Your Fertility Hub

Listen to this great interview with Charlotte from The Fertility Kitchen about how she supported herself through her IVF with a healthy diet and is now teaching others to do the same.

Charlotte battled infertility for over 3 years and was successful in her first cycle of IVF. She strongly believes the steps she took to implement a healthy fertility diet and to nurture herself emotionally were instrumental in her successful cycle.

She has since trained in fertility acupuncture and fertility nutrition and is bringing together her knowledge and love for food at The Fertility Kitchen to help others through.

In this interview, we cut through some of the confusing messages around what is a good fertility diet and focus on 3 main tips.

We also talk in depth about how you can support yourself at specific stages of IVF with your diet particularly around downregulation, stimulation and in preparing for embryo transfer.

Charlotte is now building a specific recipe book for IVF which you can register to be the first to hear about here.

Finally, we delve into how Charlotte supported herself emotionally through IVF and how she leaned on nutrition to empower her through the journey and used meditation and mindfulness as key tools to support her emotional wellbeing.

For more information on how you can support yourself emotionally through IVF, check out our revolutionary online guide ‘IVF Thrive’, which provides specific support tools and information for each stage of IVF. Packed with video guides, meditations and a huge IVF Toolkit, these unique materials support you through IVF positively and empower you to take charge of your IVF journey.

• Charlotte’s personal fertility story
• What made her 1st IVF cycle successful
• The 3 key elements of a healthy fertility diet
• How you can support yourself through each stage of IVF with your diet
• How taking charge of your diet helps you feel in control and in regulating your emotions
• Charlotte’s recommendations for supporting yourself through infertility
• A sneak peek into her new recipe book for IVF

• 5 tips to prepare you emotionally for IVF
• How to improve your PCOS symptoms with dietary changes 
• 50 top tips for IVF
• How to use a fertility relaxation or meditation (Free meditation download)

• The Fertility Kitchen
• The Fertility Kitchen Community
• Your Fertility Toolbox - Free resources, tools and exclusive community for emotional support during infertility
• IVF Thrive online support course

Join us on social media for our Monday motivational posts and Friday funnies and so much more!

• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/yourfertilityhub
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/yourfertilityhub/
• Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com.au/yourfertilityhub/
• YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbjEG761nvI3WNT9J3j0IYw

For more insight, subscribe to the show for regular episodes and please leave a review on i-tunes so we can share the message and help more women find their way through and out of infertility.

IVF is an incredibly emotional experience. There’s lots of tips and information out there about how to change your diet, lifestyle and the practical tips but not a lot of specific emotional support.

In this episode, Fertility Coach Karenna Wood talks you through her top tips to manage IVF more positively.

In this, she touches on stress, emotional wellbeing, managing relationships and how to take control of your thoughts (and not let them control you)

With nearly 15 top tips just for the emotional side, this is a must-listen for anyone going through IVF.

At the end of the episode, listeners can get a special 20% discount code for the new IVF Support Course ‘IVF Thrive’.

• Why you need to focus on your emotional well-being during IVF
• The IVF rollercoaster
• Stress and IVF
• Sleep
• Life outside IVF
• Managing relationships
• The importance of having a good cry!
• Building your support team
• Dealing with nasty and negative emotions
• Going into IVF with a positive or negative
• How visualisation can help your fertility mindset

• 5 tips to prepare you emotionally for IVF
• Samantha’s IVF Success Stories 
• EP2 - How Stress affects fertility

• Your Fertility Toolbox - Free resources, tools and exclusive community for emotional support during infertility
• 50 Top Tips for IVF 
• EP19 - Poppy’s fertility journey 
• EP15 - Changing negative thought patterns 
• EP18 - Relationship tips during infertility 
• IVF Thrive online support course

Join us on social media for our Monday motivational posts and Friday funnies and so much more!

• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/yourfertilityhub
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/yourfertilityhub/
• Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com.au/yourfertilityhub/
• YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbjEG761nvI3WNT9J3j0IYw

For more insight, subscribe to the show for regular episodes and please leave a review on i-tunes so we can share the message and help more women find their way through and out of infertility.

In this episode, Karenna talks to Dr Lora Shahine, a Reproductive Endrocronologist from Pacific North West Fertility in Seattle. As well as an IVF specialist, Dr Shahine is also the Director of the Center for Recurrent Pregnancy Loss and author of two books (see links below)

In this in-depth interview, we delve into the whole range of approaches to recurrent miscarriage including medical, (TCM) Chinese medicine, lifestyle and emotional factors. We unwrap some of the confusion in this area and help you feel more confident in your next steps on your journey.

