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Coping with Infertility

Fertility Podcasts

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What do infertility, going through infertility treatments like IVF, and experiencing a miscarriage all have in common? Well, other than being terrible and unfair, they can also be extremely lonely. Finding support that works for you can be key to coming out the other side in one piece. Podcasts can offer a private setting to reflect on delicate issues and know you are not alone. In your own time, you can listen to people with similar experiences, learn from experts, laugh at the absurdity of it all, and cry because it's all so unfair; we're a big fan of podcasts for all of these reasons. There are a lot of options to choose from depending on your needs and interests. Here is a list of 35 fertility-related podcasts: Podcasts with a Bit of Everything: Support, Interviews, Info Infertile Mafia Big Fat Negative Fab Fertility Beat Infertility The Fertility Podcast This is Infertility All About Fertility Pregnantish Podcast I Want to Put a Baby in You The Male Infertility Podcast Infertility and Me Podcasts with a Focus on Personal Infertility Stories Infertile AF If These Ovaries Could Talk Matt & Doree's Eggcellent Adventure IVF Dad For Trying Out Loud I Want to Put a Baby in You IVFML The Pineapple Podcast: Stories of Infertility Miscarriage & Loss Podcasts Life After Miscarriage Managing Miscarriage The Joyful Mourning The Worst Girl Gang Ever Sisters in Loss Surrogacy-Focused Podcasts Hope Works: A Surrogacy Podcast Surrogacy: A Family Frontier Donor-Focused Podcasts Half of Me Three Makes Baby Podcast DIBS: Welcome to the Family Doctor-Hosted Podcasts The Egg Whisperer Show Fertility U Podcast As a Woman Fertility Health or Nutrition-Focused Your Fertility Pharmacist Fertility Friendly Food Finding Fertility Pregnancy After Infertility Finally Pregnant Childfree After Infertility Live Childfree with Erik & Melissa

oldposts, Pregnacy Loss

Relatable Words After a Miscarriage

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The article may contain affiliate links. Pregnancy loss, miscarriage, or neonatal loss can be traumatic, life-altering experiences that are tough to truly understand unless you have been there. When someone else puts words to that unexplainable feeling, it can feel like your pain has been acknowledged. We’ve gathered words related to grief and loss—many from people who have experienced the loss of a pregnancy— and hope you see your truth or find comfort in some of these words. Trying to Describe Loss “I held you every second of your life.” — Stephanie Paige Cole from Still: A Collection of Honest Artwork and Writings from the Heart of a Grieving Mother “Baby loss =A million what ifsA billion if onlysA trillion I wishes” Zoe Clark-Coates “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside of you.” — Maya Angelou When you carry a life and it’s there, and then gone, a part of your soul dies. Forever. — Casey Wiegano I didn’t want to kiss you goodbye was the trouble. I wanted to kiss you goodnight, and there’s a lot of difference. — Ernest Hemingway “Before I carried the pain, I carried you. And in my heart, I carry you still.” — Unknown “Any woman who’d ever lost a child knew of the hollowness that remained within the soul.” ― Brittainy C. Cherry in Disgrace “What does a miscarriage feel like? It feels as if you have been short-changed by nature. You will cry for what might have been but nobody will understand because they didn’t feel it.” — Unknown Strength From Loss “We are not broken by our tragedy, our loss, our miscarriages, but made stronger by what we learn from them.” — Dr. Lora Shahine in Not Broken: An Approachable Guide to Miscarriage & Recurrent Pregnancy Loss “Pregnancy loss is not a disease that can be cured; it’s not going anywhere—it is, in fact, a normative outcome of pregnancy. And it is, therefore, a topic we would benefit from engaging in candid and integrating into everyday conversations, devoid of silence, stigma, and shame.” — Dr. Jessica Zucker from I Had a Miscarriage Words of Sympathy “A mother is not defined by the children she can see, but by the love she holds in her heart.” — Franchesca Cox “There is a unique pain that comes from preparing a place in your heart for a child that never comes.” — David Platt Words of Comfort “A life need not to be long-lived for it to be meaningful.” — Unknown “There is no foot too small that it cannot leave an imprint on this world.” — Unknown “Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.” — A.A. Milne in Winnie the Pooh “How very softly you tiptoed into our world, almost silently, only a moment you stayed. But what an imprint your footsteps have left upon our hearts.” — Dorothy Ferguson “I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always, as long as I’m living, my baby you’ll be.” — Robert Munsch in I’ll Love you Forever “Even those that never fully blossom bring beauty into the world.” — Unknown You were but a drop of rain to the eye but managed to flood my heart with love during your brief time with us. — Amy Hoover Moving Forward From Loss “The way forward is through, not around.” — A McDonald Ace, C. Starr, A.N. Bourbonnais in Through, Not Around: Stories of Infertility and Pregnancy Loss “Some things cannot be fixed; they can only be carried. Grief like yours, love like yours, can only be carried.” — Megan Devine “Sometimes we don’t want to heal because the pain is the last link to what we’ve lost.” — JM Storm “You never arrived in my arms, but you will never leave my heart.” — Zoe Clark-Coates “Grief is not a sign of weakness, nor a lack of faith… it is the price of love.” — Elizabeth I “Some say you’re too painful to remember. I say you’re too precious to forget.” — Unknown “You didn’t do anything to cause your loss. There is nothing you did, didn’t do, or could have done differently to prevent it. As you will continue to learn, the loss of pregnancy and the death of a baby are not discretionary; it can happen to anyone. It just happened to you. — Joey Miller in Rebirth “I am done trying to reason with it. For now, at least. There is no reason. There is nothing to understand. There is no could-have or should-have because there is only what is.” — Nora McInerney in It’s Okay to Laugh (Crying Is Cool Too) Pin Me

