Episode 1: Behind the pregnancy reveal

Listen on:
Apple
Spotify
Google
Stitcher

The first we usually hear of someone in our extended circle successfully procreating is on social media. Or, if you happen to live in California where your friends start a wildfire in a pyrotechnic-gender-reveal-gone-wrong, then the first you’ll hear of their reproductive efforts is on the news.

Either way, it’s just a quick highlight. But when this is all you really see of pregnancy announcements, it makes it seem like deciding to have kids, and then falling pregnant, happens to everyone else as effortlessly as the gender-reveal fire raged through 40km of Californian forest. And for some people, maybe it was that easy. But there’s always so much more to the story, because finding out you’re pregnant can bring on a mix of emotions.

That’s what this episode is all about. That first ‘holy shit’ moment when the pregnancy test comes back positive and the events leading up to it. Because when it happened to me 20 weeks ago, during lockdown and feeling totally isolated, these are the conversations I wish I’d had at the time.

In this podcast episode:

0:08 My husband Brad practises his dad jokes by farting into my mic. True story.

Josie with her daughter Rosa.

2:20 I speak to my old work buddy, and co-host of the Zest is History, Josie, about why she waited so long to post about her pregnancy on social media, and how she coped during her pregnancy after experiencing a loss.

Melissah with her son Elliot.

7:24 My friend Melissah talks about her decision to venture into motherhood solo and the intrauterine insemination procedure, or IUI, she went through. Her tip? Hope your doctor has good aim. (She’s joking, of course).

Lucy went through three rounds of IVF before falling pregnant natural

11:30 My friend Lucy explains how she had gone back and forth about wanting to become a mum, but discovered she had polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) when she eventually started trying. She ended up trying IVF and says her experience was like being in a casino.

Me and my husband Brad on his first (almost a) Father’s Day.

15:44 My husband Brad and I talk about what it was like to find out we were having a baby in the midst of COVID and just after I’d been made redundant.

Listen and subscribe

Episode show notes

We talk about a few big topics in this episode, so here are some great sources of information. If you know of another great resource, let me know, and I’ll add it to the list.

Support for pregnancy loss

COPE
To find professionals and services with expertise in providing support for miscarriage in your area, search under the category of “perinatal loss” on the e-COPE directory.

Support for pregnancy loss

COPE
To find professionals and services with expertise in providing support for miscarriage in your area, search under the category of “perinatal loss” on the e-COPE directory.

Fertility treatments

IUI information
For information about intrauterine insemination, visit the Fertility Society website.

IVF
For more information on IVF, visit the Pregnancy, Birth and Baby website.

PCOS and pregnancy

Don’t know what you need to know? Read this article by university researchers.

Hosted by

Lizza Gebilagin

Lizza Gebilagin is a freelance journalist and podcast producer based in Sydney. She’s the former deputy editor of Women’s Health Australia, body + soul, Cleo and Dolly magazines, and co-host and producer of the podcast, Uninterrupted by Women’s Health Australia. She’s also a NSW boxing champion who has competed in the World Championship Qualifiers, National Championships and Arafura Games. She’s currently a contributing editor at Prevention Australia and the producer of Women’s Agenda‘s podcast series, The Leadership Lessons.