Breaking the Stigma of Infertility (feat. Samantha Busch)

Summary

Unlocked with Savannah Chrisley: Breaking the Stigma of Infertility (feat. Samantha Busch)
Release Date: July 22, 2025
Duration: Approximately 35 minutes

In this deeply moving episode of "Unlocked with Savannah Chrisley," host Savannah Chrisley welcomes Samantha Busch, the wife of NASCAR driver Kyle Busch, to discuss her personal journey with infertility, her advocacy efforts, and her ongoing mission to support others facing similar challenges. The conversation is candid, heartfelt, and filled with valuable insights aimed at breaking the stigma surrounding infertility.

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1. Introducing Samantha Busch

[00:00] Savannah Chrisley:
Savannah opens the episode by expressing her admiration for Samantha Busch, highlighting her role beyond being Kyle Busch's wife. She praises Samantha as a "voice for women" and commends her for paving her own path in advocacy and social media influence.

Notable Quote:
"Samantha has paved her own way and has been such a voice for women... that's why I love her." — Savannah Chrisley [00:00]

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2. Personal Life and Family

The conversation shifts to Samantha's personal life, including her marriage to Kyle Busch since June 20, 2010, and their two children, Braxton (10) and Lennox (3), who are their "miracle IVF babies."

[01:07] Savannah Chrisley:
She inquires about Samantha and Kyle's family life, leading Samantha to share their experiences raising children through IVF.

Notable Quote:
"Braxton's 10 and Lennox is three, and they are our miracle IVF babies." — Samantha Busch [01:30]

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3. The Fertility Journey

Samantha delves into her prolonged struggle with infertility, which spanned nearly a decade. She recounts the emotional and physical challenges faced during her attempts to conceive, including multiple rounds of Clomid and the eventual decision to pursue IVF.

[04:54] Samantha Busch:
She candidly discusses the difficulties of infertility, stating, "Our fertility journey spanned almost a year, or 10 years. I'm sorry." This highlights the prolonged and taxing nature of their experience.

Notable Quotes:

• "It was so difficult. We started when we were very young, 25, 26 years old." — Samantha Busch [05:00]
• "One round of IVF can cost upwards of $20,000 and there's no guarantee." — Samantha Busch [15:56]

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4. Creation of Bundle of Joy Fund

In response to her own struggles, Samantha founded the Bundle of Joy Fund, an initiative aimed at advocating for families undergoing IVF by providing financial grants. To date, the fund has supported the birth of 100 babies.

[14:24] Samantha Busch:
She shares the motivation behind the fund, emphasizing the importance of providing tangible support to those in need.

Notable Quote:
"During that time, we started the Bundle of Joy Fund, where we not only advocate for families going through IVF, but we actually personally grant them through the foundation." — Samantha Busch [14:24]

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5. Advocacy for Infertility Coverage

A significant portion of the discussion centers on the exorbitant costs of IVF and the lack of insurance coverage for infertility treatments. Samantha passionately advocates for extending IVF coverage to military personnel, first responders, and public service workers, highlighting the financial and emotional burdens these individuals face.

[15:56] Samantha Busch:
She stresses the financial strain of IVF and the necessity for insurance reform.

Notable Quote:
"How is that possible? I mean, I know that Apple covers it for their employees. Like, so why can we not make sure that our public service men and women at least get that?" — Samantha Busch [16:36]

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6. Environmental Factors and Health

The conversation shifts to broader health concerns, including the impact of environmental factors on fertility. Samantha connects the rise in infertility rates to modern lifestyle changes, such as increased consumption of processed foods and exposure to harmful chemicals.

[19:42] Samantha Busch:
She links personal health issues like PCOS and endometriosis to environmental changes over recent decades.

Notable Quote:
"I was born in 1986. I feel like we were the generation of microwaves, packaged food, diet pop... and now look at all the health issues that we're having." — Samantha Busch [19:10]

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7. Support and Community

Emphasizing the importance of support systems, Samantha encourages those struggling with infertility to seek therapy, join support groups, and engage with communities that understand their experiences. She highlights the positive role social media can play in connecting individuals facing similar challenges.

[25:16] Samantha Busch:
She advises open communication and seeking support to navigate the emotional turmoil of infertility.

Notable Quote:
"Understand the cards that you're dealt... reach out to support groups and therapy." — Samantha Busch [25:16]

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8. Samantha's New Projects

Looking ahead, Samantha announces her upcoming podcast, "Certified Oversharer," which aims to provide a raw and truthful discussion on various topics beyond infertility, including friendships and personal growth. She also mentions her book, "Fighting Infertility," which offers an in-depth look at her journey.

