Fertility Life Raft

Mind-body connection with Dr. Sula Windgassen

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 09:20:00 -0000

Feeling in need of a reset? Take our free quiz to find out what sort of self care will best suit you - because not everyone needs a meditation: https://fertilityliferaft.com/quiz

On this episode, I’m joined by leading health psychologist and author of It's All in Your Body: A Practical Roadmap to Healing, Dr Sula Windgassen, to talk all things mind–body connection and what it means for your fertility journey.

Dr. Sula shares her personal experience of living with chronic, debilitating bladder symptoms that left her feeling dismissed by the medical profession.

When traditional medical routes didn’t provide answers, it was as a last resort she began exploring mindfulness thanks to her Dad's suggestion; she finally found relief and this led to a her research and vocation as a health pyschologist.

This is a MUCH needed voice in the mind-body space...

We talk about:

What the mind–body connection actually means (and what it doesn’t)
The difference between stressors, stress reactions, and your response
Reframing your relationship with your body during infertility
Letting go of self-blame
How mindfulness can change your relationship with symptoms and uncertainty

If you found this helpful please leave a review! It takes 30 seconds and means a lot. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING!

Dr. Sula Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_health_psychologist_/

Ready to learn how to take ownership of your mind and live your life even through infertility? Join my coaching membership, shortlisted for Best Coach and Best Fertility Service: https://fertilityliferaft.com/membership

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How yoga changed my life through infertility with Jen Edmonds

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 10:31:00 -0000

Want to find your fertility voyager archetype? Click here to take my quiz and receive a personalised self care report: https://fertilityliferaft.com/quiz

Jennifer Edmonds is one of those people you cannot help but be drawn to online! Her hilarious RELATABLE reels combined with gentle invitations to reconnect to your body through yoga and pilates is so needed in the fertility space.

The founder of Elements Pilates & Yoga, Jen, based in Australia but with a global audience, supports women through infertility and pregnancy loss using fertility yoga, pilates and nervous system work.

Jen shares her own fertility journey in this episode, which includes an early menopause diagnosis in her early 30s, which led to cycles that didn’t respond to IVF medication, and years of trying to understand what was happening in her body.

Against the odds, she conceived her daughter through IVF. But when she later faced secondary infertility, multiple failed treatments and pregnancy loss, everything changed again.

It was discovering yoga during the COVID lockdown that helped Jen reconnect with her body, regulate her nervous system, and slowly rebuild trust in herself.

We talk about:

Being diagnosed with early menopause in your 30s
IVF cycles that don’t go to plan
Secondary infertility and the guilt that can come with it
The role of nervous system regulation in fertility
How yoga and spiritual practices supported Jen through loss and pregnancy

So much of the fertility journey happens in the spaces between appointments.

Those days, weeks and months where you are waiting for answers.

How you care for yourself during those stretches makes a huge difference.

Jen's yoga programme link is here (affiliate)

Alice x PS are you enjoying these episodes? Could you take 2 minutes to rate and review the show on Apple podcasts or Spotify? THANK YOU SO MUCH!

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How to tell yourself a new story

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 10:55:00 -0000

How do you keep calm and stop spiralling when you don’t have control of the outcome? I KNOW it feels impossible...

So here's my take on how to focus your mind so you feel less spiral-ly when your life is planned around appointments; your mood depends on the next phone call and your brain has already begun examining things that haven’t happened yet.

Your thoughts can feel SO LOUD during fertility treatment.

So, in this episode, I’ll talk about:

What “inner narrative” actually means (in normal language)
Why thoughts are not facts
How to cope with cancelled cycles and scan anxiety
Getting through the two week wait without constant symptom-checking
Being there for someone else, while protecting your own energy

Got a question you'd like me to talk about or a topic you really want to hear? Send me an email to hello@fertilityliferaft.com or a dm to @fertilityliferaft

Alice x

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How to live and wait with Lindsey Keohane

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 10:58:00 -0000

Need help living your life while you try to have a baby?

Take the free quiz to find out what sort of Fertility Voyager Archetype you are: https://fertilityliferaft.com/quiz

I LOVED this conversation with Lindsey Keohane who is bringing such a breath of fresh air to my social media feed.

I knew I had to have her on the pod as - if you've been here a while you'll know - living and waiting at the same time is what we're about.

Lindsey has experienced three pregnancy losses and is now going through IVF with genetic testing...but this conversation really isn't about treatment, even though it is of course a part of the story.

It’s about what happens to your life when everything begins to revolve around “maybe this month.”

We talk about Lindsey's story so far; how she's managing social media and why it's so important to trust your doctor.

We also break down an Instagram post Lindsey shared that resonated with thousands of women: her decision to stop putting life on hold while trying to conceive and how she's planning to do it, including things like:

To buy clothes she enjoys now; not for pregnancy.
To plan holidays even if treatment might interrupt them.
To do things that bring joy without attaching them to fertility outcomes.

Living does not mean you don’t care, and enjoying your life does not reduce your chances.

If you feel like everything is paused…
If you feel guilty making plans…
If you’ve been measuring your life in cycles and months…

You're going to love this.

Alice x

Lindsey's account:

https://www.instagram.com/littlebylindsey/

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Dr Lucky Sekhon: The Fertility Knowledge Gap

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 10:37:00 -0000

Take my Fertility Archetype Quiz for free here: https://fertilityliferaft.com/quiz

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Lucky Sekhon, fertility doctor and board certified OBGYN, and author of The Lucky Egg.

She’s guided thousands of women through IVF, egg freezing and conception… and she’s also been a patient herself.

We talk about lots of the things I see every single day in my work.

The belief that if a cycle didn’t work, you must have done something wrong. You worked too much. You exercised too hard. You didn’t relax enough. You ate the wrong thing. You were stressed.

Dr. Lucky explains why, biologically, that usually isn’t true.

We talk about:

Her own experience of cancelled cycles, self-blame and IVF emotions
Why “being perfect” during treatment doesn’t determine the outcome
The overlooked role of sperm in embryo development
Red flags to watch for in online fertility advice
What a good fertility clinic relationship should feel like

Many women try to control fertility by controlling themselves — their food, their routines, their stress, their bodies.

But fertility treatment doesn’t work like a test you can revise harder for.

Human reproduction is inefficient.

Biology is messy.

And when treatment doesn’t work, your brain looks for a cause and often chooses you.

If you’ve ever replayed a cycle in your head…

If you’ve ever believed a failed transfer was your fault…

If you’ve ever thought “maybe I ruined my chances…”

I hope this episode lets you breathe a little easier.

Alice x

PS did you find this helpful? please take a couple of seconds to review this episode! thank you SO much for your support, it means the world.

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Fertility at work and beyond

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 13:23:00 -0000

- Take the quiz to find out your fertility voyager archetype and get your personalised self care report here: https://fertilityliferaft.com/quiz

This conversation addresses the reality of having to keep showing up, at work, in meetings, in your life, while you feel like you're falling apart.

I’m joined by excellent Chloe Sowter.

She’s an IVF mum, a travel influencer; an executive coach and a former HR director before she chose the entrepreneur life...

Chloe is also a previous coaching client so we know each other really well which always makes for excellent conversation!

Chloe brings something different - a deep understanding of what it means to hold ambition, grief, identity, and hope all at the same time.

She shares her story of trying to conceive while working in high-pressure government roles through Brexit and COVID.

Of navigating IVF, miscarriage, and loss while continuing to lead, deliver, and perform. Of believing, like so many women do, that infertility was her problem to manage quietly, without burdening anyone else.

We talk about:

How work can be a lifeline, not a threat, during infertility
Why stress is often misunderstood in fertility conversations
The emotional reality of miscarriage that doesn’t fit neat timelines
Making the deeply personal decision to be “one and done”
Letting go of embryos and what that really requires

This is a really inspiring episode of how to deal with fertility and work while you hold ALL the complexities of IVF at the same time - and the power of personal development for this season and all of the following ones too...

Links:

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Supplements are not a silver bullet

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 11:37:00 -0000

Have you taken my quiz? https://fertilityliferaft.com/quiz for a personalised self care report -click the link and spend 2 minutes answering a few questions and I'll send your results over to you ,so you know exactly what to focus on.

Links:

Find out more about OVUM at s⁠tartwithovum.com⁠
15% off with code LIFERAFT

This episode is a full-circle moment for me after Jenny approached me back in 2022 to ask if they could feature a meditation of mine inside their pregnancy test boxes. Of course I said YES.

This is a conversation about science, but more than that, it’s about care. It's about what happens when businesses, clinics, and medical professionals choose to discuss infertility with integrity and honesty.

I’m joined by Jenny Wordsworth, founder of OVUM, who support fertility through innovative products and supplements.

It’s a brand that has never felt like a “brand” to me, but an ally in the background saying: we see you, and we won’t lie to you.

If you’ve ever felt blamed, rushed, or sold to then this episode is for you.

We talk about:

Why emotional support belongs in fertility care from the very beginning
Bringing men into the fertility conversation
The myth of “silver bullet” supplements
What ethical fertility care actually looks like
The one question Jenny believes every IVF clinic should ask you

This episode isn’t about doing more but about doing what helps.

It’s about recognising that fertility is biological, psychological, and social, and how we can build a future where fewer people feel dismissed, blamed, or alone.

If you’re in the middle of this, you’re not imagining how hard it is and you don’t have to carry it all by yourself.

Alice x

I want to thank OVUM for helping me get this podcast out to you with their sponsorship.

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Choosing a word for the year

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0000

Let's be honest, January can feel a bit MEH, especially if you’re on a fertility journey and facing another year of uncertainty.

