The journey to parenthood can take many forms, and it can be a long and emotional road while you’re on it. In vitro fertilization (IVF) is one of those paths. If you & your partner decide to pursue IVF, you’ll soon be inundated with doctor’s visits, procedures and an overdose of medical information being thrown at you left and right. During this time, it can be helpful to hear and read about other women’s journeys with IVF. We’ve put together some helpful resources that you may feel comforted by during this process:

In this post for THE BROADCAST, called My IVF Journey: When Pregnancy Doesn’t Come Easy, author Nicole Weber rights about her journey to pregnancy through IVF. She writes about how helpless she felt once she finally decided to become pregnant after years of trying not to. Her candid thoughts are relatable and honest.

Heathline details helpful insights for moms-to-be in their post, Self-care for IVF: 5 Women Share their Experiences. We love this quote from one of the women interviewed:

Don’t give up “Project You” for “Project Baby.” IVF is a miracle science that has given many people the families they dream of, but it doesn’t work every time for everyone, and the journey can be long and hard. So, whatever you do, don’t lose sight of the other things you want for your life and that make you feel happy about being alive.

In The Tot’s Tips to Prepare for IVF, women’s health expert Josie Bouchier lays out suggestions based on how many months you have to prepare before deciding to pursue IVF — from 1 day before to 3-6 months in advance! Such a helpful angle to explore, as women will inevitably be making this decision from every angle and timeline.

And because laughter is always the best medicine, we have to share Scary Mommy’s profile of Tiffany Rex, who shares her fertility journey and photo album with humor and grace. As well as a cake that says, “Sorry I have to poke you.” Sometimes a good laugh from someone who really “gets it” is just what the doctor ordered!

At the end of the day, remember that The US National Library of Medicine states that nearly 15% of American couples are affected by fertility issues. Translation: you’re not in this alone.