Trying to conceive is no easy task, especially when you are doing all the things and it seems that people left and right aren’t even trying and they get pregnant. I bet you were like me and you’ve tried everything, including elevating your legs after sex. The worst thing is sex turns into a chore and the romance can get lost and you can start to resent your partner because it’s just not working. Well I’m here to tell you that you are doing NOTHING wrong, each month that you ovulate and you have sex during the fertile window, you have a 25% chance of actually getting pregnant. So unfortunately most of the time it is just bad luck. So yes I think I’ll be buying a lotto ticket soon haha.
I’ll answer the #1 question I’ve been getting, did we use fertility meds, or IVF, no. We never met with a fertility specialist. I went the holistic route with an acupuncturist, a naturopath and my obgyn. Since all our tests came back as unexplained infertility, I trusted that if I healed and supported my body then my body would be able to get pregnant.
So let me start this off by sharing that my trying to conceive journey started well before we actually officially started trying. I was diagnosed with endometriosis in March of 2008, I was told that if I ever wanted kids to get pregnant right away or it may never happen. Due to the timing of my life becoming a single mother was not the right path for me. I adopted a dog instead and decided to fight endometriosis with everything I had. Read more of my endometriosis journey here. I tried modern medicine and it failed me. So I took my obgyn’s advice and tried acupuncture and to go see a Naturopathic Doctor. This was when my life changed, my pain became non existent and no more cysts bursting. I got off birth control when Matt and I got engaged, we knew it would take some time for my body to detox. Thanks to weekly acupuncture with Lara at Herbin Acupuncture and Chinese herbs my periods came back, and with no pain. It was almost like my endometriosis had disappear. My obyn was very happy with my progress and supported my decisions, and multiple have said I show no signs of endometriosis and if I hadn’t shown them my photos from surgery they would say I never had it.
I was ovulating every month, I could feel it and had all the symptoms. When Matt and I decided it was the right time to expand our family my cycle went array. Stress can affect your cycles, we had recently moved out of state where we didn’t know anyone, we left the area we had both been born and raised, It was a big change. I explain more of our journey here in multiple blog posts. I was diagnosed with infertility, since it had been over 6 months of us trying and not getting pregnant. Most doctors don’t see you until it has been a year, since I already had a diagnosis of something that can cause infertility my doctor so no point in waiting longer.
If you are going through fertility issues, make sure your doctor is testing your thyroid, not just your t3 and t4, but your TSH, you should also be tested for MTHFR, Vitamin D levels, DHEA, FSH, and ovarian reserve. Also your sex hormones, AMH should also be tested, usually on day 1-3 of your cycle. My doctor also had an HSG to make sure my tubes weren’t blocked, along with an ultrasound to see if I had cysts and to see how my uterine lining was. Also if you don’t know your blood type, this would be a good time to see if you could have the RH negative factor.
We did testing through our Obgyn, Matt and I came back fine, our levels were all within normal limits, my tubes weren’t blocked. There was one month I did not ovulate, but after my HSG I was showing that I was ovulating. I started some additional herbs with my acupuncturist Toni here in Goodyear, I see her at Healing Edge. We added herbs before I ovulated to help “make fluffy viable eggs”. My cycle got back on track. But month after month we were disappointed. I then sought out a Naturopath in Tempe, Dr. Ham at Nourish Natural Medicine, we did additional lab work, re-evaluated my supplements and changed some things around. We also did energy work and started walking meditation. I also changed the structure of my workouts, less high intensity and runs, more walking, and strength training. I was also recommended to go to a float tank once a month, infrared sauna twice a week for 20 mins for the first half of my cycle. Epsom salt baths until I ovulated and then I could do foot baths after.
I will list the supplements below of what I was taking while we were trying to conceive, Again I am NOT a doctor, this is what was advised to me personally!
I had two ovulation tracking devices, the Ava ($299, one time fee, Code: Holistic20) bracelet that I still use during pregnancy, and I also used Ovusense ($129 for device plus two months subscription, $299 for device plus 12 month subscription, Code: CAHILL for 20% off). The devices are very different, but they both detect your fertile window (the ideal window to have sex when trying to get pregnant) and it depends on what exactly you are looking for, they both track your temperature and use that data to find your fertile window. The Ava Bracelet also tracks your sleep, skin temperature, breathing rate, heart rate and more. You wear it while you sleep and sync to your phone in the morning, the more you wear it the better it can detect your fertile window and ovulation. The Ava bracelet does not have an ovulation confirmation, I just had my one year anniversary of using Ava. The Ovusense is a devise that you insert into your vagina and it tracks your temperature while you sleep and has a 99% ovulation confirmation. The Ovusense confirmed exactly my ovulation the two cycles I used it, I got pregnant on the second cycle so I did not have more cycles to test on. The Ava bracelet is less invasive and comfortable to sleep with, but I love the confirmation that Ovusense offers. Also I feel there is more human error with Ava if I didn’t have it tight enough. While both devices detected my last fertile window, only the Ovusense got my ovulation date correct, Ava had it calculated for 3 days after Ovusense. For the past 12 cycles I was ovulating on day 14 or later, and my last cycle I ovulated on day 13th. I was able to confirm this through progesterone levels done by my Obgyn.
