The Fertility Warriors

A Harvard study once showed that women who undertook a Mind Body Program had a 52% chance of conceiving over a 20% chance in the control group - the women who undertook a mind body program had more than DOUBLE the chance of conceiving and took their chances of conceiving from a 1 in 5 rate to a 1 in 2 rate.

Here's a little excerpt of the study and it's reference:

Domar et al (2011) Impact of a group mind/body intervention on pregnancy rates in IVF patients, Fertility and Sterility

The negative effect of stress in reproductive health is generally accepted as occurring through increased hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity. The distress-conception relationship is complicated. Numerous studies have shown that distress is associated with lower IVF success rates.

In this study, women who were about to begin their first IVF cycle underwent a 10 week mind body program or a control group and were monitored over two IVF cycles. Pregnancy rates for cycle two were 52% for the mind body group and only 20% for the control group.

How exactly does a Mind Body Program help improve chances of conception - that's what we're breaking down in today's episode:into 7 ways a Mind Body Program can help you conceive your baby

BUT... there's one thing I want to share with you first and that's the added benefit of a Mind Body Program: it isn't just a tool to help you conceive - it's a tool to help you FEEL BETTER - to manage your stress levels and reclaim your happiness - (something that I can't say is true for fertility clinics). But.... when combined with help from your Fertility Specialist can be the game changer and secret weapon to optimizing IUI and IVF success rates.

What is a Mind Body Program?

A mind body practice focuses on the interactions between the brain, body, mind and behaviour. They're there to help you understand the inter-connectedness of your body and manage your response to stressors, particularly emotional stressors in your life so that you can then influence how your body is responding physiologically. This may involve using physical movement and actions or mind techniques to bring bodies back into a relaxed or parasympathetic state.

So how exactly does a Mind Body Program improve your fertility?

•It balances your hormones more optimally.The majority of our hormones are created or flow down from our Hypothalamus (and then often from our pituitary gland) in response to our nervous system and whether our sympathetic or parasympathetic nervous system is activated. Think of this like the control centre of your brain that is sending various signals around your body. The trouble is that when our sympathetic nervous system is activated, it isn't prioritizing or sending hormones to our reproductive organs and when our bodies are prioritising cortisol production - it does this at the expense of our other hormones. If our bodies have a choice between cortisol or something else - they always choose cortisol. So... when we can improve that process - we can more optimally balance our hormone production.

•They help you make better decisionsWhen our bodies are existing too much in our sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) they get stuck in our limbic system - the emotional centre of our brain, and our Pre-Frontal Cortex shuts down - our Pre-frontal cortex is the part of our body that is responsible for decision making, problem solving, rational thinking and impulse control.... When we can bring ourselves back into that area, we are more readily able to assess and make decisions based on our best interests.

•They reduce self sabotaging behavioursWhen you are existing in an overly stressed state - it can impact your self confi...

Have you ever felt like you don't know whether you can physically, emotionally and spiritually continue trying to get pregnant anymore because you're just so exhausted and burnt out on all levels?

That was how I felt on my first IVF cycle. I'd spent the last two years trying to do all the things (cut out all the food groups, run from the Specialist to the Naturopath to the Acupuncturist), try to distract myself with my work.... And then when I had my first IVF cycle.... And later discovering we were pregnant... followed by a medical miscarriage - I was broken and empty.

So.... feeling like a shadow of my former self, we took a last-minute trip to Lombok and there I was forced to take stock of my journey and ask myself some really hard questions which led to a big aha moment and complete 180 of everything I was doing and how I approached getting pregnant.

Tune in to learn more about that moment and exactly what shifted for me.

Want more?

This is part of a (currently) free training we're running called 5 Secrets to Thrive through Infertility - you can jump in here

Make sure you're following me on Instagram here

Join our Free Facebook Support and Chat Group here.

Check out my programs and services here.

Keto, Autoimmune Protocol, Vegan, even the Carnivore diet are all diets that in some capacity have been said to be magical fertility diets... but are they?

Today on the podcast, it is my pleasure to welcome Stefanie Valakas from The Dietologist to talk about what happens when we restrict large food groups (especially vegetables) from our diets and what that might mean for our fertility, gut health and also our dietary requirements.

