Today's episode is my first German episode with the amazing Lisa @villetta.papillon
Lisa is sharing her incredible journey of finding out she was unexpectedly pregnant, navigating mental health struggles and anxiety in early pregnancy and fighting for the birth centre birth she envisioned.
I am so thankful for Lisa's openness and willingness to share her story - I designed Carea exactly for women like Lisa: who are keen to inform themselves about all their choices to then feel empowered to make the decisions for themselves and their babies that feel right to them.
If you are pregnant or postpartum why not give Carea a try: https://careaapp.onelink.me/I5Vw/f3pvkfdd
Instagram:
Lisa: @villetta.papillon
Carea: @careaapp
Carea will also soon be available in German - stay tuned!
Over the moon excited to share that my mindful pregnancy & postpartum tracker Carea is finally live in the App Store and on Google Play!
This episode is a behind the scenes look on what led me to start a femtech business, why and how Carea is different from what is on the market, and why I think there is never a right age or time to start something new.
If you are pregnant or postpartum it would mean the world if you would give Carea a try and download it on the App Store or on Google Play.
Follow Carea on IG: @careaapp
Referenced Episodes: Making the Forbes 30 Under 30 List I with Anisha Gupta
Learn more about Carea & my story on our website
For any feedback, ideas or suggestions please email: support@careaapp.com
We have all been there- we have this perfect idea in our head but keep overanalyzing how to get started.
In this episode I share 5 tips on what helped me get started with my FemTech start up Carea to hopefully help you break out if the vicious cycle of overthinking and postponing.
Follow along Carea's journey on our Instagram @Careaapp
In this week's episode I share my learnings about being a new mom and running a business. From managing unrealistic expectations, to struggling with accepting help, I share with you tips that help me be present with both my baby and my start up.
Follow Very Beginning on Instagram: @verybeginningofficial
After pausing for almost one year, Very Beginning is finally back!!
In this episode I give all the details for my long absence and share some very special news!
This season will be a full circle as I will be taking you behind the scenes of my personal founder journey of my FemTech start up CAREA.
New episodes will be released every second Thursday.
This week I had the honor to sit down with founder, author & functional nutritionist Alexandria DeVito. Alexandria is the CEO and founder of Poplin- the first pre-pregnancy wellness company. She is also the author of the book "9 Months Is Not Enough: The Ultimate Pre-pregnancy Checklist to Create a Baby-Ready Body and Build Generational Health".
In her book, Alexandria debunks several fertility myths and aims to educate women and couples on how they can identify underlying health issues that can impair fertility, prepare for a preconception visit with their doctor, and adopt an overall fertility-friendly diet, supplementation, and lifestyle plan.
In this episode:
00:00 Intro
01:23 From McKinsey consultant to nutritionist
05:13 Preparing for pregnancy like you would prepare for a wedding or job interview
08:29 Optimizing nutrient needs before you are even pregnant
11:47 How the male partner can optimize their health
15:06 Sperm quality and quantity declined by over 60% in recent years
17:55 Optimizing overall health: in with the good & out with the bad
24:16 Reproductive Anxiety: the fear of not being able to conceive
31:17 Biggest fertility myth: age is the main fertility predictor
35:08 Advocating for your health to be personalized & individualized
39:22 Does running more tests only increase our anxiety levels?
45:40 How can IVF patients optimize their chances to conceive?
48:30 Unexplained Infertility: "infertility diagnosis is similar in mental health impact to cancer diagnosis"
55:10 Closing
If you liked this episode it would mean the world if you follow & leave a review♥
Follow Very Beginning on Instagram & TikTok: @verybeginningofficial
Learn more about Alexandria's company Poplin: https://getpoplin.com/
"Go on a vacation, have fun with your partner, and simply don't stress"- these are some of the most common things I heard from people when sharing my struggles to get pregnant. And while these might work for some, I found stress not to be something I could easily switch off. Even more so while being in the midst of TTC hardship I would find myself being stressed about feeling stressed leading to a vicious cycle of ever growing stress levels.
