Her Fertility

Jess Tims

Infertility affects so much more than your body. Your fertility support should, too. Welcome to Her Fertility Podcast, the show for women navigating infertility who want thoughtful conversations about the whole fertility experience - not just another list of things to do to get pregnant. I'm Jess Tims, fertility support specialist, fertility doula and founder of Her Fertility Support. After experiencing unexplained infertility myself, I became fascinated by the parts of this journey that don't always fit neatly inside a doctor's appointment: the mental spirals, the emotional weight, the relationships, the decisions, the loss of self, the questions about your body, and sometimes, the deeper questions about meaning, intuition and hope. Here, we talk about all of it. You'll hear Dear Jess episodes, where I answer real questions from women navigating infertility, alongside honest conversations with fertility doctors, researchers, therapists, founders, practitioners and other voices changing the way we understand and experience fertility. We'll explore the physical, mental, emotional and energetic sides of fertility - without pretending there is one perfect protocol, one missing answer, or one thing you need to fix about yourself. Because you are more than a patient. More than a diagnosis. And much more than a body trying to get pregnant. This is fertility support for the whole woman. New episodes weekly. Not sure where to begin? Take the free 2-minute quiz to discover how infertility may be affecting you right now and the kind of support that may help you feel more like yourself again: herfertility.support/quiz

  1. 2h ago

    75. Why Don't I Trust My Body Anymore?

    Why can infertility make it so difficult to trust your body? In this episode of the Her Fertility podcast, Jess explores how fertility tracking, testing, treatment, pregnancy loss, and uncertainty can change your relationship with your body, and why rebuilding body trust doesn't have to mean believing your body will get pregnant. In This Episode 00:38 Why infertility can change your relationship with your body When your body goes from simply being your body to something you're constantly analyzing How pregnancy loss, failed treatment, or a fertility diagnosis can deepen distrust Why your experience doesn't need to be compared with anyone else's 01:18 What taught you not to trust your body? Why distrust usually has a story The shift from listening to your body to monitoring it The emotional consequence of constantly being measured 04:46 “My body failed me” Why uncertainty makes us search for explanations When your body becomes the easiest place to put the blame The difference between “something happened in my body that I didn't want” and “my body betrayed me” 06:16 Body trust doesn't mean trusting yourself to get pregnant Why forcing yourself into certainty can feel incongruent Moving away from fertility affirmations you don't actually believe Smaller, more honest ways to begin rebuilding trust 10:32 Has your body become a fertility project? The endless urge to eat better, exercise differently, add supplements, eliminate foods, meditate, or “regulate better” Caring for your body vs. constantly trying to correct it What happens when your relationship with your body becomes conditional 11:54 How to start rebuilding trust Listening for signals that have nothing to do with fertility Responding to hunger, fatigue, tension, boundaries, movement, space, and connection Creating small experiences of “I heard you” instead of “Are you working yet?” 14:27 Your body is more than where infertility is happening Moving from “Why are you doing this to me?” toward “We're going to get through this” Starting with neutrality instead of forcing body love Learning to listen without constantly grading yourself Take the Free 2-Minute Quiz If infertility feels like it's taking over, take the free Her Fertility quiz to discover the pattern you're experiencing right now and what may help you move through this phase of your fertility journey. Take the Free Quiz → www.herfertility.support/quiz Have a Question for Dear Jess? Have something you've been wondering about infertility, fertility treatment, or how you're experiencing this journey? Submit your question anonymously through the Dear Jess question box. Jess reads every submission, and your question may be answered on a future episode of the Her Fertility Podcast. Submit Your Question → www.herfertility.support/stories Disclaimer The Her Fertility Podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to provide medical or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please seek individualized guidance from your qualified healthcare or mental health professionals when appropriate.

