Build Your Family With Us.

Infertility treatment can be emotionally difficult for patients. It is important to find ways to take care of yourself during treatment. Today is the day to make yourself a priority and do things that make you feel more balanced.

• Start the day with a healthy breakfast. Consider planning the other meals for your day so that you are more likely to continue making healthy food choices throughout the day.

• Schedule your day so that you have time to exercise and time to relax. Being active and being restful are both important ways for our body to cope with stress.

• Have conversations with people who make you feel good about yourself and your situation. Healthy, positive relationships are important in supporting people through difficult times.

• Try deep breathing or relaxation techniques before bedtime to help you sleep better. Make sure that your sleep environment is peaceful since sleep is a critical time for our body to restore its energy levels.

The Fertility Center offers counseling to help our patients explore ways to approach treatment in a healthy way. Counseling is available at no additional cost for patients at any point in their fertility journey. Feel free to call the Grand Rapids office and schedule an appointment.

Submitted by Kristin Blackwell, LMSW (May, 2011)

Facing the New Year

With the start of a new year, many people are setting goals and trying to be hopeful for things to come in 2009.  But if you are struggling with fertility issues, the new year often comes with a mixture of feelings.   For some, the new year can be a reminder of a year gone by where things may not have happened as you had hoped.  You may be reminded of the ups and downs that have occurred during this past year.  Depending on where you are in your treatment, you may want to set some goals which help you approach your fertility treatment in a renewed way.

Try to do things regularly that bring you pleasure (ie: take a walk outside, sit by the fire with a loved one, buy flowers to put in your home, etc.)   You may need to spend some time thinking about what you enjoy or what brings you happiness.  Consider writing ideas down and picking something daily or weekly to try.

Be realistic about new diet/exercise goals.  This is probably not a good time to make drastic changes in your health.  Making a daily commitment to move more and eat healthier is always a good idea. 

Take advantage of the support around you.  Family and friends are often good support while dealing with fertility challenges.  Sometimes attending a support group or talking to a counselor can be helpful too.  This may be your first time to try a support group or counseling.  Many people find support groups and counseling to be more beneficial than they had thought.   The Fertility Center offers on-site counseling at no cost to our patients.  You may call the office and schedule and appointment at your convenience.