I’m a firm believer in sharing your story with others. For my husband and I, it has been the recent struggle of trying to conceive (TTC) for a year and a half. Now I’m nine months pregnant and anxiously waiting the day I get to meet my little girl. But I don’t want to forget what those 18 months felt like and how that is a part of my story.

Here are a few things I considered before sharing my experience with TTC:

Why share your story – I believe that connecting with others is a wonderful and powerful part of life. Being vulnerable with others is how we connect and deepen our appreciation of life and of each other. For myself, I chose to “go public” with our story of struggling with conception after my husband and I became pregnant. Because I openly shared, friends and acquaintances shared personal stories with me and I learned that story wasn’t a lonely one.

Who to share your story with – Maybe you don’t feel comfortable with your personal business going “Facebook live.” Think through who you are comfortable sharing your story with. I advise discussing it over with your partner before either of you decide to share it with anyone. You might decide to limit telling a few close friends and family, or decide that you want to be a mouthpiece for TTC and open the discussion within your circle and social network.

How to share your story – Maybe you’re a writer, like myself, and blogging is the natural way to share. But maybe you’re not. Share your story in the way you feel most comfortable. If you are best communicating face-to-face, share with those as it comes up in conversation. Are you gifted in arts or photography? However you are skilled, consider using it to tell your story.

My hope is that if you are TTC and haven’t shared your feelings with anyone yet, this article would encourage you to share with those family and friends who you find appropriate. One thing about struggling with TTC is you are not nearly as alone as it feels and you shouldn’t feel ashamed or embarrassed by your struggle.

If you struggled or are currently struggling with TTC, how are you sharing your story?

This week is Infertility Awareness Week and you might wonder why the heck you should be aware of it, especially if you’ve never had to deal with fertility issues. Well, it seems like most people don’t know much at all about infertility unless it happens to them — and they’re really caught off guard by the facts. Plus, fertility problems are so common that you’re likely to have a friend, sibling or other family member who does. And you want to be supportive right? According to Cynthia Murdock, MD, staff physician and fertility specialist in Reproductive Medicine at RMA of Connecticut, these are some common infertility misconceptions—and she shares the real deal on them:

Myth #1: It’s a Woman’s Thing

You might think that most infertility issues are related to ovulation and other female stuff, but Murdock says, in the couples that seek treatment in her office, about 40 percent find out the trouble is with the woman only. 40 percent find out it’s with the man and in the remaining 20 percent, it’s both of them. “That’s why it’s important to evaluate both members,” she says . “It’s a couple’s issue and affects the relationship. Regardless of who has a problem, they have to go through this together.”

Myth #2: It Doesn’t Affect People in Their 20s

We’re always hearing about how women are more likely to have trouble getting pregnant if they’re over 35, but younger women can be affected by infertility too. “If they’ve been trying for a year and haven’t gotten pregnant, they need to go and get an evaluation, no matter their age,” says Murdock.

Myth #3: If You’re Not Pregnant By Now, You’re Doing Something Wrong

“Some people think they’re not timing things right or doing the right things to get pregnant,” adds Murdock, but if you’ve gone that full year without birth control and without conceiving, it’s less likely you’re doing something wrong and more likely there’s a physical problem. “Infertility is a disease and needs to be treated,” she adds.

Myth #4: Just Relax and You’ll Get Pregnant

Sure, stress can affect someone’s ability to conceive, but it’s more likely that having infertility makes someone stressed. And “relaxing” isn’t as easy as a lot of people make it seem. Murdock encourages patients to try yoga, acupuncture and other de-stressing methods while going through fertility testing and treatment. For some patients, this could help them get pregnant faster, but mostly they’re great ways to deal with their stress. So is going to counseling or joining a support group.

Myth #5: With Fertility Treatments, You’ll Definitely Conceive

When patients get fertility testing, they’re often given their chances of conceiving without treatment and with treatment. Often the chance without treatment is around 5 percent, says Murdock. With treatment it will be much higher, depending on age and the reason for infertility. “For someone under 35, their chance might be around 65 percent, for example,” says Murdock. “But people are surprised by that. They say, ‘Wow, I thought it would be 100 percent!’” So for many couples, the road to having a baby is long and hard.

Myth #6: You Have to Keep It on the DL

Some couples are embarrassed or shy about telling people they’re dealing with infertility, but having a fertility problem is no one’s fault. Many find that sharing with friends or with other couples going through it makes them feel stronger and better about their situation. So if you’re having trouble conceiving, chat with others like you on our message boards. You just might find it makes a world of difference to have a support group.

Plus, more from The Bump:

10 Crazy Fertility Myths You Shouldn”t Believe

New Advances In Fertility Treatments

How Much Fertility Treatments Really Cost