I didn’t put infertility in the title of my blog. No, I’m not in denial (although that popular defensive mechanism has settled in me at times). Instead, I want to present the positive aspects of infertility while also acknowledging the not-so-positive, not-so-talked about topics.
So why aren’t we talking about it, ladies? I have had quiet conversations with many women struggling with infertility, both behind closed doors and in close friendships. I had a slightly different experience this weekend. I ran into an old acquaintance at a wedding and during a brief conversation of catching up on the past 18 years, she shared with me that she is having trouble getting pregnant. In a speedy, small talk exchange? I was pleasantly surprised by her open, matter-of-fact approach to sharing this painful subject. I felt instantly comfortable sharing my own experience with infertility. What was missing from this exchange was any trace of shame, embarrassment or non-verbal secret sharing. What a breath of fresh air.