The Long Way There

Sara and Brady Hand
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Parenting
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to The Long Way There, an infertility and IVF podcast for couples navigating the long road to parenthood. Hosted by Sara and Brady, this show is about infertility, loss, faith, marriage, and what it really takes — as a couple — to build the family you’ve been believing for. From male factor infertility and IVF to pregnancy after loss, embryo adoption, and NICU life, we share honest conversations and real storytelling for couples trying to find hope through the hardest parts of the journey. Sometimes messy, always real. Let’s do it together.

Episodes

  1. 4d ago

    Our NICU Journey: 28 Days, the Guilt We Didn’t Expect & Finally Bringing Our Baby Home

    After years of infertility, we finally had our baby. But instead of bringing her home, we spent the next 28 days in the NICU. In this episode of The Long Way There, we share our NICU journey as first-time parents: the guilt of leaving our baby at the hospital, recovering from a C-section while trying to be present, navigating NICU alarms and milestones, and learning how to feel like parents instead of visitors. We also talk about the side of NICU life people don’t always see: what dads carry, the pressure of going back to work, setting boundaries with visitors, accepting help, advocating for your baby, and the complicated mix of grief and gratitude. And after 28 days, we finally got to bring our baby home. But even that moment looked very different than we imagined. If you’re a NICU parent, former NICU parent, or love someone walking through a NICU stay, we hope our story helps you feel seen and gives you a few things we wish we had known. 💬 HELP US CREATE SOMETHING FOR COUPLES:We’re creating a free Couples Conversations Guide for couples navigating infertility, pregnancy loss, and the hard seasons of building a family. Take the anonymous survey here: Sometimes messy. Always real. Let’s do it together.

  2. Aug 31

    Our IVF Miscarriage: Losing Our Only Embryo & Almost Losing Each Other

    Trigger Warning: This episode includes conversations about miscarriage, pregnancy loss, bleeding, and D&C. Please listen when, or if, you feel ready. In this episode, we share the story of losing Eden after ourfirst IVF pregnancy and the part we weren’t prepared for, grieving the same loss in completely different ways and almost losing each other in the process.   We talk about: - Our first positive IVF pregnancy - A scary subchorionic hemorrhage - Hearing the words “there’s no heartbeat” - Waiting to miscarry and eventually having a D&C - How differently we grieved - The strain miscarriage put on our marriage - Couples counseling and finding our way back to each other This is Eden’s story, and a very real look at what pregnancyloss can look like for a couple. What conversations do you wish you and your partner hadduring infertility? Help shape our free Couples Conversations Guide: https://forms.gle/HvSckxwYgrRUPb6q6

  3. Aug 24

    Life After Infertility: Our First Camping Trip as a Family

    We spent years imagining what it would be like to bring our child along on the adventures we already loved. This weekend, we finally got to do it and the reality included a LOT more stuff, very little sleep, and a 5 a.m. escape from the campground. 😂 In Episode 5 of The Long Way There, we’re talking about our first camping trip with Sedona and why this little overnight trip felt so full circle after infertility and loss. We talk about the hiking trips that helped us through some of our hardest years, finally getting to bring Sedona along, camping while exclusively pumping, her first hiking trail, our absolutely disastrous night of sleep, and why we somehow booked another camping trip on the way home. More than anything, this episode is about finally getting to live some of those ordinary moments we spent years hoping for. 💬 CONVERSATIONS WE WISH WE HAD Infertility can bring up conversations you never expected to have as a couple, and sometimes you don’t realize what you needed to talk about until you’re already in the middle of it. We’re working on something called Conversations We Wish We Had, and we want to make sure we create something that’s actually helpful for couples going through infertility. If you’ve been through infertility, we’d love your input. Take our quick anonymous survey and help us build it: 👉 https://forms.gle/cQzeZXC74iue5W7z5