So in this week's episode I share my top realistic tips that have helped me to reduce some of the stress fertility and even work has caused my over the years.
00:00 Intro
02:11 Why stress cannot be simply turned off
03:13 Feeling stressed about being stressed
04:11 Realistic tips to reduce stress levels
05:36 Tip #1: Serenity Prayer "I accept the things I cannot change..."
12:12 Tip #2: Putting things in perspective
17:12 Tip #3 Define what drains & gives you energy
21:50 Closing
If you liked this episode it would mean the world if you follow & leave a review♥
Follow Very Beginning on Instagram & TikTok: @verybeginningofficial
#fertility #ivf #podcast #ttc #stressrelief #stress #stressmanagement
No matter if it's a career milestone, getting married, or having a baby- we tend to always compare ourselves to others and start feeling like we are a failure if we see our peers reaching their goals seemingly easier or faster.
In this episode I talk candidly about the things I struggled with over the years when it came to comparing myself to others- including the challenges I encountered on my fertility journey.
I share what helped me to start embracing every chapter of my life instead of constantly longing for that one thing that seemed to be missing.
In this episode:
00:00 Intro
04:25 Having It All Figured Out By Age 30?
06:55 When Our Goals & Fertility Challenges Misalign
09:00 Feeling Like A Failure Compared To Peers
09:53 Tip 1: Taking One Step At Time
13:01 Why A Positive Pregnancy Test Is Not My End Goal Anymore
14:32 Tip 2: Everyone Is On Their Own Timeline & Journey
19:46 Why My IVF Experience Might Be Completely Different From Yours
21:07 Tip 3: Remember Where You Are Today Is What You Dreamed About 5 Years Ago
27:14 Closing
If you liked this episode it would mean the world if you follow & leave a review ♥
Follow Very Beginning on Instagram & TikTok: @verybeginningofficial
#fertility #ivf #podcast #ttc #mentalhealth #stopcomparingyourself
Trigger warning: this episode discusses sensitive mental health topics and pregnancy loss.
Today's episode is dedicated entirely to the taboo topic of mental health. While the physical aspect of IVF is certainly tough, I found the mental health struggles to be a whole different beast. In this episode I talk super openly about the main feelings and emotions I struggled with the most during my IVF cycles and my TTC time and try to give some helpful tips that have helped me to deal with some of these challenging emotions.
In this episode:
00:00 Intro
03:03 Societal Expectations To Power Through
06:00 Trigger Warning
07:10 Feeling Like Desire To Get Pregnant Is Taking Over Entire Life
14:10 Feeling Like I Am Not Good Enough
21:36 Fearing That My Body Is Not Able To Get/Stay Pregnant
27:46 Closing
If you liked this episode it would mean the world if you follow & leave a review ♥
Follow Very Beginning on Instagram & TikTok: @verybeginningofficial
#fertility #ivf #podcast #ttc #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness
Today's episode is the third and last part of my experience with an entire IVF cycle. The day of the transfer was probably one of the most exciting days in my life followed by the dreaded waiting game to find out whether the transfer was successful or not.
In this episode:
00:00 Intro
03:22 First Cycle Following Egg Retrieval
05:17 Medicine Schedule & Monitoring
13:03 Day of the Embryo Transfer
20:32 Next Steps After Transfer
21:54 Trying Not To Take Home Pregnancy Test
23:22 Blood Test To Find Out If Transfer Was A Success
26:37 Closing
Download my free Fertility Clinic Key Questions Guide: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1v48c1qmYCcT9yZQzhnvjVQ4geRO0SIjX/view?usp=sharing
If you liked this episode it would mean the world if you leave a review ♥
Follow Very Beginning on Instagram & TikTok: @verybeginningofficial
#fertility #ivf #podcast #ttc
In today's episode, I continue breaking down my IVF journey focusing on my egg retrieval experience. This part of the process was probably the biggest emotional roller coaster, having to wait anxiously by the phone in the days following the egg retrieval to find out how many embryos we would be able to freeze.
