Alisha and John’s Story

Ok, let's start with the basics.

• Type of couple: Heterosexual couple

• Carrier: Alisha, 42

• Partner: John, 50

• TTC: 6 years

• Previous treatments: 1 IVF cycle, 1 syringe kit

First of all, where are you today?

• I'm 24 weeks pregnant with the Béa Treatment Kit

• My due date is December 24th - we're having a Christmas baby girl!

Tell us about your fertility and how long you've been TTC...

We started trying six years ago, and it's been quite a journey. We did IVF three years ago after waiting a whole year just to start treatment. We could only get one round on the NHS before I turned 40, so we literally just squeezed in that October cycle. When it didn't work just before Christmas, and then I turned 40, we weren't eligible for more funded rounds.

The IVF experience was really tough. I was lucky not to have severe side effects like some of our friends, but it still took a toll. I didn't feel like myself for four months afterwards. It's so time-consuming - you're at the clinic every two days, it takes over your life completely, and it's very chemical. You really lose yourself in the process. We decided that wasn't something we would do again, whether funded or private. The financial and emotional expense was just too much without guaranteed results.

"It was natural. It was a completely different experience. The symptoms were natural - they weren't forced."

We tried a competitor product last year and actually got pregnant on the first month, which was amazing. We thought, "Okay, this works, we just needed a little bit of help." But then we lost the baby at eight weeks, which was really hard. Since we knew it could work, we wanted to try something that would give us more accuracy and better performance.

What made you decide to try Béa?

After our loss, we did more research. We compared about three different companies, looking at price, methodology, and equipment. We really liked that Béa had NHS tests as well - that felt more reassuring.

When we first saw the Béa kit, it was quite scary because it's much bigger than the other products we'd tried! But we went to one of the monthly Q&A sessions, and Nicole was so impressive - very friendly, approachable, and professional. She answered all our questions, and we both left trusting the company. It had a proper medical feel but also warmth.

The other company we'd looked at had everyone on camera during their webinar, which felt unprofessional. You could see couples on their sofas eating dinner - it didn't give you confidence in something so important. With Béa's webinar style, there was an element of privacy that felt right.

How did you feel about using the Béa Treatment?

I really liked that it was see-through so I could see the mechanism and how it worked. I could actually see the sperm going in. The instructions were very easy to follow, and having the string was absolutely crucial for me.

The competitor product we'd used before didn't have a string, and I had a terrifying experience where the disc got lost inside me for about 14 hours. I was crying, thinking we'd have to go to A&E. When we were researching, I said it had to have a string I could see and pull out - that was top of my requirements!

"The flexibility really helped too. When I was ovulating during the day, John could pop home during his lunch break, we could do what we needed to do, and then he'd go back to work."

John: The whole experience felt much more natural and comfortable compared to IVF. We didn't have to make trips to the clinic or wait around - we could spend all that time at home. The flexibility was amazing. I work five minutes away, so when Alisha was ovulating during the day, I could pop home during lunch, we could do what we needed to do, and then I'd go back to work. With IVF, you have strict appointments at the clinic, but with Béa, we could monitor when Alisha was ovulating and do it accordingly - morning, lunch, or night.

How do you feel about Béa now that you're pregnant?

We're just so grateful to Béa. I'm very thankful that you did the research to create a different way. If we'd known this existed, we would have done this five years ago - we might have had three kids by now!

The convenience of doing it around our schedule and timing was incredible. Even if you're wealthy, IVF is not cheap, and products like Béa are a fraction of the cost. You don't have to travel anywhere. It should be more widely known - it should be like a first step before people go through the trauma and expense of IVF.

How did your partner feel about Béa?

John: I thought the company seemed really good, everyone seemed very friendly, and I had faith in the product. When we had a faulty product one month, Sandy arranged for a replacement straight away, which was great service.

The process felt right because we knew there was a chance it might not work given our ages, but we also knew we'd had success with a similar product the year before. At least this way, there would be no side effects apart from emotional ones, which IVF definitely came with.

"We made a communication deal that if I felt different, I needed to tell him immediately. It really helped."

We also realized we had to make some lifestyle changes - diet, cutting down on alcohol. And communication was very important. We made a deal that if I felt different every 10 minutes, I needed to tell John. So I'd say things like, "Right now I feel very emotional, whatever you say I might cry," and then 15 minutes later, "I feel good right now, but don't say anything because I might murder you." We got into this really good habit, and it worked. We kept it up even after conception, and it's been really helpful throughout the pregnancy.

How did you feel when you found out you were pregnant?

We were very happy, but much more muted compared to last year because we knew the first couple of months were really risky. We arranged a private scan as soon as possible, and just hearing the heartbeat with the sonographer smiling - that was the best moment. We were in floods of tears that day.

People who haven't struggled to conceive don't quite understand what it's like to go through years of trying and miscarriage, and how nerve-wracking it is. From a scientific point of view, realizing that this little bit of liquid becomes something so small you can see on ultrasound, and then grows arms and legs - it really is a miracle.

"The moment you feel her kicking, it takes everything away. It's just amazing."

I've cried happy tears more in the last five months than I ever knew was possible. Despite all the pregnancy symptoms - exhaustion, cramps, bleeding gums, everything you can think of - the moment you feel her kicking, it takes everything away. These have definitely been the happiest five months of our seven-year relationship.

Would you recommend Béa to others that are TTC?

Absolutely. I think there should be more widely available knowledge about these options. If it's something serious medically, IVF makes sense, but for average lifestyle issues or "lazy swimmers," these are things you can solve with products like Béa.

I think the science of IVF is miraculous, but the business practices around it can be manipulative. Not everyone needs to jump straight to IVF - there should be more awareness of what's available as a first step.

Is there anything we could have done to help support you better?

The product could be a little gentler going in - because it's wider than a syringe, the first half centimeter was quite uncomfortable for me. I had to use some lubricant and just be brave and push through.

Also, we had one faulty product where the cap wasn't sealed properly and the sperm leaked out. It was emotionally heartbreaking because it was the day I was ovulating, and I felt like we'd wasted that cycle. But the team was super helpful and sent a replacement quickly.

If you met someone going through a similar TTC journey as yourself, what top tips would you give them?

Don't lose hope. We were kind of losing hope already when this pregnancy came as a surprise. Communication with your partner is absolutely crucial - create a system where you can express how you're feeling in the moment.

And do your research on all the options available. There are treatments between "nothing" and IVF that aren't well known. We wish we'd known about Béa years ago. It's not something the IVF industry will present to you - they want you to go straight to the expensive option.

Most importantly, if you have friends who are parents and have struggled, lean on them. People who got pregnant in two months don't understand what it's like to go through years of trying and loss. But those who have been through it really get the emotions involved and can offer the support you need.