Infertile Af

Do not miss our celeb guest today! Ali is talking to the incredible Riki Lindome, a prolific, Emmy nominated comedian and actress from Knives Out; Wednesday; The Big Bang Theory; her musical duo, Garfunkel and Oates; and her one-woman show about her infertility journey, Dead Inside. Riki gets real with Ali about her family building journey, including how she navigated infertility, IVF, a devastating pregnancy loss, an adoption journey and finally, surrogacy. Riki also talks about her new solo comedy album, No Worries if Not, her sweet son, Keaton (whom she’s raising with her husband, comedian and actor Fred Armisen), and how it felt to hold him in her arms for the very first time. She also talks about the amazing bond she has with her surrogate, and how humor and honesty helped them through it all.Follow her on IG: @rikilindhomeCheck out her work: rikilindhome.comTOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:Infertility; IVF; egg retrieval; pregnancy loss; products of conception; surrogacy; adoption; embryo donationSupport

Today, Ali sits down with her dear friend and Fertility Rally member, Caitlin Trabert, for a raw and powerful conversation about her long and deeply emotional path to parenthood. Caitlin opens up about the heartbreak of multiple pregnancies and subsequent losses, her husband's balanced translocation, and the toll of IVF—physically, emotionally, and mentally. From the crushing "egg winner" high to the "zero embryos" low, a surprise pregnancy that ended in miscarriage, and learning her mom had breast cancer on the same day she was miscarrying—Caitlin talks about how hard it is to trust your body after so much loss, and joining Fertility Rally—an experience she describes as the best decision she's made. She talks about welcoming her daughter, Parker, into the world, and finally, being pregnant again with a baby that's due this year.TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE: Infertility; TTC; pregnancy loss; miscarriage; IVF; embryo transfers; egg retrievals, pregnancy after infertility; balanced

Today, Ali is talking to Lana Manikowski, a fellow Chicagoan, a certified life coach and the author of "So Now What?" -- a roadmap to help you create a life you love without the children you always dreamed about. Lana tells Ali about her years-long infertility journey, starting with an "unexplained infertility" diagnosis and 7 IUIs. Lana explains moving on to IVF, traveling to get treatment in Colorado, doing several rounds of IVF, and how she and her husband decided to stop treatment and embrace their lives without children. "So many women are left to navigate this alone," she says. "Here I was, left to figure out who I was gonna be in my life without motherhood. And there was no one there--not even a referral for a therapist." Lana has made it her goal to help other women navigate childlessness after infertility, from her book to her advocacy to The Other's Day brunch, which takes place each year in Chicago around Mother's Day. For more, go to https://lanamanikowski.c

Today Ali is talking to Libby Wicks, a surrogacy mama who went through a five-plus year struggle to have her baby girl. Libby talks about her not one, but two ectopic pregnancies, her emergency tube removal, and being diagnosed (wrongly, she would find out much later) with Asherman's Syndrome. She also talks about IVF and how her infertility journey affected her mental health. "I was suffering from anxiety," she says. "There were many days I wasn't able to leave the house. I wasn't able to work, and it was absolutely devastating. I was a shell of myself. And I want other women to know that that is actually normal." Libby talks about pivoting to surrogacy and finding NewGen Families, which is known for their thoughtful matches and their empathetic and expert care when it comes to both surrogates and future parents. She talks about bonding with her surrogate, the group text she had with her husband and her surrogate; and after going through so much heartache, finally bringing home he

Dr. Jessica Zucker is a Los Angeles-based psychologist specializing in reproductive and maternal mental health. Today, Ali is talking to Jessica about her new book, "Normalize It," her first book, "I Had a Miscarriage," and Jessica's own infertility journey, including a devastating pregnancy loss at 16 weeks. "I felt like I was living in a documentary, like, How is this my life?" Jessica says. They also talk about women lifting each other up; normalizing the conversation around IVF; miscarriage and navigating pregnancy after loss; and more. For more, go to: https://www.drjessicazucker.com/Order Normalize It: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1683738144TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE: Infertility; TTC; miscarriage; D&C; trauma; IVF; normalizing the conversation around ART; pregnancy after lossSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/infertile-af/donationsEPISODE SPONSORS: WORK OF ARTAli's Children's Book about IVF and Assisted Reproductive Technologyhttps://www.infertileaf