Fertility Health, oldposts

Books About Infertility

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When the people around you don’t understand your experience with infertility, you can always connect with people who have been there and written about that. Here is a selection of books on infertility and the process of IVF, infertility memoirs, mind-body infertility resources, and childfree, not by choice resources. Books on Infertility & IVF These books focus on explaining the procedural aspects of infertility or IVF. We’ve kept the list to current books to make sure they are still relevant. The Fertility Doctor’s Guide to Overcoming Infertility  Buy on Bookshop This is a current guide (2020) on everything-infertility written by a doctor specializing in the area. Dr. Mark Trolice offers a general overview on topics from ovulation to preserving fertility from cancer. It’s a cross between a self-help book and an encyclopedia that offers practical tips along with accessible explanations. Who is it for: Readers looking for a general overview of many aspects of infertility are open to writing that offers advice. Conceivable: The Insider’s Guide to IVF Buy on Amazon Science journalist Jheni Osman offers an overview (2020) of IVF that extends beyond the medical procedures’ ins and outs. Chapters include how IVF works, choosing a clinic, egg, sperm, and embryo donation, cryopreservation, and when IVF doesn’t work. Conceivable has expert commentary and personal experiences woven throughout and is an easy read. Who it’s for: Readers from the UK who are new to the world of IVF and are looking for an overview from a patient perspective. (The book has a UK angle: resources, prices, terminology, etc.) Get A Life: His & Hers Survival Guide to IVF Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop Get a Life (2017) is a casually written field guide to IVF by Richard Mackeny & Rosie Bray that focuses on the roles that both men and women have in the process and the feelings that may come with each stage. The “his and hers” format leads to a few gender stereotypes—but likely also provides insight into what your partner might be experiencing and feeling. It’s UK-focused (resources, terminology), but not in a way that makes it UK-exclusive. Who is this book for? It’s a good book for couples looking to understand their partner’s role and feelings during IVF. The Trying Game: Get Through Fertility Treatment and Get Pregnant without Losing Your Mind Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop Part memoir, part how-to guide, Amy Klein writes about the process and emotional ups and downs of getting pregnant through fertility treatments. Drawing on her own experience and framed with research-driven info and expert interviews, she discusses everything-infertility in terms of what you need to know and what your choices are. Who is this book for? This book is suitable for a wide range of readers—anyone who is interested in better understanding the experience of infertility and the realities of fertility treatments. Pregnancy and the birth of a child are discussed. IVF & Infertility-Focused Memoirs These books focus on personal experiences with infertility, and that often include expert interviews and research. The Art of Waiting: On Fertility, Medicine, and Motherhood Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop Belle Boggs (2016) offers a series of essays on infertility, IVF, and birth, touching on topics like the two-week wait, seeing pregnancies everywhere, the infamous “just adopt” advice, financial barriers, and the fear of, after everything, bleeding during pregnancy. Who is this book for? This book is suitable for a wide range of readers, particularly anyone looking to help put words to feelings. The book mentions pregnancy and successful IVF after a first transfer. Through, Not Around: Stories of Infertility and Pregnancy Loss Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop Edited by Allison McDonald Ace, Caroline Starr, Ariel Ng Bourbonnais This book is a collection of essays (2019) that reflects the emotional ups and downs and physical struggles resulting from infertility and pregnancy loss experiences. Who is this book for? Readers looking to engage with raw and honest first-person experiences with infertility and loss. Some stories end with pregnancy or the birth of a child. The Seed: Infertility is a Feminist Issue Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop Journalist Alexandrea Kimball explores the relationship between infertility and feminism, where the right to not have a child is arguably more prevalent than the right to have a child. Who is this book for? This is a short yet dense read for people looking to really engage with how infertility fits into feminist theory, cultural norms, and popular culture. This isn’t a how-to or a memoir as much as it is a deep analysis of an underexamined issue. Conceivability: What I Learned Exploring the Frontiers of Fertility Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop Elizabeth Katkin writes about her extensive experience with fertility treatments while examining the often murky ethics involved in the process. Katkin speaks to the range of infertility treatments— from Clomid to egg donation — in a way that reads more like a story than a reference book. Who is this book for? Anyone looking to better understand the big business of assisted reproduction or intense perseverance in trying to have a baby. Mind and Body-Focused Infertility Books These books address how infertility can spill over into every aspect of your life. Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop Conceiving with Love: A Whole-Body Approach to Creating Intimacy, Reigniting Passion, and Increasing Fertility Denise Wiesner is a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine with an integrative East-Meets-West approach (think chakra balancing) towards building intimacy and ultimately a passionate sex life. We don’t love everything about the book, but losing intimacy to infertility is a problem, and there might be something in it that helps you turn it around. Who is this book for? Couples looking to re-engage physically who are open-minded enough to work through exercises including breathwork and gratitude practice. Child-Free Not by Choice Books that cover what happens when infertility doesn’t end with pregnancy. Silent Sorority: A Barren Woman Gets Busy, Angry, Lost and Found Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop

