Pregnancy comes with a lot of choices. A clear plan for information and advocacy can turn overwhelm into confidence at every step.

In this episode of Motherhood Intended, Jacqueline welcomes Dr. Dallas Reed to unpack the essentials of prenatal genetics and decision making. You will learn when to consider carrier screening before pregnancy, how NIPT fits into first trimester care, and a simple set of questions that helps you respond calmly to new information in the clinic or on the birthing unit. Dr. Reed also explains Sneak Peek early gender testing in plain language, including timing and reliability.

This is a practical and encouraging guide for anyone expecting or planning to be. You will walk away with a calmer mindset, a smarter approach to appointments, and a better understanding of which tests are worth your attention.

What you will learn in this episode:

• How carrier screening works, why prior to pregnancy is ideal, and what results can mean
• Where NIPT fits in early pregnancy care, including what it screens and when it is offered
• A simple plan of questions to ask your team now, next, alternatives, and what if we wait
• How Sneak Peek early gender testing works, when you can use it, and how to interpret results
• Ways to advocate for yourself while staying flexible for a safer, more positive birth experience

Links mentioned in the episode:

• Sneak Peak Early Gender Test - learn more here!
• More info on prenatal screening

✨ Free Resource for You ✨
Want to feel more confident and prepared at your next doctor’s appointment? I created a simple, one-page tool just for you — the Doctor’s Appointment Prep Sheet.

With space to track your symptoms, jot down questions, and take notes, this free worksheet will help you walk into your appointment feeling empowered and walk out with clarity.

👉 Grab your free copy here: https://motherhoodintended.kit.com/prepsheet

Connect beyond the podcast:

• Your Village
• Instagram
• Facebook group
• Text
• Email: hello@motherhoodintended.com
• Support the show!

CURIOUS ABOUT SURROGACY? Help give the absolute greatest gift to deserving intended parents and learn more about becoming a surrogate (plus you can earn up to $650 just for taking the first few simple steps!): share.conceiveabilities.com/hello12

Support the show

__________________________________________________________________________________

💛 You don’t have to do this alone. Join Your Fertility Village — a safe, supportive community for women on their fertility journey. 🌻__________________________________________________________________________________

Have you ever left a doctor's appointment feeling unheard, overwhelmed, or with more questions than answers? You're not alone.

Self-advocacy is a skill many of us weren't taught but desperately need, especially when navigating fertility challenges and motherhood. Jacqueline shares her personal experiences with infertility, pregnancy loss, and raising children with special needs, and how she discovered that being your own advocate isn't optional—it's essential.

In this episode you'll learn:

• Practical strategies for making your voice heard in medical settings.
• How to prepare for appointments.
• The importance of second opinions and switching providers when it's just not a good fit.
• Your body, your voice, and your story matter.
• You deserve care that sees you, hears you, and respects you. Whether you're sitting in a fertility clinic, an OB/GYN office, or a pediatrician's waiting room, this episode will empower you to advocate with confidence.

✨ Free Resource for You ✨
Want to feel more confident and prepared at your next doctor’s appointment? I created a simple, one-page tool just for you — the Doctor’s Appointment Prep Sheet.

With space to track your symptoms, jot down questions, and take notes, this free worksheet will help you walk into your appointment feeling empowered and walk out with clarity.

👉 Grab your free copy here: https://motherhoodintended.kit.com/prepsheet

Connect beyond the podcast:

• Your Village
• Instagram
• Facebook group
• Text
• Email: hello@motherhoodintended.com
• Support the show!

CURIOUS ABOUT SURROGACY? Help give the absolute greatest gift to deserving intended parents and learn more about becoming a surrogate (plus you can earn up to $650 just for taking the first few simple steps!): share.conceiveabilities.com/hello12

Support the show

__________________________________________________________________________________

💛 You don’t have to do this alone. Join Your Fertility Village — a safe, supportive community for women on their fertility journey. 🌻__________________________________________________________________________________

You fought so hard to become a mom, but why doesn’t every moment feel magical? Parenting after infertility comes with hidden challenges that most people never talk about.

