Honoring Where You Are on Your Fertility Journey This Holiday Season
by MyEggBankDecember 15th, 2025
Fertility journeys, particularly those involving third-party reproduction, can evoke complex emotions for aspiring parents, especially for those waiting on a donor match or undergoing fertility treatments. If you're feeling some anxiety this holiday season, know that you aren’t alone. The holidays often bring a mix of gratitude, longing, and vulnerability — especially when your family-building plans feel paused or in limbo. Give yourself permission to slow down and take stock of what this year has meant for you. Sometimes clarity for the year ahead starts with simply recognizing where you are right now.
Reflect and Reset: How to Take Care of Yourself
Supporting yourself through this time starts with honoring your emotional limits and choosing what brings you comfort, not pressure. The following are small acts of care that can help you create breathing room when you need it most.
- Set boundaries: Be selective about the events you attend. It's perfectly okay to decline invitations, step away from certain conversations, or leave early if something feels overwhelming.
- Be kind to yourself: Acknowledge that feelings of sadness, frustration, or fatigue are valid. Give yourself grace and remind yourself of the strength it takes to navigate this journey.
- Indulge in self-care: Prioritize activities that bring comfort or joy, whether it’s getting a massage, reading a favorite book, taking a walk, or watching a holiday movie that makes you feel grounded.
- Create new holiday traditions: New traditions can bring a fresh sense of connection, such as taking a small trip, planning themed movie nights, or finding ways to give back during the season that align with your values.
- Seek support: Reach out to trusted friends or family, join an infertility support group, or consider speaking with a therapist who understands fertility challenges. Support helps lighten emotional weight, not amplify it.
You Don’t Have to Follow a Traditional Path
As you move through the holidays, it’s worth remembering that, just like the holiday season, family-building doesn’t have to look one specific way. Traditions evolve, and so do the paths that lead people to parenthood. It’s completely natural to wish things had unfolded differently, but choosing a different route doesn’t make your dream any less meaningful or any less yours.
For many individuals and couples, becoming a parent via egg donation is a hopeful, thoughtful, and deeply intentional choice. It’s a decision rooted in love, clarity, and a genuine desire to build a family. Genetics alone never define a parent; what defines a family is the care, connection, and commitment you bring to the life you’re creating.
As you look toward the year ahead, may it meet you with gentleness, strength, and a renewed sense of possibility. Your story is still unfolding.