Paths to parenthood: inspiring stories of fertility, family and faith

"I dialled down my exercise intensity"

After a number of unsuccessful IVF cycles, Emma Stallworthy, 37, credits low-intensity exercise for helping her conceive her sons who are now six and three.

I'm a type A personality. I'm ambitious, I like keeping busy and I'm always go-go-go – and my exercise routine was similar. I loved long-distance running; I loved to sweat; I loved doing high-intensity training and really punished my body.

My husband and I had been doing IVF when I saw an amazing naturopath who taught me about the stress hormone cortisol, and how the body responds to stress.

She said, "You've got to stop running because all you're doing is continually sending the same message to your body that you're under a stress response."

I tried yoga, which was OK, but then I found Pilates — I walked away from a class with the satisfaction and empowerment I got from a workout, but feeling I'd also done something really amazing for my mind as well.

I took some time off IVF while I was making these changes, until I thought I was ready to go back. Literally the next cycle, we were successful and we now have two boys, aged six and three.

"We had to time sex perfectly"

As a private fertility nurse and women's health educator, Stephanie Mathews, 32, thought she knew exactly how to fall pregnant. It turned out to not be so straightforward.

It took my partner and I 14 months to get pregnant with our son Ren, who is now 15 months.

I had been tracking my cycle and knew something wasn't right — my cycles were really long and I had other elements that were indicating something wasn't right. My GP agreed and referred me straight to a fertility specialist.

After two failed rounds of ovulation induction, I started follicle-stimulation injections and had ultrasounds to confirm the growth of the follicles on my ovaries. When they were at a particular size, I'd have medication to stimulate ovulation and then they told me exactly when to have sex, and to continue having sex for the three or four days following. That was the month I got pregnant.

My body obviously needed that little bit of help to grow that follicle and ovulate more effectively.

The general recommendation is to try for 12 months then go and see your GP. But if you suspect something is wrong, go earlier. There's nothing wrong with being proactive and getting the ball rolling.

"I realised we had to investigate IVF"

Julie Sweet, 49, and her partner started trying for a baby when she was 43, quickly realising that her age meant IVF would be a necessary part of the picture.

As a psychotherapist, I've supported plenty of people through fertility challenges, but even that did not prepare me for the reality of going through it myself, and how confronting it can be.

I met my partner when I was 42 and we began trying for a baby the next year. I sought fertility advice early on and doctors explained that my age could be a barrier, so we quickly commenced IVF. The statistics I was given were sobering but I felt fortunate to have the opportunity.

We did a total of nine rounds of IVF and had a devastating miscarriage three years in. But in our final cycle, which marked the end of our fertility-treatment journey, we were overjoyed to receive the news I was pregnant.

I had my son when I was 47 and he's now 19 months old. I am extremely thankful to have been provided with the level of care and medical attention I received to become a mother.

I tell women who want to become mothers to trust yourself and have confidence in your own judgement. The support of my family, friends and therapists was crucial in maintaining my mental health — without them, the process would have been even more arduous and isolating."

"I got my body and mind in shipshape"

Pregnancy happened really quickly for Amanda Delosa when she was 37, which she puts down to prioritising self-care.

I'm an entrepreneur and realised in my mid-30s that I was serving everyone else and not filling my own cup. I reached out to a holistic health coach to get into some really good routines.

We worked on things like not reaching for my phone first thing in the morning, making sure I drank two glasses of water when I first woke up, doing meditation to start the day, and writing down my goals and what I was grateful for.

I also went on a really good nutrition plan with a lot of vegetables and clean proteins. A couple of months later, when I was 37, I met my husband Jack. We had a pregnancy scare soon after meeting each other, and when we found out it was negative, we realised we really wanted a baby.

We were also incorporating a tantric practice into our love-making at the time, too, and when he came home from a trip, we had sex straight away. A couple of weeks later, we found out we were miraculously pregnant with our daughter, who is now 18 months.

My family and friends said I was in my absolute prime when I met Jack, and I think that played a big part in me falling pregnant so easily.

No two paths to parenthood are the same. Elevit Pre-conception & Pregnancy Multivitamin helps meet the increased nutritional needs of women who are trying to conceive or who are pregnant, as well as helping to support baby's healthy development. Menevit supports male preconception and sperm health.

Elevit is the World's Most Studied Multivitamin Brand* committed to reducing neural tube defects, which is why the brand has supported more than 2 million mums for over 20 years from pre-conception through to breastfeeding. To find out more about how Elevit can support you on your journey to parenthood, visit elevit.com.au.

 If you have had a child with a Neural Tube Defect/Spina Bifida, seek specialist medical advice.

The information in this article should not be construed as medical advice. Please always consult your doctor or other medical professional for advice specific to you.

* See elevit.com.au/clinicalstudies