my ivf experience + why i never shared it in 2023

Key wellness strategies, self-care techniques, and productivity tips mentioned

• Compassionate self-talk + permission to rest

  • Acknowledged that IVF/hormones can make you feel “miserable,” and framed coping as “just trying to get through that.”
  • After a stressful event (rear-ending), recognized stress can lead to overwhelm and fatigue.

• Stress management through home re-organization/decluttering (as a coping mechanism)

  • When overwhelmed, she feels a need to declutter and “go through and declutter every single area of the house again.”
  • She connects this compulsive decluttering pattern to anxiety/OCD-like tendencies, including repeatedly checking drawers/cabinets.

• Daily structure + logistics reduction

  • Consolidated kids’ therapy appointments onto the same day, then rotated responsibility for future weeks.
  • This is presented as a way to handle “brain space” load from multiple activities (school, therapy, dance, her own therapy).

• Prioritizing go-to healthy meals to reduce decision fatigue

  • Keeps dinners simple and repeatable (e.g., tofu + rice + veggies), typically 4 days/week.
  • Uses small “systems” to make cooking fast:
    • Preps tofu (seasoning + toaster oven/air fryer time)
    • Uses Costco staples (or similar reliable supplies)
    • Keeps a backup dinner plan (pesto pasta + tofu + veggie) because kids won’t reliably eat alternatives

• Mind-body boundaries around sleep

  • Noted that if she doesn’t go to bed by ~10:00, she feels horrible the next day—so earlier bedtime is treated like a wellness lever.

• Ongoing mental health support

  • Ongoing therapy for herself and her kids, including:
    • An EMDR-like / non-talk therapy approach for one modality
    • Starting OCD-focused therapy in ~2 weeks
  • She frames therapy as necessary given anxiety, triggers, and the emotional load of appointments.

• Reframing emotional sharing

  • Didn’t vlog/share IVF publicly for a long time because it felt “sad,” and she worried others wouldn’t want it—suggesting a mindful approach to when and how to share difficult experiences.

Presenters / sources (mentioned)

• TLC — Seeking Brother Husband
• Secret Lives — referenced as her show/event community

GF/Brands mentioned for recipes/food

• Costco
• Sprouts
• Trader Joe’s
• Jovial (pasta)

Friends / people referenced

• Billy
• Lauren (friend who helps during medical appointments)
• Parker (partner)
• L / Bree / Parker / Bri (family members mentioned)
• Jen (hair/monitor photo mentioned)
• Avery
• S (hair crew mentioned)