Hearing about other women's stories can be inspirational and also a source of solace - know that you are not alone. And if you've been TTC for awhile and have been diagnosed with unexplained infertility - you are going to soooo relate to this episode.

One of my former students - Tracy Haskard - was so brave to come on the show and share her story with me.

Here's what is in the show:

• Being diagnosed with unexplained infertility
• Learning to advocate for yourself
• Discovering her endometriosis
• What endo coaching is and who she she worked with
• Taking time for healing
• Taking time to grieve the people you may lose along the way instead of pushing through
• Spirit Babies and how they are looking for a place in your lives but need the space to come through
• How IVF #6 resulted in her beautiful baby girl
• Tracy's words of wisdom and encouragement for others on the journey.

Tracy's story is her own, yet I hear similar variations on the theme of unexplained infertility leading to an endometriosis diagnosis. Listeners - if you have painful periods, have unexplained infertility, and IVF is just not working as it should - advocate for yourself and get tested - the Receptiva test.

Resources:

Endometriosis Coach Kush Sra: https://khushsra.com/

Heather Smidt podcast - 27 year journey to an endometriosis diagnosis

Fringe Fertility is brought to you by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Kerry Hinds ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Fertile Body Yoga⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – a virtual holistic wellness hub for those going through fertility. She focuses on the mind, body, energy & soul while supporting people in⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠coaching programs⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠fertility yoga classes,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠collaborative workshops⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

If you've ever belonged to a fertility facebook group - you're going to relate heavily to this episode. Building community around your fertility experiences is important - or as my guest says - THE most important thing.

I go behind the scenes of a bustling Fertility Facebook Group with Alexis Goulette who is the co-administrator of the IVF Support Group - Massachusetts with over 5000 members.

We talk about:

• What she wishes people did when joining a facebook group
• The ins and outs of posting and how admin decides if something is to be accepted or not allowed
• Posting pregnancy tests online
• Who are FB groups good for and not so good for

Alexis was so fun to talk to and full of wonderful insights for the fertility journey.

IVF Support Group - Massachusetts

AllPaths Family Building

Fringe Fertility is brought to you by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Kerry Hinds ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Fertile Body Yoga⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – a virtual holistic wellness hub for those going through fertility. She focuses on the mind, body, energy & soul while supporting people in⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠coaching programs⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠fertility yoga classes,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠collaborative workshops⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Your fertility can be viewed through many lenses - with the most common view being Western Medicine which is a reductive view of the body and it’s mechanisms - meaning, when there is an ‘issue’ with health, in our case fertility, the procedure is to reduce the body into it’s parts/systems to find out what is ‘wrong’ so that it can be fixed or overpowered with medication.

Let’s be clear that there is a time and a place for Western Medicine for sure!

While looking at your fertility through a holistic lens, whether it’s with Functional Medicine, Chinese Medicine or Ayurveda, the perspective is that the body works as a whole, so we can not separate it’s parts. We must treat the body holistically if it is out of balance.

Today, I had a great conversation with Jenny Horn all about approaching fertility through a holistic lens. She runs a women's centered holistic clinic in Huntington Beach, California. Her training in Functional medicine, Acupuncture, and East Asian medicine has been a comprehensive lens to practice through when treating Fertility obstacles in women of all ages. She most recently created a program tailored towards women undergoing IVF/IUI to assist them in their conception journey to become pregnant in the fastest and easiest way possible.

In this episode

• Jenny’s story of her recent pre-pregnancy visit with her doctor

• Hormonal balance for optimal fertility

• How to prepare for a healthy conception and pregnancy

• The holistic approach to fertility

• Habits of Women who conceive quickly

• Common medical problems that she sees in her practice

• What’s missing in today's culture that would help women with conception

This episode is so full of amazing fertility boosting tips that are accessible and supportive to your whole health, which fertility is part of.

Jenny’s Website: www.hornholistichealth.com

IG: @hornholistichealth

Fringe Fertility is brought to you by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Kerry Hinds ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Fertile Body Yoga⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – a virtual holistic wellness hub for those going through fertility. She focuses on the mind, body, energy & soul while supporting people in⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠coaching programs⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠fertility yoga classes,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠collaborative workshops⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In a culture that glamorizes doing and busyness - we tend to attack fertility in the same way. What is wrong, what do I need to do to fix it, and I'll 'do' anything to have my baby.

