Mother, entrepreneur, author, and former competitive bodybuilder Garrett Kusmierz is pregnant with her second child. She recounts her experience of life before motherhood, discovering herself through fitness, and her smooth first pregnancy during the pandemic. Determined to have a low-interventio...

Despite an easy first pregnancy, Garrett's plans for an empowered, low-intervention birth are met with unexpected challenges. Induced at 41 weeks, she endures a cascade of interventions, and several days of labor. Garrett reflects on the physical toll, emotional disconnection, and loss of agency ...

Garrett is exhausted after multiple days of labor and struggling to enjoy the "golden hour”, and her postpartum experience is marked by physical pain and emotional overwhelm. Breastfeeding introduces new challenges for Garrett as she navigates nipple pain and personal hygiene while working to bon...

After conceiving her first child with ease, Garrett never imagined baby number two would be a struggle. But as the months passed with no positive test, she found herself deep in the world of fertility tracking, lifestyle changes, and unanswered questions. In this episode, Garrett opens up about t...

After six months of trying, Garrett’s frustration grows as she is met with resistance after seeking medical answers. Garrett explores functional medicine, running independent lab tests, detoxing from mold, and addressing gut health. From frustrating medical and IVF roadblocks to her toddler’s inn...

After six months of trying, Garrett’s frustration grows as she is met with resistance after seeking medical answers. Garrett explores functional medicine, running independent lab tests, detoxing from mold, and addressing gut health. From frustrating medical and IVF roadblocks to her toddler’s inn...

After all the preparation and anticipation, Garrett gets into the thick of her IVF journey. But what was supposed to be a hopeful new chapter quickly turns into one of the hardest parts of the process. From the physical toll of OHSS (Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome) to a devastating surprise, G...

With only three embryos left, Garrett begins her first transfer with cautious hope. She chose a medicated cycle, but her body reacted severely to a medication causing her pain, inflammation, and emotional strain. Despite her instincts, she moved forward. On the day of implantation, she woke with ...

Determined to try again, Garrett weighed her options: medicated or natural cycle? But just as she prepared for her second transfer, an unexpected sign made her pause. Overcome with dread, she made the last-minute decision to cancel. Instead, she turned inward, slowly rebuilding trust in her body’...

Garrett is finally pregnant, but after her long fertility journey, the positive test feels more like the start than the finish line. In this episode, she opens up about the anxiety that followed her blood test results, fear of a chemical pregnancy, the relentless mental math of HCG tracking, and ...

At seven and a half weeks, Garrett faces the long-awaited ultrasound with nerves at their peak. Though outwardly calm, she fears what the screen might reveal. Then comes relief: a strong heartbeat. Graduating from her fertility clinic feels reassuring, yet new challenges emerge including fatigue,...

At ten weeks, Garrett weans off IVF medication and adjusts to a new stage of pregnancy, one marked by gratitude, physical hurdles, and emotional shifts. With her sister-in-law helping with injections during a work trip to New York, the timing aligns with a major milestone: launching her new produ...

At eleven weeks, Garrett faces a rough patch of pregnancy symptoms but a surprise OB visit brings unexpected sweetness. Worried about how she’s feeling, she schedules a Doppler check and brings her toddler along. Hearing the fast, steady heartbeat becomes a turning point, especially for her son, ...

At twelve weeks, Garrett heads to the Bahamas with her family for a much-needed babymoon but it’s anything but easy. Intense symptoms and dehydration leave her battling pounding headaches and nausea, yet she keeps moving, logging 10,000+ steps a day, lifting twice, and even swimming with dolphins...

As Garrett wraps up her first trimester, she reflects on the balance between gratitude and challenge. Persistent migraines and nausea make staying active tough, but moments like Pilates with her mom and celebrating her son’s 4th birthday bring joy and grounding. A moving 12-week ultrasound offers...