When you have been living with infertility for as long as we have, you hear a lot of stories, tips, tricks, suggestions, and opinions. I will start by saying I realize the things I write in this post are things that people have said to try and help. Everyone has a story or knows someone who has a story. And when you have unexplained infertility, you hear a lot of suggestions. So here are some things we’ve heard:
“It will happen in time”
“You just need to relax”
“God has a plan”
“Go on a vacation and forgetting about it. That’s when it will happen!”
“Have you thought of adoption?”
“My (insert some friend or family member) put their name on the adoption list and then found out they were pregnant!”
“I know someone who decided to quit trying and that’s when they got pregnant!”
“Have you tried:
-ovulation sticks?
-temperature tracking?
-eating pineapple core?
-acupuncture?
-pelvic massage?
-pelvic physio?
-homeopathies?
-a naturopath?
-crystals?
-checking your AMH?
-checking your TSH?
-checking your iron levels?
-supplements/changing your diet, etc?
-exercising less?
The answer is, yes. This is a list of the things we have tried. There are probably more things that we could try. It’s hard to explain the mental and physical energy it takes to filter the information out there. There are things in this list that have worked for others. For us, it’s a vicious cycle of hope and let-down. What I hope people take from this post is this: Infertility is a complex medical issue. Each person’s situation is as individualized as the person themselves. If you know someone who is affected by infertility, ask them how they are doing and if they would like to share anything with you. If they are looking for suggestions or stories of success, they will ask you. Unsolicited advice or stories could make the person feel like they’re not doing enough and remind them that they’re still in the same position while others have moved on.
Icing and Animal Crackers 