Fertility Journeys 2014
FERTILITY JOURNEYS 2014 WE CATCH UP AGAIN WITH OUR FIVE CHOSEN COUPLES WHO ARE BRAVELY UNDERTAKING THEIR FERTILITY JOURNEYS IN THE GAZE OF FERTILITY ROAD READERS. This groundbreaking project has certainly brought the best out of both those couples and the experts they have been lucky enough to work with, but throughout our gratitude to those involved is constant. Knowing how much readers value the no-holds barred input into fertility treatments that the feature provides has probably been the one single thing that’s given us most pleasure throughout the year, though with a second pregnancy to announce, here’s a latest update on events.
HYPNOTHERAPY: Russell Davis • NUTRITION: Dr Marilyn Glenville • CHINESE MEDICINE: Andrew Loosely • DETOX: Simply Healing • EGG DONATION: IVF Spain WWW.FERTILITYROAD.COM
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Your Fertility Journey
CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINE... WITH ANDREW LOOSELY
As Andrew’s Fertility Journeys partner edges closer to IVF treatment, the specialist’s work with Chinese Medicine has started to have noticeable effects on Louise, as she reveals this month. Louise writes… Since last writing I’ve been continuing my follow-up sessions with Andrew every two weeks, and I’m pleased to say that things are improving really well! During the sessions we talk through each aspect of my general and fertility health, and we spend a good portion of time focusing on my menstrual cycle. Andrew tells me that in Chinese Medicine the menstrual cycle is the outward reflection of my fertility, and that it shows us everything that needs to be addressed at a root level. I’ve been learning lots about monitoring my progress with Basal Body Temperature charting, so I thought I’d make that the topic of this update.
• Looking at my tongue, as the coating, the colour and the shape show a lot about how well my digestive system is absorbing the nutrients from my food, and also opens up a variety of factors relating to Chinese Medicine that Andrew is able to interpret • Doing Basal Body Temperature (BBT) charting to see the changes that my body is making each day If any of these areas flag something up as not being correct, then the treatment is reviewed and altered to change direction. I haven’t experienced this type of monitoring before and I love the fact that I’m being treated and monitored as an individual woman! Andrew has been teaching me more about BBT charting so I thought I’d share this with you, as it’s been so helpful to me.
“If the follicular phase is too long, then the egg will be mature, but may deteriorate in the process of waiting for delayed ovulation to occur. “
He likes to assess my progress every two weeks and uses a variety of methods to do so, including:
My new BBT chart discoveries BBT charting is when you take your temperature every morning and plot it on a special chart. It’s useful to help identify when ovulation happens and, as I’ve just discovered recently, a lot more than that too!
• Hearing about my day-to-day body experience and symptoms, which provides him with information about how things are changing within my body
In the past I was advised to try charting to help clarify when I was ovulating, but I found it difficult and quite frustrating. And more importantly I didn’t understand how to read the
Everything is monitored! Andrew puts huge emphasis on monitoring the progress of his clients’ treatment, and this is really reassuring for me!
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charts so had no real idea as to what the results actually meant. I now realise that BBT charting can tell you so much more than just ovulation, and since being on The Baby Creating Plan with Andrew, I have his personal support to interpret the findings. This was the part that was a real struggle before, as I didn’t know what the different patterns meant. Andrew uses the chart, along with Chinese Medicine principles, to form a much deeper understanding of how my body is working dayto-day. As well as identifying when ovulation has happened, it reveals the lengths of the first (follicular phase) and second (luteal phase) parts of the cycle. If either or both phases are too long or too short, it indicates a particular type of imbalance that must be addressed for the optimum chance of conception.
Chart A
He explained that addressing this is vital, even if you’re going for IVF, as I am. Andrew said: “If the follicular phase is too short, then the maturation of the egg may not have fully occurred, and the egg may not be ready for fertilisation. “If the follicular phase is too long, then the egg will be mature, but may deteriorate in the process of waiting for delayed ovulation to occur. “If, however, the luteal phase is too short, then there may not be enough time for an embryo to implant, and even if one does manage it, it can’t be easily sustained as the endometrium starts to fall away prematurely, and the pregnancy comes to an early end. Of course it’s possible for both of these phases to be out of balance too and the only way to see any of these issues is through charting. “The temperature range is also very important and in the first half should be between 36.2 – 36.5°C. In the second half after ovulation the temperature should rise to at least 36.6°C but ideally as high as 37°C.” Andrew asked me to share some of my own charts for everyone to see. Chart A is my own chart before starting treatment with Andrew: You can see that the temperatures are significantly up and down and generally very low (mostly below 36.1 degrees). There’s also no clear ovulation, even though the ovulation prediction kit (OPK) shows a positive result.