We start by discussing the possible tests that can be performed to identify any possible anatomic, hormone, immune or genetic issues. Dr Shahine is keen to stress that in over 50% of cases an answer isn’t found from the tests and that the most common cause of miscarriages is a chromosome imbalance in the embryo. 

Dr Shahine then recommends discussing with your doctor some other approaches in early pregnancy such as taking aspirin or progesterone (a natural immunosuppressant), early ultrasounds and also for conception moving into IVF to enable selection of the embryos and elimination of genetic abnormalities.

We also discuss research published by Dr Shahine that has shown a link between recurrent pregnancy loss and having diminished ovarian reserve so she encourages you to have your FSH and AMH levels checked too. It is believed that this is because the number and quality of eggs are lower with diminished ovarian reserve, leading to more chromosomal abnormalities and miscarriages.

“Recurrent miscarriage can be a window into egg quality.”

The interview goes on to discuss egg health and ways you can positively impact egg health through diet, supplements and reducing your exposure to environmental toxins and how a TCM practitioner can assist you to make these lifestyle changes and with specific supplements for you.

Finally, we discuss the emotional aspect of multiple pregnancy losses and how women can often feel scared to try again, scared of tests showing a problem and scared of tests NOT showing a problem. We agree how important it is to build a solid team around you to support you on both the medical and emotional side.

Dr Shahine concludes the interview referencing an excellent study that can help women and couples to have the confidence and resilience to ‘keep trying’ as the odds of achieving a healthy pregnancy remain high even after recurrent miscarriages.

• What is recurrent miscarriage or pregnancy loss?
• The importance of grieving a loss
• What tests can be used to identify any possible medical reasons
• The most common reason for miscarriages
• Recommendations for trying again and early pregnancy
• How egg health and diminished ovarian reserve could be factors
• How TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) can help
• The importance of emotions in dealing with pregnancy loss and trying again
• Building a support team around you

• EP11 - Finding ways to remember babies lost through miscarriage or late-term baby loss
• EP17 - Finding direction on your fertility journey (free meditation) 
• Grief is just love with no place to go (Blog)
• Why is miscarriage still a dirty little secret (Blog)

• Your Fertility Toolbox - Free resources, tools and exclusive community for emotional support during infertility
• Dr Lora Shahine’s website and Instagram
• Dr Shahine’s excellent book on the topic ‘Not Broken: An approachable guide to miscarriage and recurrent pregnancy loss.’
• ‘Planting the Seeds: An integrative approach to fertility care’ by Dr Shahine and Stephanie Gianarelli
• 1999 Brigham Study into pregnancy outcomes following recurrent miscarriages

Connect with us on social media:

Join us on social media for our Monday motivational posts and Friday funnies and so much more!

• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/yourfertilityhub
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/yourfertilityhub/
• Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com.au/yourfertilityhub/
• YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbjEG761nvI3WNT9J3j0IYw

For more insight, subscribe to the show for regular episodes and please leave a review on i-tunes so we can share the message and help more women find their way through and out of infertility.

In this episode, Karenna talks about the power of mindfulness. It’s not just a buzz word or only for the few - it’s now a mainstream technique that is scientifically-proven to raise emotional wellbeing and improve natural fertility.

Most of us spend most of our thinking time in two places - the past and the future. We rehash past events, allow regrets to simmer or project forward into the future - often visualising the worst-case scenarios or catastrophizing our futures.

It can get very overwhelming being ‘in your thoughts’ all the time. They feel like they have control and you feel like you’re losing it!

Some people worry that by being mindful they are changing their approach to their fertility journey. Being mindful does not mean you are becoming passive or change how much you want that baby. Instead, it can make you feel better every day and improve your chances of conceiving too.

We discuss some of the benefits of mindfulness and how free people feel when they start a regular practice and aren’t immersed in their thoughts. Karenna mentions studies that have found a positive impact on emotional wellbeing across the board when women are taught mindfulness. Women were found to feel stronger, more able to cope, increasingly self-compassionate and able to regulate their emotions.

Excitingly, the studies also show an increase in the pregnancy rate and IVF success rates (e.g. recent example of a study here) So this is more than just a wellbeing factor, this is actually a tool you can use to boost your natural fertility and increase your chances of conceiving.

In the final part of the podcast, we talk about top tips for mindfulness and how to start with a quick example live on the podcast.

