IVF Failed You - The "So Now What?" Podcast cover art

IVF Failed You - The "So Now What?" Podcast

IVF Failed You - The "So Now What?" Podcast

By: Lana Manikowski
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I am an infertility survivor—the kind you never hope to become: childless. After enduring multiple rounds of IUI and IVF at some of the leading fertility centers, I was advised to discontinue treatment. When my fertility journey ended, I was offered no resources to help me navigate the reality of an unexpected childless life. I was left asking: So now what? In the years that followed, I tried to convince myself I'd be OK, but I wasn't. I felt shattered, alone, and failed—not just by the process but by my own body. I longed for someone who truly understood the pain I felt, a guide to help me navigate a life without children. But I couldn't find it. So, I decided to create it. Today, I am still childless, but I've redefined what that means. I've learned that a meaningful and purposeful life is possible, even without motherhood. I've learned to love myself and embrace the body I once felt had let me down. Through my certification in life coaching and my own transformation, I've discovered tools and insights that helped me thrive—and I'm here to share them with you on The "So Now What?" Podcast. If you've been on this journey, join me as we build what we were never offered: a sisterhood for the bravest women I know. Together, we'll rewrite the narrative, shedding labels like failed, unexplained, miscarriage, pregnancy loss, not-viable, or advanced maternal age. Follow me on Instagram: @lana.manikowski for resources, inspiration, and opportunities to live a fulfilling life without the children you dreamed of. Personal Development Personal Success Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Birthdays After IVF Failed | Childless and Aging After Infertility

    Birthdays After IVF Failed | Childless and Aging After Infertility
    May 27 2026
    Birthdays After IVF Failed | Childless and Aging After Infertility What happens when birthdays stop feeling celebratory after IVF failed? For many women who are childless after infertility, birthdays can feel like painful reminders of everything that did not happen: • Another year older. • Another year without children. • Another year wondering what your future is supposed to look like now. In this deeply personal episode of The "So Now What?" Podcast, Lana Manikowski opens up about turning 52 after seven years of infertility, IUI, and IVF treatments that ended without a child. She shares the silent fears many women carry about aging without motherhood, feeling disconnected from themselves, and questioning their purpose, identity, and future after fertility treatments end. This episode explores: • Why birthdays can feel emotionally painful after IVF failed. • The fear of aging without children. • Feeling like your "real life" never started after infertility. • The identity loss that happens when motherhood does not happen. • Fear around legacy, purpose, and who will care for you later in life. • Why women often feel lost for years after fertility treatments end. • What helped Lana stop measuring her life against motherhood milestones. • How to begin creating meaning and connection after childlessness not by choice. If you have ever wondered: "What does aging look like without children?" "Who am I without motherhood?" "How do I stop feeling behind in life after infertility?" …this episode is for you. Lana also shares details about a confidential research study through Northwestern University focused on understanding the experiences and support needs of women whose fertility treatments ended without a live birth. Mentioned in this episode Participate in an anonymous Northwestern University Research Study for women who have left fertility treatments without a child. Researchers are gathering insight about the emotional experiences, unmet needs, and long-term impact of life after infertility so fertility clinics can better support future patients. The confidential survey is open to anyone in the world who meets the eligibility requirements. Click here to participate in the Northwestern University research study Download "The Top 27 Things People Say When You're Childless," a free guide to help you respond to painful, awkward, and insensitive comments after infertility without spiraling, overexplaining, or losing yourself in the conversation. Get the free guide here Read Lana's bestselling book, "So Now What?", the resource she wishes her fertility clinic had given her after seven years of infertility, IUI, and IVF ended without a baby. This book helps women navigate identity, grief, purpose, relationships, and creating a meaningful life after infertility. Read "So Now What?" here Learn more about Thrive After Infertility, Lana's 12-week coaching program for women who are childless after infertility and ready to stop feeling stuck in grief, disconnected from themselves, and uncertain about the future. Learn more about Thrive After Infertility Schedule a free 45-minute Thrive Call with Lana to talk through where you are right now, what feels hardest about life after infertility, and what it could look like to begin moving forward without the children you dreamed of. Schedule your free Thrive Call here Follow Lana on Instagram for conversations about life after IVF failed, childlessness after infertility, aging without children, healing identity after infertility, and creating a meaningful future when motherhood did not happen. Follow Lana on Instagram
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    15 mins
  • Childless After Infertility? You Still Belong

    Childless After Infertility? You Still Belong
    May 19 2026

    Childless After Infertility? You Still Belong

    If you've ever felt like everyone else moved forward after IVF while you were left trying to figure out where you fit… this episode is for you.

    In Episode 205 of The "So Now What?" Podcast, Lana Manikowski shares a deeply personal recap of The Other's Day® weekend in Chicago, where women from 13 states gathered for connection, friendship, healing, and belonging after infertility and childlessness.