I think the Ava bracelet is great if you know you are ovulating every month, but have a feeling it changes month to month and you don’t feel like peeing on ovulation strips daily. If you have PCOS, love having a confirmation, or have a feeling you may not be ovulating daily I would suggest getting the Ovusense. But I do highly believe in both devices.
A few people have asked if I was drinking when trying to conceive, I was but moderately and towards the end not really much at all, I think I had one glass of wine during my last cycle. In my opinion less is more, but if you need a half a glass to relax at the end of the day, do it. I believe it is best to avoid alcohol after ovulation, that is my opinion and what I personally did most of the time. Alcohol was one of the things that tipped me off that I was pregnant, I couldn’t stand the smell and it tasted like rubbing alcohol when I was 3 weeks pregnant. So you do you boo.
Supplements and treatments while trying to conceive:
Prenatal: Whenever you are trying to conceive it is important to already be on a prenatal. This one was recommended to me by multiple doctors of being the best prenatal, with the best percentages of each vitamin and mineral. Also if you have MTHFR you are able to utilize this folic acid. Also it has lower Magnesium citrate which I am very sensitive too.
Vitex: Can help with hormone balance (estrogen and progesterone) and infertility issues, I was recommend this through my Obgyn.
Pregnenolone: Helps with endometriosis, hormones, and the detox process
Xiao Yao: My Acupuncturists put me on this to help break up endometriosis tissue, regulate hormones and provide a healthy uterus.
Nourish Ren & Chong Formula: My Acupuncturist put me on this the week prior to me ovulating to help produce “Fluffy, viable, strong eggs” When I would take this I would notice my ovaries more stimulated and follicles would be more noticeable. Must get from a licensed practitioner.
Glutathione: I took this to help protect my eggs, here is more information on glutathione with PCOS, or IVF. Matt also took glutathione to help increase healthy sperm. Make sure you are getting Liposomal glutathione as it is one of the few glutathiones that can enter our blood stream.
N- Acetyl-L-Cystine aka NAC: NAC is required to help make and replenish glutathione in the body. Helps with detox of liver and kidneys. Helps with my sinus congestion. Helps with the ovulation cycles, helps stabilize blood sugar. Can help with immunity.
Vitamin D: Even though I am in the sun daily my vitamin D levels were on the lower side, so I am on a small small dosage.
Probiotic: If the gut isn’t right, nothing works right. This was the exact probiotic my doctor has me on.
Liposomal Melatonin spray: This is a lower does but gets into the blood stream to help me fall asleep and stay asleep.
Zinc: Matt took this to help produce healthy sperm.
Co Q 10: helps lower oxidation stress and improves egg quality. improves sperm mobility.
Phosphorus 6c: This was a special concoction my ND came up with to help with my energy healing and other things related to my infertility.
I was also recommended to continue my fertility smoothie. recipe here
I don’t believe one device, or one supplement helped us get pregnant. I believe it was a combination of everything but mostly the emotional work, and taking the time to really heal my body. We tested and had supplements that were specific to my body. After I completed the emotional work I felt for the first time in two years that it was going to be ok, the stress of trying to conceive had diminished, I felt like myself again, my husband got his wife back. Getting Roscoe after my energy treatment removed the pressure of trying to conceive, I was so focused on the puppy that my body finally relaxed and two days after we brought Roscoe home we got pregnant. So was it the puppy, using daily ovulation trackers, was it all the supplements and weekly acupuncture, the lowering the intensity or workouts. I believe it was ALL OF IT.
I am not sharing my story to brag, I am sharing in hopes that I can give a girl who was struggling in the same position I was some hope and light during this dark journey. Maybe by talking with your doctor about some of these options may help. Maybe adding in acupuncture to chill out and reconnect your body will be the difference your body needs. We are all different, there is no magic pill to get pregnant.
I will never stop rooting for you and being your hype woman. TTC is no easy task.
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