In this episode:
00:00 Intro
03:57 The Morning Of The Egg Retrieval
06:38 Fears Before Egg Retrieval
07:45 Egg Retrieval Procedure
10:38 How I Was Feeling Post Egg Retrieval
11:53 Partner's Role During Egg Retrieval
12:45 Receiving Disappointing News
15:49 Recovery Process
18:00 Fresh vs Frozen Embryo Transfer
19:21 What is PGT-A Testing?
22:45 Daily Updates On Fertilized Eggs & Embryo Development
32:00 PGT-A Results & Embryo Grading
36:31 Closing
Download my free Fertility Clinic Key Questions Guide: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1v48c1qmYCcT9yZQzhnvjVQ4geRO0SIjX/view?usp=sharing
If you liked this episode it would mean the world if you leave a review ♥
Follow Very Beginning on Instagram & TikTok: @verybeginningofficial
#fertility #ivf #podcast #ttc
Continuing my IVF series, today's episode is a deep dive into the step by step process of the IVF stimulation phase (also applies to egg freezing procedure).
Sharing my learnings form my own experience, I go over all the things that you can expect at your first consultation appointment at your fertility clinic including detailed next steps if you decide to proceed with the IVF route.
In this episode:
00:00 Intro
02:45 Free IVF Questions Guide
05:38 What Happens At Your First Fertility Clinic Appointment
13:42 Difference Between IVF and ICSI
17:13 IVF Medicine Schedule and Stim Cycle Timing
20:13 What Do IVF Shots actually do?
22:52 OHSS Complication
22:53 IVF Medication Demonstration
28:10 Monitoring During IVF Cycle
30:57 Tip #1: Integrating IVF Shots Into Your Life
32:52 Tip #2: Keeping Medicine Organized
35:17 Tip #3: Reducing Bruising and Discomfort
37:14 Closing
Download my free Fertility Clinic Key Questions Guide: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1v48c1qmYCcT9yZQzhnvjVQ4geRO0SIjX/view?usp=sharing
If you liked this episode it would mean the world if you leave a review ♥
Follow Very Beginning on Instagram & TikTok: @verybeginningofficial#fertility #ivf #podcast #ttc
In today's episode I dive into the learnings of my personal IVF experience. Having gone through all the ups and downs, I summarized some of my main learnings that I truly hope can help others when deciding when and if they should embark on their IVF or egg freezing journey.
In this episode:
00:00 Intro
02:14 What is egg/embryo freezing?
03:20 Is IVF or egg freezing affecting your ability to conceive naturally?
08:38 Reasons for IVF or egg freezing
17:50 Considerations when going into IVF or egg freezing
18:32 Consideration #1: physical & time impact
25:00 Consideration #2: financial impact
28:30 Consideration #3: emotional & mental health Impact
33:05 Being careful to not become a fertility clinic cash cow
35:00 Closing
If you liked this episode it would mean the world if you subscribe, like, comment & leave a review ♥
Follow Very Beginning on Instagram & TikTok: @verybeginningofficial
#fertility #podcast #ivf #eggfreezing
Happy Valentine's Day!
No matter if you are a hopeless romantic or find Valentine's Day super tacky- we can always use this day to remind ourselves to practice more self love, self care & self acceptance.
In this episode I share my top tips for practicing self love, especially when it comes to going through fertility struggles when your body feels like your biggest enemy.
In this episode:
00:00 Intro
02:53 Be Your Own Valentine
04:00 Self Love & Fertility Struggles
05:35 Self Love vs Self Acceptance
06:43 Top Tips For Self Acceptance
07:09 Mirror Negative Thoughts On Someone You Care About
09:55 Seek Out Spaces That Inspire You
12:07 Protecting Your Mental Health On Social Media
14:27 Taking Time For Yourself
16:56 Speak Kind Words To Attract Growth (Plant Experiment)
21:21 Closing
If you liked this episode it would mean the world if you subscribe, like, comment & leave a review ♥
Follow Very Beginning on Instagram & TikTok: @verybeginningofficial
#valentinesday #selfcare #selflove #fertility #podcast
In this episode I share my top 5 tips for answering the dreaded "So when are you finally going to have kids?" question. While the majority of people does not have bad intentions and is simply being curious it can be so hard to be asked that question especially when dealing with fertility issues, having a non mainstream opinion about it, or when simply not having a clear 'yes' or 'no' answer.
