Tips for a Happy and Comfortable Thanksgiving With Loved Ones Dealing With Infertility 

Though Thanksgiving is typically depicted as a fun time for the whole family, it can lead to a lot of unpleasant drama if one person says the wrong thing. Therefore, it is very important to be thoughtful when you are discussing sensitive topics with friends and family members. If you have a loved one who is suffering from infertility, you may need to be extra careful. Make sure to avoid saying these five things when chatting with family and friends at Thanksgiving.

Have You Tried This Pregnancy Procedure Yet?

Talking about medical treatments of any kind may lead to awkwardness. An infertile person may resent suggestions about getting their eggs or sperm tested because this could feel like you are blaming them. Bringing up medical procedures like IVF can also backfire because it may remind the infertile person of budgetary issues that are preventing them from trying the procedure. Just trust that the couple is knowledgeable enough to find their own solutions.

Just Relax and It Will Happen Eventually

A lot of couples agree that this is one of the most frustrating things to hear when struggling with infertility because being told to relax just makes it more difficult to do so. First of all, it is completely unhelpful, since the reality is that infertility often benefits from medical intervention. Secondly, it tends to subtly suggest that the infertile person is to blame for their own infertility. Even if you just meant to be reassuring, that sort of statement can cause hurt feelings.

Trust in God

Keep in mind that religion can be one of the most controversial subjects to bring up at a family Thanksgiving. You can never be certain of anyone else’s faith, so they may find this sort of conversational topic awkward. Even if the infertile person shares your faith, you might risk offending them by accidentally implying that they are infertile because they are not being properly religious.

I’m Pregnant!

This one seems rather obvious, but it is worth emphasizing just how hurtful others pregnancy announcements can be. It may be best to just share your own happy news quietly with other family members instead of making a big announcement that will remind the infertile person of their own difficulties. When sharing your news, try to be sensitive and leave out statements about how you got pregnant without even trying.

You’re Lucky You Don’t Have Kids

When the awkward topic of infertility comes up, a lot of parents rush to reassure others by telling them about all the troubles that come with parenthood. The reality is that most infertile couples would love to be dealing with all the work and stress of having children, so these sorts of statements can be unintentionally hurtful. Try to avoid going on and on about how unpleasant or difficult it is to be a parent or deal with a pregnancy.

As long as you avoid these five subjects, you should be able to interact normally with your loved ones at Thanksgiving. Infertility is a challenging situation, so they will appreciate being able to spend time with their friends and family without being hurt by insensitive statements. With a little extra caution, you can navigate around conversational landmines and focus on enjoying your Thanksgiving.