The Baby Project sat down with Lucy Lines from Two Lines Fertility to talk about her work offering support and advice for parents-to-be…

What do you do?

“I offer independent fertility advice and support. From starting out, Biology 101, timing, things to look out for and knowing when to seek help, to helping you find the professionals best able to help, whether that’s a GP, a gynae, a fertility specialist, or even a professional offering adjunct therapy like reflexology or acupuncture.

“I look after clients right through to in-cycle IVF support, de-coding Dr Speak and helping them to feel more in control of their treatment.

What does a normal day look like?

“After I have spent some time looking after my own family, I then spend some time looking for recent news articles about fertility, any new scientific publications et cetera, and catching up with clients for an update depending on where they are in their treatment.

“It could be supporting someone through the two-week-wait after embryo transfer, or chatting to them after they have seen their specialist and making sure they understand their next steps, or it might be letting them know that I have spoken to their GP or specialist and filling them in on the details. It could be as simple as checking in to see how they are.

“I also spend some time communicating with doctors, specialists and clinics so that I remain up to date with who is who and what they are offering. Then of course there’s the admin aspect – website/Facebook/documenting notes… And I work in a chemist part time too!”

Who are your clients?

“So far, mainly women and couples from the west of Melbourne who are trying to start a family, or build on the family they already have. I have a few who are single women doing it on their own who just want the extra support, and a few couples who are just starting out and probably don’t need any treatment at the moment, just some guidance as to when to try and what they should and shouldn’t believe from Dr Google.

“I also have three couples who already have a child and are struggling to conceive a second, women who have had a few miscarriages, one who has had multiple cycles of IVF with no luck so far and a couple who are having genetic testing for a condition that runs in their family”

What makes you so good at what you do?

“I love to chat and I’m passionate about empowering people with regard to their fertility. I have years and years of experience dealing with all aspects of fertility, from the lab (actually making babies!) right through to clinic management and GP education. I am a scientist, but I don’t speak science-speak (much!) and I love to break things down to analogies that people can understand, and help people feel a bit more in control and relaxed about the treatment they are having – anxiety plays a huge role in fertility!”

What would you like women going through or consider IVF to know?

“Don’t believe everything you read – especially on Dr Google! And not all fertility specialists are the same! Just because your friend liked one, doesn’t mean it will be the right one for you. And you might not actually need IVF. Its one step on the pathway, but it’s not the end goal. Less than 50 per cent of women referred to a fertility specialist end up having IVF”

For more information or to get in touch with Lucy Lines, visit the Two Lines Fertility website.