Planning can feel impossible when you don’t know what’s going to happen, so I’m sharing my unique approach to planning when you have no idea how the year is going to go.

If January feels grey and overwhelming, this episode should feel like a bit of a lifeline!

SUPPORT NOW:

You can join my free 10-day walking challenge anytime and download the free journal https://fertilityliferaft.com/walk

I’m also running my Visions & Intentions 2026 workshop you can come live or grab the replay: https://yes.thisisalicerose.com/visions2026

Or do yourself an amazing service for 2026 and join us in the Fertility Life Raft membership, where you'll get access to EVERYTHING at:
https://fertilityliferaft.com/membership you can cancel any time and it is just bloomin' brilliant if I do say so myself xx

Thanks for being here, I'm so glad you are :)

Take care,

Alice x

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The Big Calm Reset: Mind, Body and Soul

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -0000

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

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Breaking Taboos & Evolving Hope with Kreena Dhiman and Seetal Savla

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -0000

🎙️ 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.

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When you've lost yourself

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 11:00:00 -0000

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

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The Sleep Episode: Small Shifts That Can Transform Your Nights (and Your Life)

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -0000

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.

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Afterglow with Katie: When it Doesn't Work

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 04:00:00 -0000

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.”

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Gel Nails and Fertility Burnout

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 09:23:00 -0000

Mini chat with Alice and Lucy on what happens when both of you feel burnt out (relevant if you're doing this solo too) and discussing a post by Katie from the wonderful https://fertilityaction.org/ on gel nail polish...

Come and follow us on social media https://www.instagram.com/fertilityliferaft

Email us with a Message in a Bottle: hello@fertilityliferaft.com

Get some free support https://fertilityliferaft.com/quiz

See you next week,

Alice and Lucy x

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Ro Huntriss: Fertility Dietician and Egg freezing, What's Worth Doing?

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 09:17:00 -0000

I'm lucky enough to have met a lot of leading fertility experts over my time working in the space and Ro Huntriss, award winning fertility dietician is one of them.

In this episode I'm honoured to have Ro share more than ever before about her personal story - choosing to freeze her eggs after her engagement ended - and what choices she made to increase her AMH by 40%.

We focus on:

- how to make positive nutritional choices without being overwhelmed

- what's really worth doing

- the role supplements play

- why doctors might tell you not to bother (and why you should!)

- how Ro quickly made decisions on her clinic, what her egg freezing procedure was like and how she feels sharing her own story is part of how we change the wider conversation about women's choices and empowerment

Because I'm a coach and mindset mentor I'm FASCINATED by how differently we all approach these chapters in our lives and so we also touch on the reasons why I believe it was straightforward for Ro to make these decisions, while many of us are finding 'food noise' so stressful.

This is also the first time we're introducing our brand new Message in a Bottle segment, so have a listen and Lucy and I chat about this week's message - if you want to send us one, follow us on IG and send a DM we are https://www.instagram.com/fertilityliferaft OR send us an email hello@fertilityliferaft.com - we would looooove to hear from you

If you love our podcast please leave a rating, review and subscribe and help us spread the word! We are super proud to have more than 250 five star reviews on apple but we want more. We're greedy like that. Help us reach 300!!

Take care - and remember, if you haven't taken our free quiz yet to see how you can support your mindset to let go of the food stress, make strong choices without feeling overwhelmed, go to https://fertilityliferaft.com/quiz

Ro Huntriss contact:

https://www.instagram.com/fertility.dietitian.uk

https://fertilitydietitian.co.uk/

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING,

Take care,

Alice x

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Behind the Scenes of Fertility Life Raft: Lucy Shares Her Story for the First Time

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 23:00:00 -0000

WE ARE BAAAACK!

Trigger warning: This episode contains discussion of pregnancy loss, recurrent miscarriage, IVF, and TFMR (termination for medical reasons). Please take care of yourself as you listen. While we do talk about incredibly tough experiences, the conversation is shared with compassion and honesty and it’s one that ultimately leaves you feeling hopeful, supported, and uplifted.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re stuck in an endless cycle of exhaustion while trying to bring home a baby, this conversation is one you won’t want to miss.

For years, you’ve heard me talk about mindset, wellbeing and community as the three things that transform the journey.

But today I’m introducing you to someone who has been helping me hold this space behind the scenes since the very beginning; my right-hand lady, ⁠Lucy Sanger.⁠

This is the first time Lucy has shared her fertility story fully even while she's been supporting hundreds of women through the Life Raft's courses and membership.

From multiple pregnancy losses, to the heartbreak of being told by a consultant to “stop trying,” to the surreal experience of shipping embryos abroad, this is an incredible story and a chance for me to show off how fabulous my Ops Director is!

We talk about:

Why clinic relationships matter just as much as protocols
How to hold on to your sense of autonomy when decisions feel out of your hands
The role of connection and community in surviving the lowest points
What it looks like to keep moving forward, even when it feels impossible
The financial implications of private IVF

Whether you’re right at the beginning or you’ve been trying for years, I know you’ll find hope, strength, and a reminder that you don’t have to do this alone in Lucy’s story.

✨ Ready to understand your fertility archetype and what you personally need to feel more resourced on this journey? Take the free quiz here: fertilityliferaft.com/quiz

Resources mentioned in this episode:

ARC (Antenatal Results and Choices) – https://www.arc-uk.org
Fertility Life Raft Archetype Quiz – fertilityliferaft.com/quiz

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How to Prepare for Social Events Through Infertility

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 13:13:00 -0000

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

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Louise Brown, Netflix Joy and Me

Fri, 22 Nov 2024 22:45:00 -0000

This week, Netflix called and asked if I would like to come to Bourn Hall, the first ever IVF clinic, to meet Louise Joy Brown, the first ever IVF baby and have a chat, ahead of the new movie Joy, all about the story of how Jean Purdy, Robert Edwards and Patrick Steptoe invented IVF.

UM…YES PLEASE!

It was a completely fascinating day and I was effectively at my version of Disneyland.

Not only do I find fertility fascinating but the vision and spirit of the three pioneers who made IVF possible was simply extraordinary to learn more about; be right there where they worked and of course meet Louise. I loved this conversation and it was just so humbling to be in this incredible location while I recorded it.

You can watch Joy the film now on Netflix and I would absolutely LOVE to hear what you think of this conversation and the movie so please send me an email hello@fertilityliferaft.com or come and find me on Instagram or substack - fertility life raft. Oh and of course as always, I’ll be there over on https://www.instagram.com/thisisalicerose

If you need support right now head to fertiltiyliferaft.com/everything where you’ll find all my free or low cost on demand support.

I would absolutely love for you to share this episode with anyone you think might find it interesting! Take care,

Alice x

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When Everything is a Trigger

Thu, 17 Oct 2024 15:22:00 -0000

A short solo episode on all things triggers.

As long as I've been supporting people in this space, and from my own personal experience, triggers have been a big topic.

Here's some comforting reminders and knowledge about what's actually happening in your brain and body which I hope will help you feel reassured, empowered and gentle with yourself.

I really am here to help spread the word that even if right now things are feeling horribly unfair, frightening and lonely: there is another way through this which can feel so much better.

I'd LOVE for you to come to my free workshop which you can sign up for here:

https://fertilityliferaft.com/triggerworkshop-2024

Safe, warm, supportive and giving you lots of information, evidence based techniques and positive examples of how things can change.

See you there

Axx

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When Life Doesn't Go To Plan with Jessica Hepburn

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 09:17:00 -0000

What a TOTAL honour to bring you this episode on publication day for Jessica Hepburn's third book, "Save Me from the Waves."

Jessica's journey from heartbreak- after unsuccessful IVF and the breakdown of her marriage - to triumph is the central theme of our conversation. We delve into her transformation from a self-proclaimed "unlikely athlete" to the first and only woman to complete the Sea Street Summit Challenge, which includes swimming the English Channel, running the London Marathon, and climbing Mount Everest.

Yes. You read that correctly.

This is just the coolest book - weaving together Jessica's love/obsession (!) with the BBC Radio 4 show Desert Island Discs with her Everest training and eventual summit - it really is such a wonderful read.

Back in November, I met Jessica in a cosy basement office for tea, sounds of London in the background, which is entirely appropriate (you'll understand this when you read the book)!

As we discuss her book (Buy it here now, do not hesitate!), Jessica opens up about her fertility struggles, the trauma of unsuccessful IVF treatments, and the emotional toll it took on her. She reflects on the psychological and physical injuries she endured during her Everest summit, highlighting the parallels between her fertility journey and her mountain expedition.

Jessica emphasises the importance of acknowledging and honouring emotions, from anger to sadness, and the power of turning pain into purpose. She shares insights on the complexities of grief, the significance of finding joy in small moments, and the transformative nature of storytelling.

Jessica's motto, to live "big and brave" echoes through all of our conversation - by embracing vulnerability, telling her truth, and inspiring others to embark on their own adventures of resilience and self-discovery. "Save Me from the Waves" serves as a beacon of hope and empowerment for those navigating their own journeys of healing and transformation.

Jessica's substack is here and her Instagram is here.

Come over to the Life Raft website where you'll find so much support waiting.

Rate and review this episode so more people can listen to this amazing woman!!

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TTC: What it's like for friends with Amber Izzo & Annabel Gurnett

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 06:00:00 -0000

In this episode of the Fertility Life Raft podcast I speak with Annabel and Amber from Am I Ovary Acting about navigating friendships and what happens when you’re both trying to conceive, then one of you gets pregnant and has a baby while the other one is still trying.

We speak about the announcements, baby showers and everything in between.

