Mindfulness: How to Stay Grounded Through your Journey

From a young age in health class, you’re taught that it is so easy to get pregnant and then it’s drilled into your head all the crucial ways to prevent pregnancy. You’re taught to wait until you’re older, established, and with a long-term partner. But if and when you get to the age and stage in life that you’re ready and it doesn’t happen right away, it can be devastating.  You did everything right! Why isn’t this happening as easily as your health teacher said it would?!

Going through fertility treatment can be one of the most stressful and anxiety-riddled times in a patient or couple’s life. Unfortunately, with something as complicated as this, effort does not equate with success. Your ovaries or your uterus don’t register how badly you want to have a child with how well they’re going to behave.

This is where mindfulness comes in. There is only so much you can control in a fertility treatment cycle, but what you can control is how to manage your stress and mental health. Studies have shown significant differences in pregnancy rates for those who use mindfulness techniques and reduce stress during IVF treatment than those who don’t.

So how do you incorporate mindfulness into your fertility treatments? There are many different ways to try and remain present and mindful during your treatments.

Yoga and Meditation

Many yoga studios now offer fertility-focused classes for women going through fertility treatment. Finding ways to calm your mind and focus on the present can be difficult, but crucial during this stressful time of your life.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture can be a good option for patients to reduce stress, stimulate energy and blood flow, and relax during fertility treatments. A variety of acupuncture clinics now offer specific fertility-related sessions.

Here are a few apps to get started:

Ferticalm: Calm. Content. And in Control: An App Designed for Women Experiencing Infertility

Headspace:Headspace is your guide to health and happiness. It’s a simple way to let go of stress and get a better night’s rest. Learn to relax with guided meditations and mindfulness techniques that bring calm, wellness and balance to your life in just a few minutes a day.

Happify: Happify’s science-based activities and games can help reduce stress, overcome negative thoughts, and build greater resilience by providing effective tools and programs to improve emotional well-being.

With all the above options, find something that works for you. Life is stressful enough, so taking the time to control what you can control and focus on taking care of your mind and body can help tremendously during your fertility journey.