73: The Journey of Building a Family with Spring Fertility

This episode is brought to you in partnership with Spring Fertility. What does it really mean to build a family? As someone who went through IVF myself, I know firsthand how emotional, complicated, and deeply personal the journey to parenthood can be. One thing I always realized during my journey was how much all of the conversations, tests and focus naturally centered around me. It made me realize how often fertility is viewed as a woman’s responsibility, when in reality, building a family has always been about both partners. That’s one of the many reasons I was so excited to sit down with Dr. Nicole Yoder, fertility specialist at Spring Fertility. In this conversation, we don't just discuss fertility treatment. We talk about what fertility care actually looks like today, when it’s time to seek support, the emotional weight of deciding whether your family is complete, and the pressure that comes with that decision. We also dive into a conversation that I believe deserves far more attention: male fertility. Dr. Yoder shares why she advocates for evaluating both partners early in the fertility journey and why approaching family building as a shared experience can save time, reduce unnecessary stress, and help couples feel supported from the very beginning. In this episode, we discuss: Why fertility care is about so much more than IVF When to see a fertility specialist and why many people wait longer than they need to The biggest misconceptions about fertility and family building Why evaluating both partners matters, and the often-overlooked conversation around male fertility The emotional process of deciding whether your family is complete Working parent guilt and the myth of “doing it all” Parenting children whose personalities are different from your own What caring for thousands of families has taught Dr. Yoder about becoming a parent A huge thank you to Spring Fertility for partnering with us on this episode and for the work they do supporting individuals and couples through every stage of the family-building journey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices