07/09/2011 by Sarah Holland.

I realise that you may feel in need of emotional support as you try to conceive through fertility issues. You need support that’s effective, works quickly and can bring you the peace of mind and positive thinking that you know is so vital to supporting your fertility.

Perhaps you’ve heard about how successful EFT is at dramatically reducing negative emotions such as anxiety, sadness, worry and fear. But you’re not sure how to learn it or apply it to your own unique situation, and achieve the positive results in your emotional well-being and mindset that you know would be SO beneficial.Well here’s the good news! I have developed a low cost, fast working solution to help yo u switch your thinking from negative to positive, and support you in a multitude of ways as you try to conceive your baby.I know what an emotional roller coaster it can be when you have fertility issues, and I’d like to invite you now to take my hand as a support you stepping off the roller coaster and on to a much smoother, easier to navigate path.What am I talking about? Click below to find out!http://www.fertilemindset.com/inner-saboteur
Don’t delay in clicking above and making a decision whether to sign up. There are only limited spaces available, and the ‘early bird’ booking price ends soon. PLUS if you’re one of the next few to sign up you’ll be able to grab one of the remaining chances to have a private one-to-one telephone session with me, to work on a key emotional issue for you.

Posted in Life Coaching, fertility coach, Fertility & stress, Fertility Tips, Fertility Experts, Alternative medicine, Guest blogger, Asking for help, Infertility & Stress, Stress & IVf, Stress & Infertility, Stress & Fertility, EFT and Fertility, EFT, Special Offers, Support for infertility, Running on empty, Fertility Services, Alternative Therapies & Fertility, Stress, Getting Pregnant, Fertility, Infertility, Trying to Conceive, Fertility Advice, Positive Living, female fertility, Self care, doing things differently, Loving yourself, lifestyle and fertility, Stress relief, Friendship & support, Natural Fertility Methods | Print | 3 Comments »

19/05/2011 by amymarner.

Birth Preparation

Relaxation For Pregnancy and Childbirth

Life Upgrade for Pregnancy and Childbirth

Maternity Leave

Feels funny calling this a Spring newsletter with this fantastic warm weather we are having!  I hope you have all had a chance to enjoy the sunshine.

Birth Preparation

I have now begun to support women in preparing for their birthing experience.  As some of you already know I am keen to support women to have a positive birthing experience and now, as well as providing positive birthing stories, I am also offering Tracy Holloway’s ‘Relaxation for Pregnancy and Childbirth’ Hypnosis CDs and Life Upgrade sessions for those women who wish to address their fears during pregnancy and childbirth.

Relaxation For Pregnancy and Childbirth

“By taking time to relax deeply, women can tap into their innate wisdom, trust their birthing body, remain calm and feel confident – throughout pregnancy and birth.” Tracy Holloway.  For more details about the benefits of these Hypnosis CDs please visit my website. 

Life Upgrade for Pregnancy and Childbirth

Life Upgrade is a great for women who have fears about pregnancy and/or childbirth.  It is an effective system for addressing fears and allowing women to live in the moment happily without letting their worries take over. 

Life Upgrade is helpful for any fears, which pregnancy and childbirth can bring up however I have experience working with women who fear miscarriage, have fears surrounding the birth, and fears that may arise for those who are pregnant due to IVF treatment. 

It’s also a great system for use during labour to remain focused and in the moment clearing any fears that may come up.  What’s more the tools are extremely helpful for the parenting to come!

My Website has more details:

Maternity Leave

As I am currently 8 Months pregnant I am planning to take some time out from clients as soon as my baby is born.  I will be back in October 2011.  If you know someone who you feel needs some support before I am back feel free to get in touch as I do have a couple of excellent practitioners I can refer them to. 

In the meantime the Hypnosis and Meditation CDs will still be available from my website.

Click here for Life Upgrade meditations  

Click here for Fertility Solutions Hypnosis CDs 

Click here for Pregnancy and Childbirth Hypnosis

Posted in Fertility Blogger, Fertility Blog, Self Coaching, fertility coach, Support for infertility, Infertility blogs, Meditation, Meditation & Fertility, Infertility blogger, Hypnosis, Birth Coaching, Hypnotherapy, Alternative Therapies & Fertility, Fertility, childbirth, Pregnancy, female fertility, Self care, Fertility Experts, Guest blogger, Fertility Services, Natural Fertility Methods | Print | No Comments »

23/03/2011 by yourgreatlife.

The 2nd Fertility Focus Telesummit, created and moderated by Sarah Holland, is running this week.  Twelve fertility experts from around the world, and 3 fertility bloggers, are speaking throughout the week on various aspects of fertility health and support.  Sarah started things off on Sunday, the 20th of March, with an introduction to the Telesummit and an explanation of how to get the most out of it.

Yesterday, Monday the 21st, saw the first two interviews; Dr Marion Glenville spoke on the nutritional aspect of fertility health, giving much of her hour-long presentation over to listeners’ questions and providing really comprehensive responses.  The second interview of the evening was mine, on how “Creating an Effective Support Network Can Make All the Difference When Trying To Conceive.”  I’m really excited by the response I have had, with many listeners emailing me afterward to thank me and/or tell me that what I shared really resonated with them.

The Telesummit is completely free to listen to the live presentations, and the replays for 24 hours after each interview. If you didn’t know about it before, it’s not too late to get involved.  Click here to register for the Fertility Focus Telesummit FREE!  You can listen live, and submit questions for each of the speakers, or listen at your leisure to the recordings afterward.  If you are really busy this week and know you won’t be able to listen in, OR you just want to have all 17 audio files to refer to over and over, Sarah provides the option of upgrading to a Golden Ticket so you can purchase the whole Telesummit’s talks, which will be emailed to you as an MP3 file afterward. This is an incredible value, this week only while the Telesummit is running, at US$67, including several bonuses. You can find all the information at the Telesummit website.

Because I’m a bit late in letting you know about the Telesummit and my own presentation on creating a support network, I’d like to share some of that information with you here.  Having been through several challenging years of recurrent miscarriage and secondary infertility myself, I have the benefit of hindsight telling me that I really could have coped far better if I had been more proactive about getting myself, and my husband, the right balance of emotional and practical support.  Infertility put a big strain on our marriage, and I felt very alone and fearful that I would not be able to have the children I had always dreamed of having.  We are fortunate to have come through those rough times, and to have our two children.  Using my training and experience as a fertility coach, I have developed a system to help each of my clients create a support network for their unique needs, thus easing their experience of infertility and efforts to conceive and helping them to feel less isolated and stressed.

During the call, I explained:

• Why infertility support is so important;
• The 5 most essential types of support every infertile person needs;
• Why your partner is not always the best source of support;
• How you actually create your personal support network;
• What you can do is someone you expected to be supportive has turned out to be the opposite; and
• How to maintain a really effective support network over a long period of time.

I’m also offering a Free Bonus to Callers from the Telesummit! I’ve created a comprehensive Worksheet that takes you through the process of creating your own infertility support network, step by step. So, if you haven’t already registered, don’t let this opportunity pass you by.

I’m listening to the other speakers throughout the week myself. I have to say, I’ve been very impressed so far. I’ve learned a lot already from both Dr Glenville and Andrew Loosely, Acupuncturist and Chinese Herbalist. Other expert speakers during the week include Sarah Holland on using EFT for conception, Kristin Hayward, Zita West, Gabriela Rosa, Toni Weschler, Sue Dumais, Nicola Smuts, Deirdre Morris and Cindy Bailey. Then, you can listen to talks from 3 prolific bloggers, including the authors of “From IF to When,” “Eggs and Sperm” and “Survive and Thrive.” I’m really looking forward to the rest of the week.

Posted in fertility coach, Life Coaching, Acupuncture & fertility, Fertility & stress, Romance, Hypnotherapy, Fertility Tips, Alternative medicine, Fertility Experts, Male Fertility, Male Infertility, Asking for help, infertility investigations, Stress & Infertility, EFT and Fertility, Stress & Fertility, Infertility blogger, Yoga, EFT, Support for infertility, Infertility & Stress, ART, Slimming, Fertility & weight, Weight loss, Assisted reproduction, IVF, Fertility, Alternative Therapies & Fertility, Accupuncture and IVF, Getting Pregnant, Infertility, Fertility Advice, Natural Fertility Methods, Trying to Conceive, Pregnancy, Keeping the romance alive, Womens Health, Miscarriage, Stress relief, Friendship & support, lifestyle and fertility, Self care, female fertility, Fertility Treatment, Sex, Older Mums, PCOS, Marriage, Male Fertility Issues | Print | 3 Comments »

23/03/2011 by Sarah Holland.

This ground breaking online event is in its second year and it’s completely free of charge for you to register and attend!  The Fertility Focus Telesummit 2011 features 12 fertility experts from around the world, including Toni Weschler, Dr Marilyn Glenville and Zita West.  Every expert will be speaking live and sharing their insights, tips and techniques to help you improve your fertility and move closer to conceiving your baby. You can listen in to all of the presentations either online or on the phone from the comfort of your home.  And you even have the amazing opportunity to ask these world class fertility experts YOUR burning questions about your fertility.

Fertility subjects featured will include Hypnofertility, acupuncture, fertility astrology, aging eggs, how to create a support network while you try to conceive, and much more.   You really don’t want to miss this fantastic event, and best of all there is no charge to listen in live and for 24 hours after each presentation!  If you’re busy and don’t want to miss out on any of the presentations (and I’d recommend you try to listen in to them ALL) there’s an option to upgrade to Golden Ticket access to the event, which gives you all the recordings as MP3 files plus over $600 of bonuses from our fertility experts for just $67!  This low price is valid right until the end of the telesummit on Monday 27th March.

To sign up right now and get access to the first presentations starting at 1pm Pacific/4pm Eastern/8pm UK time just visit www.FertilityFocusTelesummit.com

I look forward to ’seeing’ you there!

Sarah
Creator and host of the Fertility Focus Telesummit

Posted in Fertility Services, Fertility Experts, Fertility Tips, Freebies, Alternative Therapies & Fertility, Fertility, Trying to Conceive, Fertility Advice, Infertility, Natural Fertility Methods | Print | 1 Comment »

18/01/2011 by Fertility Yoga.

If you are trying to cope with the stress related to fertility, meditation is truly a gift. This simple and effective practice can transform your fertility journey from an emotional rollercoaster to a more calm, controlled and even positive experience.

According to Dr. Alice Domar, Director for the Mind-Body Center for Women at Boston IVF, mind body techniques
such as meditation produce a relaxation response, which reduces stress and may increase your chance of conceiving. The relaxation response involves releasing feel-good endorphins and turning off stress hormones.

Studies have shown that the effects of meditation include:
• An increased sense of calm
• More control over the mind and thoughts
• A deeper connection to self and inner wisdom
• Greater clarity and focus
• A better ability to cope with stressful situations

Meditation, simply put, involves focusing your mind in a way that promotes the intention to reflect, contemplate
or quiet the mind. It’s easy to begin: just choose a goal like gaining control of your thoughts and quieting your
mind. Then you need to choose a form of meditation that best suits you.

Here are some that I use with my clients. Try them all and then find the one that works best for you.

Click here to read more…

Posted in Stress & Fertility, Yoga, Meditation & Fertility, Meditation, Stress & Infertility, Stress & IVf, Stress, Stress relief, Infertility & Stress, Support for infertility, Alternative Therapies & Fertility | Print | 1 Comment »

13/01/2011 by positivelycalm.

Well it has been ages since I have managed to find something to write about - Although in all honesty what I have actually wanted to blog about was the birth of miracle reiki baby. And finally through the madness of christmas, I have had chance to sit down and get writing.

He was due on christmas day but because of the complications involved in the entire pregnancy, as well as her diabetes, they decided they wanted to induce and make sure all was well before staff started taking holidays.

So on Monday 13th they set off to the hospital and after a long and arduous attempt at induction, little baby Dylan was born by c-section at lunch time on the 15th.

I had to look back over the initial review she wrote for my website to really get my head around just what a miracle he is. As I wrote about before, she was pretty much told there was only a small amount of chance that she would get pregnant with IVF - never mind with no interventions.

There is no proof that Reiki caused all this - but the reiki treatments she has recieved prior to her pregnancy and during it certainly have helped her to relax and ultimately helped her become a mummy.
I have been lucky to see him twice, the first visit being a very emotional and special occasion. Holding the little man was perfection itself. He has such positive energy and is totally chilled out and happy with his mummy and daddy.

I don’t want anyone to feel I am promising false hope - but in the new year, perhaps you can make a resolution to be good to yourself- to give yourself chance to relax - and no better place than that is with a holistic therapy of any kind - be it yoga, reiki, reflexology, massage or some simple meditation cd’s to do at home. A small amount of time out can have a huge beneficial effect on your mental and physical health.

If you are going through cycles of IVF and taking the emotional journey that goes with it, it is the perfect time to ensure that you are as relaxed as can be. Sometimes there is no getting away from the fact that you do need the medical interventions and benefits of science to help - but getting yourself as relaxed will get you through the roller coaster of emotions and may increase the chances of success in reaching your pregnancy.

Take care of yourself and wishing everyone the best for the new year to come.

Namaste

Posted in Stress & IVf, Stress & Infertility, Stress & Fertility, Reiki, Alternative medicine, doing things differently, Alternative Therapies & Fertility, Stress, Stress relief, Self care, IVF | Print | 1 Comment »

09/12/2010 by amymarner.

Fertility Solutions was developed by Tracy Holloway as a whole person programme to support couples going through Fertility difficulties.

Experiencing fertility problems is one of the most stressful experiences to go through.  What is more a lot of people do not understand what it is like for couples experiencing problems.  Often couples who have been planning for a baby for years are asked “When are you going to start a family?”  This can only add to the stress, particularly if the couple have decided not to tell others about their fertility challenges.  What is more high stress levels are known to reduce the chances of conception so it is very important for couples to reduce their stress levels as best they can.

Fertility Solutions aims to give couples their best chance of conceiving by supporting them through the ups and downs of their fertility journey.  The programme includes Hypnosis, lifestyle support and a minimum of six sessions of Life Upgrade.

Hypnosis:

Hypnosis is a natural state that we all enter daily.  It’s those times when your imagination is active, so watching a film or reading a book.  If you are immersed in the story and your imagination is involved that is hypnosis.  You are completely in control and free to leave it at anytime.  Our subconscious does not know the difference between our imagination and reality so we can use our imagination to access the subconscious and create what we want in our lives.

Using hypnosis is a great way to address fertility, because we can access our imagination and address what is going on in our subconscious.  For example we may have spent years trying not to get pregnant, our subconscious may not have caught up with our new plans to start a family so using the imagination we can show the subconscious what we really want and it can catch up.  This then supports our body to conceive.

We may often have negative thoughts running through our minds, worry creating more worry and affecting our well-being.  Our negative thoughts can affect our hormonal balance but with hypnosis it is possible to bring them back to a healthy equilibrium therefore supporting conception.

Fertility Solutions hypnosis CDs have been developed by Tracy Holloway (a qualified hypnotherapist and renowned fertility specialist) in order to prepare the subconscious mind for conception.  The powerful CDs begin with deep relaxation; this prepares your mind for suggestion and supports you to release stress.  Once you have listened for at least a week to the first CD you can move on to the next.  Each one brings you relaxation and prepares the body for conception.  Some are designed specifically for those who are planning to conceive naturally, others support assisted conception and there are also CDs for those who have experienced miscarriage and fear their body cannot support a healthy baby.

These powerful CDs go hand in hand with the Fertility Solutions Programme but can also be very effective in their own right.

Lifestyle Support:

The Fertility Solutions Programme also provides advice and support on lifestyle.  For example I recommend that clients stop smoking and drinking alcohol in order to get their bodies in the best place for conception.  I will also make suggestions about diet and supplements to support fertility.  I recommend organic food as much as possible to reduce the residue toxins in the body and increase the nutrients in the diet.  For Couples with specific physical symptoms effecting fertility I may recommend certain supplements to support their body’s health.  Some people find these changes difficult and if this is the case then at least one of their Life Upgrade sessions will be dedicated to supporting graceful, effective and lasting change.

Life Upgrade:

Rather than an alternative therapy, Life Upgrade is a system which allows you to become more present in your day-to-day life.  It gives you simple tools that release negative thoughts running through your conscious and subconscious mind which have such an impact on the way you feel.  Letting go of those thoughts supports your well-being as a whole, physically and emotionally, as when we are in the present moment our body and mind is free from the distractions that create ill health and unhappiness.  The beauty of it is it is truly empowering; you are the one in control, you can deal with those thoughts and emotions as they come up rather than having to wait for your next session with a practitioner.

So how does it work?

Whatever is running in our subconscious mind affects the reality we experience.  The old programmes that are running are taken on by our subconscious mind because it think we need them to survive.  Some of those programmes are our own (from our childhood experiences for example) others have been passed down from our ancestors.

So here’s a simplified example; say one of my relatives had a bad experience at school, their teacher punished them for something they didn’t do.  Let’s say they got caned as a part of that punishment.  As an attempt to stop this happening again their subconscious mind took on the programme ‘Teachers can’t be trusted’.  This gets passed down the generations to me.  So I’m running the old programme ‘Teachers can’t be trusted’ I have no conscious knowledge of this programme nor of the events that took place to create it however it is there in the background as I go through life.

So every interaction I have with teachers in my lifetime is going to have alarm bells going of in my subconscious mind ‘Teacher’s can’t be trusted!’ therefore I will be searching for examples of this, on high alert for untrustworthy things teachers might do to protect myself from harm.  I am likely to misunderstand events as examples of untrustworthy teachers, which will only reinforce the programme I am already running.  I will certainly find it impossible to fully trust a teacher with all that going on in my subconscious.

Say I could clear that old programme so it no longer gets in the way?  Say I could completely delete it so that I can begin to interact with teachers and see them for who they really are?  Using Life Upgrade tools makes this possible.  Once I recognise that I am unhappy with my interaction with teachers I can clear the old programmes quickly and easily.  (I don’t even need to know what the old programmes are.)  What’s more it’s so simple you can do it yourself as you go about your daily business.  Each time you observe something that you want to change you just get out your tool box and change it!  I find that really exciting!

Life Upgrade tools make it easy to get back to the moment because they deal with the old programmes in your subconscious mind that distracted you from the moment in the first place.  What’s more in clearing these old programmes you are less likely to be distracted next time.  So Life Upgrade doesn’t just support you to get back into the present it also makes it easier to live in the moment, as each time you use the tools you are clearing old programmes that you no longer need.  Not only is this extremely helpful for those going through a long fertility journey, it is also useful for parenthood.

Who is Fertility Solutions Suitable For?

Fertility Solutions is suitable for anyone who is on their fertility journey and would like to support themselves to cope better from day-to-day.  It is suitable for those who are experiencing ‘unexplained infertility’, those with physical symptoms which are effecting their fertility (e.g. Polycystic Ovaries, Endometriosis, Fibroids and other complaints) and those who are going through medical intervention.  It is suitable for those who simply wish to improve their reproductive health and those who have decided to end their fertility journey and wish to live a fulfilling life without children. For more details click here for my website or contact me to book your Free Initial consultation.

Posted in Asking for help, Infertility & Stress, Fertility & stress, Hypnotherapy, Fertility Tips, Fertility Blogger, Support for infertility, Hypnosis, Stress & Fertility, Stress & Infertility, Stress & IVf, Fertility Experts, Guest blogger, Alternative Therapies & Fertility, Fertility, Infertility, Trying to Conceive, Stress, Womens Health, Fertility Services, doing things differently, Self care, Stress relief, Natural Fertility Methods | Print | 1 Comment »

15/11/2010 by positivelycalm.

So, my original plans when I trained with Reiki,  was to use it to help women through all the physical challenges and transitions in their lives and also to work through bereavement and loss.

The bereavement side stemmed from my own experiences and also with the idea that it could help people who have suffered miscarriage and still birth. Then, one of my friends suffered some complications after the birth of her first child, and I felt like I was supposed to help her through the process of living with that. This also featured a lot around loss, trauma and in a lot of ways, without divulging her personal details, a kind of bereavement.

I also wanted to help other women during pregnancy as it had made a massive difference to me. SO I thought well, why not try and roll it all into one, perhaps it could work - but i hadn’t really thought about helping ladies when they were trying to have a baby.
I came across a facebook discussion of a friend’s facebook status. Her friend was having some serious issues and was asking about reiki- I started replying about it - and thought what a shame, I could have given her a treatment - I presumed that, as my friend lived down south, so did hers. Turns out, she was only just a few junctions up the motorway from where I am. So, we arranged that after she had recovered from her surgery, we would meet up and have a treatment. All she was really expecting was that it would help her relax and that in turn would help her give up smoking, something she was going to have to do as a start on her journey to fertility treatment. I also felt that it would help her to emotionally deal with the difficulties she was having, and should it have happened, that if she was not able to have a baby, she would have the mental strength to work through that journey too.

That first time, was a really powerful session. With in that session, somehow she found she didn’t need to smoke anymore and has not smoked more than a couple since. She felt incredibly calm and positive and slept really well that first night.
I came away from it feeling amazingly energised and within 3 days had gone from considering the posibilities of becoming a therapist and maybe one day becoming a yoga teacher for children- to being booked on my next reiki course, booked on a yoga teaching course and having a name for my new company - I had also been given a treatment table that someone else had been wondering what they would do with it. A really powerful sign that I was thinking the right things !

A few weeks later my client suffered a very early miscarriage, major enforced changes on the front at work and at home,  and was really struggling. So, on our journey home from the north, we swung by and I gave her a treatment to help her sleep and relax after the real stresses she was experiencing.

Around about 4 weeks later, she texted and said she was most likely pregnant.

And here we are 33 weeks later and still going strong. There have been lots of stresses for her and she has been closely monitored after no end of problems.

I am absolutely not able to say that it was definately Reiki that enabled her to get pregnant - but she was expecting fully to have to go through fertility treatment and take clomid, which was only going to be a short term chance due to advanced endometriosis, in addition to a number of other complications.
At twelve weeks she wrote a review for my feedback page. I won’t put it all on here but the full story is available through the website. http://positivelycalmyoga.co.uk/index.php?url=feedback.html

And here we are 33 weeks later and still going strong. There have been lots of stresses for her and she has been closely monitored after no end of problems, trips to hospitals and worrying moments- but she has had lots of scans and baby is in there and doing well.

I have seen her several times over the last few months, and “little reiki baby” as he has been nicknamed for now, is kicking hard and rocking around. I know the arrival of this baby will be a very special moment for her, her husband and all of her family and friends and it is amazing for me to see how things have helped. I found her original information form that suggested she would be beginning fertility treatment in september 2010 - obviously, she hasn’t needed it.

I am not sure how to explain, really, how I feel that Reiki has helped her because really, there is no proof. However, her consultant has said he didn’t expect her to conceive on her own. He performed an operation at the start of the year but it was really with the plan that it should help her with the fertility treatment. He can’t say it was reiki - but he knows he didn’t think she would get pregnant. I am only guessing but I suppose it is something he has done many times before, and hasn’t usually resulted in an un assisted conception.

