PSA: Don’t comment on people’s bodies. Ever.

Maybe their fertility medications (or other meds) are causing them to gain weight.

Maybe they just had a loss and haven’t lost the weight.

Maybe they are pregnant but they aren’t ready to talk about it yet.

Maybe they have a medical condition that is causing their body to gain weight.

You never know what someone is going through, but you can be certain that commenting on their body is never the thing you want to be doing. Imagine not seeing someone since last Thanksgiving and the first thing they say to you is “Oh, you got heavy!” 😡

Please. Please. Please. Stop talking about body shape, type, diets, food restrictions, Glp-1s, etc. It’s never a conversation that is going to end well.

Thanksgiving | turkey | body image| don’t talk about people’s bodies| health at every size | diet culture | fertility | infertility | Jewish

Rachel Goldberg LMFT, PMH joins Aimee Baron, MD to talk about binge and restrictive eating habits and how that can affect fertility, the reasons why disordered eating or exercise can cause fertility issues, the guilt and shame that go along with this these diagnoses, and the small changes suggestions people can make to try to get them out of a destructive feeding pattern.

Reva Schlanger Peyser MS, RD, CDN joins Aimee Baron, MD to talk about a myriad of issues surrounding fertility in regard to body image and eating disorders, how people feel like their body is failing them during the struggle to build a family and how people might use eating, nutrition, exercise to try to take back some control.

Another voice from our community ❤️‍🩹 thank you for your vulnerability. Leave some love and comfort in the comments

#yourstory #infertility #fertilityjourney #infertilitystory #selfcare #circumstantialinfertility #mentalhealth #selflove

Thank you so much to @sam_ster_ela for sharing her circumstantial infertility story with us. We’re holding you and everyone dealing with this pain 🫂🫂🫂

It doesn't change the fact that I wish I didn't need to be on birth control. That my vision of having a large family isn't realistic for me. That I am dealing with a mental illness.

Thank you so much to this follower for sharing this deeply moving piece 💔❤️‍🩹

#jewishwomen #jewishwoman #miscarriage #stillbirth #fertility #infertility #infertilitysupport #fertilityjourney #support #groups #loss #pain #grief #reminder #surrogate #surrogacy #tfmr #trimester #pregnant #pregnancy #pregnancyloss #recurrentloss #insensitive #comments #personal #story #community

We’re reflecting on the many thoughts and emotions that come with egg freezing. These are merely a handful.

Ellie Levi, joins Aimee Baron, MD to talk about her story of becoming a SIM: Single Intentional Mom to her 3 year old daughter, Ayelet HaShachar, her thought process and emotions about each stage of the process and the experience of being one of the first to her freeze eggs in her community.

Navigating fertility and genetic challenges can be overwhelming, and the emotions that come with them are just as complex.

Podcast Collaboration with Jscreen

It’s hard to put all 5,000 thoughts that run through our minds during the two week wait into one graphic. But we tried to capture the essence.

Send love
Send support
Send hugs
...to some of the people who need it most this holiday

Head to our stories and click the link to share yours anonymously

This is also a great way to send a message to all our community members in Israel, who are struggling with so much on top of the war

This community is a special corner of the internet, and we're so glad you're a part of it

Jewish Community | Purim | Support | Village

When people are in pain, it's too hard for them to figure out what they need, let alone reach out to someone and ask if they can do it.

So don't wait - just show up and do it.
"Do you want Chinese or pizza tonight?"
"I'm going to Trader joes and buying those cookies you like. Do you want me to grab fruit and veggies for you to have in the fridge too?"
"I'm going for a walk at 7. I will knock on your door and see if you're up for coming - if you don't respond, I will know that you're not. And then I will try again on Friday."
"I'm coming by at 9 to take your kids to Shabbat groups - don't worry if they're not dressed. I will help them."

But the biggest issue is that people forget about someone after the crisis is over. Grief and pain don't go away just because people are onto the next tragedy.

Keep showing up.