[32:46] Samantha Busch:
She shares her plans to continue advocating and supporting others through her new ventures.

Notable Quote:
"It's information that other women need to hear. And it's very raw and very truthful." — Samantha Busch [33:19]

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Conclusion

Savannah and Samantha wrap up the episode by reinforcing the importance of tackling difficult conversations and supporting one another through life's challenges. Savannah offers her unwavering support to Samantha's advocacy work, highlighting the communal effort needed to break the stigma surrounding infertility.

[34:22] Savannah Chrisley:
She emphasizes the collective responsibility to support those facing infertility.

Notable Quote:
"There's nothing too big or too small to tackle... whatever you need, I'm here." — Savannah Chrisley [34:22]

---

Key Takeaways

• Personal Resilience: Samantha Busch's journey through infertility underscores the emotional and physical challenges many face when trying to conceive.

• Advocacy and Support: The creation of the Bundle of Joy Fund exemplifies proactive efforts to support others, while her advocacy highlights systemic issues in healthcare coverage.

• Breaking Stigmas: Open conversations and community support are crucial in destigmatizing infertility and encouraging individuals to seek the help they need.

• Environmental Awareness: Modern lifestyle changes have tangible impacts on fertility, necessitating broader societal changes to address these health concerns.

• Empowerment Through Sharing: Samantha's new projects aim to continue empowering women by sharing her experiences and fostering supportive communities.

This episode serves as an inspiring testament to resilience, advocacy, and the power of community in overcoming the daunting challenges of infertility.

Transcript

[Savannah Chrisley]

Welcome back to this week's episode of Unlocked. I am so excited for today's episode. It honestly fell into place perfectly. I have Samantha Bush on, and a lot of people would say, oh, this is Kyle Busch's wife, NASCAR driver. But to me, Samantha has, like, paved her own way and has been such a voice for women. And following her on social media, just loving her encouragement, what she's fighting for. That's why I love her. And I'm really jealous of her gardening skills, but welcome to the show.

[Samantha Bush]

Oh, thank you so much for having me. I'm so glad this all worked out perfectly.

[Savannah Chrisley]

I know it was. I'm so excited. So, yeah, I really am jealous of your garden.

[Samantha Bush]

You know what? It is a full time job, though. It's funny, I thought it was going to be like this little nice hobby, and then it's like a daily thing. And so we were getting ready to fly out here, and I'm like, oh, my gosh, we have to pick the blueberries or else the birds are going to get them before we leave. Yeah. So it's a nonstop. But I love it. It's so fun. It's great to have the kids involved. You know, no screen time, just kind of get out there. But yeah, I started real small and then a year later, it was like, full blown gardener.

[Savannah Chrisley]

That is amazing. So you guys are in Nashville for the NASCAR race this weekend. Right? And so when did you. You and Kyle got married? What? 20, 2010.

[Samantha Bush]

Yeah, it's been a long time.

[Savannah Chrisley]

A long time.

[Samantha Bush]

It's wild. I mean, we were talking about it the other day. We're like, we have been together for, like, almost two decades. That really ages us.

[Savannah Chrisley]

That's insane. And you have two kids.

[Samantha Bush]

Yes, Braxton and Lennox. So Braxton's 10 and Lennox is three, and they are our miracle IVF babies.

[Savannah Chrisley]

Stop. I love it. That is amazing.

[Samantha Bush]

As you see, all my jewelry is, like, dedicated to the kids, so it's.

[Savannah Chrisley]

All gorgeous and amazing. So it's funny, you and I met for the first time in D.C. like, it was so brief, but it was during the women's event and you had already been there at the White House. And I remember you coming up, you're like, savannah, hi. Like, I just wanted to say hi. And then you were like, all right, I gotta go. Gotta go to my son's race.

[Samantha Bush]

Yes. It was so funny. We were there and literally the President was getting ready to come on, and I was like, oh, my gosh. So it was the first time my son raced against Kyle. So it was this huge race and he had been texting me all day and he was like, mom, you can't miss this. Like, you can't miss it. And they were like, the president's running behind. And I was like, oh, I gotta go. Like, mom, life. And so literally, I think we were getting into the Uber and then everybody's like, yeah, the president's here.

[Savannah Chrisley]

And I was like, of course. Isn't that hilarious too? Cause you're like, you're like, oh, no, I don't want to be rude. I don't want to be this.

[Samantha Bush]

I know. I was afraid to, like, leave that room in the middle of it. So I was like, well, I better go before he gets here because I.

[Savannah Chrisley]

Would look really bad. Without a doubt. Oh, my gosh. So how'd the race go?

