My Fertility Specialist Magazine May-July 2016 | Page 5

ONLINE RESOURCES In every issue of My Fertility Specialist magazine we will suggest some online resources, be it a website, professional body or blog that we feel are helpful, honest and informative. I’m sure this issue’s will be of use to many, and if it isn’t useful to you right now, it may be in the future. We always welcome your input so if there is an Online Resource you think will be useful to others, please let us know and we’ll research it and quite probably include it in a future issue. Simply email [email protected]. Thank you. The Fertile Chick www.thefertilechickonline.com ‘The Fertile Chick’ was borne from my experience with infertility and the isolation there was around the subject at the time. It is pretty much a down-to-earth arena to discuss all things fertility and baby. It was originally meant for Nigerian women mainly, but thanks to Facebook, we have quite a following in other West African countries….and even other parts of Africa. Our site is a place where all issues related to conception, and the inability to, are discussed in a simple, no-medical-jargonmumbo-jumbo manner. We have a number of forums, where issues relating to general fertility, assisted reproduction, PCOS, fibroids, endometriosis, etc., are discussed. We have also formed something of a close-knit family, with our members swapping stories, buddying-up, and cheering each other on with gutso…crying together for every negative pregnancy test, and jubilant together with every happy milestone achieved! We just had the 5th baby born in our community, all by members who began their journeys with us, so it’s been a truly special couple of years! Of course, I can’t fail to mention our blog, where we publish unique articles, written not only by me but also by our finest contributors. During my own (in)fertility journey, I often had to comb through dozens of websites to be able to extract some minuscule piece of information. And of course, finding any information useful for, and specific to me in Nigeria, was a Herculean task. In addition to not being able to find much information that would be useful to me, the devil called ‘SILENCE’ just added to my frustration. I guess it is because of the stigma associated with infertility in this side of the world, but it was heart breaking for me not to have anybody to talk to; to counsel me; to advise me. People whom I knew had battled infertility would rather keep quiet than share their experience with me. Thankfully, I got my happy ending (or beginning!), and I was motivated to reach out to help the many women who, just like I did, are trekking the infertility desert. If we can help just one person, our work is truly done. Where’s My Stork? Acupuncture Fertility Network (AFN) www.wheresmystork.com www.acupuncture-fertility.org ‘Where’s My Stork?’ is a personal blog that’s also filled with valuable information for those on a fertility journey - from personal experiences in clinics abroad, abbreviations used in fertility talk, support groups, nutrition, suggestions for your 2-week wait and more. The AFN is a website with two purposes; the first is for people to find an acupuncturist in their local area in the UK who specialises in fertility, and the second purpose is, it’s a professional special interest group for acupuncturists dedicated to supporting those with fertility issues. ‘Where’s my Stork?’ was originally started as a place to vent, cry and unpack all the overwhelming emotions associated with struggling to conceive. However, what has developed is a blog that has become a source of inspiration and encouragement to all ladies (or couples) that are facing some fertility challenges. Popular posts include, ‘IVF is a possessive lover’ and ‘What’s your journey?’ AFN practitioners are all post graduate, and have qualified after a minimum 3 year course of study and have also done a minimum of 14 hours integrated training in gynaecology, with a specific emphasis on training to support assisted protocols. The blog features regular interviews with inspirational ladies who have overcome their struggles with grace and strength (ordinary heroes), interviews with authors, such as Lori Shandle-Fox (Laughing IS Conceivable) and great tips from many expert fertility service providers such as Fertility Coaches, EFT Specialists and Acupuncturists. There is also general information on What is Traditional Chinese Medicine?; how acupuncture can support you and explanations of fertility issues from the perspective of TCM. The member’s area for acupuncturists allows access to podcasts, research and forums. My Fertility Specialist / May-Jul, 2016 5