PAIL Bloggers

About the Community

PAIL Bloggers is a community resource bringing together bloggers whose writing touches on infertility, pregnancy, loss, parenting, and family building. The site exists as a shared space for readers and writers navigating these experiences.

What is PAIL Bloggers?

A community resource for “what comes next,” featuring a blogroll of contributors and monthly theme posts covering infertility, pregnancy, parenting, and family building.

Who is the audience?

Individuals navigating infertility, pregnancy, loss, and early parenthood.

Is this site a medical or counseling service?

No. PAIL Bloggers shares community writing and does not offer medical advice or professional counseling services.

PAIL Bloggers exists as a shared gathering place for writers and readers who are navigating the often complicated terrain of trying to start one, growing it, or living with it. The community welcomes reflections on infertility, pregnancy, parenting after a struggle, loss, and the many ways families are built, including through adoption, donor gametes, or fostering. By bringing these voices together, the site aims to remind readers that they are not alone in their experiences. The blogroll format encourages a steady flow of personal essays, themed posts, and community updates that highlight the diversity of paths people take. In this way, the platform serves as both a record and a resource for anyone seeking connection through storytelling during seasons that can feel isolating or difficult to articulate with those outside the journey.

Participation in PAIL Bloggers is open to writers whose work resonates with the community's focus on family building and the realities that surround it. Contributors are invited to share posts that reflect their personal experiences, whether those involve treatment decisions, pregnancy milestones, parenting moments, or the quieter days of healing and hope. Each month often brings a designated subject, encouraging writers to explore a shared angle while still honoring their own stories and voice. Readers who are not ready to write but wish to engage are welcome to follow along, comment thoughtfully, and pass along posts to others who may find comfort in them. The aim is to create a respectful, supportive environment where honesty is valued and where varied experiences can coexist within a single conversation.

The monthly theme posts function as a gentle rhythm for the community, offering prompts that help writers and bloggers reflect on a common experience from their own perspective. Themes may touch on topics such as body image, mental health, traditions, fears, identity, or the small and large moments that define family building. These prompts are not meant to dictate content but rather to invite participation and spark reflection during months when inspiration is needed. Writers are free to interpret each theme broadly, sharing personal stories, observations, or commentary that feel true to their journey. Readers benefit from this rhythm by encountering a range of voices responding to the same prompt, which can deepen understanding and create a sense of shared experience across the blogroll throughout the calendar year.

Beyond the blogroll and themed posts, PAIL Bloggers also maintains a presence across the wider web through social channels and community listings, helping readers discover new voices and stay connected with ongoing conversations. The site occasionally highlights featured posts, book club selections, or awareness events that align with its mission, including moments tied to broader observances within the infertility and loss community. Contributors and readers alike are encouraged to engage respectfully, recognizing that each story carries its own weight and meaning. The overall goal is to sustain a welcoming, informative space that honors the complexity of family building while making it easier for people to find writing that reflects their own hopes, struggles, and realities. In doing so, the community continues to serve as a steady companion through seasons of waiting, growth, and change.

Reading the Blogroll

Contributing blogs are organized by where each writer currently finds themselves. Visitors can browse the blogroll by status to find writers sharing similar stages.

What blogroll categories are used?

Currently Waiting, Babies Under 1 Year, Babies Aged 1-2 Years, and Kids Aged 2+ Years.

Where can I find the blogroll?

The blogroll is linked from the Home page under the main navigation.

Monthly Themes & Featured Posts

Each month, contributors respond to a shared prompt. Past prompts and featured highlights are kept on the site as a record of community conversations.

What kinds of monthly themes appear on the site?

Past themes include March 2012 (Breastfeeding), April 2012 (Parenting Styles), August 2012 (Screen Time), September 2012 (Guilt & Grieving), January 2013 (Where Do Babies Come From?), May 2013 (Body Image), and November 2013 (How Long Is Your Leash?).

Where can past posts be found?

Monthly themes are listed under the Themes link, and featured collections from 2012 and 2013 are organized under the Featured link.

Joining & Getting in Touch

How can someone reach the site team?

Visit the Contact page to get in touch with the PAIL Bloggers team.

How can I learn more about the bloggers?

The Contributors page introduces the bloggers who participate in the community.

Where can I return to the main page?

The Home link in the primary navigation returns to the main page.