What I do know is that the Reiki energy balances the chakras ( energy points) in the body. It also assists the body to heal itself, to release negative energies and as these things happen, then the body can balance itself, allowing it to function as it should. It is a complementary therapy and I would always suggest it is used along side the advice of qualified doctors and medical advice.

It also aids relaxation and that is certainly something that has been proven as being a big facilitator in conception. It is also very gentle and non invasive. It simply goes where it needs to in the body, and does what is required. It can result in a feeling of calm, needing sleep or even being full of energy. I have had clients who have had a strong emotional release - either sudden needs to cry, scream or shout - and can also help with a physical release, often like suddenly need to go to the toilet. My reiki teacher has always described it as “new plumbing” because it releases blockages and clears out your energy pathways and allows your body to physically balance out.

I need to emphasise strongly that I am not claiming that if I - or any therapist- give a treatment to someone who is struggling with fertility, they will then definately get pregnant within a few weeks or months. However, I do feel that there are lots of positive points to suggest that it is worth looking after yourself when trying and the nature of reiki and its healing qualities, may aid relaxation and put your body into a more positive place when trying. What it can’t do is hurt you. The energy is gentle, natural and will help you work through the emotional stresses of the fertility journey. I believe that everyone is on a life journey, and the reiki can also assist in helping you to deal with the ups and down of that. It may be the case that you will experience miscarriage during your attempts, or may ultimately be unable to conceive even with help - but i also feel that the reiki treatments can help women - and men - to deal with this devastating situation and to find a positive way of dealing with it as an individual and, hopefully then, as a couple.

The beauty of the reiki is that it knows what each person needs and will guide them along their journey.  So far I have only worked with one person who was undergoing a fertility issue, along with several ladies during their pregnancies (  a future blog!) but I sincerely hope that I can work with other couples, as in fact it has turned out to be, and help them through in what ever way they need support.

In addition, I have found that Reiki pulls people towards it when they need it and usually gives you a good sign that it is right for you. If you feel that you want to investigate it, it will probably be worth your while - whether with me or any other therapist. Listen to your own body, and let it look after you.

Namaste

xxx

Posted in Fertility & stress, Fertility Blogger, Support for infertility, doing things differently, Stress relief, Alternative Therapies & Fertility, female fertility, Fertility | Print | 1 Comment »

08/11/2010 by Fertility Yoga.

The main reason I created and starting teaching a Fertility Yoga class was to support my own health and well being. In the depth of my own fertility challenges, I was becoming more and more disconnected, depressed and isolated. Although my husband was very supportive he just couldn’t understand the extent of my grief. I felt misunderstood and at times, I thought I was actually losing my mind. I watched myself spiraling out of control and realized that I needed to shift something quickly.

The first class I taught filled up with little effort. Women were nervous and at the same time relieved to find some support. I experienced such a warm comfort as we shared our experiences with each other and I realized that I wasn’t alone and that other women were on a similar emotional roller coaster.

We all had such a profound experience in the first session of classes and I discovered a community of support that gave me HOPE! Within months I opened Family Passages Mind Body Studio where I continued to teach Yoga for Fertility classes as well as private yoga therapy session and a Couples Mind Body Program. I was touched by the impact the space had for women and couples and I was grateful to witness such amazing transformations in such a short period of time.

The classes provide a space for healing the mind, body and spirit. The yoga postures help support the body by reducing the effects of stress and improving blood flow to the reproductive organs. Each posture is held for 3-5 minutes and accompanied by a dialogue specific to fertility. The class allows for a deep experience of the posture and fosters a level of healing that miracles are made of.

I love to witness women coming in the door feeling defeated, confused and stressed and by the end of the class they leave feeling relieved, calm and supported on their journey. It is the most rewarding class as an instructor that I have ever taught in my 18 year career. It is like a yoga support group. There is comfort just walking in the door and realizing they are not alone. There is peace in re-connecting to their own inner guidance/intuition as they realize they no longer need to desperately seek answers outside of themselves.

They begin to befriend their body again, follow their guidance, find a sense of calm and discover a strength that will help them through their journey. I watch them come alive as they begin to take back control of their life. The learn how to identify and process their emotions and they use the mind body tools to shift their experience outside the class. They bring their yoga practice off the mat and into their lives each day, and their experience of fertility shifts and transforms.

Most importantly I don’t see women as “infertile” or “broken” or “failures”.

I see women as the Mothers I know they are.

I hold FAITH for them!

I BELIEVE in them, no matter what!

You can be a Mother! I know with my whole heart, that one way or another, you too, will bring your baby home into your arms. I will hold FAITH for you until you BELIEVE it as deeply as I do! Because when you BELIEVE something is possible, impossible is nothing.

To learn more about Sue Dumais and her Fertility Yoga classes and resources visit www.familypassages.ca

Posted in Fertility Blog, Asking for help, Infertility & Stress, Support for infertility, Fertility & stress, fertility coach, Fertility, Alternative Therapies & Fertility, Friendship & support, Self care, Infertility | Print | 1 Comment »

03/11/2010 by positivelycalm.

Hi

Going on from what I was saying about yoga for fertility in my earlier post, I thought this might interest people as I literally just stumbled upon it on a yoga website.

” This integrated and harmonious approach to hatha yoga is especially developed to bring comfort and joy to women. It is suited to all women, with or without previous experience of yoga. Women of all ages are welcome, whether you are complete beginners or super-experienced yoginis or yoga teachers. In fact, any woman who would like a feminine, nourishing and fluid practice with elegant movement flows, delicious breath work, resonant sound, and deep healing relaxation is invited to join her sisters for this women-only class.”

More information on these two websites.

http://www.yogamatters.com/pages/event.aspx?id=1245&referrer=http%3a%2f%2fwww.yogamatters.com%2fpages%2fliveyoga.aspx

http://www.sitaram.org/sitaram/womens-health/menstrual-yoga/

Probably a bit far for anyone in Nottingham -but figured it might help some one

Posted in doing things differently, Fertility & stress, Loving yourself, female fertility, Womens Health, Positive Living, Alternative Therapies & Fertility | Print | 1 Comment »

13/10/2010 by positivelycalm.

Hi - this is my first post, so figured the best place for me to start was with my own journey.

Which in itself is a little bit scary, as in a place that is helping people who are finding it hard, I don’t want to be seen as a bit smug and insensitive to say that we caught the first time we started trying. Which we did.

However, our ttc was subject to quite a delay.

We planned to start ttc July 07  and felt that we were ready to see where we ended up.

However, in the January, I was signed off work due to infections and stress related to a family situation. Just as I was then about to go back to work, my sister took her own life and I was thrown into a world that before I had only seen in films.  Between march and may, I attended 3 funeral of close relatives.  I was working as a teacher, which of course is not known for being a stress free job, and with feeling isolated by friends, some of whom thought I would be “over it” by now, I found that I was in a constant state of stress and was also starting to lose my hair. It was definately no way to begin pregnancy so we decided to hold off, even though we really wanted to start our family. I knew my body - and mind- were just not up to it.  There was little available in terms of GP or councelling support, so in the end I started investigating alternative means of help.  I decided to have some Reiki treatments as a friend had previously practised on me in her training and found a local practitioner. ( I will blog more about this later). This really did help me relax -I had time to myself, to allow the positive energies involved in the Reiki to help me release the negative emotions that I needed to release. Through this, I started becoming aware of my own need to change. That I needed to do more exercise and to over all improve my physical and mental health. I had also been considering starting yoga classes, so when a children’s yoga teacher came to work with the children at school, I took my chance to give it a try.

After one session, I felt so energised and positive, I decided i wanted to join an adult class and really start finding out how good I could feel. I joined in with the class for a few more weeks and found i just felt better- more relaxed yet energised-each time.

In the mean time, I was feeling a lot brighter in myself, and for the want of a better word, human again, so we decided to ditch the contraception and start trying. I did check out where I was in my cycle, having been tracking it monthly and then using an online calculator to find out roughly when I was fertile but thought well, it could take a while so lets live for today and see what happens.

And, yes, we caught probably first or second time. I was convinced that it couldn’t be, having been so stressed for so long, yet there was the line on the stick telling me it was a bfp.

So I investigated antenatal yoga instead. When I got chatting to my yoga teachers, it turned out that yoga is often linked to the idea of helping with pregnancy. It is known to balance the mind, body and spirit, so perhaps adjusts the body internally too and gets parts set that things can just naturally “fall into place”. It also appears to be a common occurence that females who are training to be antenatal yoga teachers fall pregnant during the course, probably due to learning all the best practises to assist the body during pregnancy. Either way, I felt very strongly that the yoga really made a big difference, not least because i was so relaxed.

This is my little story, one that I am convinced was aided by the alternative paths I went down. I hope one day I  will become an adult yoga teacher as well and will be able to help  others on their path with yoga.

I have  been drawn to using Reiki in the fertility field as i feel that this too can make a remarkable difference, something i have already witnessed happen with a client. I am not saying that Reiki gets you pregnant, but it can definately help you relax.  And the relaxation part is something that comes up time and time again in relation to fertility.

I will continue to blog at another time and explain more about how I feel Reiki can help with fertility, with the aim that others will benefit from what I have experienced and what Reiki has to offer. And if neither of these things actually does help with the physical act of getting pregnant, it certainly doesn’t do the mental health of the mummy to be - or daddy to be- for that matter, any harm at all.

Namaste

Posted in Guest blogger, Fertility & stress, Fertility Blogger, doing things differently, female fertility, Fertility, Alternative Therapies & Fertility, Getting Pregnant, Trying to Conceive | Print | 1 Comment »

28/09/2010 by yourgreatlife.

If you are on Twitter, or you follow some of the infertility blogs, you may be familiar with some of the abbreviations used by women who are trying to conceive and have a baby. One that frequently tears at my heart is BFN:( . It means “big fat nothing,” as in not pregnant this month.  You examine and re-examine the dates on the calendar, plan your activities around the possibility that you might be pregnant by then, and spend money on pregnancy tests that you know are going to come out negative.  You may also have experienced the elation of finding out you were pregnant and whispering it to the chosen few you trusted to support you through those intial, very secretive and exciting days, only to have to return to them weeks later and explain that the pregnancy was over.

How do you begin again?

After a miscarriage or failed IVF cycle, there is the inevitable question hanging in the air: Are we going to try again? It may be a given that you still want a baby, however the criteria for whether you are going to try to conceive and carry a pregnancy will have been affected by the recent lack of success with IVF, or the terrible end of your pregnancy. Whether you are on your own, or with a partner, the criteria you use to make your decisions may have changed and need to be looked at again. You must consider your current health, age, fitness, need for medical intervention, financial position, other commitments and your doctor’s advice. Assuming that you have decided that you do want to try to conceive again, naturally or with assisted reproduction techniques, the next set of decisions will be about when you begin trying.

Your timing

“When can I try again?” is one of the first questions that will come up in a woman’s mind once she has determined to pursue another pregnancy. Opinion, even among medical professionals, varies. Some doctors will say that, all being well, 3 months is a good amount of time to wait after a miscarriage. Others will suggest that an otherwise healthy patient wait until after she has had one menstrual period before trying to conceive. I believe that readiness is a combination of having had a check-up by the doctor or nurse a few weeks after your miscarriage or IVF procedure, feeling well in yourself physically and determining that you and/or your partner are both emotionally prepared to take the risk again. Why do I use that word “risk?” While many women go on to achieve a healthy pregnancy after a miscarriage, and IVF can certainly be successful on a subsequent attempt, there is a risk that they will not be successful. Can both of you gather all your resources together and steel yourself against that possibility or do you feel painfully vulnerable?

