Finally Pregnant

We’re here at the final episode of this season of the Finally Pregnant Podcast! Thank you for being here, I truly hope you are enjoying the episode and conversations. Please do head over and drop me a review if you can and also feel free to email me with any feedback, guest suggestions etc too. I’m all ears! If you follow me on insta you’ll know that we did finally make it on our hols! I share a little more about that in the episode and also mention my blog post on Toddler Travel Essentials.  For this last episode I want to especially thank my sponsors TMRW Life Sciences. Not only because they have made this series possible but also because they introduced me to today’s guest - Elizabeth Carr, America’s very first IVF baby!!  Elizabeth, who has been in the media since she was just 3 cells old, is a passionate advocate for those fighting for fertility rights and strives to educate and empower people based on her life experiences and expertise within the fertility world. As I say in our chat, I know all babies are precious but I also know just how incredibly precious the babies that we have had to wait for and in some cases fight to get here are. Babies like my little Wren. Talking to one of those ‘babies’, having an idea of how much her parents went through to get her. Well, it was very special for me and I truly hope you enjoy the moment too! If you are finally pregnant or parenting you can find out more about the support I offer at www.catstrawbridge.com/support. Thank you again to sponsors TMRW Life Sciences. TMRW has created the world’s first and only automated platform for the safe management and care of the frozen eggs and embryos used in IVF. Find out more here. Much love, Cat x @tryingyears @finallypregnant

Welcome to the penultimate episode of this series of the Finally Pregnant Podcast. Huge thanks to all who have shared their stories and to you for listening! If you have enjoyed the podcast and haven’t yet left a review, now is your chance!  This week I’m joined by writer, presenter and brand consultant Pippa Vosper.  During our conversation Pippa shares her heartbreaking story of losing her second son Axel, an IVF pregnancy, in her second trimester. Pippa and her partner went on to have multiple rounds of IVF and she finally gave birth to daughter Audrey in Spring 2019. Pippa has done so much to raise awareness of babyloss and infertility, sharing her story in publications such as Vogue – where it was the most shared article. She has also recently brought together some heartbreaking and yet inspiring stories as part of her upcoming book Beyond Grief: Navigating the Journey of Pregnancy and Baby Loss, out August 2022. Preorder Beyond Grief here If you are finally pregnant or parenting you can find out more about the support I offer at www.catstrawbridge.com/support. Thank you to sponsors TMRW Life Sciences. TMRW has created the world’s first and only automated platform for the safe management and care of the frozen eggs and embryos used in IVF. Find out more here. Much love, Cat x @tryingyears @finallypregnant

Huge thanks to this week’s guest, Emma Belle. Emma is a podcast host and, among other things, she is an advocate for Bipolar UK, having been diagnosed with the condition 11 years ago. Whilst living and managing her condition Emma and her other half Gareth have spent the last few years ttc. As you’ll hear they have been through a lot including fertility treatment, a miscarriage and in 2021 they terminated a pregnancy for medical reasons, losing their daughter Willow. Emma has since created TFMR Mamas. Find out more about Emma’s story by listening to the episode.  If you are finally pregnant or parenting you can find out more about the support I offer at www.catstrawbridge.com/support. Jump on a FREE call with me to find out more about the support I can offer! Thank you to sponsors TMRW Life Sciences. TMRW has created the world’s first and only automated platform for the safe management and care of the frozen eggs and embryos used in IVF. Find out more here. Much love, Cat x @tryingyears @finallypregnant

This week I'm joined by writer and reproductive health advocate Vanessa Haye  Vanessa is also mum of 2 boys, the youngest being just 7 months old. Vanessa only shared she was finally pregnant after he was here safely, something she talks about during our chat. We also talk in detail about her experiences of having polycystic ovaries which seemingly went undiagnosed for years – something that it seems happens all too often! As promised in the episode, please see lots of links below. Huffington Post article about lack of finally pregnant care from fertility clinics Below the Belt Film VanessaHaye.com Jay Shetty - Think Like a Monk If you are finally pregnant or parenting you can find out more about the support I offer at www.catstrawbridge.com/support. Thank you to sponsors TMRW Life Sciences. TMRW has created the world’s first and only automated platform for the safe management and care of the frozen eggs and embryos used in IVF. Find out more here. Much love, Cat x @tryingyears @finallypregnant

Join me for today's episode where I hear from Lisa Penny aka Fertilityism. Lisa is a qualified nutrition coach who specialises in women's health and fertility. Through her own experiences, she has a deep understanding and knowledge of boosting fertility naturally with the foods to nourish our bodies and why. I have to say I love Lisa’s philosophy centres on nourishment from within – I’m all about that!! Her work isn’t the reason we’re chatting though. Lisa, who is mum to 2 year old Milo, is finally pregnant following a natural loss and subsequent IVF treatment since having Milo. During this pregnancy, Lisa had an amniocentesis which is an invasive test you may be offered during pregnancy to check if your baby has a genetic or chromosomal condition. As you’ll hear this is something we explored when pregnant with Wren and when I was researching I couldn’t find too much about it so I’m really honoured that Lisa is sharing her story with us and I hope it helps you if you have or may experience this in the future, or simply because it’s good to know so you can understand and support others. A couple of things I mentioned in the episode and promised to link to. Wren's birthday presents ASDA shop 8ft trampoline (affiliate link) NIPT Testing Episode explaining more about NIPT testing with Dr. Donna Fullerton, Consultant Clinical Scientist in charge of NIPT at Nottingham Universities Trust. If you are finally pregnant or parenting you can find out more about the support I offer at www.catstrawbridge.com/support. Thank you to sponsors TMRW Life Sciences. TMRW has created the world’s first and only automated platform for the safe management and care of the frozen eggs and embryos used in IVF. Find out more here. Much love, Cat x @tryingyears @finallypregnant

Welcome to the latest epsiode of the Finally Pregnant Podcast where we hear from Mardochee who shares openly on her insta page @mermaidmaman that she is normalizing black women and infertility. Now finally pregnant, I’m honoured she has brought that conversation to the podcast.  Recognising that it is Pride month – Mardochee is a gay woman married to her wife Yvette - I also want to link to one specific post which I mention in the episode.  If any of the issues raised in our chat affect you please know that you are not alone. Please know that there are millions of people who want to change things and that if I can do anything to help progress that change I am here. As promised in the episode please find the link to the recent Five X More report. Please do put some time aside to read through it and give them a follow too! Huge thanks again to Mardochee for sharing her story with me. Please do go and give her a follow. Why not screenshot the episode whilst you’re listening, share it on your insta and tag us both right now! If you are finally pregnant or parenting you can find out more about the support I offer at www.catstrawbridge.com/support. Thank you to sponsors TMRW Life Sciences. TMRW has created the world’s first and only automated platform for the safe management and care of the frozen eggs and embryos used in IVF. Find out more here. Much love, Cat x @tryingyears @finallypregnant

Seetal Savla @SavlaFaire and her husband have been trying to conceive for six years after a diminished ovarian reserve diagnosis. Having experienced a devastating miscarriage and four unsuccessful IVF cycles, Seetal got pregnant on their first donor egg IVF cycle, but sadly suffered a traumatic miscarriage at 9 weeks.  Since Mother's Day 2019, Seetal has been documenting her ongoing journey on her blog www.savlafaire.com and in the media to raise awareness of infertility, destigmatise the subject – particularly among South Asian communities – and support others in similar situations. Seetal and Neil are now pregnant again having conceived naturally which is absolutely wonderful news but even when you get pregnant naturally, as you’ll hear us discuss, you carry the grief, fear and anxiety of the journey with you throughout the pregnancy. In addition to what we cover in our chat Seetal also mentioned to me her fears around buying or receiving mat clothes, and baby paraphernalia and only feeling able to do it when it was absolutely necessary and I know that’s something I and many others will relate to too! As discussed in this episode, please find Seetal's series with Ferring Pharamceuticals here. You can also find the reports we discussed below. Birth Rights Five X More It was the Five X More report that came out most recently (I said the opposite within the episode). If you are finally pregnant or parenting you can find out more about the support I offer at www.catstrawbridge.com/support. Thank you to sponsors TMRW Life Sciences. TMRW has created the world’s first and only automated platform for the safe management and care of the frozen eggs and embryos used in IVF. Find out more here. Much love, Cat x @tryingyears @finallypregnant

Hello and welcome to episode two of this series! Did you listen to last week’s chat with Amber? If you did and you enjoyed it why not drop me a rating and review right now whilst you’re listening! It would mean the world to me.  Today’s guest is Shannon who shares all about the ups and downs of pregnancy after IVF. Her story particularly resonated with me because she was expecting twins but very sadly lost one of them early on in her pregnancy.  Whatever your experience of being finally pregnant, finding the place where you belong and where you can share the challenges but also the celebrations is so important. As you’ll hear Shannon is working with a doula to help support her emotional needs but if you can’t stretch to that please know I run finally pregnant support groups as part of my Hang Out community which is just £9.99 a month.  I also run finally pregnant yoga and pilates courses, at the start of which we have a check in so everyone can share how they are feeling. It really gives an opportunity for you to be and feel heard and to find people who you share common ground with. Don’t just take my word for it though,  “I’m not sure if it’s just me but after being discharged from my clinic and told ‘it’s just like a normal pregnancy from here’ I couldn’t have felt less normal. The thought of no more appointments, check ins etc made me feel anxious. The space that Cat and Sim have created weekly has grounded me each Wednesday and put me in the same virtual room as ladies who understand. It’s such an open space and hearing from ladies who are just starting their pregnancy or who are near the end has been the best experience and full of so much love. To have a space where those of us who are ‘finally pregnant’ and can be there for each other in ways that other family and friends don’t really understand has been the perfect pregnancy accompaniment for me!” Find out more about this and all the support I offer at www.catstrawbridge.com/support. Thank you to sponsors TMRW Life Sciences. TMRW has created the world’s first and only automated platform for the safe management and care of the frozen eggs and embryos used in IVF. Find out more here. Much love, Cat x @tryingyears @finallypregnant