  4. Aug 17

    Life After IVF: Work, Marriage & Raising Our Preemie Baby

    After five years of infertility, we finally have the life we prayed for—but gratitude doesn’t erase the exhaustion, fear, grief, or pressure that can come with becoming new parents. In Episode 4 of The Long Way There, we step away from the timeline of our infertility journey and share what life looks like for us now as first-time parents raising our preemie daughter. We talk honestly about returning to work, relying on daycare, overnight feedings, pumping, sleep deprivation, and the difficulty of missing precious time with her. We also share how concerns about the shape of her head led us to keep asking questions, seek additional measurements, and move forward with a corrective helmet. We also explore the comparison and complicated emotions that can remain after infertility, how parenthood has affected our marriage and priorities, and why we’re learning that grace may matter more than achieving perfect balance. In this episode: • Life after infertility and IVF• Raising a preemie baby and understanding adjusted age• Returning to work and navigating daycare• Overnight feedings, pumping, and sleep deprivation• Advocating for your child when something feels wrong• Our daughter’s flat spot and corrective helmet• Comparison, lingering grief, and feeling behind• Balancing parenthood, marriage, work, and personal needs• Why five years of waiting felt longer than six months with her If you are navigating infertility, life after IVF, premature birth, or the overwhelming transition into parenthood, we hope this conversation helps you feel supported and less alone. What do you wish more people understood about parenthood after infertility? Sometimes messy. Always real. Let’s do it together. Follow our journey on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/faithfertilityus/ The experiences shared in this podcast are personal and are not intended as medical advice. Please speak with a qualified healthcare professional about your individual care.

  5. Aug 10

    5 Eggs, 1 Embryo, One Chance | Our First IVF Cycle

    What is a first IVF cycle really like? In this episode, we share our experience with IVF medications and injections, fertility monitoring, egg retrieval, embryo development, genetic results, and our first embryo transfer. We discuss retrieving five eggs, ending with one embryo, and the questions we wish we had asked before beginning treatment. If you’re preparing for IVF, navigating infertility, or supporting someone through fertility treatment, this episode offers an honest, firsthand perspective. This episode reflects our personal experience and is not medical advice.

  6. Aug 2

    I Thought It Was My Fault: The Side of Male Infertility We Rarely Hear

    Male infertility is often discussed through test results and treatment plans, but far less often through the guilt, judgment, and isolation men may carry behind them. In Episode 2 of The Long Way There, Sara and Brady turn the focus to Brady’s side of their story. He shares how years of low testosterone symptoms led to a Kallmann syndrome diagnosis he continued to question, what happened when they learned his hormone treatment affected his fertility, and the emotional weight of believing their struggle to build a family was his fault. Together, they revisit difficult medication changes, the move toward IVF, and the strain infertility placed on both of them. They also talk honestly about what meaningful support can look like: asking questions, showing up for appointments, sharing the practical load, staying connected as a couple, and reaching out when the journey feels lonely. For men facing male factor infertility, and for the partners who love them, this episode is a reminder that a diagnosis is not a personal failure and no one should have to carry it alone. Sometimes messy. Always real. Let's do it together!

  7. Aug 2

    Why We’re Taking the Long Way There: Our Infertility Story

    The Long Way There is an infertility podcast for couples navigating IVF, pregnancy loss, embryo adoption, male infertility, and the emotional realities of building a family. Hosts Sara and Brady share their story—from a male infertility diagnosis and diminished ovarian reserve to miscarriage, multiple rounds of IVF, treatment abroad, embryo adoption, a high-risk pregnancy, and the birth of their daughter. Through honest conversations, they explore how infertility affects both partners, why couples often grieve differently, and what it takes to protect your relationship, faith, and hope along the way. Created for women, men, couples, and the people supporting them, The Long Way There offers candid stories, practical encouragement, and the reminder that you don’t have to navigate infertility or loss alone. Sometimes messy. Always real. Let's do it together!

  • 7 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

About

Welcome to The Long Way There, an infertility and IVF podcast for couples navigating the long road to parenthood. Hosted by Sara and Brady, this show is about infertility, loss, faith, marriage, and what it really takes — as a couple — to build the family you’ve been believing for. From male factor infertility and IVF to pregnancy after loss, embryo adoption, and NICU life, we share honest conversations and real storytelling for couples trying to find hope through the hardest parts of the journey. Sometimes messy, always real. Let’s do it together.

Information

  • Creator
    Sara and Brady Hand
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    7
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Sara and Brady Hand
  • Show Website
    The Long Way There