• What is mindfulness?
• Why do we need mindfulness?
• Where are we spending our time if it’s not in the present moment?
• Common concerns
• Benefits of mindfulness for infertility
• Top tips to get started on a regular mindfulness practice

• EP15 - Changing negative thought patterns to improve fertility 
• Top relationship tip during infertility (Free download)
• How gratitude can transform how you feel on your fertility journey

• Active listening with your partner - Top relationship tip during infertility (Free download)
• Your Fertility Toolbox - Free resources, tools and exclusive community for emotional support during infertility

Join us on social media for our monday motivational posts and friday funnies and so much more!

• Facebook
• Instagram 
• Pinterest
• YouTube 

For more insight, subscribe to the show for regular episodes and please leave a review on i-tunes so we can share the message and help more women find their way through and out of infertility.

Caroline’s faith has led her through her own fertility journey and she now inspires thousands of others with her approach

You are going to love meeting Caroline in this episode! Caroline is an infertility blogger who’s faith has supported her through her own 6-year battle with infertility and has led her to now inspire and support thousands of other women worldwide.

Caroline’s fertility story started not long after her wedding when tests revealed she had a pituitary tumour and her husband azoospermia (no sperm). They were told it was impossible for them to have children naturally.

She lent on God for guidance and he told her to write a blog. Several years later and this blog (In Due Time) has led her to now lead a huge wave of faith-based infertility support on her blog, social media channels and through ‘Moms in the Making’. This started as a support group in her home (which continues) but has now developed into 15 groups across North America, a new virtual group and an annual conference with people attending from all over the world.

In this episode, we talk through Caroline’s personal fertility journey and also ask the tough questions about faith and fertility. She opens up about the hard days when she doesn’t always understand God’s path for her, but how her journey has actually deepened her faith and relationship with God.

“I believe you can choose to run away from the Lord or run to him.”

We talk about how even if you’re not religious, that infertility challenges you and becomes a spiritual journey. That the lack of answers drives you to question life’s fundamentals and your faith in life and love.

She suggests that the fertility journey “can be good if we choose that” and offers her advice on how you can achieve this. She talks about not putting your life on hold, self-care and how important support and meeting other women TTC has been for her and how you can get involved.

• Faith and Fertility - how to keep the faith and how your faith can support you
• How starting her blog has transformed her life
• Caroline’s personal fertility journey
• How even if you’re not religious yourself, you can find faith to sustain you on your journey
• Caroline’s advice to others
• The incredible role a support group can play for you

• EP17 – Finding direction on your fertility journey (Free meditation) 
• Top relationship tip during infertility (Free download)
• How gratitude can transform how you feel during your fertility journey 

• Caroline’s Blog - ‘In Due Time’
• Moms in the Making - A faith-based support group. Check out the locations of their support groups across North America, the dates for their virtual groups and also the upcoming conference in Dallas in October 2018.
• EP10 - Interview with Sue about her fertility journey
• Your Fertility Toolbox - Free resources, tools and exclusive community for emotional support during infertility

Join us on social media for our Monday motivational posts and Friday funnies!

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Pinterest
• YouTube 

For more insight, subscribe to the show for regular episodes and please leave a review on i-tunes so we can share the message and help more women find their way through and out of infertility.

Hear Poppy’s fertility story and how stress has been a major factor. Learn how she has deepened her relationship with her husband and listen to Karenna coaching Poppy on some positive support tools to reduce stress.For more emotional support and free resources, join Your Fertility Toolbox - www.yourfertilityhub.com/join-toolbox or
https://www.facebook.com/yourfertilityhub
https://www.instagram.com/yourfertilityhub
http://www.pinterest.com/yourfertilityhub

Infertility can deepen cracks in your relationships but it can also make you stronger and better at communicating. Tune in to hear our Top 5 tips for your primary relationship during infertility. For more emotional support and free resources, join Your Fertility Toolbox - www.yourfertilityhub.com/join-toolbox or

https://www.facebook.com/yourfertilityhub

https://www.instagram.com/yourfertilityhub

http://www.pinterest.com/yourfertilityhub

EP17 -  Tune into this special podcast episode featuring a full, free meditation where you can meet your inner guide and get some direction for your journey. Even if you’re new to meditation, give it a try as it’s proven to help you reach your goals. For more emotional support and free meditations join Your Fertility Toolbox - www.yourfertilityhub.com/join-toolbox or

https://www.facebook.com/yourfertilityhub

https://www.instagram.com/yourfertilityhub

http://www.pinterest.com/yourfertilityhub

In the first episode of 2018, we unashamedly jump on the January bandwagon and talk about setting goals. However, we do it in a very different way to what you might be used to.