Welcome to Series 6 of the Finally Pregnant Podcast! Today’s guest is the wonderful Amber Izzo who is Pregnant after IVF. Amber is the host of Am I Ovary Acting Podcast. She was also the brains and the brawn behind the Fight for IVF campaign.  When we spoke Amber was just over 14 weeks pregnant and she openly shares the ups and downs of what that time has been like.  A couple of things Amber mentioned that I wanted to share links to here if you are feeling the same. If, like Amber, you are a fan of affirmations, please do check out my Pregnancy Affirmation Cards created specifically for those who are finally pregnant. They also make a great gift! We also discussed how difficult it can be to move from a fertility clinic to NHS maternity care. I did a survey on this a little while back and I know it’s something people struggle with as we just don’t know what happens next! When you join the Hang Out you’ll get access to a back catalogue of speakers including the infertile midwife Sophie who talks us through that NHS maternity pathway. Find out more and join here. Click here for my Top 5 Strategies to Enjoy Your Pregnancy. Find out more about the rest of the support I offer here. If you enjoy the podcast please do take a moment to subscribe, rate and review it wherever you listen! Thank you to sponsors TMRW Life Sciences. TMRW has created the world’s first and only automated platform for the safe management and care of the frozen eggs and embryos used in IVF. Find out more here. Much love, Cat x Come and find me @tryingyears @finallypregnant

This Baby Loss Awareness Week I wanted to bring you an episode that signified hope after loss. My dear friend Kelly has experienced multiple loss through miscarriage, stillbirth and termination for medical reasons. Despite this she was brave enough to continue trying to conceive and when her and her partner Lee saw those two lines in the Autumn of 2020 they knew what a journey they had in front of them. In today's episode Kelly shares her experience of pregnancy after loss and also talks openly about the impact it's had on her parenting choices in the early few months. Want to find out more about my guided meditations? Click here Interested in hearing about the support you'll soon be able to receive from me as a coach? Click here If you're feeling anxious about your pregnancy, why not also take a look at the Hang Out which is a community for those pregnant after infertility and loss. Find out more here or click here for my Top 5 Strategies to Enjoy Your Pregnancy. If you enjoy the podcast please do take a moment to subscribe, rate and review it wherever you listen! Thank you to sponsors Melio Health. Melio offer blood tests before, during and after pregnancy: from non-invasive prenatal tests to general health checks, helping you and your family take control of their health. Find out more here. Much love, Cat x @tryingyears

Welcome to the final episode of this series of the Finally Pregnant podcast and the second part of my audio diary from my final FET over the Summer. In this episode you'll hear about the result and the hours and days following. At the end of the audio diary I also share some of the thoughts I've had over the last couple of months. I would love to hear your thoughts when listening. Have you felt the same? Are my concerns similar or different to yours? What terms do you like for your one child? Please not that across the two episodes there are tears, laughs and more swears than you’d usually find here – but I know you’ll forgive me them!! If you are affected by any of the chat in this episode why not connect with others in the same boat. Join the Hang Out today which now has exclusive groups for those coming to the end of their ttc journey and those with one child plus lots of other groups including donor conception and parenting support. Feeling anxious about your pregnancy? Why not take a look at the Hang Out which is a community for those pregnant after infertility and loss. Find out more here or click here for my Top 5 Strategies to Enjoy Your Pregnancy. If you enjoy the podcast please do take a moment to subscribe, rate and review it wherever you listen! Thank you to sponsors Melio Health. Melio offer blood tests before, during and after pregnancy: from non-invasive prenatal tests to general health checks, helping you and your family take control of their health. Find out more here. Much love, Cat x @tryingyears

Welcome to the penultimate episode of this series of the Finally Pregnant podcast. Over the next two weeks I'm bringing you something a little different as I am sharing my audio diary from my final FET over the Summer. In this episode you'll hear about the treatment itself and my two week wait. Please not that across the two episodes there are tears, laughs and more swears than you’d usually find here – but I know you’ll forgive me them!! If you are finally pregnant or parenting and want to take advantage of my birthday offer to join the Hang Out make sure you use the code BIRTHDAY20 when you JOIN HERE. Feeling anxious about your pregnancy? Why not take a look at the Hang Out which is a community for those pregnant after infertility and loss. Find out more here or click here for my Top 5 Strategies to Enjoy Your Pregnancy. If you enjoy the podcast please do take a moment to subscribe, rate and review it wherever you listen! Thank you to sponsors Melio Health. Melio offer blood tests before, during and after pregnancy: from non-invasive prenatal tests to general health checks, helping you and your family take control of their health. Find out more here. Much love, Cat x @tryingyears

I'm really pleased to bring you this episode with guest Nichola Ludlam-Raine aka @mummynutrition. Nic is currently pregnant following two miscarriages and she kindly spoke to me, not only about her own experiences of being pregnant after loss but also about nutrition, exercise, maternity leave, returning to work and much more! With Baby Loss Awareness coming up in October I'm delighted to share that I will be donating 10% of the profits all of the October Finally Pregnant Yoga and Pilates Sessions and the Post Natal Yoga Sessions to the fabulous Tommy's charity. Feeling anxious about your pregnancy? Why not take a look at the Hang Out which is a community for those pregnant after infertility and loss. Find out more here or click here for my Top 5 Strategies to Enjoy Your Pregnancy. If you enjoy the podcast please do take a moment to subscribe, rate and review it wherever you listen! Thank you to sponsors Melio Health. Melio offer blood tests before, during and after pregnancy: from non-invasive prenatal tests to general health checks, helping you and your family take control of their health. Find out more here. Much love, Cat x @tryingyears

Join me for a fun but real chat with Georgina aka @fullerfigurefullerbust. We talk fertility treatment, exercise, dealing with the changes in our bodies that come with treatment and pregnancy, taking bumps shots, covid jabs and so much more! When it comes to decisions around getting your covid jab please do check out the up to date information at The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG). I'm really pleased to share that we have now opened the doors to a Post Natal Yoga Sessions! I'm also delighted to share that I will be donating 10% of the profits from this and all of the October Finally Pregnant Yoga and Pilates Sessions to the fabulous Tommy's charity in support of Baby Loss Awareness Week. Have you heard about the Hang Out community for those pregnant after infertility and loss? Find out more here. Why not sign up to receive my Top 5 Strategies to Enjoy Your Pregnancy. If you enjoy the podcast please do take a moment to subscribe, rate and review it wherever you listen! Thank you to sponsors Melio Health. Melio offer blood tests before, during and after pregnancy: from non-invasive prenatal tests to general health checks, helping you and your family take control of their health. Find out more here. Much love, Cat x @tryingyears

This week I'm excited to bring you my chat with actress Lacey Turner. Lacey opened up about her own experiences of miscarriage in the hope that it would help just one person feel less alone and I know she will have reached so many more by sharing her experiences. In today's episode we talk about pregnancy after loss, pregnancy through a pandemic, parenting two little miracles and how to support our relationships when we have young children, plus lots more!! I'm also delighted to share that I will be donating 10% of the profits from the October Finally Pregnant Yoga and Pilates Sessions to the fabulous Tommy's charity in support of Baby Loss Awareness Week. Have you heard about the Hang Out community for those pregnant after infertility and loss? Find out more here. Why not sign up to receive my Top 5 Strategies to Enjoy Your Pregnancy. If you enjoy the podcast please do take a moment to subscribe, rate and review it wherever you listen! Thank you to sponsors Melio Health. Melio offer blood tests before, during and after pregnancy: from non-invasive prenatal tests to general health checks, helping you and your family take control of their health. Find out more here. Much love, Cat x @tryingyears

I'm so delighted to share my chat with Emma Grønbæk aka @donorchild who, following years of her parents trying for children, was finally conceived using donor sperm. Emma talks so positively about her experiences of growing up in a happy, open family environment which is why I invited her to share her story for the podcast, knowing that many donor conception parents or parents to be would, I believe, truly benefit from hearing. Other places for support and information we mention are the Donor Conception Network and Becky @definingmum. Have you heard about the Hang Out community for those pregnant after infertility and loss? Find out more here. You can also find out more about the other support I offer including the Finally Pregnant Yoga and Pilates Sessions. Why not sign up to receive my Top 5 Strategies to Enjoy Your Pregnancy. If you enjoy the podcast please do take a moment to subscribe, rate and review it wherever you listen! Thank you to sponsors Melio Health. Melio offer blood tests before, during and after pregnancy: from non-invasive prenatal tests to general health checks, helping you and your family take control of their health. Find out more here. Much love, Cat x @tryingyears

Join me as I chat to Willow's Rainbow Box founder Amneet Graham. Following the birth of her first child, Willow, a pregnancy that followed a previous miscarriage and fertility treatment, Amneet created a charity offering boxes of support to those pregnant after loss. During our chat we also talk about how Amneet, who is south east asian, found dealing with infertility, loss and subsequent pregnancies within her family. Have you heard about the Hang Out community for those pregnant after infertility and loss? Find out more here. You can also find out more about the other support I offer including the Finally Pregnant Yoga and Pilates Sessions. Why not sign up to receive my Top 5 Strategies to Enjoy Your Pregnancy. If you enjoy the podcast please do take a moment to subscribe, rate and review it wherever you listen! Thank you to sponsors Melio Health. Melio offer blood tests before, during and after pregnancy: from non-invasive prenatal tests to general health checks, helping you and your family take control of their health. Find out more here. Much love, Cat x @tryingyears