We also talk about the role fibre plays in our diets, WHY sometimes we don't feel great on gluten and dairy (and why sometimes it feels crappy when we reintroduce those foods) and why sometimes we get worse before we get better, as well as the top supplement mistakes Stefanie sees in her practice.

Join us for this jam packed podcast!

About Stefanie

Stefanie Valakas is an expert fertility dietitian & nutritionist and founder of The Dietologist. Stefanie and her virtual practice are dedicated to excellence in nutrition for reproductive health concerns, fertility & pregnancy. Her passion for nutrition in this space has truly grown from her experience helping her clients online from around the world and also through her own personal experiences of navigating a diagnosis of endometriosis. You can learn about how you can work with Stefanie and The Dietologist team below:

Links:

•Website: thedietologist.com.au

•Instagram @the_dietologist and @endo.dietitian

•Facebook Pages: The Dietologist and The Endometriosis Dietitian

•Facebook Group: Fertility Friendly Food

•Podcast: Fertility Friendly Food

•Find Out More about Stefanie's Programs- The Waiting Game and Get Pregnant with Endo at: courses.thedietologist.com.au

Want more?

•Follow me @robynbirkin on Instagram for fertility tips, real talk and big time mindset help when it comes to trying to conceive

•Get your copy of the Get Pregnant Pronto Pack

•Discover the 3 biggest game changers I had on my journey to get pregnant

If you liked this episode, please take a few moments to pop into Apple iTunes and leave a podcast review. It would mean the absolute world to me and it means that more people will be able to find and enjoy the podcast.

It's the biggest fear when we're trying to conceive, right? The fear of being childless not by choice.

In fact, there are just so many fears.

The fear we'll lose our identity

The fear we'll be hopeless and sad forever

The fear we'll never recover from the trauma

And I love the way this article from Melissa from Live Childfree penned that talks about whether you can ever get over infertility and all of those fears.

The answer though is: you can.

And Melissa joined me today on the podcast to share their story of a really traumatic experience through infertility, what the decision process looked like when her and her husband, Erik made the call to stop fertility treatments and live a childfree life, and what the other side actually looks like.

Even if you're still committed to continuing your fertility journey, I think it's so important that we don't glamorize fertility treatments as having a 100% success rate. The truth is that not everyone will walk away from treatments with a baby.... And the more we can help break down that stigma (listen to the end of the podcast) and 'societal norms' that a woman's life purpose = get married and have babies, the more we can help support families through different life paths.

About Melissa

Melissa Jones, co-host of the podcast "Live Childfree with Erik and Melissa," suffered through six years of infertility before she and her husband, Erik, made the decision to stop pursuing parenthood. Through their podcast, they've given a voice to the experience of transitioning from infertility to childfree living.

Melissa and Erik believe passionately that it is possible to have a fulfilling life without children and hope that by sharing their story, others like them will feel heard, understood, and empowered to live unapologetically.

•Blog: livechildfree.com

•Podcast: livechildfree.com/the-podcast/

•Instagram: @livechildfree

•Email: [email protected]

Want more?

•Follow me @robynbirkin on Instagram for fertility tips, real talk and big time mindset help when it comes to trying to conceive

•Get your copy of the Get Pregnant Pronto Pack

•Discover the 3 biggest game changers I had on my journey to get pregnant

If you liked this episode, please take a few moments to pop into Apple iTunes and leave a podcast review. It would mean the absolute world to me and it means that more people will be able to find and enjoy the podcast.

This is part of a two-part series on age gaps between kids.

I was asked on Instagram recently about the age gap between my two children and there was a big response from people who felt that they were grieving having a short age gap between kids (ours is nearly two years), and then wanted to share what I felt were the pro's as they were just unable to see it..... And then after that, I had some people reach out to me asking about the pros of a short age gap between kids (twins, got pregnant naturally after not using protection after the first kid because #infertility and same-sex partners who wished to be pregnant at the same time).

In each of these episodes, I share 10 pros to having a short or long age gap between kids - and I separated it just in case anyone didn't want to hear the other side at all (totally get it!).

But here's the thing - there's always going to be some grieving when life doesn't go the way we planned - and for many of us, we've been planning our parenthood and what that would look like all of our lives. So if you're feeling like you can't be grateful or hopeful right now in those feelings I want to let you know that you're allowed to grieve the way you thought things would pan out.

