7 Must Do's to Survive Your 2WW (two week-wait) During IVF

I am a member of the “1 in 8” Infertility Club. Really. After trying to conceive the “natural way” for almost 2 years and finding out that the only way to motherhood, in my case, was IVF (In Vitro Fertilization), no other way, it was really hard and devastating to hear.

So, I went along with my husband through five cycles of IVF to be able to conceive; from those five cycles, one was cancelled, one was a miscarriage and one was my stillbirth baby girl Isabelle at 39 weeks, the other two are my girls Eliyah and Maya.

Yes - Infertility sucks! But Infertility and all my struggles through it, not only taught us (me and my husband) a lot, but also inspired me to open up about the pain and start coaching other women and couples walking the same path. It also inspired me to write a book “The IVF Planner”, a valuable read for anyone going through IVF. I truly recommend having a planner during this time, because trust me, keeping up with the daily medical dosages during an IVF cycle is challenging. This resource helps you not only manage the admin but also relieves some of the stress that comes with it. It is also a way to write your own story during this time, and one day be able to show your rainbow baby what a bumpy but incredible journey it was to bring them into the world. 

I realized that a planner is not only a journal but also can be a unique and personal coaching tool.

Based on my own IVF Journey, I also learned that stress is one of the biggest and most difficult issues to handle during this time. 

Here are 7 things you can do to survive your 2WW and make it a little easier:

1. Go easy after your transfer. Start writing a journal.

2. Eat well, rest, but also remember you are not sick, so take a refreshing walk to clear your head and get some fresh air.

3. Please do not test early: this adds more pressure and stress. Wait until your beta test.

4. Color and create. Art therapy is a huge tool to release stress and focus our mind on something positive.

5. Watch funny movies with your partner. This makes time go faster and it is good to laugh.

6. Pamper yourself: go for a foot massage, a pedicure, a manicure, a make-over. Do the normal things which make you feel like you.

7. Acupuncture straight after transfer is a great option too. Head acupuncture is also a relaxing and peaceful way to be mindful and reduce stress, as is meditation and listening to chill-out music.

I truly hope that the message in this article can be of benefit to you if you are struggling with infertility or going through any medical intervention to reach motherhood.

Feel free to contact me. I offer a complementary introductory call and you can schedule it here: https://monicabivas.com/en/make-an-appointment/

By Monica Bivas

(www.theivfplanner.com)

( https://amzn.to/2TskySW)  

5 Questions to ask yourself when trying to conceive

The fertility journey can prove to be a real rollercoaster when it comes to emotions and personal energy! There are so many factors to consider and while I recommend that all couples go and rule out any underlying conditions, I wanted to share some important things to consider that many may not think about when they first start trying to conceive.  

We all learn in high school the false idea that we can get pregnant at any time in the cycle (eye roll).  And we eventually learn that this can’t be farther from the truth!!  The truth is, there are so many factors that need to align in order for conception to occur.  Here are just five things to consider when trying to conceive that may be affecting your chances.

1.     Are you ovulating and if so, when?  

The reality: no ovulation =  no pregnancy.  This is why the menstrual cycle as a whole is so pivotal in regard to conception.  Ovulation is the process in which the follicle releases the most viable egg monthly, and without this process there will be no egg to fertilize. Many people can have monthly bleeds without ovulating.  And many people may have positive OPK tests without ovulating.  This can become very confusing because what that means is that your body istrying to ovulate by releasing LH from the pituitary gland, and it doesn’t confirm that your ovaries responded to the LH or the FSH.  One of the best ways to confirm this is by tracking your basal body temperature – you can find details on how to do this in my fertility resources page.  By tracking your temperature you will not only see if you are ovulating, you will also see when.  Many people who have a regular 28-day cycle may assume that they are ovulating on day 14.  But this is not always the case – some may ovulate early, and some may ovulate late.  Your fertile window is about 4-5 days before ovulation so it’s important to know when that occurs.

2.     Do you have food sensitivities?  

Food sensitivities can greatly impact your chances of conceiving!  Inflammation is one of the factors that may not only prevent implantation but also contribute to miscarriages.  It is important therefore that inflammation is kept to a minimum.  This can be done through diet and supplements but first it’s important to see if there is a food that is causing inflammation and sensitivity.  Many cases of unexplained infertility are linked to women having celiac disease.  Celiac disease is a type of autoimmune condition where the small intestine becomes damaged from the body’s reaction to consuming gluten.  The issue with celiac disease is that it can present in so many ways with a range of symptoms, so it may not be easy to recognize and needs to be tested with a physician.  Another condition that may get exacerbated with food sensitivities is Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.  Similarly, gluten among other foods can worsen the condition – which can in turn impact fertility adversely.

3.     How is your dental and gum health?  

This one may seem surprising, but there is a link between dental health and fertility.  We know that gum health can impact inflammation not only in gums but systemically.  It has been known to contribute to other conditions such as type II diabetes and heart disease.  It is now also being linked to fertility health!  As written above, inflammation is not beneficial when trying to conceive and is important to keep to a minimum.  This is a simple solution – brush well morning and night (and after meals if you’re disciplined!) and make sure to floss daily!  I also recommend a good neem toothpaste and mouthwash.  Oil pulling (an ayurvedic practice) is also a great way to keep the mouth and gums clean and healthy!

4.     Are you deficient in supplements?  

Studies have linked unexplained infertility to deficiency in vitamins.  I wouldn’t recommend randomly supplementing without first speaking to a licensed practitioner.  But you can easily start with a good prenatal.  Keep in mind though, not all prenatal vitamins are created equal!  Many companies are not third party tested and what that means is, since vitamins are not FDA regulated – you cannot be sure that they really have the ingredients they claim to have.  There are other companies that are third party tested, which means that they hire a separate company to test their quality to show practitioners that they adhere to high quality standards.  Another thing that I personally prefer is that prenatal vitamins have methylfolate instead of folic acid.  Folic acid is synthetic and is harmful for people who have the MTHFR gene mutation.  Since not many people get tested, it is best for all to simply avoid folic acid.  I have a list of recommended prenatal vitamins on my fertility resource page. 

5.     Are you well rested? 

Did you know that sleep can help you not only recharge, but regulate and metabolize hormones?  Sleep is vital when trying to conceive!  It also reduces overall stress and helps you focus on important daily tasks and decisions (there are so many decisions people who are on the fertility journey need to make!).  One of the ways in which sleep can be improved is by regulating the circadian rhythm.  It gets regulated by daylight as well as darkness at night.  What can confuse your inner cycle is artificial light at night.  This can be regulated by reducing screen time in the evening and allowing an hour or two before sleep to be in a dim environment which is not too bright.  You can also find a sleep hypnosis audio here for suggestions on deep sleep.  

These five questions may not be as obvious when you first begin the journey, but they can really make a difference in how your journey progresses!  If you want more in depth support I am happy to jump on a discovery call with you!