An Interview with Jodie Nicholson

My journey with infertility has been a long one. One with unimaginable pain and heartache. I struggled to navigate this journey and I hope that with awareness and education we can help our TTC community feel less alone.

We spent 6 years, in total, trying to conceive, including 3 years of tests and treatment. All self-funded because the funding system in the UK is designed to unfairly judge and penalise the most vulnerable.

The fact my husband was already a father meant that our local CCG felt we didn’t deserve the same entitlement to funding as others in our locality.

We sold our home to pay for IVF treatment.

The stigma often associated with infertility discourages people from openly sharing their journeys and experiences and I hope to promote openness and honesty by sharing my experience and vulnerabilities.

During my infertility journey, I started to write, initially as a daily release, writing soon became a catharsis I heavily depended on and so my book was born.

In my book I share with you the good, the bad, and the ugly of infertility, as well as the physical, financial, and emotional impact this journey had on me and those closest to me. I tackle subjects such as mental health, emotional and physical struggles, relationship dynamics (partner, friends and family), blended families, work, finances, fertility, and IVF.

What inspired you to start writing this book?

During my infertility journey I started journaling as a coping strategy. I also searched for reading material. I wanted something real and raw, from someone who had experienced infertility themselves so could share the truth of the journey ahead. I didn’t want a leaflet or a print out from a clinician. I struggled to find something to resonate and this enhanced the isolating feeling of infertility. It was actually my husband who suggested “If there’s nothing out there already, why don’t you put it out there? There must be others that are looking for a similar thing” and so I published my journal (you don’t get more real and raw than that).

Tell us the story of your book’s title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

I knew I wanted to play with the “IVF” letters. “If only” was a constant feeling of mine, throughout my journey: If only treatment works; If only I didn’t need treatment in the first place; If only we had endless money to pay for treatment… If only then became “I(v)F ONLY!”

My chapter titles also have clever puns and meanings.

Describe your dream book cover.

My book cover is one of my favourite features of the book itself. Pineapples have a hidden meaning in the world of infertility (which is explained in the book).

The background also has a subtly hidden secret too; it’s the actual sperm sample that created our daughter.

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

I’ve worked in finance, legal, and education. I think the craziest thing is that I hated school, particularly English. If you’d have told fourteen-year-old me that I’d have written a book, I’d have laughed at you.

What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book? How do you envision your perfect reader?

The whole purpose of my book is to make people feel less alone.

One of my favourite quotes from within the book is: “Everything you feel is normal and it’s normal to feel everything.”

I hope to raise awareness of infertility and be there for those navigating such an emotional space.

My book isn’t just for those directly experiencing infertility; it would also benefit friends and family of those going through it, it’s a useful tool from someone who has experienced both positive and negative reactions and allows people to know how to better support people that may need it. I don’t have a typical perfect reader. I just want to raise awareness and break down societal stigmas associated with infertility.

Are you a writer, too? Submit your manuscript to Atmosphere Press.