Huge thanks to author Miranda Ward who joined me to talk about pregnancy and giving birth during a pandemic. Miranda is author of the amazing book Adrift: Fieldnotes from Almost-Motherhood which shares her story of the TTC (trying to conceive) years. I'm delighted to share that, following the heartbreak of fertility treatment and loss, which included miscarriages and an ectopic pregnancy, Miranda brought home her little boy Felix in May 2020. A little reminder about our Hang Out get together on Friday 20th August (just one of more meet ups being planned this year) make sure you join to be part of it! There are lots of other benefits to being a member too! Whilst you're at catstrawbridge.com you can also find out more about the other support I offer including the Finally Pregnant Yoga and Pilates Sessions. You can also sign up to received my Top 5 Strategies to Enjoy Your Pregnancy. If you enjoy the podcast please do take a moment to subscribe, rate and review it wherever you listen! Thank you to sponsors Melio Health. Melio offer blood tests before, during and after pregnancy: from non-invasive prenatal tests to general health checks, helping you and your family take control of their health. Find out more here. Much love, Cat x @tryingyears

It can be rare to hear the partner's perspective when it comes to TTC and being finally pregnant so I'm really pleased to bring you an episode sharing just that. Chris and his wife Becca are heavily pregnant right now following many years of failed treatment before travelling to Greece for a round of donor IVF. I'm also excited that I recently recorded a chat with Emma aka Donor child, who shares her unique perspective as a donor conceived child. Make sure you're subscribed to the podcast to know when that goes live! We also talk add ons. If you're thinking about using any please head to the HFEA to check out their traffic light system first. If you need more information about getting the Covid vaccination whilst pregnant please head to the RCOG where you will find their vaccination guidelines which are updated regularly. In addition to my chat with Chris I also share that I am still in my 2WW and, as part of that, am loving listening to my pregnancy Meditations. If you're interested in joining us at our Hang Out get together on Friday 20th August (just one of more meet ups being planned this year) make sure you join to be part of it! There are lots of other benefits to being a member too! Whilst you're at catstrawbridge.com you can also find out more about the other support I offer including the Finally Pregnant Yoga and Pilates Sessions. You can also sign up to received my Top 5 Strategies to Enjoy Your Pregnancy. If you enjoy the podcast please do take a moment to subscribe, rate and review it wherever you listen! Thank you to sponsors Melio Health. Melio offer blood tests before, during and after pregnancy: from non-invasive prenatal tests to general health checks, helping you and your family take control of their health. Find out more here. Much love, Cat x @tryingyears

Join me for a fun chat with the Mummy Concierge Tiffany Norris, now author of The Secrets of the Mummy Concierge which is a fab book about her experiences with the rich and famous, alongside deeper and important topics raised during ttc, pregnancy and parenting including Tiffany sharing her own experience of Post Natal Depression. During my preamble I also share some news that we are in our two week wait and that I'm, dare I say, enjoying it!! I've even been listening to pregnancy meditations which you can check out - Here if you have a partner or Here if you are a solo mum If you enjoy the podcast please do take a moment to subscribe, rate and review it wherever you listen! Thank you to sponsors Melio Health. Melio offer blood tests before, during and after pregnancy: from non-invasive prenatal tests to general health checks, helping you and your family take control of their health. Find out more here. Much love, Cat x @tryingyears

The Finally Pregnant podcast is a place where everyone should feel safe sharing their story, no matter race, sex, religion, background. Sadly not everyone in the world has this attitude and following on from England losing the final of the Euros last week we saw an obscene and unacceptable outpouring of racism - particularly across social media. Speaking with Nikki - who is my lovely Pilates Sessions' teacher - she shared the impact racism has had on her life before, during pregnancy and as a mother to a black child. It is heartbreaking to hear, and hard for her to share, but I am honoured that she accepted my invitation to share her story on this week's episode of the podcast. As always, I hope you get lots from listening and would love to hear your thoughts. Within the episode I mention the Five X More campaign - which you can also follow on instagram. I also share that I have previously offered what I have called a 'community' place on my Yoga and Pilates Sessions each month to someone who has had a particularly difficult journey or who can't afford to join but would like to be part of it. I'm now sharing this as I want more people to know those places are available and I also want to ensure that at least one of those places is offered to a someone from a black, Asian or minority ethic background. Please contact me if you want to find out more or sign up to my emails here. You can also sign up to received my Top 5 Strategies to Enjoy Your Pregnancy. If you enjoy the podcast please do take a moment to subscribe, rate and review it wherever you listen! Thank you to sponsors Melio Health. Melio offer blood tests before, during and after pregnancy: from non-invasive prenatal tests to general health checks, helping you and your family take control of their health. Find out more here. Much love, Cat x @tryingyears

Welcome back for Series 5 of the Finally Pregnant podcast! This week I'm chatting to the fabulous Medina Grillo about her journey through 8 years of infertility and loss before becoming finally pregnant via IVF in 2020. I'm delighted to share that Medina has now welcomed her baby boy into the world!! Medina sadly experienced a miscarriage before having her first son 8 years ago and then went on to experience more loss, including an ectopic pregnancy in her journey to have a second baby. If secondary infertility affects you you might want to check out my episodes with Alex, Kezia and also my episode with Nat where we discuss stopping treatment. If you are finally pregnant or parenting after infertility or loss please know there is a wealth of support out there for you. Head to @tryingyears and catstrawbridge.com to find out more about the Finally Pregnant Yoga and Pilates Sessions, the Hang Out community which includes regular support groups and more! You can also sign up to received my Top 5 Strategies to Enjoy Your Pregnancy or here to receive emails from me. If you enjoy the podcast please do take a moment to subscribe, rate and review it wherever you listen! Thank you to sponsors Melio Health. Melio offer blood tests before, during and after pregnancy: from non-invasive prenatal tests to general health checks, helping you and your family take control of their health. Find out more here. Much love, Cat x @tryingyears

Join me for this bonus episode of the Finally Pregnant podcast sponsored by Melio Health. Melio Health are specialists in health tests that give you all the info you need to get and stay healthy. They also work with the NHS Lab, Nottingham Universities Trust, to provide Non-Invasive Prenatal tests to expectant mothers. Melio are offering Finally Pregnant podcast listeners 10% with the code FINALLY10. Offer valid until end June 2021. In today's episode I'm chatting to Dr. Donna Fullerton who is a Consultant Clinical Scientist in charge of NIPT at Nottingham Universities Trust. Donna is working with Melio on their new NIPT test.  Deciding whether or not to get a NIPT test is a decision in itself and everyone has a different opinion about it. I thought it would be useful to talk to someone who can help explain everything there is to know about NIP tests. With Donna's help, we’ll breakdown what you need to know, including how it works and what it can really tell you. If you want to find out more about getting a NIP test you can visit Melio Health here.    Every time you listen, subscribe, rate and review the podcast you are helping me reach more and more people and grow the support I can offer them. It really does mean so much to me! Thank you! See you for Series 5 in the Summer! Cat x 

In this, the final episode for Series 4 of the Finally Pregnant podcast I’m joined by journalist and author Alex Holder.  I want to say a HUGE THANK YOU to all who listen to the podcast and also for the rates and reviews, the shares and the likes and the general support I receive from so many of you! If you would like to support me in my work by buying me a coffee that would be amazing too! Buy me a coffee here! If you are finally pregnant or parenting and looking for more support please head over to catstrawbridge.com where you will find out more about my Yoga Sessions and the Hang Out. You can also sign up to received my Top 5 Strategies to Enjoy Your Pregnancy or here to receive emails from me. The topic of what happens to unused embryos comes up in today’s episode. If you would like to find some answers to this please check out the conversation I had with Senior Clinical Embryologist and IVF Lab Director Christiana Antoniadou which you can find on my IGTV and on my youtube channel. That’s all for this series although I will be back next week with a bonus episode to discuss Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing.  Every time you listen, subscribe, rate and review the podcast you are helping me reach more and more people and grow the support I can offer them. It really does mean so much to me! Thank you!   If you're interested in trying the Mira Fertility Tracker make sure you use the code FINALLYPREGNANT to receive £25 off!   See you next week! Cat x 

In this week’s episode penultimate episode of the season I’m chatting to Bex Gunn, one half of The Worst Girl Gang Ever who have done incredible things to raise the conversation around baby loss through their podcast and instagram. When we spoke Bex was 30 weeks pregnant following a missed miscarriage and a chemical pregnancy in 2020.  If you are pregnant and parenting after loss please make sure you visit catstrawbridge.com to find out more about the support and community available to you. Every time you listen, subscribe, rate and review the podcast you are helping me reach more and more people and grow the support I can offer them. It really does mean so much to me! Thank you! If you're interested in trying the Mira Fertility Tracker make sure you use the code FINALLYPREGNANT to receive £25 off!   See you next week! Cat x

Join me for a chat with Kezia @theinfertilitycounsellor who experienced 9 years of secondary infertility before getting finally pregnant in 2020. During our conversation we cover so much including deciding not to go down the fertility treatment route, rewriting a future that looked like being a family of 3 after becoming pregnant and lots more! If you are interested in grabbing a copy of Kezia’s book you can find it here.  I know things are tough right now and I’ve recently been chatting to the lovely Sophie, founder of a company called Sprout Perks which is a growing business doing fab things for mums and mums to be – think of it like our student discount card! PS you absolutely don’t need to be a mum to join – everyone is welcome.  I’m excited to bring you an exclusive 25% discount to their annual membership. Click here to find out more and sign up and use the code try25 to get your discount!!  During our chat I refer to an episode of the podcast I recorded with Natalie about stopping at one child and donating any remaining embryos. You can listen to that episode here.     If you are pregnant and parenting after loss please make sure you visit catstrawbridge.com to find out more about the support and community available to you. Every time you listen, subscribe, rate and review the podcast you are helping me reach more and more people and grow the support I can offer them. It really does mean so much to me! Thank you! If you're interested in trying the Mira Fertility Tracker make sure you use the code FINALLYPREGNANT to receive £25 off! See you next week! Cat x @tryingyears

