Lately, my social media posts have been filled with chubby cheeks and baby smiles. My furbabies are feeling left out for sure! My son, Luke, has brought more joy to my life than I will ever be able to put into words. However, my journey to have him was far from easy.

My husband and I spent countless hours at the fertility doctor. I did it all—oral medications, injectable hormones, IUIs, acupuncture, and finally IVF. It was the most emotionally draining experience of my life.

I would have never gotten through this time without my husband. He was there for every doctor’s appointment, every needle, every breakdown, and every “I just don’t think I can do this anymore” moment. During this time, we went through and overcame a miscarriage and many negative pregnancy tests. Just when we were ready to give up, we decided to move forward with IVF.

I went into IVF with a different mindset and vowed to remain positive each and every day. We ignored the cost and went for it. I was hopeful, yet terrified. The ten days that followed were brutal, as we anxiously awaited to hear the outcome. On March 22nd, we found out the news that we hoped and prayed for. We were pregnant!

I am sharing this post for the women who are struggling with fertility. It is a heart wrenching journey that takes all the strength you have and more. I frequently remember the days when posts filled with chubby cheeks and baby smiles were enough to send me over the edge because all I wanted was a child of my own. I had to continuously remind myself that social media accounts are filled with our highlight reels and don’t always reflect our everyday realities.

Giving birth to, meeting, and watching my son grow has been the greatest blessing in the world, and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. The best things in life don’t come easy, but they are absolutely worth waiting for. Never give up hope and always keep trying.

—Molly Neubert