Leigh Fitzpatrick Snead spent years navigating unexplained infertility before becoming a mother of four sons through adoption. Her debut book, Infertile But Fruitful: Finding Fulfillment When You Can't Conceive (Sophia Institute Press, 2026), is the book she wishes had existed when she was a young woman carrying that cross alone — a memoir, a resource, and a quiet argument that a marriage can be fruitful in ways that go far beyond biology.
In this conversation, Leigh sits down with Laura to talk about the early shock of realising pregnancy might not happen, the complicated pull of IVF and why she and her husband Carter ultimately chose a different path, the grief that lingers even after four adopted sons arrive, and the everyday, stubborn work of keeping a marriage alive through all of it. She's honest about the jealousy, the shame, the self-blame that can sneak in, and generous about what held her and Carter together when the statistics say most couples don't make it through.
Toward the end of the conversation, Laura asks Leigh to speak directly to the heart of what Love & Cherish is about — the sexual and emotional connection inside a long marriage, and how you protect it across decades, children, careers, and seasons where life simply gets in the way. Leigh's answer is one of the warmest and most grounded things we've had on the podcast.
Whether you're walking the road of infertility yourself, love someone who is, or simply want to hear two women talk honestly about marriage, adoption, grief, and joy, this one is worth your time.
CHAPTERS
0:00 Introduction
0:40 First Realizing Infertility
4:45 Writing the Book
6:08 The Impact of Honest Storytelling
9:32 The IVF Temptation & Catholic Ethics
10:14 Seeing a Fertility Doctor
11:37 Dr. Hilgers & the Creighton Method
17:49 Walking Out on the IVF Doctor
18:09 Choosing Adoption
19:58 Life in Indiana & Building Community
21:07 Pursuing Both Adoption and Fertility Treatment
29:22 Grieving Infertility
35:39 Raising Sons & Modeling Marriage
38:42 Infertility's Impact on Marriage
41:58 Marriage Advice
56:54 Tally Keeping in Marriage
59:13 Division of the Sexes in Modern Culture
1:01:59 Intimacy in Marriage
1:07:39 Closing & Where to Find Lee
ABOUT LEIGH
Leigh Fitzpatrick Snead is a writer, speaker, and mother of four, and a Fellow with The Catholic Association. She co-hosts the nationally syndicated radio show Conversations with Consequences, and her writing has appeared in the National Catholic Register, the Washington Times, Newsweek, the Washington Examiner, Aleteia, and Theology of Home. She has spoken on marriage, family, adoption, and infertility at the University of Notre Dame's Vita Institute, the Napa Institute, the Edith Stein Project, and the Catholic Women's Forum. She lives in Indiana with her husband Carter of twenty-six years and their four sons.
Infertile But Fruitful: Finding Fulfillment When You Can't Conceive draws on her own journey to offer encouragement, honesty, and practical wisdom to couples walking the same road, and to the family, friends, and clergy who walk alongside them.
FIND LEIGH
Book (Sophia Institute Press): https://sophiainstitute.com/product/infertile-but-fruitful/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leighsnead/ The Catholic Association: https://thecatholicassociation.org
FIND LAURA
Laura How is a relationship therapist specialising in sexless marriages and intimacy in long-term relationships.
Website: https://laurahow.com The Love & Cherish Podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and wherever you get your podcasts.
