Is IVF “Natural?”
Alona Shaked Alona Shaked

Is IVF “Natural?”

What stories do you tell yourself and your children about IVF? Or for that matter, a c-section birth or formula feeding? What makes a mother “natural?” Hint: It depends on you!

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Cancer Update: My Salpingectomy
Cancer Alona Shaked Cancer Alona Shaked

Cancer Update: My Salpingectomy

On May 31, I’ll be undergoing a preventative surgery to remove my fallopian tubes. This is the first in a series of pelvic surgeries to prevent ovarian cancer due to my BRCA gene mutation.

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5 Steps to overcoming covid fatigue
Alona Shaked Alona Shaked

5 Steps to overcoming covid fatigue

I don’t know about you, but I am SO over COVID. The problem is, COVID isn’t over. Not yet, at least. So for now, here are 5 steps to help you thrive through the pandemic.

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Treading Water: How To Stay Afloat When Life Gets Crazy
Alona Shaked Alona Shaked

Treading Water: How To Stay Afloat When Life Gets Crazy

A WTF Moment can leave you feeling like a deer in headlights when it comes time to go back to work, be productive, or even just get your basic needs met. Here are my top tips to GSD (get shit done) when you feel like you are drowning….

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The Pain Olympics: No Gold Medals Here
Alona Shaked Alona Shaked

The Pain Olympics: No Gold Medals Here

“I shouldn’t be complaining. So many people have it worse off than me.” Sound familiar? Feeling guilty about “complaining” because you are comparing yourself to people worse off than you is extremely common.

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compassion or divide? we all have a choice
Alona Shaked Alona Shaked

compassion or divide? we all have a choice

Feeling tense or upset about the current socio-political climate? The pandemic? The past year and a half have been tough, but it’s up to us whether we will meet the challenge with compassion for ourselves and others, or anger and divisiveness.

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A Magical Door
Alona Shaked Alona Shaked

A Magical Door

Today is Day 1 of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and it’s an opportunity to continue to raise awareness about breast cancer, how to prevent it, what to do if you suspect you have it, and how to support those who do have it, including advocating for insurance coverage.

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the antidote to grief
Alona Shaked Alona Shaked

the antidote to grief

How can we cope with loss, especially when the circumstances are truly tragic? The antidote, the remedy for grief, is so simple: Gratitude.

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When priorities shift
Alona Shaked Alona Shaked

When priorities shift

Let’s talk about the loss of mental and emotional autonomy. Independence. Ability to work. This is not only something that parents can relate to, but also applies to any woman going through IVF, or any major health challenge, trauma or loss for that matter.

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COPING WITH PHYSICAL DISCOMFORT
Alona Shaked Alona Shaked

COPING WITH PHYSICAL DISCOMFORT

Today I want to talk about a different kind of loss, one that I am sure many women experience on their journey to motherhood (trigger warning). The loss of autonomy over one’s body, and major changes in its appearance.

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Silver Linings
Alona Shaked Alona Shaked

Silver Linings

This month, I will be posting about grief and loss, and how to thrive despite such circumstances. Today, in honor of World Breastfeeding Week, I will start with a “delayed loss” that I technically experienced almost 9 years ago, but that I didn’t really have to face until now.

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An open letter regarding my infertility journey
Alona Shaked Alona Shaked

An open letter regarding my infertility journey

Something pretty big has been happening in my life for the last year and a half. A challenge on par with my breast cancer battle, in some ways even harder. I’ve been quiet about it for a long time, but for various reasons I feel that it’s now time for me to share my story.

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