240: Infertile Boss Babe with Andrea Syrtash of Pregnantish
Fertility is a topic that comes up frequently for anyone who works with women. Infertility is a problem that many people face, and it affects men as well as women. Many people you see every day are going through struggles to build their family, although they wear a mask that makes everything seem OK. Today’s guest calls infertility “the silent epidemic,” and the numbers of people affected are simply astounding.
Andrea Syrtash is a relationship expert, journalist, and the founder of Pregnantish, the first media site devoted exclusively to helping singles, couples, and LGBTQ humans navigate fertility treatments and infertility. She’s been featured on Oprah’s OWN Network, FOX, and other TV outlets, and she’s written books titled He’s Just Not Your Type (And That’s a Good Thing), It’s OK to Sleep with Him on the First Date, and Cheat on Your Husband . . . with Your Husband. Because of Andrea’s long, tough journey, she is committed to breaking the taboo of infertility and elevating the conversation about what it takes to start a family for millions of people today. Her work is both interesting and controversial. She’s here to share her story of 18 fertility treatments for eight years, and how she finally met her baby through a surrogate. There are a lot of misconceptions and stigma around types of fertility treatments and infertility. Because this affects so many women, I wanted us to have a deep and meaningful conversation about infertility, the options, and how we can better support friends and family members. We’ll discuss how Andrea kept up her creative, on-air personality while undergoing an intense physical and emotional process behind the scenes. We’ll also discuss the judgments and unwelcome advice that people encounter as they go through infertility, along with the legal ramifications that make things even more difficult.
Music Credit: My good friend Lindsay Katt – https://lindsaykatt.bandcamp.com/track/stick-by-me
CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST ON:
You can also listen in on your Podcast App, or hit play below!
Show Highlights:
Andrea’s life and work before infertility became her mission
How Andrea compartmentalized her journalism work while going through infertility
Andrea’s unique platform and website, going strong after three years
How the steps Andrea took in becoming a mother are not as uncommon as you think
How Pregnantish provides a dedicated space with high-quality content to serve every face of infertility
The judgments and unwelcome advice that come with an infertility journey
The best things you can to do in support of someone battling infertility
How acknowledgment helps us feel valued, seen, heard, and supported
How Andrea managed her self-care and mental health on her infertility journey
Why she chose the name “Pregnantish”
“This is for a reason” vs. “What can I learn from this?”
What you CAN control in a situation beyond your control
Common preconceptions and judgment around surrogacy
Andrea’s work in helping people build their families
How Andrea’s cousin stepped in and offered to be her surrogate, giving birth to her baby in 2018
Andrea’s patient advocacy work
The next steps for Andrea and Pregnantish
Andrea’s advice to people in an infertility struggle: “Hold on to the belief that you WILL be a parent, even if you don’t know the when, what, how, and who of it all.”
