CONTENT WARNING: in this episode, we talk about sex. There is a short conversation about sexual trauma, and we use anatomically correct words for genitalia.
This episode is in the context of heterosexual couples - we acknowledge that same sex and queer couples experience things differently when it comes to sex and how it interacts with fertility. There is however lots of great information on reconnecting with your partner while navigating fertility treatment that is applicable for everyone.
Sex is complicated. Whether it's before you start to build your family, when you’re trying to conceive - all the way through our sexually active years.
When you’re trying to conceive sex becomes regimented, something that needs to happen at a certain time (the want disappears). And if you’re doing IVF, sex is sometimes stopped altogether when you’re doing IVF because there is a fear of a spontaneous pregnancy. Yes - it seems so backwards.
Sex and fertility is something that not a lot of people are talking about - but it’s important. So I’m tackling it today with my amazing guest Mandi Murtaugh. Mandi is a pelvic floor physical therapist, yoga teacher, and heart-centered coach. Inspired by the lived experience of her own long journey to parenthood, she specializes in walking with clients through all stages of family building–from pre-conception through fertility treatment and beyond. She lives in Tacoma, WA with her family.
We talk about A LOT in this episode:
Here are the highlights:
Why more people should be talking about sex and fertility
How society, culture, and upbringing affect views and experiences with sex
The energies of sex - masculine & feminine
The pelvic floor and sex
Painful sex
The nervous system and sex
Trauma and the nervous system
Sexual Trauma and sex, IVF treatment
How IVF affects sex
Regaining connection with partner
The power of touch
Recognizing what you want to receive
Noticing your own rhythms of desire and not relying only on the charts
Mandi approaches these topics in a trauma informed and loving manner - making a taboo topic more approachable and accessible to us all.
Resources:
Season 1, Episode 14 - Naturopathic Medicine and Fertility with Dr. Tiffany Bloomingdale
Mandi’s website: https://www.thresholdscollective.com/meet-mandi
IG: https://www.instagram.com/thresholdscollective
https://www.instagram.com/drmandimurtaugh/
This podcast is brought to you by Kerry Hinds and Fertile Body Yoga, a virtual yoga studio that is dedicated to supporting those on their fertility journeys - mind, body, energy + soul.
