3 Women On Navigating Fertility While Climbing The Career Ladder

Several decades ago society wasn’t receptive to women chasing esteemed careers while also choosing to be a mother. Today, women are showing that it is in fact possible to do both. However, it may be difficult navigating fertility in high-stress environments, especially when you’re pursuing your passions.

Her Agenda spoke with three incredible women who share their stories of fertility and ambitions of climbing the career ladder. If you’re looking for a push of inspiration, keep reading.

Jessica Peters, a licensed marriage and family therapist, is a mother of two who underwent fertility treatments for both of her children.

“The first pregnancy happened more quickly than the second but still created a lot of stress,” Jessica said. “It was like learning a whole new language in order to become fluent in the language of infertility and what the process would entail for us to become pregnant. We were learning and deciphering test results, speaking with and researching fertility doctors, exploring supplemental treatment like acupuncture, and generally feeling overwhelmed and defeated.”

Jessica said it is possible to navigate infertility while achieving in your career. As part of the calculation of how to take this on, however, she would caution women to be sure to carve out time for themselves – beyond the logistics, research, and appointments that come with the infertility process.

She recommends finding one or two trusted friends or family members who you can be your real self with when discussing the highs and lows of the process.

She said it can be an isolating experience and remembering to connect with others, for your own well-being, is important. Lastly, doing things for yourself and taking some time off for things that have nothing to do with infertility is really important.

Lagen Nash, co-founder of consultancy agency Mulier Fortis, said the most significant challenges for her have been the stress of motherhood and having a career and balancing it all.

“I think as I continued my career journey while having kids the hardest part for me was being gone a lot especially when they were little,” said Lagen. “That is one of the main reasons I started my own company, to be able to control being around more for my kids so I don’t miss their youth as much.”

She said she used to be the person who would drop everything for work and having to change that mentality has been hard to adjust to, but it came with having to shift and reorganize her priorities.

Nicole B. Gebhardt, author and speaker, said she is proof you can have it all.

“While climbing the career ladder, I experienced losing my son, Samuel, at 9 weeks of age and multiple miscarriages,” said Nicole. “When I lost my son, I was treated like a criminal when the first responders arrived at my home. I was shoved into a bedroom and had to give a statement to the police. I was not even allowed to kiss my son or tell him goodbye. I then had to plan a funeral. My husband, at the time, turned to drugs after we lost our three children and became very abusive.”

After experiencing both pregnancy and infant loss, as well as a very painful divorce due to years of abuse, she is now married to her best friend, who she said treats her like a queen and has even legally adopted her three living children. She even has three number one best-selling books on Amazon.

Nicole also travels the world sharing her pain to purpose story while getting to coach women and teach them how to fall in love with their true authentic self, even after experiencing the most devastating and heart-wrenching loss of losing a child.