    75. Why Don't I Trust My Body Anymore?
  2. Oct 5

    74. Your AMH is not your fertility score

    What does AMH actually tell you about your fertility? In this episode of the Her Fertility Podcast, Jess breaks down what AMH measures, what ovarian reserve really means, how AMH is used during IVF, and what a low (or high) AMH can and cannot tell you about egg quality, natural conception, and your fertility future.  In This Episode 00:34 What is AMH? What anti-Müllerian hormone is How AMH relates to the follicles in your ovaries Why AMH gives us an estimate rather than an exact egg count 02:11 Ovarian reserve vs. fertility What “ovarian reserve” actually means Why ovarian reserve is primarily about quantity Why “low AMH” and “low fertility” aren't equivalent statements Pasted text 04:28 Why fertility clinics use AMH How AMH can help predict ovarian response during IVF Using AMH for treatment planning Why potential egg yield isn't the same thing as likelihood of pregnancy Pasted text 08:46 Does low AMH mean poor egg quality? Why egg quantity and egg quality are different What AMH doesn't tell you about your eggs Why low AMH doesn't automatically mean you can't conceive naturally Pasted text 10:38 What low and high AMH can mean Why very low AMH can still be clinically important Why low AMH isn't synonymous with “you can't get pregnant” Why higher AMH isn't automatically better Looking at AMH within your complete fertility picture Pasted text 12:00 Should you try to increase your AMH? Why changing the number itself shouldn't necessarily be the goal Being cautious about supplements, diets, detoxes, and protocols promising to raise AMH The more useful question: What does this number change about the decisions I need to make? Pasted text 13:32 Questions to ask your fertility doctor What does my AMH tell you? What doesn't it tell you? How do my age, AFC, and other fertility testing affect your interpretation? Does my AMH change what you recommend we do next—and why? Pasted text Take the Free 2-Minute Quiz If infertility is starting to feel like it's taking over, take the free Her Fertility quiz to discover the pattern you're experiencing right now and what support may help you move through this phase of your fertility journey. Take the Free Quiz → Have a Question for Dear Jess? Submit your fertility question anonymously through the Dear Jess question box. Jess reads every submission, and your question may be answered on an upcoming episode of the Her Fertility Podcast. Submit Your Question → Ready for support? www.herfertility.support Disclaimer The Her Fertility Podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always discuss fertility testing, results, supplements, and treatment decisions with your physician, reproductive endocrinologist, or other qualified healthcare provider.

    74. Your AMH is not your fertility score
  3. Sep 28

    73. I'm terrified to do another embryo transfer. How do I know if I'm ready?

    Terrified to do another embryo transfer after a failed transfer or pregnancy loss? In this episode of the Her Fertility Podcast, Jess explores what it actually means to be “ready” to try again, why fear doesn't automatically mean you're not ready, and how to consider your medical, practical, and emotional readiness before deciding what comes next. In This Episode [03:40] Does being afraid mean you're not ready? Why another embryo transfer can feel completely different after a previous transfer or loss Wanting another chance while simultaneously feeling terrified Why fear isn't automatically a “no” [05:15] Are you medically ready? Questions to discuss with your fertility clinic Understanding what changed after your previous transfer Getting enough information to understand what you're consenting to and why Pasted text [06:53] Are you practically ready? Appointments, medication, work, finances, childcare, travel, and the waiting period Why “I'm not ready” isn't always purely emotional Giving yourself permission to consider what another transfer requires from your actual life Pasted text [08:27] What does emotional readiness actually mean? Why emotional readiness doesn't require being fearless Considering whether you have the capacity and support to move through another transfer Why you don't have to prove you could gracefully handle the worst outcome before allowing yourself to hope Pasted text [10:06] What are you actually afraid of? Failed implantation, pregnancy loss, using a remaining embryo, the two-week wait, losing yourself, and being afraid to hope Why different fears need different kinds of support When fear about the next transfer may also contain grief from the last one Pasted text [12:37] How do you know when you're ready? Why readiness may be quieter than “I'm not scared anymore” Why waiting isn't failure and moving forward isn't proof that you've healed Making the decision from a place that feels like yours Pasted text [14:00] The four questions to ask yourself before another transfer What do I know? What am I afraid of? What would help me feel supported? If I knew I was allowed to be afraid and move forward anyway, what would I want to do? Pasted text Take the Free 2-Minute Quiz If infertility is starting to feel like it's taking over, take the free 2-minute Her Fertility quiz to discover the pattern you may be experiencing right now, and what you may need as you move through this phase of your fertility journey. Take the Free Quiz → Have a Question for Dear Jess? Submit your fertility question anonymously through the Dear Jess question box. Jess reads every question, and yours may be answered on an upcoming episode of the Her Fertility Podcast. Submit Your Question → Disclaimer The Her Fertility Podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The information shared in this episode should not replace individualized care from your physician, reproductive endocrinologist, mental health professional, or other qualified healthcare provider. Always consult your care team about decisions related to your fertility treatment.

