Struggling to Fall Pregnant?

I wanted to write this post because when I was trying unsuccessfully to fall pregnant, I ended up scouring the internet for ANYTHING that may have given me a clue, a glimmer of hope. 

Skip to the bottom line, end result, whatever you wish to call it.

The sum total of my pregnancies sound like a dream: 

• pregnant after our first attempt with IVF 
• fell pregnant naturally with my second 
• both pregnancies I wasn't sick 
• both pregnancies I craved chocolate

True Story.  

Does it get much better?

The truth of the matter is, in the grand scheme of things, I was VERY lucky.  And I know that. There were however a lot of other lines that could have been written in between those ones above.

When I decided to begin this blog, one of the things I dearly wanted to impart were positive 'secrets' if you will.  Exactly as I say - things that shouldn't be kept to ourselves. If there is one woman out there struggling with her own pregnancy journey and this post can help, then it has served its purpose.

Every woman has her own pregnancy story.  

The reality is, whatever it took, however long it took, pregnancy and childbirth truly is a miracle.  To this day, the whole concept still amazes me to the point where I feel there needs to be a bigger word than 'miracle' to describe it.  

My husband and I were in our late 30's and tried for 14 months to fall pregnant ourselves with our first child.  I realise that this is not a long time at all.  My heart breaks when I hear of couples who try for years, or who go through so many cycles of IVF, and I am in awe at their tenacity.  

I honestly don't know that I could have done the same.

The 14 months we tried for felt like 14 years.  If you are trying now and struggling, you will understand what I mean.  The whole thing became like a scientific experiment rather than an exciting adventure.

Six months prior to us ever starting to try for a family, I was involved in a head on car accident. My car was a write-off. And apparently I was a broken toy as well!  I had various injuries and a few interesting breaks.  The physical and mental toll was bigger than I had thought. You know you have that mentality of 'getting straight back on the horse'? That was how I felt. My body had other ideas.  It still amazes me just how the body can respond both positively and negatively, in situations like that.

For those who like alternative therapies, as I do, you will be interested in the following.   I was recommended to a reflexologist who was incredible. He does a lot of work with the labour ward at St George Hospital in Sydney, helping women in labour.  He helps their babies to turn if they are breech or could be better positioned for birth, can bring on labour if required, his stories are amazing!  I figured if he could help at that end of a pregnancy, then maybe he could help me at the starting blocks!  I saw him for 10 sessions. Wow!  

In relation to my body, I learned:-

• if your spleen is damaged in anyway, you will find it difficult to conceive
• pressure points coinciding with the reproductive system are found in your ankle region
• nerves attached to the uterus are found in your lumbar spine.  Any damage to these will also make conception difficult
• if your pelvis is out, your body will find it difficult to carry a pregnancy so may well prevent one!

Who knew?

As I said, I had sustained various injuries and a few interesting breaks making all of the above applicable to me.

So how did we end up doing IVF? 

Unfortunately, I still wasn't falling pregnant.  My GP referred me on to a gynecologist/obstetrician who also happened to be an IVF doctor.  I recorded my temperature on a flow chart for three months.  It then took him the time it takes to flick 3 pieces of paper to say "have sex on days 10 and 12". Really. You got that in 4 seconds?  I was 38.  I knew my body (I thought quite well) and even I couldn't figure that out!  I had tried everything under the sun. Ev-ery-thing! I thought I should have been able to get this. When I asked how he knew that so quickly, it was the same answer as the one he gave me when I asked how he could tell what were legs and shoulders in my pregnant belly - "because I've been doing this for 35 years and that's why you pay me the big bucks!" Well, I'd been doing my body for 38 years and seemingly still didn't know it! Sometimes it just takes another perspective.  And clearly an educated one!

I've heard women say over the years that there is one other man that a woman will fall in love with besides her partner, and that is her obstetrician.  It's true.  He walked me through such a personal journey and treated me like I was the only patient on his books. He was witty, laid back, loved yoga and wore animal print frames on his glasses.  
I asked once if he ever panicked in a situation.  He said he didn't because it doesn't serve anyone. I believed him. I liked his sarcasm (refer "big bucks" comment above).  But nothing outweighed his expertise.  He knew his stuff completely and I felt completely safe in his hands.  I cried the day I found out he retired. We weren't planning more children. But the journey shared with him was personal and for a female, quite intimate. I wasn't in the habit of showing and revealing 'those parts' to just anyone! He was so instrumental in making our dream come true. 

I digress.  Back to the story.

