Tuesday, July 24, 2012

a little help

Since my journey with IF spans almost a full 8 years, I have decided to take further action (some action is more recent than others) in the hope of improving my chances of conceiving.  I have read many articles and studies that have suggested there may be a link between the following items and IF, so here's what I'm doing to date:
  • taking prenatal vitamins (actually, I have been doing this for about 8 years now - that's a lot of vitamins!)
  • exercising (I have cut back within the last several months since being so busy after work and on the weekends, but also because I read that exercising too much decreases fertility.  Not that I over do it, but it just happened to work out this way since DH and I have been so busy this year.)
  • flossing my teeth more (during the past few years, I've been gradually increasing the number of times per week that I floss.  I hate flossing but I read a couple articles that say women who floss more are less likely to have problems becoming pregnant.  I also read that women with larger breasts are less likely to have fertility issues but there's not much I can do about that. ; ) )
  • eating flax seed with my daily morning yogurt for maybe the past 6 months (took some getting used to but it's not so bad after a few days!)
  • drinking hot raspberry tea for about the last 6 months (I have to admit, this one has been a challenge...I am not fond of raspberry tea)
  • no alcohol whatsoever as of June 30 (*sigh* it's especially challenging when DH has a glass of wine with dinner and I can smell how delicious it is!  But I'm hopeful that cutting it out of my diet will be completely worth it in the end.)
  • no caffeine as of July 1, including decaf coffee (I accidentally drank a caffeinated tea on June 30 without realizing it)
  • acupuncture and chiropractic adjustments (I've been going to the chiro off and on for adjustments since I was dropped on my back in Jr. High but my first round of acupuncture was July 18; I'm loving it so far!)
  • guided imagery meditations on my iPod (tried this for the first time on July 19; it's pretty good at relaxing me)
  • yoga for fertility (tried this for the first time on July 21; I have mixed feelings about it.  I'd probably like it better if it was a higher quality DVD.)
  • eating the core of a pineapple during a specific time of the month (I haven't done this yet but I'm willing to try it this month.  I've read other bloggers and posters on fertility forums say this is supposed to help with embryo implantation - although I haven't read any scientific articles about the benefits yet.)
  • taking kelp supplements (my chiro recommended this for me and DH so I went to the store to pick some up but the label said something about 'may contain carcinogens and reproductive toxicants' so I put it back on the shelf.  I'll have to ask my chiro about this the next time I see him.)
  • praying everyday that my fertility treatments will work and that it is God's plan to bless us with a healthy child (or two!)
Hmm...that's all I can think of right now.  There might be a few smaller, less important things I'm leaving out but if I think of anything else, I'll update my list.  (I might look for a fertility therapist later on but I'm not doing that yet so it's not on my list.  And I think I have enough going on right now.)  If you feel like sharing, what are some things you are doing or have done to help with your fertility struggles?

10 comments:

  1. Oh my goodness I know exactly what you mean by the lifestyle change etc. Hopefully it will make a difference. I have added a few extra supplements to this ivf cycle.

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  2. Thanks for stopping by my blog! Wow, it sounds like you are doing just about everything you possibly can. I have been taking Agnus Cactus (vitex) for a few months now and it has made my periods better. It is supposed to be good for regulating cycles, but I think it is good just generally. I also take evening primrose oil with starflower oil up to ovulation.

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    1. Oh, and it is worth getting your other half on vits (wellman conception are good) and omega oils. Even if all is fine that end it can't hurt right?

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  3. I read an article that linked mouth bacteria and not flossing to preterm labor. Also apparently people who floss have less heart disease. Weird the connections they make.

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  4. I did a few of these things too...anything to feel more in control over this awful journey. As for the raspberry tea - if you make it with mint tea the flavor isn't quite as bad. (I don't like it either.)

    I hope your lucky cycle comes soon!

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  5. This is interesting in that you really don't realize how much your life has changed until you spell it out. I never in a million years thought I would do acupuncture yet here I am and have been doing it for 14 weeks now. Good luck.

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  6. That's quite the list! I've been planning a post like this too, you'll have to see all the crazy stuff I've done, too! The WORST is daily wheatgrass tablets. Nothing like choking down 5 horse pill sized suckers that taste like old yard waste everyday. Ugh.

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  7. Well now you make me want to floss more often, lol.

    ICLW #33

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  8. Stopping in for ICLW. Thanks for sharing this list! I'm doing a lot of them -- at least to some degree. But a couple things on my own list are:

    -Warming my belly and lower back with a heating pad for 20 minutes each night for the first half of my cycle. (Supposed to help with increasing circulation and blood flow and thus increasing the thickness of the endometrial lining)
    -Taking a few extra supplements (omega 3-6-9, extra Calcium, vitamin E, copper, and more) which have some link to helping with ovulation or other fertility issues
    -Cutting back on artificial sweeteners, especially during my fertile period (as they can acidify your CM)

    Don't know if any of this stuff will work, but I'm willing to give it a try. Wishing you the best and hoping you have good news to share soon!

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  9. These are all great ideas! Thanks for your encouragement and thanks for sharing some of your 'tricks of the trade.'

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