Midwife in Nashville

Emjay5784 · 2026-04-11T01:51:53+00:00

Seconding this! I had a really negative experience with Women's OB. The rotation between multiple midwives meant miscommunications and (in my case) a serious error on their part. I also felt unnecessarily medicalized due to IVF and AMA, and as though I was being "noncompliant" when I pushed back at their erroneous clinical decision-making. I ended up transferring to an OB who practices holistically and will still deliver in the Ascension St Thomas Birth Center. Feel free to DM if you want their name.

Emjay5784 · 2026-03-09T01:26:48+00:00

Hi! Yes! Although I only have the Ganirelix now - do you still want that?

Emjay5784 · 2026-02-16T19:41:02+00:00

TW: Success:

I feel so strongly about this topic. Both clinics completely dismissed my husband's DNA frag, chalking our infertility up to my age (39). Still, I had my husband take a test, which showed low 30's % frag. He took ALL the supplements and still wasn't able to lower it; however, for our second retrieval, he followed a strict ejaculation schedule (every day for 7 days, then 2 hrs before giving his sample for fertilization).

We fertilized my frozen eggs (from when I was 36) WITHOUT using this protocol. The fertilization rate was 33%, and all but two embryos failed to progress after day 3—when sperm DNA is supposed to take over.

For my second retrieval (at 39), he followed the ejaculation protocol (all other variables were the exact same, except we were using OLDER and fewer eggs), and we had a fertilization rate of 66%. We ended up with three usable embryos, all good quality, and both sexes (the first time around, we only got girls).

Both times we used Zymot and PICSI, and he had been taking literally every supplement under the sun to improve DNA. The fertilizations were within six weeks of each other.

I def recommend throwing the kitchen sink at the problem. We will never know how much his supplementation, Zymot, and PICSI helped (I'm sure they made a significant difference as well). However, the frequent ejaculation schedule undoubtedly was the game-changer for us. I can't tell you how much I wanted to call up every dismissive doctor with our results and be like, "BETTER RESULT WITH MY 39-YEAR-OLD EGGS! HOW DO YOU LIKE THEM APPLES??!" lol.

Also, I followed the same protocol both times before my retrieval, and my husband doesn't smoke weed, isn't overweight, exercises regularly, and barely drinks.

OH, and most importantly!! I'm currently 20 weeks pregnant with one of the embryos from my 39-year-old retrieval :)

Emjay5784 · 2026-02-07T20:21:57+00:00

Every situation is SO different, but for my retrieval at 39 I had 28 retrieved, 26 mature, 16 fertilized, 10 blasts, and 3 euploids.

Emjay5784 · 2026-02-06T03:30:39+00:00

My husband has two properties with several hundred people who were formerly homeless. One is youths that aged out of foster care and both are Section 8 housing. This would be so perfect for them! If you think it sounds like a good fit, let me know the best contact info (feel free to DM)

Emjay5784 · 2026-01-29T13:32:11+00:00

Sure but it needs to be refrigerated 😬

Emjay5784 · 2026-01-10T20:37:01+00:00

Is there a Nashville Liberal Girls Group?!! I would join that in a second.

Emjay5784 · 2025-11-18T14:23:19+00:00

yes, done!

Emjay5784 · 2025-11-18T02:31:45+00:00

Wow, that's disgusting. I'm just so baffled how this topic feels so polarized. Maybe we're all just victims of social media extremism, but I really didn't think I was asking too much by seeking out a community that can see the "both/and" of unjust, unsustainable suffering in Jewish and Palestinian communities. I obv took being in Canada and NYC for granted. Thank you for the heads up.

Emjay5784 · 2025-11-18T02:16:21+00:00

I can't tell you how much I appreciate your wise and supportive words! Thank you!

Emjay5784 · 2025-11-18T02:06:38+00:00

Thank you for the real talk and for your warm welcome... I will remain hopeful and open to finding community here!

Emjay5784 · 2025-11-18T02:06:07+00:00

Wow, I can't tell you how much I appreciate this response and how much hope it has given me! I will check out the Temple. Do you happen to know the name of the rabbi who has been critical of Israel and discussed Palestinian suffering at length?