This week is Maternal Mental Health week? Created by the Perinatal Mental Health Partnership each and every day is dedicated to a specific topic around Maternal Mental Health. There’s lots going on on insta and I also recommend you check out the Maternal Mental Health Alliance which will signpost you to loads of helpful organisations and, if you are on instagram head over to the Perinatal Mental Health Partnership. You can also check out an episode of the podcast I recorded with Anya Hayes of the Mother’s Wellness Toolkit.   Over to today’s episode where I’m chatting to Elle Wright of Feathering the Empty Nest about her new book A Bump in the Road. Do check out our previous episode recorded in Summer 2020 when Elle was 7 months pregnant. Elle has since had her daughter Olivia and talks about her experiences of pregnancy and being a mum to her daughter and how it’s been during lockdown.  We also talk about how she plans to talk to Olivia about Teddy and about her hopes to extend her family in the future.  During our chat I refer to an episode of the podcast I recorded with Natalie about stopping at one child and donating any remaining embryos. You can listen to that episode here.   If you are pregnant and parenting after loss please make sure you visit catstrawbridge.com to find out more about the support and community available to you. Every time you listen, subscribe, rate and review the podcast you are helping me reach more and more people and grow the support I can offer them. It really does mean so much to me! Thank you! If you're interested in trying the Mira Fertility Tracker make sure you use the code FINALLYPREGNANT to receive £25 off! See you next week! Cat x @tryingyears

This week I'm chatting to the lovely Lucy who unfortunately contracted Covid during her pregnancy. Lucy has since had her son, Harrison and is home safely. He did come early – which is one of the ‘sides effects’ of having had covid during pregnancy, along with babies being smaller, although at this stage it’s hard to know definitively if that is the reason or not. You can watch the webinar on getting vaccinated whilst pregnant here. Please complete the survey about contraception after fertility baby here. If you are pregnant and parenting after loss please make sure you visit catstrawbridge.com to find out more about the support and community available to you. Every time you listen, subscribe, rate and review the podcast you are helping me reach more and more people and grow the support I can offer them. It really does mean so much to me! Thank you! If you're interested in trying the Mira Fertility Tracker make sure you use the code FINALLYPREGNANT to receive £25 off! See you next week! Cat x @tryingyears

Join me as I chat to my wonderful friend Lorna about her daughter's diagnosis of Bilateral Retinoblastoma. Some of the amazing organisations we mention are Sands Charity Get the book - Born in Lockdon Noah's Ark Charity ChectLatch Wales Buy your #TeamImmy top Guiniveres If you are pregnant and parenting after loss please make sure you visit catstrawbridge.com to find out more about the support and community available to you. Every time you listen, subscribe, rate and review the podcast you are helping me reach more and more people and grow the support I can offer them. It really does mean so much to me! Thank you! If you're interested in trying the Mira Fertility Tracker make sure you use the code FINALLYPREGNANT to receive £25 off! See you next week! Cat x @tryingyears

The Yoga Sessions is a unique, 4 week, online yoga course for those who are finally pregnant. Join me as I chat to Sim who helped me create the course in 2020 and Amelie who joined the teaching team in January 2021. These courses sell out month after month so if you are thinking about joining us please do book your spot today! In today's episode I also share our next steps when it comes to TTC. If you are pregnant and parenting after loss please make sure you visit catstrawbridge.com to find out more about the support and community available to you. Every time you listen, subscribe, rate and review the podcast you are helping me reach more and more people and grow the support I can offer them. It really does mean so much to me! Thank you! If you're interested in trying the Mira Fertility Tracker make sure you use the code FINALLYPREGNANT to receive £25 off! See you next week! Cat x @tryingyears 

Join me for an open and honest chat with Sophie Baron, founder of Mamamade. Sophie shares her experience of anxiety through her first pregnancy and also how then having a miscarriage affected her subsequent pregnancy which gave her her son Arthur in early 2021. Find out about the support out there for you if you are finally pregnant and parenting after infertility and loss including the Yoga Sessions at https://www.catstrawbridge.com/. Every time you listen, subscribe, rate and review the podcast you are helping me reach more and more people and grow the support I can offer them. It really does mean so much to me! Thank you! If you're interested in trying the Mira Fertility Tracker make sure you use the code FINALLYPREGNANT to receive £25 off! See you next week! Cat x @tryingyears 

I’m really excited to share today’s episode with Dr Jessica Zucker – creator of the insta account @ihadamiscarriage and she is now author of a book of the same name!  My finally pregnant Yoga Sessions courses are now available for booking into May – April is already sold out I’m afraid! If you are pregnant and parenting after loss please make sure you visit catstrawbridge.com to find out more about the support and community available to you. Every time you listen, subscribe, rate and review the podcast you are helping me reach more and more people and grow the support I can offer them. It really does mean so much to me! Thank you! If you're interested in trying the Mira Fertility Tracker make sure you use the code FINALLYPREGNANT to receive £25 off! See you next week! Cat x @tryingyears       

In today's episode I'm joined by the inspirational Liz Morana, founder of Mumba Bra, who has recently shared her story publicly for the first time. Her first pregnancy heartbreakingly had to be terminated due to medical reasons. There is hope following this sadness as Liz and her husband went on to have two wonderful children. Sadly, when her son was 5 he was involved in a life threatening accident so we also talk about this period of their lives and how she had the strength to get through it, supporting her family - and herself - through one of the most difficult times of their lives. If you have been affected by baby loss or termination for medical reasons please know there is support out there for you. Please contact Tommy’s, ArcAntenatal and Petals Charity. If you are pregnant and parenting after loss please make sure you visit catstrawbridge.com to find out more about the support and community available to you. Every time you listen, subscribe, rate and review the podcast you are helping me reach more and more people and grow the support I can offer them. It really does mean so much to me! Thank you! If you're interested in trying the Mira Fertility Tracker make sure you use the code FINALLYPREGNANT to receive £25 off! See you next week! Cat x

If you want to find out more or book your spot on an upcoming Yoga Sessions course head to catstrawbridge.com/events. On to today’s episode where I’m talking to the chairperson of Pregnancy Sickness support who talks about the work the charity does to support those experiencing extreme sickness during pregnancy, as well as her own experience of it during her pregnancies which followed loss.  I want to share a couple of trigger warnings. I wasn’t aware until we started talking just how extreme the implications of Hyperemesis Gravidarum could be but during the episode the chairperson talks of people who have terminated their pregnancies and even attempted to take their own lives due to the symptoms being completely overwhelming. This is clearly a difficult topic so please do seek support from Pregnancy Sickness Support if it affects you. Every time you listen, subscribe, rate and review the podcast you are helping me reach more and more people and grow the support I can offer them. It really does mean so much to me! Thank you! If you're interested in trying the Mira Fertility Tracker make sure you use the code FINALLYPREGNANT to receive £25 off! See you next week! Cat x

Back for Series 4 of the Finally Pregnant Podcast! This week is a busy one isn’t it, we had IWD on Monday and we’re looking ahead to Mother’s Day on Sunday which I know can be a difficult one. I would love to hear your feeling around it if you’d like to share you can head over to my post on instagram.    I’m really looking forward to sharing today’s episode with you. It’s with the lovely Charlie Barker - founder of Bumps and Burpees.   Charlie sadly experienced recurrent MC before having her son Alfie last Summer and during our chat she shares her TTC story, what it was like being pregnant after loss, what impact that had on her birth choices and how parenting during lockdown has been! Charlie has recently had her first Bumps and Burpees book published which we talk a little about too!   If you are listening to this when it first comes out I’m really excited to tell you we’ve put together a little giveaway for you! Charlie is offering a free 30 minute 121 chat about exercising if you are pregnant or postnatal, plus a copy of her book! And, as it’s the first episode of a new series, I’m going to add in an annual membership to my Hang Out community which is a place to find support and understanding, and share the highs and lows of being finally pregnant and parenting!   Head over to instagram to enter! Here's your regular reminder to subscribe, rate and review the podcast wherever you listen! If you're interested in trying the Mira Fertility Tracker make sure you use the code FINALLYPREGNANT to receive £25 off! See you next week! Cat x

Huge thanks to Natalie for sharing her story of stopping at one and donating their remaining embryos. During our chat we talk about this Facebook group. There are also a couple of books that have been recommended to me - One and Only and All About Families. Please do also check out Natalie's Podcast The Fertility Podcast which is relaunching on 22nd February! You can hear Nat talking about the decision to donate her embryos here. If you want to book your spot on an upcoming Finally Pregnant Yoga Sessions course book here. If you want to book your spot at the Cat + Alice Live Your Life Virtual event in January do so here.   Special thanks to Peanut for sponsoring this series of the Finally Pregnant podcast! Peanut is the app that helps you meet like-minded women who are trying to conceive, pregnant, or already mums. Introducing you to women nearby who are at a similar stage in their journey, Peanut provides access to a community of women who are there to listen, share information and offer valuable advice. Download the app for free here today! Lastly, as always, please do subscribe, rate and review on apple podcasts, or over on my facebook page! Much love, Cat x @tryingyears

Huge thanks to today’s guest Sarah McGeough who shares her story of becoming a mum through adoption. This followed years of ttc which included IVF, an ectopic pregnancy, adenomyosis and a hysterectomy. Sarah has recently written a children’s book Eddy Finds a Family to help normalise adoption.  If you want to help Sarah with future books you can join her Facebook group here.  If you want to book your spot on an upcoming Finally Pregnant Yoga Sessions course book here. If you want to book your spot at the Cat + Alice Live Your Life Virtual event in January do so here.   Special thanks to Peanut for sponsoring this series of the Finally Pregnant podcast! Peanut is the app that helps you meet like-minded women who are trying to conceive, pregnant, or already mums. Introducing you to women nearby who are at a similar stage in their journey, Peanut provides access to a community of women who are there to listen, share information and offer valuable advice. Download the app for free here today! Lastly, as always, please do subscribe, rate and review on apple podcasts, or over on my facebook page! Much love, Cat x @tryingyears