[Samantha Bush]

It was good. Kyle beat him by two spots, so he was a little upset. But I mean, it's great. They're going to race together again this weekend and it's just wild. I mean, Kyle didn't even start racing till he was 13. And Braxton honestly started racing during COVID because the dirt tracks were open, it was outside, and you know, after a couple months, it was like, okay, dear gosh, we have to get out some and do something. And so we threw him in racing when he was 5. And at first it was slow going and then it was like a light switch. And one day he figured it out and he just loves it.

[Savannah Chrisley]

Wow.

[Samantha Bush]

So we always though, people always say, they're like, you're gonna burn him out because he like 150 races last year. Holy cow. As a child. But we always tell him, we're like, brex, do you want to go to your friend's birthday party on Saturday or go to a race? We let him choose. We're like, even last month, we're like, do you want to come on vacation with us or go to a race? He's like, yeah, peace. I'm going to race.

[Savannah Chrisley]

So. Really? Yeah. And how old is he again?

[Samantha Bush]

He just turned 10.

[Savannah Chrisley]

That is crazy. Also, he's racing, but like, you can't legally drive.

[Samantha Bush]

I know.

[Savannah Chrisley]

Which is like such a crazy thought.

[Samantha Bush]

He came home the other day because he just graduated. Not graduated, but when you turn 10 and you're allowed to run these other cars and he's like, mom, I went like 92 miles an hour down the front stretch and I was like, wow, there's days that we still struggle to.

[Savannah Chrisley]

Tie our shoes, but 92 miles an hour.

[Samantha Bush]

Okay, we'll do that.

[Savannah Chrisley]

That is crazy. So what is, like, the process for that? Will he follow in Dad's footsteps?

[Samantha Bush]

He really wants to. That's kind of his goal. He does a little bit. So Kyle did pretty much just pavement racing, which is like what NASCAR is, but Brexton does dirt racing, too, so he definitely. He's like, okay, I can do this, and then this and this. So him and Kyle have big plans.

[Savannah Chrisley]

So I love that. That's amazing.

[Samantha Bush]

Proud of them.

[Savannah Chrisley]

Oh, my gosh. Okay, so with speaking about your kids, for people that don't know you, can you tell a little bit of your story and your struggles? And I know a lot of women listening have struggled with infertility, and it's like the most debilitating, just isolating, frustrating.

[Samantha Bush]

I mean, how much time do you have?

[Savannah Chrisley]

Right.

[Samantha Bush]

So our fertility journey spanned almost a year, or 10 years. I'm sorry.

[Savannah Chrisley]

Wow.

[Samantha Bush]

It was so difficult. We started when we were very young, 25, 26 years old. We thought, we're in great health. This is going to be so easy.

[Savannah Chrisley]

And you remember as a kid, them being like, be careful. First time you have sex, you'll be pregnant. Yeah. Literally.

[Samantha Bush]

And they taught us nothing about our cycles, anything. And so, being so young and naive, we tried on our own for quite a while. And, you know, as the months racked up and every negative pregnancy test, it became more frustrating, it became more isolating and became more depressing. And I went to go see the OB GYN and they were like, you're young. It'll happen. And so then finally, after around the year Mark, they said, okay, well, we're gonna put you on a medication called Clomid. And mind you, this was before Instagram and things like that. So there weren't support groups. There wasn't a whole lot of knowledge out there. So I went on five rounds of Clomid with my husband not even being tested. And I say that because it is a very hard medication. It's emotionally. I mean, it is like being on the worst day of your period times.

[Savannah Chrisley]

10 the whole time without even testing your husband.

[Samantha Bush]

Yeah. And which is interesting because when it comes to infertility, one third of the time it's female factor, one third of the time, male factor, and then one third unexplained. So for men and women, it's the same. But, you know, we've always looked at things like infertility as, oh, it's just on the woman. And so finally we had about 18 months, finally got referred to a fertility clinic, and he got tested. I ended up Having pcos. He had low sperm count. And so they were like, the only way you guys are going to be able to have a child is through ivf. So we went right into ivf, and we were very blessed. And the first round, first time, we had success with our son Braxton.

[Savannah Chrisley]

Oh, that gives me chills.

[Samantha Bush]

And so there's a time and a place for a filet of fish, but breakfast is for sausage biscuits. McDonald's breakfast comes first. I mean, I wish. I wish the rest went like that. Unfortunately, then when Brexen was a toddler, we decided, okay, we're gonna have our second one at this time. Now social media is a thing. Instagram, all this stuff. And so I said, you know what? It isolating. And so scary going through IVF that I'm gonna bring everybody along with us so that whether it's the medication or the doctor's appointments or the transfer, whatever it is, like, here is a real look so that it's not as scary. So we bring everybody along on the second time, and we're pregnant. We announce right away, because everybody knows when we transferred.