oldposts, Pregnacy Loss

Best Books to Read After a Miscarriage

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This article contains affiliate links. The experience of losing a pregnancy can be hard to process. If you are looking for help understanding what has happened, to hear that you are not alone, or are looking for hope for the future, here is a list of books that may help you on your journey to heal. Themes: We have done our best to indicate the loss-related topics you may encounter because triggers are real. Books to Read After A Miscarriage I Had a Miscarriage: A Memoir, a Movement Jessica Zucker, Ph.D. 2021 Jessica Zucker is a psychologist specializing in reproductive and maternal mental health. After miscarrying at home 16 weeks into her second pregnancy, the lens on how she approached her work and was forever changed. In I Had a Miscarriage. Dr. Zucker candidly offers her personal story and experience as a therapist to reflect on the shame, silence, and stigma surrounding reproductive loss. In an extension of her #ihadamiscarriage movement, this book calls on us to normalize miscarriage and the important conversations surrounding it. Who is this book for? A reader looking for empathy and empowerment after the loss of a pregnancy. If you can associate silence, shame, or stigma with the experience of pregnancy loss, this is a must-read. Themes: Pregnancy loss, pregnancy after loss. Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop Not Broken: An Approachable Guide to Miscarriage and Recurrent Pregnancy Loss By Lora Shahine, MD 2017 Dr. Lora Shahine is a reproductive endocrinologist who specializes in the care and treatment of pregnancy loss. Not Broken is an evidence-based guide covering all aspects of miscarriage and pregnancy loss. The book contains the research and information Dr. Shahine wants her patients to access and is delivered in a compassionate and empathetic way. Who is this book for? Anyone looking for evidence-based yet accessible information on the how and why questions related to first-trimester miscarriage and first-trimester recurrent pregnancy loss. This book extends beyond coping and into genetics and treatment options. It would also be a good read for friends and family looking to show their love and support. Themes: Pregnancy loss, recurrent miscarriage. Buy on Amazon All the Love: Healing Your Hear and Finding Meaning After Pregnancy Loss By Kim Hooper, Meredith Resnick 2021 All the Love combines the personal experiences of co-author Kim Hooper and the professional insights of co-author Meredith Resnick. Topics covered include the medical aspects of loss, a prominent focus on grief, reconnecting with your partner, finding a new “normal,” and getting pregnant again. It reads like a grouping of short stories with pockets of information. Who is it for? Some processing the experience of pregnancy loss or stillbirth. Themes: Pregnancy loss at all stages. Buy on Amazon Books for Support After a Miscarriage Not Broken Illustrated: A Gift for Those Who Have Suffered Pregnancy Loss By Lora Shahine, MD 2018 When someone experiences pregnancy loss, it can be difficult to know what to say. This illustrated book is designed to be gifted as an offer of love and support to those who have experienced loss. Who is it for? Someone processing the experience of pregnancy loss, stillbirth, or infant loss. Themes: Pregnancy loss, recurrent miscarriage. Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop The Baby Loss Guide: Practical and compassionate support with a day-by-day resources to navigate the path of grief By Zoe Clarks-Coates 2021 In The Baby Loss Guide, Zoe Clarks-Coates walks through a timeline of life after baby loss. She covers treatment, practical considerations like dealing with social media, the many decisions of life beyond loss, and the thread of grief that strings it all together. The book concludes with a guided 60 days of compassionate and supportive journaling. Who is it for: People looking for guidance in moving forward after baby loss with interest in journaling. Themes: Miscarriage, stillbirth, SIDS, neonatal loss, TOPFA. Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop Books on Pregnancy After Loss Rebirth: The Journey of Pregnancy After a Loss By Joey Miller, MSW LCSW 2020 Joey Miller is a therapist and social worker with experience in perinatal loss. In Rebirth, she provides a roadmap of the realities of trying to conceive and experiencing pregnancy after the loss of a child. Practical tips are given on ways to approach milestones after loss (the baby shower invite) and how to approach each stage of pregnancy with a focus on advocating for your needs. The real-life experiences of 25 women who have grappled with loss are woven throughout. Who is it for? A reader looking for perspective and tips from a therapist on approaching pregnancy—from conception through delivery and postpartum—after a previous loss of a child. Themes: Pregnancy loss, stillbirth, neonatal loss, pregnancy after loss. Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookseller Books on Personal Experiences With Miscarriage What God is Honored Here?: Wringing on Miscarriage and Infant Loss by and for Native Women and Women of Color Edited by Shannon Gibney & Kao Kalia Yang 2019 What God is Honored Here? is a collection of essays by indigenous women and women of color that reflect on the loss, pain, and trauma of experiencing miscarriage and infant loss. Themes: Pregnancy loss, stillbirth, infant death, ectopic pregnancy. Buy on Amazon Through, Not Around: Stories of Infertility and Pregnancy Loss Edited by Allison McDonald Ace, Caroline Starr, Ariel Ng Bourbonnais 2019 This collection of 22 personal stories reflects the emotional ups and downs and physical struggles resulting from infertility and pregnancy loss experiences. Who is this book for? Readers looking to engage with raw and honest first-person experiences with infertility and loss. Infertility has a significant presence in the book. Themes: Infertility, IVF, miscarriage, second-trimester miscarriage, donor conception, pregnancy after infertility, pregnancy after loss. Some stories end with the birth of a child. Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookseller You Are Not Alone: Love Letters From Loss Mom to Loss Mom By Emily R Long 2016 This simple book contains letters of love and support from moms who have experienced loss to other loss moms.

