode. Read more about it, to see if it’s suitable for you and join me by saving your space here. About Alice Rose Hi! I'm Alice, the fertility mentor and I am on a mission to support and empower anyone trying to grow their family (and while I’m at it, changing the global social narrative around fertility too...) Come and try a mini mindset course or 5 minute meditation at www.thisisalicerose.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season one trailer. I believe going through infertility or loss is one of the hardest life experiences. My goal was to create a podcast full of warmth and inspiration, to break down stigmas and normalise conversations. I want to encourage an open and frank dialogue - not just for the people going through it but for friends, family and colleagues, so we can all understand the devastating impact these experiences can have and find the best way to get through them together. So this is the trailer for my brand new podcast series! You will hear from: Anna Whitehouse (aka Mother Pukka) Cat Strawbridge (aka Trying Years) Keeley Dwight (aka Trying to be a Mum) Jessica Hepburn Sophie Sulheria and her husband Jonny ...with many more to come. Listen, subscribe and share because I need your help to spread the word! With enormous love to each and every person going through this, and thank you so very much to those who aren't, but who want to learn... Alice Rose @thisisalicerose I’m running a free live event, Reclaiming You, on 21 April and 22 April for anyone trying to bring home a baby and finding themselves feeling lost; stuck in a ‘left behind’ mentality; exhausted and in comparison mode. Read more about it, to see if it’s suitable for you and join me by saving your space here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Full Masterclass Audio! I've done something a little bit different this week - if you missed my live free masterclass last week, then fear not... for: VOILA! I have shared the full audio from the Big Calm Reset complete with meditations, journal prompts, affirmations and more, all here for you to listen to at your pleasure! Absolutely thrilled to be enrolling new students into my beautiful 6 week mindset course: RECLAIM right now you can find out the info and join us (we start November 3rd) right here: https://fertilityliferaft.com/reclaim Need to run through anything or ask me some questions? No problem, send me an email hello@fertilityliferaft.com or drop me an IG message https://www.instagram.com/fertilityliferaft/ (I'm partial to a voice note!) Take care Alice x Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

🎙️ Resistance, Acceptance & the Unexpected Path to Motherhood This is one of those episodes that will stay with you long after you’ve listened. I’m joined by two remarkable guests — Kreena Dhiman and Seetal Savla — for a deeply layered, honest, and soul-shifting conversation on fertility, cultural pressure, and what it means to stop resisting and begin accepting the journey as it is. Both women share their raw paths to motherhood — cancer, heart failure, miscarriage, surrogacy, donor conception, and finally, miraculous birth — each story laced with grief, hope, grit, and love. We explore: South Asian cultural expectations and the shame-silence loop Redefining success and letting go of “the plan” What it means to surrender without giving up How hope evolves beyond outcomes Why grief and gratitude often walk hand in hand 🔥 Special Segment for the Soul:"I didn’t just survive death to listen to you tell me how to live." Kreena’s moment of purpose and Seetal’s redefinition of hope will hit you straight in the heart. 💥 FREE LIVE EVENT 👉 Sign up for The Exhaustion Remedy, a transformative space to reconnect with yourself as you navigate TTC. 📲 Kreena Dhiman Instagram: @kreendhiman Website: kreendhiman.com 📲 Seetal Savla Instagram: @seetalsavla LinkedIn: Seetal Savla 🛟 Your Life Raft Reminder: Grief and gratitude can live in the same breath. Hope isn’t one fixed outcome — it’s a shape-shifter. Let this episode remind you of your strength — even if all you’re doing is breathing through today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What if the very thing you’re doing to try and stay in control… is actually what’s making you feel so lost? In this solo episode, I’m unpacking what happens when the journey to conceive takes over everything. Not just your calendar, your diet, your sleep, and your supplement regime — but your sense of self. I’m sharing my own experience of feeling consumed by advice, routines, “must-dos,” and the crushing pressure to optimize every detail of my fertility — right down to one very memorable (and strangely guilt-inducing) slice of ham. Because when we’re in the