How to Support Her
Fertility treatment asks a lot of your partner, physically and emotionally. You want to be there for her, but it’s not always obvious what helps, what to say, or when to simply be there.
Here, you’ll find practical ways to support her through the different parts of treatment, without feeling like you’re supposed to have all the answers.
Pregnancy Announcements: when someone else’s news hurts
Someone else's pregnancy news can land hard during fertility treatment. Here's why it hurts, and how to support her when it happens.
Mother’s Day: getting through the hardest holidays
Mother's Day and other holidays can be some of the hardest days of fertility treatment. Here's how to plan ahead and help her get through them.
Shot Nights: making injections easier on her
Nightly injections are one of the toughest parts of fertility treatment. Here's how to make shot nights easier on her, whether or not you give the shots.
Mood Swings: when the hormones are doing the talking
Fertility medications can make emotions run high. Here's what's behind the mood swings, and how to respond in a way that helps.
Listening: when she needs to vent, not a solution
When she talks about how hard treatment is, she usually isn't asking for a fix. Here's how to listen in a way that helps.
Carrying the Load: taking the logistics off her plate
Fertility treatment is a second job, and most of it lands on her by default. Here's how to take whole tasks off her plate.
Body Changes: when she doesn’t feel like herself
Bloating, bruises, fatigue, and a body that doesn't feel like hers. Here's what she may be going through physically, and how to help.
Her Guilt: when she blames her own body
"My body is broken." "This is my fault." Here's what self-blame can sound like during fertility treatment, and how to respond.
Waiting: keeping her steady between results
Fertility treatment is a long series of waits. Here's how to help her through the days between results, without pushing her to be hopeful.
Negative Results: what she needs in the first 24 hours
After a negative result, the first day matters. Here's what she needs from you, what to avoid saying, and what can wait.
Intimacy: staying close when everything is scheduled
Treatment can turn sex into a task and push closeness aside. Here's how to stay connected to her without adding pressure.