Are you up to it?

Miscarriage and fertility treatment are both hard on the body and can cause you to feel physically depleted.  This is exacerbated by the emotional toll that they take. It isn’t unusual for a woman to feel that she wants to, or has to, jump right back in and try again and simultaneously think that going through this process again is the last thing in the world she wants to do at that moment. Have you ever felt torn in that way? The reason for this dichotomy can be that you have not recovered fully and need to build up your strength and stamina. It may be worth asking your GP for a once-over health check, paying attention to your appetite, sleep, energy levels and hormone levels.

Your emotional wellbeing

It could also be that you are putting on a front, trying to fool yourself and others about how you are really coping. What you say and what you truly feel must be congruent, or the result could be additional stress, sleepless nights and high emotion.  There may be no doubt that you want a baby, but being pregnant may be another matter entirely. Do you feel resilient; as if you have been able to pick yourself up, put your disappointment aside and look forward to the future? Or, do you feel fearful or hopeless? Your thoughts will affect your behaviour and very possibly, your outcome.

If you are trying to conceive, while simultaneously thinking that it will never happen, or that it will end disastrously, you are draining your positive energy away from your goal. You are literally telling your body, that it will not function the way it is meant to do and reinforcing that message every time you let your mind obsess in this manner. Ovulation does not occur in a vacuum; it is dependent upon signals from your brain to your ovaries. Additionally, the stress caused by negativity has been known to interrupt reproductive function, which may affect your periods, ovulation, fertilisation and/or implantation of the embryo.

Your negative thoughts, sadness, anger and stress are all understandable responses to either a miscarriage or the disappointment of a failed IVF cycle. How quickly you move through various feelings or thought processes to a state of readiness is unique to your circumstances and how you respond. You may feel conflicting emotions and be confused as to whether you are ready to try to conceive again. If so, a fertility coach can help you isolate your feelings about your miscarriage or IVF experience. This can help you prevent or reverse the spill-over into your abilities, body, medical treatment, relationship and future.

Are you both ready?

It isn’t unusual for two people in a relationship to have different ideas about whether they are ready to try to conceive again. On the one hand, the woman may (erroneously) believe that the previous attempt is her fault and feel the need to make up for it or prove herself. She may be itching to try immediately, in contrast to her partner’s more measured approach. Even if this self-blame is not present, she may feel there isn’t any time to waste. Only she can truly know how strong and physically healthy she feels, so her partner is reliant upon the information she provides.  A partner may be concerned about her health and want to ensure the safety of a subsequent attempt to conceive.  On the other hand, I have had female clients whose partners want to sweep it all under the rug and move forward as if nothing has happened. She may be unready; lacking in self-confidence and feeling unsupported.

Marriages have broken down from the stress of trying to conceive. One party may feel less committed to the idea of having a child than the other, so that when the disappointments, difficulties and costs are tallied up, they decide that they don’t want to put everything into the attempt.  The sacrifices necessary to divert money from other dreams to fertility treatment may be more than one is willing to make. To contemplate trying to conceive only for your partner’s sake, or while you are unsure, will only add to the stresses you will have to endure.

The best advice I can give any couple in this situation is to talk. Be open about how you feel, what the loss meant and how you want to proceed now. If either of you are unable to communicate effectively without someone teasing the words out of you, get someone to act as a facilitator. A good fertility coach will help the two of you say what you really think and feel; not imposing her own ideas or taking sides. Perhaps a joint visit to your GP or gynaecologist will help the two of you find mutual ground.

Just knowing when it’s right

As quickly as it came over, an emotional cloud can lift. A new day, an overheard inspiring word, reassurance from someone you trust or just some release inside of you; any of these can shift how you feel about beginning the process of conception over again.  You may not be able to explain it to someone else, but you just know you are ready.  If trying again feels right and you can maintain that feeling for a few calm days (no roller-coaster emotions and changing of mind), trust your instincts. Only you can know for sure.

Lisa Marsh is the owner of Your Great Life, a fertility coaching and advocacy business in Stanmore, North London. She also writes for her own blog; http://yourgreatlife.typepad.co.uk.   You can follow her on Twitter @yourgreatlife. Contact Lisa for individual or couples fertility coaching, via phone or office visits, or to find out about educational workshops on fertility issues from menstruation to menopause: Tel #011-44 (0)20 8954 2897 or email lisa@yourgreatlife.co.uk

Posted in Fertility & stress, fertility coach, Pregnancy after miscarriage, Twitter, Asking for help, Infertility & Stress, Babyloss, Support for infertility, Fertility Blogger, TTc after miscarriage, Fertility Treatment, IVF, Infertility, Pregnancy, Alternative Therapies & Fertility, Stress, Marriage, Miscarriage, Getting Pregnant, Trying to Conceive | Print | 1 Comment »

12/09/2010 by amymarner.

My Fertility Solutions sessions no longer contain Theta Healing I now use Life Upgrade with all my Fertility clients.  If you have read some of my other blogs you may well be wondering why I have made this change.

What Life Upgrade has done for me.

I have adapted the way I work because of my own experiences and what I have found to be helpful for myself.  I have found Life Upgrade transformational in supporting my own well being and reproductive health.  I have successfully used Life Upgrade in my day-to-day life to lower my stress levels.  Not only has Life Upgrade helped me reduce stress it has also improved my physical health.  I have Endometriosis and up until recently have experienced debilitating pain for 1-3 days each month.  I have found that through using Life Upgrade tools I can manage my pain.  I am now able to be active on those days when formerly I would have been unable to move.  I have seen such a dramatic shift in the pain I experience I firmly believe it is possible for me to experience a period without pain if I continue to use Life Upgrade tools.

So What is Life Upgrade?

Rather than an alternative therapy, Life Upgrade is a system which allows you to become more present in your day-to-day life.  It gives you simple tools that support the release of negative thoughts running through your conscious and subconscious mind which have such an impact on the way you feel.  Letting go of those thoughts and feelings allows you to move forward and live your life, whatever else is going on.  In doing this you are also supporting your well-being as a whole, physically and emotionally, as when we are in the present moment our body and mind is free from the distractions that create ill health and unhappiness.  The beauty of it is it is truly empowering; you are the one in control, you can deal with those thoughts and emotions as they come up rather than having to wait for your next session with a practitioner.

What does this mean for Fertility Solutions?

The framework for the Fertility Solutions is still the same.  There is a Free Initial Consultation so I can assess your needs followed by six sessions specifically designed for you as an individual.  Through each session I will guide you through Life Upgrade tools to support your health and well-being.  From the first planned session you will be able to take home the basic tools and use them in your own time.  Using the Life Upgrade tools consistently will transform your Fertility Journey so you can continue to live your life and find enjoyment, what is more living in the moment increases your chances of conception.  The programme still involves hypnosis CDs to support your Fertility Journey.

Who is Fertility Solutions Suitable For?

Fertility Solutions is suitable for anyone who is on their fertility journey and would like to support themselves to cope better from day-to-day.  It is suitable for those who are experiencing ‘unexplained infertility’ and those with physical symptoms which are effecting their fertility (e.g. Polycystic Ovaries, Endometriosis, Fibroids and other complaints).  It is suitable for those who simply wish to improve their reproductive health and those who have decided to end their fertility journey and wish to live a fulfilling life without children. For more details click here for my website.

Posted in Fertility & stress, Self Coaching, Hypnotherapy, Fertility Blog, Infertility & Stress, Support for infertility, Fertility Blogger, Guest blogger, doing things differently, Alternative Therapies & Fertility, Natural Fertility Methods, Stress, Womens Health, Self care, Stress relief, Blogroll | Print | 1 Comment »

06/07/2010 by amymarner.

As a Fertility Solutions Practitioner I am trained to specialise in the area of Reproductive Health.  Clients come to me when they are planning to conceive however I also get clients who simply wish to improve their reproductive health.

Fertility Solutions has been specifically developed to explore issues which effect reproductive health including Endometriosis.

When working with a client who has Endometriosis I will explore the subconscious beliefs effecting the symptoms.  Having been trained by Tracy Holloway, a renowned Fertility Specialist, I have her suggestions from years of experience working in this area. However each session is unique as it is designed to meet the needs of the individual.  Once the unhelpful beliefs have been found it is possible to release them using Theta Healing.

Fertility Solutions promotes relaxation, using hypnosis, which supports the healing process.  It is also possible to get pregnant with Endometriosis by addressing the symptoms and increasing the chances of conception.  By healing the mind you heal the body.

Fertility Solutions can help the symptoms of Endometriosis including (but not exclusively):

Pelvic pain (Chronic)

‘Infertility’

Endometriosis and bladder pain

Endometriosis and bowel pain

Painful intercourse

Irregular bleeding

Cysts

Spotting (bleeding before period is due)

Heavy periods

Extreme tiredness

Endometriosis adhesions

Ovarian endometriosis

Fertility Solutions is a simple yet effective programme which aims to give clients their best chance of conception by addressing the whole person including physical symptoms like Endometreosis.  I am experienced in working in the area of Reproductive Health and am sensitive to the individual needs of my clients.  Contact me for your Free Initial Consultation to find out if  Fertility Solutions is right for you.

Posted in Theta Healing, Endometriosis, Endometriosis & infertility, Support for infertility, Fertility Blogger, doing things differently, Guest blogger, Alternative Therapies & Fertility | Print | 1 Comment »

19/04/2010 by amymarner.

The Fertility Solutions programme uses mind body techniques to address reproductive health.  Mind Body techniques work with the mind in order to heal the body and there is growing evidence to show that working on the mind will affect the health of the body.  Stress is a perfect example, it is widely accepted that reducing stress has a positive affect on the physical body, strengthening the immune system and reducing the risk of heart attack for some. 

Fertility Solutions uses Theta Healing to address physical symptoms. A Fertility Solutions Practitioner will have experience working with couples who have physical symptoms affecting their fertility; PCOS, endometriosis or fibroids for example.  Using Theta Healing it is possible to explore the mind’s influence on the physical body and release issues which are contributing to the symptoms being experienced. 

Some people who find they have physical symptoms, which affect their fertility, will have suffered with bereavement or shock and trauma. In fact emotions such as shame, guilt, worthlessness, resentment and anger will stress the body if left unaddressed may result on an adverse effect on physical health.

As the programme uses mind body techniques it offers couples the opportunity to address their fertility without any invasive procedures and lays the foundations to give couples their best chance of conceiving.  Similarly it is useful for those who have chosen to use medical intervention (e.g. IVF) as it can address any stresses or issues that arise throughout treatment.

So Fertility Solutions supports the whole person; it addresses both the physical and emotional body. Whatever physical symptoms or emotional stresses you are experiencing on your Fertility Journey the Fertility Solutions Programme can help. 

For more details visit www.amymarner.co.uk

Posted in Infertility & Stress, Fertility & stress, Fertility Blogger, Support for infertility, Stress & IVf, Theta Healing, Guest blogger, Alternative medicine, Stress, Alternative Therapies & Fertility, Stress relief, doing things differently, Fertility Services, Natural Fertility Methods | Print | 1 Comment »

22/03/2010 by amymarner.

Choosing medical intervention to conceive is not always an easy decision and certainly not one made lightly.  Experiencing ‘infertility’ is very stressful and adding invasive medical procedures to this can only increase stress.  Couples who are at the stage of medical intervention on their Fertility Journey are likely to be aware of how stress affects their well-being and fertility. 