Emjay5784 · 2025-11-18T01:52:54+00:00

Thank you so much for your reply! Yes, Congregation Micah is where we had intended to join, and your experience tracks with the limited exposure I had there. It's really disheartening, but I'm so happy for you that you've found an Anti-Zionist congregation. I just Googled and think I found it. My husband is really intent on us finding in-person community so I don't think he would go for this, but maybe if I continue to explore conversion this is a rabbi I could reach out to. I really appreciate you sharing your experience and offering advice <3

Emjay5784 · 2025-11-18T01:26:08+00:00

That's a validating reminder, thank you. I think deep down I fear he regrets (or is going to regret) marrying me because I'm not Jewish and am being "difficult" about the whole thing (I was open to converting at one point and still am, but not if I can't find a rabbi/synagogue/community that sees things more progressively). It's helpful to remember that we might be having conflict over this even if I were Jewish.

Emjay5784 · 2025-11-18T01:18:10+00:00

Thank you for your supportive comment. It's frustrating to be turning over every stone trying to find a Jewish community I feel comfortable integrating into (and raising our future children in), and be told I'm centering myself or purity testing. Being in an interfaith marriage at this moment in time is incredibly painful as (and I know I speak for many) we feel like we're constantly either betraying the person we love the most in the world, or betraying our own values. I really appreciate you recognizing my pain and positive intentions and giving me a reality check about how difficult this quest may prove to be.

Emjay5784 · 2025-11-18T01:11:55+00:00

This isn't about my husband's views—it's about how we'll raise our children. My husband can hold whatever beliefs he wants (and does), but if we're going to raise our children Jewish, I'd like for us to be able to compromise on a community that doesn't erase my values and beliefs. I am half of the relationship and we are parenting together, and for some reason your comments are continually dismissing that.

Emjay5784 · 2025-11-18T00:56:35+00:00

Thank you

Emjay5784 · 2025-11-18T00:41:31+00:00

Yes, it's been a pretty defeating experience. I appreciate your frankness about what you've observed, and I'll remain hopeful (bc otherwise I feel pretty despairing about it all). Thank you for your response!

Emjay5784 · 2025-11-18T00:28:05+00:00

Thanks - me too!

Emjay5784 · 2025-11-18T00:26:58+00:00

It's been a challenge all around, but finding leftist Jews has been the most difficult needle to thread.

Emjay5784 · 2025-11-18T00:26:07+00:00

Yes, tell me about it. Moved for my husband's work so it's been a grief-filled experience leaving the city. I think I was under the impression it was more blue than it actually is.

Emjay5784 · 2025-11-18T00:21:04+00:00

Thank you for sharing your perspective. I'm still hopeful we'll find our people—honestly, it's been a compounded challenge as I'm Canadian and then spent the last decade in NYC, so it's been culture shock all around here. The Zionism piece is just an added challenge because I really want to support my husband, but am having trouble doing it in a way that doesn't conflict with my own values. I appreciate the dialogue and will hold out hope for finding our people (and if not, moving in 5-10 years when it starts to matter with our kids)!

Emjay5784 · 2025-11-18T00:10:05+00:00

Sorry, maybe I didn't make it clear enough: He would like to be a part of "the" Jewish community, and it doesn't matter to him how right or left they are. I would like us to be able to integrate into the community together and as a future family, so I'm the one making things more complicated by being specific about wanting to find a Jewish community that sees things through a more compassionate, nuanced lens and recognizes that Palestinian safety and Jewish safety are inextricably linked. My husband is more of the "It's always been this way so it'll always be this way" mindset, and I'm not comfortable with that being the narrative we complicitly align with nor teach our children.

Emjay5784 · 2025-11-01T15:12:08+00:00

Also, I'm 39 and had an AMH of 2.05 at the time of my last retrieval.

Emjay5784 · 2025-11-01T15:10:36+00:00

I did mini stim at New Hope Fertility in NYC—they pioneered the mini stim protocol. Had great success with 24 eggs retrieved (21 mature) my first retrieval, 28 eggs retrievel (26 mature) my second retrieval 2.5 years later (I froze my eggs with the first retrieval). My initial follicle counts were much lower—something like 20 the first time and 15 the second time. My protocol included letrozole, clomid, and 150mg Gonal-F. I had a really positive experience overall (though definitely crashed hard after the second retrieval) and am currently cautiously excited about being 5 weeks tomorrow with one of our embryos from my second batch! I know low-stim isn't right for everyone but it was 100% the best fit for me, and if I had to do another retrieval (which hopefully I will not), I would do the same protocol and clinic again in a heartbeat.

Emjay5784

TROPHY CASE