The Finally Pregnant podcast has been nominated as Best Podcast at the Glo Mama Awards 2021 which is SO EXCITING! Not only is it a nod to my hard work and to the guests who share their stories but it also helps to raise the profile of infertility and loss which is incredible! Please help me and everyone do even more of all this by voting so that we win this incredible award! VOTING CLOSES ON JANUARY 16TH SO DON'T DELAY, VOTE TODAY!! Join me for a chat with my friend Shikha who had her son at just 32 weeks. We talk about two places you can visit if you have experienced anything we discuss or want to support people who have. They are the Ickle Pickles charity and Miracle Moon UK - who have a podcast of the same name. If you want to book your spot on an upcoming Finally Pregnant Yoga Sessions course book here. If you want to book your spot at the Cat + Alice Live Your Life Virtual event in January do so here. Special thanks to Peanut for sponsoring this series of the Finally Pregnant podcast! Peanut is the app that helps you meet like-minded women who are trying to conceive, pregnant, or already mums. Introducing you to women nearby who are at a similar stage in their journey, Peanut provides access to a community of women who are there to listen, share information and offer valuable advice. Download the app for free here today! Lastly, as always, please do subscribe, rate and review on apple podcasts, or over on my facebook page! Much love, Cat x @tryingyears

Delighted to share my recent chat with @goodlucknic talking all things fertility treatment through lockdown, covid and then getting that positive pregnancy test and all that comes with it! Nic has joined my Yoga Sessions course for those who are finally pregnant. If you want to join head to catstrawbridge.com/events to find out more and book! Special thanks to Peanut for sponsoring this series of the Finally Pregnant podcast! Peanut is the app that helps you meet like-minded women who are trying to conceive, pregnant, or already mums. Introducing you to women nearby who are at a similar stage in their journey, Peanut provides access to a community of women who are there to listen, share information and offer valuable advice. Download the app for free here today! Lastly, as always, please do subscribe, rate and review on apple podcasts, or over on my facebook page! Much love, Cat x @tryingyears

Join me for a chat with the powerhouse that is Mel Johnson of The Stork & I who you can also find on instagram. If you want to book your spot on an upcoming Finally Pregnant Yoga Sessions course book here. If you want to book your spot at the Cat + Alice Live Your Life Virtual event in January do so here. Special thanks to Peanut for sponsoring this series of the Finally Pregnant podcast! Peanut is the app that helps you meet like-minded women who are trying to conceive, pregnant, or already mums. Introducing you to women nearby who are at a similar stage in their journey, Peanut provides access to a community of women who are there to listen, share information and offer valuable advice. Download the app for free here today! Lastly, as always, please do subscribe, rate and review on apple podcasts, or over on my facebook page! Much love, Cat x @tryingyears

Join me for a chat with the wonderful Lucy and Amy who talk all things same sex TTC. You can find the girls on instagram and on their youtube channel. If you want to book your spot on the Finally Pregnant Yoga Sessions for January you can do so here. If you want to book your spot at the Cat + Alice Live Your Life Virtual event in January do so here - early bird price until 1st Jan. Special thanks to Peanut for sponsoring this series of the Finally Pregnant podcast! Peanut is the app that helps you meet like-minded women who are trying to conceive, pregnant, or already mums. Introducing you to women nearby who are at a similar stage in their journey, Peanut provides access to a community of women who are there to listen, share information and offer valuable advice. Download the app for free here today! Lastly, as always, please do subscribe, rate and review on apple podcasts, or over on my facebook page! Much love, Cat x

Delighted to share my chat with Chris Lawson, host of the IVF Dad podcast. If you want to find out about any of the other work I do, including the Hang Out or my Coping with an Anxious Pregnancy workshop, please visit my website catstrawbridge.com. Special thanks to Peanut for sponsoring this series of the Finally Pregnant podcast! Peanut is the app that helps you meet like-minded women who are trying to conceive, pregnant, or already mums. Introducing you to women nearby who are at a similar stage in their journey, Peanut provides access to a community of women who are there to listen, share information and offer valuable advice. Download the app for free here today! Lastly, as always, please do subscribe, rate and review on apple podcasts, or over on my facebook page! Much love, Cat x @tryingyears

In today's episode I'm talking to Perinatal Psychologist Julianne Boutaleb founder of Parenthood in Mind who you can also find on instagram. We talk all things attachment and bonding and I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this conversation! I truly hope you get so much from it too! I also mention Pregnant Then Screwed so if you want to find out more about them click here. Their recent survey stated that 90% of pregnant women said that restrictions (we’re talking covid here) are having a negative impact on their mental health. If you are already struggling, even a little, due to being pregnant after infertility and loss then any additional stress is going to be really hard to take on.  That’s one of the reason I’ve created my first ever Coping with an Anxious Pregnancy Workshop which is happening on Saturday 19th December at 9.30am. I’ll be sending everyone who joins a free workbook because I want this to be an interactive hour with you having an opportunity to write down your own thoughts, create your own affirmations and ask questions too! It’s only £10 to register and I truly believe it will help give you some of the tools you need to support you through your pregnancy – no matter what the reasons for your anxiety. If you want to find out about any of the other work I do, including the Hang Out, please visit my website catstrawbridge.com. Special thanks to Peanut for sponsoring this series of the Finally Pregnant podcast! Peanut is the app that helps you meet like-minded women who are trying to conceive, pregnant, or already mums. Introducing you to women nearby who are at a similar stage in their journey, Peanut provides access to a community of women who are there to listen, share information and offer valuable advice. Download the app for free here today! Lastly, as always, please do subscribe, rate and review on apple podcasts, or over on my facebook page! Much love, Cat x @tryingyears

Special thanks to Burgess Mee Family Law for sponsoring this bonus episode covering all you need to know about surrogacy law if you are based in the UK. Burgess Mee Partner Natalie Sutherland is a specialist when it comes to surrogacy and she answers lots of questions and share intricacies that are so important when it comes to thinking about surrogacy as an option, or even if you are already on that path. To find out more about Burgess Mee Family Law visit them at https://www.burgessmee.com/ To contact Natalie directly you can visit their people page. You can also find her in instagram at @themodernfamilylawyer. Please remember to subscribe, rate and review the podcast wherever you listen! Take care! Cat x @tryingyears

Today's episode is a fab conversation with my friend Emily who welcomed her beautiful daughter Hope into the world this year via surrogate Randall - who also joins us for this chat! To find out more about the support and events I provide to those who are finally pregnant and parenting after infertility and loss please visit catstrawbridge.com. Special thanks to Peanut for sponsoring this series of the Finally Pregnant podcast! Peanut is the app that helps you meet like-minded women who are trying to conceive, pregnant, or already mums. Introducing you to women nearby who are at a similar stage in their journey, Peanut provides access to a community of women who are there to listen, share information and offer valuable advice. Download the app for free here today! Lastly, as always, please do subscribe, rate and review on apple podcasts, or over on my facebook page! Take care, Cat x    

I loved chatting to my friend Keeley about her experience ttc which then took her on to donor conception. Keeley is the epitome of positivity and it's infectious! We talk about being optimistic, how she's feeling about her pregnancy, and what it was like to be pregnant during Lockdown 1.0. I'm delighted to tell you that Keeley had her gorgeous son Freddie in the Summer. We mentioned Alice's podcast during our chat and you can listen to the episodes we mentioned here and here. If you are finally pregnant right now and want to join my brand new Coping with an Anxious Pregnancy workshop on December 19th you can find out more and book here. And there's the Yoga Sessions taster too! If you want to find out more about any of the work I do including the Hang Out, plus my recent survey results please visit www.catstrawbridge.com.   Special thanks to Peanut for sponsoring this series of the Finally Pregnant podcast! Peanut is the app that helps you meet like-minded women who are trying to conceive, pregnant, or already mums.   Download the app for free here today!   If you have enjoyed this episode or any of the Finally Pregnant podcast please do subscribe, rate and review. By doing so it means more people will hear about it and it can help them too!  Much love, Cat x   @tryingyears

In today’s episode I’m chatting to Viren Swami FHEA CPsychol AFBPsS, Professor of Social Psychology at Anglia Ruskin University. I saw Viren talk openly about his experience of paternal postnatal depression on our local news and, as a topic I haven’t heard covered very much, I really wanted to have this conversation. We mention a few places you can find support if any of the things Viren talks about ring true for you or your partner. They include Pandas who have a Dad’s only Facebook Group and Father’s Reaching Out. If you want to contact Viren directly you can find his email address here.   I also mention Nick Finney’s book, The Bumps Ahead, which is a great book about infertility and adoption from the dad's point of view.    If you want to find out more about the work I do including the Hang Out, plus my recent survey results please visit www.catstrawbridge.com.   Special thanks to Peanut for sponsoring this series of the Finally Pregnant podcast! Peanut is the app that helps you meet like-minded women who are trying to conceive, pregnant, or already mums.   Download the app for free here today!   If you have enjoyed this episode or any of the Finally Pregnant podcast please do subscribe, rate and review. By doing so it means more people will hear about it and it can help them too!  Much love, Cat x   @tryingyears  

Welcome back for series and as part of this week's Fertility Week I'm chatting to the lovely Izzy Judd. We talk about her own experiences with infertility and loss, how it affected her successful pregnancies and continues to have an impact on her into her parenting. Izzy has recently launched Pause Play which we talk about so do check that out too! If you want to find out more about the work I do including the Hang Out, plus my recent survey results please visit www.catstrawbridge.com. Special thanks to Peanut for sponsoring this series of the Finally Pregnant podcast! Peanut is the app that helps you meet like-minded women who are trying to conceive, pregnant, or already mums. Introducing you to women nearby who are at a similar stage in their journey, Peanut provides access to a community of women who are there to listen, share information and offer valuable advice. Download the app for free here today! If you have enjoyed this episode or any of the Finally Pregnant podcast please do subscribe, rate and review. By doing so it means more people will hear about it and it can help them too! Much love, Cat x @tryingyears

