How to Prepare for IVF
How to Prepare for IVF
You’ve already seen a specialist. You’ve done all of the required tests, and now you’re scheduled to start IVF.
What now?
IVF can be a daunting process, and for a good reason. The idea of finally conceiving or having your rainbow baby is enough to force yourself past any feelings of hesitation. Still, we all need that little push of encouragement and advice along the way. IVF is not easy. It is emotionally and physically taxing. There is no way to sugarcoat the IVF process. Plainly put, Hormones are a bitch! On top of worrying about doing the injections properly, not missing any pills or medications, timing everything correctly, and spending money, you are faced with things entirely out of your control. It is easy to stress over how many follicles you will retrieve, how many will be mature, how many will fertilize, how many will become embryos, and if any will stick after the transfer.
So what can we do?
Prepare the best you can. I find that the more prepared you are, the less anxiety you have about forgetting anything or being left with a nagging ‘what if’ in the end. We can’t control how our eggs develop, how they fertilize, or even if an embryo implants. What we can control are our health and our well-being. This article will focus on things that I did to prepare and get me through my first IVF cycle, and hopefully, they can help you get started on yours.
If you’re anything like me, the sooner you start planning, the better!
PLAN & ORGANIZE
Purchase everything you need in advance. You do not want to be scrambling to buy something at the last minute. You should also have a specific space to organize your medications and stims. This space is different for each person. I personally did not have the cute stations and organized drawers, but I did have my specific places where I kept everything and had a pill splitter for day and night. There are many pills associated with IVF, and they will switch and change throughout the different stages. You will want them organized ahead of time. I also used a planner to check off when I took my pills so that I would never forget a dose.
Plan ahead for days that you won’t be home and may have to bring your injections or medications with you. Have an ice pack, a carrying pouch or lunchbox, and a pillbox.
SELF-CARE AND STRESS MANAGEMENT
Plan to have the things to need to relax when you have time and unwind. Make sure you have your favorite blanket, book, music, or whatever makes you happy and keeps your mind busy. It is hard not to think about what your body is going through continuously. IVF is a physical and mental rollercoaster. You need to have escapes that help keep you relaxed and take your mind off of IVF. It’s too easy to start thinking about the negative possibilities, and the last thing you want is to feel discouraged or overwhelmed over something that hasn’t even happened yet! Focus on things like yoga, low-impact exercise, facials, natural beauty care, and mediation. Try to do things that keep your blood circulating, which is very important during IVF, and keeps you relaxed and calm.
HEALTH AND FOOD
You want the best quality eggs possible and for your body to be healthy enough to go through the harshness of IVF. If possible, start eating healthier and taking supplements three months in advance. I took Ovaboost from Fertilaid to help with my egg quality. Quit smoking, limit drinking, cut back on caffeine and sugar, even slow down on highly strenuous exercise. Many women don’t realize that excessive exercise is one of their infertility issues. Stay active but don’t overdo it. Speaking of staying active, it is vital to have good blood flow to the uterus. So, keep your blood circulation by walking, yoga, or doing low-impact exercises. You can do this throughout the entire IVF process, as long as you feel up to it. It’s also good during the two-week wait.
You can plan your meals ahead. It comes in handy when you don’t feel well and don’t feel like spending time cooking. The Mediterranean diet is one of the most popular to follow for fertility. You won’t be cutting any foods, except for unhealthy ones, and you will find many tasty recipes. Quinoa, eggs, salmon, avocado, chicken, and green veggies are some of the foods you’ll find in the Mediterranean Diet.
BUILD YOUR SUPPORT SYSTEM
Even if you want to keep your journey private, it is nice to be a part of the IVF community. You will find so much support and knowledge. You can remain anonymous or keep your profiles private from your close family, friends, co-workers, etc. It will be hard to go through the IVF journey alone. Please remember that you don’t have to! Many people like to keep their fertility journey private from family and friends, but there is an entire community waiting with open arms and knowledge.
MENTALLY PREPARE
Be prepared to be poked A LOT!! Between blood draws, injections, and IVs, your body will feel invaded by needles and medication. Also, be ready to shove meds up your vagina. No one likes to talk about this, but they should. Crinone gel sucks. It can cause itching, and it builds up so that you have to clean the gunk out every day. It’s wild, and if you aren’t prepared for it, it can scare you. Sometimes this build-up can be black, grey, orange, or even greenish in color.
Mentally prepare for a lot of waiting. The entire IVF journey is a hurry up and wait game. This is pretty self-explanatory. Waiting for appointments, for your cycle to start, for injection times, for medication times, for appointments, for results, for the next step, and waiting for answers. It’s nothing but waiting. Now is the time to start practicing patience.
Also, prepare yourself to have days when you don’t feel like yourself. All of the hormones you are putting in your body will change you. Take solace in that it will go away! You may feel that your mind and body are invaded. Some days you are extremely fatigued and can’t function; other days, you are hungry or nauseous. You will go from one extreme to another, and no day is the same. Have things you need to ease these symptoms.
UNDERSTAND THAT IVF IS NOT GUARANTEED
IVF is often touted as being a cureall and guaranteed to work. You would think with the hefty price tags it carries that it would be! So many people, including myself and my husband, were shocked to realize that the overall success rate of UVF is under 50%. Many factors go into the process, and so many reasons why an IVF cycle can fail. Sometimes that reason is entirely unknown, and it’s just bad luck. Everything can look seemingly perfect, even a perfectly graded embryo, and it just won’t stick.
Keep your optimism and hope alive, but be realistic with the possibility that it might not work the first go around, and you might need a second or third transfer. It is not uncommon to have to do more than one round of IVF or at least more than one transfer. Do not get overly discouraged if it doesn’t work the first time. Each time can present more information and reasons behind your infertility! Each fail can bring long-needed answers. So, even if you get kicked back, focus on the next step and how to improve your success the next time.
LAST THOUGHT
IVF can be an extremely stressful time. Be sure to pamper yourself and allow yourself to go through all of the feelings. If you need to cry, cry! If you need to vent, vent! My greatest advice is to not over-analyze or compare your journey too much to someone else’s. I know it is so much easier said than done, and I am guilty of looking up everything and anything similar to my experience. I found that, while people will have very similar experiences and stories, they don’t always end up like yours. I spent a lot of time stressing and comparing what I was going through to everyone else who shared their story. It’s great to support each other and learn as much as possible from those who are experienced and/or going through the same thing, but no one can tell you precisely what’s going on with your body and how things will end up. Everything is a guess, so don’t get hung up on what happened to someone else. Your journey is YOUR journey!
Good luck on your journey. Baby Dust and Good Vibes~~***