Coping with Infertility

Gift Ideas For Someone Experiencing Infertility

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It isn't always easy to know how to support a friend or loved one who experiences infertility. It can be truly difficult to know how best to offer support. Asking how they'd like to be supported is our first suggestion, but reaching out with a thoughtful or practical gift can certainly be appreciated. The Unofficial Dos and Don'ts If you are thinking that a gift is a good idea, here are some guidelines that we suggest: Dos Recognize that infertility is very personal. Humorous or whimsical gifts may not be appreciated by everyone. Consider your relationship with the recipient. Are you in the "inner circle" or a co-worker? This is a good indicator of how personal or specific to get. Play it safe. If ever in doubt, "thinking of you" is a pretty safe approach. Don'ts For-when-you-get-pregnant gifts. Not recommended for anyone. At any time. Ever. Nothing for a future baby. Save that for after a pregnancy is confirmed. Anything never-give-up themed. Sometimes people need to decide to stop treatment and move on because it is the best decision for them. Give anything advice-related. Skip the self-improvement books or supplements that your best friend's sister used. Unsolicited advice (in any form) is never a good idea. So what might work? Here are some of our suggestions for gifts that someone on a fertility journey who may be trying to conceive, undergoing treatment like IUI or IVF, may find helpful or touching. IVF WTF?!: An Adult Coloring and Stress Relief Book $12.99 Buy Now Attatoy Plush Uterus $17.99 Buy Now Heating Pad for Injections $25.99 Buy Now Pineapple Ankle Socks $10.00 Buy Now Grow Through What You Go Through Mug $18.00 Buy Now One in Eight Infertility Awareness Shirt $23.00+ Buy Now IVF Meds Bag $20.17+ Buy Now My Fertility Journal $19.95 Buy Now Blankiegram Hugs Blanket $34.99 Buy Now You Are Loved Mug $16.00 Buy Now Morse Code Hope Bracelet $16.98 Buy Now Thinking of You Care Package $26.99 + Buy Now Do you know of a product we should consider? Let us know about it.

oldposts, Trying to get Pregnant

Best Ovulation Tests

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If you are looking to get pregnant quickly (and both partners have no underlying fertility issues), timing is the key. The optimal time to conceive is called your fertile window. Peak fertility or ovulation is not standard across all cycles. This means that accurately predicting ovulation is individual. Even those with regular cycles can have highly variable timing of their fertile window. Because of this, determining ovulation based on a calendar method or calculations (assuming ovulation is day 14 or dividing the length of your menstrual cycle by two) is not necessarily accurate. Monitoring physical symptoms can provide you more information about the actual timing of your fertile window. This is where an ovulation test kit can be useful. To understand precisely how ovulation tests help, it’s helpful to understand what exactly is meant by your fertile window. Identifying Your Fertile Window There are only certain days of a menstrual cycle where conception is possible. This 6-day timeframe is referred to as a “fertile window” and includes the five days preceding ovulation and the day of ovulation itself. This time period is determined by adding together the maximum possible viability of both the sperm and egg. When an egg is released, it must be fertilized within 12-24 hours, or it is reabsorbed back into the body. Sperm can live inside of the female reproductive tract in the right conditions for up to 5 days. Together, the possible range for fertilization to occur becomes this 6-day fertile window. Which days are you most likely to get pregnant? While pregnancy is possible over these 6 days, it is most likely to occur during the two days preceding ovulation and the day of ovulation itself. In a study of 221 women, couples who had sex once during this three-day timeframe had a 27% to 33% chance of becoming pregnant. The study reported that the