Exercise
16 Self-Care Tips During Fertility Treatment
Eloise Edington | 12 Apr 2022
Every one of us is guilty of not looking after ourselves as much as we should – particularly when having fertility treatment.
Along with the myriad things to keep on top of (tracking ovulation, optimising our diet for fertility, fertility appointments, and, and, and) remembering to also look after ourselves can fall by the wayside.
But can we afford to not show ourselves love and self-care on a fertility journey? Not really.
At Fertility Help Hub, we know the importance of self-care when having fertility treatment and research shows that pessimism can be a risk factor for the failure of IVF. Yet it can be difficult to know how to stay positive when having IVF, so we asked you for the best self-care techniques when in the midst of fertility treatment.
Below, we’ve rounded up 16 top tips for self-care during fertility treatment – straight from our fertility community.
Words by Holly Pigache, advice from our community
Finding Support
When you’re struggling to conceive or going through fertility treatment, a support network is vital. This could be your partner, your parents, your friends or an online community (download our free FHH app here). Speaking with others about your journey can give support along the way to abate the feelings of loneliness that often accompany a fertility struggle.
You can also find IVF guidance from a counsellor – speak with your fertility clinic as they may offer internal counselling services or recommend trained fertility counsellors. With a professional, you can develop self-care techniques specifically designed for people trying to conceive or having fertility treatment to help you navigate IVF with a positive mindset for improved outcomes.
Have you considered the support you can give yourself? A fertility journey can be an emotional rollercoaster and if TTC teaches us one thing, it’s that each of us has an inner strength to draw from when times get tough. But these emotional reserves have to be replenished and one way to top them up is to do things that give us joy and energy.
Self-Care Tips when TTC and Having Fertility Treatment
We asked our Instagram community: who feels they practice enough self-care for themselves? Over half (54%) said “no”. That’s a huge number of people struggling to conceive not looking after themselves.
In fact, a whopping 95% of our fertility community wishes they gave themselves more self-care during fertility treatment and 97% were looking for inspiration of self-care tips from others experiencing problems with fertility.
So how to look after yourself when undergoing fertility treatment? Here’s some self-care advice from our community.
I book myself a neck, head and shoulder massage and don’t feel guilty about it.
“Dance to your favourite music.”
“Treat yourself to pedicures or massages.”
I love all the things my body can do, and also love my body for trying with me on the rest.
“Read, indulge in good skincare, clean the house – just do nice things for yourself.”
“I treat myself to a nice meal or a bit of dark chocolate!”
I book out a night a week when I say ‘no’ to social activities or chores so I can watch TV and chill.
“Treat yourself to a day out, a little distraction and relaxation.”
“I think positively and encourage myself that I’ll have a BFP soon.”
Remember it’s okay to take some time out.
“Go for a walk.”
“I treat myself to a face mask or a nice herbal tea.”
I go for an energising fertility reiki session.
“Drink lots of water and sleep.”
“Join a fertility yoga class, meditate, try hypnotherapy for fertility, enjoy healthy fertility-friendly food, delve into some good books, indulge in face masks and sleep.”
I repeat mantras to remind myself I’m important and I must be kind to myself.
“Go for a walk.”
“I treat myself to a face mask or a nice herbal tea.”
I go for an energising fertility reiki session.
“Drink lots of water and sleep.”
“Join a fertility yoga class, meditate, try hypnotherapy for fertility, enjoy healthy fertility-friendly food, delve into some good books, indulge in face masks and sleep.”
I repeat mantras to remind myself I’m important and I must be kind to myself.
If you find yourself searching the Internet for self-care advice during fertility treatment or the best self-care techniques, you might be running out of ideas.
This is where a fertility app can be helpful. The Tilly app is bursting with self-care articles and videos to help you manage the various pain points on a fertility journey. Discover how to handle fertility stress, meditation techniques to deal with fertility triggers, yoga practices for different stages of your cycle, breathwork techniques to help you stay calm at fertility appointments, and so much more.
Download Tilly on Google Play and the Apple App Store.
Investing time in your self-care is so important during fertility treatment to help you maintain a positive outlook. Try different self-care techniques and discover what works for you so that even when confronted by setbacks, you are taking care of your wellbeing.