In this episode:
00:00 Intro
02:49 Societal Pressure Of Achieving Next Big Thing
05:06 Why You Really Shouldn't Ask People When They Are Having Kids
05:50 Some People Don't Want To Have Kids
09:21 Some People Go Through Fertility Challenges
13:07 Some People Don't Know If They Want To Have Kids
16:26 Are You Doing More Good Than Harm With Your Question
17:10 Top 5 Tips For Dealing With Question
20:12 Tip #1: Be Honest
23:10 Tip #2: Using Humor
24:18 Tip #3: Shut Question Down
26:20 Tip #4: Reminding It's Not Up To You
28:25 Tip #5: Use It As Educational Opportunity
30:10 Closing
If you liked this episode it would mean the world if you subscribe, like, comment & leave a review ♥
Follow Very Beginning on Instagram & TikTok: @verybeginningofficial
In this week's episode I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with Samina Haider who is an incredibly talented and passionate fertility acupuncturist and naturopath.
From reducing PMS symptoms to using acupuncture to improve IVF outcomes, this episode is for everyone who is ever wondered about the healing powers of acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine.
In this episode:
00:00 Intro
01:39 Transforming Power of Acupuncture
06:08 Cycle & Temperature Tracking
13:39 More Than Just Sticking Needles in People
15:43 Being Afraid Of Needles
18:37 Naturopathy Support For Fertility
20:00 Best Diet to Optimize Fertility
22:20 Lifestyle Changes to Optimize Fertility
29:21 Supporting Patients Through Miscarriage & Failed IVF Cycles
32:38 Unexplained Infertility
35:36 Acupuncture Support For IVF
43:20 Closing
And for anyone currently going through their personal fertility journey: I see you, I am you, we got this ♡
If you liked this episode it would mean the world if you subscribe, like & leave a review ♥
Follow Very Beginning on Instagram & TikTok: @verybeginningofficial
#podcast #fertility #ttc #acupuncture #naturopathy #ivf
This episode was recorded with Riverside- use the following link if you'd like to try it out to start your own podcast: https://riverside.fm/?utm_campaign=campaign_1&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=rewardful&via=anastasia
From feeling ashamed about my period, being on the pill for over 14 years, to living in tune with my cycle- today's episode is all about how I learned to not only manage the symptoms of my menstrual cycle but also came to appreciate it.
I also share how being in tune with my menstrual cycle helped me on my natural TTC journey, including my honest learnings and reviews of various fertility tools & trackers.
In this episode:
00:00 Intro
00:44 Taboo Topic Period
02:58 Starting Contraceptive Pill To "Normalize Cycle"
04:16 Coming Off Birth Control After 14 Years
07:38 4 Different Seasons Of Your Menstrual Cycle
09:17 Living More In Tune With Your Cycle & Body
12:27 Conceiving Naturally & Experiencing Miscarriage
14:35 TTC Tip 1: Basal Body Temperature Tracking
18:51 TTC Tip 2: Ovulation Tests
22:00 Experience With Mira Fertility Tracker
25:20 Fertility Supplement Experience
28:41 Watch Outs For Mental Health
33:18 Closing & Next Episode
And for anyone currently going through their personal fertility journey: I see you, I am you, we got this ♡
Book Recommendation*: 'It Starts With An Egg' by Rebecca Fett
Follow Very Beginning on Instagram & TikTok: @verybeginningofficial
If you liked this episode it would mean the world if you subscribe, like & leave a review ♥
#podcast #fertility #TTC
This episode was recorded with Riverside- use the following link if you'd like to try it out to start your own podcast: https://riverside.fm/?utm_campaign=campaign_1&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=rewardful&via=anastasia
*Disclaimer: all recommendations are based on personal experience and are not sponsored
Welcome back to season 2 of Very Beginning!
