Have you ever walked into a room and instantly questioned whether you belonged there?
That is exactly what happened to me t at the annual meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) in San Antonio. I was surrounded by fertility doctors, clinic directors, psychologists, and researchers, all experts in reproductive medicine. And for a moment, that familiar voice whispered, Who do you think you are?

In this episode, I am taking you behind the scenes of what it felt like to show up as a woman who is childless after infertility in a space that rarely represents us. You will hear how I faced imposter syndrome, found my voice, and ended up speaking on stage about the one topic that almost no one else was addressing: what happens when IVF fails and you leave fertility treatment without a baby.

You will learn:

• Why imposter syndrome often shows up after infertility or IVF fails

• How to recognize the lies your brain tells you when you start something new

• The powerful shift that helped me turn self doubt into purpose

• What happened when fertility doctors lined up to thank me for speaking out

• How you can use the same coaching tools I did to quiet the voice that says you are not enough

If you have ever thought, no one will care what I have to say or I am not qualified to lead this conversation, this episode is your reminder that your story matters. You do not have to be a doctor to create change. You only need to be brave enough to show up.

Free Guide: The Top 27 Things People Say When You Are Childless And How to Respond
Join our community: Childless After Infertility on Skool
Learn more about my coaching program: Thrive After Infertility

Whether you are sitting in a clinic waiting room or walking into a professional space wondering if you belong, this episode will remind you that your voice is needed.
You are not a failed fertility patient.
You are a woman who lived through what most people cannot imagine and still found the courage to keep showing up.

Episode 189 | Childless After Infertility: The Shift That Changes Everything

What if you could stop living in regret after infertility and start creating a life that feels amazing to wake up to?

In this episode of The "So Now What?" Podcast, Lana Manikowski shares the realization that changed everything: the moment she stopped identifying as a victim of infertility and began shaping a new story for her life after IVF failed.

If you have ever wondered whether it is possible to feel fulfilled without motherhood, this episode will show you how. You will learn how to shift your mindset from loss to ownership, reconnect with your body, and rediscover your power to create joy and meaning again, even in a world that revolves around parenthood.

If you are ready to move beyond grief and step into growth, come join Childless After Infertility, Lana's new online community for women who are ready to grow beyond the pain of infertility. If you join now it is free!

Skool is a private online platform where you can connect, learn, and grow together without the noise, ads, or distractions of social media. It combines the best parts of a classroom and a community so everything we discuss stays focused and meaningful.

This is not a support group. It is a growth group for women who want to create what comes next.
👉 Join Childless After Infertility on Skool

Explore Coaching that Works: Thrive After Infertility

If you are ready for personal support, Thrive After Infertility is Lana's 12-week coaching program that helps you rebuild trust with your body, strengthen your relationships, and create meaningful milestones beyond motherhood.

📘 Free Resource: The Top 27 Things People Say When You're Childless (and How to Respond)

Tired of awkward questions and unsolicited advice?
Get your free guide to navigate those conversations with confidence and authenticity.
Download it here

🩵 In This Episode, You'll Learn

• How to stop identifying as a victim of infertility.
  
  

• Why letting go of regret is essential for healing beyond childlessness.
  
  

• The mindset shift that helps you thrive after IVF fails.
  
  

• How to find connection and purpose without motherhood.
  
  

• What makes the Childless After Infertility community different from a support group or Facebook group.
  
  

🎧 Listen and Subscribe

If you have found the content of this podcast to be helpful, please subscribe to the show and leave a review to help more women find hope and community after infertility.

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When IVF Fails: How to Ask Your Fertility Clinic for the Support You Still Need

When IVF fails, it can feel like your clinic disappears but you still deserve care. In this episode, learn how to ask for what you need from your fertility doctor even after fertility treatment ends. Discover how to advocate for yourself, share resources, and help your clinic better support women who are childless after infertility.

If your fertility treatment ended without the baby you dreamed of, you are not alone and you are not forgotten.

In this episode of The So Now What Podcast, host Lana Manikowski shares how to ask for what you need from your fertility clinic or doctor even after IVF fails. Whether you are still in treatment, deciding what is next, or already navigating life without children, you will learn how to take action, reclaim your voice, and inspire change inside the fertility industry.

You will discover how to
✅ Ask for acknowledgment and emotional support from your clinic even months or years later
✅ Write a compassionate message to your IVF nurse, patient coordinator, or doctor
✅ Share what helped you heal so your feedback can support future patients
✅ Turn pain into purpose and become part of the change in fertility care for women who are childless after infertility

When fertility treatment ends without a baby, silence from your clinic can feel like abandonment. But that silence does not mean you were unimportant. It means the system is incomplete. And systems change when you speak up.

Lana offers a simple message template you can use to reach out to your clinic and invites you to take one small, brave step toward creating the care you and other women deserve.

Your story still matters.
You are not invisible.
You are part of the change that can make fertility care more human, compassionate, and complete.

Mentioned in this episode

• Listen to Episode 187 IVF Failed A Fertility Doctor's Thoughts About What Happens Next

• Free Guide The Top 27 Things People Say When You're Childless and How to Respond

• Book a Thrive Call to create your plan for thriving after infertility