Fertility Solutions supports the whole person using hypnosis and Theta Healing, those going through assisted conception can use the programme to support their journey and reduce stress.  The hypnosis CDs are designed to relax and support fertility, there are those which have been recorded specifically for couples going through medical procedures.  For example there is one to encourage relaxation and the natural stimulation of the chemicals needed within your body to support conception, another designed to support the egg once conception has taken place, especially helpful for women who may be afraid of a miscarriage.

 Along side the Hypnosis, Theta Healing allows couples to address any emotions or physical symptoms that may be affecting their fertility.  It is possible to support assisted conception by addressing any issues around the medical treatments for example; this in turn will aid relaxation and increase the chances of a successful pregnancy.

As a Fertility Solutions Practitioner my aim is to support my clients best chance of conception.  The programme allows us to address the whole person, physically and emotionally awakening creative power and increasing the chances of conception taking place.

Posted in Fertility Blog, Fertility & stress, Infertility & Stress, Fertility Blogger, Stress & IVf, Theta Healing, Hypnotherapy, Guest blogger, Stress relief, Stress, doing things differently, Fertility Services, Alternative medicine, Alternative Therapies & Fertility | Print | 1 Comment »

12/03/2010 by junonaturalfertility.

If you have been trying to get pregnant without success you could be one of the 8-10% of women (of reproductive age) who is affected by Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.

Many women are told by their doctor that because of polycystic ovaries they are likely to have difficulties conceiving, but few understand why this is.

The explanation is simple: cysts which form on the ovaries can cause hormonal imbalances (high levels of Luteinising Hormone and androgens) as well as blood sugar imbalances or insulin resistance. Together these factors make it more difficult for ovulation to occur and without ovulation it’s impossible to fall pregnant.

Conventional medical treatments include oral contraceptives like the pill, anti-androgens and insulin regulating medication such as metformin. These forms of treatment don’t restore your health, they just treat the symptoms, often with undesirable side-effects. They don’t remove the underlying cause of PCOS and they don’t help you conceive.

There are lots of natural solutions that can help you without the nasty side effects. At Juno Natural Fertility we use a holistic approach to identify and correct the factors that cause the PCOS, successfully restoring regular ovulation.

To find out whether our homeopathic treatments could help you, come to our seminar on April 12th: ‘How to get pregnant with natural remedies - PCOS. Tickets cost £25 and can be booked online at www.junonaturalfertility.com/seminars or by calling 0845 423 8962. Places are limited, so early booking is advised.

Posted in PCOS & pregnancy, pcos syndrome, PCOS symptoms, PCOS, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, Alternative Therapies & Fertility | Print | 1 Comment »

05/03/2010 by junonaturalfertility.

According to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority over 20% of conception problems are diagnosed as unexplained infertility¹. This means that following a series of fertility tests and semen analysis no medical reason can be found for the couple’s inability to conceive and, therefore, no treatment can be offered – other than suggesting assisted conception such as IVF, ICSI or IUI.

Homeopathy offers an alternative viewpoint and an alternative, gentler, non-toxic form of treatment. In this blog post Nicola Berman and Cassie Everett, homeopaths and co-founders of Juno Natural Fertility, explain what homeopathy is and how it can help you get pregnant.

Homeopathy is a natural, holistic medicine which views the mind and body as one, understanding that how you feel emotionally can determine how you feel physically. Stress, anxiety and trauma will almost always manifest themselves in the body. If you have been under prolonged stress your body will divert its energy to those organs which are needed to cope with the stress and unfortunately your reproductive organs will move to the bottom of your body’s priority list.

Herbert Benson, MD, identified the reverse of the body’s stress response, which he called the ‘relaxation response’².  He found that undertaking relaxation techniques can bring about many beneficial changes in the body including a lower heart rate, slower breathing, reduced muscle tension and positive changes in brain waves. Homeopathy recognises that in order to effectively treat fertility issues, it is important to treat any underlying emotional stresses.

Another possible factor in unexplained infertility can be found in the family medical history; homeopaths call this inherited weakness. Strengthening a person’s whole constitution, including addressing any inherited weakness, using homeopathic remedies, can reduce the chance of them expressing familial diseases later in life. So if there is a history of reproductive disorders or early menopause in your family, homeopathy can be used to lessen the impact of this on your health to facilitate a natural conception. Another way of looking at the inherited weakness is that we have our own unique patterns of illness. When under considerable stress we get ill and our body produces symptoms. For you it might be that every time you’re run down you get cystitis or perhaps it’s tonsillitis or a skin breakout. If your inherited weakness is in the reproductive system, you could be more likely to have fertility problems and we would use homeopathic remedies to address this.

Homeopathy works by the ‘law of similars’, also described as treating ‘like with like’. In short, this means that a substance that causes symptoms in a healthy person can also bring about cure in a sick person. One simple analogy is the onion. In its crude form it can cause symptoms such as streaming eyes and runny nose and in its homeopathic form, called allium cepa, it is often used to treat hayfever. Similarly drinking too much coffee can cause sleeplessness and restlessness, but used homeopathically the remedy coffea is an effective treatment for insomnia.

A homeopathic consultation involves a thorough investigation of a person’s health, physical and emotional, as well as their personal medical history and family medical history. This is most important, as homeopathy understands that any unresolved event, emotional or physical, or any active inherited weakness may cause a lasting imbalance which will eventually be expressed in physical symptoms such as infertility. Homeopathic treatment is always individualised to the person and remedies are given based on the particular details of each person’s case.

Kate (37) had been trying to conceive for almost three years when she decided to try homeopathy with Juno Natural Fertility. She had had all her tests done on the NHS and they had all shown normal levels.

Kate had a chronic disorder called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), which she had suffered from since the age of 15. This condition affected her joints and soft tissues, resulting in her muscles, tendons and ligaments being painful most of the time, which was very debilitating for her in terms of her day to day life and frequently caused her to feel upset and frustrated. The intensity of this condition over a prolonged period of time would take up a lot of her energy reserves.

Her periods were very painful and heavy and she also experienced some PMT symptoms including irritability, breast tenderness and weight gain, suggesting she had hormonal imbalance. In the past Kate had taken the pill for nine years, which may have contributed to this.

Kate was given a combination of homeopathic remedies to help support her endocrine glands in order to balance her hormone levels, as well as detoxify any residual effects from the contraceptive pill. These remedies included: Carc, Folliculinum, Medorrhinum, Borax, Nat Mur and Sepia.

During her second consultation Kate reported that her next period had been lighter and the pain was less intense. These were positive signs that her hormones were rebalancing and her system was detoxifying. Her EDS symptoms had increased in intensity, which suggested that more energy was being diverted to this area, so her next homeopathic prescription Carc and Calc Fluor focused on these symptoms with the aim of freeing up more energy for other areas of her body.

At her next consultation Kate reported little change in her EDS symptoms, although the focus of the discussion moved more towards the stressful month she had had and her feelings of frustration and sadness. It became apparent that her emotions were having a greater bearing on her overall health and wellbeing than was previously evident. Therefore, she was prescribed the homeopathic remedy Thuja to also take into account her emotional state. 

Kate became pregnant the following month and in August 2009 she gave birth to her beautiful daughter Evie.

If you are currently experiencing feelings of anxiety or emotional upset, then why not try a homeopathic remedy to help relieve these feelings? Putting your body into a calmer and more balanced state may be exactly what you need to help you fall pregnant. Simply select the remedy below that most closely matches your thoughts and feelings and take one pill when needed, up to a maximum of three a day for three days, leaving at least a week before repeating:

Arg Nit 30c - for anticipatory anxiety, worrying about the baby before or during pregnancy, anxiety before doing a pregnancy test

Gelsemium 30c - for anxiety especially after a shock or bad news e.g. from a miscarriage or diagnosis from the doctor

Ignatia 30c - for the emotional rollercoaster, feeling very tearful and even hysterical, embarrassed about emotions

Natrum Mur 30c - for repeated grief and disappointment, want to be on your own, can’t cry any more

Phos Ac 30c - for emotional exhaustion, feeling flat and lacking energy, foggy head

Pulsatilla 30c - for feeling weepy all the time, don’t want to be alone, feel better after a good cry

If you have not experienced improvement after a month, then consult a qualified homeopath for a more thorough investigation and personalised remedy. Nicola and Cassie from Juno Natural Fertility offer consultations in clinics across London; in Covent Garden, Mayfair, Thornton Heath and Hendon, and if you are based outside London telephone and Skype consultations can be arranged upon request.

In April Juno Natural Fertility are running two seminars ‘How to get pregnant with natural remedies’; one focussing on Unexplained Infertility and the other on Polycystic Ovaries and PCOS. Tickets cost £25 and can be booked online at www.junonaturalfertility.com/seminars or by calling 0845 423 8962. Places are limited, so early booking is advised.

Tickets can be booked online for Juno natural fertility seminars here

Posted in Infertility & Stress, Homeopathy & Fertility, Alternative medicine, Stress relief, Stress, Alternative Therapies & Fertility | Print | 2 Comments »

22/02/2010 by amymarner.

Reading up on what you can do to help your fertility shows that there are many things that couples can do themselves to increase their fertility.  There is a lot of good advice out there for couples for example:

• Reduce stress
• Eat organically
• Stop smoking
• Cut out alcohol
• Cut out caffeine

Although it is reassuring to realise that it is possible to make a difference to your fertility by changing your lifestyle, some may find that they need a complete change in order to give themselves the best chance of conception.  This may be overwhelming, but you don’t need to go through those changes alone. 

Using the support of Fertility Solutions means that you can gracefully shift and things such as stopping smoking and cutting out caffeine become manageable changes.  Using Theta Healing it is possible to work with the subconscious to address the beliefs and perceptions which are behind addictive habits like smoking, and allow clients to tackle their lifestyle changes more effectively. 

Reducing stress is another aspect of lifestyle that some may find a challenge to shift.  The Fertility Solutions Programme includes hypnosis CDs to support your relaxation, reduce stress and prepare your body’s fertility.  This is an effective way to tackle stress by simply listening to a hypnosis CD once a day.  After listening regularly clients experience a gentle shift in their lifestyles allowing them to reduce stress successfully.

Each Fertility Journey is different and some couples may find that a change of lifestyle is all they need to successfully conceive however that doesn’t mean to say everyone find these changes easy to achieve.  The Fertility Solutions Programme is designed to meet the individual needs of the client, therefore each session will be adapted for you to give you the best chance of conception.

Posted in Fertility Tips, Guest blogger, Fertility & stress, Fertility Blogger, Theta Healing, Alternative medicine, doing things differently, Stress, Stress relief, lifestyle and fertility, Self care, Alternative Therapies & Fertility | Print | No Comments »

03/02/2010 by Sarah Holland.

The stress of infertility can be overwhelming and could even be making your problems worse.  Extreme stress may cause further disruption to your delicate hormonal balance.  Plus constant anxiety and worry can mean it’s impossible to make rational decisions about fertility treatment options. Not forgetting that the stress of trying to conceive for a long time puts massive stress on your relationship, which needs to remain strong throughout this emotional time.

So what can you do about infertility stress?

EFT is an easy technique to learn and use, for successful stress reduction and emotional well-being.  Based on the same theories as Chinese acupuncture, it is stunningly effective for dissolving negative emotions including anxiety, worry, fear and anger.  EFT stands for Emotional Freedom Techniques, and the principle behind it is simple:

The cause of ALL negative emotions is a disruption in the body’s energy system. 

