Infertility and Body Image

Our last blog post linked to the "Booty Pops" story on 9news, which talked about young women and body image. Specifically, young women wearing padded underwear to make for a rounder behind. The premise of the story, as we stated, was the idea that women might be starting to embrace curves more than the thin ideal.

Today, however, I wanted to talk about a different side of a body image. In the "Booty Pops" story, I (Courtney) am quoted saying that here at Greenleaf, we try to encourage women to focus on the function of their body instead of the form. Our bodies allow us to do so many things, and it is important to celebrate those things instead of pick apart our imperfections. However, women struggling with infertility are betrayed by the function of their body as well.

As girls, we are basically indoctrinated to the idea that one day we will be mothers. For many, becoming a mother is as easy as... well, you know. But for others, it is not so simple. Some women spend years trying to get pregnant, and they spend much of those years agonizing over the betrayal of their bodies to fulfill this basic genetic function. Products of evolution, it is deeply encoded in us to reproduce (ever heard that clock just ticking away?), and more than that, we live in a society where motherhood is almost expected. Childless couples are usually peppered with questions about the whens and the whys of their choices about children, when really this may be a very painful subject for them.

I recently heard a statistic that women who become involved with infertility support groups significantly increase their chances of conception. If you are struggling with infertility, don't be ashamed, and don't hesitate to get support. Learning to trust your body again is possible.