It's another Infertile AF expert minisode! On today's episode, Ali welcomes Emily Oster, a Professor of Economics at Brown University, a bestselling author, and the founder of ParentData.org. Emily has a talent for translating complex data into practical advice—an approach that has made her a trusted voice for millions of parents. Today, she and Ali talk about sex ed, fertility, birth control, secondary infertility, endometriosis, and advocating for yourself in terms of healthcare and your medical team. Emily and Ali also explore the question, What should we be teaching the next generation, and how do we better prepare them for their futures than we were prepared? For more, go to: https://parentdata.org/Follow Emily @profemilyosterTOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE: Infertility; TTC; sex education; endometriosis; birth control; fertilitySupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/infertile-af/donationsEPISODE SPONSORS: WORK OF ARTAli's Children's Book about IVF and Assisted Reproductive Techno

On today's episode, Ali interviews Kristin Duncan, a single mom by choice, about the journey to having her 2 1/2 year old son, Blake. Kristin explains why she made the decision to have a kiddo on her own and talks us through the entire process, from having a "sperm donor choosing party" with her sisters to finding out she had stage two silent endometriosis (but no symptoms). She talks about connecting with others in the single mom by choice community, and says, "In the single mother by choice community, you don't find a lot of people who regret going ahead and having a baby on their own. The most surprising thing was just that everyone was so happy with their decision." She talks about the pros and cons of doing it solo, gaining 40 pounds from taking the fertility meds, and how everything was "insanely expensive." She also talks about having her son, and later, embarking on the journey to have another child, which has so far included two failed egg donors. Kristin is not finish

Today, Ali is talking to the "Vanderpump Rules" and "The Valley" GOAT: Kristen Doute. Kristen shares her entire family building story, starting with back in the day, when she and co-star Scheana Shay talked about freezing their eggs (although Kristen didn't do it then) to today, when she is happily engaged and expecting her first baby, a daughter, in June. Kristen talks about the sex education (or lack thereof) she got growing up in Michigan; how, when she met Luke, she was about to be 40 "and not playing around," and how she really wanted a family and stability. She talks about how she and Luke started to "not, not try" for a baby; getting pregnant naturally; and then, a devastating pregnancy loss (in her case, a "blighted ovum"). Kristen also talks about the unsexiness of sex on demand; going to see a fertility specialist, and how she felt triggered by the word, "infertile." She also talks about IUI; becoming pregnant after their loss; a bleeding scare at

Today, Ali is talking to Roxy Earle, an entrepreneur, influencer, and star of The Real Housewives of Toronto, alongside her husband, Dr. Arnold Mahesan, a respected fertility specialist. Roxy and Arnold share their family building journey, including how Roxy was told by a few doctors, before she met and fell in love with Arnold, that in order to have children, she'd have to "lose weight and do IVF." Roxy talks about how Arnold put her on a "very robust" lifestyle program, including fitness changes, managing inflammation and taking supplements, and how she was able to successfully get pregnant and have two healthy babies at ages 38 and 39. Roxy and Arnold then share how they created the Ana app, which incorporates everything they learned during their own journey, and more. "The problem with infertility is that you don't know about it until it's too late. I wish someone had informed me about these things earlier on in life," Roxy says. For more on Ana — an app dedicated to em

Today, Ali is talking to Fertility Rally member Keren, who is still in the thick of her years-long infertility journey. Keren talks about growing up with seven siblings in "evangelical spaces," how her parents opted her out of sex ed in school; and having one of her ovaries removed, due to a cyst, at the age of 16. She talks about having a chemical pregnancy, followed by a "lot of disappointing cycles." She shares how having timed intercourse is "stressful and not sexy," what happened when they found out her husband had a low sperm count, and pivoting to IVF. She also talks about getting pregnant but receiving the devastating news that her baby was missing part of her cerebellum and measuring about 10 days behind. Keren talks about navigating this very difficult time; the pain of finding out that their baby's heart had stopped beating; and making the decision to give birth to their daughter, Iris, in Labor & Delivery. She also shares her advice on talking to parents who have lo

