Infertile AF: Infertility and Modern Family Building

It's a very special minisode with three of Ali's favorite people in the fertility world: Dr. Carrie Bedient, Dr. Susan Hudson and Dr. Abby Eblen, aka Fertility Docs Uncensored. Today, we're diving into their brand-new book, The IVF Blueprint, which comes out September 23. The docs and I break down what they’ve learned from years of guiding patients through IVF—the science, the strategy, and the emotional side of treatment. We talk about why they wrote this book, what each one of them brought to the table, and how it aims to empower anyone navigating infertility with knowledge, clarity, and compassion. Whether you’re just starting to explore IVF, already in treatment, or supporting someone you love, this episode is packed with insights and real talk from some of the most trusted voices in reproductive medicine. Follow on IG: @fertilitydocsuncensored For more, click: https://www.fertilitydocsuncensored.com/ [https://www.fertilitydocsuncensored.com/] TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:  TTC; ART; IVF; egg retrieval; frozen embryos; embryo transfers; empowerment and education; REIs; what to ask your doctor before IVF  EPISODE SPONSORS:  BEAUTIFUL BIRD AND WORK OF ART Ali's Children's Book Series about IVF, IUI and Family Building Through Assisted Reproductive Technology  https://www.infertileafgroup.com/books [https://www.infertileafgroup.com/books] The latest book in the Work of ART series, “Beautiful Bird” tells the story of three parents, one incredible boy and a family built with love—and a little bit of science. Pre-orders are available now! The first 150 copies will be Personalized, Signed and Numbered! Don't miss out on this limited edition! Tap the link in bio and stories to order your copy today. When Helen decides to have a baby on her own, she welcomes Jack Bird into the world through IUI with the help of her friend, Aaron. But when Jack is born and needs extra care in the NICU, Aaron and his partner, Blake, fall in love with Jack, too. Together, the three join forces to raise Jack, proving that family isn’t about how you start—it’s about how you grow. Order yours now at https://www.infertileafgroup.com/books [https://www.infertileafgroup.com/books] For bulk orders of 10 or more books at 20% off, go to https://www.infertileafgroup.com/bulk-order-request [https://www.infertileafgroup.com/bulk-order-request] FERTILITY RALLY IG: @fertilityrally www.fertilityrally.com [http://www.fertilityrally.com/] No one should go through infertility alone. Join the Worst Club with the Best Members at fertilityrally.com [http://fertilityrally.com/]. We offer 5 to 6 support groups per week, three private Facebook groups, tons of curated IRL and virtual events, and an entire community of more than 500 women available to support you, no matter where you are in your journey. Join today at link in bio on IG @fertilityrally or at www.fertilityrally.com/membership [http://www.fertilityrally.com/membership] Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/infertile-af/donations [https://redcircle.com/infertile-af/donations] Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands [https://redcircle.com/brands] Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy [https://redcircle.com/privacy]

On today's episode, Ali is joined by Kati Cattaneo—Los Angeles real estate agent, influencer, storyteller, and IVF warrior—for a convo that blends heart, humor, and resilience. Kati opens up about the real and sometimes awkward parts of trying to conceive (“I kinda got crazy with my husband about timing things… and he was like, ‘What the heck—sex is supposed to be fun!’”), navigating her diagnosis of hydrosalpinx, pivoting to IVF, and going through her second egg retrieval on January 7—the very same day the Palisades wildfire destroyed her home. Kati -- who has a big following on IG and TikTok — talks about why she's sharing her infertility journey on socials in real time, what it felt like to lose their home in the LA wildfires (and if they'll rebuild), and where she is now in her family building journey (hint: It's not over yet).  Follow on IG: @katicatt TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:  TTC; ART; IVF; Los Angeles wildfires; Palisades fires; hydrosalpinx; timed intercourse; egg retrieval; frozen embryos EPISODE SPONSORS:  BEAUTIFUL BIRD AND WORK OF ART Ali's Children's Book Series about IVF, IUI and Family Building Through Assisted Reproductive Technology  https://www.infertileafgroup.com/books [https://www.infertileafgroup.com/books] The latest book in the Work of ART series, “Beautiful Bird” tells the story of three parents, one incredible boy and a family built with love—and a little bit of science. Pre-orders are available now! The first 150 copies will be Personalized, Signed and Numbered! Don't miss out on this limited edition! Tap the link in bio and stories to order your copy today. When Helen decides to have a baby on her own, she welcomes Jack Bird into the world through IUI with the help of her friend, Aaron. But when Jack is born and needs extra care in the NICU, Aaron