Resolve to Know More About Your Body

When Noah and I started trying to conceive, I can honestly say we knew nothing about how our bodies work. Well, that’s not totally true. But we knew much more about how to NOT make a baby than we did about actually making a baby. I didn’t know which hormones were the key players or what a follicle was. See this past video post for a glimpse at how little I knew on the day of our egg retrieval. Cut to four years later, I feel like I could teach a sex ed class for grown ups. If there is one thing I feel I’ve gained from my years on IF Island, it’s an understanding of my body

I think it’s a really important thing to know your own body and all its quirks. It’s important to fuel your body with good things, and to understand the hormonal changes it goes through every month. It’s important to educate yourself on the different blood tests you should have in order to give you more information about how your body is functioning. For example, I’ve been reading a lot about thyroid issues and how they are often undiagnosed and can lead to problems with fertility and miscarriage. A friend sent me this site about hypothyroidism, and it prompted me to go get my thyroid retested. The more we know, the more we can advocate for ourselves. In this world, we can’t rely solely on doctors. There is too much at stake. We have to take charge of our own reproductive health.

Knowing our bodies also helps us know what we need. It keeps us in touch with when we feel strong and ready to try another cycle, or when we need a break. IVF and other ART procedures are so harsh on the body, it’s important to remember to give our gut a little time to heal so it can help us make important decisions.

It’s also important to always remember that our bodies are amazing (even if they don’t feel amazing right now). I’ve written about trying to find a little love and compassion for our bodies in this post, but I can’t say it enough.  Know your body. Advocate for your body. Honor your body. Appreciate your body. Love your body. It's the only one you've got.

Sending everyone on IF Island a little Wednesday morning love! I hope NIAW has shared some good information and support.

Comments

[Don't Count Your Eggs]

Thanks so much CT! Trying to stay positive, though if you read some previous posts you'll see moods do vary :) a LOT. Especially on hormones! Thanks for your well wishes!

[CT]

Sorry, bad proofreading - I'M hoping...

[CT]

I just wanted to say hi, and tell you you're one of the most honest, positive bloggers I've read. I hoping hard for you, Noah and your donor embryo.