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\n\t\tBy planning in advance and acknowledging that holidays may be uncomfortable; you can prepare yourself and improve your chances of getting through them.<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t
Holidays can be stressful, even in the best of circumstances. Expectations are at a peak. Pressure comes, both from the outside and within, to break out of the normal routine – to celebrate, and to enjoy! But for the person experiencing infertility, holidays can add additional emotional stress to an already complicated situation.You certainly can’t make the pain of infertility disappear miraculously. But by planning in advance and acknowledging that holidays may be uncomfortable; you can prepare yourself and improve your chances of getting through them.<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t\tWhen You Get The Holiday Party Invitation\n\t\t\t\t
DO: <\/strong>Be selective about accepting invitations to parties and holiday celebrations, especially the ones at which you know there will be a lot of children or pregnant women. Remember: you don’t have to say yes.<\/p>\n DON’T: <\/strong>Feel guilty about not participating in all the traditional family events. You’re going through a difficult time, and you need to concentrate on helping yourself and your partner get through the holidays.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\tVisiting Family And Friends\n\t\t\t\t DO: <\/strong>Plan to spend time with couples or friends who don’t have children if family festivities are too much to bear this year. Consider arriving just in time for the holiday dinner, rather than the night before if you find it painful to be around your young nieces, nephews and cousins.<\/p>\n DON’T: <\/strong>Rely completely on family traditions to fulfill your present needs.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\tCelebrations\n\t\t\t\t DO: <\/strong>Spend time doing things you like best.<\/p>\n DON’T: <\/strong>Pretend that there’s nothing wrong and carry on with “business as usual.”<\/p>\n\t\t\t\tSharing Your Feelings\n\t\t\t\t DO: <\/strong>Decide in advance how you will handle difficult and insensitive questions.<\/p>\n DON’T: <\/strong>Be caught off guard by unexpected or embarrassing questions about your plans for having a family. Plan your responses, but don’t feel that you have to disclose all the details of your situation either!<\/p>\n DO:<\/strong> Try to help others in need. Visit an elderly or bed-ridden relative; volunteer at a hospital or nursing home; or participate in a holiday program to help the homeless. Cheering up other victims of the holiday blues has a rejuvenating effect.<\/p>\n DON’T:<\/strong> Close yourself off to positive feelings and new experiences. You may find that you have a special ability to make others feel good, even though you’re not feeling upbeat yourself.<\/p>\n DO:<\/strong> Set aside time to share your feelings with each other.<\/p>\n DON’T:<\/strong> Get caught up in the whirlwind of the holidays and forget about each other. You need each other’s comfort more than ever.<\/p>\n\t\t It can be particularly difficult to face the many emotional issues raised by infertility at a time when everyone is celebrating motherhood and fatherhood. RESOLVE urges men, women and couples who are experiencing infertility to plan ahead for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, acknowledge their feelings and prepare themselves emotionally to handle questions and comments from family and friends.RESOLVE suggests the following:<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTake A Proactive Stance\n\t\t\t\t Think ahead about the day and plan a strategy in advance. Don’t wait until the holiday is upon you to make plans.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\tFocus On Your Parents\/Grandparents Or Special Parental Figure\n\t\t\t\t Make this a special time for them. If a family gathering is planned and it will be pleasant for you, go and enjoy. But, if lots of children or pregnant relatives will be present, and you know this will be upsetting, consider other possibilities. You might plan to see your mother\/father at another time during the weekend.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\tRecognize Potential Painful Situations\n\t\t\t\t Restaurants, for example, may be a source of discomfort. They may ask if you are a mother or a father in order to give you a complimentary item. Be prepared for this question so you are not taken off-guard.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\tConsider Joining A Support Group\n\t\t\t\t A support group will help you feel less isolated, empower you with knowledge and validate your emotional response to the life crisis of infertility. Visit the RESOLVE Support Group Directory<\/a> to find a support group in your area.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\tSpeak To Your Religious Leader\n\t\t\t\t Before a religious ceremony, talk with your religious leader (or write a letter) and educate him\/her about the experience of infertility. Perhaps he\/she would be willing to say a prayer or offer words of support for those struggling with this crisis.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\tPlan An Enjoyable Day Together\n\t\t\t\t It is important to work as a couple during these difficult days. Consider tuning out the holiday emphasis entirely and make it an opportunity for a fun day together plan a day outdoors to go hiking, bicycling, or walking on a beach. See that movie<\/a> you’ve wanted to see or create a special meal.<\/p>\n\t\t He is waiting for his card too. You know, the one in Hallmark that those struggling with infertility hope that one day they’ll open. Father’s Day is almost here and often with these types of holidays they tend to present themselves as emotional darts to both men and women. Read below for Father’s Day infertility support ideas.Maybe that guy in your life is your husband, a son, or perhaps a family member or friend. One thing is for certain, he is not immune to the pain that infertility <\/a>can rain over a couple. Guys need support and are many times forgotten about when the subject of infertility is brought into the conversation. It can be isolating for him because society has put the emphasis on the female throughout the resolution of this disease and the guys tend to step aside as the supporting role often are overlooked.Let him know he is not alone show your support during HIS infertility resolution through treatment, adoption or transitioning to a childfree lifestyle. Here are a few tips on how you can support the men in your life who are dealing with infertility:<\/strong>Share this information with family and friends to help them support the men in your life dealing with infertility.<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t\tUnderstand That His Role In Family Building Is Just As Important\n\t\t\t\t\n
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\n\t\t\tCoping with Mother’s Day and Father’s Day\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\tSupport Him During Father’s Day\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t