It’s okay you got this
Going through fertility treatment can be a challenging experience both physically and emotionally. All matter of scenarios might be running through your head, with so many questions, what ifs and more. You might be researching the topic or constantly wanting to think about it.
Some days you may feel completely overwhelmed with the process, so it is important to put some strategies in place early, to help you cope during these times.
#1 Be kind to yourself
Fertility treatment can be an emotional rollercoaster; it is normal to find you cope well some days and others your emotions are a little overwhelming. On those tougher days, consider taking time out for yourself to engage in whatever self-care works best for you – it may be having a good cry, time alone, time with friends or family, doing something you enjoy.
#2 Develop and maintain good self-care practices
Make these part of your daily or weekly routine and use them regularly; prioritise these to assist with your well-being. Self-care is very personal but could include things such as reading, music, exercise, time with family or friends, soak in a bath, fresh flowers, meditation, engaging with spirituality etc.
#3 Focus on the things that you can control
By doing this you can be proactive and channel your energy into things you have the ability to influence which many people find empowering. Things you can control include diet, exercise, sleep, self-care etc. but be balanced in this and don’t be too restrictive.
#4 Consider limiting the amount of time spent focussing on infertility
You could set a daily time limit (e.g. 30 minutes) or a specific number of times per week. During this time give yourself permission to think about, talk about, research infertility and treatment as much as you like, but once the time is over try to set it aside until the same time the next day/occasion. Although difficult, it is important not to let fertility treatment consume you.
#5 Try to live in the moment
It is easy for your mind to wander too far ahead worrying about all the what ifs. Try to deal with each moment or difficulty as it arises. Mindfulness can be very helpful in allowing us to stay more in the present moment.
#6 Keep the lines of communication open
It is important to talk with others, particularly your partner about your thoughts and feelings.
#7 Prioritise reconnecting with your partner and rejuvenating your relationship
Fertility treatment can take a toll on your relationship. Try to do things that help to put the fun and spontaneity back into your relationship. Reconnect with all the things about each other that drew you together in the first place.
#8 Consider keeping a gratitude journal
Noting down three things a day that you are grateful/thankful for. These could be related to fertility or could be completely separate. Even in tough times, if we look hard enough there are often other little things in our life that give us hope and lead us to feel thankful.
#9 Ask for help if needed
If your feelings seem to be increasing in intensity or lasting more than a few days please seek professional support through your specialist.
We are always here to help with your journey through IVF, ART, pregnancy and all that comes with it.
We have a full list of therapies that would include body treatments, talk therapies and classes.
Just call us on 018310888 or email info@riverholistic.ie
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CLAIRE
Aches and pains during pregnancy is part and parcel of joy of pregnancy
Aches and pains during pregnancy is part and parcel of joy of pregnancy. Our body is changing and adapting to accommodate the growing foetus by relaxing our muscles and ligaments. The stretching of ligaments creates more space between pelvic bones and spine, and loosely held bones are difficult to move over/with each other, which makes movements clumsy and painful.
Starting from 1st trimester till last trimester, pregnant women experience diff ..
Headaches are one of the most common pregnancy complaints. Try to get plenty of rest, and practice relaxation techniques like deep breathing.
Cramping typically occurs when the uterus expands, causing the ligaments and muscles that support it to stretch. One should not be worried about the minor cramps that happen every now and then. Stretching can be due to round ligament pull caused by growing uterus, and gives sharp piercing or dull pulling feeling. Some women experience sharp, pierc ..
Headaches are one of the most common pregnancy complaints. Try to get plenty of rest, and practice relaxation techniques like deep breathing.
Cramping typically occurs when the uterus expands, causing the ligaments and muscles that support it to stretch. One should not be worried about the minor cramps that happen every now and then. Stretching can be due to round ligament pull caused by growing uterus, and gives sharp piercing or dull pulling feeling. Some women experience sharp, piercing pain in the vagina. Try relaxation exercises. Place a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel on the ache. Make sure you get plenty of fluids. Take warm water bath. All the above measures will reduce these pains. However, consult doctor if you still don’t get the desired relief or pains occur in moderate intensity along with other symptoms.
Leg cramping and restless-leg syndrome is common in the third trimester. Cramping can occur as a result of too much phosphorus and too little calcium in the body. Restless-leg syndrome, also known as the overwhelming need to constantly move your leg, can be a symptom of an iron or folic acid deficiency. An uncomfortable sensation in the legs, a strong urge to move one or both legs or night-time leg twitching are frequent symptoms of restless-leg syndrome
If you feel tingling or numbness in your hands during pregnancy, it could be carpal-tunnel syndrome. This condition is normally associated with repetitive hand movements, but extra fluid and swelling during pregnancy can also cause these symptoms.