Chart B
BBT charts, A and B
after the positive OPK. There’s also a separate luteal phase that lasted for seven days!
who want to make sure there’s nothing going on internally that we don’t know about yet.
Before meeting Andrew, I had no idea that my follicular phase is too long, and that my luteal phase is too short to allow implantation. If I’d known this before I would have prepared in advance of my first IVF cycle and made sure that these areas were properly balanced.
Andrew is going to support me with herbal medicine before and after the surgery to help reduce the side-effects of the anaesthesia.
By treating my health naturally with herbal medicine and nutrition, I can see that my fertility is already changing. My next steps I have a hysteroscopy booked with my hospital,
I will continue with my herbal medicine, also eating healthily with new changes to my diet, as advised by Andrew’s team. The result of this has been fantastic - I’ve now lost over a stone in weight, which I’m absolutely delighted about! In every way, I’m getting closer and closer to getting my health back on track, and nearer to my chance of having my baby.
Chart B is one month after taking herbal medicine with Andrew:
Andrew talks about all of the aspects raised during his work with Louise and much more in his book The Ultimate Fertility Guide, which you can get for FREE by visiting: NaturalFertilityExpert.com.
There are now two distinct phases (follicular and luteal), with noticeably higher temperatures, and clear ovulation on Day 22 of the cycle where the temperature steps up suddenly, which is shortly
He also runs a fantastic FREE monthly online event called Fertility Question Time, where you can hear him speaking about a variety of fertility-related topics with other world fertility experts. Sign up at NaturalFertilityExpert.com/fqt.
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Your Fertility Journey
COGNITIVE HYPNOTHERAPY … WITH RUSSELL DAVIS Russell Davis’s client Leah announced she was pregnant in the last issue. Over the past six months she has undergone cognitive hypnotherapy with Russell after a number of conflicting diagnoses regarding infertility and two miscarriages. baby gifts from everyone as the excitement of the pending arrival builds! Being the first grandchild to the in-laws means this baby is going to be spoiled… ha! I have really ‘bloomed’ in the last six weeks - a much bigger bump than expected but I am loving every minute of being pregnant and knowing that my baby is thriving! The gentle kicks and flutters that increase with intensity as each day passes fill my heart with joy! Any day now my partner James will be able to enjoy these joyful kicks too I can’t wait for him to experience this as well.
Leah writes… As I write I am 18 weeks pregnant and feeling great! I have loads of energy and the (very) few niggles I had been experiencing have all disappeared. I also seem to have escaped the dreaded morning sickness! Having the 12-week scan was wonderful because this time we could see the clear form of our baby rather than a ‘blob’, and this little bundle was somersaulting all over the screen! I just wanted to stay in that room staring at the screen all day because I couldn’t believe how fortunate we were to be given this gift! Announcing the news to family and friends was emotional. It was tears all round, a mixture of relief and joy as they knew the difficulties we had been going through for so long. Since the announcement we have been showered with
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I still regularly use the mind-calming techniques Russell Davis has taught me when I have had a busy day; they help me to relax fully and fall into a deep restful sleep. And I am grateful that Russell is there for me should I need any guidance or reassurance. Now I am relaxing into the second trimester and enjoying all the prep - like doing up the nursery and shopping for baby things - it all feels so real, and I still can’t believe how lucky we are to have got here! We’ve still a distance to go but I’m thrilled with progress. Russell writes… Leah’s progress goes from strength to strength, both physically and mentally. She continues to listen to the pregnancy hypnosis track I created for her, and despite her history of miscarriages is enjoying and relaxing into this pregnancy more and more. Leah had a scan to ensure the pregnancy was in the right place as she has tubal damage. Previously this would have been a source of
anxiety and fear, however she surprised herself at how calm she had was about it - and it is all okay! She has really understood what is behind the human experience and psychology of the mind… the subjects and ideas we have been exploring in our conversations. We continue to check in with each other to see how things are, still working to let go of anything that may be preventing her from really relaxing and enjoying the pregnancy. She had a concern at work that meant she was potentially in a vulnerable environment physically, but part of her didn’t want to make a fuss and bring it up as an issue in the workplace. As we explored it together she realised that, since childhood, she has never wanted to ‘rock the boat’. This is what happens - we pick up learning and thought patterns as children and they become habits. They are not who we are, not our personality, but instead ‘thought habits’ that prevent us from being who we really are. This insight alone, and reframing the experience from childhood, was enough to encourage her to ensure her needs were met at work, and Leah is now in a safe environment for her and her baby. She felt empowered, so on we go!
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