This is part 3 in our “Infertility on screen” series. You can read part 1 here, where Brandy discussed Up, Beetlejuice, and Julie & Julia, and read part 2 here, where C. J. explored The Help, Trying and Black Widow. 

Infertility breaks your heart in places you didn’t know could crack. It’s the quiet disappointment after each cycle, the sadness that shows up in moments that were supposed to feel happy, and the way it creeps into your thoughts when you least expect it. If you’re reading this, you already know the pain. What you may not know is how much your mental health matters while you carry this cross.

It felt like it vanished without a trace. I went from having periods to no periods at all. Yes, I knew I was in perimenopause. Yes, I knew my periods would become far less regular. Yes, I knew my egg reserve was diminishing. Yes, I knew it was a rite of passage that I could not avoid. Still, I could not believe it was already here: menopause. I was only 48! I had been infertile for a number of years and had grieved every milestone I didn’t get to reach: becoming pregnant agai