You may feel that setting goals during infertility is pointless as things change and you don’t have full control over your journey and destiny. We talk about how, of course, there are many elements out of our control but how there are also many that are within our control and by taking back control it can transform your fertility mindset and outcome.

As a fertility coach, Karenna starts every coaching relationship in this way - by getting really specific about the areas each client would like to change and what it looks like when that change has happened. In this podcast, we walk you through several ways of setting goals for both your fertility lifestyle and also your fertility mindset.

By setting goals, taking back control over some areas of your life and working on your mindset, it can literally transform your everyday experience of infertility AND (the exciting bit!!!) can actually improve your natural fertility through the power of the mind-body connection.

So tune in to get specific about YOUR fertility goals and to supercharge your fertility journey. Grab a pen and paper if you like to take notes and don’t be afraid to hit pause and return to certain questions so you can fully tease out your goals and what it looks like when you achieve them!

2018 is going to be a big year for Your Fertility Hub. There will be lots more great tips and tools in the podcast, more great free resources in Your Fertility Toolbox and we’re asking you to get in touch if there’s anything you would like to know more about, want us to blog or podcast about and any way in which we can support you more on the emotional side of your fertility journey.

• Setting goals for your fertility
• Why it’s important to set goals
• How to get really specific about your goals and actually visualise what achieving them looks like
• Asking specific fertility coaching questions and using real-life client examples to demonstrate what fertility goals sound like
• How goals can support your wellbeing during infertility and why that’s just as important as the outcome
• How the mind-body connection can bring about changes in your body when you change your mindset and help you create your most fertile state

• EP15 - Changing your negative thought patterns to improve your natural fertility
• EP5 - 3 quick relaxation techniques for fertility calm
• How to relax during infertility - Your Fertility Toolbox members only with free downloads

Links mentioned in the podcast:

• Fertility Coaching with Karenna
• Mind-Body Tools for Fertility
• EP1 - Why the emotional side of fertility is so important
• Your Fertility Toolbox - Free resources, tools and exclusive community for emotional support during infertility

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Pinterest
• YouTube

For more insight, subscribe to the show for regular episodes and please leave a review on i-tunes so we can share the message and help more women find their way through and out of infertility.

In the last episode of 2017, we talk about one of the greatest challenges during infertility - negative thinking. It’s a huge topic and this episode uses one simple technique to help you challenge some of your negative thoughts - simply being your own best friend.

So we start by being aware of what some of your common negative thoughts are e.g. ‘This is never going to happen for us - I’m never going to get pregnant’ or ‘I’m not worthy of a baby’ or ‘My partner must resent me because it’s my fault we can’t conceive’ and using a thought journal to write them down. Then challenge that thought by saying to yourself what your best friend would say to you.

Imagine your best friend is stood in front of you listening to your innermost thoughts and then responding. Everytime you start thinking in that way, listen to your inner best friend and you will quickly start to see a difference in how you feel.

We also talk about the mind-body link and how thoughts actually create emotional and physical reactions in our bodies and how it can actually improve your health as well as your emotional well being when you start to become aware of your negative thoughts and being kinder to yourself.

2018 is going to be a big year for Your Fertility Hub. There will be lots more great tips and tools in the podcast, more great free resources in Your Fertility Toolbox and we’re asking you to get in touch if there’s anything you would like to know more about, want us to blog or podcast about and any way in which we can support you more on the emotional side of your fertility journey.

• Common negative thoughts whilst trying to get pregnant
• Becoming aware of your most common negative thoughts
• Using a thought journal to keep a check on what you are thinking
• Being your own best friend and responding to yourself just how your best friend would
• Learning to catch yourself thinking in a negative way
• How we can’t always challenge our thinking - sometimes we need to use distraction or other methods
• How your thoughts create a chemical and physiological reaction in your body and how positive thinking can actually improve your health

You can’t choose a situation but you can choose how you RESPOND and how you THINK about it!

• EP12 - Thriving through the holidays 
• EP5 - 3 quick calming techniques
• How to relax during infertility - Your Fertility Toolbox members only
• Mind-Body tools for fertility - How you can use the power of mind-body tools to boost your fertility
• Your Fertility Worries Online Course

• Thrive through the holidays - FREE workbook (Join Your Fertility Toolbox for free to access)
• Your Fertility Toolbox - Free resources, tools and exclusive community for emotional support during infertility

• https://www.facebook.com/yourfertilityhub
• https://www.instagram.com/yourfertilityhub/
• https://www.pinterest.com.au/yourfertilityhub/

For more insight, subscribe to the show for regular episodes and please leave a review on i-tunes so we can share the message and help more women find their way through and out of infertility.