But what happens when we're doing all the things and we don't see 'success' when doing IVF or trying at home.

We feel out of control and even more stressed out - and there lies the rub AND the self-feeding cycle.

In this episode I use a past blog post that I co-wrote with Dr. Alison Zimon of CCRM Boston. We released it right at the beginning of Covid - apt timing - considering the added layer of stress covid added to fertility treatment.

Here is what I cover:

• Interconnection between stress & fertility
• Different sources of stress
• Understanding the impact of stress on reproductive health
• why 'relaxing' doesn't guarantee a baby
• The hormonal dance between sex & stress hormones
• Stress is inherent in the fertility journey - we need accept this and learn to manage our stress
• The importance of the relaxation response in optimizing fertility
• 3 A's of change
• Differences between disconnection and true rest
• Taking action - how to prioritize self care and relaxation

• 
  

I think that when we unpack the impacts of stress and fertility, we will want to optimize our reproductive health by creating an 'ease system' to turn to.

Resources:

Original blog Post with Dr. Alison Zimon: https://fertilebodyyoga.com/blog/stress-and-fertility/

40 Days to Fertile Freedom Program: https://my.marvelouspages.com/fertile-body-yoga/40-days-to-fertile-freedom-1

Online Fertility Yoga Classes: https://studio.fertilebodyyoga.com/shop

Fringe Fertility is brought to you by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Kerry Hinds ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Fertile Body Yoga⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – a virtual holistic wellness hub for those going through fertility. She focuses on the mind, body, energy & soul while supporting people in⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠coaching programs⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠fertility yoga classes,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠collaborative workshops⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

You probably haven't thought too much about your yoga mat and how it might be affecting your fertility. But I think you should.

Yes - I want you to come to fertility yoga, but I also want to make sure that when you're coming to the mat to support your fertility, it isn't also silently messing with your hormones.

In this episode I cover:

• why it's important to know what your yoga mat is made from
• why it's hard to avoid toxins
• the main offenders in yoga mats
• removing toxins will remove some burden from the body so it can concern itself about reproduction and not trying to remove toxins
• my recommendation for mats (so you don't have to do the research)
• greenwashing and yoga

Research on fertility, yoga, and stress: https://fertilebodyyoga.com/blog/research-stress-and-fertility/

Podcast episode about fragrance: https://fertilebodyyoga.com/podcast/how-fragrance-is-messing-with-your-fertility-with-sarah-michels-ep-18/

Blog about Essential Oils and fertility: https://fertilebodyyoga.com/blog/essential-oils-for-fertility-4-ways-to-use-essential-oils-to-support-your-fertility/

Yoga mat recommendations (I do not get any promotional kick backs from these companies - the cork mat is an amazon affiliate link):

• Organic cotton cloth mats: ​OkoLiving​ or ​Bennd ​
• Natural rubber: ​be, Halfmoon Yoga Mats​ or ​Jade​
• Cork: ​CorkTec

Check out what fertility yoga programs are available at this time!

Fringe Fertility is brought to you by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Kerry Hinds ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Fertile Body Yoga⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – a virtual holistic wellness hub for those going through fertility. She focuses on the mind, body, energy & soul while supporting people in⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠coaching programs⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠fertility yoga classes,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠collaborative workshops⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

The title says it all - fertility yoga can transform your fertility journey in so many powerful ways. Not only does yoga nourish the body to allow it to be it's most fertile, but fertility yoga also touches the mind, spirit, energy, and emotions of yoga as well. It truly is an all empowering practice.

In this episode I got to geek out with fellow fertility yoga teacher Lauren Enright (and fellow Canadian).

She is a holistic fertility coach, fertility yoga expert, and birth doula. With her background in neuroscience and education, and over a decade of experience studying yoga and mindfulness, Lauren brings a harmonious blend of science and spirituality to her teachings. After birthing 2 children of her own and experiencing the deep fulfillment and healing that Motherhood can bring, it is now Lauren’s mission to help women heal their womb, mind, body, and spirit to get pregnant and become the Mother they want to be.

