Hello, and welcome to the second episode of this series! This week is a very special week as it is World Childless Week, and what better way to start this week off than to listen to Kate talk to Hazel who is an award-winning highly regarded facilitator, advisor and executive coach to high profile private and public sector organizations.

Hazel joins Kate this week to talk about childlessness and her own fertility journey. She talks about how her experiences led her to making the decision to not have children. When Hazel was about to be married to her now husband, they decided that they would like to try to have children. And after many checks with doctors and gynecologists, they were told that if Hazel were to get pregnant, she would most likely be put into a vegetative state.

This was unfortunately due to a brain surgery that she underwent years ago. Hazel describes how she felt after being told the news, expressing her sadness and numbness after the appointment.

Hazel then goes on to talk about how she and her husband found a way to live without children, how they have almost come up with their own terms for things, like a language that only they know. Hazel shares some of the terms they use like ‘Pram Count’ when deciding on a cafe.

She also talks about some of the things they have discovered while being childless, like creating little crafts or being a cat mum to her two cats. Hazel opens a new perspective on childlessness, and offers a way of living without children.

Kate and Hazel talk about how Hazel copes with social situations that might resurface feelings of sadness about childlessness. Hazel describes it as lifetime grief, she shares that it comes around again when in situations where someone might ask about grandchildren, she talks about she and her husband deal with those types of questions.

Lastly, Kate and Hazel talk about having to rewrite your own story, finding a new path without children and coming to terms with reality. Hazel reveals that her childlessness life is actually quite fun and she basks in the time she spends with her husband and her fur-babies.

Check out these episodes about childlessness:

• Kate Pleace & World Childless Week (thefertilitypodcast.com)
• What support is there for childless Men? • The Fertility Podcast
• How do I deal with the grief of not being able to get pregnant? • The Fertility Podcast
• How to answer that you don’t have kids, so they don’t ask again • The Fertility Podcast
• Why we need to talk about childless women differently • The Fertility Podcast
• Childless not by choice • The Fertility Podcast

OUR SPONSOR:

We are delighted that the current series is being sponsored by Proceive who are kindly offering all listeners to The Fertility Podcast 15% off any Procieve purchase, when you use the discount code FP15.

This episode is also sponsored by Ovom Care, who have partnered with GlycanAge, a testing company. Ovom Care are looking for participants to help with their research around knowing what your actual biological age is. So if you are interested...

Welcome back to what is the very beginning of a new series, with new voices that bring new and different fertility information for your ears.

This episode is a special one, as Kate is joined by a very familiar voice, Natalie, the founder of the podcast and now Exec-producer. You might not know this but this year is The Fertility Podcast’s 10 year anniversary! In this episode, Natalie and Kate reflect on the last 10 years with laughter and a few tears…….

The two catch up with what they have been doing over the summer and Natalie gives an insight into the work that she is now doing with Fertility Matters at Work and The F Word Podcast. As well as this, Natalie talks about receiving the award for Best Fertility Podcast in Amsterdam. She explains that it was a surreal moment for her and the pod, which is now celebrating 10 years.

Together they chat about the last decade and how much change the fertility world has seen, with things like the IVF add-ons and new treatments for those struggling with infertility. Natalie and Kate chat about the development of new drugs that are being tested to better fertility treatment.

The Fertility Podcast has helped so many people throughout the years, bringing patient stories and advice from experts to your ears. It has been a journey, from Natalie starting a decade ago in her booth, to Kate taking the reins solo 18 months or so ago.

This podcast has been a way for voices to be heard and listened to, a way of letting you know that you aren’t alone and there is support out there for you. It has also helped you to advocate for yourself and both Kate and Nat feel honoured to have helped in just a small way.

Unfortunately, this episode also has an announcement that comes with a heavy heart. The Fertility Podcast will be taking a long hiatus at the end of this series. Kate is hanging up her headphones and turning off her mic and is on to pastures new.

However, this is not the definite end of the podcast, Kate and Nat may well be popping on now and again and……..if you perhaps are thinking about starting podcasting or would like to give it a go, please do get in touch with Nat. Maybe you could be the next guest presenter of the podcast………

We are delighted that the current series is being sponsored by Proceive who are kindly offering all listeners to The Fertility Podcast 15% off any Procieve purchase, when you use the discount code FP15.

Clean out your ears as you're in for a treat. Over the coming weeks, as we will the British Summer to impress us, we're going to be sharing with you right here on The Fertility Podcast feed, The F Word at Work episodes, which is the podcast created by Fertility Matters at Work and its what has kept Natalie busy for the last 18 months and why Kate has been at the helm of The Fertility Podcast.

Hopefully it will be useful for you if you've been trying to find the words to talk about what you are going through at work, as there's lots of examples of how support has been implemented and even if you share it with some colleagues so they get a better understanding of what you are going through, that will in itself make a difference.

Be sure to subscribe if you've not already, so you don't miss anything and you can also follow The F Word wherever you get your apps and also follow Fertility Matters at Work on insta to stay up to date on all the amazing work it is doing to raise awareness of fertility issues in the workplace.