Crazy IVF tips

[IVFhoping]

Hi everyone,
I’m due to start my meds tomorrow for our first IVF cycle. I’ve done so much reading and have seen so many tips and tricks repeated so just wondered if anyone had any crazy/unusual tips that worked for them?? Things to eat, activities to do, anything really!

I know everyone’s cycles are different and I’m not relying on anything but just eager to see if anyone swears by anything that I might not have come across!

Good luck with your cycle!!! We were going through our cycle 9 years ago.

I was told to treat my body as if I were already pregnant, so folic acid, iron, no drinking, I was already eating super healthily and taking extra vitamins. I had a good walk every day.
I had acupuncture but that was quite relaxing.

Something that I did which in hindsight was a bit much (and my friends who had also gone through ivf found hilarious)
was that the morning of embryo transfer I had a shower but didn’t wear deodorant 🙊 I had read a book about a couple going through infertility and ivf where their clinic told them embryos didn’t like the smell 🤣 so after reading that I didn’t dare use it. I also kept my feet up for ages after which again, was a bit much 🙊

It did work and we have incredible 8 year old twins so of course I would do all those ridiculous things again if I had to🤣

wishing you all the best xx

On my 7th transfer I was told to keep my feet warm and drink room temp water. Don't know if it was that which did it but I am currently feeding my 6 month old baby so I'd do the same again.
Good luck 🤞

Hi OP, I did 2 IUI’s and carried on as normal after as advised. After they didn’t work and moved to IVF, I decided to literally take 5 days of chilling, laying on the sofa, eating good food & reading/watching series after embryo transfer. It worked first time, I’ll obviously never know if that even remotely contributed but it made the 5 days feel like self care. It also meant I wouldn’t have wondered if I had overdone anything like I had with the IUI. We also used embryo glue which I guess helped!

I wasn’t aware of acupuncture at the time but would recommend it the same as the PP. I used it to alleviate sickness and treat chronic headaches because I could no longer take medication for them, but then also had acupuncture to turn DD when she was breach and avoid the manual turn/a c section!

Good luck op, it’s a ride. Be kind to yourself and remind your partner (if you have one) that you will need some slack cutting emotionally and with chores etc.

id also recommend having a few days off post ET, just relax and watch stuff to make you laugh!

I had 6 cycles of IVF! My top tip is ignore top tips! Ha! Seriously. I did and tried them all, I stressed myself with all the ‘things’ I was told could work, should work, might work. My consultant told me at the beginning of my 6th cycle to eat the food I wanted, have a little glass of wine if I wanted and spend the time laughing. Yes, laughing! I bought funny books, watched funny shows, ate the pizza and the Indian takeaways, had my chocolate and generally had the least stressful cycle of them all. It worked. I wish on all the others I had just ‘gone with the flow’ instead of over thinking every single hint and tips.

I agree with this. We did 4 rounds plus two frozen transfer cycles.

I loved acupuncture. Can’t remember where I read or heard it but I think plenty of protein during stims helps your follicles grow. I remember drinking lots of whole milk in healthy smoothies.

But on the whole there is very little control. Very best of luck OP

My advice is just to relax as much as possible and try and trust the process .
I absolutely agree with the above pp. The best tip is to ignore the best tips because there is no right or wrong. I honestly believe its a roll of the dice.
My first cycle and second cycles, I didn't change anything and although we have 100% blast rate in both rounds, there was a significant difference in quality
Despite me not changing a thing. The only thing that changed was our clinic. First round our embryos were poor CC grades, but resulted in our son.
Second round we got AB grades. I think alot of it is to do with the clinic. Their equipment , expertise , protocol ect.
We did a freeze all cycle with our cycle last month so no transfer , probably a good idea as I'm now spontaneously pregnant just a few weeks after that cycle ended after 20 years trying naturally.
I didn't take any supplements since my retrieval, ate like utter crap , haven't been taking my medication to regulate my hormones, yet nothing hindered implantation. I yanked heavy garden furniture down the garden all week only to later find out I was pregnant. I've basically done everything that I shouldn't and it's the one month I've actually got pregnant naturally.
If a nice long walk makes you feel relaxed do it.
If eating a take away makes you feel relaxed go for it
Ivf is stressful enough, you don't need to add extra stess worrying about what your doing