EFT utilises the meridian system which has been used in acupuncture for thousands of years.  This modern development uses no needles, but instead a simple tapping technique on specific points on the face, upper body and hands while focussing on the emotional issues you want to work on and repeating words and phrases to help the process.  The tapping on these special points balances the energy disruptions, releasing negative emotions, and helps you back into a state of balance where you approach challenges with a rational and logical outlook.  Unnecessary negative emotion which is unhealthy and damaging is resolved with EFT and replaced with more healthy emotions that benefit our physical and emotional well-being.  The tapping can seem a little crazy at first, but once you get started you will soon understand how quickly it can reduce, and usually eliminate, intense negative emotions.

So how can EFT help with fertility issues? 

Anyone who has been trying for a baby for some time knows all about the rollercoaster of emotions involved.  Common emotions include jealousy, anxiety, panic, fear, worry and sadness.  And although you know that stress can further block your attempts at conception, it’s so difficult to switch off these emotions, especially when you get a negative pregnancy test, or your period shows up.

EFT is also a highly effective technique at removing psychological blocks to conception. Past traumas, memories, beliefs about pregnancy, birth and parenthood, can all affect how you truly feel about having a baby.  You may feel ready to be a parent, but are there any hidden blocks that are stopping you from conceiving?  EFT helps you identify and resolve these blocks, and move you towards having your baby.Fertility treatment such as IVF can increase your stress levels even further, as so much hope and expectation is built up around ‘Test Day’.  You wouldn’t choose to put yourself through so much stress when you are trying for a baby, but when faced with the challenge of fertility issues it seems inevitable.  Or is it?

Many women all over the world are using EFT to improve their chances of conception.  It’s a popular technique because, unlike other methods, it can be used both in a therapy session and as a self-help technique.  It often works very quickly which also makes it low cost, and the results can be outstanding. 

Here’s what some women said about their use of EFT for fertility issues.  (They had all been trying for a baby for a number of years, and became pregnant soon after).

“It was hard to believe how quickly EFT worked for me.  I had trouble dealing day to
day with issues surrounding my infertility problems.  Just thinking about them brought
up so much anger and frustration and jealousy towards other women who were
pregnant or had babies.  After using EFT I felt all the anger, frustration and jealousy
lift.  I’m definitely much more relaxed now and people have even commented that I
seem happier.”  - SM (now a mother to 2 children)

“I first used EFT on the day I got a negative pregnancy test after IVF and I could
barely talk I was crying so much.  EFT helped me to relate what the emotions were
and enabled me to hope for the best at the next attempt.” - J (now a mother)

“I am a very anxious person and was aware that stress and anxiety can have an
effect of fertility.  EFT helped me to identify my feelings of panic and fear at not
being able to conceive naturally and also addressed my feelings of envy for friends
who conceived easily.  After using EFT I was surprised by the change in my outlook.  I am now feeling far more positive about the journey I am on in order to have
family of my own and hoping for a blue line soon!” - AL (now a mother)

EFT can be learnt as a self-help technique at little or no cost.  See www.TapIntoYourPotential.com for a free ebook ‘EFT Basics’.

To learn EFT from scratch and use it specifically for fertility issues to improve your chances of conception, the ebook ‘Overcoming Infertility with EFT’ is ideal.  It gives clear EFT instruction and is in a practical, easy to use format that is suitable for all fertility issues.

You may like to work with a professional EFT practitioner, either over the phone or in person, in addition to using EFT by yourself.  Some people find that even more can be achieved this way, and more complex issues can be approached.  Sarah Holland is a certified EFT practitioner who specializes in optimising fertility.  She is based in the UK and works over the phone with people all over the world. 

Posted in EFT and Fertility, EFT, Guest blogger, Alternative Therapies & Fertility | Print | 1 Comment »

26/01/2010 by amymarner.

Theta Healing is a mind/body technique which allows clients to comfortably explore and gently release beliefs which may be affecting health and well-being.

As a mind/body technique Theta Healing addresses the whole person, recognising that a healthy mind creates a healthy body.  Theta Healing is an energy healing that addresses the subconscious mind that drives us.  A Practitioner simply meditates into a Theta Brainwave and is then able to witness energy changes that result in a change of perspective and a shift in well-being for the client.

A Theta Healing session with Amy Marner involves a discussion about the issue you would like to address.  During the discussion your Amy will be listening out for beliefs, feelings or perspectives which may be blocking your full potential.  Amy may use muscle testing to check whether they are held on a subconscious level.  Once found Amy will simply witness the blocks clearing for you whilst meditating in Theta.  In this way it is possible to experience transformational shifts, allowing clients to reach their full potential.

The Theta brainwave is a natural state which we enter daily.  Our brainwaves are in Beta when we are awake, talking and communicating.  The brain is in Alpha when we are relaxed and meditative.  (Reiki Practitioners use the Alpha state.)  We are in a Delta brainwave when we sleep and this changes to a Theta brainwave when we are between sleeping and waking.  Theta practitioners have been trained to easily access this Theta brainwave.

Fertility Solutions combines the transformational healing of Theta with Hypnosis and advice and support with lifestyle changes.  This powerful combination addresses physical symptoms which may be affecting fertility by gently releasing the subconscious beliefs behind the symptoms.  It is very effective in reducing stress levels, and supporting couples to lead fulfilling lives whilst on their Fertility Journey rather than allowing Fertility to take over their lives.  It is helpful in supporting couples who are going through medical intervention, both for physical and emotional support.

The aim of Fertility Solutions is to address physical and emotional well-being and therefore support couples to reach their best chance of conception.

The Fertility Solutions Programme begins with a free Initial consultation to assess if it is right for you. Contact Amy Marner for more details.

Posted in Theta Healing, Guest blogger, Alternative medicine, Alternative Therapies & Fertility | Print | 3 Comments »

18/01/2010 by lifecoachdirectory.

Are you feeling the pressures of trying to conceive? If your confidence is disappearing and the pressure is causing stress maybe you should try and get some help. You are already putting your body through a lot, without having problems with your mental health as well.

Trying for a baby should be a wonderful and exciting experience, not filled with self doubt, lack of confidence and should definitely not be a stressful experience. If you are having trouble conceiving  the last thing  you need is to be stressed, stress can cause you and your partner to argue, it can have effects on your mood meaning you may become depressed. When you start to have these feelings it is important to look for advice and help. A Life Coach could be the answer.

A Life Coach can’t help you conceive, but they can improve your relationship with your partner, and help you to have a more positive outlook on your situation. Life Coaches can help you change your negative thoughts into positive ones, for example if you are feeling stressed and angry because you haven’t got pregnant, a Life Coach will help you understand why you are reacting this way and help you to see this in a more positive light.

Life Coach Directory is a website that can offer information on a wide variety of problems such as stress, confidence and relationships. The site offers a list of qualified and insured Life Coaches from all over the UK, you can search my town postcode or county to find a coach local to you. You can access details of their training, experience, fees and contact details

Click here to find a Life Coach near you

Posted in Life Coaching, lifestyle and fertility, Stress relief, Stress, Alternative Therapies & Fertility | Print | 1 Comment »

15/01/2010 by amymarner.

Theta Healing is and energy healing which allows us to explore and release the memories we hold which may be blocking our full potential.  The Fertility Solutions Programme uses Theta Healing and Hypnosis to gently discover and release any beliefs, memories or emotions that may be blocking conception.  The process can also address physical symptoms such as PCOS.

<!–[if !supportEmptyParas]–> Tracy Holloway developed the Fertility Solutions Programme after years of working in the area of fertility.  Tracy has worked as a Hypnotherapist, Psychologist and Theta Practitioner who is renowned in the area of fertility.  She has brought together her rich knowledge and experience to develop the unique programme which explores the well being of the whole person in order to support their reproductive health.

<!–[if !supportEmptyParas]–> Using Theta Healing it is possible to address physical symptoms which may be affecting fertility, for example PCOS, Fibroids, Endometriosis and Sperm motility (to name a few).  It is also possible to address emotional issues which affect couples who are experiencing fertility challenges.  Many of my female clients will talk to me about their grieving each time their period arrives.  They describe their fertility journey as a roller coaster ride. They have hope during the month then the grieving starts as their cycle begins again.  Using the Fertility Solutions Programme it is possible for women to view each cycle as a positive thing, their body is working in the way that will make pregnancy possible at some point in the future, rather than a setback.  Sometimes a simple relieving of stress is enough to support conception.

<!–[if !supportEmptyParas]–> One thing that is important to remember is each couple is unique, their journey is unique and they will conceive in their own time.  In other words it’s best not to compare yourselves with others because everyone’s journey is different.  Using the Fertility Solutions programme it is possible to address the emotional stresses and strains and focus on other areas of your life (enjoying your relationship for example) rather than relying on conception to bring happiness.  By addressing both physical and emotional aspects of fertility it is possible to have your best chance of conception.

<!–[if !supportEmptyParas]–> <!–[endif]–>

Posted in Fertility Experts, Male Infertility, Guest blogger, Alternative medicine, Fertility Services, Running on empty, Hypnotherapy, Fertility Blog, Support for infertility, Theta Healing, pcos syndrome, Fertility Blogger, Infertility & Stress, doing things differently, Self care, Alternative Therapies & Fertility, Stress, Fertility, Infertility, Natural Fertility Methods, Womens Health, Fibroids & fertility, Stress relief, lifestyle and fertility, Fertility Treatment, PCOS, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, Male Fertility Issues | Print | 2 Comments »

20/11/2009 by amymarner.

Fertility problems are one of the most stressful experiences to go through. What is more a lot of people do not understand what it is like for couples experiencing problems. Often couples who have been planning for a baby for years are asked “When are you going to start a family?” This can only add to the stress, particularly if the couple have decided not to tell others about their fertility challenges. What is more high stress levels are known to reduce the chances of conception so it is very important for couples to reduce their stress levels as best they can.

Mind/body techniques can be really helpful when dealing with the stress Fertility issues can bring. Meditating is great because it brings stillness to the mind relieving it of all the clutter that we tend to live with on a day-to-day basis. Regularly meditating can help to reduce that clutter at other times. If you are someone who finds meditating difficult listening to a CD of guided meditation can be helpful to start with. It’s a question of finding what works best for you.

Practicing being mindful during day-to-day tasks is also a helpful way to reduce stress. For example being mindful whilst eating means that you smell the food. Look at the colour. Be aware of the texture in your mouth. Really taste it as you chew. Take your time. You can apply this mindfulness to anything; just make sure you are using all your senses to do it.

Of course Fertility Solutions can help too. Using Theta Healing it is possible to reduce stress levels and using the Fertility Solutions Programme means you will not only reduce your stress levels but also give yourself the best chance of conceiving be it naturally or with medical intervention. For more information on how Fertility Solutions can help you go to www.amymarner.co.uk

Posted in Fertility Tips, Guest blogger, Alternative medicine, Fertility & stress, Fertility Blog, Fertility Blogger, Infertility & Stress, Assisted reproduction, doing things differently, Alternative Therapies & Fertility, Trying to Conceive, Stress, TTC over 35, lifestyle and fertility, Stress relief, Natural Fertility Methods | Print | No Comments »

16/11/2009 by amymarner.

Hypnosis is a natural state that we all enter daily. It’s those times when your imagination is active, so watching a film or reading a book. If you are immersed in the story and your imagination is involved that is hypnosis. You are completely in control and free to leave it at anytime. Our subconscious does not know the difference between our imagination and reality so we can use our imagination to access the subconscious and create what we want in our lives.

Using hypnosis is a great way to address fertility, because we can access our imagination and address what is going on in our subconscious. For example we may have spent years trying not to get pregnant, our subconscious may not have caught up with our new plans to start a family so using the imagination we can show the subconscious what we really want and it can catch up. This then supports our body to conceive.      

