How it impacted my work

Change in priority

  • I’m current a ‘Senior Manager’ however a job in my department came up for a ‘Lead Manager’. I’m really ambitious and career driven however going through IVF and knowing the struggles hubby and I are going through I didn’t apply. This is really unusual for me and I did have second thoughts after the deadline to apply past. However my priorities in life have changed and at the time the job was being advertised my focus was getting through our first round of IVF.
  • Also having anxiety, I didn’t want the added pressure of putting together an application, going through the interview process and informing my boss of my application.

Mental Health at work

I’ve recently become aware that work provides 6 free sessions to employees with mental health. This is something I wasn’t aware of. I’ve got the contact details and may reach out to them if needed.

Also the counselling sessions are not just for me, it can also be a couples session so hubby could also benefit from this.

This is a huge perk at work and knowing how it feels going through anxiety during stressful times in your life i’v printed off posters and distributed leaflets around the office. We need more awareness of this. Suffering in silence is the worst thing a person could do!

My confidence

  • I feel like I have lost of my confidence in chairing meetings. I now over-plan and over-think what I need to do at work. I feel like I try and do too much and I’m doing 100miles per hour at work and even when I talk I’m struggling to get my words out clearly.
  • I’ve started to work through a ‘to do’ list at work, Rather than trying to do everything at once I now have a list and do one thing at a time. I’ve also started to work a lot less overtime and make sure I take a lunch break ( even if it means sitting in the canteen alone!).

Support

  • I have spoken to a few colleagues at work about our struggles with IVF and the anxiety I am having. I feel its one of the best things I did. Work have been amazing!
  • I already work flexible working hours, but now when I leave early I don’t need to give an excuse
  • I have a good circle of colleagues who will cover me when needed
  • We were running a conference with 100+ people. I didn’t feel like I had the confidence to host a session, I have a colleague who was able to step in as he understood my situation.
  • I’ve been asked to attend conferences throughout the UK but I am unable to attend as I would like to take my shots in the comfort of my home with hubby doing the injecting. My Line manager has been amazing at understanding this.
  • All in all, the managers I have told have been so supportive and what makes it even better they all know people who have been through IVF. It just shows a lot of people go through it and almost all have success stories to tell!

Work clothes

This is something you wouldn’t think would be an issue whilst going through IVF but it was for me!

I wasn’t able to wear trousers with a button throughout the whole time I was taking the shots! I invested in several pairs of leggings and long tops/dresses to cover my bum!

My tummy was bloated and work trousers and jeans just felt really uncomfortable!