We also cover what happens when other big life stuff happens, like family bereavements, while you’re navigating infertility and how friendships can actually be one of the foundations that truly see us through rather than another thing that falls apart.

I really hope you find this episode and inspiring and encouraging. I think they have really shown an example of how a friendship can not just survive different fertility experiences, but in fact can get stronger and deeper.

Amber Izzo Instagram

Annabel Gurnett Instagram

Am I Ovary Acting Instagram

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Trying to Conceive: Sex and Relationships with Kate Moyle

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 06:00:00 -0000

Kate Moyle is my guest today. She is the Therapist on the BBC Three series Sex On The Couch., host of The Sexual Wellness Sessions Podcast and Director at The Thought House Partnership,

Accredited by the College of Sexual and Relationship Therapists, a Registered Psychosexual and Relationship Therapist and a Certified Psycho-Sexologist, I think it’s safe to say she knows what she’s talking about.

In this episode we cover:

Sex becoming...well, functional when you’re trying to conceive
How to make sex fun and pleasurable again
The feelings of detachment from your body when it feels like it’s been so medicalised through treatment
Resentment becoming a THING and impacting how sex feels
Rebuilding intimacy connections

This week is extra special as I had so many questions from you all that Kate has given me some extra time answering them all which I’ll be sending out in an email this week. You can grab a free 5 minute meditation to start receiving my emails at fertilityliferaft.com/reset

You can find Kate's book, The Science of Sex here and her website here

Take care everyone and remember - it feels good to rate, review and subscribe ;) THANK YOU. x

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Trying to Conceive: What it's Like for a Couple with Coni and Mike

Thu, 08 Feb 2024 10:27:00 -0000

Coni and Mike have been trying to conceive and this is such an open, frank, honest (at times slightly hysterical) chat about what it's like and how it's impacting them as a couple.

We talk all things from:

getting men thoroughly tested before going down an IVF route
how Coni's work in Women's Health and the reproductive wellness space has supported their experience
how they felt in 2023 when their dreams of conceiving by Christmas didn't happen
their mindset shift for 2024
how they're keeping their relationship and sex life feeling positive through the challenges
some swears and very open conversations about w***king into cups vs what it's like for women!

You can follow Coni over on instagram as she shares her story with her brilliant and relatable content here and Mike over here .

Head over to Fertility Life Raft now for a comprehensive, accessible, totally brilliant support and resources which can radically transform how you feel as you navigate this experience. Click here now to join us. You're so warmly welcome.

Oh and PLEASE do go and review this podcast, it's how more people find us and have a listen - we're super proud to have lots and lots of wonderful reviews and I (Alice, hi, nice to meet you) am SO grateful for every single one!! THANK YOU SO MUCH for listening and reviewing, it means the world. Take care, Alice x

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Putting Things Right in the Fertility Industry: Jenny Wordsworth

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 12:19:00 -0000

You are going to LOVE this episode.

Jenny Wordsworth is a lawyer, endurance athlete for the North Face and founder of start up company, OVUM.

When she started trying to conceive herself she took one look at the fertility industry and realised how much simply felt WRONG.

The way we are marketed to; the big brand products which actually do not contain the best ingredients when you examine the science which is now available - Jenny 'absolutely hated' how the trying to conceive community was preyed upon because and she's totally right: 'you and I both know we would do anything to conceive'.

YES. Which is why the fertility industry has a responsibility to wake up, put things right and listen to the people who are actually in it .

Jenny founded her company OVUM on the back of this realisation and I'm really proud to work with them too, which you'll hear a bit more about in the episode (plus a super exciting bit of news which I hadn't heard before we recorded it!).

I hope you hear it and feel comforted and supported in the knowledge that there are people out there doing radical work to rewrite the story and put things right.

If you have landed here you can find expert led, properly accessible support available now and on demand. The Life Raft started because we too saw the problems in the industry and knew a change was needed. We have welcomed over 1000 members globally since we began, come and join us here.

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The Conception Plan - Dr. Larisa Corda

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 09:00:00 -0000

What a thrill to bring this episode to you

Dr Larisa Corda is a well-known Fertility doctor. You might have seen her on this morning, and she is also the author of a new book called The Conception Plan, which is smashing records all over the place since it was launched just a couple of weeks ago.

I was fortunate enough to meet Larisa several years ago when we lived near to each other in London and we were both working with a brands on consulting - her from a doctors perspective and me from a patient perspective, and we had a connection.

We’ve had many conversations over the years and I am thrilled to be cheerleading this woman as she brings her brave and trailblazing book out to the world.

This is the second time Larisa has been on this podcast, so I’m really grateful to her for finding the time to speak to me and to bring this to you. I think you’re going to absolutely love it, it’s empowering, it’s about taking ownership, it doesn’t hold back!

We cover everything from the important medical steps you need to consider and looking at alternative therapies as well as that gap between science and spirit and even sex and masturbation. Yep!

It’s all the things Dr. Larisa is passionate about bringing into the mainstream. I think that what she is doing is supporting many patients in not only the important medical steps you need to take but also explaining the science and relevance of many alternative therapies, which, as she says, are often come to as a ‘last resort’, but that she explains, really should be used ‘in tandem’ with the medical treatment on offer and I really couldn’t agree more.

This feels like quite a moment in the Fertility landscape. The Conception Plan is a fantastic book. It’s available now, there is a 12 step Programme in it, and so much information that you can absorb, I really hope you love this episode!

So please go and have a listen.

Subscribe, rate and review - all of the things please!!

If you want to be in a community, if you want live support, if you want on demand resources please head to The Life Raft, which is ready and waiting for you, take care,

Alice

PS oh and come and join us on Instagram here.

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Male factor, moon phases and yoga

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 08:53:00 -0000

Hello Life Raft pod peeps. Please meet Gemma. Gemma is a Life Raft member, a personal coaching client of mine and very much still in the middle of her own fertility voyage on board the Raft.

She's also a certified yoga teacher, fertility yoga trained and is running a gorgeous 4 week yoga course for the Life Raft which you can join right here:

https://fertilityliferaft.com/yogacourse

Gemma's yoga IG is here and her website is here.

In this chat we share Gemma and Ed's story and all of the ways she navigates through it.

Things we cover:

male factor infertility (azoospermia and microtese)
donor conception
how she manages triggers
what she feels before and after a yoga class
how her yoga classes support a 'rekindling' of her relationship with her body which can get so damaged through this fertility times
how living in alignment and learning more about the moon phases has impacted her life

We'd love to hear from you. Contact hello@fertilityliferaft.com if you've got questions or want to share anything you took from this episode and come and chat to me (Alice) on the Life Raft instagram account here.

We would be so VERY very thankful if you could rate, review or subscribe - or all three! Help more people know not just about this pod, but about the work we do at Fertility Life Raft.

Right now, the membership is OPEN (members receive a great discount on the yoga course as well as so many other benefits). More on the membership is here - https://www.fertilityliferaft.com/membership

And if you just want instant support, head to our page here with lots of free resources, short meditations and downloads.

Take care,

Alice

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Finding Peace And Joy This Season

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 11:40:00 -0000

Ok my friends, I know Christmas can be one of the hardest times - even if you don't celebrate, the Festive Season can feel triggering as F**k.

So, here's a wee solo episode from me to give you some hope that you can actually use tools and techniques to:

honour where you're at
not ignore your sadness but give it the space it needs
understand how to manage friends and family
tap into a feeling of warmth and connection

To take this further I am running a live workshop on Sunday 10th December for members which I'm opening up for anyone to join. I hope you will. It's recorded, (so don't worry if you can't make the time) and if you find this episode after the 10th...I'll make it available to download too. Here's the link to sign up

You'll also hear from some of the people who came to the recent live London event on this episode that I hosted with my friends from Parla and the wonderful Helen Davenport Peace. I love meeting people in real life - so thank you if you came to that event and for letting me record what it was like to come too.

Come and have a look on https://www.fertilityliferaft.com/ for more support.

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Moving Through the Trauma Years; Susannah Tresilian

Tue, 28 Nov 2023 12:57:00 -0000

This is a very special episode with an amazing woman: Susannah Tresilian, who I know personally through a family connection.

Susannah is a theatre director with extensive experience in the UK and international theatre world, as well as a leadership coach with experience coaching and training around the world and a successful audio career in podcasts, and BBC arts and factual programming. She produced documentaries, dramas and BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour for many years; The Arts Hour on the BBC World Service, and made the Books podcast for the Guardian.

She has directed and toured theatre productions around Europe; co-produced international festivals in UK, Italy and France; and has delivered workshops in corporate, arts, academic and educational settings.

She has founded ARIADNE, working with women who make social and political theatre to inspire change around the world. www.projectariadne.org

Susannah found time to speak to me about how she navigated what she calls the Trauma Years.

We talk about the impact of recurrent pregnancy loss on her personal life, career and identity.

She shares a profoundly personal moment, when she decided to consciously move out of that era and step into the new version of herself at her Dad, Nicholas Tresilian’s memorial service. There’s a powerful piece of audio included here from Nicholas’s last ever broadcast on Classic FM which had to be part of this episode when I heard Susannah talking about this moment in her life.

This was one of my favourite conversations- I do think, whatever your own story, it’s a must listen. Full of wisdom, kindness, compassion and of course we talk about what kept Susannah afloat on her own life raft, through her journey to finally bringing two daughters into the world.

If you found this show moving, helpful or you just want to let Susannah know what listening to her story meant to you, please leave a review and share the episode.

These conversations reach much further when listeners can spend a minute or so to do this and they really do find those who need them this way: thank you for being part of this with me.