Pregnancy rib pain can be the result of your baby physically kicking you in the ribs, stretching out under the ribs, or just moving by your ribs. The pain can also be caused by the muscles stretching out. In rare cases, it might be caused by a ..
Women frequently experience hip pain as the connective tissue loosens and stretches. Lower back pain can also occur along with hip pain, as posture changes may cause you to lean more toward one side or another. Sleeping on your side with a pillow between your legs may help to relieve this pain because it opens the hips slightly.
The coccyx is a joint that’s at the very bottom of your spine. It sits right behind your uterus. Your growing baby pushing against it, hormones, and other issues like constipation can lead to more pain. Often, what feels like lower back pain and hip pain during pregnancy is actually tailbone pain.
While there’s no cure for it, there are some stretches you can do to help ease the pain. If your pain is severe or lasts more than a few days with little change or worsens, see your doctor. Doing gentle exercise, such as yoga with lots of stretching positions, will help keep your muscles loose. It will also help keep both you and the as healthy as possible.
We have some very beneficial therapies and classes available here at River.
If you are looking for advise on which approach is best for you.
Claire
WE WON
WE WON.
I am extremely pleased to announce we have been successful in winning the award for:
SERVICE EXCELLENCE – IRELAND
The Luxury Travel Guide Awards represent the pinnacle of spa & wellness, championing the best in their respective fields; therefore to come out on top is truly an achievement you should be proud of. We are delighted to pay tribute to and commend all those who have excelled in the industry. This year has seen an unprecedented number of shortlisted companies, providing strong competition in every category.
All winners of the spa & wellness awards are subject to the same rigorous assessment criteria, carried out by our in-house professionals. This ensures only the most deserving companies and individuals walk away with one of these prestigious accolades.
As our achievements are client centered primarily, we would have numerous personal and professional achievements to our belt, from helping couples get pregnant, helping people get that job they wanted by teaching them stress reducing tools through hypnotherapy and counseling, helping a mother through the first couple of weeks after giving birth. As these are all a private and personal journey for our clients, it can be hard to get external recognition for our work.
So this means so much to me and everyone here River Holistic Centre.
Thank you one and all.
Claire
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Your Health is your Wealth
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, according to World Health Organization (WHO). Indeed, health is wealth. Every now and then, it is important to remind ourselves that we need to take good care of ourselves. There is a reason to stay healthy. Being healthy can decrease developing medical conditions.
As the WHO defines health, remaining healthy means a holistic well-being. Caring for our minds is as important and crucial as caring for our bodies. One cannot be healthy without the other.
For this 2018, let us love ourselves more by considering these tips:
- Visit your GP, eye doctor and dentist for regular check-ups
- Be faithful in taking your medicines and also drink vitamins
- Protect your skin especially from the sun
- Exercise regularly
- Eat healthy
- Drink more water and fewer sugary drinks
- Get enough sleep
- Practice safe sex
- Don’t smoke, limit alcohol intake and avoid drugs
- Wash your hands – viruses are spread through contact
- Practice self-care (no need to feel guilty)
- Love yourself more and others too
- Be friendly and be kind
- Listen to others
- Talk and share your feelings
- Say “I love you,” “Thank you,” “Please” more often
- Have fun – relax and rest
- Call a friend
- Learn something a new
- Balance your time between work and play
- Count your blessings and be grateful
- Ask for help when needed
It’ time to look after yourself
One of my favorite parts of New Years is throwing away the old calendar and getting to start anew. All the hopes, dreams, and fantasies of a new life seem so tangible at New Years, don’t they?
Well, have I got news for you.
According to a survey by Reuters only a measly 3% of people actually follow through with their big New Year’s resolutions. And psychologists believe that this failure to follow through on bold and brilliant New Year’s resolutions by 97% of us can actually lead to diminished self esteem and lack of motivation in the months to come.
Does this mean that the remaining 97% of us who threw ideas in the till for positive change are all losers who cannot commit to anything? Absolutely not!
One of the reasons I ceased making resolutions is quite simply because I don’t believe that there is one specific day so enlightened that you can change your entire world in the blink of an eye. I don’t believe that putting all your eggs in the New Year’s basket is necessarily the best way to make changes in your life. Truth is, you can blow in the winds of change any day of week, any month of the year, any hour of the day – if you so choose.