This season will be quite different: focusing a lot more on being authentic and vulnerable while talking about all things fertility & women's health!
Over the next weeks I am going to talk openly and candidly about all my fertility learnings- from coming of birth control, going through a long phase of TTC, experiencing loss, and going through IVF.
Leave me a comment if there is a specific topic you'd like me to cover!
In this episode: 00:00 Intro
00:53 New 2023 Focus
04:07 Reason for Starting Podcast
07:25 Fertility Topic Disclaimers
09:41 2023 Fertility Learnings
10:20 Learning 1: Importance Of Mental Health
13:48 Learning 2: The Only Way Through Is Through
16:48 Learning 3: You Are Not Alone & Sharing Helps
17:53 Important Fertility Statistics
21:20 Closing
Follow Very Beginning on Instagram & TikTok: @verybeginningofficial
If you liked this episode it would mean the world if you subscribe & leave a review ♥
This episode was recorded with Riverside- use the following link if you'd like to try it out to start your own podcast: https://riverside.fm/?utm_campaign=campaign_1&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=rewardful&via=anastasia
Learning to not be afraid of failures has truly transformed my life. Going from someone who was so scared to make a mistake to now (almost) be glad about each bump in the road, I have come to realize that life is way too short to only share and be proud of the highlight reel. So in an effort to show up authentically & vulnerably on my podcast, I am sharing 3 of my biggest failures in life including the very important learnings each of these brought to me. From repeating a year in school, struggling to find a job after graduating, to my fertility issues, this episode has a topic for everyone. Let's #celebratefailures together & share your personal failure story and learning in the comments. 00:00 Trailer & Intro 01:08 Reason For Highlighting Failures 01:42 Definition & Studies of Failure 04:28 Personal Stories of Failure 04:47 Failure #1: Repeating Year in School 07:21 Biggest Learning Failure #1 10:27 Failure #2: Struggling To Find Job in US 14:55 Biggest Learning Failure #2 16:55 Penguin Metaphor 18:10 Failure #3: Fertility Challenges 19:54: Biggest Learning Failure #3 23:29 Closing Prior episodes mentioned: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRsWiisPhQc&t=8s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSfdw-9F44s&t=8s Follow Very Beginning on Instagram & TikTok: @verybeginningofficial If you liked this episode it would mean the world if you subscribe & leave a review ♥ Try out Riverside if you want to start your own podcast: https://riverside.fm/?utm_campaign=ca...
My very first solo episode is the most personal episode to date and marks the start of my fertility series. In the episode I open up about my personal experience with IVF and share my 5 main tips that helped me go through it.
I also included one bonus tip for anyone who knows someone going through this process and is not sure for how they can best support.
Opening up about this to my friends and now sharing it now more broadly has truly been incredibly helpful for me so feel free to ask any questions in the comments if you would like to see more content on this topic.
And for anyone currently going through their personal fertility journey: I see you, I am you, we got this ♡
00:00 Trailer & Intro
00:56 Reason for Opening Up Publicly About IVF
02:34 Disclaimer
03:12 Important Considerations For Family Planning
04:18 Fertility Check Process
06:53 Reason for Doing IVF
11:43 Thoughts About Sharing IVF Outcome
13:21 Brief Overview Of IVF Process
16:47 My Experience With IVF Stim Phase
17:58 Tip 1: Find Joy in The Process
21:16 Tip 2: Free Yourself From Expectations
23:55 Tip 3: Take Care of Yourself, Your Mind & Body
29:32 Tip 4: Do Your Own Research & Don't Settle
33:40 Tip 5: Learn To Let Go
36:12 Bonus Tip For Support Person
39:11 Closing
Follow Very Beginning on Instagram & TikTok: @verybeginningofficial
If you liked this episode it would mean the world if you subscribe & leave a review ♥
Try out Riverside if you want to start your own podcast: https://riverside.fm/?utm_campaign=campaign_1&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=rewardful&via=anastasia