You can find more on Susannah’s coaching company here:

The Leadership Collective.

If you're in the middle of a Fertility voyage yourself, please head to https://www.fertilityliferaft.com/ for immediate support, 1:1 transformative coaching; the membership, downloads and free resources too.

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How to choose a clinic with Fertility Mapper

Fri, 10 Nov 2023 14:13:39 -0000

I LOVED this great episode with Kayleigh from an incredible new platform called Fertility Mapper. It's a verified peer review site for fertility clinics...I know right?! So brilliant and needed.

They've also just launched an incredible new service which is an NHS funding eligibility calculator.

Please have a listen to find out why this platform is going to save millions of people SO much time, energy, stress and overwhelm and completely change the game for people looking for both NHS and private fertility clinics in the UK.

Fertility Mapper is a free online platform and you can support it by leaving your own review and use it here: https://fertilitymapper.com/

It's founded by Kayleigh who I chatted to on this episode...here's more about why she's the perfect person for the (very big!) job:

Kayleigh Hartigan is the founder and CEO of Fertility Mapper: an independent platform that harnesses the power of community reviews and data to make an assisted path to parenthood more personalised and transparent. The platform was created in response to a lack of data, resources and reliable information around fertility, and the need to set a new standard of treatment.

A healthcare expert with over 17+ years’ experience, Kayleigh has a BSc in the Biology of Fertility and Embryo Development (UCL) and an MSc in Health Policy, Planning and Financing (LSE).

She has worked across both the public and private sector. This includes senior roles at the Department of Health and the NHS in the UK and helped to establish an informal digital advisory board that helped inform the UK’s landmark Women’s Health Strategy.

Kayleigh has held significant executive roles in health-tech including COS of HealthHero and COO of Zava, two of Europe’s largest and fastest growing healthtech companies and a Managing Director of a European private equity advisory firm.

Kayleigh set up Fertility Mapper in 2022 to tackle the big issues of fertility by improving access to services and increasing their quality.

Do you need emotional support right now?

SO many instant resources are available on our website fertilityliferaft.com to support you through this experience. You can also follow us on Instagram.

We love hearing from you so please do rate, review and subscribe - the more people who find us, the more we can support and you can play a part in supporting anyone going through fertility stuff by supporting this podcast, thank you so much. You can always email hello@fertilitylife.com. too and let us know your thoughts.

What do you want to hear on this podcast next?

Come and visit fertilityliferaft.com which exists to make your fertility experience so much better.

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How do I move past my life feeling like it’s on hold?

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 11:30:00 -0000

I remember feeling totally marooned on a rock while everyone else moved on and my life felt completely on hold. It’s really one of the foundational problems most people feel when experiencing fertility issues or any kind of difficult path to bringing home a baby. So you’re definitely not alone.

It’s really why I created my course Reclaim why I run The Life Raft membership - to help people live their lives while they're going through all of this.

Have a listen to this episode where I give you questions to think about, journal on and offer a message of hope; that there is a way to live life while you go through all this and at the same time allow yourself to feel everything.

I am running a free challenge, the Gentle Mindset Challenge this week. You can sign up here.

Over three free live calls, I’ll be talking about:

Uncertainty and the Unknown
Friends and Family - coping with happy news and isolation
Hope: finding it, reframing it and keeping it.

The last time I ran this gorgeous challenge was two years ago now so I’m absolutely delighted to be bringing it back for you this year. You’ll gain so much from every call and if you can’t make the live sessions everything is recorded for you anyway. If you want to stay anonymous you can.

If you want to join the free pop up group: you can. Whatever stage of the journey you’re at, you are so welcome to join us.

There is no criteria - if you’re trying to bring home a baby and it’s feeling really difficult: then you are very welcome to come along.

You can find all the resources I provide at fertilityliferaft.com and follow us on Instagram.

We love hearing from you. Please send us an email hello@fertilitylife.com. Let us know your thoughts. What do you want to hear on this podcast next? We’ve got so much to come for you and we are wishing you all the love and compassion for whatever is happening in your own story right now.

Come and visit fertilityliferaft.com which exists to make your fertility experience so much better.

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Support, hope and awareness: black baby loss with Alicia Burnett

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 13:40:00 -0000

This week I'm chatting to Alicia Burnett, founder of Black Baby Loss Awareness Week and Tommy's midwife.

Alicia only started speaking publicly about her own experience when her little boy Micaiah died after a complicated diagnosis at six months old. This is a really beautiful and moving episode which is full of hope - if you are affected by baby loss, please know that there are lots of places to go for support which is something we chat about in this episode along with all the things which

Alicia found supported her through her own experience and why we so desperately need Black Baby Loss Awareness.

Support

Within the Life Raft membership we have a specific group for women who have been through loss; expert content and live support plus a pregnancy after loss or infertility support group (kept completely separate to the main space).

There are also lots of Life Raft podcast episodes you can listen to for hope, compassion and so much warmth and empathy.

Tommy's, Sands and the Miscarriage Association are all wonderful charities who are ready to support you.

There are also wonderful books from writers Pippa Vosper, Jennie Agg, Sophie Martin, Elle Wright and Zoe Clarke Coates and Bex and Laura from The Worst Girl Gang Ever.

Links

If you are looking for connection, compassion, warmth and support right now join my free 3 Day Gentle Mindset Challenge starting Wednesday 11th October.

Hear and read more from Alicia on Instagram via @midwife_alicia and @blackbabylossawareness.

For more information about the Tommy's services mentioned in this podcast, go to tommys.org.

You can find all the resources I provide at fertilityliferaft.com and follow us on Instagram.

Get in touch

We adore hearing from you. Please send us an email hello@fertilitylife.com. Let us know your thoughts. What do you want to hear on this podcast next? We’ve got so much to come for you and we are wishing you all the love and compassion for whatever is happening in your own story right now.

Come and visit fertilityliferaft.com which exists to make your fertility experience so much better.

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Shema Tariq - My Unexpected Story

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 10:47:47 -0000

NOTE: Please be aware that this episode covers stillbirth, donor conception and unexpected conception without assisted reproduction.

It was a total joy to chat to Shema on this episode about her story and why she’s so passionate about her work as a Trustee for Tommy’s.

Shema tells me about how she got through losing her little boy, Altair; how she felt when she heard she’d need donor conception and the extraordinary story of how her little girl came to be!

We have a bit of a rant about how mainstream media cover anything to do with fertility, particularly the recent story which picked up on research that discovered ‘one in 5 women will go on to have a natural pregnancy after having an IVF baby’.

We also talk about the power of connection and why we need to have conversations like this one! From people who have been through it all, to offer hope, guidance and support to others going through it now.

Hear and read more from Shema on Instagram.

The Fertility Life Raft Podcast with Elle Wright mentioned in this episode is available on our Podpage account.

For more information about Tommy's, go to tommys.org.

You can find all the resources I provide at fertilityliferaft.com and follow us on Instagram.

Come and visit fertilityliferaft.com which exists to make your fertility experience so much better.

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Breathwork for trauma with Amy Rushworth

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 08:26:00 -0000

This conversation introduces you to Amy Rushworth, who is an empowerment mentor and breathwork healer.

Some of this conversation is quite out there! Come to it with a curious mind, and have a listen to the profound effect that the work Amy does has had on her own life, and why she now spends her time supporting other people with her rebirthing breathwork techniques and other modalities.

My aim with this podcast is always to bring you a giant table of offerings and introduce you to the mind-boggling array of different healing options out there for anyone going through a fertility journey - it might be that the fertility experience brings up other traumas that you have already had, or it might be that fertility itself has become traumatic for you.

Looking at different ways of processing it with people who are very experienced, hold space for you and are trauma informed might just give you the exhale, comfort, support and hope that you need today.

I really hope that you love this conversation. I would truly really love to hear what you think because I don’t know how many of you are into this kind of stuff! Is it familiar for you? Is it new? Let’s talk!! Send me a message on the @fertilityliferaft Instagram account and let me know what you think.

Hear and read more from Amy on Instagram and at amyrushworth.com.

You can find all the resources I provide at fertilityliferaft.com and follow us on Instagram. You can also follow me too.

We adore hearing from you. Please send us an email hello@fertilitylife.com. Let us know your thoughts. What do you want to hear on this podcast next? we’ve got so much to come for you and we are wishing you all the love and compassion for whatever is happening in your own story right now.

Come and visit fertilityliferaft.com which exists to make your fertility experience so much better.

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Being Type A when you have no control

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 07:41:00 -0000

Don’t miss this brilliant chat I had with Meg Faith - a smart, funny gal over in sunny Cali who gets what it’s like to go through a fertility journey cos she’s in it right now.

Meg is a self-confessed “Type A+” and we talk about:

how she deals with the lack of control (escapism via smutty novels and Harry Potter 🤣)
co-planning her treatments with her healthcare team and her own research
reclaiming joy

Are you type A too?

Hear and read more from Meg on Instagram and at forthebarreness.com.

Head to fertilityliferaft.com for immediate support, community and so much more to come.

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Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT): Tapping with Sarah Holland

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 10:00:00 -0000

I loved this conversation with Sarah Holland, who has been supporting people in the trying to conceive and fertility world for 20 years!

She is SO experienced in what she does and she gives us some incredible insight and tools on how to manage so many different emotional obstacles when we are going through a fertility journey.

We even do a live round of tapping together - and I didn't warn her I was going to ask her to do this, so a big thank you to Sarah for being up for it!!

Tapping is a really quick and powerful way to re-centre and be able to see the spaces in between your thoughts, which can feel so overwhelming.