and his partner, Blake, fall in love with Jack, too. Together, the three join forces to raise Jack, proving that family isn’t about how you start—it’s about how you grow. Order yours now at https://www.infertileafgroup.com/books [https://www.infertileafgroup.com/books] For bulk orders of 10 or more books at 20% off, go to https://www.infertileafgroup.com/bulk-order-request [https://www.infertileafgroup.com/bulk-order-request] FERTILITY RALLY IG: @fertilityrally www.fertilityrally.com [http://www.fertilityrally.com/] No one should go through infertility alone. Join the Worst Club with the Best Members at fertilityrally.com [http://fertilityrally.com/]. We offer 5 to 6 support groups per week, three private Facebook groups, tons of curated IRL and virtual events, and an entire community of more than 500 women available to support you, no matter where you are in your journey. Join today at link in bio on IG @fertilityrally or at www.fertilityrally.com/membership [http://www.fertilityrally.com/membership] Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/infertile-af/donations [https://redcircle.com/infertile-af/donations] Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands [https://redcircle.com/brands] Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy [https://redcircle.com/privacy]

Today, Ali joined by the multifaceted Erica Cobb—TV host, podcaster, and self-proclaimed “eternal optimist”—as she shares her raw and powerful journey through infertility, IVF, and surrogacy. Erica opens up about the challenges she’s faced so far, including a tumor on her pituitary gland, blocked fallopian tubes, and the emotional toll of hearing, “You’re pregnant, but not pregnant enough.” Through it all, Erica remains steeped in gratitude and grounded in intention. We talk about spirit babies, manifestation, navigating roadblocks, and the incredible woman currently carrying her baby as a gestational carrier. Her story is still unfolding-- so make sure to listen in and follow along for what happens next.  For more, go to www.comeback.tv [http://www.comeback.tv/] Follow on IG: @ericacobb TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:  TTC; ART; IVF; pituitary gland tumor; blocked fallopian tubes; spirit babies; manifestation; navigating roadblocks EPISODE SPONSORS:  BEAUTIFUL BIRD AND WORK OF ART Ali's Children's Book Series about IVF, IUI and Family Building Through Assisted Reproductive Technology  https://www.infertileafgroup.com/books [https://www.infertileafgroup.com/books] The latest book in the Work of ART series, “Beautiful Bird” tells the story of three parents, one incredible boy and a family built with love—and a little bit of science. Pre-orders are available now! The first 150 copies will be Personalized, Signed and Numbered! Don't miss out on this limited edition! Tap the link in bio and stories to order your copy today. When Helen decides to have a baby on her own, she welcomes Jack Bird into the world through IUI with the help of her friend, Aaron. But when Jack is born and needs extra care in the NICU, Aaron and his partner, Blake, fall in love with Jack, too. Together, the three join forces to raise Jack, proving that family isn’t about how you start—it’s about how you grow. Order yours now at https://www.infertileafgroup.com/books [https://www.infertileafgroup.com/books] For bulk orders of 10 or more books at 20% off, go to https://www.infertileafgroup.com/bulk-order-request [https://www.infertileafgroup.com/bulk-order-request] FERTILITY RALLY IG: @fertilityrally www.fertilityrally.com [http://www.fertilityrally.com/] No one should go through infertility alone. Join the Worst Club with the Best Members at fertilityrally.com [http://fertilityrally.com/]. We offer 5 to 6 support groups per week, three private Facebook groups, tons of curated IRL and virtual events, and an entire community of more than 500 women available to support you, no matter where you are in your journey. Join today at link in bio on IG @fertilityrally or at www.fertilityrally.com/membership [http://www.fertilityrally.com/membership] INITO https://try.inito.com/hormone-tracking/inf/?discount=INFERTILEAF&utm_source=social_media&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=podcast&utm_content=INFERTILEAF [https://try.inito.com/hormone-tracking/inf/?discount=INFERTILEAF&utm_campaign=podcast&utm_content=INFERTILEAF&utm_medium=social&utm_source=social_media] IG: @initofertiility For years, clinical labs were the only way to get a clear view of your hormone levels and ovulation patterns. But for many people in the trying to conceive community—especially those with hormone imbalances or conditions like PCOS—frequent lab visits can be costly, inconvenient, and take up a ton of time. This is why I’m excited to tell you about Inito, which is unlike anything else out there. Inito is an at-home fertility monitor that tracks all four key hormones—Estrogen, LH, FSH, and PdG—on a single test strip. Instead of piecing together fragments of info, Inito offers a full, clear picture of your hormone health through a data chart and clear insights that are unique to your body and