The first part of two episodes, Zoe speaks to Leonie about her first journey to becoming a mother. Listen in to this episode for an insight into IVF and what the adoption process can look like. Leonie talks though the highs, the lows and the spreadsheets!

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Leonie has always really wanted children, it was a family joke that she always wanted to be a mummy.
• Leonie and her partner started trying to get pregnant as soon as they got married, when nothing happened Leonie saw a Dr about it, but not much happened until they moved to Dubai for Leonie’s partners work. They had lots of fertility tests in Dubai but were diagnosed with unexplained fertility so started IVF.
• Leonie told many people when they were having IVF the first time. The second time round they didn’t tell anyone and found this a lot easier as they didn’t have to talk about it.
• Fertility clinics need to offer better emotional support as at the moment all they are doing is ‘selling hope’ and then there is no support for when it often doesn’t work.
• Leonie found IVF so difficult that she couldn’t bear to do another round, her and her partner then looked into adoption.
• After a complicated and long wait they finally adopted 16 month old Bea from Ethiopia.
• It was quite an adjustment when they finally had Bea in their arms, but they were thrilled to be a family and she kept surprising them in so many ways!

BEST MOMENTS

“All they’re doing is selling hope, it’s magical in so many ways”

“I didn’t know the slightest thing about them (babies)…I think that’s true for most new mums!”

VALUABLE RESOURCES

 www.petalscharity.org

www.tommys.org

Eggsnsoldiers.com Eco-aware and sustainable baby shop in Dubai. Use ZOECM10 for discount.

ABOUT THE GUEST

Leonie Pitts

Mum of two girls, Bea who was adopted at 16 months and Dottie, her biological daughter.

IG @leonieash

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/ASGDUBAI

ABOUT THE HOST

Zoe Cresswell

Devoted mother of two (and a big hairy dog), UK trained midwife, doula and personal trainer, specialising in pre and postnatal fitness.

Zoe was born in the UK and before moving to Dubai in 2013 and worked as a midwife in central London, both in a birth centre and a very busy NHS hospital.

Although late to the scene, Zoe is an aspiring athlete having won numerous triathlons and representing Great Britain where she placed within the top 10 on the world stage.

With her husband James, the couple will soon be launching their cloth nappy company, Bop & Bee, where they hope to inspire families to swap a few disposable nappies a day for the more planet friendly option of cloth.

Zoe’s goal is to share her knowledge and experience, tell real life stories, manage expectations and open up those often difficult conversations.

Zoe’s own motherhood journey has been full of twists and turns as she put everything on hold and went through numerous miscarriages and rounds of IVF.

CONTACT DETAILS

Instagram : @zoecresswell_me

Facebook: Zoe Cresswell

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/zoe-cresswell