There's also always going to be people who try to tell you that one way is better than another or want to sway you to their way of thinking - but you need to do you.

I saw a saying on Instagram that reminded me somewhat of this scenario and it said 'get the tattoo. Your parents are already disappointed' - you have to live for you!

Often we also don't have a lot of choice in these scenarios - one of my old bosses always used to talk about fixed vs flexible mindset - and when something is fixed and we can't change it (which is sometimes the case with age gaps) then it doesn't always make sense to put all of our energy into it. We're better to make a conscious choice to try and shift our attention to things that we do have some control or choice over. And I feel like that also applies often to the age gap we have between children.

So, to help you start to process and embrace your direction - I've put together 10 pros to a small age gap/large age gap.

Sending you love x

Want more?

•Follow me @robynbirkin on Instagram for fertility tips, real talk and big-time mindset help when it comes to trying to conceive

•Get your copy of the Get Pregnant Pronto Pack

•Discover the 3 biggest game changers I had on my journey to get pregnant

If you liked this episode, please take a few moments to pop into Apple iTunes and leave a podcast review. It would mean the absolute world to me and it means that more people will be able to find and enjoy the podcast.

This is part of a two-part series on age gaps between kids.

I was asked on Instagram recently about the age gap between my two children and there was a big response from people who felt that they were grieving having a short age gap between kids (ours is nearly two years), and then wanted to share what I felt were the pro's as they were just unable to see it..... And then after that, I had some people reach out to me asking about the pros of a short age gap between kids (twins, got pregnant naturally after not using protection after the first kid because #infertility and same-sex partners who wished to be pregnant at the same time).

In each of these episodes, I share 10 pros to having a short or long age gap between kids - and I separated it just in case anyone didn't want to hear the other side at all (totally get it!).

But here's the thing - there's always going to be some grieving when life doesn't go the way we planned - and for many of us, we've been planning our parenthood and what that would look like all of our lives. So if you're feeling like you can't be grateful or hopeful right now in those feelings I want to let you know that you're allowed to grieve the way you thought things would pan out.

There's also always going to be people who try to tell you that one way is better than another or want to sway you to their way of thinking - but you need to do you.

I saw a saying on Instagram that reminded me somewhat of this scenario and it said 'get the tattoo. Your parents are already disappointed' - you have to live for you!

Often we also don't have a lot of choice in these scenarios - one of my old bosses always used to talk about fixed vs flexible mindset - and when something is fixed and we can't change it (which is sometimes the case with age gaps) then it doesn't always make sense to put all of our energy into it. We're better to make a conscious choice to try and shift our attention to things that we do have some control or choice over. And I feel like that also applies often to the age gap we have between children.

So, to help you start to process and embrace your direction - I've put together 10 pros to a small age gap/large age gap.

Sending you love x

Want more?

•Follow me @robynbirkin on Instagram for fertility tips, real talk and big-time mindset help when it comes to trying to conceive

•Get your copy of the Get Pregnant Pronto Pack

•Discover the 3 biggest game changers I had on my journey to get pregnant

If you liked this episode, please take a few moments to pop into Apple iTunes and leave a podcast review. It would mean the absolute world to me and it means that more people will be able to find and enjoy the podcast.

Today's podcast episode is brought to you by my Get Pregnant Pronto Pack - a really cool collection of resources including a workshop on how to Get Pregnant Pronto - how to educate, troubleshoot and optimize your fertility if you are trying to get pregnant - you can learn more at robynbirkin.com/getpregnantpronto

I first started trying to conceive in 2012 - since that time I've had nearly 300 fertility warriors in my Intensive program, I have a group on Facebook with 580 fertility practitioners from across the globe and had thousands of women join our Facebook Group the Fertility Warriors Support and Chat Group - and there's a few things that I've seen over and over again, whether people are trying to conceive naturally or at a fertility clinic, and even IVF veterans.

On the podcast today I share the top 5 mistakes I see fertility warriors making when they're trying to get pregnant and why those things might not be the best for you in the long run. Let me know what you think!

Want more?

