The CF Community Blog is written by the community, for the community. It's about sharing our experiences, reflections, and perspectives — the good days, the bad days, and all the tough and wonderful things in between. With topics ranging from emotional health to treatments, the blog is a platform to share your unique story.
![Zanny flexing her bicep which has a PICC line in it](/sites/default/files/styles/image_card/public/2024-04/Zanny-Steffgen-Featured-Image.png?h=8abcec71&itok=Fr7k5PvA)
Having an atypical presentation of CF means I stand somewhere between the CF world and the rest of the world — and that makes me feel like I belong in neither.
![A professional headshot of Zanny Steffgen](/sites/default/files/styles/author_thumbnail/public/2024-04/Zanny-Steffgen-Headshot.png?itok=oD3iLvkp)
![Justin Goldsmith and his wife smiling](/sites/default/files/styles/image_card/public/2023-06/Justin-Goldsmith-Featured-Image.png?h=7b7092d2&itok=ZgQg5OEx)
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My wife and I knew that following our dream of having children would be difficult, but we would do whatever it takes to grow our family. Despite the challenges we’ve experienced on our in-vitro fertilization (IVF) journey, we will continue to fight to make our dream a reality.
![A professional headshot of Justin Goldsmith](/sites/default/files/styles/author_thumbnail/public/2023-06/Justin-Goldsmith-Headshot_0.png?itok=GpdJ3xa_)
![Marisa smiling outside with her family.](/sites/default/files/styles/image_card/public/2022-11/Marisa-Fairchild-Featured_0.png?h=de17517d&itok=yzQEHFsq)
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I was determined to make my dream of becoming a mother a reality despite the potential risks that pregnancy can cause for people living with CF. It certainly wasn’t easy, but the challenges of pregnancy and CF were rewarding in the end because I now have two wonderful girls who call me mom.
![Marisa Fairchild](/sites/default/files/styles/author_thumbnail/public/2022-11/Marisa-Fairchild-Headshot.png?itok=QF1lCCK3)
![Kayla smiling with her husband and daughter on a hayride.](/sites/default/files/styles/image_card/public/2022-11/Kayla-Fisher-Featured.png?h=de17517d&itok=Pd_pFFL4)
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After my daughter’s cystic fibrosis diagnosis, I knew I still wanted more than one child. But, the journey trying to conceive my second child was stressful and emotional.
![Kayla Fisher](/sites/default/files/styles/author_thumbnail/public/2022-11/Kayla-Fisher-Headshot.png?itok=8jWOk5ML)
![Megan smiling while holding her son, Isaac.](/sites/default/files/styles/image_card/public/2022-07/Megan-Pate-Featured.png?h=de17517d&itok=R-FS4Bok)
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Breastfeeding a child comes with a lot of challenges, dedication, and love. Breastfeeding a child with cystic fibrosis brings all of these aspects to a different level. As a first-time mom wanting to breastfeed exclusively, here’s what I have learned while breastfeeding my son, Isaac.
![Megan Pate](/sites/default/files/styles/author_thumbnail/public/2022-07/Megan-Pate-Headshot.png?itok=1wfHF_cG)
![Janeil smiling looking down at her baby.](/sites/default/files/styles/image_card/public/2022-04/Janeil%20Whitworth-Featured-Photo.png?h=de17517d&itok=3M7H2BZW)
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Breastfeeding when you have CF is more complicated than it is for people who don’t have CF. Here’s what I’ve learned about it with my kids.
![Janeil-Whitworth-headshot](/sites/default/files/styles/author_thumbnail/public/2021-09/Janeil-Whitworth-headshot.jpg?itok=bYzYFLH6)
![Lindsey pregnant smiling with her husband.](/sites/default/files/styles/image_card/public/2022-04/Lindsey-Tipsword-Featured.png?h=de17517d&itok=0lB1lMfB)
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The journey my husband and I traveled while trying to conceive our son was stressful but ultimately fruitful. Here’s what I learned during that process.
![Lindsey Tipsword headshot](/sites/default/files/styles/author_thumbnail/public/2022-04/Lindsey-Tipsword-Headshot-1.png?itok=E_m8YubA)