Soldier-mother writes children’s book on ‘love, hope and infertility’ to help improve understanding, encourage discussion

Courtesy Photo | Ohio Army National Guard 1st Sgt. Kellie Feciuch is the co-author of “The Lady Bird Story: A Story of Love, Hope, & Infertility,” a children’s book based on her own numerous challenges with becoming pregnant, which ultimately resulted in the birth of her son Bennett (pictured), now 4. Feciuch said she wrote the book, which tells the story of a bird whose eggs continually crack in her nest until she sees a doctor bird, in part, to help people better understand infertility and to encourage them to talk more openly and meaningfully about it. (Courtesy photo)  

OH, UNITED STATES

05.06.2022

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Chad Menegay 

Ohio National Guard Public Affairs

To conceive or not to conceive; that is a loaded question for many struggling with infertility. Given the stress and grief infertility can cause, conversations with loved ones on the sensitive topic can often further pressurize an already psychologically, socially and culturally charged circumstance.

One mother who struggled with infertility helped write a children’s book on the subject, in part, to help people better understand infertility and encourage them to talk more openly and meaningfully about it.

“I hope that people are getting a better view of what infertility looks like. The desire, the passion and the experience, overall, of what infertility looks like, what that feels like because I think a lot of people don’t understand it,” said 1st Sgt. Kellie Feciuch, co-author of “The Lady Bird Story: A Story of Love, Hope, & Infertility” and a psychological health coordinator for the Ohio Army National Guard.

Feciuch, who wrote the story while she was pregnant, said that she initially wrote the book for her son, Bennett, now 4, so he would have a better understanding of her journey with him, to what extent he was a labor of love and how much she desired him to be in her life.

“I have been telling him the story since he was 6 months old, and over the years he would use his own language to interrupt the story,” Feciuch said. “So, I took his lead and made those adjustments for my target audience. But, most importantly, he’s a part of this because, essentially, this is his story. So, I feel like it’s more his story than it is even my story because this is something that will carry with him for the rest of his life.”

The story sets out to depict the compounded pain and sorrow Feciuch experienced — both from miscarriages and the monthly disappointments in anticipating a pregnancy after trying many different medical treatments — in a friendly, open and vibrant way that isn’t a scary experience for children, but instead heartfelt and inviting. “The Lady Bird Story” tells the tale of a bird whose eggs continually crack in her nest until she sees a doctor bird.

“In the story, Lady Bird struggled to reach out for any kind of support,” Feciuch said. “She tried to push through. She continued to deteriorate, became lonely, isolated and depressed. She got to a very low point before she finally decided it was time to reach out and get that help.”

Feciuch, a combat veteran, works regularly with Soldiers in her role as a psychological health coordinator to help them be more comfortable with asking for help.

“For Soldiers, that’s an all-too-common theme, that we try to push through rather than seeking help,” she said.

Meredith Duly, a friend and former platoon leader, called Feciuch a hard worker who “cares about all of her Soldiers.”

“She will go out of her way to help anybody at any time. So, I think that translates to her mom life because she’s always willing to help anybody, to share her journeys and her struggles. It’s the same thing with Bennett. She is an amazing mom and will always put him first,” said Duly, executive officer for Company G, 237th Support Battalion in Medina, Ohio.

Another close friend of Feciuch’s, Gemma Murray, said that in speaking with Bennett about the book, he is excited that there’s a story about how he came to existence.

“We sat down and read it together,” Murray said. “I had them both sign and autograph my book, and I absolutely love it. He’s proud of his mom, everything that she does. He’s just a really good kid.”

“The Lady Bird Story” was published Oct. 27 last year, which was the same date as Feciuch’ s embryonic transfer a few years earlier.

“I have had a lot of positive responses from my readers,” Feciuch said. “I have even had people who are currently struggling with infertility reach out to me for support. Infertility is still a taboo subject for a lot of people, and I hope my book opens more conversations moving forward.”

• Date Taken: 05.06.2022
• Date Posted: 05.06.2022 15:43
• Story ID: 420184
• Location: OH, US