After 3 months of sex on days 10 and 12, (and a few others thrown in for good measure!) we still weren't pregnant.  I would cry when I got my period.  On one occasion I sat on the stairs and just sobbed.  I caught my reflection in a mirror and instantly just felt like I had failed.  My body had failed us in our quest to become a family.  It was gut wrenching.  I will never forget that feeling.  

My doctor was about to prescribe fertility tablets for me to take, when he stopped, looked at me and asked if I thought I was still traumatised by the accident.  Absolutely I was.  It was all he could put my 'not falling pregnant' down to.  He said he could do investigative surgery, put me on fertility drugs etc but in his experience there was no physical reason as to why I would be infertile and why I was therefore not pregnant.  He believed my body was still traumatised and, based on the fight or flight response, was protecting itself whilst ever it still felt vulnerable and in need of further repair. He suggested that subconsciously my body was deciding every month that it was better for me to just look after myself rather than add another factor into the equation by way of a pregnancy.  He further suggested we skip past fertility drugs and move straight to IVF. When I asked how he thought it would work if my body was deciding not to allow a pregnancy, he simply stated that by doing IVF we would be by-passing the decision making process of my body and making the decision for it.  The idea being that once my body had an embryo inside it, it would know what to do and we would capitalise on it being in 'protection' mode.  The plan worked.  

The next piece of important advice I received, and acted upon, was the suggestion from my doctor to commence acupuncture.

The results of acupuncture combined with IVF treatment speak for themselves. It is the reason why now most, if not all, IVF clinics will request that you have acupuncture treatment prior to an embryo transfer and follow up treatment afterwards.

I had been given the details of an acupuncturist at Miranda (in the Sutherland Shire) - Michelle Craven at Living Health Care.  We lived at Alexandria at the time so it could have been considered quite a journey to take once to twice per week, but I would have travelled to Darwin once a week at this point if it was going to bring us our much desired baby.  

Michelle ran the statistics:-

• you have 22% chance of falling pregnant naturally every month
• +40% chance of falling pregnant on IVF
• 67% chance of falling pregnant on IVF whilst doing acupuncture treatment

I asked Michelle in my ever most delicate way what her 'hit rate' was!  Modestly, she answered that if clients had an embryo transfer when she believed their body was balanced enough, she had a 100% hit rate.  

My body began responding to acupuncture after my first treatment.  I was amazed.  My husband thought it was a whole lot of rubbish at the time. He thought we would be the ones to screw up Michelle's 100% hit rate!  He is of a VERY different opinion now.  I was seeing Michelle as regularly as she could fit me in, which was once every one to two weeks.  Michelle put me on to the worst tasting herbs ever but again, I would have eaten dirt to make this work!  I was willing to do whatever it took to get pregnant.  See?  It becomes an obsession of sorts doesn't it?  

I did the necessary needles, had all the scans and blood tests associated with IVF treatment.  When the time came for egg retrieval, we had 11 eggs retrieved, and 3 healthy eggs fertilised to the standard that the embryologist was happy with.  I cannot speak for all IVF clinics, only the one we were with, but their standards were high!  In speaking with the embryologist (gosh they are passionate about what they do - they are INCREDIBLE!) she said they are in the business of making babies, not disappointing couples with a failed pregnancy attempt. Hence the standards. I liked their way of thinking.  

My doctor was pleasantly surprised at the amount of eggs retrieved (for my age) - that was the herbs working.  But wait, there's more....

So as you know by now, the one embryo we had transferred, took.  Michelle, the acupuncturist, had me place an acupuncture needle in the crown of my head (do not try this at home - you need the exact spot!) in order to make my uterus hold the pregnancy. I did this daily for the first 12 weeks.  I literally looked like a martian, but by now you know the deal about me willing to do anything.  I was finally pregnant.  I was not about to stuff it all by worrying about what people thought of a needle in my head!  My confirmed pregnancy test came back so strong that both the IVF clinic and my doctor suggested it could be that my one embryo had split to identical twins.  It was 4 times the required levels!  When I spoke with Michelle about this, she laughed and said it was the herbs. That is how powerful they are and hence why she was intent on me taking them. My embryo was one healthy little tacker. 

Roll on 9 months.  As I said, I had the best pregnancy ever.  I was not sick because my body was balanced from the acupuncture.  Seriously, you have GOT to try this!  After 12 weeks, my treatments moved to monthly.  I had a treatment with Michelle at 38.5 weeks to help prepare me and our baby for the birth.  He was prepared alright. I went into labour very early the following morning delivering a very healthy baby boy.  Apgar scores reading like his current school report!