Today, Ali is catching up with Mrs. North Carolina 2018 and IVF mom of two, Nichelle Sublett. Ali and Nichelle first spoke on Infertile AF back in 2019 -- and a lot has happened since then! At the time, Nichelle was 32 weeks pregnant with her first baby, son Hudson, who is now five. Nichelle had suffered five miscarriages and felt like her body was broken before Hudson -- and she fills Ali in on the rest of her infertility journey, including navigating Covid with a toddler; feeling like she couldn't complain about motherhood after going through infertility; and their next IVF transfer, which resulted in a second baby, their daughter, Siena. Nichelle also talks about her new fertility coaching business, Start Asking Fertility. "It's my mission to help people thrive through this time versus just survive, because I feel like I just barely survived it," she says. For more, go to https://www.startaskingfertility.com/Follow on IG @startaskingfertilityTOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE: Infertility; TTC;

It's a very special crossover episode! Today, Ali talks to the three brilliant and badass board certified reproductive endocrinologists from Fertility Doctors Uncensored, Dr. Carrie Bedient, Dr. Abby Eblen and Dr. Susan Hudson. Ali and the Doctors talk about separating fact from fiction, why community is so important in the infertility community, and why Ali wrote her children's book about IVF, "Work of ART." Ali shares some of her infertility story, the doctors talk about their own fertility challenges and share some frequently asked questions, and then they all talk about their respective news books coming out.For more info, go to https://www.fertilitydocsuncensored.com/TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE: Infertility; TTC; miscarriage; IUI; IVF; egg retrieval; IVF success; infertility community; secondary infertility; talking to kids about IVFEPISODE SPONSORS: WORK OF ARTAli's Children's Book about IVF and Assisted Reproductive Technologyhttps://www.infertileafgroup.com/booksDo not miss

On today's episode, Ali talks to Intended Parent, Maggie, and Surrogate, Jessie, about working with ConceiveAbilities, a leading egg donor and surrogacy agency. Maggie explains how she and her husband, Matt, started trying to conceive more than five years ago. She talks about seven rounds of Clomid, multiple miscarriages, and moving on to IVF. When that wasn't successful, she pivoted to surrogacy, after she and Matt were matched with Jessie. Jessie talks about being a nurse, why there are so many nurses who become surrogates, and why she decided to become a surrogate in the first place. "My heart just ached for women who couldn't have babies," Jessie says. "I love my babies so much. I feel so deeply passionate about making sure that another woman has a chance to love a baby, because it's just the greatest gift." Maggie and Jessie talk about meeting for lunch before the transfer, their deep bond, the difficulties of her pregnancy, and finally, how Maggie's daughter, Josie, e

It's another expert minisode! Today, Ali is talking to award-winning doctor Dr. Joshua U. Klein, co-founder of Extend Fertility, about a groundbreaking new fertility treatment called Fertilo, by Gameto. Dr. Klein (who, as you may know, is also the doctor who helped Ali and Vince have Sonny via IVF), explains exactly what Fertilo is and how it works in terms of egg freezing and IVF. He explains how Fertilo can shorten IVF and egg freezing cycles, who the best candidates are, and what research and clinical studies have been done to back the efficacy of Fertilo. "If Fertilo is working as we hope it is and it seems like it is, we can shorten and minimize both the duration and the amount of medication that women are doing," he says. "Egg freezing could become a three to five day thing. This is one of the first things in the last decade that has some serious groundbreaking potential, and I'm excited to be a part of it." He also talks about other innovations he and the team at Extend are exci

Today, Ali is talking to her dear friend and Fertility Rally member, Mesha Hardesty. Mesha tells Ali about getting her period at the age of 10, a cyst that led her to go on birth control at age 12, and painful periods that would "drop me to the floor." She talks about trying to have a baby, going through infertility during the pandemic, and what happened when she was finally diagnosed with stage-4 endometriosis. She also talks about her husband's semen analysis, pivoting to IVF, OHSS, endo surgery, why she had to have a D&C and having her two baby girls via IVF. IG: @meshahardestySupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/infertile-af/donationsTOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE: Infertility; TTC; endometriosis; stage-4 endo; ovarian cysts; IVF; egg retrieval; OHSS; frozen embryo transfer; pregnancy after infertility; placenta accreta; D&C; IVF successEPISODE SPONSORS: WORK OF ARTAli's Children's Book about IVF and Assisted Reproductive Technologyhttps://www.infertileafgroup.com/bo