We may often have negative thoughts running through our minds, worry creating more worry and affecting our well-being. Our negative thoughts can affect our hormonal balance but with hypnosis it is possible to bring them back to a healthy equilibrium therefore supporting conception.

Fertility Solutions hypnosis CDs have been developed by Tracy Holloway (a qualified hypnotherapist and renowned fertility specialist) in order to prepare the subconscious mind for conception. The powerful CDs begin with deep relaxation; this prepares your mind for suggestion and supports you to release stress. Once you have listened for at least a week to the first CD you can move on to the next. Each one brings you relaxation and prepares the body for conception. Some are designed specifically for those who are planning to conceive naturally, others support assisted conception and there are also CDs for those who have experienced miscarriage and fear their body cannot support a healthy baby.

These powerful CDs go hand in hand with the Fertility Solutions Programme but can also be very effective in their own right. For more details and to buy online click here.

Posted in Guest blogger, Alternative medicine, Running on empty, Assisted reproduction, Hypnotherapy, Fertility & stress, Fertility Blogger, Infertility & Stress, Fertility Blog, doing things differently, Stress relief, Fertility, Infertility, Recurrent Miscarriage, Alternative Therapies & Fertility, Stress, female fertility, Miscarriage, Womens Health, Natural Fertility Methods | Print | No Comments »

03/11/2009 by yourgreatlife.

Part Two: Coming upon a Crossroads, What You Need To Make Your Decisions

The first crossroads is likely to be when you decide to see the doctor because, despite your efforts, you have not conceived.   It isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, or culture, to expose their intimate life to the scrutiny of doctors or undergo blood tests and scans, checking for something “wrong.”  Some uninformed men may be unwilling to provide a semen sample, for fear of what the results may suggest about his manliness.

Both the woman and man may feel some anxiety about whose family line may be to “blame” for their inability to become pregnant.  If this pertains to you or your partner, you must cast these outdated stigmas aside and take some relatively simple tests to discover the cause of your infertility.  If having a baby is your ultimate goal, your value system may have to adapt to accept the help that modern medicine and technology offer.

The second crossroads is deciding whether to pursue more invasive medical investigations and/or treatment.  With a clear diagnosis and readily available treatment, it is easier to decide what to do because the options are more clearly set out.  Your personal life may present the deciding factor: your relationship, finances, career, religion or emotional wellbeing may all be taken into consideration.  Many couples have to contend with unexplained infertility, where early test results were ambiguous.  If you (or your doctor) are operating in the dark, it won’t do much for your confidence.  In this case, the dilemma about which treatment to pursue may be decided by not knowing what else to do. 

Whatever your decision, the most important factor is agreement between the partners, not only because cooperation, understanding and support are vital to keeping stress levels down, but also because it could mean the difference between having a genetic child or not.  From the point that you choose assisted conception you enter a different world; one where your daily life centres on the fertility clinic. For working men, the clinical, inconvenient scheduling, financial and sexual aspects of trying to conceive while being treated, put them into unfamiliar territory and cause stress.  Women will physically experience all of that, and possibly, mood swings, pain, invasive procedures and fear that time is running out as well. 

The decision-making shifts to:

• Are you happy with the doctor/clinic you started with?
• Should you try less invasive treatment first, or go straight to IVF?
• Should we try complementary therapies before, or alongside, traditional medical treatment?
• How will you pay for your treatment?
• When should you begin treatment?
• Can this be managed around your work and/or other obligations?
• How many embryos do you want to implant? 
• How many times will you undergo treatment?

These questions may have the two of you at a new crossroads every week. While some people may sail through and others agonize, it’s more likely that some decisions will bring up unexpected issues.  Pay really close attention how you are both functioning.  Your emotional state is important: Do either of you feel stressed, resentful, guilty, desperate, depressed, or hopeless?  Is one of you leaning one way and the other in another direction?  Are you fighting? That is where mutual respect, communication and agreement come into play.

Lisa Marsh is a Fertility Coach working with people on all aspects of fertility, including female and male infertility, pregnancy loss, assisted conception, alternative means of family-building and menopause.  Visit her blog http://yourgreatlife.typepad.com or her website http://yourgreatlife.co.uk for more information.  For coaching, email lisa@yourgreatlife.co.uk

Posted in doing things differently, female fertility, Fertility Treatment, Assisted reproduction, Life Coaching, infertility investigations, Asking for help, fertility coach, Marriage, Getting Pregnant, Trying to Conceive, Fertility Tests, Male Fertility Issues, Pregnancy, Infertility, Alternative Therapies & Fertility, IVF, Fertility, Uncategorized | Print | 3 Comments »

14/10/2009 by amymarner.

I am delighted to be invited as a guest blogger to this site, so here goes with my blog…It is now widely accepted that our mind affects the health of our body. The way we think and feel makes a difference to our physical well-being. It is now more common to use Mind/ Body techniques to address physical health. By Mind/ body techniques I mean exploring the health of the mind to address the health of the whole person. Research has also found that Mind/ Body techniques can support fertility. Alice’s Domar’s research has found that when women who are planning for a baby address their depression their fertility rates increase.

Recent research from university of California, Berkeley found that the hormones produced when stressed suppress fertility by reducing the production of hormones needed to stimulate a healthy reproductive system. Therefore it makes sense to address stress levels to support fertility.Fertility Solutions is a programme that supports fertility with the use of Mind/ Body Techniques. It was developed by Tracy Holloway, an experienced hypnotherapist, psychotherapist and Theta Practitioner. The Programme uses hypnosis and Theta DNA Healing to address emotions such as depression, stress and bereavement. This in turn can bring the body back into health allowing conception to occur. Using Theta Healing it is also possible to address physical symptoms such as Endometriosis, POCS, Fibroids and other female complaints. Men can deal with low sperm count or low motility with the support of Theta DNA Healing. The Programme aims to support couples on their Fertility Journey encouraging feelings of peace, releasing stress and addressing physical symptoms. The programme allows couples to lead fulfilling lives rather than their fertility journey taking control. It reconnects people to their power, which has a positive effect on all areas of their life. This support allows couples to gently shift and release issues that are known to affect fertility, giving them their best chance of conception.

Posted in Guest blogger, Fertility Blogger, Alternative medicine, Stress relief, Stress, Alternative Therapies & Fertility | Print | 3 Comments »

12/10/2009 by Tums2Mums.

I’ve been wondering what I could write that would be useful for the readers of this blog and as a lot of what I get when I mention that I am a Hypnotherapist is “oooh, that’s not for me.  I don’t want to be out of control.  I probably can’t be hypnotised anyway”.  I thought that it might be useful to write a series of posts that will take you through what Hypnosis for Fertility sessions might involve for you. All treatment plans are devised based on the individual so your sessions may not follow exactly the same path but these posts will hopefully give you an idea of what to expect and clear up any myths or concerns you may have or heard regarding hypnosis.

Actually, although this is about session one there is some stuff that goes on prior to me ever meeting you and so I will mention this first. Normally there will have been a first phone call or at least an email. Someone will have read about HypnoFertility and probably have had a look at my website www.tums2mums.com and found out a bit more about me and the way that I work. The phone call / email enables them to ask any initial questions to make sure that they are comfortable with booking their first session. Once this has then been booked I send out an ‘Intake’ form for them to complete and return to me prior to attending. I also send them a stress buster and progressive relaxation mp3 to start listening to.

Session one itself is all about information giving on both sides. I spend time explaining how hypnosis supports fertility (both natural and assisted conception), how the mind works and its impact on the body both positive and negative and what being in the state of hypnosis feels like (not what you would expect from a stage hypnotic show - just a nice relaxed feeling mainly). We will review the information provided in the intake sheet and most importantly discuss your goal of therapy.

Now you might well say “but you know my goal - I want a baby”. But goals need to be SMART (I’m drawing on my days as a trainer here). Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timebound. Now whilst I do spend time with you helping you to imagine what it will be like to be pregnant, holding your baby in your arms, feeling positive about you ability to have your baby. Because we actually have no control over timescales or achievability for this it is not a goal we can measure. What we will be aiming for is creating the best possible circumstances which themselves will support fertility.

This in turn means that the feedback I get from clients is that they feel more in control of their lives than they have for years. Friends and family are saying that they look more relaxed and happy. They are feeling less obsessed and more able to enjoy life. Things that had been bothering them for a long time now don’t seem significant at all. And many other positive changes particular to them. These things in themselves help to return the body to a state of normalcy and give the best opportunity for having their desired baby.

There may or may not be time to actually carry out some hypnosis during session one but if there is it will be something gentle introducing them to how it feels and starting the process of restoring balance in their lives.

In part 2 of this series I will be taking you through the next steps as we move on to Session two.

If in the meantime you have any questions based on what you have read about Session one please post a comment and I will answer them.

Dany Griffiths

Hypnotherapist specialising in

Fertility, Pregnancy, Birth & Beyond…

www.tums2mums.com

Posted in Hypnofertility, Infertility & Stress, Hypnotherapy, Alternative medicine, Stress relief, Alternative Therapies & Fertility | Print | 1 Comment »

13/08/2009 by Acupuncturewithjenny.

Ideally, the majority of patients experiencing unexplained fertility problems will have tried acupuncture before opting for IVF. If you have resorted to exploring the IVF route, it is best to prepare your body as much as possible by having regular acupuncture treatments a few months in advance.

Recently, a systematic review and meta-analysis of several good quality trials was published in the British Medical Journal.**

Systematic reviews are considered the gold standard of medical research and in this paper the authors conclude having acupuncture on the day or day following embryo transfer significantly increases your chances of clinical pregnancy.  On average, the authors found, for every ten women treated with acupuncture alongside IVF, one additional clinical pregnancy would occur.Statistics aside, going through the whole IVF process is generally an incredibly stressful time. People report time and time again they truly value acupuncture to help relieve the stress and to regain some control within the process.

Best wishes to all and remember the Chinese saying; ‘where the mind goes, energy flows’ so be relaxed and positive in all you do.Jenny Sercombe MBAcCPracticing in
Manchester and
Stockport. Call 07970 515 391 if you wish to make an appointment.* * ACUPUNCTURE AND IVF

website   www.acupuncturewithjenny.co.uk

Effects of acupuncture on rates of pregnancy and live birth among women undergoing in vitro fertilisation: systematic review and meta-analysisBMJ, doi: 10.1136/bmj.39471.430451.BE, (Published 7 February 2008) 

Posted in Alternative medicine, Accupuncture and IVF, Alternative Therapies & Fertility | Print | 1 Comment »

11/08/2009 by Acupuncturewithjenny.

Male Factor Infertility

Infertility has historically been viewed as a predominantly female issue, but Male Factor Infertility may well be a larger problem than you think. Statistics exist suggesting Male Factor Infertility is the main cause of difficulty in anywhere between 30% to over 70% of couples having problems conceiving, (the 70% having been reported in
Cheshire, Merseyside and
West Lancs. in 2005)

However, new sperm are produced every day with the good news that simple lifestyle changes along with acupuncture could help improve both quality and quantity.*

Best wishes to all and remember the Chinese saying; ‘where the mind goes, energy flows’ so be relaxed and positive in all you do.Jenny Sercombe MBAcCPracticing in
Manchester and
Stockport. Call 07970 515 391 if you wish to make an appointment.ACUPUNCTURE IMPROVES SPERM QUALITY

website  www.acupuncturewithjenny.co.uk 

(Fertility and Sterility, Volume 84, Issue 1 , July 2005, Pages 141-147)

Asian J Androl 2003 Dec; 5: 345-348

Posted in Male Fertility, Alternative medicine, Alternative Therapies & Fertility, Male Fertility Issues | Print | 1 Comment »

05/08/2009 by Acupuncturewithjenny.

