Episode 07
“The Journey to Conceive ” with Hayley Buckley
Hayley Buckly (IVF Warrior) @hayleybuckley_1
As young women we have fear instilled in us that if we have sex, we get pregnant. Most parents try to support their daughters by supplying the pill when they have teenagers, or we are warned to use some form of contraception as a safety net from a young age, so it creates a falsehood that the reality of getting pregnant is straight forward. That misconception somehow seems to just carry through from fear stricken teen girls into adulthood or until you enter that phase of your life where you may or may not start that journey. So, Bec and Zoe speak with Hayley Buckley, now an established interior designer, but in her previous career dominated the fitness industry with her business Love My Body, focusing on health and fitness for over a decade. When she met her now husband, and they got married, she was ready to start a family, now 4 years in, Hayley is currently on her journey to conceive, and walks us through the realities and emotional daily rollercoaster that led her to open up on her social media about how vulnerable and at time alone she truly feels, and how being open to sharing has led her to a world of women who feel the same.
“I need support in that, I need people to understand that I can’t be the same friend or person during IVF”
Resources
COPE (Centre of Perinatal Excellence) Foundation has a whole area of their website which is in support of infertility:
www.cope.org.au/thetruth/infertility/living-with-infertility
- Coping with Infertility
- People’s current and infertility experiences and stories
- Health professionals – understanding the mental and physical impact of IVF and who you should see
- Workplaces – How to support employees and colleagues
COPE has the #thetruth campaign to remind those struggling with infertility that they are not alone, and that COPE provides quality information and referral pathways to support them.
How to Support Work Places and Colleagues – from COPE Website
Support your staff or risk losing them
How to help your employees coping with infertility
Below are some strategies to support employees:
Set up good practices and actively promote the supports that are available. The journey to parenthood can be intensely personal and private, and many people will not wish to disclose their situation to their employer.
Recognise that every journey is unique and the support required for each person will look different. Relationship stress can increase during these experiences, leaving individuals even more psychologically vulnerable.
Ensure policies are inclusive for all types of families and circumstances.
Boost awareness on how the organisation supports employees through their family journey, and how to support colleagues. Be aware that HR/leaders who support others might also be going through their own hidden journey and they may need assistance too.
Create visible role models to help employees feel confident of the support they can expect. Encourage people to share their stories if they are comfortable to do so.
Be aware that, for some, the journey will end without the result they hoped for. Be sensitive to their changing circumstances and encourage them to access the support they need.
COPE website even has a postcode based search engine directory to help you find support options local to you (directory.cope.org.au).
COPE also Partnered with ANZICA (Australia and NZ Infertility counsellors association)
ANZICA strives to promote a high standard of counselling for individuals affected by infertility issues. In doing so ANZICA counsellors strive to support and benefit those individuals with whom they work, including the welfare and best interests of any potential unborn child.
This is a dedicated area on their website that runs you through the factual information of fertility and infertility and the where to start, to next steps in the medical arena. Anything from explaining the starting points of IVF to understanding Male Infertility.
PRODUCTS
We The Moode
Australian Based pre-natal vitamin designed for the pregnant, procreation curious or just practising.
wethemoode.com
HELPFUL BLOGS
IVF Starters Guide blog from We The Moode
This is a great way to start to understand what the reality of IVF and the journey is.