If you want to go straight into the live tapping meditation, skip through to 17:36 on this episode.

Sarah's Fertility EFT Starter Kit is available here.

And you can follow her on Instagram here

As always THANK YOU for rating, reviewing and letting me know what you think about this episode, I lOVE to hear from you!!

MORE SUPPORT HERE including free downloads, meditations and info on how I can support you 1:1 www.fertilityliferaft.com

Follow me on IG for conversations, community and allllll of the good stuff:

Alice Rose

Fertility Life Raft

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Knackered Knackers: A male fertility journey

Fri, 30 Jun 2023 11:38:58 -0000

I am so pleased to share this chat with Shaun Greenaway. He and his wife tried to conceive for four years, before he was diagnosed with azoospermia (no sperm detected).

This was a totally devastating diagnosis and I'm so grateful to him for being so open about how he dealt with this when there was no support that he could find available at the time.

Shaun takes us through the story all the way through to how he ended up as a male fertility advocate and speaker, the book that changed his life and how he recently trained as a transformative coach (like me!) so he could take his support for men even further.

Shaun is really keen to break the stigma and get men talking. PLUS raise awareness that male factor infertility is equally as prevalent as female factor and unexplained: it is an equal split. Fertility is not a 'women's issue'.

If you are a man who is struggling with infertility, please know that you are not alone.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Shaun's Knackered Knackers Instagram account
The Knackered Knackers website
Fertility Life Raft Membership
Paths To Parenthood - Support and Connection for Donor Conception (discount for Life Raft members)
Join the Life Raft membership here
Life Raft IG account here

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Stress does not cause infertility with Hannah Pearn

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 12:35:00 -0000

I absolutely loved chatting to the brilliant Hannah Pearn, Acupuncturist and passionate advocate for fertility awareness.

She strongly believes in proper education for everyone on menstrual cycles to avoid getting to the stage when we're actually feeling quite desperate because things aren't working.

We have a really good (quite fiery!) chat about this and how our cycles are extremely important indicators for our health in general - Hannah explains that we need our hormones to be working properly for our bodies and brains to function properly...it's not even just about fertility: our reproductive systems must be considered as important as everything else!

Hannah explains how acupuncture works too (fascinating!) and we also focus on the misconception that stress causes infertility: INCORRECT. Infertility does cause stress but there is plenty of evidence to show that it is not the other way around.

This is a brilliant conversation with a leading expert in her field. Find out more about Hannah and her fantastic services here

https://hannahpearn.com/

Do leave a review, subscribe and share THANK YOU SO MUCH! Also, if you're listening on Spotify you can now let me know what you thought of the episode right there in the app- I absolutely love hearing from you so it would be ACE if you choose to do this.

The MOST important thing when you're going through this is your mindset and wellbeing. I've made this as easy as possible for you by creating the Life Raft membership. Join the Life Raft today, the most supportive, kindest place to be, packed with expert resources, live quality coaching support and community for anyone experiencing a fertility journey, no matter where you are. The only fertility membership which doesn't primarily focus on, well, fertility. Intrigued? Come and join:

www.fertilityliferaft.com/membership

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The Science and Magic of Embryology

Thu, 25 May 2023 21:12:00 -0000

Listen up listen up - such a good episode here!

This is so much more than your average fertility info chat. Lucy Lines is a clinical embryologist (https://www.twolinesfertility.com.au/) and knows a shit load of stuff, with over 23 years experience in the field - and more than that, she’s here to help balance out the fertility industry.

She’s an impartial voice of reason in a world which can actually FORGET that at its heart, is a patient.

We cover tons of things in this pod including: semen analysis (and the car dealership analogy which I can’t explain, you’ll have to listen, but it’s so good), the amazing studies which show how what we think and feel and how supported we are, can have a huge impact on what our bodies can do and why actually, there is MAGIC in the IVF lab. It’s not all science.

We also both agree that you need an holistic approach when it comes to fertility treatment: the science and all the other stuff: mindset, personal development, support, community.

So here! Have a listen.

Also, would you please leave a quick rating on Apple or Spotify? THANK YOU SO MUCH.

If you want to get your mindset in check to really turn things around for you when going through any difficult path to bringing home a baby head to www.fertilityliferaft.com, follow us on IG www.instagram.com/fertilityliferaft and you can find me there too on www.instagram.com/thisisalicerose I know it feels impossible but I promise you with the right tools, resouces and support you really can feel totally differently; reduce your stress; anxiety; improve your relationships with friends and fam and learn how to live your life fully while you go through all of this. Ax

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Fertility, Diversity and Faith

Fri, 19 May 2023 10:28:53 -0000

SUCH a joy to chat to the fabulous Vanessa Haye! https://www.vanessahaye.com/Vanessa Haye is a writer, speaker, and women's health advocate and now a mum to two boys after a complicated journey. She is also giver of EXCELLENT hugs. Things we talk about on this live recording with Life Raft Members:

Language and why being intentional and careful with it is so imperative i.e 'growing a family...' not 'starting a family...'
unexplained vs 'unexplored' fertility
early miscarriage and the ectopic pregnancy she experienced, which led to the removal of her fallopian tube
a brilliant chat about faith and the idea of a higher power: 'everyone has something they look to...', (for Vanessa it's a Christian God)
what Jennifer Aniston did by sharing her IVF experiences
why fear gets worse when we don't sit sown and talk about the thing we scared of
the minefield of talking about IVF in religious circles and dealing with comments like, 'maybe you committed a sin...'

And the big stuff:

representation in healthcare, diversity, the importance of increasing conversations about fertility for everyone, and the strength to overcome fear...

AMAZING conversation, amazing woman. I hope you loved this episode please leave us a review and get in touch on Instagram on my account and join the Life Raft Membership! Access to the Life Raft Framework, community, loads of personal growth fertility specific resources, courses, meditations and live support.

Take care,

Alice x

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Secondary Infertility, Self-Care and Nutrition

Thu, 11 May 2023 12:18:39 -0000

Nichola Ludlam-Raine is a renowned registered dietician with 14 years experience, a TV regular and runs a big Instagram account; here she shares her story of secondary infertility and double pregnancy loss.

This was an amazing, honest and vulnerable chat - which also, bonus (!) - includes tons of helpful information on nutrition (though not specific to fertility) but we cover how to make choices about who to trust; how much to take on without feeling overwhelmed or adding blame and using the idea of NURTURE not restriction.

We do also talk a little about BMI and the issues around this (I hate that it's used as an NHS funding barrier for example). If you are affected by this, please find the podcast I recorded with Nicola Salmon here.

Live listeners really loved this conversation and we hope you do too:

Thank you so much for all of this. It's been so reassuring to listen that I'm doing what I need to do. Feeling a little emotional after listening to it all.

Thank you, interesting and helpful!

Thank you so much, this chat has been so interesting and informative :)

You can find Nichola on Instagram here

Learn how to ride the waves by following my simple to implement Life Raft framework so you feel absolutely safe, secure and able to navigate this incredibly tough experience while receiving high quality coaching; community support from like minded souls and discover the confidence and headspace to make conscious, empowered decisions every step of the way.

The Life Raft membership is the highest value option for anyone on this journey that you'll find anywhere. Read more and join our amazing community here today.

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So Much Pressure

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 15:03:00 -0000

Helen and I have regularly shared between us on many many whatsapp voice notes, how we feel about the wildly enormous pressure put on people trying to conceive and the bombardment of information available.

It's not that we can't take responsibility for our health and feel empowered education and the information needed: it's about how we communicate it and what this massive pressure does to people who are told that negative thoughts, wifi or a thousand other things are going to impact their chances of having a baby.

Or that they have a mindset block or somehow they're repelling fertility simply by...being.

Just: no. It is so important that we get the right information, the information that we can actually do something about AND that it is correctly communicated so that we don't pile on yet more blame to those who are also being told to just relax or go on holiday. GAH.

Breathe. We've got you.

One of the most powerful things you can do in a fertility journey is to breathe and reconnect to yourSELF. How? I'll do it with you...

RECLAIM, my course, is open now and is the ultimate companion for anyone walking this path feeling overwhelmed, stuck, frustrated, lost...you name it. I have supported nearly 500 people through my programme: it works. Find out more here and grab one of the last remaining £50 off codes with LRRECLAIM

Was this a helpful episode for you? Share it and/ or leave us a review to help more people know: IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT. We really do need your help to make sure more people see this message: the antidote to the blame game in the fertility wellness industry.

THANK YOU. PS have you got questions about RECLAIM? Just send me an email alice@fertilityliferaft.com and I'll come back to you. Ax

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Your IVF Abroad with Emma Haslam

Sun, 16 Apr 2023 05:00:00 -0000

When we were going through treatment I only knew ONE person who had been abroad and I just wasn't in the right headspace to even consider it... if only I knew what I knew now!

Deffo have a listen to the super inspiring Emma who shares her story and everything which led to her setting up her business. Not just for those considering going abroad but an incredible story of resilience in the face of early perimenopause, male factor infertility, NHS funding denied thanks to BMI and finally a successful story of double donor conception.

Emma is so kind and empathetic and REALLY gets it. She's been through so much and now uses all her experience to help others with her business: Your IVF Abroad.

Here's a summary of the stuff we talk about:

Emma's early perimenopause diagnosis at 33
the extra whammy: male factor infertility
And the other one...Emma's BMI: NHS funding denied even after losing 6 stone as instructed by her clinic
what led her to consider IVF Abroad
double donor conception
PND and what she wished she'd done earlier to help possibly prevent it
her top three tips

Join the Life Raft from £7/month and you'll be able to claim a generous discount on Emma's services as well as gain access to our incredible library of resources; unique community and live top quality expert support, coaching and expert calls.