thick of it, even the smallest deviation from the plan can feel catastrophic. And that’s the problem. This episode is for you if: You’re feeling overwhelmed by the pressure to “do everything right” You’ve lost touch with the person you were before TTC You need permission to just breathe without tying it to fertility outcomes Let this be your reminder: you are allowed to reconnect with yourself — not just as someone trying to conceive, but as someone worthy of compassion, space, and care… now. Not “once it works,” but now. I’ll walk you through what that kind of reconnection can look like and why it’s not just fluff — it’s essential. If you’re nodding along, make sure to sign up for the free Fertility Exhaustion Remedy — we start soon and I’d love to support you inside. 👉 fertilityliferaft.com/remedy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Can’t sleep… even though you’re bone tired? I get it — and so does today’s guest, Khaliah O’Guillory, certified sleep coach and founder of Nap Bar. Whether your insomnia or sleep issues are tied to stress, fertility struggles, burnout, or just a brain that won’t switch off… this episode is here to give you both comfort and actual tools to help. We talk about: What to do in those dreaded 2am wide-awake moments The “don’t look at the clock” rule (seriously, stop doing that) How to stop putting pressure on sleep so you can actually… sleep What segmented sleep is and why it might be a game-changer for you The 10-3-2-1-0 method for better sleep hygiene (even if you’re a night owl) The surprising impact of joy and true rest on your health + resilience We also explore the deeper stuff — like how rest isn’t just about sleep, but about reclaiming who you are when life feels overwhelming. If you’ve been feeling like a shell of yourself, or you’re trying to “push through” exhaustion (hello, type-A energy), this is your gentle invitation to pause and rethink what your body really needs right now. Khalia’s blend of infectious positive energy, science, soul and seriously practical advice makes this one of the most grounding and encouraging conversations I’ve had in a long time. Come for the sleep tips, stay for the reminder that you’re a dope human who deserves rest. Subscribe so you never miss these life-rafty convos. Follow Khaliah @kogspeaks + @napbarhou Nap Bar’s curated sleep playlists on Spotify: search “Nap Bar Sleep Scape” Book recommendation: Sacred Rest by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith Resources & Links: When you know yourself, you can give yourself what you need - take our Fertility Voyager Archetype quiz and start your path of reclamation today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this deeply moving and empowering conversation, Alice welcomes Katie to the Fertility Life Raft Podcast. Katie shares her unexpected journey through infertility, the decision to step away from treatment without a baby, and how she has built a joyful and fulfilling life on her own terms. Together, they discuss: The "escalator of life" and the social conditioning around marriage and motherhood Two distinct chapters of infertility in Katie’s 30s The intentional decision-making process before trying again in her mid-30s The relief and grief that came with walking away from IVF Creating Afterglow, Katie’s Substack community for women navigating life after fertility treatment Why we need more honest stories about when treatment doesn’t work out How acceptance, joy, and personal growth can coexist with grief Katie’s story is an inspiring reminder that fulfillment and purpose don’t depend on following society’s blueprint, and that there is beauty in rewriting your own story. Katie is the writer and founder of Afterglow, a growing Substack community for women who are considering stepping away—or have already stepped away—from fertility treatment. Through honest essays and personal reflections, she challenges dominant fertility narratives and creates a compassionate, uplifting space for those navigating life beyond IVF. Follow Katie on Substack: Afterglow Connect on Instagram: @afterglow_by_Katie Listen to related episodes: Jessica Hepburn Kat Brown Katie is a client and previous Life Raft member; you can click here to see what sort of support is available now: http://fertilityliferaft.com/everything ✨ “It’s such a personal decision to walk away, but for me it was about realising a baby would add to my life—not complete it.” ✨ “There aren’t enough stories about when fertility treatment doesn’t work out—and how that can still be a happy ending.” ✨ “Energy flows where attention goes. Once I stepped away, I had the space to build a joyful life in a new way.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices