In this last episode of Bumps before a small break, I speak with the incredible Veronica Santini about what happens when life has a different path for you than the one you hope for.

Just a few months before her wedding, Veronica noticed her cycle had become irregular. Through consultation with her doctors and her own research, she learned she had Premature Ovarian Insufficiency. For Veronica, this lead to an infertility diagnosis.

1% of women will have Premature Ovarian Insufficiency, which is essentially a state of early menopause that occurs when the ovaries stop functioning as they should before age 40. 1 in 100 women is not uncommon, yet like many women's health topics, it remains relatively under-discussed.

In this empowering conversation, Veronica helps me understand how she overcame her grief, let go of her dreams to become a mother, and her path to acceptance. She found a way to turn this life experience into something that supports other people and helps them process their stories. She believes women should feel balanced and confident to live empowered, easeful, and joyful lives — regardless of where they are in their life cycle.

My biggest takeaway from this conversation has be to accept the path I am on, and to soften some of my tightly held needs and timelines while I am on this TTC journey. It is an important reminder for all of us, as we move through this monthly loop of hope and heartbreak, that we need to stay kind to ourselves, do what makes us feel empowered, and stay in tune with who we are outside of becoming mothers. As hard as it can be, this journey should not define us and our worth.

It is incredibly brave and inspiring for Veronica to share her story and I am honoured to have her trust.

xx

Anna

RESOURCES FROM EPISODE TWELVE:

• The Daisy Network - a nonprofit organisation that is dedicated to supporting women with Premature Ovarian Insufficiency.
• Understanding Early Menopause: Premature Ovarian Insufficiency - YouTube Video
• The Childless Collective - @childlesscollective

Contact Veronica:

Website - www.veronicasantini.com

Instagram - @veronicasantini_yoga

Download a FREE meditation "say goodbye to anxiety in 10 minutes" - https://preview.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/t0f0s7

Upcoming retreat: www.veronicasantini.com/escapetogreece

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Contact Anna:

helloannachristie@gmail.com

https://thebigpivot.substack.com/

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This is one of the scariest episodes I have put live to date! But, it feels like a really important one, too.

Throughout this period, a lot of people have asked us how we are doing, and if all of this has had an impact on our relationship. We thought it was a fair question, and we decided to not try and explain the answer ourselves, but instead to seek out the help of a couple's therapist!

Together with Angelica Magana, a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, we discuss:

• Why couple's therapy isn't only for relationships that have broken down
• The importance of getting third party support during infertility or trying to conceive
• Understanding that we often have different coping mechanisms to handle situations like this
• Why the women don't always need the guys to "fix it" ;)
• How to identify each other's triggers
• Knowing how to communicate when things get heated,
• When it's appropriate to take a time out
• How to deal with feelings of guilt and self blame
• And how to keep the fun and spark in your relationship!

As always, I walked away from this conversation with a tonne of insight. I only hope it serves as a reminder to any couples who may be struggling that whatever you're going through is normal, and it's okay. It's part of a challenging road that we all need to learn to navigate, often on our own.

You've got this!

xx

Anna

RESOURCES FROM EPISODE EVELEN

Contact Angelica Magana:

• Instagram @angelicamtherapy
• Website (The Netherlands) https://www.angelicamaganatherapy.nl
• LinkedIn

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Contact Anna:

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Miscarriage. You know how common it is, you know the risks, and yet you still don’t really think it will happen to you. At least I didn’t. And although we go through a similar experience, miscarriage can mean something immensely different to everyone. That is why I felt it was important to do this episode.

6 months on since our miscarriage, I definitely didn't think we would still be here, with no positive pregnancy test half a year later. But I now feel like enough time has passed for me to revisit it and talk about it openly.

To help me navigate this conversation, I invited back two of the most supportive women I had the luck of speaking with during my own miscarriage.

• Dr Sarah Farrell - a GP with a special interest in women’s health, fertility, pregnancy and contraception and mother of 3.
• Robine Padberg-Hill - a psychotherapist specialising with women in perinatal and mother.

During this special episode, we discuss:

• My personal experience with miscarriage, and how it played out.
• Pregnant is pregnant! No matter how early on your miscarriage was, you have the right to grieve that loss.
• The mismatch between the experience we are going through and the response we may get from our healthcare provider.
• The different types of miscarriage - primarily spontaneous complete, threatened (incomplete) miscarriage, missed miscarriage.
• The various emotional reactions people may go through depending on how their miscarriage plays out.
• Reasons for miscarriage (spoiler alert: there probably was no reason!)
• Why we are saying no to the “12 week rule" !!
• Ways to manage miscarriage - expectant management (watch and wait), medical management, surgical intervention (D&C).
• What happens post miscarriage?
• The stages of grief - shock, denial, bargaining, anger, depression, acceptance, and hope.
• The importance of community, sharing and talking about our experiences.
• Ways we can learn to talk about miscarriage.
• How you can support a friend or family member who suffering a miscarriage.
• How couples can help each other through miscarriage.
• Normalising that the grieving process can be different between partners.
• Resources to find support.

As always, I hope this episode falls into the ears of anyone who needs it.

xx

Anna

RESOURCES FROM EPISODE TEN:

• Pink Elephant - miscarriage and early pregnancy loss support - https://www.pinkelephants.org.au/
• Sands Australia - miscarriage, stillbirth, and newborn death support - https://www.sands.org.au/
• PSI - https://www.postpartum.net/
• How do you help grieving friend - YouTube video
• Darling Shine Podcast
• Hilary Metcalfe's Guide to Navigating Miscarriage - https://thesabi.co/blogs/conscious-collective/guide-to-navigating-miscarriage

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Contact Anna:

helloannachristie@gmail.com

https://thebigpivot.substack.com/

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