    But this episode is about much more than a weekend event.

    It's about what happens when you stop seeing yourself as the outsider.

    You'll hear honest conversation about the emotional aftermath of infertility, the loneliness many women experience after fertility treatments end without a baby, and why so many women quietly question who they are now once the future they imagined never happened.

    Lana shares:
    • Why Mother's Day weekend can feel emotionally exhausting when you are childless not by choice.
    • The hidden identity shifts that happen after IVF failed.
    • How infertility impacts friendships, marriage, confidence, and connection.
    • What it was like watching women who once felt disconnected instantly connect during The Other's Day® celebrations.
    • Why you already belong, even if motherhood didn't happen.
    • The emotional experience of meeting Thrive After Infertility clients in person after years of coaching together online.
    • Why healing is not about becoming someone different, but reconnecting to yourself and your life again.
    • How women are building meaningful, connected, joy-filled lives after infertility.

    This episode is for you if:
    • You feel disconnected from friends after infertility.
    • Mother's Day still feels hard after IVF failed.
    • You wonder where you fit now that fertility treatments are over.
    • You are struggling to picture a meaningful future without children.
    • You want to feel connected, grounded, and hopeful again.

    You are not broken.
    You are not behind.
    And you do not have to keep navigating this alone.

    ✨ Mentioned in this episode:

    Join the waitlist for The Other's Day® 2027 in Chicago (May 7–8, 2027):
    The Other's Day® Waitlist

    Participate in the confidential Northwestern University research study for women whose fertility treatment ended without a live birth:
    Northwestern Fertility Treatment Research Study

    Schedule a free Thrive Call with Lana:
    Book a Thrive Call

    Download the free guide: The Top 27 Things People Say When You're Childless and How to Respond
    Get the Free Guide Here

    Learn more about Thrive After Infertility

    Connect with Lana on Instagram:
    Instagram @lana.manikowski
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    17 mins
  • Belonging When You're Infertile and Childless

    Belonging When You're Infertile and Childless
    Apr 28 2026
    Belonging When You're Infertile and Childless What happens when fertility treatments end and there's no baby? It's a question that rarely gets discussed in the infertility world, yet it's the reality so many women face after IVF fails, fertility treatments end, or you make the painful decision to stop trying. In this episode of The "So Now What?" Podcast, I'm sharing the exact speech I recently gave at the Seeds of Hope Fertility Luncheon. What made this event especially powerful is that many women in the room ultimately became mothers after infertility. Their stories looked different than mine, but so many came up to me afterward and said: "I've never thought about what happens when fertility treatment ends without a baby." And that's exactly why this conversation matters. If you're infertile and childless, navigating life after IVF failed, or trying to figure out how to rebuild your identity when motherhood didn't happen, this episode will remind you that you still belong. In this episode, you'll hear: • Why there's a major gap in fertility care when treatment ends without a live birth. • Details about the new research study I'm supporting with Northwestern University focused on women whose fertility treatments ended without a baby. • Why being handed brochures for adoption, donor eggs, or more treatment is not the same as actual support. • The friendship brunch moment that made me question whether I still belonged. • Why so many women feel like motherhood is what makes them feel relevant or included in adulthood. • How one of my clients stopped disappearing from her own life after infertility. • Why creating new traditions and redefining your future matters when motherhood is no longer part of your path. • Why I created The Other's Day® for women who need a place to belong around Mother's Day. • How to stop waiting for life to begin and start creating a life you feel proud of. Your story may not look like what you planned. That does not make your life any less meaningful. And it absolutely does not make you any less worthy of belonging. Links Mentioned in This Episode Participate in the Northwestern Research Study This anonymous survey is open worldwide for women whose fertility treatments ended without a live birth. It takes about 20 minutes. https://redcap.nubic.northwestern.edu/redcap/surveys/?s=LM4TX4MJN3HRR7ER Get Tickets to The Other's Day® (May 8–9 in Chicago) Friday: The Foundation (yoga, guided meditation + sound bath) Saturday: The Other's Day® Brunch Attend one event or both. https://lanamanikowski.com/othersday Read Chapter 1 of "So Now What?" https://lana-manikowski.myflodesk.com/chapter1 Buy "So Now What?" https://www.lanamanikowski.com/book Free Guide: Top 27 Things People Say When You're Childless https://lana-manikowski.myflodesk.com/thingspeoplesay Book a Thrive Call https://calendly.com/lanamanikowski/strategy-session Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lana.manikowski/ TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@lana.manikowski YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@lana.manikowski If this episode resonated with you, share it with another woman navigating infertility, IVF failed cycles, or life after fertility treatments end. And if you haven't already, please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so more women searching for support after infertility can find this conversation. I hope you have a beautiful week. I love you, and remember that it's never too late to discover your meaning. I'll talk to you next week.
    Show More Show Less
    19 mins
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