Welcome to series 3 of the Finally Pregnant podcast. I’m so excited to be coming back and have brought together an amazing group of inspirational guests who share their stories of pregnancy and parenting after infertility and loss. Not only that but I’m also talking about important issues that need our attention including paternal post natal depression which not only speaks to fathers but all partners and even those who bring their babies into the world via surrogacy. Thanks so much for listening and for all your amazing feedback! To make sure you are notified as soon as new episode goes live subscribe to the podcast today! I’d also massively appreciate it if, when you’ve listened to some episodes (there’s a whole back catalogue too!) you’d head over and leave me a review! You can do this on apple podcasts if you’re an iphone user, if not, you can head to Facebook.com/tryingyears and leave a review there  – or you can simply pop me a DM or email let me know what you think! Thanks for listening! Cat x

In today’s episode I’m chatting with Laura Gallagher, fertility patient and author of new children’s book Robo Babies, which is available for preorder right now and comes out on the 25th August. Laura has a little miracle from IVF but – and this is sensitive especially if you are pregnant right now - is currently going through her second ectopic pregnancy following 2 natural pregnancies in the last 9 months. I wanted to share this now as I know this may be too hard for some of you to hear. In order to make it easy for you to switch off for that part we have talked about the book first and afterwards Laura talks about her fertility journey and I have highlighted when we are going to talk about her current losses so you can stop listening if you’d prefer. During the episode we also talk about a new campaign called No Words by Katie @withoutottlie on instagram. Katie’s aim with the campaign is to help end the isolation people feel when they experience loss a baby. You can get involved by heading over to her profile and showing her some love, you can also post on instagram using the no words hashtag and you can even buy a tee - £5 from each one purchased is being donated to charity! In other news my finally pregnant Yoga Sessions course is coming due to popular demand! Launching on September 16th at 7pm the 4 hourly classes will happen at the same time each week. If you are on the current course you’ll know we have a new theme each week and the upcoming course will be focusing on 4 brand new themes so you can will be taken on a brand new journey whether you have been part of the first course or not. Find out more here. As always Hang Out members get a discount on my events, courses and also my meditations. Have you downloaded my meditation? You can do so here. Lastly make sure you head over to @tryingyears to take part in my giveaway with @wellbeing.sisters is you are listening to this episode when it goes live! During our chat Laura and I mention two other books The Blanket Bears which covers the topic of adoption and The Kangaroo’s Pouch which talks about surrogacy. Remember, you can preorder Laura’s book Robo Babies now from Owlet Press, Amazon and Waterstones. If you have enjoyed this episode or any of the Finally Pregnant podcast please do subscribe, rate and review. By doing so it means more people will hear about it and it can help them too! Much love, Cat x

I'm delighted to bring you the second part of this two part special on surrogacy. We spoke to intended parents Sophie and Jack in Part One and in this week's episode we're talking to their friend and surrogate Em  and her husband James. Em is also the founder of The Mindful Birth Group! During the episode Sophie mentions a book - The Kangaroo's Pouch - which helps explain the story of surrogacy to young children.  If you are interested to hear more stories about surrogacy please head over to Season 2 Episode 4 where I chat to Jenn Hepton about her ttc and finally surrogacy story. I can now officially tell you I have published my first pregnancy meditation for those who are finally pregnant. There's one for those with partners and one for solo mums. Find out more here. They include breathing exercises, affirmations and a guided visualisation to help you look ahead to your baby’s birth, what that feels like and more.   Also included is an affirmation exercise using the affirmations from the meditation. My hope is this will encourage you to incorporate affirmations into your daily routine helping you to not only focus on your pregnancy today but to also look ahead with joy and excitement. Remember Hang Out members get a discount!   If you have enjoyed this special or any of this podcast please do subscribe, rate and review. By doing so it means more people will hear about it and it can help them too! Much love, Cat x  

Thank you for being here and for all your continued feedback on the podcast. I know the last episode really spoke to a lot of you who are in the midst of or have been through PND. I am so pleased having that conversation with Sophie has helped so many of you. It would mean so much to me if those of you who drop me DMs would be kind enough to leave a review over at Apple Podcasts as it helps other people find the podcast and receive the support they need like so many of you guys are. The more people who realise they are not alone the better! Here’s the link to do it! Have you been over to my insta recently? I’ve had some amazing finally pregnant and parenting takeovers happening, most recently James from @the_honest_dad who shared the partner's perspective of pregnancy after infertility and babyloss. It was incredibly powerful. If you missed it I have saved it on my highlights and am adding others there too so you can catch up. I recently launched a brand new event - The Hang Out Yoga Sessions - which is a unique 4 week online yoga course especially created for those who are finally pregnant. It’s going to be led by qualified and highly experienced yoga teacher Sim - @yogawithsim on insta – who understands what it’s like to experience that fear of not being able to have children after being diagnosed with PCOS. Fortunately Sim went on to have a very precious pregnancy and through the 4 course will lead you all through a wonderful journey as well as give you the opportunity to have a place to check in and be supported.  One of the things that spurs me on to create events like this is some feedback I received after my Nurture Circle event last month   “Realising everyone in the space just got it and understood was an incredible relief. I hadn’t realised how much I needed to feel that validation before.” I know that’s what this yoga course is going to be like too! Remember, Hang Out members receive a discount to all my events! If you’re new here the Hang Out is my membership community for those who are FPP. It’s a safe space where you can meet, chat, support and be supported by others who understand what you’re going through. We host 3 online support groups a month, there’s a resources library and members receive discounts on my events with lots more coming soon!  Right, on to today episode which is part one of a 2 part special about surrogacy. Just before lockdown I was lucky enough to sit down with Sophie @life.before.you and Jack and Em @themindfulbirthgroup and James and across the next two episodes I’ll be sharing those conversations.  Today we start with Sophie and Jack who at the time were the intended parents of the baby which Em was carrying. I’m pleased to tell you Leo, their gorgeous little miracle, is now in their arms having been born by c section on 31st March!  Really hope you enjoy the episode. Please remember to like, subscribe and review! Much love, Cat x  

On today’s episode I’m chatting to the lovely Sophie who I met through my fertility clinic Herts & Essex. I spoke to Sophie aka @mrsscarsons a few months ago about her experiences of early motherhood following a successful round of fertility treatment.  Her gorgeous son Teddy suffered from both Colic and Reflux which led to the most difficult times for Sophie and here she shares how it all had a terrible impact on her mental health. We actually talk about way more than that, including Group Strep B and attending baby classes - my fave is Monkey Music - and I really hope you get lots from our chat.  Sophie does get upset during our conversation but I think her openness and honesty is so incredibly brave and I know she does it because she doesn’t want other people to go through it, or at the very least, for others to know that they are not alone in their experiences. If you want to reach out to Sophie please do. If you want to reach out to me please come and find me at @tryingyears and finally, if you can subscribe, rate and review the podcast wherever you listen to it that would be amazing! Make sure you don't miss out on any new events by signing up to my emails here.  Thank you so much for listening! Cat x www.catstrawbridge.com    

Today is Wren's 1st birthday and whilst I had planned to share the story of her birth months ago today seems very fitting! I absolutely loved reading through the notes from my Birth Afterthoughts appointment, something I recommend everyone doing, and remembering all the details of a period I look back on with great fondness - I know I'm incredibly lucky that that is the case. If you want to help me amplify melanated voices please contact me at cat@catstrawbridge.com. If you want to find out about the Midsummer Nurture Circle - a bespoke 90 minute online workshop led by experienced yoga and meditation specialist - you can find out more and buy tickets here before they sell out! Interested in learning more about the Hang Out community I run for people who are finally pregnant and parenting? Click here. Remember, you’ll receive a discount to the above event if you are a member. I really hope you enjoy listening. Please don’t forget to subscribe, rate, review and share because we need to spread the word.   Look forward to hearing from you!   Cat @tryingyears PS Click here if you want to receive my Top 5 Strategies to Help You Enjoy Being Finally Pregnant. cat@catstrawbridge.com www.catstrawbridge.com

Welcome to the latest episode of Finally Pregnant where I’m chatting to Elle Wright of Feathering the Empty Nest. You can also find and follow Elle on instagram. Elle is a blogger and author of The Sunday Times Bestselling book “Ask Me His Name” where she shares about the loss of her son, Teddy, who died at 3 days old in 2016.  Elle has been instrumental in opening up the conversation around pregnancy and child loss.   Some of the ways to find support if you are or have experienced anything we talk about in this episode are charities such as Tommys, the Miscarriage Association, Sands, Fertility Network and Petals Charity. We also discuss amazing podcasts such as Alice’s Fertility Life Raft, Izzy Judd’s Let’s Talk Fertility and another amazing TTC podcast is Big Fat Negative from Emma and Gabby! Elle also mentioned Giovanna Fletcher’s Happy mum, happy baby which is one that I love and the another I can recommend is The Parent Hood by Marina Fogle.  Click here if you want to receive my Top 5 Strategies to Help You Enjoy Being Finally Pregnant. If you want to find out about the Midsummer Nurture Circle - a bespoke 90 minute online workshop led by experienced yoga and meditation specialist - you can find out more and buy tickets here before they sell out! Interested in learning more about the Hang Out community I run for people who are finally pregnant and parenting? Click here. Remember, you’ll receive a discount to the above event if you are a member. If you are trying to conceive and you want to find out more about the work I do over at Cat and Alice head over to our website or follow us on instagram! I really hope you enjoy listening. Please don’t forget to subscribe, rate, review and share because we need to spread the word.   Look forward to hearing from you!   Cat @tryingyears cat@catstrawbridge.com www.catstrawbridge.com