In this episode of Motherhood Intended, Jacqueline opens up about the invisible baggage many moms carry after infertility treatments, loss, NICU stays, or surrogacy. She shares her own story of bringing home her children after years of heartbreak, and why the pressure to feel grateful every second can actually make motherhood harder. With honesty and encouragement, she reveals how infertility trauma doesn’t just vanish once you become a parent, it simply changes shape.

You’ll hear why it’s normal to feel anxious, tired, and imperfect even after your miracle arrives, and how you can give yourself permission to show up as a real mom instead of a “perfect” one. This conversation will reassure you that gratitude and grief can coexist, and that being human doesn’t make you ungrateful...it makes you a mom.

Questions answered in this episode:

• What does parenting after infertility really feel like, and why do joy and grief often coexist?
• How can NICU trauma, recurrent loss, or IVF shape postpartum anxiety and hyper-vigilance?
• What is gratitude guilt and how do you break the cycle when hard days hit?
• Which simple grounding tool helps calm the “what ifs” in real time?
• How can you build your village and give yourself permission to be an imperfect, amazing mom?

Support the show

__________________________________________________________________________________

💛 You don’t have to do this alone. Join Your Fertility Village — a safe, supportive community for women on their fertility journey. 🌻__________________________________________________________________________________

When your path to motherhood doesn’t go as planned, how do you rewrite the story? For Dr. Andrea Ali-Panzarella, that answer came through surrogacy, and a book that changed everything.

In this episode of Motherhood Intended, host Jacqueline Baird sits down with Andrea, a pediatrician, mother, and author, to talk about her deeply personal experience with infertility, pregnancy loss, and ultimately, becoming a mom through surrogacy.

Andrea opens up about the emotional toll of trying to conceive, how her medical background shaped her perspective, and the unexpected journey that inspired her to write a book for families walking a similar path. This conversation is full of honesty, hope, and healing—whether you’re considering surrogacy, navigating infertility, or just want to hear a story of strength and resilience.

Questions answered in this episode:

• What is it really like to go through surrogacy after infertility and loss?
• How did Andrea’s medical background as a pediatrician influence her fertility journey?
• What emotional challenges come with choosing surrogacy as a path to motherhood?
• Why did Andrea decide to write a book based on her surrogacy experience?
• How can families feel more supported when facing fertility struggles?

Learn more about Dr. Andrea Ali-Panzarella and her book Every Family is a Tree: https://www.andreaali-panzarella.com/

Join the waitlist for Your Fertility Village + get your free quiz!

Support the show

__________________________________________________________________________________

💛 You don’t have to do this alone. Join Your Fertility Village — a safe, supportive community for women on their fertility journey. 🌻__________________________________________________________________________________

In this vulnerable bonus episode, Jacqueline opens up about the emotional toll of navigating infertility during a season filled with pregnancy announcements, baby showers, and growing bumps everywhere you turn. If you’ve ever felt left out, behind, or broken as the only one not pregnant in your circle, this episode is for you. With compassion and real-life insight, Jacqueline offers powerful tools for protecting your peace and reminding you that your path to motherhood is still unfolding—beautifully and on your own terms.

Inside This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• How to navigate baby showers, gender reveals, and social media triggers
• Why it’s okay to set boundaries—even with people you love
• What to do when you feel like the “odd one out”
• Practical ways to protect your nervous system and emotional health
• Encouragement for staying grounded while waiting for your turn

You Are Not Alone If You’ve Ever Felt:

• Like everyone else is pregnant except you
• Triggered by constant announcements or baby talk
• Torn between celebrating others and grieving your own journey
• Pressured by family or confused by your own emotions

This episode is for you!

Join the waitlist for Your Fertility Village + get your free quiz!

