Stress and ttc

[Rach142]

Hi all, I'm just looking for advice really and to see if anyone is going through a similar thing to me. Basically I came off the pill in August and have been ttc to conceive since We have used pre seed and clear blue ovulation digital sticks. I'm not too worried as my cycles are regular and we were prepared it could take anything up to a year +. However I have had and having a really tricky time at work and my body is showing lots of signs of stress, one of them being that I lost weight which means I'm slightly under the recommended weight. I feel constantly anxious and really feel this could be effecting our chances each month. Has anyone experiences this before? if so what did you do to relax and improve your likelihood of falling pregnant? I have been to my gp and he is doing tests for hormones and thyroid etc. I know the easy answer is to leave my job but that's not an option at the moment although if It continues after Christmas this is something I will look into providing I'm not pregnant. Thanks in advance

I left my job... was unemployed for 6 months and have undergone ivf. Two chemical pregnancies before that and ttc for over two years (ttc for over a year and a half when I quit). I'm now 4+5 which is the most pregnant I've ever been... best decision I made was to quit and take antidepressants. Infertility made me a shell of a human being...

I do think stress can majorly affect your chances. My Mum was trying for 9 years to get pregnant and then 3 months after stopping her v stressful job she fell pregnant.

I think if you can't do anything about the stress at work I would recommend the following which is what I have done and feel a million times better:

• meditation there is an app called 'insight timer' which is great, and just meditate first thing in the morning and the evening even just for 10 mins. Also when you feel panic rising just stop and do one of these breathing mediations for 5 mins, it can really help.

-The other thing that helped me is exercise, I started going to the gym, swimming and going to the steam room and definitely feel calmer now.

• Take a magnesium supplement/epsom salt baths - proven to reduce anxiety.
• Try and get your diet really good, less refined carbs; less bread, pasta, white potatoes and white rice. More leafy veg, short grain brown rice, fish etc.
• Some people swear by the bach flower remedies but there is not a lot of science behind them but there are pretty impressive reviews even if it is placebo.

On another note, I have just read 'It starts with the egg' which is quite a good read if your ttc?

I hope some of this is helpful. It is such a difficult and heartbreaking time ttc. FX'd for a bfp for you soon.

I do wonder this as I’m very stressed & anxious right now. But then plenty of people conceive in times of war etc so my demanding & annoying work somewhat pales next to that!

Stress does not directly effect your fertility and saying it does is a very unhelpful myth that makes TTC even worse!

However a low BMI and low sex drive because of stress will impact your chances.

I had IVF and was super stressed having it but that's not the reason I needed ivf!! It was the hardest and most awful thing I've ever done - and reducing stress to get through it is best. But it's been completely worth it and I'd do it all again.

Good luck

I wonder how much an affect this has too. Some good suggestions- another good meditation app is headspace, and have you tried yoga? I’d really recommend mindfulness too