After a getting-used-to-corona-life sized hiatus we’re back! In this week’s episode of the Finally Pregnant podcast I’m sitting down – virtually speaking – with psychotherapist and mum Anna Mathur. Anna’s vast experience both professionally and personally has given her a unique insight into the lives and minds of new mums. But this chat isn’t just for you if you are already parenting as we discuss issues and helpful techniques which will be useful at almost any stage of ttc, loss, pregnancy and parenting.  If you want to hear more from Anna head over and give her a follow and make sure you check out her new book Mind Over Mother, every mum’s guide to worry and anxiety in the first year. If you enjoy the podcast and want to find a community of people who ‘get it’ please check out The Hang Out where, on top being invited to join a supportive, friendly and confidential group, you’ll also be have access to two support groups a month, be the first to hear about news and events and receive discounts too! Find out more here! Whilst you’re here, want me to share my top 5 coping strategies so that you can make the most of being finally pregnant? These are the things I did to help me when I was pregnant with Wren and I want to let you in on my secrets! Sign up to my emails to have them delivered direct to your inbox today! Back to the podcast, I’d love to hear your thoughts on today’s episode below, send me a DM @tryingyears, pop me an email at cat@catstrawbridge.com or leave me a review over on apple if you have time!  Thanks so much! Cat x www.catstrawbridge.com

If you are due to give birth in the next few days or weeks I hope you will get some reassurance from my chat with Dr Sarah Wilkinson MBBS FRCA, Consultant Anaesthetist with Special Interest in Obstetric Anaesthesia from a top London hospital.    12 years experience working on Delivery Suites in and around London, providing pain relief for labour and anaesthesia for births in theatre.  This episode was recorded on Sunday 5th April. Please be aware that changes are happening all the time. If you have any questions you would like to as Sarah please send them to me at cat@catstrawbridge and I will ensure you receive an answer. Stay safe everyone, Cat Come and find me on instagram @tryingyears

Huge thanks to Shema @one_in_seven for joining me to chat about giving birth in the middle of this global pandemic. Shema herself is due to have a csection next week so fully understands the concerns around being in the final stages of pregnancy when access to hospitals are limited due to Coronavirus.  I truly hope that you find her words and the whole conversation reassuring and remember that if you want to join a growing community of people who are pregnant after infertility and loss please head over and find out more about The Hang Out where, for the time being, we'll be holding two online support groups a month. If you have any questions about this episode or anything else please come and find me on instagram @tryingyears or email me at cat@catstrawbridge.com.   Stay safe everyone, Cat x

I’m grateful to be able to share this episode with you. There’s no preamble as I wanted to turn it around as quickly as possible to give you the information you need fast. Earlier today I spoke with Kate Marsh who is the Midwifery Manager at Tommy’s. Tommy’s has a team of midwives available by email only (at the moment) between the hours of 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. Get in touch with any questions at midwife@tommys.org.  For all the latest information and guidance about pregnancies please visit the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology website and you can find specific updates on how COVID-19 might affect you here. During the chat we talk about getting out and about in the fresh air wherever possible – but maintaining social distancing.  The National Trust have generously opened the doors to their parklands to all so check out your local one. If you are anxious for any reason due to being pregnant after infertility and loss please do check out The Hang Out which is a community where you will find support from others who are currently pregnant or are parenting their own little ones – all have been through similar experiences of infertility and loss. For information about infant feeding please check out my episode with lactation specialist Shel Banks.  If you are missing out on antenatal classes check out amazing companies like The Bump Class who are sharing lots of information online. You can also find out about virtual NCT classes here. Also, I'm doing BBC's The Baby Club daily and Ettie Betty Sing and Sign classes with Wren too! I’m so pleased to share information with you about the brand new Tommy’s Midwife Voice Skill which you can access through your smart speaker. And finally, ahead of Mother’s Day this weekend please head to their section on coping with Mother’s Day which includes experiences from me and some other amazing ladies. I really hope this episode is useful for you in what it such a difficult time. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact Kate and her team on midwife@tommys.org or me on instagram @tryingyears or at cat@catstrawbridge.com. Much love and stay safe, Cat x www.catstrawbridge.com

I loved chatting to my amazing friend Alice for this episode where we talk about giving birth to a second child, working with a newborn and so much more!  Alice was 38 weeks when we chatted but I can tell you that she gave birth, via c section, to her gorgeous son Reggie last month. You can follow her story as a mum over at @alicerosethemama as well as her infertility support account @thisisalicerose. There is some sensitive content in this episode as Alice takes us through her fairly traumatic first birth story but, as we discuss, it can be good to hear other people’s not so good experiences as it arms us with ideas and questions about what we do and don’t want to happen which will help us self advocate throughout our own pregnancies and births – something that Alice and I both fully support. Alice worked with Birth Trauma London during this pregnancy to try to reconcile some of her feelings around her first birth and it really helped her. Something else we touch upon is our partners and how much they need support too. I recently heard that Viran Swami was asking for post natal depression screening for men which I think is a great idea.  Here’s a bit more information on this. Thanks so much for listening. Please do subscribe, rate and review this podcast wherever you listen!  If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to get in touch too. Much love, Cat  cat@catstrawbridge.com

In this week’s episode I chat to Shema aka @one_in_seven who was 17 weeks pregnant at the time. Shema has a condition called Chronic Histiocytic Intervillositis (CHI) which is a rare placenta condition where mum’s immune system mounts a response to the baby causing the placenta to fail. It is an incredibly rare condition affecting only 300 women globally. Shema and her partner moved to donor egg IVF after initial rounds with her own eggs were unsuccessful. They got pregnant following their second donor round but heartbreakingly her condition caused their son Altair to be born sleeping at 21 weeks. Armed with new information about her condition they successfully navigated their second pregnancy and are now parents to Faris who turned one recently.  Then, to their surprise, they found out that they were pregnant naturally – something they had been told had less than a 1% chance of happening. It’s a jam packed episode that I hope you enjoy and get lots from. We touch upon parenting after infertility and loss and the affects on our mental health and whilst we didn’t have the opportunity to go into it further on this episode, please do head over to my episode with the amazing Anya Hayes aka  @Motherswellnesstoolkit who talks at length about what to look out for and how to support ourselves when pregnant and beyond. Please do subscribe, rate and review this podcast wherever you listen!  If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to get in touch too. Much love, Cat  cat@catstrawbridge.com

My gorgeous friend Jenn joined me for a chat for this week’s podcast episode. To say that Jenn has been through one of the most difficult journey’s I’ve known is sadly not an understatement. However, I am so pleased to say that, after 10 years trying, she has a gorgeous son Milo. Jenn now uses her experiences, which include miscarriage, termination for medical reasons, twin loss, stillbirth, donor conception and surrogacy, to support others in the most powerful way.   You can find out more about Jenn on her website and do give her a follow on her insta accounts @Iamjennhepton and @loeyhugs. In other news The Finally Pregnant Hang Out is NOW OPEN! I’m so excited!  In case you’ve not heard yet, it’s a community for people who are finally pregnant or parenting. A space where you can share stories, ask questions, receive (and give) support, complain about the hard bits and celebrate the good! As a member you will gain access to this exclusive group where you’ll also be able to join monthly lives and – this is the bit I’m particularly excited about because I don’t think it happens anywhere else? – join the monthly online video support group which will give you an opportunity to see each other and chat, sharing your own stories in person (online). Don’t worry, you don’t have to put your video on or even chat if you don’t want but you can still join us.  I know it’s going to be a really special group and I look forward to welcoming lots of you there soon! I really hope you enjoy listening to the Finally Pregnant Podcast. Please don’t forget to subscribe, rate, review and share because we need to spread the word.    Look forward to hearing from you!    Cat @tryingyears   cat@catstrawbridge.com 

Did you know that incontinence is the 2nd most common reason people are admitted to a nursing home? This is just one of many gems Helen Keeble shares with me in today's chat.  Whether you are pregnant or not this episode is full of information, bring a notepad and pen! Helen is also one third of the Pelvic Floor Patrol who want to open up the conversation around the pelvic floor across the UK and beyond. During the chat I mention Keegle 8 vaginal cones which you can find here and if you scroll down there is a link to a prescription form which you can print off, complete and give to your doctor - I did and got some for free. However, before I got a chance to use the above I was gifted an Elvie Pelvic Floor Trainer which helps motivate me and I've got one to give away so head over to my instagram now where you can be in a chance to win one too! The giveaway will only be open for a few days - sorry if you miss it! I really hope you enjoy listening. Please don’t forget to subscribe, rate, review and share because we need to spread the word. Look forward to hearing from you! Cat @tryingyears cat@catstrawbridge.com 

Join me as I chat to Zoe Blaskey – founder of Motherkind which includes an amazing podcast where Zoe speaks to world leading experts on a range of topics from self care, mental health, to career, nutrition and parenting. Mother to daughter Jessie, Zoe and her husband Guy experienced two miscarriages before becoming pregnant again. I'm delighted to say they have recently welcomed their second daughter Rose to the world. Huge thanks to Peanut for sponsoring this episode.  The mission of the founder Michelle Kennedy when creating the app was that no one should have to navigate womanhood alone. Especially the hard parts. Peanut was initially created for mums, and I downloaded Peanut after having Wren because you can look for mums in your local area and connect or you can check out some of the message boards or ask questions yourself. However, Peanut has recently expanded their community to women who are trying to conceive so you can connect with that amazing community too. Peanut's aim is to shine a light on these struggles, providing shared experience, compassion and community. There's also some exciting news about some upcoming Finally Pregnant plans I have, more information and the launch date will be announced soon.  Come and follow me @tryingyears on instagram to be among the first to know! If you have any questions about anything we discuss please don’t hesitate to contact myself or Zoe. I really hope you enjoy listening. Please don’t forget to subscribe, rate, review and share because we need to spread the word. Look forward to hearing from you! Cat @tryingyears cat@catstrawbridge.com

