Experts say that, when you are dealing with infertility, you need support to help you vent about all the frustrations, worries and fears. “Support is key for women struggling with infertility. This is a disease that affects women’s core, and it can affect their relationships with family and husbands. It’s important to have an outlet to express frustrations and emotions,” says Reproductive Endocrinologist Dr. Rudy Quintero.
Sometimes, though, that support might be better sought from those who’ve been in your position, or it might be found within your core group of friends and family. “It is essential for women and men to create or find a strong support network. Those building their families in different ways experience many ups and downs month to month and need to express/talk about the process, their fears, hopes, etc. Some hopeful parents turn to friends and family; others seek out fertility or surrogacy support groups. I think it is totally individual. Bottom line: Humans need an outlet,” says Jennifer Paschen, founder and director or The Nest in Chicago.
So who can you turn to?
Local Groups, Events and Meetups:
We host local meet-ups and events all over the world, and right here in Canada. Interested in helping us host one of these in your hometown? Connect with us! Locally, there are often groups devoted to supporting women and men through the difficulties of infertility. Ask your doctor, local hospital or even your religious leader for help in finding one.
Online Groups and Webinars:
When you broke up with your boyfriends or girlfriends, you had friends and maybe family members to lean on. But when you are struggling with infertility or participating in a surrogacy journey, the people who normally support you may not be able to lead you through. Without having experienced the hurt, sadness and loss of infertility, or the ups and downs of the surrogacy process, it’s just hard for them to know the right thing to say or do.
Getting support from other intended parents can be extremely valuable — but finding that support isn’t always easy.
Fortunately, surrogacy is becoming an increasingly popular way for hopeful parents to add to their families, which means there is a growing community of intended parents worldwide. Thanks to the magic of the internet, you can connect with all of them online.
However, it’s important to use caution when joining an online support group. While these groups can have tremendous value, you can’t always trust everything you read online. Remember that some information posted in surrogacy support groups may be inaccurate or inapplicable to your personal surrogacy situation.