Christmas is meant to be joyful.

But when you’re trying to conceive, it can quietly become one of the hardest times of the year.

In this special Christmas episode, Tasha speaks honestly about losing the joy of the festive season during her own fertility journey, and why Christmas can feel like a painful reminder of what hasn’t happened yet.

You’ll hear from a group of trusted experts and advocates, all with lived or professional experience of infertility, pregnancy loss and IVF. Together, they share compassionate, practical advice to help you protect your heart, navigate family gatherings, and move through this season with more steadiness and self-kindness.

This episode is for anyone dreading the questions, the triggers, or the quiet grief that can surface at Christmas.

You’ll learn how to:

1. Protect your energy during Christmas events

You don’t have to attend everything. Kirsten Mclennan shares why being selective, leaning on the infertility community, and creating new traditions can make this season feel more manageable.

2. Use movement, breath and boundaries to stay grounded

Jen from Element Pilates & Yoga explains how gentle movement, sunlight, breathwork and having prepared responses can help you regulate your nervous system before difficult conversations or gatherings.

3. Remember that you are not alone

Meg from For the Barreness gives you a permission slip to opt out of events and conversations if you need. And reminds you that you’re never alone in this journey.

4. Communicate clearly and allow space for grief

Psychologist Cath Corcoran outlines why explicit communication with partners and family matters, how authentic gratitude differs from toxic positivity, and why grief, sadness and disappointment are allowed to exist during the festive season.

5. Slow down and honour the pause

Jennifer Tupaea from Pink Elephants reframes the holiday shutdown as a chance to rest, reduce overwhelm, and create small rituals that support healing after miscarriage or loss.

6. Find moments of joy without forcing them

This episode reminds you that joy doesn’t need to look like anyone else’s. Small pockets of peace, rest and meaning still count, and they matter more than ever right now.

00:00 Christmas and the quiet grief of infertility

01:26 Why the festive season can magnify what’s missing

02:04 Kirsten Mclennan on selective events and community support

03:26 Jen on movement, breath and setting boundaries

06:15 Kath Corcoran on communication, grief and self-care

10:54 Jennifer Tupaea on loss, rest and creating rituals

13:45 A message of hope and kindness for the new year

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Kirsten Mclennan - Straight Up Infertility https://www.straightupinfertility.com/

Jen - Element Pilates & Yoga https://www.elementpilatesyoga.com/

Meg - For the Barreness https://www.forthebarreness.com/

Cath Corcoran - Conception, Fertility & Perinatal Psychology https://cathcorcoran.com/

Jennifer Tupaea - Pink Elephants Support Network https://www.pinkelephants.org.au/

Tasha’s Your Fertile Pantry Program yourfertilepantry.com

Mentioned in this...

In this episode I speak with fertility and IVF specialist Dr Mark Amols about what IVF can actually do, what it can’t, and why so many women are sent down the IVF path without anyone ever asking the most important question: why.

We explore the myths, the medical realities and the emotional toll of IVF, and Mark shares the practical, compassionate guidance he wishes every couple had before starting treatment. His insights blend clinical experience, personal IVF experience, and a deep respect for women’s autonomy in their fertility journey.

You’ll learn how:

1. IVF is powerful, but it’s not a magic fix.

Most women are led to believe IVF has near-perfect success rates or will guarantee multiple embryos. Mark breaks down what IVF is actually designed to do (help you get one healthy pregnancy) and why failed cycles never mean you’re “infertile” or out of options.

2. The ‘why’ behind infertility matters more than the protocol.

Many couples are pushed into IVF without anyone investigating ovulation issues, sperm quality, endometriosis, PCOS, inflammation, medications or timing. Mark shows how identifying the root cause can completely change outcomes, and why failed cycles often reflect untreated issues, not that you’re “broken”.

3. Preparation transforms outcomes for both men and women.

Even small shifts to lifestyle, inflammation and hormonal balance can improve embryo development. Mark explains why diet, environment and timing matter, why sperm health needs equal attention, and how a few months of targeted preparation can radically improve IVF success.

00:00 Debunking IVF Myths

00:51 Empowering Women Through IVF

02:10 When IVF is Necessary

03:13 The Importance of Preparation

05:45 Understanding the Why

22:30 Personal Experiences with IVF

26:51 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Tasha’s Your Fertile Pantry Program

Work with Tasha

When Nature Meets Science - Dr Mark Amols Interview with Tasha

Mentioned in this episode:

Ultimate Egg Quality Guide

In this episode I speak with Nicole Lange, founder of Life Healing Life, about the hidden link between trauma, stress, and the mind-body connection in fertility.

We explore why so many women experience IVF and infertility as deeply traumatic, and how unhealed stress patterns can disrupt the body’s natural reproductive balance.

Nicole shares a compassionate, science-backed approach that blends Traditional Chinese Medicine with modern psychology, helping women move from burnout to body trust. You’ll learn why it’s not the stress itself that harms fertility, but how you relate to it.

You’ll learn how:

1. Trauma and fertility are deeply linked.
2. Repeated emotional stress (like failed cycles or seeing others fall pregnant) can create complex PTSD patterns that affect hormones and the nervous system.
3. It’s not the stress, it’s how we frame it.
4. Research shows reframing stress and speaking emotions aloud moves the body from fight-or-flight into a state where it can rest, digest, and reproduce.
5. Healing is more than protocols.
6. Fertility thrives when mind, body, and community are aligned. Nicole’s salutogenic approach focuses 75–80% on creating health, through joy, safety, connection, and authentic self-expression.

Mentioned in this episode

TED TALK (making stress your friend)

The Artist’s Way (available for purchase many places)

Nicole’s Fertility Freebies

Tasha’s Your Fertile Pantry Program

Work with Tasha

Mentioned in this episode:

Ultimate Egg Quality Guide