After two miscarriages and 5 years trying to conceive, Jennifer Robertson knows how daunting it is to finally be pregnant, but too scared to celebrate or truly enjoy it. She felt completely alone on her own fertility journey. Not wanting to cause her loved ones worry by sharing her true feelings, she felt she needed someone to coach her through the journey and to speak to others who knew exactly how she was feeling. But there was no community that was designed for the unique needs of pregnancy after loss. Her own experiences inspired her to create Your Pregnancy Haven: a safe, supportive space for women who are pregnant after infertility or loss who want to experience joy in their pregnancy and reduce their anxiety. Here Jennifer talks to The Natural Parent Magazine about the passion behind what she does, how she started out in the beginning, and the challenges she has overcome along the way.

The passion: What inspired you to set up your business?

As a fertility coach, I support women on a daily basis, through the toughest, most vulnerable times of their lives. Infertility and pregnancy loss can be so soul destroying. And what I was finding was that my clients were getting pregnant, but then there was nowhere for them to go. No community that was designed for the unique needs of pregnancy after loss. 

They didn’t fit into the infertility community anymore. 

They didn’t find comfort from the pregnancy loss community, as it was too triggering. 

And they didn’t fit into the regular pregnancy community. Because pregnancy after loss is different. 

And I know it’s different, because I too experienced pregnancy after loss. This is what led me to be a fertility coach. I’m now a proud mom of two earthside children, however they took 7 years, 9 IVF cycles, 2 miscarriages, one baby via surrogacy and one naturally. 

Pregnancy loss and pregnancy after loss is such a disenfranchised grief, so if you haven’t been through it yourself, it’s hard to grasp. It’s not spoken about. It’s not widely acknowledged. And because of that, it’s an isolating experience. It’s filled with more fear than excitement. It’s re-walking a path of grief. 

I wanted to provide a safe space where women could come and receive the support they needed. Where they could feel validated in the complicated emotions they were experiencing. Where they could learn how to develop coping strategies to handle the anxiety and stress. And where they could experience moments of understanding, and feel inspired by others who were on a similar path. 

The launch: How did you start out in the beginning? 

We started out with one chat community and weekly group calls for women during their pregnancy. The main aim was to provide the community and support they craved. 

Since then, we have welcomed over 370 women through our doors. We also expanded and developed a postpartum community and resources, as our members did not want to leave – and because motherhood after loss is hard too. Then we created a loss community, for those who experienced a miscarriage during their journey with us – so they too could be supported in their grief. 

We have also brought on a pregnancy doula & lactation consultant who is on-hand to answer questions and provide guidance on birth, postpartum recovery and feeding.

We have also interviewed over 40 experts and developed a series of masterclasses that are available for members to watch at their leisure.  

Plus we have a monthly magazine that we send out to our members with helpful articles, affirmations, journaling prompts and a whole lot more.

What started out as a small community has grown into a one-stop-shop from the moment you find out you’re pregnant, through birth, postpartum or loss. 

The innovation: What was the biggest breakthrough for you with your business? 

In May this year, we hosted our very first Pregnancy after Loss Summit. We brought together the top experts around the world to share advice, inspiration and hope, and open up the much-needed conversation and bring voice to the rollercoaster of emotions that come with pregnancy after loss. We wanted women to feel connected, feel validated and feel less shame. 

It was such a beautiful experience and our guests walked away feeling all of that, and a whole lot more!

Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?

I wish I could say I had this nailed, but I don’t always get it right. It’s hard when you’re so passionate about what you do, to find that balance. And I do find it challenging to find that off switch. 

One of the perks of being the boss however, is that I have the flexibility to make my own hours, which means I can be present for my family and still serve our community. 

And given all the challenges I went through to create my beautiful family, it’s definitely a priority for me to be present – whether it’s attending their music concerts or being a volunteer for their cooking class at school. 

I do have help however, and that is SO important. I have a virtual assistant and also our pregnancy doula, who is on hand to support our community too. 

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