Our son was two days old when I made mention to my husband that I could not wait to be pregnant again.  Be careful what you wish for!

I visited Michelle again about a month after having our son just to re-balance my hormones and my body.  I fell pregnant again naturally with our second son just two weeks after that.  We did not plan to fall pregnant.  Even my doctor had said at my 6 week check up that we would commence IVF again in 12 - 18 months. I had asked about contraception but he laughed and said I had needed help with my first pregnancy, what made me think I wasn't going to need help with subsequent pregnancies!  Neither of us knew at the time I was indeed already pregnant.  But when I re-appeared in his rooms 4 weeks after that, he just looked at me and said "so....you're back."

By no stretch am I endorsing pregnancies so close together.  My body had clearly gotten over its trauma, for falling pregnant anyway.  Sometimes I think the body just needs a helping hand to realise it is capable of doing what it has been designed to do.

In sharing my story I hope that it might help a woman currently struggling to fall pregnant and looking everywhere for answers.  I was there.  And it hurts in countless ways.  I'm not saying these are the answers, just that I found mine in reflexology, acupuncture and a damn good IVF doctor and clinic.  

It can be a tough road.  Tougher than anyone can imagine because each of our stories and journeys are different.  I personally wish you well on your journey towards parenthood.  I hope you find your answers, but more importantly, hope you get the little bundle you are dreaming for.

Turning Over A New (Tea) Leaf

For those of you who have been following my posts the last couple of weeks and who also follow me on Instagram and Twitter, you may be interested to know how I have been going on my journey drinking Newport Skinny Tea and eating more healthily.  Who knows? You may have also been inspired to do this along with me!  

When I chose to re-set my sails and send myself into a healthier direction, I decided that if I did it, I would blog about it to track my progress.  Everything from what I ate, to how I felt, to numbers and photos.  One, it helps me remain accountable but secondly, and true to the theme of my whole blog is that nothing about this should be a secret.  Why keep it to myself?

I have been very mindful.  That is probably the biggest stand out for me.  I have been very deliberate in food choice.  I think about everything from what sort of food group it is, the time of day I am eating it and therefore the impact it will have on my body to portion size and being aware of how I am feeling.  I have cut right back on processed foods, I have not had any carbs at night with our evening meal, really switched up my snacks and drank more green tea and water than I ever have before.

When exploring healthy eating plans, I am always interested in snacks.  And by that I mean snacks I will like.  So for my snacks I have been choosing from any of the following:

• Edamame Beans - not quite a handful (say, 3/4 cup)
• Green Tea
• Protein Shake
• Smoothie
• Juice
• Nuts
• Carrot

These don't sound like a lot of options but I am only one and a half weeks in to my 3 week program and so far these have worked for me.  

I have been trying to cut back on my daily coffee intake for quite some time now, having allowed it to increase over the last few years on an 'as needs' basis.  As needs being dependant upon the night's sleep I had had, with small children in the house!  I prefer my daily limit to be two but it had crept to (more often than not) three.  On this program, I am easily keeping it at two, no problems at all.

At the evening meal times, I have tended to replace any carbohydrate (pasta or potato) with greens.  My choices have been grated zucchini lightly stir fried (though I don't use any oil, just some pepper), rocket, kale or baby spinach.  Yes they are healthy options, but I think the mental impact it has is big too.  I just feel so much better mentally as well as physically.  I don't feel as weighed down.

What I can say so far about Newport Skinny Tea - Daytime Tea in particular - is it is an amazing appetite suppressant.  Of everything, this is the part that I am amazed at the most.  It is not a false appetite suppressant, such that I am ravenous by the time it is my next meal, but a true feeling of satisfaction.  I truly am stunned and in love with this product.  It is a natural tea and really damn delicious.  So it is not something I am taking that is just confusing my body into thinking it is not hungry.  I have not craved anything sweet - and for anyone who knows me, they know I love my lollies and don't mind the odd bit of chocolate either.  I haven't craved chips or biscuits.  I have honestly (and amazingly) been satisfied with the healthy food choices I have made.

I haven't weighed myself or taken my measurements this week.  I want to wait until the end of the program to do this.  I can say however that I can feel a gradual change physically.  My stomach is beginning to feel flatter.  My skin is looking a whole lot better in just a week!  I have been sleeping pretty good but to be honest, that is more to do with the kids not waking than anything else.  If they sleep, so do I.  As for energy, I have felt pretty good.  Normally I have that lag at about 3pm when I would have a sugar pick-me-up of some sort but I have not had the lag, or therefore needed the pick-me-up.