First episode of Season 2 is a chat with my wonderful friend Hannah Vaughan Jones who was 35 weeks pregnant when we spoke.  Since then, her husband, BBC News anchor Lewis, and her have welcomed Matheson (known as Sonny) into the world and I could not be happier for them! Hannah and Lewis tried for a family for 6 years before deciding to move on to double donor IVF. However, before they did so they transferred their last two frozen embryos from a previous cycle.  Two embryos that were too ‘poor quality’ to test.  One of them stuck and here Hannah talks about what that pregnancy, which followed multiple rounds of fertility treatment which included a miscarriage. Among other things we talk mental health following infertility, both enjoying and complaining about being pregnant, antenatal classes, birth plans, supportive alternative treatment and painting the house from top to bottom! I also catch you up on how things are going with Wren who is now almost 7 months old! If you want to follow our finally parenting journey come and follow me on instagram. If you are still TTC or know someone who is make sure you check out the events I run with my friend Alice via Cat and Alice or you can find us on socials @itscatandalice.    If you have any questions about anything we discuss please don’t hesitate to contact myself or Hannah  I really hope you enjoy listening. Please don’t forget to subscribe, rate, review and share because we need to spread the word. Look forward to hearing from you! Cat @tryingyears cat@catstrawbridge.com

This interview with Cara (@ourlittlesonesstory) was the first recording I did for this podcast, not sure why it's taken so long to air! Cara is, among other things, the founder of fertility charity Fertility Support Australia which offers support for those TTC. Since recording this interview Cara has had her gorgeous little girl Evie but it's great to listen back on how she was feeling during her pregnancy; at the time in her third trimester. Cara also took the time to add a little note at the end on how she's feeling now that Evie is here so make sure you listen to the end to hear that too. The day I recorded the intro I had been to a fertility related play called Baby-Go-Round by A Drunken Sailor theatre company which is being taken to Edinburgh Fringe Festival - check it out if you can! Special mention to The Little Green Sheep company because also on the day I recorded this I won one of their organic cot mattresses which is just amazing! If you are still TTC or know someone who is make sure you check out the events I run with my friend Alice via Cat and Alice or you can find us on socials @itscatandalice.  If you have any questions about anything we discuss please don’t hesitate to contact myself or Cara.   I really hope you enjoy listening. Please don’t forget to subscribe, rate, review and share because we need to spread the word.   Look forward to hearing from you!   Cat @tryingyears PS - in case you're wondering (because I forgot to mention it in the intro!) the noise in the background is Cara's dog Billy! :) 

In Episode 8 of the Finally Pregnant Podcast I chat to Professor Gordon Smith of the University of Cambridge about screening. Due to our twin loss we were unable to have traditional screening which meant we had to explore other options which I discuss in this episode. Find out more about my guest here. I really hope you enjoy listening. Please don’t forget to subscribe, rate, review and share because we need to spread the word.   Look forward to hearing from you! Cat @tryingyears

In today's episode I welcome Tobi Asare, founder of My Bump Pay to talk all things maternity pay and, if we have partners, what they are entitled to too. Head over to Instagram and give her a follow.   This platform is an open, sharing and human place to find out more. Tobi is also looking for more people to share their experiences so if you want to please head over and share your story too.   If you need more information you can also visit the Citizen’s Advice Bureau, ACAS and Gov.UK.   Tobi mentions Mel from The Stork and I to find out more about solo parenting. Plus a fantastic website called Pregnant then screwed.   If you are still trying to conceive or plan to TTC again after this pregnancy you can visit Fertility Network to find out more about their Fertility in the Workplace scheme to help your employer support you better.    Lastly, we mention Work 180 who collaborate with companies to encourage them to share their policies publicly for all to see before you apply for jobs there.    If you have any questions about anything we discuss please don’t hesitate to contact myself or Tobi.   I really hope you enjoy listening. Please don’t forget to subscribe, rate, review and share because we need to spread the word.   Look forward to hearing from you!   Cat @tryingyears

In this episode we talk all things infant feeding with expert Shel Banks.  Shel specialises in unsettled babies, disturbed sleep, formula feeding and faltering growth and is also an Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant based in the northwest of England. Shel is a very busy lady working with the NHS in research, training, holding private practices assisting mothers and babies with feeding issues and much more. Find out more at www.shelbanks.co.uk or you can follow her on instagram.  I came across her because of a Channel 4 Dispatches show – The Great Formula Milk Scandal. One of the things I really liked about Shel’s approach is that she is a) clearly very experienced and b) non judgmental about breast or formula feeding which I think is really important.  Shel recommends the following two leaflets when reading up about feeding  A Guide to Bottle Feeding Off to the best start leaflet  She also mentions the free National Breast Feeding Helpline which offers peer to peer advice and support.  If you have any questions about anything we discuss please don’t hesitate to contact myself or Shel. I really hope you enjoy listening. Please don’t forget to subscribe, rate, review and share because we need to spread the word. Look forward to hearing from you! Cat @tryingyears

I was so excited to be chatting to these guys on my podcast as I am a huge fan of theirs! Gabby and Emma from the podcast Big Fat Negative are simply fabulous and here is no different. Due to some complications we weren’t sure whether Gabby was going to make it but fortunately she had had good news so bravely joined us for this chat.  One of the things I loved in particular was that we were all in different trimesters so we got to talk across the different experiences of being pregnant all together.  Scanxiety rears its ugly head, but we also talk about the good stuff like baby names, feeling the kicks and just the sheer relief that our fertility treatment has actually worked! I really hope you enjoy listening. Please don’t forget to subscribe, rate, review and share because we need to spread the word. Look forward to hearing from you! Cat @tryingyears PS Spot the deliberate mistake - this is episode 5 not 4 as I say on the audio!

In this episode I am talking pre and post natal mental health with Anya Hayes of Mothers’ Wellness Toolkit. Anya is an author and speaker particularly focused on women’s health and wellness. She is also a Pilates teacher specialising in pregnancy and post-natal, and is training to teach Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) – the NICE-recommended treatment for depression and anxiety. During the conversation Anya recommends Ruby Wax’s book Frazzled which is a great book on this topic!  As you will hear Anya is a fountain of knowledge and, in addition to this episode of the Finally Pregnant podcast, you can tap into loads more information via her books which include Pregnancy: The Naked Truth, Pilates for Pregnancy and the Supermum Myth – details of these and all of her work can be found on her website.  You can also find Anya on instagram @Mothers.Wellness.Toolkit. I really hope you enjoy listening. Please don’t forget to subscribe, rate, review and share because we need to spread the word.   Look forward to hearing from you!   Cat @tryingyears

Having met her earlier this year, I love chatting to Jaz Rabadia MBE and this interview was no different! Here she talks to us about her experiences of pregnancy after infertility, which for her included over 3 years of ttc and multiple rounds of IVF. She is now the proud mum of 15 month old Diyan and is really keen to be heard when it comes to the struggles that so many of us face to get to where she is now. In among the joy, we do also discuss the loss of a subsequent natural pregnancy which understandably may be difficult for some to hear. I chose to leave it in as I had received questions about natural pregnancies after IVF - what to do, how people felt and also how it will affect any future pregnancies too. I completely understand if you don't want to hear this section, which is between 27.40 mins and 33.38 mins. However I highly recommend you stay around for the rest which is insightful and hopefully fun too! If you want to go and say hello to Jaz you can find her on instagram and twitter and you can also check out her creative 'side hustle' at Cards By Jaz which include Hindu, Islamic and Sikh milestone cards. Another thing you might be interested after hearing this episode is a TENS machine - speaking of which, I need to go and order mine right now!  Thanks so much for listening! It would be great if you could subscribe, rate, review and share because we need to spread the word. Cat Strawbridge @tryingyears

Mel is a nutritionist and has been practicing since 2002 focusing on fertility, IVF and pregnancy. She’s written for The Sunday Telegraph Stella Magazine, Harper’s Bazaar Online, Elle, BBC and written for Infertility: Basic Science and Clinical Practice. Here she gives advice on how we should be keeping ourselves and our babies happy and healthy through what we eat. There is some specific nutritional information depending on the fertility drugs we might be taking. Plus lots of information about how we can support ourselves throughout our pregnancy. Mel also talks about the supplements we should be taking during pregnancy which include my favourites Bare Biology Omega 3 Fish Oil and Wild Nutrition Pregnancy plus post birth to help support us with our mental health and breast feeding, including Lactobacillus Rhamnosus.  She suggests a good basic list for the dos and don’ts of eating whilst pregnant is the Food Standard Agency list and if you are looking for something to help with constipation Mel recommends Lepicol or Regucol from Holland and Barrett. You can follow Mel on instagram or check out her website for more information about her services. I really hope you enjoy listening. Please don’t forget to subscribe, rate, review and share because we need to spread the word. Look forward to hearing from you! Cat @tryingyears

In today’s episode I talk you through some of the ups and downs of my own pregnancy to date – 35 weeks and 6 days. I talk pregnancy tests, when to tell, symptoms, twin loss, mixed emotions, panics, bum cheek pain, hospital freebies, baby showers and lots lots more. A couple of things I mentioned that you might want to look at yourself are below - Travel sickness recommendation are Gin Gins from Holland and Barrett. - I’ve kept the stretch marks at bay with Neal’s Yard Mother’s Balm – find out more information here on my insta or if you don’t have insta you can find it here.  - I went along to the Baby Show and whilst there I made a bee-line for Cheeky Wipes for reusable baby wipes and also bought reusable make up wipes. - When everything got too much I realised that I needed to surrender which is the best thing I could have done – asking for help is never a weakness. Check out this post by Emma Cannon. - You must check out this podcast on the Fourth Trimester! Thanks so much for listening! It would be great if you could subscribe and share because we need to spread the word. Cat Strawbridge @tryingyears

When you get pregnant following infertility and loss you can be too scared to look up and see what the future might hold – and especially to imagine it all going well. Then, when you are ready to start accepting that this is the one you might actually bring home there can be a real struggle to see yourself beside those who have got pregnant 'normally'. The Finally Pregnant Podcast is a safe place to hear the information you need throughout your pregnancy. Some of which is specific to the trying to conceive and pregnancy loss communities, some which is relevant to all pregnancies but you can find it here, when you are ready. You'll hear real people's stories as well as from experts sharing their vast knowledge. How do I know all this? Because it took me almost 7 years, multiple rounds of fertility treatment and sadly pregnancy loss before I found myself finally pregnant. Please listen, subscribe and share because we need to spread the word. Cat Strawbridge @tryingyears