likelihood of becoming pregnant if you have sex during the fertile window was as follows: 5 days before ovulation – 10 % 4 days before ovulation – 16 % 3 days before ovulation – 14 % 2 days -before ovulation 27 % 1 day – 31% Day of ovulation – 33% Another study shows that sex on the day before ovulation is most likely to translate to pregnancy and that chances of conception drop dramatically to almost 0% after ovulation. Bottom line: There is a 6-day window that consists of the five days before ovulation and the day of ovulation itself for the fertile window where pregnancy is possible. Of these days, the final two days and the day of ovulation have the highest probability of conception. (Read about fertility-friendly lubricants) Don’t I Ovulate on Cycle Day 14? The clinical guidelines have long been that a median menstrual cycle is 28 days with a steady 14-day luteal phase (number of days after ovulation until the next period), meaning that ovulation is generalized to occur on day 14. There is much more variation among cycles, meaning that this would not be the most accurate way of determining your fertile window. In a large study, the mean menstrual cycle was 29.3 days, and follicular phase length, or ovulation date, was 16.9 days. Only around 13% of cycles were found to be 28 days long. One study found that women seeking treatment at fertility clinics had attempted to identify their fertile window, but few could do it accurately. The researchers concluded that a lack of fertility awareness can cause problems when trying to get pregnant and might be a contributing cause of infertility. Online Ovulation Calendars What about those free online ovulation calendars? Most online ovulation test calculators that “calculate” your fertile window with only your cycle length likely use the day 14 assumption. We know that not everyone ovulates on day 14, making these results not accurate for many people. More accurate results come from interpreting signs from your own body through fertility awareness or luteinizing hormone (LH) ovulation tests. Read: Implantation Calendar: What is Happening During the Two-Week Wait? What is an Ovulation Test? A basic ovulation test can be done at home and will help you predict when your body will release an egg through the process of ovulation. By identifying when you ovulate, you can time sex for the best chance of getting pregnant. How Do Ovulation Tests Work? Most urine-based ovulation predictor tests work by detecting the amount of luteinizing hormone (LH) present in urine. A surge of this hormone triggers a follicle to release an egg, and detecting this surge can be used to predict ovulation. A surge of LH means that the chances are high that ovulation is coming up. Standard LH Ovulation Tests The majority of tests on the market fall into this category. They are either a strip (or dip) test where a test strip is dipped into a cup of urine or a midstream test where a test stick with an absorbent tip is held in the urine stream (think pee-on-a-stick). All of these tests are qualitative or threshold, which means that a certain hormone level will trigger a positive result. The threshold is often 25 mIU/ml or 40 mIU/mL (mIU/mL is the abbreviation for the measurement milli-international units per milliliter.) Because they are threshold-based (yes/no), these tests don’t work well for people with atypical hormone patterns, including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), symptoms of menopause, or those taking some fertility-enhancing medications. The user interprets the results by how dark a line is compared to a test line. The more of the hormone present, the darker the line will appear. The tests tend to be in a lower price range. Digital Tests With digital tests, a test stick is inserted into urine and then entered into a mini-computer that analyzes the sample and displays the results. The main advantage of digital tests is the results displays on a screen, and there is no interpretation involved. Even though these tests are more sophisticated, they are still qualitative/threshold and are triggered by a certain