  4. Sep 21

    72. How Can I Improve My Egg Quality? Start With This Question

    Can you actually measure egg quality? And how do you know if poor egg quality is a problem for you? In this Dear Jess episode, Jess breaks down what fertility testing can and cannot tell you about egg quality, what may be learned during IVF, and what to consider before spending hundreds of dollars on supplements intended to improve it.    In This Episode 00:59 How do you know if you have poor egg quality? Why “How can I improve my egg quality?” may be starting one question too late Why there isn't currently a simple test that gives you an “egg quality score” What AMH and antral follicle count actually tell us and what they don't   03:12 What does “egg quality” actually mean? What practitioners generally mean when they talk about egg quality The role of chromosomal competence Why age gives us information about probability, rather than directly inspecting your individual eggs   04:59 What can IVF tell us about egg quality? What your fertility clinic can observe after egg retrieval Maturity, fertilization, embryo development, and blastocyst development Why even IVF doesn't necessarily give us one simple answer for why an egg, embryo, or cycle did or didn't work   07:18 Can you actually improve egg quality? Why there isn't a protocol that can guarantee you'll “fix” your eggs Supporting your overall health versus trying to perfect your fertility Why Jess is cautious about promises to improve egg quality in three months   09:01 Before you buy another egg-quality supplement Why being pro-individualized supplementation isn't the same as believing every woman needs an “egg quality protocol” Five questions to ask before adding another supplement How “it might help your egg quality” can become an incredibly expensive idea   10:20 What to ask instead of “How do I fix my eggs?” Separating what we know, what we estimate, and what we assume Asking what evidence-informed steps make sense for your circumstances Why there may not always be another thing you need to add Separating what you can support, what medicine can measure, what science can estimate, and what none of us can control   Have a Question for Dear Jess? Have a fertility question you've been Googling, wondering about, or haven't gotten a clear answer to? Submit your question anonymously through the Dear Jess question box below. Jess reads every submission, and your question may be answered in an upcoming episode of the Her Fertility Podcast.   Submit Your Dear Jess Question → Resources Listen to the Her Fertility Podcast: www.herfertility.support/podcastExplore Her Fertility: www.herfertility.supportFollow Her Fertility TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@herfertility.support Disclaimer The Her Fertility Podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The information shared in this episode should not replace individualized care from your physician, reproductive endocrinologist, or other qualified healthcare professional. Always speak with your healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing supplements, medications, or treatment.

  5. Sep 7

    70. Is stress affecting my fertility?

    Dear Jess, “Does stress really affect my fertility?” In this episode of the Her Fertility Podcast, I am answering your questions. Yes, research shows stress can impact fertility, but stress is complex, dynamic, and bidirectional because infertility itself is stressful, so being stressed is not the reason you are infertile. Together, we dive into how uncertainty drives the mind to seek control through endless researching, scrolling, and supplement buying, and offers a compass question: are you getting useful information or trying to create certainty where it isn’t available? support is about helping you through a hard experience, not achieving a perfect nervous system to get pregnant Step 1: identify your specific stress source Step 2: ask what you truly need Step 3: choose one grounding regulating habit that genuinely works for you, like her client Heather using painting. 02:08 What Stress Really Means 04:24 Why Infertility Feels Stressful 07:32 The Mind Seeks Certainty 08:35 A Simple Compass Question 09:57 You Deserve Support 11:19 Three Steps to Try Today Her Fertility Support: Where is your fertility blocked? Take the free quiz here - https://www.tryinteract.com/share/quiz/6a15dbe36fdbba85c3d2f5f1 Get email updates - www.herfertility.support/newsletter Follow Jess - www.tiktok.com/@herfertility.support Dear Jess anonymous submissions: https://www.herfertility.support/stories Disclaimer: The Her Fertility podcast is for general educational and informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult your healthcare professional regarding any symptoms or medical problems you are experiencing.  KEYWORDS: TTC, infertility, get pregnant, fertility mindset, female fertility, fertility support, infertility support, IVF, miscarriage, pregnancy loss, unexplained infertility, fertility doula podcast, her fertility podcast