All in all, progress is going well.  I can certainly give the thumbs up to Newport Skinny Tea and a big thumbs up to my personal efforts that have aligned with that.  I'm pretty proud of how the two of us are going as travelling partners!

Stay tuned.  I'll be keeping you posted on how we're going over the next week.  

(I would like to just say that this is not a paid sponsored post.)

  

Upgrading My 'Normal'

The day of reckoning has arrived.  

I gave myself a gradual grace period up until my Newport Skinny Tea arrived, to eeeeease myself into my new self.

Now my Newport Skinny Tea has arrived along with my moment of truth.  I am super excited.

Tea Diffuser - check
Commitment - check
Discipline - check
"Before" measurements done - check
"Before" weight done - check
"Before" photo done - check

It will also take a consistent and conscious thought process in my food choices which will also mean regular planning.

It is so easy to fall back into old patterns.  Timely as it is, I re-read recently, a saying that was first said to me years ago:

You can't keep doing the same thing and expect a different result.

Seems logical doesn't it?  But I suffer from blindness to the obvious at times.

They say it takes 21 days to form a habit.  Funnily enough, my Newport Skinny Tea supplies happen to be in an amount that will last me for 3 weeks.  Coincidence?  I think not!

I am looking forward to having more energy, to having clearer skin, better nutrient absorption, less brittle nails and fitting into the loads of clothes that I have waiting for me.                                                                Exhibit A here ->

(and they don't include the ones I have hanging!)

I have to create a 'new normal' for me.  Creating a 'new normal' has been a term that I have used several times, as required, over the past 7 years. It would have been relevant earlier than that, I just became aware of and coined the term then.  I wasn't thrilled with my 'new normal' at the time.  However, it is better if I am in control and create my 'new normal', than it be created for me.  It is when it is created for you that you tend to be less happy with it.  In the instance of living healthier, I would rather create a 'new normal' of health, than my health deteriorate and subsequently dictate a 'new normal' to me.  After all, my organs have been working for me for 44 years now and for them to last the distance, I need to do the right thing by them.  I am very aware that I am in the age bracket when 'things' can start to go wrong.  And no, I am not being paid for how many times I can mention 'new normal' in one paragraph!  But thank you for your tolerance anyway.  7 times.  It will save you going back and counting.  

The buck(wheat) stops with me.  Thankfully though I have all of you to help keep me on track and accounted for during this transition to my (say it with me) 'new normal'.

If you are doing your own journey towards a healthier you this summer, or fall for our northern hemisphere friends, feel free to share your progress, tips and stories with us in the comments below.  And good luck!  Let's re-define our "normal's" together.

Complete Hones-tea

Have you ever bought clothes in the size you would like to be with the plan that you will one day fit into them?  Or is it only me that has done that?

If I'm completely honest with myself though, and carrying on from last week's goal update, the whole "I'll do it later" theme has spilled over from my paperwork into my well-being.

On the one hand, life is short, why not treat myself?  On the other hand, life is short, I have two children I would like to be healthily here for and treating myself as often as I do has pitfalls now that I am in my 40's and the extra calories don't seem to remove themselves as easily as in my 20's.  So my whole thought process along the lines of "I'll train harder at the gym tomorrow", "tomorrow I will eat better", "I'll start on Monday", "I'll start on the 1st" etc etc, just aren't cutting it for me anymore.  

Really, what am I waiting for?

The truth is, I gave myself two years grace after baby number two was born.  I had been pregnant for two years consecutively so figured that I would take the same amount of time to undo the baby weight as it took to get it there.  Baby number two just turned 4!  

I actually think I did lose the baby weight to a large degree what with pushing a double pram and running around like a mad chook after two babies.  I burnt a lot of calories and often ate on the run.  Since I've stopped pushing a pram and walking everywhere with the kids, the kilos have crept on.  I could add in a thousand excuses as to why and how this has occurred but I would only be kidding myself.

It is time!  Time to sort myself out!

And speaking of timing, two things.  Fate really is a funny little character! The gym I was attending closed, so I have joined a new gym. This in itself gives the body a bit of a much needed wake up call and I am loving it so far - 4 workouts in, my fifth in forty minutes! 

Secondly, the fun and wonders of Instagram have lead me to discover Newport Skinny Tea.  As you now know, I love natural remedies. I am constantly intrigued at how the body works and how particular foods, herbs, oils and natural therapies will assist the body back on track.

The tea at Newport Skinny Tea is all natural so I am really looking forward to receiving my package of tea, eating a whole lot more healthily than I have been and preparing for summer!  It is fast approaching and so is my brother's wedding in December! 

