Four Top Tips For Dealing With Fertility Problems
I love tip sheets. Especially when they are short. Just give me a few great tips, and I can really take them on! My dirty little secret is that I love to read them all: dieting tips, money tips, relationship tips, and even sex tips! Sometimes, if you can find just one tip to support you coping with whatever you are coping with – it can be amazing. There are even tips for coping with fertility problems. Let’s face it, when you want a baby, that desire can take over how you look at everything. So how do you survive the constant parade of baby strollers, pregnant women, toy stores, maternity stores, baby clothing window displays and the prying eyes of family and friends? Read a tip sheet!
So here’s The Fertility Advocate’s Top Four Tips on Dealing With Trying to Conceive When it isn’t Happening as Fast as You Would Like:
1. Allow yourself to acknowledge that wanting a baby, and waiting for conception is stressful. Let yourself off the hook for feeling some worry and anxiety. It’s perfectly normal. The desire to have a family and the pressure to create one can feel huge. Even the thought that this dream might not happen could make you feel worried that you are broken in some way. Stop blaming yourself. You have done nothing wrong. Facing your fears and talking about them with a trusted friend, fertility coach or therapist can be very helpful. Don’t isolate.
2. Let go of the “wouldas and couldas” in your life. Yes, you “coulda” started your baby making journey when you were younger. But you might not be in the place in your life right now where you feel ready to welcome a baby. Turn the “wouldas and the couldas” into taking the power back in your life right now. If you are in a partnered relationship, this is an opportunity for you two to come together in a very big way. This may be the first true challenge of your relationship! This is an opportunity for you to go deeper into intimacy with your partner., and embrace the mystery of how the two of you are going to work together for this deeply desired goal of a family. Your baby making journey is not about your past, building a family is all about the future!
3. Do your homework! Check out the patient organizations such as RESOLVE, and The American Fertility Association. Let google work for you! Talk to other people who are having the same concerns as you are. Check in with an expert such as a fertility coach. Go to support meetings in your area. They are there, just look! Sometimes, the best resources are all around you.
4. Know your own personal fertility facts. Some good things to do as soon as you know that you want a baby is to find out if the woman is ovulating and if the man has a healthy sperm count. One of the best ways to find out if a woman is ovulating is to do two tests. One is to take your fertility temperature. It’s a hassle, but by taking your basal body temperature (BBT) you can build a fertility cycle history if you ever need to go see a fertility doctor. BBT also confirms that ovulation has occurred. Do not use the BBT to try to predict ovulation. It is not a great predictor for timing intercourse. That is where over the counter fertility tests come in. The second test that a woman should try is an ovulation predictor kit for timing intercourse. This will help improve timing for conception, as well as confirm that you are ovulating in case you can’t deal with taking your temperature every morning. For the men, it’s important to know about his sperm count. There are male fertility tests available over the counter that will provide you with a basic semen analysis. Don’t forget about the men! If you get any red flags from either the ovulation test or the sperm count test, it is time to see a fertility doctor.
Pamela Madsen
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Pamela Madsen was the first Executive Director of RESOLVE NYC and is the Founder of The American Fertility Association. Pamela is an internationally known fertility advocate who has appeared on Oprah and countless other major media outlets. Currently, Pamela is a fertility coach and publisher of The Fertility Advocate. She is also a blogger for Psychology Today and SpermCheck Fertility. |