Support | Village | Being There | Fertility Journey | Jewish Woman | Jewish Family

If you're worried you may inadvertently hurt someone you love struggling to build their family, swipe to read what to avoid and, more importantly, what to say instead

Fertility Journey | Support System | Village

Challenging norms, holding onto their values, and showing that there’s more than one way to be a family in the Orthodox world.

The family building process can already be isolating.

In communities where there’s also a lack of understanding and support for LGBTQ+ family building, there are additional isolating factors.

Many queer people carry guilt around starting a family — for various reasons.

Guilt is real. But so is the longing for family.

Quick reminder to end off our “men’s week” for MOvember.

Just because he doesn’t emote the way you do, doesn’t mean he’s not feeling it just as much.

Tell him that you’re really a mess. Let him know that it’s hard to watch him act differently than you. Give him ways he can support you if he doesn’t know what to do.

And…don’t forget to reach out to other people if he can’t be the one who gives you what you need. It’s okay if that happens. You’re allowed to get support and validation from other people too.

Couples | relationships | male factor | male factor infertility | infertility | miscarriage | stillborn | TFMR | Jewish | Jew | jewish woman

Infertility puts an incredible stress on a marriage. But you are in this together - here are some tips for supporting the men ❤️

Men’s health awareness | what about the men | male factor infertility | IUI | ivf | pregnancy loss | men cry too | emotions | infertility thoughts | supportive relationships

Society has made men believe it is a sign of weakness for them to show emotions. But those emotions are still there. So they bubble under the surface until eventually they have explode.

So men, we just wanted to acknowledge that despite what society might tell you it’s okay to feel all the feels.

It’s okay to cry.
It’s okay to ask for help.
It’s okay to be vulnerable.
It’s okay to let others in.

It doesn’t make you weak or a burden. It makes you stronger.

And you may just find that in doing so, you feel lighter.

Men’s health awareness | men’s mental health | male factor infertility | Jewish couple | relationship advice | infertility | ttc | miscarriage | infant loss

What do you think about this message I got this week?

Let me know in the comments or through the anonymous box in stories

Pregnancy announcements | trigger | secondary infertility | ttc | ivf | pregnancy anxiety

What’s the difference between secrecy and privacy?

Privacy refers to your personal boundaries about your history, thoughts, opinions, and experiences, separate from your partner and relationship. Secrecy, on the other hand, involves something that you are intentionally hiding.

In this scenario, the hiding comes because you know your news will hurt, so you think by not sharing your pregnancy, that will prevent her from finding out.

But here’s the thing.

You can’t hide a baby forever. And when she does eventually find out, she will be hurt that you didn’t share this detail of your life. She will think that you don’t care about her enough to share happy moments, even if she’s sad. She will think you don’t value her friendship.

And she will most likely never share anything sensitive with you again.

So, is the initial discomfort of sharing your news worth it?

Pregnancy announcement | be sensitive | no secrets | infertility | fertility clinic | fertility support

Back to Basics: How am I supposed to share the news of my own pregnancy when I know my sister/friend/cousin, is experiencing infertility? I don’t want to hurt them!

We’ve complied a carousel of suggestions on how and when you should tell your person that you are pregnant.

And the last part of this is…

⭐️Don’t get upset when your person doesn’t get back to you immediately.

⭐️Please don’t be mad when she doesn’t acknowledge your pregnancy.

⭐️Don’t hold a grudge if she doesn’t come to a baby shower or bris; Your pregnancy/baby is triggering her. She’s doing what she can to survive and your job is to be her friend no matter what.

Did we miss any? Let us know in the comments...

Pregnancy announcement | infertility | fertility support | grief | what to say | how to support

We asked our IWSTHAB community how their relationships have shifted since beginning their fertility journeys—and the responses were raw, real, and deeply human.

Infertility is hard. Pregnancy loss is hard. The journey to build a family is hard. Make sure to take breaks. You deserve them.

Send love.💗
Send support. 🤗
Send hugs 🫂

…to some of the people who need it most this holiday

Before you judge, pause.

These parents are already carrying more than most ever will.

Nobody Wants To Be In That Situation

I Never Thought I Would Terminate A Pregnancy for Down’s Syndrome