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.

Come and find me on Instagram at @fertilityliferaft and @thisisalicerose and head to fertilityliferaft.com for live and downloadable coaching, mindset support and empowerment.

Take care friends,

Axx

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Beyond Grief with Pippa Vosper

Tue, 01 Nov 2022 12:33:00 -0000

Author Pippa Vosper wrote an article for Vogue after she lost her son Axel 5 months into her pregnancy. It went viral. Publishers kept asking her to write a book but she wasn't ready...until lockdown, when she felt she was able to sit and write with considered clarity after time to process what she had been through.

The result is the most warm, calm, gentle and beautiful book: Beyond Grief, which is out now.

This conversation, despite the sadness, feels light and gentle and just as Pippa says at the end "I have, strangely, loved it...". Me too Pippa, me too. Pippa also shares a story which gave me actual goosebumps as she shared it, I really would love to know if it moves you too...

We recorded this live with women in my membership online. You're going to finish it feeling comforted, reassured, warm and heard whether or not you have been through a similar experience (I haven't personally).

I loved this conversation.

Let me know what you think and leave us a review on Apple or Spotify - it helps others find us and spreads the ripple of light I hope to share. Your contribution to that ripple is SO appreciated.

Come and find me on Instagram @thisisalicerose and head to my website www.thisisalicerose.com for live and downloadable coaching and mindset support and empowerment.

Take care friends,

Axx

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How Do I Stay Positive and Realistic at the Same Time?

Thu, 25 Nov 2021 06:00:00 -0000

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.

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

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Informed Choices and Reliable Information with Dr. Belinda Coker

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 06:00:00 -0000

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.

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Embodiment, Surrender, and Allowing on the Journey of Fertility with Helen Davenport Peace

Mon, 25 Oct 2021 05:00:00 -0000

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/

About Alice Rose

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Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) and Embracing All Emotion with Naomi Woolfson

Tue, 05 Oct 2021 00:00:00 -0000

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/

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/

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Donor Conception and Shifting Perspectives with Becky Kearns

Sun, 19 Sep 2021 23:00:00 -0000

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

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Empowering Yourself with Knowledge with Professor Joyce Harper

Mon, 06 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0000

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

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Hope in the Face of Uncertainty with Natasha Lunn

Mon, 23 Aug 2021 00:00:00 -0000

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

About Alice Rose

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Feeling Trapped with Kat Brown

Mon, 09 Aug 2021 00:00:00 -0000

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/

About Alice Rose

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How to Self Advocate with Gynae Geek

Mon, 26 Jul 2021 00:00:00 -0000

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/

About Alice Rose

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Strength, Empowerment, and Community with Samantha Busch

Mon, 12 Jul 2021 00:00:00 -0000

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

About Alice Rose

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Choosing a Fertility Clinic, Navigating Loss and Finding Boundaries with Sophie Martin

Mon, 05 Jul 2021 00:00:00 -0000

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

About Alice Rose

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IVF Postcode Lottery and Taking Ownership with Amber Izzo

Mon, 28 Jun 2021 00:00:00 -0000

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

About Alice Rose

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Finding Happiness, Whatever Happens with Aisha Balesaria

Sun, 20 Jun 2021 23:00:00 -0000

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.

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

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Driving Positive Change and TFMR with Zara Dawson

Fri, 07 Feb 2020 01:00:00 -0000

I feel very humbled to be able to bring you this episode. I recently had this conversation with my friend Zara Dawson. Afterwards, I was really struck by the power of just sitting down with a cuppa, and listening. I hope you'll do the same... We speak about: - Zara and Lex's experience of going through a termination for medical reasons - the positive change Zara is doing so much to drive to support those going through such traumatic loss - the current lack of representation there is in media; major organisations and within the baby loss and infertility communities and why this must shift now. "I truly believe if we saw this written about and saw those four letters TFMR - we would feel part of this too. And be acknowledged. That’s all we want." "You walk into the hospital with a baby kicking away and you walk out with a heart so heavy you feel like you're drowning. You just feel heavy." "One lady wrote to me and said she asked for support, but her hospital told her ‘we don’t think you’d be welcome in a room with people who didn’t choose to lose their babies’. Change has to happen and it has to start today." Zara, her husband Lex and their son Jax have been through something no family should have to experience. The revelation that there are more cases of TFMR in the UK than registered stillbirths was really shocking to me and I realised I had a responsibility to help Zara with her mission to open up conversations around it by sharing on this platform. I urge you to have a listen to this episode, even if you haven't been through TFMR yourself; we talk about how to support someone who has been through it and what you could say and maybe try to avoid as well. Whether or not you know someone who has been through this, it's so important to get these conversations normalised to help those who are there, listening but silent about their losses because of the lack of coverage on this issue. Zara is open, honest and absolutely driven to help others who desperately need better representation and support and as usual - somehow we managed to have a laugh too...because finding the light in all this is vital to all of us. My enormous thanks to Zara and family for allowing me to share their experience. You can find support here: https://www.arc-uk.org/ https://petalscharity.org/ And contact Zara through Instagram @littlenorfolkcottage Live events from Cat and Alice will be running throughout the year catandalice.com to meet others going through loss or infertility, including our London Night Out on March 14th. The Rainbow Running Club also hold regular UK wide events too https://www.rainbowrunningclub.co.uk/ I am always here to listen too. Feel free to message me on Instagram @thisisalicerose, drop me an email alicerosecreative@gmail.com or go to my website thisisalicerose.com Please do share this episode far and wide, subscribe to this podcast and leave a rating or review on Apple if you have a minute or so. Your reviews mean that more people find my work and get the support they need. Sending much love and empathy to all... 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. Take care, Alice x

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The Grief Episode with Zoe Clark Coates

Fri, 06 Dec 2019 01:00:00 -0000

Heads up: we cover miscarriage and loss in this episode, but we also talk about dealing with the unique grief that comes from failed fertility treatment and any difficult path to bringing home a baby. My guest is grief expert, trained counsellor, author, CEO of the Mariposa Trust and Saying Goodbye, and government advisor: Zoe Clark Coates. We cover so much in this episode including: Zoe's story and how it led to the three books she has currently published and... "the value of communication, talking. Giving grief a language. As a society, we’re really bad at...I understand the power of the written word" "the significance of a service...a passage of grief. If you're grieving the fact you've never had a child: you are welcome to our services" -How the culture of dealing with fertility issues and loss is changing through the generations; the work Zoe and her organisation are doing with the NHS to encourage better support; the link between the fertility and loss communities and how we can try to eradicate the idea that one loss is worse than another by recognising that everyone is on a unique path and living their own story. I'm so happy Zoe has also agreed to gift one of her books on release of this episode, so do go to my instagram (@thisisalicerose) to see how to enter and win. You can find out more about Zoe's organisation at https://www.sayinggoodbye.org/ and find her beautiful books at any good bookshop or online. Find her on instagram too (@zoeadelle). 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. Take care, A x

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What's it like for the Parents: Jen and Eileen

Fri, 22 Nov 2019 01:00:00 -0000

I had the honour of chatting to Jen Roberts and her Mum, Eileen, (back when the weather was a tad less icy!) and it’s one of my favourite podcast episodes yet. Eileen’s insight from a mother’s perspective on what it’s like to watch your child experience infertility, miscarriage, IVF- and then to share it all on Instagram- is just so moving and important. These two are such personalities!! And both are so eloquent. I hope that lots of parents will get comfort from listening and that maybe this chat will also help you to know that the tricky feelings that come up within families as a result of all this are all really, really normal. Jen and Eileen are so real and authentic. We cover loads here including a difficult decision over what to do for Jen this Christmas with a new baby due any day now in the family. I would love for you to share this episode and let me know what you think. Jen has had a really hard time recently but was still happy for me to share this in the hope that her truth and honesty would bring comfort to others - I am so grateful for the privilege of being part of this conversation and to be able to share it with you. Fave quotes: Eileen: "I am of an age where instagram is not at the forefront of my being...I started thinking - I wouldn’t have said that! This is so personal and private...I was beside myself that she was 'airing her dirty washing in public'! But the more I read, the more I understood..." Jen: "the way you respond now is with much more empathy and understanding that I was perceiving was the case before" Eileen: "If you sat here now and you said: if you had your leg chopped off but in 9 months Jen would have a healthy baby I would say: right...let’s go. I would. Because for me: it’s a trade off I could do, to get her what she wants." thisisalicerose.com Instagram @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.

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Managing Anxiety and Waiting with Chloe Brotheridge

Sat, 09 Nov 2019 01:00:00 -0000

Chloe Brotheridge is the Anxiety Expert. We talk about lots of different ways we can approach the kind of anxiety that might show up when we're in the middle of waiting for a result; in between cycles of treatment...or just in general. Chloe has been featured in Women’s Health, Glamour, Stylist; she has two books out and coaches people to help them become calmer versions of themselves. We reference (among other stuff!): thefeelingswheel.com TRE (trauma release exercises) Using 'Shaking' as a way to release tension The 5 Minute Journal Transcendental Meditation Books: Eckhart Tolle's 'A New Earth' Byron Katie 'Your Inner Awakening' And I also give a shout out to Nicola Salmon from Fat Positive Fertility. Enjoy this value-packed Life Raft episode!! Please do rate, review and share if you can, EVERY single piece of feedback is so valued and appreciated. Thank you for listening! Alice x FIND CHLOE: https://www.calmer-you.com/ Instagram @chloebrotheridge Podcast: The Calmer You Plus Chloe's books: The Anxiety Solution and Brave New Girl 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.