We took a deep dive into so many aspects of fertility yoga and how this practice holistically supports fertility.

• How one becomes a fertility yoga teacher
• The importance of blood flow
• Unleashing feminine energy
• Investigating your dislikes
• connecting to the womb space
• Breath and breathing for fertility
• Intuitive movement
• Falling in love with a home practice
• Meditation and becoming comfortable with discomfort
• The Koshas and the mind body connection

Grab Lauren's amazing freebie - The Fertility Toolkit

https://breathewithlauren.mykajabi.com/fertility-toolbox
www.breathewithlauren.com

Fringe Fertility is brought to you by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Kerry Hinds ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Fertile Body Yoga⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – a virtual holistic wellness hub for those going through fertility. She focuses on the mind, body, energy & soul while supporting people in⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠coaching programs⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠fertility yoga classes,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠collaborative workshops⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Whether you are contemplating using donor eggs or not - this episode is full of insight and information about this path! And it's for everyone - even if you're not pursuing or contemplating donor eggs.

The use of donor eggs is a topic of conversation that often comes up with my fertility yoga people. There are often many questions and unknowns - and it is an extremely emotional decision to make.

So when I had the opportunity, I jumped at the chance to have Carson Bunting on the pod. She is an egg donor, passionate about fertility, and very open to talking about her experiences.

We talk about:

• Her motivation behind the decision to be a donor
• The process she went through to become a donor
• Fresh transfers vs frozen transfers
• Using a donor agency
• Different types of donor arrangements between donors and intended parents
• What she was paid to donate eggs
• What it costs for the intended parent/s
• Here final words for those who are contemplating donor eggs

• 
  

I think that you will hear Carson's passion when she is speaking about being an egg donor! This is such great insider information! For those out there contemplating the donor egg route - I hope this helps ease the journey a little bit.

Resources:

Futura International Egg Donation

Fringe Fertility is brought to you by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Kerry Hinds ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Fertile Body Yoga⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – a virtual holistic wellness hub for those going through fertility. She focuses on the mind, body, energy & soul while supporting people in⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠coaching programs⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠fertility yoga classes,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠collaborative workshops⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

When we think about our fertility, we need to go beyond the body and the mind. Yes - the mind/body connection is the backbone of all that I do here at Fertile Body Yoga - but one thing that has been surfacing to me more and more - is that the energetics and spirituality are not part of the larger conversation when it comes to optimizing our fertility.

And they matter.

The conversation I have for you today is exactly why I started the Fringe Fertility Podcast - I love connection with others on the common ground of energy and spirituality - something that isn’t often talked about when it comes to fertility.

In today’s episode I talk with Carolina Sotomayor. She is a Fertility Reiki Womb Healer serving women who are trying to conceive. She is the founder of Make A Baby Membership, a monthly membership providing monthly live Reiki healing Zoom calls, Reiki guided meditations, pre-recorded healing modules and masterclasses.

Carolina has personally coached and helped women all over the world, supporting those to bring over 95 Reiki babies into the world. She is attuned to four different lineages of Reiki and is a proven medium connecting moms to their spirit babies. After conceiving her own son with Reiki, Carolina has been on a mission to help women conceive with energy healing and heal through pregnancy and postpartum.

In today’s episode we talk about:

• Feeling safe and why this important to fertility

• Different types of Reiki

• What is Reiki & distance Reiki

• How does Reiki support fertility

• Chakras & Reiki

• Importance of energetic flow for fertility

• Spirituality and energy for fertility

• Being religious and how reiki (and yoga) can fit with your beliefs

• Accessibility & ease of reiki for fertility

Connect with Carolina on social:

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thecarolinasotomayor

Website: https://carolinasotomayor.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecarolinasotomayor/

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thecarolinasotomayor

Free Gift for the listeners:

http://carolinasotomayor.com/movement
Fringe Fertility is brought to you by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Kerry Hinds ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Fertile Body Yoga⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – a virtual holistic wellness hub for those going through fertility. She focuses on the mind, body, energy & soul while supporting people in⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠coaching programs⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠fertility yoga classes,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠collaborative workshops⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.