*This post may contain affiliate links, at no extra cost to you, I may earn a small commission. I only recommend products that I would use or do use myself. *
Hello to my fellow IVF warrior! Sounds kind of silly to be called an “IVF warrior” right? But anyone who has gone through it knows that the name is quite fitting. Going through IVF takes strength, endurance, perseverance, and commitment. While preparing for an upcoming IVF cycle is one of the most exciting things for a hopeful soon-to-be-mom, it can be inevitably stressful.
The physical, emotional, and financial demands take their toll! As I write this post, I am preparing to start an IVF cycle in about 2 weeks. This will be my second full IVF cycle (my history includes 1 IUI, 1 IVF, and 2 FETs with one beautiful daughter here on earth and three babies in heaven as a result). As I prepare for my upcoming cycle, I wanted to share some essential tips with you that have helped me immensely in reducing the stress-level associated with each cycle I’ve gone through, and I hope they will help you too!
1. Stay Organized
Keeping track of all of the medications, doses of the medications, and appointments is overwhelming! Which medication am I adding tonight? What dose am I supposed to take? What time is my appointment tomorrow? Good grief! The best way to counter the stress involved in keeping up with all of these things is to stay organized.
I highly recommend using a calendar or planner to help you achieve this. You can even get a calendar intended to be used for IVF, like this one here, that provides space to write in your medications and dosages. Any calendar or planner that you can write out your protocol in will do. Another advantage to doing this is that you can cross off each medication as you’ve taken it so that you’re not second guessing yourself later in the day as to whether or not you forgot to take something! It’s easy to forget if you’ve taken something or not in the midst of the medication cornucopia.
2. Be prepared for the bloat!
Sounds like fun, right? Well, it is the unfortunate reality of our seemingly ever-expanding ovaries. I find one of the best ways to combat the bloat, is to radically accept it and cater to it! What I mean by that is, invest in some loose, elastic pants and flowy shirts. Yes, I’m serious that this really will help reduce your stress level! Trying to button up your skinny jeans in the midst of the IVF bloat = stressful. Rather, get a few pairs of go-to pants that will grow with your growing bloated belly. Think legging without tight elastic, sweatpants, or even maternity pants. There is no shame in wearing maternity pants to get you through your time of bloat. Think of it as preparation for what is hopefully to come! These are some of favs because they are super comfy and are “under the belly” style.
3. Clear your schedule (as much as possible)
IVF can be unpredictable. The exact dates of your egg retrieval and embryo transfer, while estimated, will not be known for certain prior to the start of your cycle. You also may need to take your medications at specific times during the day which is not always ideal. Because of this, it’s important that you anticipate for these unknowns by clearing your schedule, as much as your able, for about the next month in order to keep yourself relatively commitment-free and subsequently stress-free. If you’re working, talk to your boss. You don’t necessarily have to inform him or her that you’re going through IVF, but make sure that whatever you tell him or her will allow you the flexibility you need to make it through the retrieval and transfer.
4. Drink Red Raspberry Leaf Tea
Drinking tea in and of itself can be relaxing and calming but add in the fertility-promoting effects of red raspberry leaf and we’ve got a winner-winner! Red raspberry leaves are a well-known fertility-promoting herb due to their supposed ability to tone the uterus—because of its effect on the uterus and muscles of the pelvic region, they say it’s best to drink it in preparation for IVF all the way up until your egg retrieval. And hey, at the very least this tea is YUMMY. It’s not too bitter and tastes great with a little honey mixed in. The best prices I’ve found for organic are here on Amazon, but you can find it at major health food store like Whole Foods too.
5. Plan for the 2 week wait
The days following your embryo transfer are so important, so exciting, and so nerve-wracking. You will need do your best during this time to stay positive, calm, and stress-free. A few tips to help you achieve this are as follows:
- Get take-out the night of the transfer. You don’t want to have to be thinking about what to make for dinner the first night you have baby-embryo with you! Treat yourself. Splurge a little. Order from your favorite restaurant and celebrate with your hubby the fact that baby-em is here!
- Take off from work the day after your embryo transfer if possible. This way you’ll be able to take it easy and relax as much as possible. Watch a couple of funny movies and just try to enjoy having a down day.
- Plan some distractions. The 2 week wait feels like the LONGEST 2 weeks ever. The waiting can be stressful. To help combat that, plan out with your hubby some fun things you can do during the wait to keep your mind distracted. Plan to go to the movies one day. Go visit friends another day. Find a fun recipe to make. Have a date night (out or at-home). Take a drive to your favorite ice-cream or frozen yogurt shop. Find a nice nature preserve to visit. Those are just a few ideas that may help your 2 week wait to go by a little bit faster.
6. PRAY
This is the most helpful thing for me personally to combat the stress and anxiety that goes along with IVF. As scary as it is, I have to recognize that I’m not in control of this cycle. And neither are the doctors. And so, I look to the One who is in control, who holds the lives of my hopeful-future-babies in His hands. Lifting up my worries and fears to God enables me to place my hope and trust in Him and thereby find rest for my anxious soul. Know that God is with you in this and through this. Know that He cares and longs to offer you comfort and help. So pray. I promise He will hear you.
I hope you find these tips helpful! At the very least I hope they get you brainstorming about other ideas that may be stress-reducing for you. I also hope that they get you EXCITED and PUMPED for the start of your IVF journey. All of the pain, stress, sacrifices, and heartache are worth it. Remind yourself of that! If any readers have other stress-reducing tips to add, please share them below. Good luck, friend. I’m routing for you!