Today, Ali is talking to Ginanne Brownell, author of "Elusive Mommyhood: An Investigative Reporter’s Personal Journey into IVF and Surrogacy." Comedian and surrogacy mom Tig Notaro says of the book,"A very important book for everyone, relevant to our times." On the pod, Ginanne tells Ali about freezing her eggs, a devastating miscarriage at seven weeks, and later, after her doctor said, "I think we need to accept that you have unexplained infertility," how she went down the IVF road with her husband. She also talks about pivoting to surrogacy, getting matched with a gestational carrier, transferring two embryos, and what it finally felt like to hold her twins. A Michigan native, Ginanne also shares how she helped change Michigan’s surrogacy law. To order "Elusive Mommyhood," go to Bookshop.org, Barnes and Noble and AmazonIG: @elusive.mommyhoodSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/infertile-af/donationsTOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE: Infertility; TTC; egg freezing; IVF

It’s an Infertile AF Minisode! On today’s episode, Ali chats with Dr. Armando Hernandez-Rey of Conceptions Florida about all things infertility. Included: What's the number one question he gets asked by fertility patients?  Is there a good season to freeze your eggs? What are the biggest advances in the fertility world? What changes are happening in IVF labs? How is AI going to affect IVF and ART? And what about Ozempic babies? Does Ozempic affect fertility? He rapid fire answers the Qs -- you might learn a lot in 12 minutes!TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE: Infertility; unexplained infertility; TTC; AI and fertility; egg freezing; OzempicEPISODE SPONSORS: WORK OF ARTAli's Children's Book about IVF and Assisted Reproductive Technologyhttps://www.infertileafgroup.com/booksDo not miss Ali's children’s book about IVF! It's been getting rave reviews. “Work of ART” is the story of an IVF kiddo the day he learns he is a “work of ART” (born via IVF and ART). For young readers 4-8. Hardcover. Writte

It's a very special episode! Ali's beloved PIBAC (Partner in Biz and Claw), Blair Nelson @fabivfmama, is back to share the third installment of her years-long infertility journey. Blair and Ali pick up where they left off during their last episode, in 2022, when Blair was pregnant with her son, Baron, but they had received devastating news that he had been diagnosed with a very rare condition called Limb Body Wall Complex. Blair talks about traveling from her home in Austin, TX to Colorado to undergo a Termination for Medical Reasons (TFMR). She talks about the amazing fellow TFMR mamas n this community who helped her navigate that difficult time, and how the procedure did not go exactly as planned, putting her life at risk. She shares how she and her husband, Will, transferred another embryo months later, although it did not implant. She also talks about deciding to transfer their "mighty mosaic" embryo, the advice she got from her doctors, and finally getting pregnant and having their miracl

It’s an Infertile AF Minisode! On today’s episode, Ali chats with Dr. Jennifer Hintzsche, Ph.D., a scientist and the founder of PherDal Fertility Science, Inc. Jenn shares her 16-month journey with unexplained infertility and how her frustration with the diagnosis led her to take matters into her own hands. Using her scientific expertise and her husband’s engineering skills, Jenn invented a sterile, at-home insemination device that ultimately helped her conceive. Tune in to hear Jenn’s story and learn more about the innovation born from her personal experience.For more information, visit www.pherdal.com.TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE: Infertility; unexplained infertility; TTC; at-home insemination; pregnancy after infertilityEPISODE SPONSORS: WORK OF ARTAli's Children's Book about IVF and Assisted Reproductive Technologyhttps://www.infertileafgroup.com/booksDo not miss Ali's children’s book about IVF! It's been getting rave reviews. “Work of ART” is the story of an IVF kiddo the day he learns

Get ready for an amazing conversation with Kellie Gerardi, an astronaut, researcher, mom, and space industry sensation who made history when she flew as a payload specialist on the Galactic 05 research mission in 2023. "I had two dreams growing up: I was fascinated with space, and I always pictured myself having a family," Kellie says. Today, Ali and Kellie talk about how she launched her career, and also about the difficult infertility journey she is navigating currently. Kellie shares the journey to having her daughter, Delta, who is now 7, and what happened when she started to try for baby number two. She talks about a number of pregnancy losses, including a devastating second trimester loss, and when they made the decision to do IVF. Kellie is in the midst of her journey, about to do an embryo transfer, and we are wishing her nothing but the best. For more, follow her on IG @kelliegerardi TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE: Infertility; secondary infertility; pregnancy; pregnancy loss; miscarriage; IV