[Savannah Chrisley]

Yes.

[Samantha Bush]

And then we had a very sudden miscarriage early on, and it was so hard. Like, to this day, it hurts. There's always a piece of your heart that will be gone. And after the miscarriage, we had a lot of marital struggles because we had never dealt with something so heavy. And we didn't understand how each other were grieving, and we didn't understand what each other needed in that time and place. And so it was a struggle. And so we worked on it. We worked really hard. We went to marriage counseling.

[Savannah Chrisley]

And when you say that, what would you say was. What was your biggest. Like, how did you see things falling apart in front of you?

[Samantha Bush]

So for me, I couldn't get past it. As a woman, I think it is ingrained in you to be like, what did I do? And I know it wasn't my fault, but I. I needed something to blame. I needed a reason. And so I was like, what did I do wrong to cause this? And I just had this immense guilt, and I was so mad at myself for it. And Kyle, on the other hand, he was just like, you know, I'm not trying to sound cold, but it's done. There's nothing you can do to change this outcome. Like, we have to keep moving forward. And I wanted him to still be in the trenches with me, and he was moving forward, and I couldn't move forward. And so that caused a lot of animosity for us. And it took us a while to just understand each other's perspectives and where we were coming from. So we worked on it, and then we did another transfer when things were better. This is probably a good year later, plus. And that was a failed cycle. And so the doctor sat me down, and they're like, we don't really have that many embryos left of good quality. Like, we're not sure. The decline. Like, this doesn't really make any medical sense. Would you consider a gestational carrier? So that took a while to wrap my mind around, and, you know, it was in the midst of COVID and everything else. And so we went through so many people, and not for anybody's fault. Like, we had one amazing woman, and she didn't clear medical, and then we had another amazing woman. It just wasn't the right timing. And so each time it didn't work, it just felt like another fail.

[Savannah Chrisley]

Yeah.

[Samantha Bush]

So then we finally find, like, God sent us an angel. I'm actually having her on my podcast. Like, she slid into my DMs. So we always laugh about it.

[Savannah Chrisley]

Stop it.

[Samantha Bush]

It was at a moment, and this is why I say God's timing is everything. It was at a moment where another woman had just. It didn't work. Her husband was relocating jobs, and so she couldn't be our carrier. And so I remember Kyle and I had gone down to watch a show, and I was like, that's it. This is never gonna work. Like, we're never gonna have another kid. And it was at that exact moment that she sent me a dm.

[Savannah Chrisley]

Stop.

[Samantha Bush]

But she had had it written for months, which is just wild. And she was like, something told me I needed to send it right then and there. So everything happens for a reason. But unfortunately, with her, we had another failed cycle. So then I had to go start all over again with the egg retrieval. And then the doctor at this new clinic was like, why don't you try again? So I said, okay. Did the transfer. And at first, they thought it was an atopic pregnancy, and then they thought it was delayed implantation. And so then we go for this ultrasound, and. And we see a heartbeat, and we're like, okay, finally, our miracle, you know? And so we go back two weeks later, and I'll never forget, the tech was, like, doing the wand. This doesn't make sense. What doesn't make sense? She's looking around, she brings the doctor in, and I'm like, what's happening?

[Savannah Chrisley]

Yeah.

[Samantha Bush]

And they were like, well, I think it's like a 1 person 1 or 2% chance that your embryo can split. And they're like, we have two sacs. We've got identical girls here. I'm getting, like, chills talking about it.

[Savannah Chrisley]

Stop.

[Samantha Bush]

And I was like, are you, like, serious? Like, identical twin girls. I cannot believe it. And they're like, this is why it was. Your numbers were so weird in the beginning because they weren't rising, and then they were, like, tripling, and nobody could really figure it out. And so we left that appointment and, you know, on cloud nine, like, okay, how do we prepare for not one, but two identical girls? Like, I was so excited. And then we went back two weeks later, and both of them were gone. And that was a lot. Unfortunately, my body thought that I was still pregnant and wouldn't miscarry, so I was growing two empty sacs. And I let that go for a little bit until, unfortunately, I had to have a DNC two days before Mother's Day.

[Savannah Chrisley]

I'm so sorry.

