The journey of infertility can be an extremely difficult time for anyone. Even if they didn’t plan to have children, having that option ripped away from you can be devastating. When you first receive this news, your body is filled with all kinds of emotion and your brain instantly starts to overthink the situation, making it an extremely confusing and emotional time. Whether it is you or your partner who has found out they are infertile, here are four tips to help you cope with the tough reality of infertility.
Release Your Emotions
You shouldn’t shut off your feelings when you find out you or your partner is infertile. If you want to be angry or need to cry about the unfairness of the situation, then you should give yourself permission to do so. If you feel like you need to find a release for this emotional pain by smashing up a pillow or pummeling a punch bag, then you should. Repressing your emotions makes it harder to get over the news of being infertile.
Your Partner’s Feelings
If you found out you were infertile, don’t waste time or blaming your partner. If your partner has found out they are infertile, make sure you support them in every way possible. It is healthy to communicate about the situation with each other and talking can help you both a lot. Don’t forget that they’ll have their own method of coping and their own feelings towards the situation, which you need to understand and respect.
Speak to Others
Whether you confide in your partner, a friend, a family member or join a support group, there are always people out there who can offer kind words, love, and support to you. If you are afraid to speak to someone in person, you could join online forums and support groups to help you cope emotionally, as you can speak to people who can relate to your pain. Being infertile is nothing to be ashamed of and it is very unhealthy to hold these feelings in, so finding someone to talk to is important.
Consider Your Options
Just because you can’t carry your own children, it doesn’t mean you can’t become a parent. There are many options out there to help you. You could consider fertility treatment, which is very advanced and has helped many infertile couples. If you physically can’t carry your own baby, you could consider a surrogate mother. If these options are no good for you, then you can always look into adoption. This is a great way of giving a child a second chance and can be an extremely rewarding experience.
Finding out you are infertile is a devastating and difficult time, but it isn’t the end of the world. There are many ways to cope with the situation. The main thing to remember is to allow yourself to feel pain and to communicate with your partner or others who can relate. Just because you are infertile, it doesn’t mean you can’t be a parent. Life just has a different plan for you.
