Everything I did before my Frozen Embryo Transfer
Plus Good Egg-approved gift ideas for someone going through IVF
First of all, thank you for your kind words and love after my last newsletter. I was afraid I’d feel a vulnerability hangover afterward but was pleasantly surprised to hear how much it helped some of you and validated that I’m not the only one who feels this way. 🥹 If you missed it, click right here to read!
Leading up to our Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET), here are a few things I did to relax and make a nice little home for our embryo.
Weeks & Days Before the Transfer
Warm foods and drinks. I made a cheesy potato soup, this Chicken and Rice Soup with Garlicky Chili Oil (SO GOOD UGH), gingery chicken bone broth, and some recipes from Awakening Fertility. I also gave up ice water and my beloved iced lattes from Starbucks1 for a few weeks just so I wasn’t shocking my system with extreme temps.
Acupuncture. I had one appointment at a lovely Korean acupuncture clinic, but found another one that was closer that I love just as much. I had a few appointments leading up to the FET, and then I went again four days after the transfer. She added some needles along the Earth Channel to increase blood flow and make a nice hospitable uterus. Including some in my head (pictured above lol) and a very tickly spot on my calf. I get to lay on a heated bed and have a heat lamp on my feet for ~45 minutes, and listen to an audiobook or meditation, so I can’t complain.
Bath with herbal tea and Epsom salts. | I had some leftover herbs from a Sitz Bath my friend Sarah (who is an amazing human!) sent to me after my miscarriage last year, and everything else I’ve tried2 from this apothecary has been sooo good. I made a tea with the herbs and poured that into a warm bath along with some Epsom salts!
Warm and cozy socks. | Rumor has it you gotta keep your feet warm for fertility. Last year, Sarah also sent me these socks (and some jammies 🥹) and I didn’t know how amazing cotton socks could be. I need them in every color.
Day of Transfer
Full bladder before appointment. I drank a full one of these babies as well as some bone broth on the way to the appointment. You do not need to drink that much liquid. The nurse was like, 40 ounces?! 😛
Comfy clothes & socks. I wore a sweatshirt, some soft joggers, and these socks in my favorite color.
McDonald’s French Fries for good luck. I also had my first-ever Big Mac! Pretty good, I gotta say. Also, the Happy Meals right now come with TWO Disney toys.
Good Egg-Approved Gift Ideas
You’ll notice this isn’t a holiday-themed gift guide, and releasing it AFTER Black Friday/Cyber Monday is, frankly, irresponsible of me. But this is everything that has been getting me through IVF treatment and any of these would be great gifts to yourself or a loved one going through it. 🫶🏼 Some referral links below!
Araluna Body Pillow (FKA Cocozy) | I believe everyone should invest in and sleep with a pregnancy pillow, especially if you’re a side sleeper. Calling these pregnancy pillows isolates nonpregnant members of society from experiencing the joy of a contoured body pillow (Maternity pillows? More like mandatory pillows!) I got this one as an IVF present to myself (and graciously donated my old Snoogle to my local Husband’s Side of the Bed!). It’s nice and plump and props up my arms when I’m in bed playing Switch or reading, but still want to lay on my side. I zipped off the tiny one for Henry to use, but am considering stealing it as a Couch Pillow (this is an entire subset of pillows that I can elaborate on for a while, not today though. See also: Couch Blankies).
Liquid IV in Golden Cherry | For various reasons, you want to be really hydrated during fertility treatments + subsequent pregnancy. I’ve tried the Liquid IV variety sampler pack, and even some of the Sugar-Free ones (White Peach isn’t bad!) but I always go back to Golden Cherry. It’s colorless, and it’s amazing watered down a bit on ice. It’s not a medicinal cherry flavor, it’s closer to Gatorade Glacier Cherry. I’m intrigued by the Seaberry flavor, and will also probably pick up a few of the kid-friendly flavors for Henry, but I will never not have Golden Cherry in my life.
Ice Pack with the little blue beads in them and a Heating Pad | Ice for before injections (I liked icing when getting used to the needles during stims, but ESPECIALLY for the Progesterone in Oil shots) and heat for after (mostly for the PIO shots). I have also been known to take my PIO shot right before leaving for work, and cranking my seat heater up in my car for my commute. I shared this tip with one of the fertility nurses at my clinic and she was incredibly impressed/inspired and said she’s going to share it with her patients.
High-waisted undies that won’t irritate your subcutaneous injection sites | How specific! I love MeUndies, especially the FeelFree Lace High-Waisted Briefs in Black. They’re a little expensive for undies, but it’s something you wear every day.
This week’s Bird Fact comes to you from my sister playing Wingspan3 over the Thanksgiving Holiday and reading me all the fun bird facts!
Quail chicks can get up and follow their parents as soon as they hatch.
PRECIOUS. Read more about the Scaled Quail here.
That’s all for this week, leave a comment below with any questions, or reply to this email and it will come straight to my inbox! Thank you for reading.
Triple Grande Iced Latte with Whole Milk and a straw 👌🏼
Namely the Rose Face Butter and Chamomile Calendula Lip Balm 🤩
Santa, can you bring me the Wingspan board game? I already have the Nintendo Switch version!