[Samantha Bush]

I'm not gonna cry. Yeah. Spent Mother's Day on the couch. Our son, you know, was young at the time, not figuring out why mom was on the couch and trying to hold back tears as he's like, you know, bringing his little hand painted picture frame. And it was just hard. And mentally, physically, things, again, were really hard. And so we went back to our gestational carrier, and I said, would you consider this? And Kyle and I were to the point where, like, if this doesn't work, this just might be it. It's been so many years now. And lo and behold, God blessed us and we have our daughter, Lennox. She was born May 10, 2022, via our carrier, and she just turned three last month.

[Savannah Chrisley]

Oh, my gosh. What a journey.

[Samantha Bush]

Yeah, that's just the. The death notes of it. It was a long, long time. But that's why we're so passionate about, you know, during that time, we started the Bundle of Joy Fund, where we not only advocate for families going through ivf, but we actually personally grant them through the foundation. And so we're born. We've had 100 babies born through the fund.

[Savannah Chrisley]

Oh, my gosh. That gives me chills.

[Samantha Bush]

Yes.

[Adam Rippon]

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[Savannah Chrisley]

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[Adam Rippon]

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[Savannah Chrisley]

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[Savannah Chrisley]

Is the cost of one round of IVF?

[Samantha Bush]

It's what a lot of people don't realize. One round of IVF can cost upwards of 20,000 and there's no guarantee. It's not like, oh, if that doesn't work, your next round's free.

[Savannah Chrisley]

Exactly. No.

[Samantha Bush]

And it's very difficult. And we've tried to advocate for the fact that our military doesn't have coverage. A lot of our police officers, first responders, public school teachers, like, how is that possible?

[Savannah Chrisley]

Like, I mean, I know that Apple covers it for their employees. Like, so why can we not make sure that our public service men and women at least get that?

[Samantha Bush]

That has been my fight. That's been what I've been trying to advocate for and use my voice for. So the day that we had met at the White House, the day before we got to meet with the team working on the executive order and they were like, just tell us about the families that you've helped over the past 10 years. And so we did a deep dive and we're like, okay. We went through everybody we've ever funded. Most of them are public school teachers. And not that we pick and choose based on that. It's just the people coming to us because of finances. And then followed by that it was police officers. And then we were fortunate enough to pick up a clinic right by a military base and quickly learned that either they don't have coverage or if they have semi coverage, there's Only I believe eight facilities in the country that give discounted ivf. And the wait lists are insane. And I'm like, you know, here we have brave men and women defending our country, protecting our family's freedoms, and they want to have their own families. And we're like, sorry, sorry, do you have like $40,000 laying around?

[Savannah Chrisley]

And also, I can only imagine. I would love to see the research into, let's say, these men and women in our military who are struggling to get pregnant. I would love to see the research on how their environment, the ptsd, the everything they've gone through impacts their ability to get pregnant.

[Samantha Bush]

And right now, the only bill that there is for coverage for our military is if they sustain a service related inj that directly impacts their reproductive organs. But you're right, stress plays a huge factor. There's all the logistical nightmares that they have to worry about and potential chemicals.

[Savannah Chrisley]

They'Re around due to bombs.

[Samantha Bush]

And I'm like, you know, if we could do this for our military, think about it. I was telling them, I was like, look at it from a marketing standpoint. Like, these women could pay to have their eggs frozen and not have to worry about it. These men and women could do their, have their embryos frozen and wait until it's a good time for them and not have to pick and choose. Like, do I do another tour? Like, do I commit more years or do I leave and do this? It would just give them like a little more peace of mind.

[Savannah Chrisley]

Well, and it's also a very pro life movement, right? It is a very pro life movement. And for, I want to say, it's like the first time in decades that we've had a decline in the birth rate.

[Samantha Bush]

Yes. And I mean, I think, don't get me on my soapbox of like environmental things and things in our food.

[Savannah Chrisley]

I mean, I have said, I literally just said that this morning. I was talking to my dad about a good friend of mine, Gunnar Peterson, and his daughter. He's like a big time fitness trainer, but his daughter was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. And Monroe, I think, is four now, but they have all the money in the world, the best nutrition, the best everything, and she still got it. And that tells me that, like, there is something in the environment.

[Samantha Bush]

There has to be. I mean, when we started going through infertility, one in eight couples experienced infertility. That's already switched to one in six couples. And they're talking soon it will be one in five. There is a reason that women are experiencing pcos and Endometriosis. I have endometriosis things at such a higher rate now. I always go back to the fact that. So I was born in 1986. I feel like we were the generation of microwaves, packaged food, diet pop. Like you didn't know back then what you didn't know. And now look at all the health issues that we're having. So. Yeah, Hence the reason I garden. My son and Kyle went hunting for bison. I have 350 pounds of bison meat in my freezer.