Support the show

__________________________________________________________________________________

💛 You don’t have to do this alone. Join Your Fertility Village — a safe, supportive community for women on their fertility journey. 🌻__________________________________________________________________________________

In this episode, Jacqueline opens up about her entire journey to motherhood, from hopeful beginnings and unexpected infertility, to devastating losses, NICU stays, IVF, and eventually surrogacy. She vulnerably shares the highs, lows, and in-betweens of becoming a mom to three beautiful children, explains why there is no one “right” way to build a family, and lists multiple different family building options for those facing infertility.

What You’ll Learn:

• Jacqueline’s complete fertility journey from IUI to IVF to surrogacy
• The emotional and physical realities of infertility and loss
• Insight into IVF, embryo testing, surrogacy, egg/sperm donation, and more
• The differences between gestational vs. traditional surrogacy
• Why it’s okay to grieve the story you thought you’d have
• Options available to build a family when things don’t go as planned

Support the show

__________________________________________________________________________________

💛 You don’t have to do this alone. Join Your Fertility Village — a safe, supportive community for women on their fertility journey. 🌻__________________________________________________________________________________

In this deeply compassionate episode of Motherhood Intended, Jacqueline opens up about the emotional toll of the “waiting season” during the fertility journey. Whether you’re waiting for test results, a cycle to begin, or answers that feel impossibly out of reach, Jacqueline shares her own experiences and insights to help you feel seen and supported during this often invisible and very isolating stage. She offers grounding practices, mindset shifts, and an invitation to rest rather than constantly prepare — reminding you that this season is not wasted.

What you'll hear:

• Why the “waiting season” can feel so overwhelming — and why it’s not actually a passive phase
• Practical tools to ground yourself when everything feels out of control (daily rituals, journaling prompts, affirmations)
• The importance of reframing rest as necessary, not indulgent, while trying to conceive
• How therapy and community support can be essential tools, even if you’re “just” in the waiting

Mentioned in the Episode

• Click here to take the Fertility Path Quiz

PLAYLISTS:

• TTC + Infertility
• Miscarriage, Loss, & Grief
• When You or Your Child Are Given a Diagnosis
• Pregnancy + Postpartum
• Surrogacy
• Parenting + Self Improvement
• Top 10 Episodes of 2024

Connect with the podcast:

• Facebook: Motherhood Intended Community
• Instagram: @motherhood_intended
• Leave a review for the podcast
• Apply to be a guest on the show!

Support the show

__________________________________________________________________________________

💛 You don’t have to do this alone. Join Your Fertility Village — a safe, supportive community for women on their fertility journey. 🌻__________________________________________________________________________________

Season 5 comes to a close with a heart-to-heart from host Jacqueline Baird—reflecting on the powerful stories shared, the community built, and a new chapter that’s just beginning.

In this special solo episode, Jacqueline opens up about her own fertility journey and the inspiration behind Your Fertility Village—a new support community for women navigating infertility, IVF, TTC, loss, surrogacy, or adoption.

She also shares:
💛 A look back at Season 5’s most meaningful moments
🎧 New Spotify playlists curated by topic (so you can find what you need, when you need it)
🌻 What to expect inside Your Fertility Village
📅 Season 6 will premiere August 21—with bonus episodes over the summer

If you’ve ever felt alone on your path to motherhood, this episode is for you.
👉 Join the waitlist for the Village at bit.ly/yourfertilityvillage

PLAYLISTS:

• TTC + Infertility
• Miscarriage, Loss, & Grief
• When You or Your Child Are Given a Diagnosis
• Pregnancy + Postpartum
• Surrogacy
• Parenting + Self Improvement
• Top 10 Episodes of 2024

Connect with the podcast:

• Facebook: Motherhood Intended Community
• Instagram: @motherhood_intended
• Leave a review for the podcast
• Apply to be a guest on the show!

Support the show

__________________________________________________________________________________

💛 You don’t have to do this alone. Join Your Fertility Village — a safe, supportive community for women on their fertility journey. 🌻__________________________________________________________________________________