Stress

[Underthesea88]

Does anybody believe in stress affecting the ability to get pregnant? I’ve just been sharing with a friend in work that I’m starting to stress more and more over not conceiving and she said well you do a lot of work and are always doing extra round this place. You need to chill a bit and take some more time to yourself. I don’t feel ‘stressed’ but the comment has made me think that I must come across as always switched on and on the go. It can be quite hard for me to just sit.

Then I started thinking well women get pregnant in war zones so how does that happen?

Thanks in advance!

I think stress is a known contributor to infertility! I remember my Dad being really ill when I was TTC my son and I didn't conceive until he was improving. Could've been coincidence but I felt like it was connected! It's good you don't feel stressed though, just because you are a non-stop person isn't necessarily a bad thing/doesn't mean you're stressed!!

Thanks @LeopardLover. Didn’t really think about separating the two. Glad to hear your Dad improved and you did eventually conceive.

I just couldn’t get my head round how you could be stressed if you don’t feel stressed!

I’ve also been thinking this recently - about to go into month 10 of ttc #1 and it’s definitely stressing me out - I’m generally a busy person and find it very hard to relax.

apparently your body can perceive so many different things as stress, like exercise, caffeine, etc. even if you don’t feel the stress, your body still does. Cortisol is weird!

I think next month I’m going to reduce my caffeine intake, slow exercise, and maybe try meditation or something. It’s so hard to just “not stress” - especially when you think something could be affecting your chances, or when your lifestyle is generally demanding.

hope you get your bfp soon xx

@Fifii you sound quite similar to me with timelines as well as the stress. I didn’t even think about caffeine you know! I have at least 3-4 cups of tea a day and sometimes an iced coffee on top of that! Decaf might be a good idea! Hope you get your BFP soon too. What cycle day are you on?

I think if you have actual medical reasons related to fertility, relaxing isn't going to help that. But I do think stress has a very negative effect on the body - I had a very stressful year last year workwise and trying to move and my cycles went haywire. Since things calmed down, cycles went back to more regular and I got my BFP last month (conceived whilst on holiday)...

Also - I don't think destressing means sitting around, for me it's having a long walk in the country, going swimming, or seeing friends.

@Peony654 Congratulations!

Yeah I agree. I think she meant it in a way that I don’t stop to digest my lunchtime and running round after others and not saying no and just having some time to breathe. Nature of my job though so can’t complain.

I was just wondering whether you could be stressed without actually realising it yourself? Maybe I mean more exhausting your physical self. You make some good points though.

i hadn’t actually fully thought of this before reading this post but I think stress probably does have a factor. I read another post about how people fell pregnant or what they did differently and the amount of ladies that got pregnant after having a drink or being on holiday! Literally most of the people on the post 😂 but I think it shows maybe they relaxed a bit more and it happened? I dunno?! But it’s interesting reading this as I think slowing down or at least doing something like @Peony654 say walking, reading, swimming or whatever you enjoy can’t hurt to relax a bit?

i think I need to try it myself next month!

The month after I had a CP I tried to forget about it, went on holiday, relaxed, drank tons of cocktails and got pregnant that cycle. Before that my period was 11 days late I think down to stress