I want to feel like I can approach my wardrobe and choose what I want to wear rather than what I currently do: what doesn't need ironing, what will fit and what hides the multitude of sins?  I want to feel happy within myself and within my skin.  I want to feel proud of myself for what I have achieved.  I want to feel energized.  Every year one of my goals is to tone up.  I have no idea why I keep it as an elusive goal and why I don't just achieve it? I guess it is something to do with having a 'to do' list, but it is time to switch up the items on that list and tick 'tone up' as done.

My reward goes without saying.  How I feel in all aspects will be my number one reward. But I will mention two others.  I have a pair of jeans that I just love. They're sitting patiently on my shelf waiting for me and I plan to rock those champs before the end of the year.  I also saw a leather wrist wrap bracelet about two years ago at one of those pop-up stands in a shopping centre.  It was stunning and a unique piece that in hindsight, I should have bought there and then.  So I am presently looking for another piece just like it and when I find it, I'm going to reward myself with that purchase when I have achieved my goal!

To keep myself accountable, I plan to track my progress here, so stay tuned.  Or join me? After all, summer is approaching for everyone, not just me!

Photo credit www.dreamstime.com

My Natural Remedy For Hot Spots On Dogs

I have mentioned previously that I prefer a more natural approach for remedies where possible.  I apply the same approach to my dogs.

Of course I take my dogs to the vet, and give prescribed medication when required. When one of my dogs however had a run of hot spots, the constant application of cortisone cream caused him a lot of pain on such a raw wound.

It was time to look elsewhere.

I came up with the following recipe which has worked an absolute treat:-

Always use a carrier oil - I use olive oil.  You could use any other vegetable oil.

1/4 cup olive oil
2 drops lavender essential oil
2 drops German chamomile essential oil
2 drops tea tree oil (you could use eucalyptus oil as well)

Pour a small amount (about the size of a 10c piece/dime) into your hands and rub into the affected area, twice daily, until a scab has formed over the area.  Continue to apply on the scab if your dog begins licking the area again. (Scabs are itchy as they heal).  


The German chamomile soothes the wound, the tea tree oil begins the healing process (if applied at night the wound will be noticeabley dryer in the morning) and the lavender allows your dog to relax and have a well earned rest after all that licking that caused the wound in the first place!  

This is all I use on their hot spots now.  The hot spots never get that bad that I have to take them to the vet for medication anymore.  I keep some of this remedy made up in the cupboard so that when it is required, I have it on hand.  I find that after approximately two days, if that, the wound is well on its way to healing and can be left alone.

If your pooch suffers from the occasional hot spot, give this a go next time.  This is one of those secrets that is too good not to share!

What are your favourite natural remedies?  I'd love to hear them.

Please note I am not a medical professional or natural therapies practitioner. This remedy recipe has been derived from information sourced on the internet regarding natural remedies suitable for dogs.

Photo credit: bellejheanell.com

The Secret To Glowing Skin Is In Your Kitchen

I make no secret of the fact I am all for natural remedies first where possible.  I don't turn away from medicine, I believe it absolutely has its place, and do use it.  However if I can maintain or return to health naturally, then that is my preference.

I could shout from the rooftops about LEMON JUICE! 


I first came across this little wonder a few years ago when a massage therapist suggested I put some lemon juice in my water in order to bring my body back to a more alkaline state. Huh?  I failed to understand science at school and this proves why.  How could I take something acidic to make my body alkaline?  An explanation is lost on me when I can't even get past the first molecule, so I just accepted that what she said was true and tried it.

I'd had a rash on my face as a result of taking a course of antibiotics.  It usually settles about two weeks after finishing them, but in this case, hadn't.  Fast forward three months past a dermatologist, more antibiotics and the ongoing rash to my discussion with the massage therapist.  Overnight the rash began to clear and within 48 hours was gone.  I was stunned.  Happily stunned of course with a fresh and glowing face!

I have since learned that the lemon juice helps to remove toxins from the body and does so at a pretty rapid rate.  Hence the glowing skin because you are 'detoxing' from the inside, out.  

I use a squeeze of approximately 1 maybe 2 tablespoons into just one of my bottles of water per day (I use a 600 ml bottle).  If you don't have time to squeeze a lemon, you could use the bottled lemon juice instead.  Either way, I can guarantee it will have a positive effect on your skin's appearance. 

Try it, and let me know what you think!


I will note that I am not a medical or natural therapies practitioner, and have the lemon juice with a fairly well rounded healthy diet.