I DO believe that New Years should be a time of reflection. What was the last year like for me? What are the things I did right? What are the things I did wrong? Where is there room for improvement and positive change? What are some of the things I would like to continue to do? What am I proud of, and what do I wish I could change? Am I living the best life possible, and if not – what are three simple changes I could make to head in that direction?
To me, the New Year is about taking inventory and making a plan. Not just a firm resolution which you are certain to break; that you will never again sink your teeth into a sugary donut, or guzzle down an ice-cold Coca Cola on a hot summer day – but a plan that you will eat two less donuts per week, and only enjoy one soda every other day.
Why set yourself up to fail? The last thing you want to do is to feel like a deflated balloon.
Instead, start slowly by asking yourself the questions above. Write down your answers and take baby steps toward achieving your goals. The expression “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” rings true when it comes to the beginning of the New Year – and nothing in your life should be all or nothing. If it is, chances are you are setting yourself up to feel guilty or bad down the road.
So in light of this we are sharing everything we have on offer for you at the centre, we have drop in classes if you feel like you can’t commit to one of our full time classes and we have weekend workshops that I am sure you will find is calling out to you.
Just follow the links below for our workshops and classes and start with baby steps on the right path for you.
www.riverholistic.ie/
www.riverholistic.ie/
Say hello to my little friend
What is TENS?
I have my lucky TENS, it was my best friend throughout the early stages of Labor with my first. For 24 hours we were closer than myself and my partner. I still think he is a bit resentful of it. I didn’t have time for my second boy (20min Thank you very much)
The reason why it is my lucky TENS is that:
- It helped me to get to 6cm at home before I got to the hospital,
- It was a great distraction pressing the boost button, probably a bit too much 🙂
- I had terrible back labour with my first, this I believe helped immensely with the pain.
- I had a happy healthy baby boy (I know the TENS didn’t do that, but i still love it.)
- I shared it with 13 other mammies and they too experienced the best friend feeling and happy healthy babies.
Here comes the science.
As you know the human body generates electrical pulses, and we use these pulses that are sent from the brain through the nerve system to move muscles (walk, speak, workout, right now your body is sending pulses to move your finger up and down).
Luckily pain signals and pleasure signals travel the same way (through our nerves). The unit imitates the pleasure pulses and directs them through the nerve system to block pain signals to the brain.
It’s also likely that various factors interact to make TENS work. TENS may help you to feel that you have control over your contractions, it may help you to feel less anxious, and it also may provide a distraction from your contractions.
When and how should I use TENS?
TENS seems to work best and give you the most effective pain relief if you start using it at the very beginning of your labour, so hire a TENS machine and use it at home before you go into hospital, if you’re having a hospital birth.
It takes about an hour for your body to respond to the electrical impulses by releasing endorphins, so start using it when you’re getting regular contractions or backache. You may find your machine works better at relieving your backache than abdominal pain.
Start with the controls at their lowest settings and turn them up gradually as your contractions or the back pain gets stronger. Use the boost button at the peak of contractions.
What are the advantages of TENS?
It’s portable and non-invasive.
It’s under your control.
It’s easy to use.
You can keep moving while using it.
You can use it for as long as you want and then take it off. There are no lasting side-effects.
It’s safe for your baby.
It doesn’t need an anaesthetist, doctor or midwife to administer, so you can start using it as soon as you want to.
It can be used for a home birth.
What are the disadvantages?
You will need someone to help you put the pads on.
It may only help in the early stages of labour.
It costs between €60 and €120 plus postage to hire for a month to six weeks.
It may have to be removed if your baby’s heart has to be monitored electronically .
If you want to use a birthing pool or have a bath, you can use TENS before you get in the water, but not when you are in the water.
It can makes it more difficult for your birth partner to massage your back, which can be an effective form of pain relief.
Any useful tips?
Don’t give up straight away if you think your TENS isn’t doing anything. You need to keep using it for at least an hour to give your body time to build up endorphin’s in response to the stimulation.
Keep mobile. Moving around during labour helps women feel more in control and should therefore enhance the effect of TENS.
If you don’t think it’s helping you, take it off and don’t feel bad. You’ve lost nothing (except your hire fee). All other forms of pain relief, both medical and non-medical, are still open to you.
Claire
Source: babycentre.au