oldposts, Trying to get Pregnant

Ovulation Tracking Charts

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A BBT chart is used to track fluctuations in basal body temperature (BBT), which is your body’s temperature at rest. Because a slight rise in temperature occurs at the time of ovulation, tracking BBT over time helps identify low and peak fertility. (Check out our intro to BBT charting.) Digital tracking with the use of various apps has become a popular way to track BBT, but for some, the traditional paper and pen method of tracking is the way to go. If you have determined that pen-to-paper is your method, finding a paper chart with the ideal layout for you is next. Here is a selection of BBT charts that might do the trick. Free Printable Ovulation Chart Options Source: Taking Charge of Your Fertility Source: MyMonthlyCycles.com Source: TheBabyCorner.com Source: BabyCenter.com Download BBT Charts Fertility In Focus available on Etsy $3.00

Fertility Treatment, oldposts

IVF Pregnancy Announcements

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We’ve had the joy of gathering unique IVF pregnancy announcement ideas—from tear-jerkingly touching to downright nerdy—and attempted to categorize them for your viewing pleasure. From intricate to easy, there is something for every skill level! If you are dreaming about what might be in the future or planning for an imminent announcement, hopefully, you can draw inspiration from some of these great ideas. IVF Onesie Pregnancy Announcements Credit: Kacey Kennedy Roth / @kck_roth Credit: Emily Aranda / @empricea Credit: Amy Lynn / @amy_lynn_l Credit: @brittanischwab on Instagram Credit: @lovk1019 on Instagram Credit: Cristina Gullo @mrs_cristina_gullo Credit: @ivfgotafarmhouse Credit: Nora O’Brien-Gleason/ @norasaurus85 on Instagram IVF Needle & Medication Pregnancy Announcements Credit: @olivuafeldman_ via @seesusierun Credit: @making_baby_mikkelsen Credit: Allana Handley / @allanahandley on Instagram Credit: Emily Aranda / @empricea Credit: Hannah / @journeytomotherhood Credit: @jessicadaniellehess on Instagram Credit: Lauren Supernaw / @lilsupergirl82 Credit: Stella Paglia lamundo / @stellapaglia Credit: Jess Veit / @mamainthemaking21.22 Credit: Jess Veit / @mamainthemaking21.22 Fun & Adorable IVF Pregnancy Announcements Credit: @jessicadaniellehess on Instagram Credit: Savannah Smith Soskin / @savannahsmithphoto Credit: Stella Paglia lamundo / @stellapaglia IVF Pregnancy Announcements With Pets Credit: Amy Dunnuck / @amydunnuck Credit: @ivf_pride IVF Pregnancy Announcement for Twins/Triplets Credit Lo / @_lo.f_ Credit: Natalia Marek Griffin / @antimony79 Have a great announcement to share? We’d love to hear from you.