    70. Is stress affecting my fertility?
  6. Aug 31

    69. How do I know when I'm ovulating? Dear Jess

    Jess answers your question: how do you know when your ovulating. This episodes breaks down the three biological signs your body gives you for free to identify ovulation, and why understanding your own cycle is the most powerful foundation of your fertility journey. In This Episode: Why most women were never taught about ovulation, and why that's not your fault The #1 most important ovulation sign: cervical fluid, what it is, how it changes throughout your cycle, and what healthy versus concerning discharge looks like How to check your cervix at home and what the change in texture and position tells you about where you are in your cycle Basal body temperature (BBT): how it works, what it reveals about your whole cycle health (including whether you're pregnant before a test can tell you), and the warning about when it becomes too much The honest truth about ovulation predictor kits (OPKs): why I'm not a fan, and when they can actually mislead you into missing bigger issues A real client story: what happened when someone relied exclusively on OPKs for months and missed crucial cycle information When to stop self-tracking and take your questions to your practitioner The book: Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler Her Fertility Support: Take the free quiz here - https://www.tryinteract.com/share/quiz/6a15dbe36fdbba85c3d2f5f1 Get email updates - www.herfertility.support/newsletter Follow Jess - www.tiktok.com/@herfertility.support Dear Jess anonymous submissions: https://www.herfertility.support/stories   Disclaimer: The Her Fertility podcast is for general educational and informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult your healthcare professional regarding any symptoms or medical problems you are experiencing. KEYWORDS: ovulation, TTC, BBT, getting pregnant, ovulation predictor kits, LH hormone, getting pregnant fast, fertility support, infertility, fertility doula podcast, her fertility podcast

    69. How do I know when I'm ovulating? Dear Jess
  7. Aug 24

    68. Why is secondary infertility on the rise? I Dear Jess

    In this Dear Jess episode on the Her Fertility Podcast, Jess Tims, holistic fertility expert, answers your question about why so many parents seem to be struggling to conceive a second (or third) time. Jess breaks down the two major contributing factors behind secondary infertility, introduces her H.E.R. Fertility Method (body, mind, energy), and explains why you don't have to wait a full year to start gathering data about your body. In this episode: Why secondary infertility affects roughly 15% of couples, yet remains rarely discussed The link between parental load, stress, and the body's "non-essential" reproductive system Which fertility tests to ask your doctor for now, without waiting for an official diagnosis How the subconscious mind creates doubt around wanting another child — and how to release it Why energy levels matter for conception, and a simple daily check-in to gauge yours Submit your own question for a future Dear Jess episode, click here: https://www.herfertility.support/stories Take the free quiz to find out what type of support you need now on your fertility journey: click here   Jess Tims is a researcher, educator, and creator of Her Fertility Support. She supports you so that you can step into your next chapter of motherhood fully in your power. Start with the free quiz. Disclaimer: The Her Fertility podcast is for general educational and informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult your healthcare professional regarding any symptoms or medical problems you are experiencing.  KEYWORDS: secondary infertility, TTC, fertility doula, fertility doula podcast, her fertility podcast, infertility support, cycle tracking, cycle syncing, infertility, IVF, IUI, miscarriage, family planning

    68. Why is secondary infertility on the rise? I Dear Jess
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About

Infertility affects so much more than your body. Your fertility support should, too. Welcome to Her Fertility Podcast, the show for women navigating infertility who want thoughtful conversations about the whole fertility experience - not just another list of things to do to get pregnant. I'm Jess Tims, fertility support specialist, fertility doula and founder of Her Fertility Support. After experiencing unexplained infertility myself, I became fascinated by the parts of this journey that don't always fit neatly inside a doctor's appointment: the mental spirals, the emotional weight, the relationships, the decisions, the loss of self, the questions about your body, and sometimes, the deeper questions about meaning, intuition and hope. Here, we talk about all of it. You'll hear Dear Jess episodes, where I answer real questions from women navigating infertility, alongside honest conversations with fertility doctors, researchers, therapists, founders, practitioners and other voices changing the way we understand and experience fertility. We'll explore the physical, mental, emotional and energetic sides of fertility - without pretending there is one perfect protocol, one missing answer, or one thing you need to fix about yourself. Because you are more than a patient. More than a diagnosis. And much more than a body trying to get pregnant. This is fertility support for the whole woman. New episodes weekly. Not sure where to begin? Take the free 2-minute quiz to discover how infertility may be affecting you right now and the kind of support that may help you feel more like yourself again: herfertility.support/quiz

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