[Savannah Chrisley]

That is amazing. Amazing, yes. Like, yeah, I mean, I will say, like, even for me, with my endometriosis, like, I saw a fertility doctor, like, with my ex, and I just remember, like, he had his own stuff, I had my own stuff. And just like, the cost to even.

[Samantha Bush]

Freeze your eggs, I think it's around $10,000.

[Savannah Chrisley]

Yeah. 10 to 15. Because of like all the drugs you have to buy. And like, none of this is covered by insurance carriers. And I'm sorry, but these insurance carriers, like, that's what a lot of people don't understand is I have a friend who works on the Hill that's like Savannah as a pharmaceutical company. We may sell these insurance carriers a drug for, let's say it's $100, but then the insurance carrier gets a $90 rebate back. So they're really only paying $10. And then the insurance company is raking you over the coal. So it's really the. It's a lot of times it's less of the government and more of the insurance carrier.

[Samantha Bush]

It is just beyond to me how much we charge people for those basic things, like women. And I feel like anything that has to deal with, like, women, women's reproductive organs, all that, people are like, I don't want to touch that. But I'm like, women should not have to go undiagnosed with endometriosis and pcos and thrown on birth control or thrown on whatever they are at a young age. Like, we need to look at the root cause. Like, why do so many girls have pcos? Why are so many people going through this? And then when they do need that care, our insurance should cover that.

[Savannah Chrisley]

Exactly 100%, I will say.

[Samantha Bush]

And I talked about this before, so unfortunately, when we had to have a dnc, there was already so much stress going into that day, and I was so upset. And I remember going there and they handed me the bill and it was like $5,000 for a 15 minute procedure. Right. A procedure I did not want to have.

[Savannah Chrisley]

Exactly.

[Samantha Bush]

And I just remember Being like, no, no, no, we have insurance. And they were like, no, this is with insurance. And I'm like, how do. Like, I felt very blessed that we were able to afford it.

[Savannah Chrisley]

$5,000.

[Samantha Bush]

That's so difficult for people to come up with. And I'm like, the hell is my insurance paying for then?

[Savannah Chrisley]

Exactly. I will say, like, they're. One of the doctors that I used to see is in Beverly Hills, and she is absolutely amazing. Works with so many different people, but she doesn't take insurance. And the reason she doesn't take insurance is because she refuses to follow the insurance protocol, which is individuals with women with endometriosis, the pain is so bad. But guess what? Insurance. Their first course of action is, well, you have to prescribe pain medicine. That's why the opioid crisis amongst women with endometriosis is so high, because insurance carriers mandate you prescribe prescription meds. And that's. And she was like, I refuse to do that. She's like, I want to get to the root cause. But One surgery was $40,000.

[Samantha Bush]

That is insane. Yeah, it is insane. And it's insane to me that instead of looking, like you said, at the root cause, were providing relief to these women in a real and sustainable way. We're just gonna throw drugs at them. Like, here, just band aid. It just keep taking this.

[Savannah Chrisley]

Exactly.

[Samantha Bush]

That's what they did with us with birth control for pcos. Like, here you go. This is gonna fix it. And I'm like, I spent my cause. I was on it at 15. I had the worst periods and didn't look back until we started, you know, trying to conceive. And then from there, didn't realize is what a decade of hormones, like synthetic hormones does to your body. And it's hard. And it's like, you know, there's. I'm so proud. I think there's a lot wrong with social media. Right? Like, there's a lot of negatives.

[Savannah Chrisley]

Dear God.

[Samantha Bush]

But I think the positive of it is, like, women have this voice now, and we're able to start educating these younger generations of, hey, ask these questions. Try this first. Look for the root cause.

[Savannah Chrisley]

Yes. Don't be afraid to ask the questions.

[Samantha Bush]

To be an advocate for yourself. And I think, you know, that's something that I've learned for myself. I'm coming up on 40 next year, and I'm like, if I could have told my younger self at 25 when we started going through infertility, these things, like, would my journey have been different? You know? So I Always. I think about that. But.

[Savannah Chrisley]

So what would you say when, like, what would you give one piece of advice to women who are struggling with that infertility process, that whether they've miscarried multiple times or it's just not happening for them, and it seems like it's happening to everyone else around them.