How would an acupuncturist treat female infertility?

In traditional Chinese medicine, as well as in Western medicine, the menstrual cycle is known to have several phases.Days 1-7, during menstruation, are (unsurprisingly) considered to be the blood phase.

The acupuncturist will ask questions about the quality of your blood – the colour, the flow, whether there are any clots and if you experience any pain at this time. The answers you give help your acupuncturist to determine the existence of any possible imbalances.Days 7-14 (or ovulation) are considered to be the ‘Yin Phase’.

After you have finished your bleed the body is relatively depleted and will work to replenish the blood in preparation for ovulation.Treatment during this phase concentrates on helping the body replenish the blood by gaining the maximum benefit from the digestive process.  This is why it is beneficial to eat iron-rich foods such as green leafy vegetables and small amounts of meat.

The Ovulatory Period

At around day 10 your acupuncturist will select points to promote healthy ovulation. At ovulation the cycle is changing from the ‘Yin Phase’ (restoration and consolidation) to the ‘Yang Phase’.

Post-Ovulatory Phase (Luteal Phase) If conception has not occurred, this is considered to be the ‘Yang Phase’ of the cycle.  ‘Yang’ is warm by nature and if you are using a basal body temperature (BBT) chart you will ideally see a marked increase in temperature at this time which relates to the surge of progesterone.Your acupuncturist may ask you to record BBT charts in order to assess the balance of the Yin and Yang energies your body is experiencing.The focus of treatment at this part of the cycle is usually to warm the ‘Yang’ of the body with the aim of increasing progesterone.Pre-Menstrual PhaseThis is considered to be the point where ‘Yang’ is at its highest and has entered the qi (pronounced chee) phase. Qi is the vital energy of your body and frequently becomes stuck and stagnated at this time. This leads to pre-menstrual symptoms such as irritability, tender breasts, weepiness, pain or constipation.The acupuncturist will work to smooth the flow of qi and in doing so to promote healthy menstruation.

Posted in Acupuncture & fertility, Alternative medicine, Alternative Therapies & Fertility | Print | 1 Comment »

03/08/2009 by Acupuncturewithjenny.

Growing evidence indicates acupuncture can significantly increase the chances of couples conceiving*.

What is acupuncture?

Acupuncture is an ancient system of medicine originating in
China several thousand years ago. Practitioners observed the nature of all things and considered our bodies to be a microcosm of the world around us.

You have probably heard of the terms ‘Yin’ and ‘Yang’. Essentially these are ways to describe the nature of something.  In the case of water for example, its ice state would be ‘Yin’ in relation to the liquid ‘Yang’ (more movement and less dense). However its liquid state would be ‘Yin’ (less movement and more dense) in relation to steam which is more ‘Yang’ in comparison.  This language of ‘Yin’ and ‘Yang’ is also used to describe the functioning of the body.

The practice of acupuncture involves the insertion of disposable, hair-thin, sterilised needles into points situated along channels of energy just beneath your skin. The insertion of these needles promotes your body’s own healing response, restoring the balance of ‘Yin’ and ‘Yang’ considered essential to good health.  We know from Western medicine that this process stimulates the release of hormones such as endorphins into your blood stream creating a very relaxed state. Often people are very surprised to find they frequently fall asleep during treatment.

Costs and Frequency of Sessions

An acupuncture treatment, depending on your location will cost in the region of £30-£60 per session. In general, treatment for infertility will require 3 months of weekly treatments. Over this time it is usually possible to gain a significant influence over your menstrual cycle in order to bring your body into balance and provide optimum conditions for conception.

Male factor infertility is likely to require a similar length of treatment in order to boost sperm count and increase seminal motility.If you have had prior problems with miscarriage it is also recommended to have regular treatment during the first trimester of pregnancy.

General Advice

Recommendations for both partners include;· 

 Refraining from smoking and any recreational drugs·      

 Cutting out alcohol and caffeine·          

Avoiding pesticides and chemicals and therefore eating healthily with plenty of organic produce·        

Men should avoid using laptops where possible as the heat can affect testicular function·    

Chill out! This aspect is often overlooked, but is perhaps the most important. Find at least 20 minutes to unwind completely each day. ‘Zoning out’ to the TV does not count. Try relaxation techniques or going for a walk in nature while really taking in your environment.·        

Gentle exercise such as yoga, tai chi or pilates are all great for unwinding, relaxing and getting the blood flowing to the places which need it. Or women could even join a belly-dance class – this has been used for thousands of years to increase fertility (and to entice men…)

If you do decide to explore acupuncture it is strongly recommended you approach only members of the British Acupuncture Council as you can rest assured your practitioner will have studied acupuncture to degree level, is fully insured and commits to a programme of continued practitioner development. They will carry the letters MBAcC after their name.

Be wary as there is currently no state regulation of the profession.

Best wishes to all and remember the Chinese saying; ‘where the mind goes, energy flows’ so be relaxed and positive in all you do.

Jenny Sercombe MBAcCPracticing in
Manchester and Stockport.

Call 07970 515 391 if you wish to make an appointment.

website   www.acupuncturewithjenny.co.uk

* ACUPUNCTURE AND FEMALE INFERTILITY 

A report (Fertility and Sterility 2002;78:1149-1153) found the pregnancy rate in a group receiving acupuncture was 42.5%, compared to the group which did not receive the therapy, where the rate was 26.3%.

Posted in 2WW, Alternative medicine, Accupuncture and IVF, Alternative Therapies & Fertility | Print | 3 Comments »

29/07/2009 by Tums2Mums.

During a first HypnoFertility session I take an individual’s personal, medical, fertility and pregnancy histories which also includes their thoughts, feelings and beliefs about these things.However, I am clear to explain that none of what they tell me is ‘weighted’ in any way.  There are after all plenty of drug addicts, alcoholics, smokers, obese, older women and those who have had huge suffering in their pasts who become pregnant every day (something that I’m sure is a great frustration to them).  

The thing that I am most keen to learn in amongst all of their preparations is when they are thinking about having a baby what are they imagining?  This might seem like an unusual question but it is an important one for a number of reasons and I’ll start my explanation off by looking at the subconscious mind a little more closely.

• It runs your body - all those things that happen without you thinking about it (heart rate, salivation, perspiration, and so on)
• It makes appropriate changes in your body based on what it perceives as your reality
• It doesn’t know the difference between real and imagined events. Think back to the last time you saw a thriller or a horror movie - do you remember you heart beginning to race, maybe had goose bumps, on the edge of your seat holding your breath as they climbed the stairs to their impending doom. It wasn’t happening to you - it wasn’t your reality so why was your subconscious making all those changes within your body?
• It doesn’t understand words and so responds to the world using imagery
• It is driven by emotion.

Therefore, whatever you are imagining your subconscious believes to be real and is making the necessary changes in your body for you to be able to function. This is OK as long as you don’t spend huge amounts of time involved in ‘negativing imagining’ (something that you may not even be aware that you are doing).

A response to my question above can often be “but I am a very positive thinker – in fact I’m obsessed with wanting a baby that is all I focus on”.  And I ask “yes, but what are you IMAGINING in relation to having your baby?”  

They may well be constantly thinking about wanting a baby but so often what they are imagining is the lack of one. This in turn creates very strong negative emotions which the subconscious can potentially perceive as some sort of physical danger and in turn shut down their reproductive system.  The subconscious then waits for them to relax and settle down indicating that all is now safe and well and so return body functions back to normal, but if the danger is perceived how do they ever reach the place of safety?

There may well be of course much deeper routed events and beliefs causing the subconscious to place them in what it sees as survival mode but becoming aware of and working positively with the imagination is certainly a huge step in the right direction.

The good news is you can stop those negative thoughts: When you become aware of a negative thought imagine a big red cross through it and say ’stop’ or ‘no’.Physically push it away and immediately replace it with a positive IMAGE that makes you FEEL good.

The mind cannot hold two opposing thoughts at the same time (try it for a moment think of something that makes you feel sad and another that makes you feel happy - at the same time - you cannot. You can switch quickly between the two but you cannot think about them both at the same time). So all the time you are focusing on the positive image you can no longer focus on the negative one.

It does take practise - your subconscious will be comfortable with what you are currently doing. Although the more you make the effort to cross out the negative images and replace with the positive ones that makes you FEEL good the easier it will become.

By doing this you will ensure that your subconscious isn’t needlessly getting you ready for an emergency state. Instead ensuring that all body functions are working normally. Make sure that when you are thinking about wanting a baby that you are actually imagining holding that baby in your arms.

This was posted by Dany Griffiths of Tums 2 Mums

To find out more about Dany and the work she does supporting couples through Fertility, Pregnancy, Birth & Beyond… click on the link below:

http://www.tums2mums.com/

http://tums2mums.blogspot.com

Posted in Hypnofertility, Hypnotherapy, Alternative medicine, Alternative Therapies & Fertility | Print | 4 Comments »

11/06/2009 by admin.

Just read this interesting story online about how fertilty retreats run by alternative medicine practioners are helping couples to conceive. 

Stress may be a factor in many cases of unexplained fertility. We all know cases of couples who have had difficulty conceiving, and may have been referred for IVF who then take a holiday from trying to conceive while waiting for their appointment. Many go on a holiday thinking this may be their last chance before starting treatment and then conceive on holiday!

A friend of mine had been trying for some time, had been through several cycles of IVF without success. They had almost given up-then her partner bought a gorgeous 2 seater sports car. We joked that she was now bound to conceive-and she did on her next cycle of IVF ! They are now the proud parents of a lovely baby boy. She also had accupuncture weekly during this cycle.

Here is the link to the fertility retreats story

http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/0,28318,25590988-5014090,00.html

Posted in Alternative medicine, Accupuncture and IVF, Alternative Therapies & Fertility | Print | 1 Comment »

06/10/2008 by admin.

A friend of mine who has recently been undergoing IVF has been having accupuncture to aid conception. When she told me I was initially surprised and maybe a tiny little sceptical, but I have since been researching it and found quite a lot of support for this alternative therapy. 

 A recent study at University of Southampton has discovered that one in three women given accupuncture alongside their IVF treatment successfully conceived. The success rate for those who did not combine fertility treatment with acupuncture was one in five.

When i read this the first question I asked was :

How many women were in the study ?

The answer : more than 2000 women

 To me that seems a fairly significant number

The study discovered that the chance of the embryo implanting successfully & triggering pregnancy, increased if the patient was treated with acupuncture at about the same time as the embryo transfer. However if the acupuncture took place days after the fertility treatment the benefit was lost.

How does the accupuncture help ?

No-one really knows how the accupuncture helps conception. One idea that has been put forward is that it may help to reduce the stress that the women is going through, and help her to cope with the treatment. Acupuncture appears to reduce stress by releasing endorphins in the brain. Endorphins are chemicals that the body releases that suppress pain naturally, as well as affect hormones that influence the menstrual cycle.  

One thing is for sure in my opinion, anything that improves the outcomes from fertility treatments has to be a good thing.

And the really good news is, my friend conceived in her first cycle of IVF coupled with accupuncture.

This subject has been covered quite a lot in the national press-here are some links below

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/health/3042006/Acupuncture-helps-women-have-babies.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/sep/21/medicalresearch.health/print

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1059549/Acupuncture-helps-IVF-women-babies.html

Here is some older research finding on the same subject

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/1933901.stm

http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/archives2002/jul/07ivf.html

Posted in Accupuncture and IVF, Alternative Therapies & Fertility, IVF | Print | 11 Comments »