Introduction

Being as desperate as I was for a baby, I thought I was completely open and ready for motherhood. But I look back and realise that I was putting up a lot of resistance on an emotional level. So it turns out I was my own worst enemy. I knew instinctively that my attitude had to change before this baby could freely come into my life...

This was Michaela Ryan's experience of trying to fall pregnant and her story will resonate with many couples trying to conceive. While stress is a well-known factor affecting fertility, other more subtle issues can play a major role - such as unresolved fears about becoming a parent, childhood traumas, repressed emotions, self-esteem issues and relationship difficulties.

Mark and his wife Charlotte had to learn to work together as a team and make their relationship a priority before they fell pregnant.

Deb and Keith endured 23 IVF cycles and had to deal with numerous miscarriages before Deb radically changed her lifestyle and fell pregnant.

With fifteen real-life stories, this compelling, uplifting and often humorous book examines an area of infertility largely ignored and offers practical solutions for couples dealing with fertility issues.