IVF - My Story

IVF - My Story

30th October 2017 12:20 PM

Author:

IVF - My Story

Admitting that you need IVF is hard enough, it’s almost accepting that you have failed to conceive naturally and that alone can leave the strongest couple broken and hurting. Yet we pick ourselves up, dust ourselves down and convince ourselves that we’ve ‘got this’.

Luckily for me, I like to research, so with trepidation I browsed ‘you tube’ for some insight as to what I could expect during my journey with IVF. I found a blogger who had documented her story from IVF and beyond. It was inspirational to say the least. I learnt that there are complementary therapies to support women and men through their journey. The blogger had done acupuncture and had been successful on her first attempt of IVF. It was a no brainer that I would then move on to research this. I eagerly found a centre offering a multitude of therapies and therefore considered which ones resonated with me. I rang the centre and was later booked in with a therapist, and low and behold, they offered services in the building where I would be having my IVF treatment. It was meant to be!

My husband was booked in with a different therapist and this worked for us, as the therapist does go on an emotional journey with their clients so it is important to be able to speak freely where necessary. Therapy is not aimed solely at the one who will carry the baby.

I had some sessions of acupuncture before beginning IVF treatment and this was supported with hypnotherapy. It may not be necessary for you to have more than one therapy but I wanted to quieten the negative ‘devil’ I had on my shoulder, the nagging doubt that kept emerging, if you will. My hypnotherapist Franca was equally as amazing as my acupuncturist Caroline. I feel that the therapies complemented each other well, as my mind and body were able to align positively and help me to believe that I could do this, I could become a mummy!

I had hypnotherapy leading up to transfer which helped envisage the baby (nicer term than embryo) being placed in my womb, it also helped me get my womb ready. I imagined plumping up the lining of my womb like a duck feather and down pillow. I lit candles, placed flowers and made my womb, well, home! This part of the hypnotherapy empowered me to be in control of my womb and of the IVF as it can feel all rather surgical.
The acupuncture got my body, mind and spirit aligned and gave me a strength that felt so reassuring. Caroline worked with my dates given by the clinic and was very flexible. I believe that I mattered to Caroline and she wanted positive results too. I had acupuncture during all the big milestones and even two sessions on one day to support with the transfer of the baby: initially to help open my cervix for the acceptance of the embryo and then to shut it nice and tight to keep the little one nice and snug. I had a further hypnotherapy session to support following transfer and hopefully a positive pregnancy result.

Following transfer, there is the dreaded two week wait before you do the pregnancy test, I’m not going to lie, this is the worst bit by far! Your own head will do a proper number on you, you will feel sensations that may or my not be real, you will want every pregnancy symptom going and you will question everything. You will be a nightmare to live with and you will need tissues, and lots of them. I didn’t manage to wait two weeks, but that’s because I am so impatient. I may have tested too early to get a result but I decided to anyway. It was Sunday 19th June 2016, Father’s Day, I awoke from a dream where I had tested, therefore I felt it was ‘meant to be’. I did the test alone at the crack of dawn, whilst my unknowing husband slept. I had the result, finally after all these years, those two lines both turned to colour. I was pregnant, me! I had a little life in my belly. I made a cup of tea and shakily walked back upstairs. I passed the cup of tea to my husband. By now I was shaking head to foot. I passed him the pregnancy test and whispered, “Happy Father’s Day, Daddy!”

I continued with the acupuncture throughout the duration of my pregnancy right up until being induced. Caroline was even able to offer me an induction treatment. I also continued to listen to audio of hypnotherapy, supplied by my hypnotherapist Franca, till birth and I believe this supported my positive attitude throughout the pregnancy.
I was able to have a positive experience during the birth and, dare I say, I even enjoyed the moment my daughter arrived safely in to the world.

Initially I was told that I would possibly have 3 eggs available yet I ended up with 20, of which 19 survived the extraction process and 17 fertilised. 11 made it to the blastocyst stage so we still have 10 embryos. Again, I feel the complementary therapies supported my body to accomplish this.

My husband and I have decided we would like another child and I can honestly say I wouldn’t change a thing. We will do hypnotherapy and acupuncture again to support us through the process.

I hope my story has inspired you to BELIEVE in the possibilities that lie ahead and I wish you all the luck in the world, all my love xx

Tags: Acupuncture, Fertility, Hypnotherapy

Treatments: Acupuncture, Acupuncture for Fertility, Hypnotherapy

• 
• Tweet

The views expressed in these blogs are those of the blog authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Bridge Centre for Natural Health.