Today my husband and I went to my monthly RESOLVE Support Group.
RESOLVE, The National Infertility Association, is a non-profit, charitable organization, working to improve the lives of women and men living with infertility. 1 in 8 U.S. couples of childbearing age have trouble conceiving or sustaining a pregnancy. RESOLVE provides free support programs in communities nationwide, leads efforts to increase public education, reduces
the stigma around infertility, and advocates to protect legal access to all family building options.
Today's group was a special meeting, as we don't usually include spouses. The group meets in Media, PA once a month and is led by a therapist who specializes in infertility and adoption. I am the only member of the group at the current time that is dealing with secondary infertility. By including our spouses this month, the hope was to allow our husbands to finds ways to help support us (the wives) throughout our infertility journey. I really hoped that my husband would gain a lot by attending, I thought he would hear how other men help their wives deal with the depression that comes and goes throughout this journey. He didn't though. He seemed to go in with the mindset that our lives are fine because we have a daughter and so he didn't let some of the helpful information in.
So while my husband didn't get anything out of this particular meeting, I love attending the monthly meeting and find them to be very supportive. While you would think I wouldn't get much out of the group since I am the only one with secondary infertility, I actually find it extremely helpful. It's nice to be able to share my experiences with women who are familiar with what I am talking about. They get it when I say I saw an acquaintance sporting a tight shirt to show off her newly pregnant belly and it really got to me. I think that I am able to provide them with support as well because I have gone through so many treatments and know the infertility world inside and out at this point.
If you are suffering with infertility, don't think you are alone. If you haven't found a support group, just take a minute to look online here and see if there is one in your area. I can't tell you how much I have gotten out of it, I really truly love the women who I have come to know and rely on them a lot throughout the month when I need to vent.
RESOLVE, The National Infertility Association, is a non-profit, charitable organization, working to improve the lives of women and men living with infertility. 1 in 8 U.S. couples of childbearing age have trouble conceiving or sustaining a pregnancy. RESOLVE provides free support programs in communities nationwide, leads efforts to increase public education, reduces
the stigma around infertility, and advocates to protect legal access to all family building options.
Today's group was a special meeting, as we don't usually include spouses. The group meets in Media, PA once a month and is led by a therapist who specializes in infertility and adoption. I am the only member of the group at the current time that is dealing with secondary infertility. By including our spouses this month, the hope was to allow our husbands to finds ways to help support us (the wives) throughout our infertility journey. I really hoped that my husband would gain a lot by attending, I thought he would hear how other men help their wives deal with the depression that comes and goes throughout this journey. He didn't though. He seemed to go in with the mindset that our lives are fine because we have a daughter and so he didn't let some of the helpful information in.
So while my husband didn't get anything out of this particular meeting, I love attending the monthly meeting and find them to be very supportive. While you would think I wouldn't get much out of the group since I am the only one with secondary infertility, I actually find it extremely helpful. It's nice to be able to share my experiences with women who are familiar with what I am talking about. They get it when I say I saw an acquaintance sporting a tight shirt to show off her newly pregnant belly and it really got to me. I think that I am able to provide them with support as well because I have gone through so many treatments and know the infertility world inside and out at this point.
If you are suffering with infertility, don't think you are alone. If you haven't found a support group, just take a minute to look online here and see if there is one in your area. I can't tell you how much I have gotten out of it, I really truly love the women who I have come to know and rely on them a lot throughout the month when I need to vent.