Fertility Treatment, oldposts

14 Onesies that Celebrate IVF Babies

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For pregnancy announcements, birth announcements, or baby shower gifts, we’ve found 14 of the best onesie designs to help celebrate the arrival of a special IVF baby. From adorable to nerdy or funny, there is something to celebrate a child worth the wait. Buy on Amazon | $14.97 “Made with love & Science” Cozy Bear Boutique Buy on Etsy | $19.99 “Expensive AF—but with every penny…” Panda Tots Apparel Buy on Amazon | $14.95 “Little Miracle” Bump and Beyond Designs Buy on Amazon | $14.95 “The Little Embryo That Could” by Sunray Clothing Store Buy on Amazon | $22.99 “Finally ❤” by CafePress Buy on Amazon | $12.49 “Worth Every Single Shot” by Peanut Press Designs Buy on Etsy | $10.79 + “I’m So Cool I Used To Be Frozen” by KAYANDTEE Buy on Etsy | $14.62 “Made With Lots Of Love & A Little Bit of Science” by IndiElleDesigns Buy on Etsy | $18.00 “No one ever wanted anything more than I wanted you” by GingerAndBabe Buy on Etsy | $19.98 + “Science & Me Go Way Back” by PuddleKickers Buy on Etsy | $17.26 ” Mom + Dad + Science = Me” by milestonepost Buy on Etsy | $14.99 “Some Things Are Worth The Wait” by OneStopSussenshop Buy on Etsy | $15.99 “Worth It All” by HearthandArrowBtq Buy on Etsy | $15.99 “Worth the wait and wait and wait” by HearthandArrowBtq Pin me

