Breaking Those Infertility Holiday Blues; Expert offers tips and advice of how to handle the holiday season while trying to have a baby.

GLENVIEW, Ill. -- The holiday season, a time meant to be joyful and spent with family and friends, can often be a challenging time for couples who are trying to have a baby. Constant media reminders such as children opening gifts, baby toy commercials and "Baby's First Christmas" photos can be a painful experience for infertile couples.

"It's important for couples who are going through infertility, especially during the holiday season, to take time for themselves and reflect on their emotions and the best way to handle them," says Marie Davidson, Ph.D. and psychologist, Fertility Centers of Illinois, who has counseled hundreds of patients through difficult situations.

Dr. Davidson Offers These Survival Strategies on Handling the Holidays:

--Plan: anticipate questions that may be asked and think about your responses ahead of time. Have a comeback answer ready. You might try, "Thanks for asking, but it's a painful subject, and I don't feel like talking about it." Know what gatherings you want to attend and ones that may be too difficult to go to. Planning will help you make better choices.

--Communicate with your spouse: your spouse may have a different attitude, and both individuals need to be on the same page. Support each other. Talk and compromise and be a team to make it work.

--Be good to yourself: consider using the holidays as a time to do something special for yourself and your spouse. Take in a new movie, go away for a long weekend, start a new hobby.

--Surround yourself with people who care: this would be a good time to visit an old friend or spend extra time with your family, who know what you are going through and understand. Talking through your emotions is one of the best therapies out there.

--Do something nice for others: it will take your mind off your problems if you focus on helping others. There are always others less fortunate who can use a helping hand, especially around the holidays.

"The best decision we made to make our holidays bright, was to spend Christmas in Sedona. My husband and I enjoyed warm weather, the different landscape, and each other. Our families were a little upset, but they understood our need to get away," said one patient in the Chicago-area who struggles with infertility.

The Fertility Centers of Illinois, S.C., is one of the nation's leading infertility treatment practices, providing advanced reproductive endocrinology services in the Chicago area for over 25 years. In addition to a team of nationally recognized reproductive physicians who collaborate with each other to stay current on the latest technology and procedures, FCI patients have access to many other unique support services such as professional counseling from a licensed, Ph.D. clinical psychologist, patient advocates, and innovative financial options. FCI's multiple offices are conveniently located throughout the Chicago area.

For more information visit http://www.fcionline.com or call 1.877.FCI.4IVF.