Self-Care Tips for Your Fertility Journey
Infertility can be exhausting because of the constant treatments and tests not to mention the rollercoaster of emotions that come with this process that can drain you of energy and happiness. It is because infertility is so tiring that it is especially essential to utilize self-care strategies to help you nourish and care for your physical, mental and emotional well-being.
When people think of self-care, visions of bubble baths and the latest facials come to mind, but it certainly doesn’t have to be just those things. When you think of self-care as it relates to infertility, it is important to have a mix of strategies in your toolkit that address various needs. It is with these specific needs in mind that I offer my suggestions to you below. These curated self-care tips will help alleviate many of the problems we encounter during our fertility journey and leave you feeling either empowered, re-energized, calm, or less alone. The common thread between all of these techniques is that you will introduce a pattern interrupt into your day or into a situation. This interruption will break the cycle of negativity that causes you to feel stressed, overwhelmed, sad, or alone.
REACHING OUT
When life gets so overwhelming you feel debilitated from the stress and anxiety, nothing beats a good laugh, a shoulder to cry on, or simply a friendly distraction. The isolating nature of infertility can be offset by finding your TTC tribe. Your fellow infertility warrior knows exactly how you are feeling so she’ll be able to help you out with a funny meme, some good advice, or a listening ear. Rather than sweeping your feelings under the rug and forging on in your journey, it can feel great to release your feelings. Sure, it can feel scary to allow yourself a moment to experience your feelings, especially vocalizing it to someone else, but it is so much better to let it all out once in a while so that you can then go back to life with less emotion and pain weighing you down. Then you can operate from a more relaxed state of being.
CHANGE OF SCENERY
When the walls feel like they are closing in on you and your current situation feels so out of your control, a change of scenery can make all the difference. If it is too difficult to go somewhere else when you’re in the thick of a stressful situation, you can achieve the same effect by doing a quick visualization. Simply close your eyes, breathe slowly and deeply, and envision your favorite place outdoors. Sit in that visualization for as long as you can and breathe in the relaxation that you feel from being there. The best part about using visualization is that you can drop in whenever you need to relax such as when you are in the waiting room of a doctor’s office or while you’re in the midst of an ultrasound or blood draw.
DO SOMETHING FUN
Along the same lines of reaching out to your TTC tribe combined with a change of scenery, doing something fun is another fantastic option for interrupting a pattern of negativity that you may find yourself in. Doing something fun doesn’t have to be a big production, it can be something as simple as walking, going out to eat, or checking out the latest TikTok videos. Find something to do that will bring you a moment of joy outside of your fertility process.
BREATHE
Your breath is your gateway from stress to serenity. Slow breathing combats stress because it tells your body that you are shifting from stress to relaxation. Breathing techniques are simple variations in your breathing pattern that allow you to focus on your breath and your body and help you reduce your stress levels. Plus, when we focus on our breathing we are taking our minds off of whatever is stressing us out which also tells our body that our focus is no longer whatever stressed us out in the first place. Try this simple technique - breathe in for four seconds, hold your breath for four seconds, breathe out for four seconds, and hold your breath for four seconds. Then repeat this pattern for as many cycles as you need in order to feel more relaxed.
WORDS OF SUPPORT
I love to use affirmations or words of support both in meditations and as a stress management and confidence building tool. An affirmation is a simple statement of encouragement and support that can be said to oneself in a declarative way to boost our positivity and temper our anxiety. When we state something positive to ourselves, the idea is that it will take root within our being and we will start to feel it, believe it and call it into our lives. While you are trying to conceive, I have found the following affirmations very helpful for my meditation clients:
I am worthy.
I am enough.
I am strong.
I am brave.
I am resilient
I am calm.
I am love.
The process of creating a family can be a tough time in your life that can wreak havoc on all aspects of your well-being. Remember to prioritize yourself and care for yourself throughout this time so that you can feel less isolated, less overwhelmed, less stressed and more connected to yourself and your inner power and beauty. When you take the time to tune into how you are feeling and address your needs, you will feel better equipped to handle all of the challenges that come your way.
ABOUT JOSEPHINE ATLURI:
Josephine is an expert in meditation and helping others overcome adversity to find joy. Through her unique journey on her path to become a mom of five, Josephine weathered many ups and downs with miscarriages, IVF, international adoption and surrogacy. Channeling her experience to find calm and courage and to focus on perseverance, she now helps others navigate life’s curveballs through online meditation training, fertility mindfulness workshops, and her “Responding to Life” podcast.
During this time of extreme isolation and stress, Josephine can share practical tips including tools to help ground yourself, reduce tension and tune into your body with simple breathing techniques, body scanning and affirmations. She offers free meditation videos on her site www.jatluri.com. For a free monthly video meditation and wellness tips, be sure to sign up to receive her monthly newsletter on her site. For daily inspiration on working mom life, be sure to follow her on Instagram.
Medical Disclaimer:
The information provided in this blog is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider or qualified medical professional with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this blog.