your cycle. The Inito Starter Pack is available for just $89 with the code INFERTILEAF at ihttps://try.inito.com/hormone-tracking/inf/?discount=INFERTILEAF&utm_source=social_media&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=podcast&utm_content=INFERTILEAF [http://try.inito.com/hormone-tracking/inf/?discount=INFERTILEAF&utm_campaign=podcast&utm_content=INFERTILEAF&utm_medium=social&utm_source=social_media] EXTEND FERTILITY  IG: @extendfertility www.extendfertility.com [http://www.extendfertility.com/] Fertility shouldn’t be dictated by a timeline. Extend Fertility offers cutting-edge egg and embryo freezing, infertility care, and IVF—all designed to put you in control. Their approach? Research driven, transparent, and personalized. With a world-class lab, exceptional verified success rates backed by nearly a decade of egg freezing results, and pricing lower than the national average, Extend Fertility is making reproductive care more accessible and effective than ever. Whether you’re preserving fertility for the future or actively trying to conceive, they’re here with expert support every step of the way.  Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/infertile-af/donations [https://redcircle.com/infertile-af/donations] Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands [https://redcircle.com/brands] Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy [https://redcircle.com/privacy]

Today, Ali sits down with a true powerhouse in the infertility community: Rebecca Flick, Chief External Affairs Officer at RESOLVE, who has spent the past 20 years advocating for fertility patients nationwide. Rebecca opens up about her own deeply personal infertility journey, including her diagnosis of premature ovarian failure (and how that language has evolved), discovering she carries the MTHFR gene (and what that really means), and navigating IVF. She shares her experience of transferring three embryos, welcoming her son (now a teenager), and conceiving her daughter years later—without ART. Rebecca also reflects on the power of advocacy, how RESOLVE has grown, and the ways the infertility landscape has transformed over the past two decades. For more, go to www.resolve.org [http://www.resolve.org/] Follow on IG: @resolve  TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:  TTC; ART; IVF; MTHFR gene; premature ovarian failure; embryo transfer; advocacy  EPISODE SPONSORS:  BEAUTIFUL BIRD AND WORK OF ART Ali's Children's Book Series about IVF, IUI and Family Building Through Assisted Reproductive Technology  https://www.infertileafgroup.com/books [https://www.infertileafgroup.com/books] The latest book in the Work of ART series, “Beautiful Bird” tells the story of three parents, one incredible boy and a family built with love—and a little bit of science. Pre-orders are available now! The first 150 copies will be Personalized, Signed and Numbered! Don't miss out on this limited edition! Tap the link in bio and stories to order your copy today. When Helen decides to have a baby on her own, she welcomes Jack Bird into the world through IUI with the help of her friend, Aaron. But when Jack is born and needs extra care in the NICU, Aaron and his partner, Blake, fall in love with Jack, too. Together, the three join forces to raise Jack, proving that family isn’t about how you start—it’s about how you grow. Order yours now at https://www.infertileafgroup.com/books [https://www.infertileafgroup.com/books] For bulk orders of 10 or more books at 20% off, go to https://www.infertileafgroup.com/bulk-order-request [https://www.infertileafgroup.com/bulk-order-request] FERTILITY RALLY IG: @fertilityrally www.fertilityrally.com [http://www.fertilityrally.com/] No one should go through infertility alone. Join the Worst Club with the Best Members at fertilityrally.com [http://fertilityrally.com/]. We offer 5 to 6 support groups per week, three private Facebook groups, tons of curated IRL and virtual events, and an entire community of more than 500 women available to support you, no matter where you are in your journey. Join today at link in bio on IG @fertilityrally or at www.fertilityrally.com/membership [http://www.fertilityrally.com/membership] INITO https://try.inito.com/hormone-tracking/inf/?discount=INFERTILEAF&utm_source=social_media&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=podcast&utm_content=INFERTILEAF [https://try.inito.com/hormone-tracking/inf/?discount=INFERTILEAF&utm_campaign=podcast&utm_content=INFERTILEAF&utm_medium=social&utm_source=social_media] IG: @initofertiility For years, clinical labs were the only way to get a clear view of your hormone levels and ovulation patterns. But for many people in the trying to conceive community—especially those with hormone imbalances or conditions like PCOS—frequent lab visits can be costly, inconvenient, and take up a ton of time. This is why I’m excited to tell you about Inito, which is unlike anything else out there. Inito is an at-home fertility monitor that tracks all four key hormones—Estrogen, LH, FSH, and PdG—on a single test strip. Instead of piecing together fragments of info, Inito offers a