Fertility Treatment, oldposts

Best Fertility Lubricants

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This article contains affiliate links. Personal lubricants are liquids or gels that help with vaginal dryness or pain during sex by reducing friction. This article covers what you need to know about using lubrication when trying to conceive (TTC). Lubricants and Trying to Conceive When it comes to baby-making, it’s no surprise that timed intercourse can be stressful. In couples trying to conceive, vaginal dryness is found to occur at a rate as much as twice as that of the general population. Sometimes getting your body to “perform” is too much pressure. For people with endometriosis, dyspareunia, or infertility-related distress, or those taking the fertility-enhancing drug Clomid, lubrication during intercourse might be necessary. The bottom line: if lubricant can make sex more comfortable for you, there is no good reason to go without it. Can lubricant affect fertility? For pregnancy to occur, sperm needs to propel themselves through the cervix to meet an egg. Sperm motility, or its ability to move straight ahead quickly, is required for this to happen. Some over-the-counter lubricants such as KY Jelly, Replens, and Astroglide have been found to impair how sperm move or even are toxic to sperm in lab testing. If sperm have impaired movement (or are dead), they likely aren’t contributing to a pregnancy; but there’s more to the story. Do you need a “sperm-friendly” lube? While standard lubricants have been shown to slow or even kill sperm in a lab setting, studies in 2012 and 2018 found that lubricant use didn’t seem to reduce the chance of conceiving. These results may be because sperm are exposed to lubrication in the lab for longer durations than is likely to occur in real life. Both studies have limitations (for example, the 2012 study groups fertility-friendly lube and regular lubes in the same category). Both also say that more research is needed to confirm the finding, so It’s possible that “lube didn’t make a difference” might not be the full picture. So is sperm-friendly lube a must when trying to conceive? Without a diagnosis of male-factor infertility, the data doesn’t suggest that it is critical, but it also lacks consensus. (We found doctors recommending no lube, any lube, and only sperm-friendly lube.) What we do know is that there are lubrications that don’t harm sperm in a lab setting. What does fertility lubricant do? Fertility-friendly lubrication is a particular category of lubricants (called PEB lubricants) required by the FDA to undergo testing to prove they won’t impact fertilization or harm eggs, sperm, or embryos. Essentially, a fertility-friendly lube has proven not to harm conception. Does fertility lubricant help you get pregnant? No, not really. Theoretically, a sperm-friendly lubricant works by not make it more challenging to get pregnant because it doesn’t damage sperm. Fertile-quality cervical mucus that has an egg-while-like consistency is the real pregnancy helper. Does using lube prevent pregnancy? No! Commercial lube isn’t birth control! It can’t prevent pregnancy. See more on spermicides and contraceptive gels. What You Should Know About Lube The chemical ingredients in lube are called excipients. The combination of these excipients creates a lube’s sensations—slippery, tingly, moist, etc. These desired characteristics can come at the cost of a chemical makeup that can damage tissue and cells. There are two measurements to know with water-based lubricants (which all fertility-friendly lubes are): pH and osmolality. Lube pH pH is a measurement of a solution’s acidity or alkalinity on a scale from 0 to 14. Less than 7.0 is acidic, or greater than 7.0 is alkaline. In the middle, 7.0 is neutral, just like water. The pH of the healthy vagina is moderately acidic, with a range of pH 3.8–4.5 to help protect against bacterial growth. Acidity, however, can also kill alkaline-loving sperm that prefers the 7.2–8.2 pH of optimal semen. This acidity is why fertile cervical mucus is essential to natural conception. It is more alkaline with a pH of around 7.0, helping to provide sperm safe passage. We know that pH matters because sperm can live up to 5 days in fertile mucus and die within hours in more acidic non-fertile mucus. So what does this mean for fertility lubes? A fertility lube’s pH should not seriously alter vaginal pH or be toxic to sperm (so you don’t want a low pH). There is no specific pH that the FDA requires a fertility lubricant to be, but any PEB-certified lubricant has a pH that has been proven not to harm sperm, eggs, or embryos. Many fertility-friendly lubes are neutral pH of around 7.0 to match optimal semen and fertile fluids. Lube Osmolality Think of osmolality as the ability to pull water from tissue and cells. A lubricant with high osmolality can draw moisture out of cells which can dehydrate and irritate vaginal tissue and harm sperm. The ideal state is isosmotic/isotonic, meaning the lube and the cells have the same hydration levels, and no water is exchanged. So what does this mean for fertility lubes? Commercial lubricants often have high osmolalities (2000-6000 mOsm/kg). The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that lubrication not exceed 300 mOsm/kg but set 1200 mOsm/kg as an upper limit because of the lack of lower osmolality products. For a fertility-friendly lube, isotonicity requires a product to have a comparable concentration of the water molecules to vaginal secretions (260-290 mOsm/kg ), semen (289 to 351 mOsm/kg ), or fertile cervical mucus (250 to 422 mOsm/kg.) There is no specified osmolality for a PEB lubricant to meet, but a PEB-certified lubricant is considered to be within a safe range. Based on the products available, the acceptable range is likely around 260 mOsm/kg to 400 mOsm/kg. Glycerine Glycerine (glycol) is an ingredient used to attract and retain moisture found in some fertility lubes. Glycerine has a bad name in lubes because higher levels can significantly increase osmolality, which can dehydrate tissue and cause inflammation. With PEB fertility lubes, osmolality cannot be high (max of 400 mOsm/kg compared to the 2000-6000 mOsm/kg of some lubes). While only low

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FertilitySmarts was founded by Kelly Park several years ago with the intention of providing educational resources for individuals facing fertility challenges. In 2023, IVF Store, LLC acquired the platform, aiming to perpetuate Kelly’s mission while enhancing its content through contributions from esteemed fertility clinicians and experts globally. Presently, FertilitySmarts stands as a premier online information hub, featuring articles authored by recognized specialists in the realm, elucidating the scientific intricacies of fertility issues.

 

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