The Unfortunate Privilege: Finding Strength Through Fertility Struggles

It took a year and a half before Courtney became pregnant with her first child — a stretch of time that felt longer with each passing month. Along the way, she experienced a miscarriage, an incredibly difficult time that shaped her journey in ways she hadn’t expected.

After that loss, Courtney and her partner turned toward fertility treatment. On their second round of IUI, their miracle happened: they became pregnant again. Their first child was born, bringing joy, healing, and a deep sense of gratitude for the path that led them there. Their beautiful baby daughter, loved beyond measure, a beautiful reminder that persistence and trust in the process can bring light after darkness.

Now, they’re trying again. Re-entering the fertility journey for a second child has brought its own moments of frustration and disappointment, reminders that the process doesn’t always go as planned. But Courtney continues to hold onto hope. She trusts the hands helping guide her, and she believes their next baby will find its way to them when the time is right.

Advice for the Quiet Hearts Trying to Conceive

If there’s one thing Courtney has learned, it’s this: you are never truly alone. It might feel that way, especially on the hard days when hope feels thin and the world keeps moving as if nothing is wrong. But somewhere out there, others are walking this same path. Sometimes just finding one person who gets it — who knows the shorthand of ovulation trackers, two-week waits, and silent grief — can make all the difference.

Taking Care of the Soul Amid the Struggle

For Courtney, fertility challenges revealed a quiet truth: the journey makes you stronger in ways you never imagined. It’s a strength forged through vulnerability, patience, and relentless love. And while she calls it an “unfortunate privilege” to gain that strength through struggle, she believes it’s the hardship itself that creates a deep appreciation and lasting gratitude for motherhood — one you might not have otherwise.

Her daily advice? Do one small thing for yourself every day. Whether it’s a walk, a good cry, a warm bath, or a deep breath, that moment is yours. It matters. You matter.

What Helped Along the Way

During those difficult stretches, Courtney found comfort in fertility meditations on Spotify. There was one channel in particular — Fertility and IVF Affirmations — that became a soothing ritual. These guided reflections helped her reconnect with her body, offering gentle encouragement to stay open to possibility, to keep the heart soft even when the road felt sharp.

How to Show Up for Someone in the Shadows

And for those wondering how to support someone navigating fertility struggles, Courtney’s advice is simple but powerful: listen, empathize, and check in. Don’t try to fix it. Just be there. A quiet message, a hug without questions, a simple “thinking of you” can act as a lifeline.