[Samantha Bush]

That it does. First and foremost, I talk to a lot of women, and they're afraid to go get tests done. They are almost nervous to know if it's going to be them. And then they're afraid to bring that conversation up more so like, maybe out of embarrassment to their husband. And I think that that's an honest conversation that you have to have. And, no, it's not. Does any guy really want to go give a sperm sample at a clinic? Probably not, but that information is so vital. And I talked to so many women out there who are like, okay, well, I've been tested, but, like, it's got to be me. And I'm like, that's what I thought, too. So I think that's first and foremost is understand the cards that you're dealt. Because we played blind for two years, and that was so much heartache that probably could have been avoided if I had known these things. And then really to reach out to support groups and therapy, I think there's always still this stigma around therapy. I'm like, I love therapy.

[Savannah Chrisley]

I know. And that's what I say. I'm like, I tell people all the time. My generation has done a lot of things that are like. But the one thing I feel like my generation's done a great job at is it is normalizing that it's okay to not be okay.

[Samantha Bush]

Yes.

[Savannah Chrisley]

And it's okay to get therapy. It's okay to reach out.

[Samantha Bush]

And I love that. And, you know, I always tell people, I think you're able to be more vulnerable, even with strangers on the Internet, through a support group, when you're going through miscarriage or infertility. Yes. For me, my two best friends, they never struggled, and they felt awkward coming to me, and they knew they couldn't relate. And so it was just. They were. They're still my best friends, and they were a great support in other ways. But the connection that you form when you go through something as brutal as a miscarriage, when you're able to talk with other women who have experienced that, you get these, like, real, raw answers and real support that you need in that time. And so for me, that that is such a positive of social media, is finding that community that's amazing.

[Savannah Chrisley]

What would. What are you looking to do now, like, within the administration? Obviously, you want to see things happen. What specifically is it that you want to see happen?

[Samantha Bush]

I think first and foremost, and I think something that is doable is to get our military coverage. You know, I think that they have different budgets set aside for different things. I think it's a little bit. I don't want to say the word easier, but then over insurance for the whole country. Right. So I think, you know, if we could start that for our military, because I've been speaking with a lot of military wives and just learning that, okay, there's these eight clinics that afforded a discounted rate, but some of the wait lists are 36 months. So you're like, what am I gonna do with that?

[Savannah Chrisley]

Exactly.

[Samantha Bush]

And on top of it, I've spoken with some women, and they said, okay, I was signed up. I was almost ready to get into that clinic, and then we got papers and transfers, and now I'm all the way across the country. That's not feasible for me to go there all the time. So there's another year or two lost. And so I think if we could focus on that to start, then I think when we do that, then we could say, okay, if our military has coverage, surely all of our first responders should have coverage. And then our public, I mean, even.

[Savannah Chrisley]

Within our military, I mean, obviously they have like. Like hospitals on base, so why not designate a fertility specialist? That will keep taxpayer costs lower to have your own designated facilities, like, you know, if you want to. There's so many different ways to tackle it.

[Samantha Bush]

That's what I think. I think there's a lot of different ways. It's just gonna take somebody to really put a plan in place. And I think there's a lot of voices now. So we've been working with a lot of other nonprofits and starting to learn about the military space because we were not aware. So we had been in this realm for almost 10 years. We had been helping people all over north and South Carolina, and until we picked up a clinic near a base, had no idea.

[Savannah Chrisley]

Wow.

[Samantha Bush]

And it was just so upsetting, you know, or like, we had a gentleman. He was in the coast guard for 10 years, and he was like, I had to leave because I have to get a job that pays more so that I can afford this. And so I'm like, even from a retention aspect, exactly.

[Savannah Chrisley]

What would you say is the most touching story you have had?

[Samantha Bush]

Oh, gosh, that's a really good question. That nobody's ever asked me, you know, one story that sticks with me, and people might think that this is an odds. Well, no, I have two.

[Savannah Chrisley]

Okay, let's hear them.

[Samantha Bush]

One was a gentleman, and he was a police officer. And in his essay, it broke me. He had opened up to some of his buddies about having male infertility. His wife did not have issues, but he did. And he looked at these friends for support, and they turned around and they're like, do you need us to knock up your wife for you? Like, just this brutal and ignorant. It broke him and it hurt me so much reading his application that that support and that love and that care that he needed at that time, like, I felt his pain in that application that he submitted to us. And I'm not going to lie, that was probably eight years ago. And it just stuck with me so much. And so that one was really hard. And now, you know, they have multiple children, they're happy, everything's great. But I do think as infertility and IVF and all the things gain a voice, there's still this stigma for men that a lot of people don't talk about. And so that, yeah, that one really, really, really stuck with us.

[Savannah Chrisley]

And so how, for people listening, if this is a struggle for them, if they want to submit an application, how do they do that? What should process?