full, clear picture of your hormone health through a data chart and clear insights that are unique to your body and your cycle. The Inito Starter Pack is available for just $89 with the code INFERTILEAF at ihttps://try.inito.com/hormone-tracking/inf/?discount=INFERTILEAF&utm_source=social_media&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=podcast&utm_content=INFERTILEAF [http://try.inito.com/hormone-tracking/inf/?discount=INFERTILEAF&utm_campaign=podcast&utm_content=INFERTILEAF&utm_medium=social&utm_source=social_media] EXTEND FERTILITY  IG: @extendfertility www.extendfertility.com [http://www.extendfertility.com/] Fertility shouldn’t be dictated by a timeline. Extend Fertility offers cutting-edge egg and embryo freezing, infertility care, and IVF—all designed to put you in control. Their approach? Research driven, transparent, and personalized. With a world-class lab, exceptional verified success rates backed by nearly a decade of egg freezing results, and pricing lower than the national average, Extend Fertility is making reproductive care more accessible and effective than ever. Whether you’re preserving fertility for the future or actively trying to conceive, they’re here with expert support every step of the way.  Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/infertile-af/donations [https://redcircle.com/infertile-af/donations] Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands [https://redcircle.com/brands] Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy [https://redcircle.com/privacy]

It's World IVF Day! Today, Ali is talking to her friend and former Infertile AF guest, Emily Patel, about The Hopeful Families Collection, Emily's new initiative to bring books into public and school libraries to celebrate the many ways families are created, including assisted reproductive technology (ART), adoption, surrogacy, and donor conception, while helping all children learn that every family is built with love and hope. Emily talks about why she created this movement, some of the books that will be included (including Ali's books, Work of ART and Beautiful Bird!) and how listeners can help support the mission. "The goal is to bring awareness," Emily says. "Even with our family, we're a bi-racial couple with donor-conceived children from two different donors, which is not a very traditional story. "It's wanting to allow those families that are unique to be represented in books, and making sure that other families can educate their children from a very early age that it's ok that you have friends who have families that look different from you, that came together differently than you. We can celebrate our differences, because it's truly just love that creates a family."  For more, go to www.hopefulmamafoundation.org [http://www.hopefulmamafoundation.org/] Follow on IG: @hopefulmamafoundation TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:  TTC; ART; IVF; IUI; surrogacy; embryo adoption; adoption; single mom by choice; single parent by choice; donor conception  EPISODE SPONSORS:  BEAUTIFUL BIRD AND WORK OF ART Ali's Children's Book Series about IVF, IUI and Family Building Through Assisted Reproductive Technology  https://www.infertileafgroup.com/books [https://www.infertileafgroup.com/books] The latest book in the Work of ART series, “Beautiful Bird” tells the story of three parents, one incredible boy and a family built with love—and a little bit of science. Pre-orders are available now! The first 150 copies will be Personalized, Signed and Numbered! Don't miss out on this limited edition! Tap the link in bio and stories to order your copy today. When Helen decides to have a baby on her own, she welcomes Jack Bird into the world through IUI with the help of her friend, Aaron. But when Jack is born and needs extra care in the NICU, Aaron and his partner, Blake, fall in love with Jack, too. Together, the three join forces to raise Jack, proving that family isn’t about how you start—it’s about how you grow. Order yours now at https://www.infertileafgroup.com/books [https://www.infertileafgroup.com/books] For bulk orders of 10 or more books at 20% off, go to https://www.infertileafgroup.com/bulk-order-request [https://www.infertileafgroup.com/bulk-order-request] FERTILITY RALLY IG: @fertilityrally www.fertilityrally.com [http://www.fertilityrally.com/] No one should go through infertility alone. Join the Worst Club with the Best Members at fertilityrally.com [http://fertilityrally.com/]. We offer 5 to 6 support groups per week, three private Facebook groups, tons of curated IRL and virtual events, and an entire community of more than 500 women available to support you, no matter where you are in your journey. Join today at link in bio on IG @fertilityrally or at www.fertilityrally.com/membership [http://www.fertilityrally.com/membership] Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/infertile-af/donations [https://redcircle.com/infertile-af/donations] Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands [https://redcircle.com/brands] Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy [https://redcircle.com/privacy]