Fertility treatment can be an emotional rollercoaster. You’re likely to be ask yourself “why is it so hard for me to get pregnant?” and constantly worrying about when or if it will happen. With so many physical and mental challenges to overcome, numerous questions, scenarios, and worries are likely to be running through your head. Your partner is likely to be feeling the pressure too; perhaps you’ll be talking about it constantly, or spending every spare minute researching. This can feel overwhelming – so it is important to have some coping strategies in place. In this article, we discuss some methods for dealing with what’s to come, from IVF meditation to mindfulness techniques.
How to Prioritize Self-Care Practices for IVF: Meditation, Mindfulness, and Connecting
1. Do Something Nice for Yourself Every Week
Make treating yourself part of your routine. This is a key thing to help maintain your well-being in an emotionally challenging time. What you choose to do to treat yourself is entirely up to you – it could be reading, going to the gym, spending time with friends, a long bath, manicure, or something as simple as buying yourself a bouquet of fresh flowers.
2. Stay Focussed on Things You Can Control
Although we hope you entered the IVF process feeling empowered, there are many aspects of your fertility treatment that you cannot control. To take the pressure off, focus on things you can control. This could be your exercise schedule, healthy eating habits, or making sure you get enough sleep. However, it’s important to maintain balance – try not to be too restrictive.
3. Limit the Amount of Time Spent Thinking About Your Treatment
Undergoing fertility treatment can feel all-consuming due to the emotional, financial, and physical requirements, but it need not be that way. Set yourself a daily limit for the number of times you think about, discuss, or research infertility and IVF treatment. Although this can be challenging, it is important that you don’t let your fertility treatment consume every moment of your daily life.
4. Practice Mindfulness and Living in the Moment
It may sound like a cliché, but it is important to try and live in the moment. If you’re undergoing IVF, it’s likely that every possible scenario and outcome will be playing out in your head. Try to cross each bridge as it comes. This is one of the most important principles of mindfulness, which can help us stay more focused on the present moment.
5. Meditate
IVF meditation can help train your mind to redirect your thoughts and increase self-awareness. Over the centuries, people have found that meditation can help reduce stress, promote positivity, elevate moods, and encourage a healthy sleep pattern. As we all know, fertility treatment can be stressful, so when undergoing IVF meditation is a great way to manage your emotions.
6. Communication is Key
It is important to share your feelings with your partner. Fertility treatment can put a strain on your relationship, so be sure to make time for each other. Try to inject some fun and excitement into your relationship and rediscover why you fell in love in the first place.
7. Be Kind to Yourself
Remember – fertility treatment is tough. It’s totally normal to feel fine on some days and stressed, angry, orsad on others. Be kind to yourself. On the bad days, take some time for yourself. Just do what’s best for you, whether it means spending time with friends, time alone, or having a cry.
8. Know When to Ask for Help
Your fertility specialist is here to help. If you’re finding the emotional or physical challenges of fertility treatment difficult to manage, do not hesitate to reach out to them for advice or referrals to a therapist or counselor who specializes in fertility.