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Kate Meakin- secondary infertility, cancer and style

Fri, 25 Oct 2019 00:00:00 -0000

Hi guys! We're just a few days away from Fertility Week and I share a bit about the BBC work I've been creating and working on behind the scenes in this episode; I also share a wonderful, open and honest conversation with Kate Meakin. Kate and her husband Phil are trying to have their second child while going through unimaginably trying circumstances after Phil was recently diagnosed with a brain tumour. We cover the difficult assumptions made for anyone experiencing infertility after already having a child; why Kate hosts her brilliant weekly fashion and style hashtag with Keeley (#wednesdaywewear and @_tryingtobeamum_) and how she gets through the really, really hard days. We also talk about this problem: 'we measure the ability to be compassionate to people with how much they’ve been through; we just need to recognise, it’s relative." I couldn't agree more with this, but would love to hear your thoughts too? Have a listen and get in touch to let me know; share with your friends and do leave a review or a rating. Each and every one means the world. 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. Thank you! Alice x

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Emily Merry: surviving my mental health breakdown

Wed, 09 Oct 2019 00:00:00 -0000

Trigger warning: we talk in quite a lot of detail about miscarriage and the reality of it. Please don't listen if you don't feel able to at this point. Emily is also mum to Arthur and pregnant at the time of recording, so we talk a little bit about her pregnancy too as well as mental health. My old school friend and I, Emily Merry, sat down and talked all about her journey - we cover a lot. Pre-natal depression, miscarriage, anxiety and a mental health breakdown. We cry, we laugh and we both hope that by doing sharing this conversation between two old pals, we can help to take part in baby loss awareness week, world mental health day and of course, my 'forever mission'...to help connect and normalise fertility issues. My grateful thanks to my incredibly strong friend for allowing me to share her story. If you need support, please seek it out: Emily found it through the Samaritans; you can also contact Tommy's, Fertility Network and always reach out online. I also talk about a new mental health and fertility campaign from the fabulous @laurenifen and @bee_dreams launching on World Mental Health Day 10.10.19. 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.

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IVF Babble, Starting Something and OHSS

Thu, 26 Sep 2019 00:00:00 -0000

I had an amazing time chatting to Sara from IVF Babble; an online magazine which also runs a charity, Babble Giving. They do incredible work linking up with fertility clinics to organise free rounds of IVF; have an established, thriving online community as well as their IVF Stronger Together campaign (backed by the likes of Fearne Cotton and Holly Willoughby) this powerhouse team are making huge impact in the fertility world. Sara and I chat about everything from what it was like to meet Donald Trump (!), her own fertility journey, guardian angels and more. I also share one of the exercises from my mindset course and read out an email from a listener with a positive tale (not a BFP) which I hope will offer encouragement to you when it feels like nothing is going your way...there just might be something you can do to swing the pendulum back in your favour. If you want to get in touch with this listener, her Instagram is: https://www.instagram.com/tryingtomakeusthree/ We also reference Fertility Fest which you can find more out about here: https://www.fertilityfest.com/ IVF Babble can be found here https://www.ivfbabble.com/ 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.

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Dr Zoe Williams, being brave and #tellmewhy

Thu, 12 Sep 2019 00:00:00 -0000

Dr. Zoe Williams and I had such a great chat about all things fertility; her own personal story; the problem with getting GPs to take fertility issues seriously and how we can be brave enough to take opportunities when they come knocking. Such an inspirational woman! I also share more about the new Tommy's campaign, #tellmewhy which is pushing for further pregnancy research. 82% of women worry it was something they might have done wrong after a miscarriage, stillbirth or going through premature labour. 71% are not told why their baby died. Funding is crucial for further pregnancy research, to find out why loss happens, start preventing it, and save more babies. Giovanna Fletcher and Dr. Brooke Vandemolen told me why they're supporting it. Please see www.tommys.org for more (and contact them if you have been through this yourself and need support). 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. x

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All The Single Ladies

Thu, 29 Aug 2019 00:00:00 -0000

Honoured to share three women, Nicole Val, Jocelyn Bell and Mel Johnson at different stages of their journey into becoming mothers with the help of science, by themselves. I wanted to respond to news that an NHS body has banned single women from accessing IVF stating research which included phrases like 'single mothers are a burden on society' and a " sole woman is unable to bring out the best outcomes for the child.” I hope by sharing a snapshot from a different perspective...i.e one from those actually doing it; we can start to appreciate how incredibly strong, capable and absolutely fantastic these sorts of women are. As always I would love to hear from you so please do get in touch on Instagram @thisisalicerose, email me alice@thisisalicerose.com and share, rate, review subscribe allllll the good stuff!! Thank you so much! With grateful thanks to my guests and if you'd like to find them, here are their Instagram handles: Nicole @nicole_val Jocelyn @motheringsolo Mel @the_stork_and_i 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.

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Hannah and Lewis Vaughan Jones- Relationships. 'add-ons' and mentality

Thu, 22 Aug 2019 06:45:00 -0000

Hannah and Lewis Vaughan Jones are both broadcast journalists with the most beautiful speaking voices! They've been through 15 rounds of IVF and after mentally moving onto double donor conception, their last FET with their own embryo worked and they are currently pregnant. We had such a juicy, honest, funny but frank conversation about relationships, the problems with the ‘staying positive’ and ‘never give up’ mentality; how they feel about the ‘just adopt’ comment; their vastly different approaches to everything (and how they handled this and kept their relationship on track throughout it all)...and, as seems to be mandatory for series 2 of this pod, their dog Barry John also makes a guest appearance! I also share an extract from a lovely Guardian article (www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/20…fted-my-spirits); give a shout out to one of my lovely listeners and let you know what's coming up next time too. THANK YOU so much for listening. Every message, share and particularly rating or review means the world. Take care, Ax thisisalicerose.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.

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Elle Wright - hope, loss and secondary infertility

Wed, 14 Aug 2019 20:48:00 -0000

Elle Wright, author ('Ask Me His Name'), instagram queen and general excellent person speaks to me about her story so far from finding her way through the aftermath of losing her 3 day old baby, Teddy; a miscarriage after that, and the trials of trying to conceive via IVF since then. We cover all sorts and I've deliberately kept in most of our chat rather than edit it too much as...well, there's just too much to say! You can find Elle @feathering_the_empty_nest on Instagram and her book is available in all good bookshops. We also talk about the great support Tommy's the baby charity offer. 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.

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What You Get in Series 2!

Tue, 06 Aug 2019 23:00:00 -0000

I'm so excited to be finally bringing back my podcast! I've got a brand new name.. Fertility Life Raft (previously The TTC Life Raft) but the aim is the same: to make this experience just a tiny bit brighter. I've been lucky enough to speak to some amazing guests so far with more lined up and in this trailer you will hear from:

Elle Wright

Sara Marshall Page

Dr. Zoe Williams

Jocelyn Bell

Hannah and Lewis Vaughan Jones

Emily Merry

I hope these 5 minutes give you a little taster of what's to come...real stories; a laugh here and there; the odd expert - but crucially, deep understanding for what you're going through (or what you're supporting someone through). Come and find me on Instagram @thisisalicerose, subscribe so you don't miss an episode and join this pioneering community, for a new kind of fertility support. 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. Take care x

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Being The Pregnant One, Unfollows on Social & Motherhood after Infertility

Fri, 07 Dec 2018 15:50:00 -0000

For this final episode in the series, I'm delighted to welcome back Cat Strawbridge (Instagram: @tryingyears) and Keeley Dwight (Instagram: @_tryingtobeamum_) who you will remember from Episode 1. We cover loads of issues here. All three of us are very honest and it does get a little emotional at times. I think these conversations are so important to have and I hope that by having them, we can make even stronger connections with each other; building each other up and supporting each other as much as we can. Cat "Trying to conceive is the hardest thing I have been through in my entire life…this pregnancy is the second hardest!" "I feel a bit awkward almost…I’m wary about what to say or do. I kind of feel like an outsider and it’s a strange transition" Keeley "You don’t have to biologically conceive a child to mother…I’m much more involved with my nephew and friends' kids – maybe because I’m aware that it might be the way that I mother…" "It’s really important to talk about mothers and being a mother…it’s about connections" I also share a personal story which really affected a close friendship in the middle of our first fertility struggle and how we got through it as well as a free and brilliant Life Raft Tool. Thank you for being with me throughout this series. Your messages, ratings and reviews mean the world. If you'd like to give me a Christmas present (!) please do let me know what you think of this episode, by rating it (if you liked it!) and subscribe to www.thisisalicerose.com . 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. Take very good care, Alice xxx

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How to do Christmas and Infertility with Emily Hodge

Thu, 29 Nov 2018 21:15:00 -0000

Facing Christmas and New Year when you don't feel you have achieved your dream; you're dealing with grief and you're bracing yourself for all of the questions from family and friends... can be soul destroying, exhausting and sad for many people. I know this feeling so well and my guest Emily Hodge does too. Emily also happens to have an incredibly moving personal story and happens to be a life coach and health psychologist with some brilliant insights, which she shares in her uniquely gentle but powerful way. I absolutely loved talking to Emily and I hope this is a really helpful episode which you can listen to throughout the Christmas period and in the run up to New Year too. I also share one of my favourite life raft tools as well! This is the penultimate episode of this podcast series (but it will be back!), so subscribe www.thisisalicerose.com and make sure you don't miss my plans for 2019....there is so much coming. As always, if you rate, review or drop me a line to let me know what you think, you will make this lady in her spare room very happy indeed!! Happy listening and take care xx Emily Hodge https://coachingemily.com/ @gentle_life_mindful_business Instagram Also featuring: Kate Dion Richard @katedionrichard 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.

