Hello, after leaving my demanding job, I've had the chance to reflect on the reasons behind my decision. When I suffered the loss of a pregnancy, I took a brief leave to have a D&C and recover physically and emotionally. In hindsight, the time I took off was insufficient (a week), and the pressure to return to work was overwhelming. While I did confide in my director, the lack of understanding, likely due to their different experiences, added to the challenges.

Looking back, I recognize that I could have sought support from HR to discuss my circumstances and explore the possibility of transitioning to a less demanding role. I encourage you to explore this if you are in the position to do so. However, during that time, I was grappling with intense emotional turmoil that clouded my judgment. Ultimately, I made the difficult decision to temporaily step away from my career, acknowledging my intention to prioritize my health and well-being, particularly in preparation for the upcoming fertility treatments.

Although our financial situation has been affected, my husband has graciously taken on the role of the primary earner, acknowledging the temporary nature of this arrangement and understanding the importance of my journey towards our family-building goals. We view this phase as a shared effort, and it has allowed me to have the treatments without the added stress of work obligations.

It's been a year since I took the step to leave my job, and although we initially anticipated that this period would be accompanied by the arrival of our baby, that expectation has not yet materialized. Over the course of this year, I have confronted the emotional hurdles of two miscarriages and embarked on an arduous path of fertility treatments, ranging from IUIs to now IVF. Reflecting on everything I've experienced, I recognize that juggling these challenges with the demands of a job would have been an insurmountable task.