Preparing for the Holiday Season

Christmas and New Year often present challenges for people on a fertility journey. Christmas tends to be a time for families to get together and children to be spoilt; and New Year represents the passing of yet another year without achieving your dream. Many will feel challenged by these holidays and wonder how to “cope” with them. It may help to think of coping as being prepared rather than in control. So be prepared with a bag of coping tools, rather than a need to hide all emotions at all times – and make choices that are right for you. 

Here are some suggestions that might assist you at this time: 

• Find the meaning of these holidays for you – and celebrate it 
• Choose which functions you want to be part of, and 
• Say no to those events you feel you cannot manage at this time 
• Prepare for the dreaded questions about starting a family etc – you may need different answers for different people 
• Consider how you might deal with pregnant relatives and their small babies 
• Use your support system to help you get through this – have someone on your side you can call on when you need to let off steam 
• Perhaps a signal for your partner/friend to let them know if you need to retreat 
• Find a safe place where you can take “time out” if you need to 
• Make sure there is “me” and “us” time 
• It’s OK to feel sad at this time, it’s also OK to take joy when you feel it 
• Look for the positives in the here and now and consider that 
• Next year might be the one! 

And lastly – a favourite piece of advice for everyone: 

LIFE IS NOT ABOUT WAITING FOR THE STORM TO PASS – IT IS ABOUT LEARNING TO DANCE IN THE RAIN