OVERCOMING THE EMOTIONAL STIGMAS OF INFERTILITY

The author recounts her receiving and coming to terms with an infertility diagnosis.

Jones, a certified life coach, begins by describing her own childhood and early family life, which fueled her desire for many children, and the subsequent shock that came when she learned that pregnancy wouldn’t be as easy for her. She outlines the many fertility treatments she underwent and the medical condition that left her unable to maintain a viable pregnancy. The diagnosis was overwhelming, she says, and her goal here is to help others with similar diagnoses to “let go of any unproductive emotions and reconnect with the strength, courage, peace, and power that dwells within you.” The author initially believed that her life would stall, but with the help of her husband, a successful adoption, and the support of friends and family, she created a blended family that both surprised and challenged her—though she has never forgotten the devastation that came with her “barren” diagnosis. The latter half of the book includes questions that readers can ask themselves when navigating infertility and techniques they can use to be kinder to themselves, such as connecting to their childlike innocence. The author recommends avoiding all-consuming negative emotions, but she does suggest acknowledging feelings of loss; it’s not wrong to “feel sad, angry, or any other emotion that accompanies having fertility challenges,” she says. The book is written with candor, and one of its major strengths is that it treats the topic with empathic understanding. However, it also has a tendency to irregularly jump from advice to personal anecdote. While this book may be comforting for those struggling with infertility, it focuses on personal history rather than coping strategies.

A personal, frank account that reads more like memoir than guide.