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Dr. Larisa Corda- Saying No to the Rules

Thu, 22 Nov 2018 22:49:00 -0000

This episode I have a big juicy chat with the wonderful Dr. Larisa Corda, fertility specialist from the telly box! I loved this conversation because we covered such a broad range of topics. Dr. Larisa has an amazing, holistic approach to all things fertility and health, married with totally down to earth communication (which, don't get me wrong if you're a medic reading this, can be hard to find!) Fave quotes: "Understanding that as women in particular, we need to recognise our power and how strong we are; I think there’s real beauty in that" "Spend time in good company; with people who won’t drag you down or judge you. You don’t abide by anyone’s rules or laws – there are no rules or laws! People have made it up. It’s all a bit fallacy. There are only rules that you make up." "We’re so often looking for something that’s missing in our lives and we think the minute we have that, things will suddenly get better" You can find Larisa on Instagram @drlarisacorda drlarisacorda.com. Come and find me @thisisalicerose on Instagram and subscribe to my website thisisalicerose.com where I have loads of new content and plans to help you move seamlessly into Christmas and the New Year. Please do rate, review and subscribe if you haven't already - every single piece of feedback is so very appreciated!! 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. Alice Rose x

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Stillbirth, Self-compassion and Resilience

Thu, 15 Nov 2018 21:10:00 -0000

A fascinating conversation with clinical pyschologist and Mum to Orla, stillborn at full term, and Esme; Michelle shares insights into her own personal story of healing. We cover all kinds of topics in this episode and focus on how we can practice self-compassion, what it means when we change as people through our experiences and how we can learn to be OK with the people we become. Fave quotes: “there was a time after Orla died that I was just so devastated I thought I would never go back to my life before; I thought I’m never going to go back to work, I’m never going to be a psychologist again” “going through some life experiences will change the core of who you are…this sense of us being static beings is just not realistic” “there’s so many things that are different about me, because of Orla; her life and death- that I almost wouldn’t want to change that…because that would eradicate her from my history” You can find out more at from Michelle's award-winning blog at: fromtheotherchair.co.uk and on Instagram @fromtheotherchair Your feedback means the world; if you feel moved to tell me how you felt listening to this episode, then do drop me a line alicerosecreative@gmail.com, find me on Instagram @thisisalicerose or visit my website www.thisisalicerose.com. Ratings and reviews are really helpful so if you've enjoyed the show, feel free to leave one! 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. Thank you x

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Top Tips and Big Fat Negative chats

Thu, 08 Nov 2018 23:04:00 -0000

A bumper episode this week with top tips from: Melanie Brown, Fertility Nutritionist Andreia Trigo from inFertile Life Sarah Banks, Fertility Coach Mr and Mrs Lemon-Ade Baby (Claire and Dan!) Barbara Scott, Chair of the Association of Reproductive Reflexologists... AND if that wasn't enough: ...a lovely, cosy, uplifting chat with the brilliant Emma and Gabby from Big Fat Negative Podcast, my competitor who I thoroughly recommend you go and listen to after you get your ears around this bad boy! We cover everything from TTC sex to what happens when your infertility pal gets pregnant. We also talk about Richard Clothier who offers loads of support for men going through infertility https://www.fertilityshow.co.uk/why-the-fertility-show/our-speakers/detail/richard-clothier You can watch my 4 minute speech I mention, telling a lot of very influential fertility professionals about my 'Think! What Not to Say' Campaign here www.thisisalicerose.com Please do rate and review if you liked this episode or got any value from it at all, it really does help people find it! Thank you for listening! 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. Alice x

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Fat Fertility Matters with Nicola Salmon

Thu, 01 Nov 2018 00:00:00 -0000

It's Fertility Week here in the UK and people all over the country are working hard to raise awareness, smash stigmas and normalise conversations. I'm so proud to share this episode of the podcast with Fat Positive Fertility Coach Nicola Salmon. "fat women feel like they're not worthy of being mothers" "you don't have to climb the mountain, you just have to take the step" "the damage that diet culture has done to our hormones, our fertility, can't be reflected in studies" "It's so bizarre that when you call someone fat it's an insult; it's just a descriptor of my body" To see more about Nicola and her brilliant life raft tool which she shares visit her website http://nicolasalmon.co.uk/top-five-fertility-habits/ and follow her on Instagram @fatpositivefertility I also share the interview I did for LBC Radio after my blog following the Royal Baby announcement. We also talked about: www.ivfbabble.com PCOS and food https://yourfertilityjourney.com/ has some great information @your_fertility_journey on Instagram and check out Melanie Brown Nutrition https://www.melaniebrownnutrition.com/ @melaniebrownnutritionist too Fertility Education Initiative https://www.britishfertilitysociety.org.uk/special-interest-groups/fertility-education-initiative/about-fei/ 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.

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Sophie Sulehria & Jonny Baker; Royal Baby News & Why Awareness Days are Important

Wed, 17 Oct 2018 23:12:00 -0000

What a busy week it's been. On Episode 4, I share with you what it's been like sharing a blog which got the most response I've ever had and include an interview with LBC radio on the back of it. I also have a wonderful chat with Sophie Sulehria and her husband Jonny Baker. Sophie is a BBC reporter. Sophie and Jonny have been through 6 rounds of unsuccessful IVF and have shared their journey with Radio 4's PM Programme for their series “Our Fertility Journey” which follows the couple as they meet people who have found alternative ways to have a child. I absolutely loved talking to Sophie and Jonny about what it was like to go so public with their fertility journey; how they've got through it together and how Sophie felt after doing a course looking at a new way to think about life... "I felt like I was stripping completely naked and running down the high street" "you can't stop all these external influences, it's more about how you deal with them" "I'm full of love, I love children and I love people and if that's who I am...then that's who I want to be" Sophie and Jonny's Radio 4 series is now about to be released in an extensive form as a podcast called “The Long Road To Baby” you can find out more at www.sophiesulerhia.co.uk We also talk about Fertility Network UK www.fertilitynetworkuk.org Broadband Consciousness from www.theministryofinspiration.com 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.

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Lucy Sheridan - How to Stop Comparing

Thu, 11 Oct 2018 05:06:00 -0000

One of the mega revelations I discovered with a LOT of trial and error while we were trying to conceive the first time, was finding myself feeling free after months of being trapped in my 'infertility cage' by managing to just. stop. comparing. I know how revelatory it feels, but I also know how tricky it can be to get there. So I spoke to the brilliant Lucy Sheridan who is the UK's first and only Comparison Coach and has honed and crafted her teachings to specifically help with the ultimate peace thief and happiness killer: comparison. If you start anywhere with your journey to healing, start here. Favourite quotes in this episode from Lucy: "if I can think and feel myself into this, could I think and feel my way out of it?" "I choose not to live in a world where we 'jinx' things" "I use visualisation as a bite-size lifestyle remedy" "I put myself in a bubble of nourishing, supportive content" Lucy also references: Kyle Gray card decks Dr. Wayne Dyer Jim Rohn I hope you love this episode, please let me know if you do by rating, reviewing, sending an email: alicerosecreative@gmail.com or through social media - I'm on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram all under: @thisisalicerose. Your feedback, suggestions and comments are all so very welcome! 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. With love, Alice x

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Mother Pukka, Loss and Relationships

Mon, 01 Oct 2018 14:14:00 -0000

I am so excited to share my chat with the brilliant Anna Whitehouse (aka Mother Pukka @motherpukka motherpukka.co.uk) for this episode. If you don't know already...Anna is a bit of a social media icon. She's an author, campaigner, broadcaster, Mum and all round corker and I massively appreciate her time, openness and willingness to help me shine a light on how we can get through fertility struggles and loss for you. In this episode we talk about - navigating relationships through miscarriage - how loss changes you - how important terminology is when you lose a pregnancy - confidence, campaigns and putting one foot in front of another I also share voice messages from two friends of mine for my 'Think! What Not to Say' campaign, my life raft tool for this week and talk to you about my next event, 'Take Ownership'. It's on Saturday 6th October in Bristol (UK) from 11am and you can find out more here https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/take-ownership-with-alice-rose-tickets-49476749289 Huge love to you, thank you so much for listening and do get in touch with any feedback, thoughts or your own 'Think! What Not to Say' stories! Come and find me on Instagram @thisisalicerose too. I adore hearing from you, Alice xxx 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.

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What Not To Say

Wed, 19 Sep 2018 20:49:00 -0000

I'm so excited to share the first episode of the TTC Life Raft which is coinciding with the launch of my campaign, 'Think! What Not To Say' #twnts On this episode I'm joined by the brilliant Cat Strawbridge (aka @tryingyears) and Keeley Dwight (@_tryingtobeamum_) as we chat about: How to cope when someone says something to upset you? Can we find compassion for those who get it wrong? What do we want people to say? Surrounding yourself with people who uplift you Tips for helping friends and family know how to support you Tips for coping if you’re not telling anyone what you’re going through Life Raft tool number 1…join me by practicing my number one tool every day for a week and let me know how you get on. In this episode, Keeley mentions a study which you can read here https://www.news-medical.net/news/20180713/Study-Womens-emotional-state-not-related-to-success-of-infertility-treatment.aspx I'll be discussing more about this in forthcoming episodes as it's such a complex topic. Thank you so much for listening, I hope you love it as much as I've loved making it. Please do rate, review and subscribe if you did! Alice x 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.

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What You Get in this Series

Thu, 13 Sep 2018 11:39:00 -0000

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.

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