Before The Bump

That’s right! Your eyes haven’t deceived you. We’re back with a special bonus episode of Before The Bump! 

But this one's a little bit different. We aren’t talking about vaginas and wombs... more penis and sperm. 

Dr. Sonja Jessup joins us to answer those awkward ejaculation questions; what your other half may be feeling when they find out THEY’RE the infertile ones, and of course everything in between. 

Plus, we ask a bunch of men what they know about their own fertility… the answer may UN-surprise you.

SURVEY LINK 

In the final episode of our four-part series, Rachel Corbett and Zoe Marshall are going deep on egg freezing and surrogacy.

So what's the process of freezing your eggs?  How much does it cost?  And does it hurt?  Rachel has been through it all before so she walks you through the experience step-by-step.

And if you're starting to realise parenthood might need a little help from someone else we chat to Sean Szeps who had twins with his husband Josh via surrogate.  So, what are the ground rules when someone else is carrying your baby?  How much does it cost?  Does your surrogate become part of the family?  And is it difficult when the woman growing your child is a million miles away?

This and so much more on the final episode of Before The Bump.

HELPFUL RESOURCES

Welcome back for the third installment of our fertility podcast and this week Rachel Corbett and Zoe Marshall talk about what you can do when you’re trying but things are getting difficult. So, if you’ve been trying and are feeling frustrated, this is the episode for you.

From learning about dealing with the very real emotions you might be going through to understanding the more scientific reasons behind why you might not be pregnant yet, Rachel and Zoe welcome back fertility expert Dr Sonya Jessup to give her advice.

We also hear from our listeners and find out what they wish they knew when they were pregnant and realise that the process of struggling to fall pregnant is far more common than you might think!

Plus, Rachel and Zoe sit down with a mother who proves that no pregnancy journey is the same. We hear the incredible journey of how a single mother successfully gave birth to twins using both donor sperm and donor eggs and how she travelled to the other side of the world to do it.

HELPFUL RESOURCES

Zoe Marshall and Rachel Corbett are back to talk about all the things you need to consider when you’re officially “trying” to have a baby.  Like the completely un-sexy process of getting it on when you’re ovulating (Zoe reveals a fact about egg whites that will haunt your dreams).

Plus, fertility expert Dr Sonya Jessup is back to explain what goes on inside women’s bodies when they’re ovulating and what your partner can do to increase the likelihood that you’ll fall pregnant.  

And if you’ve been worried about whether you need to train like crazy at the gym to get your body into shape for pregnancy, Sonya explains the best way to prepare yourself for conceiving and talks us through some of the early signs of pregnancy.

We also hear from our amazing listeners about how they tracked their ovulation and when they knew it was the right time to make a baby.

HELPFUL RESOURCES

This is the first installment of Mamamia's fertility podcast, Before The Bump, and the perfect place to get started if you want to get pregnant. 

In this episode, we're looking at the age-old question "Are you ever really ready to have a baby?"

Fertility expert Dr. Sonya Jessup dispels myths around whether or not there's a 'perfect time' to get pregnant. She also shares her wisdom on what women should be doing about their fertility in their 20s to help themselves later in life. We also discuss the experts you need around you when you start trying and the tests you need to make sure everything is a-ok.

Plus, we're joined by a Human Resources expert to sort fact from fiction when it comes to paid parental leave rights. And to explain what steps you need to take at work to make sure you've got the support you need.

HELPFUL RESOURCES