Fertility – Grief, Despair & Sadness

This week, we’re opening up about the side of infertility that doesn’t always get airtime: the grief, despair, deep, lingering sadness. We talk about why infertility can feel like a cycle of constant loss, what disenfranchised grief really means, and how we’ve each coped (or crumbled) along the way. From crying in toilet cubicles to facing the big “what if it never happens?”, this one’s honest and raw. We also share what’s helping us cope. From catching intrusive thoughts early, to creating space for grief (even when it’s messy). If you’re in the thick of it, or just need to feel a little less alone, we’re right here with you.   Notes: 0:20 - What's knocked Emma since reflecting on the last episode? 3:00 - Definitions of sadness, dispair and grief 6:05 - Infertility is a cyclical griefing process 08:17 - Grief is as unique as your fingerprint 08:39 - What is disenfranchised grief? 10:00 - Self-imposing grief and deciding on the end point 11:05 - How can you grieve infertility when it's not tangible? 11:35 - The neuroplasticity of grief and how your mind processes grief 13:20 - What if a child never materialises? 15:38 - Grief just wants space 18:45 - Understanding infertility if you've never experienced it 19:38 - The reality of talking about grief out loud 23:58 - Breaking down grief and how it played out for us both 31:15 - Is it possilbe to get to a place for acceptance? 34:39 - Feeling sad for all the strong women going through this 36:15 - Hiding in a toilet cubicle crying 37:41 - When dispair hits you hard  40:10 - Catching catastrophic thoughts early 41:08 - Starting to prepare for the 'what if's' and the worst  47:02 - What is helping Lara deal with this journey 51:40 - Looking back on Emma's journey 54:12 - Coping with intrusive thoughts 59:00 - Final reflections   Follow MYND.FLO to join the community – www.instagram.com/mynd.flo