I didn’t do anything to prepare for it. I was an athlete and a Naturopathic Doctor, so I didn’t think I had to do anything to prepare. Afterall, millions of women had done it before me and they seemed to do just fine.

I was wrong and I paid for it.

I was so sick through my pregnancy - nausea and vomiting for the first 20 weeks of the pregnancy. Yikes.

I had cold sores every month - something that only happened when I was really stressed.

I felt so uncomfortable and inconvenienced throughout my pregnancy. It was NOT the joyous experience I thought it would be.

But, my labor is what did me in…

I had no idea how my pelvic floor worked…nobody told me to get it checked either. After pushing for several hours at home (I always dreamed of giving birth at home), nothing happened. I knew I needed help and my midwives suggested we go to the hospital.

A long time had passed since labor started and an epidural was granted to give me some rest before trying to push again.

My contractions stopped with the epidural, so they had to induce my labor again…it was a mess.

When I was ready to push, nothing was happening. My pelvic floor was still too tight, I still had no idea what I was doing, but now I was tired. It had been over 12 hours of labor.

The OBGYN in charge told me I had one push left before I would go in for an emergency c-section…so I pushed like my life depended on it. With the help of some forceps, I was able to push my baby out. It was a miracle and I couldn’t believe I did it.

Everyone was healthy, but my body was shattered after that experience. My recovery was brutal - I couldn’t walk or sit for 2 weeks, I had severe hip and back pain and very little control of my pelvic floor (that meant I had to be within arms reach of a toilet).

As an ex- competitive athlete, this experience was really tough. I had a hard time being present and connecting with my baby. It took me almost 2 years to feel like I was a mom. I just went through the motions.

Deep down I knew I wanted to have more children, but there was no way I was willing to go through that again.

My sister, who was 37 years old at the time, struggled to get pregnant and her doctor recommended she do IVF.

No lab testing, no health assessment, nothing…just a prescription of an extremely invasive procedure based on her age.

Of course, she decided to reach out to me after 6 months of not getting pregnant instead of her doctor… And I’m glad she did.

She worked a stressful corporate job for 15+ years, she was on birth control for the same amount of time, she often skipped meals and lacked sleep. It wasn’t a mystery to me as to why she wasn’t conceiving.

We did some testing, she prioritized her sleep, detoxed, took supplements and BAMN- she was pregnant within a couple of months.

And after two years, she fell pregnant again - this time without even trying and at 39 years old.

Believe it or not, her second pregnancy was even better than her first. Why? Because her and her partner continued to prioritize their health, their habits compounded over time and her body was primed to conceive again.

After helping my sister, I wondered how many more women were in the same situation as her…?

My second pregnancy ended in a miscarriage. This one gutted me because just like everyone else, I didn’t expect it to happen to me. Before conceiving, I did my homework.

I cleaned up my diet, cleaned up my environment, lost some extra weight… I felt great. So, when I went in for my 8 week ultrasound and there was no heartbeat and no baby to see (I had a blighted ovum), I was shocked.

The doctor told me to come back in a couple of weeks in case the pregnancy just wasn’t as far along as I thought and it needed more time. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. I miscarried 1 week later.

It was one of the hardest experiences of my life. I was so heartbroken and ashamed. How could my body fail me like this? I did everything to prepare…

I wanted an explanation. I wanted answers.

To my surprise, I was told by my midwife that miscarriages happen and when you’re ready, just try again. I didn’t qualify for any testing because I had to have 3 miscarriages…brutal.

No support and no guidance.

I felt fortunate enough to be in my position - as a Naturopathic Doctor I had colleagues I could lean on and I had the ability to run my own lab work. I got the support I needed, but it wasn’t easy to find.

I wondered how many women struggled with pregnancy loss and felt alone…

When I shared my story on social media, my inbox flooded with women telling me horrific stories about their fertility journeys. The number of miscarriages they had, the years of trying without getting any testing, the invasive procedures they put their bodies through… I felt heartbroken for all of them and I wanted to help.

This is why I am where I am today.

I believe that pregnancy is a natural process and if it’s not happening, something is missing.

I believe that you deserve to have answers to your struggles before you’re presented with solutions.

I believe that you need to feel supported through your fertility journey (not just by your partner but by your doctor).

I believe that you need to have multiple options presented to you, so you can make an informed decision about the next step in your fertility journey.

Today as a Naturopathic Doctor and a Natural Fertility Expert, I help couples get answers, heal and conceive naturally.

But that’s not all…I don’t just want to see couples get pregnant. I want to make sure they have a healthy pregnancy and a good recovery postpartum. I want to help them have a healthy baby that grows into a healthy child.

And I believe that having a healthy child is a process that starts way before they’re conceived.