[Samantha Bush]

So right now, to submit an application to the Bundle Joy fund, you have to be a patient at one of our approved clinics. And so right now, it's on our website, bundle joyfund.org we have three big clinics, and then underneath them, through the umbrella, we have about 11 clinics north and South Carolina, and we're almost to Tennessee. We have one, like, right on the border.

[Savannah Chrisley]

Okay.

[Samantha Bush]

And so if they are patient patients there, they can apply either their nurses or the financial department will, you know, give them the application. So first and foremost, if it's from a financial place, there's that. Secondly, I wrote a book called Fighting Infertility a number of years ago. I give a very raw and real account into what infertility looks like. Not just the doctor's appointments, but how it affects your friendships and your marriage and everything. How it affects you even if you have a child, you know, and how you're still trying to show up and be a great mom, but you're hurting so much on the inside and having to balance that and so different things like that. And then, honestly, whether it's a fertility therapist or a support group, I could not speak more highly of getting that support, because usually you need to vent to somebody.

[Savannah Chrisley]

Yes.

[Samantha Bush]

You need that.

[Savannah Chrisley]

You do. That's the only way you get through it, through any hard thing in life, like surrounding yourself with the right people at the right time. Okay, well, you also, before we wrap up, you have an exciting project launching, and by the time this comes out, it will have already launched.

[Samantha Bush]

Yes. I tossed around the idea of doing a podcast for probably the last three years as I'm upcoming on 40 next year. I'm like, you know what? I. I'm gonna do it. So I will be launching my podcast. Certified Oversharer.

[Savannah Chrisley]

I love that name. That's amazing.

[Samantha Bush]

It's because I've hit that age in my life where I just tell even random strangers, like, way too much information. And I'm like, but you know what? It's good information.

[Savannah Chrisley]

Yes.

[Samantha Bush]

It is information that other women need to hear. And it's very raw and very truthful. And it's not just about infertility. And, you know, we talk about everything from friendships. I don't know if you've realized this, but, like, as you get older, your friends is harder.

[Savannah Chrisley]

Yes, it is. And your friendships start to fall off.

[Samantha Bush]

Yes. Quantity over or quality over quantity?

[Savannah Chrisley]

Yes, quality over quantity for sure.

[Samantha Bush]

So, yeah, there's a whole lot of topics we'll cover on there. It's. Some of it's deep, some of it's fun, and I'm excited. So it's going to be the next chapter.

[Savannah Chrisley]

I love that. Good for you. I will be listening and watching, and we'll put a link to the podcast when this airs. And if you have. Are you gonna do it on YouTube as well?

[Samantha Bush]

Yes. Yeah.

[Savannah Chrisley]

All right, so we'll make sure to, like, tag everything so people can go and listen. And I'm so excited for you.

[Samantha Bush]

Thank you. Thanks for having me on. Congratulations on everything.

[Savannah Chrisley]

I'm telling you, there's nothing too big or too small to tackle. And when it comes to D.C. and it comes to everything you want to do, like, I will fight tooth and nail with you because chances are I'm gonna have to go through ivf. So it's like, I already dread that. I already fear that the cost of it and for something that's out of my control. So whatever you need, I'm here.

[Samantha Bush]

Well, and same to you. When you're going through it, I'm your girl.

[Savannah Chrisley]

I love it.

[Samantha Bush]

No question. There's that. Ask me anything. I'm actually training right now to be an infertility coach because I really want women to have those resources and to not be afraid yes. Or even to tell things that they might be embarrassed by. You know, when it comes to ivf, there's a lot of talk. It's your sex life, it's all these things, and it's hard to navigate and talk about. So I'm an open book if you need anything. Trust me.

[Savannah Chrisley]

And what's your Instagram for people to go follow you?

[Samantha Bush]

Amanthabush and Bush's B U S C H. Yes, Right. Everybody's always like, wait, how? What?

[Savannah Chrisley]

All right, well, have a great rest, nice weekend.

[Samantha Bush]

Thank you.

[Savannah Chrisley]

And thank you for coming.

[Samantha Bush]

Appreciate it. Thanks.

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[Adam Rippon]

Hi, I'm Adam Rippon, and this is Intrusive Thoughts, the podcast where I finally say the stuff out loud that's been living rent free in my head for years. From dumb decisions to awkward moments I probably should have kept to myself. Nothing's off limits. Yes, I'm talking about the time I lost my phone mid flight and still haven't truly emotionally recovered from that. There might be too many sound effects. I've been told to chill. Will I? Unclear. But if you've ever laid awake at night cringing at something you said five years ago, congratulations, you found your people. Intrusive Thoughts with Adam Rippon is available now wherever you get your podcast.