1 in 8 people of child-bearing age in the United States is infertile. (Resolve) Media coverage of Adoption, Loss and Infertility (ALI) tends to be superficial, sensational and wrongheaded. The average American doesn’t know much about the extremely complicated issues involved. So I decided I would write my own serial about ordinary women who are going through the often difficult journey that is ALI. These are their stories.
Part 1: The Devastation of Pregnancy Loss: A Profile of Courtney Cheng (UPDATED!)
Part 2: S in Three Acts
Part 3: The Memory Keeper: Childless/Childfree After Loss and Infertility
Part 4: The Den Mother: Parenting After Infertility
Part 5: The Unique Hell of Secondary Infertility
Want to spread the word? Go here!
PODCAST EDITIONS! Through the Bitter Infertiles podcast I have interviewed more Faces of ALI.
1. Kristin’s story: Secondary Infertility and RPL. Click here to listen: Episode One
2. Lori’s Path: Infertility and Open Adoption. Click here to listen: Episode Two
3. Leah’s journey: Being Single and Infertile. Click here to listen: Episode Four
Special mention:
Sometimes, mainstream media gets it right: Dateline’s Inconceivable, featuring Carolyn and Sean Savage.
Too Many Fish to Fry 
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I love this new series and I am so very proud of you for shining light on real “typical people” dealing with Adoption/Loss/Infertility, though of course non of us are typical (we are all unique in our own ways). These faces you are introducing us to and the stories you are telling are so real and not sensational.
I hope that more people will have a chance to read more stories like this to help them truly understand (or at least empathize with) what it means to not be able to get or stay pregnant on our own and then to try other ways to build or expand our families.
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This is a wonderful project to see! Thank you very much for taking it on.
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Thank you for sharing these stories. I heard you on the Fertility Focus Telesummit, and was super interested in your story about parenting after infertility. This is something I truly have struggled with, and have tried to find others who have gone through Infertility, then became mothers and how they dealt with the unique challenges and stresses that I feel come with this, even though we are now in the “baby club.”
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Hi jjiraffe, I think this series of stories is such a wonderful idea. I have just been inspired to write a special blog post about my grandmother who turned 90 this week and suffered infertility and loss in the 1940’s. I thought you might be interested in the real story of an ordinary woman living through these things in a time when there was so little knowledge or support. I have been humbled by my grandmothers strength whilst writing her story.
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I meant to ask you… did you make that logo? Because I love, love, love it. Also? Adding this to my Infertility Resources page.
Yay! The logo was designed by the seriously talented Bodega Bliss.
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Thank you, thank you, thank you for this series. I am in the throes of RPL, and I am so thankful to have found this today. I also started a blog about RPL at theyellowblanket.wordpress.com Please keep up this wonderful series.
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FINALLY!!! SOMEONE WHO GETS IT AND IS SPEAKING UP FOR US!!
My name is Brandi and I have been down the long, emotional, EXPENSIVE route of infertility, failed adoption, and a successful adoption. I proudly adopted a special needs child who was left in the NICU born addicted to marijuana and opiates. He was 4 wks old when I got “the call”. I was tolx he coulx have possibly have 22q and I adopted him when no one else would. He amazes me daily. It was such a stressful, painful journey from thd moment I tried to conceive to momenf I brought my baby home. Most people see it as an easy process;like you said “just adopt”. No one gets all the heartbreak and pain I went through not being able to conceive or my the pain of a failed adoption going home to an empty nursery. Only people who understanx rs people who have endured it. I find comfort in
Oops… my smart phone isnt so smart today! Anyway, i find comfort in women who “get me”. I thank you for shedding light on us who have been down this road. Good karma is headed your way!! Now if only infertility tx would be cheaper or insurance helped with all involved, and adoption wasnt stinkin expensive! It was a hard road and thank God I came out the other end a mommy… and somewhat still sane!
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I agreed with you that ordinary women who are going through the often difficult journey. It has become a trend in Singapore, too. And most women who are rich choose the IVF. Thank you for sharing these stories.
I have been reading here after stumbling across your link on Pinterest. I don’t think I see any stories here of people where the couple has Male Factor Infertility. Are you interested in a story with that perspective?
YES!!!
Please email me at jessicacarroll@hotmail.com
Thank you 🙂
Tried e-mailing and didn’t hear back. Were they not going through?
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I look forward to checking these sites out. I went through one pregnancy loss, and we are just now starting to see a fertility dr. Thank you for having this resource available! Much appreciated!
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IVF didn’t work, unless we had the money for an egg donor and a surrogate. Then a hysterectomy. The worst adoption agency ever after two and a half years never matched us with anyone. After the recent death of my husband’s youngest son, now he has changed his mind and does not want to pursue foster to adopt. So that’s it I’ll never have children. How will I get over this?