•Follow me @robynbirkin on Instagram for fertility tips, real talk and big-time mindset help when it comes to trying to conceive

•Get your copy of the Get Pregnant Pronto Pack

•Discover the 3 biggest game changers I had on my journey to get pregnant

If you liked this episode, please take a few moments to pop into Apple iTunes and leave a podcast review. It would mean the absolute world to me and it means that more people will be able to find and enjoy the podcast.

Today's podcast episode isn't just a better way to get pregnant... it's a better way to live. All the things in life. It follows generally the biggest lesson I learnt on my fertility journey and then subsequently through pregnancy and parenting and it's a complete shift.

In today's episode, I talk about how the traditional approach - i.e. constantly looking for the next supplement or modality - might not be serving YOU or your fertility, and how a simple shift in mindset and priority can have you making better decisions and optimize your fertility at the same time as helping improve all other areas of your life (instead of the traditional 'must do more' approach which starts to then seep into the rest of your life).

Want more?

•39 Lessons in 39 Years

•The Life Lessons I learnt Following my stressful year

•6 life lessons from my six-year fertility journey

•Jump on the waitlist for The Fertility Warrior Intensive (My 12 week holistic mind body program)

•Follow me on Instagram

If you liked this episode, please take a few moments to pop into Apple iTunes and leave a podcast review. It would mean the absolute world to me and it means that more people will be able to find and enjoy the podcast.

Why does it feel like infertility treatments are so expensive? I KNOW. I've been there, through our six-year journey to conceive our babies and always trying to evaluate whether what I wanted to invest with was worth it, or whether I was throwing money down the toilet. In today's podcast episode, I share my 6-part framework for evaluating for yourself (nothing is actually throwing money down the toilet if it doesn't feel that way to you) whether you feel that a treatment, modality or add-on is worth it for you.

I call it my overwhelm to an organised framework - as it can help take your mind from chaos and feeling unsure about investments, to feeling like you've been able to make an educated decision on the value and potential something has to help you move forward.

So.... the big question is what kind of framework can you use to decide for yourself whether something is a big fat waste of time or whether it will be a good investment of your money because the reality is that there are many things out there that have no scientific of evidence base (including fertility clinic add-ons).

Tune into today's episode to hear my 6-part overwhelm to an organised framework for deciding whether you should leap or ignore.

P.S. I also talk about a study that was recently released on fertility clinic add-on's - I've listed it below, along with the Instagram for Devon Baeza - pretty much the queen of fertility treatments + finance.

Grab a pen and paper, as you'll want to take notes on this episode, and come and find me on Instagram at @robynbirkin and let me know if you think this was helpful.

Links and Resources

•Devon Baeza - Instagram

•Most Australian women using IVF pay for add-on treatments with 'weak' evidence behind them, research finds

Want more?

•Jump on the waitlist for The Fertility Warrior Intensive (My 12 week holistic mind body program)

•Follow me on Instagram

Want more?

•Jump on the waitlist for The Fertility Warrior Intensive (My 12 week holistic mind body program)

•Follow me on Instagram

•Most Australian women using IVF pay for add-on treatments with 'weak' evidence behind them, research finds

•Research on Mind Body Programs for fertility

If you liked this episode, please take a few moments to pop into Apple iTunes and leave a podcast review. It would mean the absolute world to me and it means that more people will be able to find and enjoy the podcast.

Have you ever felt terrified through your fertility journey that somewhere along the lines, maybe you're making the wrong decision? Gaahhhhh I know the feeling.

Or even just in life in general - you're worried about the investment of time, emotions and finances and that the decision you make might be the wrong one? Well.... Stop.

Because in today's podcast I want to help empower you to shift your mindset around the decisions that you make that you feel are the best at any given time and to help, if I can, relieve the mental load of always feeling panicked that you're wasting money. You are NEVER wasting money if it's a decision that you make with the knowledge and resources you have.

I hope you find this episode refreshing and empowering and I hope it takes you away from the torture of indecision or feeling like you need to outsource your decision making (and therefore diminishing trust in yourself) and helps you move forward with what feels good to YOU.

Reach out to me on Instagram to let me know what you think!

Want more?

•Jump on the waitlist for The Fertility Warrior Intensive (My 12 week holistic mind body program)

•Follow me on Instagram

If you liked this episode, please take a few moments to pop into Apple iTunes and leave a podcast review. It would mean the absolute world to me and it means that more people will be able to find and enjoy the podcast.