When I was trying to get pregnant, I felt really conflicted about holidays. And because Easter is so kid-centric, that was tough.
Pre-infertility me loved family gatherings. The me who had a miscarriage and several rounds of failed infertility treatment felt sad, sometimes angry, and always guilty for not wanting to participate.
These were some things that were really hard for me to navigate:
- The inevitable question, “When are you having children?”
- Spending time with people I love: a pregnant sister, cousin or friend
- Feeling like what I was eating or drinking was being scrutinized (bump watch)
- Being surrounded by kids (who I adore)
So here is some advice to support you this season:
- Get rooted in the fact that boundaries will support you. You get to choose what you want to share about your fertility journey, if anything, and who you want to share it with.
- Self care is not selfish. Breathe that in.
- Plan out one or two responses to questions you might get. A simple, “You’ll be the first to know,” when I was asked when I was going to have kids worked for me.
- Switch things up. One year, my husband and I took a long walk on the beach and had lunch at a clam shack. Was it a conventional Easter? No. Do we have great memories of that Easter? 100 percent!
- Use this journal prompt: The things that would feel really supportive to me right now are… Make a list of everything – the little things, the big things, all the things, and keep it handy.
- Trust yourself to know that you know what’s best for you right now.
xo,
Jennifer
p.s. If you’re looking for support on your fertility journey, let’s chat. Schedule a free fertility support session – I’d love to connect with you.