Tips to Deal with Fertility Triggers Over the Holidays

 

With the holiday season coming up fast it’s important to acknowledge that with the joy and happiness that comes along with the celebrations, it can also be quite a difficult time of year for those struggling with fertility and miscarriage. Setting a few boundaries in advance of the holidays can be a helpful way to keep your holidays positive and also give you space to breathe and protect your own emotions. 

Here are some recommendation that could help you through this holiday seasons if you are struggling with fertility or miscarriage.

Consider taking a social media break

Any holiday season leads to an influx of pictures and posts around new pregnancies and babies' first holiday which can be difficult to take in if you’re struggling with your own fertility. 

Consider putting a time limit on certain socials, or you could consider deleting an app for a period of time to reduce this trigger.

Be selective with your RSVP

It’s okay not to feel up to doing every party or event you may have attended in the past. Events can be more draining when struggling with fertility as you navigate how to deal with awkward questions or unsolicited advice.

Lay out your holiday invites in advance and decide what you want the holiday season to look like. Events focused on children may be ones you want to pass on this year.  

It’s also okay to change your mind! It’s common to feel up for going to certain events in advance but when the time comes it can be too emotionally exhausting to attend. Listen to how you’re feeling and opt-out if you need to.

Identify support person(s)

Whether it’s a partner, friend, or family member; identify someone who is a strong support person and ask them to check in on you during the holiday season. Reach out to this person if you’re feeling overwhelmed or struggling. Bring them to events whenever you can. Having just one person understand what you’re going through can make a huge difference.

Schedule time to yourself

Take breaks and do things just for yourself! The holidays can easily get booked up and fly by. Make sure you’re booking some downtime by yourself to decompress and feel your feelings.

Looking For More Fertility Support?

Understanding how to optimize your fertility, reduce miscarriage risk and support yourself for the healthiest pregnancy and postpartum period is incredibly important. Naturopathic medicine has many tools that can support you along your fertility journey. If you're searching for more guidance, in-depth testing and an understanding of how you can optimize your fertility through naturopathic medicine, you can book an appointment with me here.

Ready to make a change?

If you're searching for more guidance, in-depth testing and understanding of how you can optimize your fertility through naturopathic medicine, you can book an appointment with me here.

Wishing you all the best,

Dr. Kelly Clinning, ND

References:

  1. Chavarro, J. E., Rich-Edwards, J. W., Rosner, B. A., & Willett, W. C. (2007a). Dietary fatty acid intakes and the risk of ovulatory infertility. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 85(1), 231–237.

  2. Grieger JA, Grzeskowiak LE, Bianco-Miotto T, Jankovic-Karasoulos T, Moran LJ, Wilson RL, Leemaqz SY, Poston L, McCowan L, Kenny LC, Myers J, Walker JJ, Norman RJ, Dekker GA, Roberts CT. Pre-pregnancy fast food and fruit intake is associated with time to pregnancy. Hum Reprod. 2018 Jun 1;33(6):1063-1070. doi: 10.1093/humrep/dey079. PMID: 29733398.

  3. Skoracka K, Eder P, Łykowska-Szuber L, Dobrowolska A, Krela-Kaźmierczak I. Diet and Nutritional Factors in Male (In)fertility-Underestimated Factors. J Clin Med. 2020 May 9;9(5):1400. doi: 10.3390/jcm9051400. PMID: 32397485; PMCID: PMC7291266.

  4. Robbins W, Kim H, Houman J, Lee GW. Randomized Clinical Trial: Effect of Walnuts on Semen Parameters and Male Fertility (P18-042-19). Curr Dev Nutr. 2019 Jun 13;3(Suppl 1):nzz039.P18-042-19. doi: 10.1093/cdn/nzz039.P18-042-19. PMCID: PMC6574937.

  5. Panth N, Gavarkovs A, Tamez M, Mattei J. The Influence of Diet on Fertility and the Implications for Public Health Nutrition in the United States. Front Public Health. 2018 Jul 31;6:211. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2018.00211. PMID: 30109221; PMCID: PMC6079277.

  6. Chavarro JE, Rich-Edwards JW, Rosner BA, Willett WC. Protein intake and ovulatory infertility. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2008 Feb;198(2):210.e1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2007.06.057. PMID: 18226626; PMCID: PMC3066040.

  7. Madej D, Granda D, Sicinska E, Kaluza J. Influence of Fruit and Vegetable Consumption on Antioxidant Status and Semen Quality: A Cross-Sectional Study in Adult Men. Front Nutr. 2021 Oct 15;8:753843. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2021.753843. PMID: 34722613; PMCID: PMC8554053.

 
Hormones, FertilityDr. Kelly Clinning NDThe Clara Clinic hormones