What to Know About Fertility Meditations
The journey through In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) can be a challenging and emotional task. It’s a process that requires patience and resilience and can often create stress, anxiety, and feelings of hopelessness.
Incorporating a meditation practice into your IVF journey and fertility treatments can be beneficial, with an increased sense of peace, joy, and calm.
Not only can meditation reduce stress and anxiety, but also it has been shown to increase IVF transfer rates.
We hope to offer our support, guidance, and nurturing spirits to those embarking on this journey and are here to guide you toward a more mindful and peaceful IVF journey.
At the end of this article is a meditation transcript for your upcoming IVF cycle, specifically for the post-transfer day.
What is a Mindfulness IVF Practice
Mindfulness is about being present and aware of your body, thoughts, feelings, and how your inner voice and external stimulants affect your well-being. Reproductive health and fertility mental fitness go hand in hand, and meditation, yoga, and mindfulness can help support you during this process.
Mindfulness allows you to focus on the present moment without getting caught up in worries about the future or regrets about the past.
IVF can be overwhelming, and mindfulness can help you manage that stress by keeping you centered on what matters most. Moreover, a mindfulness IVF practice can calm your mind, reduce anxiety and depression, and help you better cope.
Mindfulness can facilitate a positive mindset and allow you to cultivate self-compassion in your journey for a healthy pregnancy. This can qualify for a stronger connection with your body and support your well-being throughout the IVF process.
Meditation for the IVF Cycle and Fertility
Meditation can be a potent tool to use during the IVF cycle. It can help to reduce stress, manage emotions, and even improve pregnancy rates. There are a variety of different types of meditation that can be beneficial throughout the IVF cycle:
Guided Meditation for IVF and Fertility
Guided meditation is often led by a teacher or instructor who will lead you through visualization exercises, deep breathing, and relaxation techniques. Guided meditations are good for helping ease you into a meditative state and help provide focus on specifically helping with your fertility treatment.
Mindfulness Meditation for IVF and Fertility
Mindfulness meditation focuses on being present at the moment and bringing awareness to sensations, thoughts, and feelings as they arise within the body. This can ground you and provide insight into what is happening in your body and mind while supporting healthy sleep during your subsequent IVF treatment.
Asana and Yoga Poses with Meditation
Combining physical poses with deep breathing, yoga meditation can help to increase strength, flexibility, and mindfulness simultaneously. In addition, doing yoga postures for fertility during IVF cycles helps support a healthy system.
Mantra Meditation for IVF and Fertility
Mantra meditation includes repeating a word or phrase silently or aloud to yourself while focusing on the meaning behind the mantra itself. This meditation can help create an inner sense of balance and bring awareness to positive beliefs about yourself and your fertility journey.
Walking Meditation for IVF and Fertility
Focuses on bringing awareness to your body’s sensations and environment as you move through space. This type of meditation is suitable for those who struggle with stillness or find it hard to sit in one place for too long, allowing them to remain mindful while moving throughout their day.
You can combine the different types of meditation to create a practice that is perfect for you. For example, a mantra meditation while walking in nature helps connect with the greater world while being present.
Using a meditation app, or a mindful IVF app, can also be a valuable tool to help with guidance.
Mindful practices such as these can provide invaluable support during this time, helping ensure greater emotional resilience, clarity, and connection with oneself throughout the process.
Tips for Mindful IVF and Fertility
Here are a few tips to help incorporate mindfulness and meditation into your IVF and fertility journey.
Focus on the present moment.
Be mindful of your thoughts, feelings, and emotions throughout each day rather than worrying about the future or ruminating on the past.
Practice deep breathing exercises.
Regularly take a few minutes to focus on your breath, inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly. This can help reduce stress and anxiety during IVF cycles.
Connect with nature.
Spend time outdoors in nature – walking, sitting by a lake or ocean, or even just gardening – to bring yourself into the present moment and be mindful of your surroundings.
Take breaks from technology when possible.
Try to spend at least one hour each day away from screens and devices to spend time in the present moment.
Check in with yourself.
Ask yourself how you are feeling and frequently take note of your emotions throughout the day so that you can better manage them.
This meditation is specifically for the time after embryo transfer and for the space commonly called “the two-week wait.” This guided meditation starts with calming breathwork and works to harness all the love and energy around you to bring life and love to your journey to a successful IVF cycle.
Fertility Meditation (IVF and Fertility Journey)
Listen to this meditation:
Transcript of meditation.
Welcome, and congratulations on your IVF journey. What a whirlwind.
This meditation is specifically for the day of the IVF transfer and the days following, known as the “two-week wait.”
Let’s start by sitting or lying down in a comfortable position. First, ensure your spine is in alignment, using a pillow behind your back if seated or a pillow behind your knees if lying down for support and comfort.
Begin by bringing your awareness to your breath. Then, feel the cool breath through your nose and the warmth moving out.
With each breath, follow its path down the throat and into the chest. Feel the breath as if it fills and expands your lungs. Allow this life energy to move in and out in a gentle rhythm. With each breath, bring your full awareness to the present moment.
Become aware of the feeling of the breath as it moves through your rib cage. Feel the diaphragm fall as you breathe in, allowing your belly to move out with each breath in and move down with each breath out.
Find the rhythm of your breath and let it move softly and gently.
Stay here in the present moment with your breath. There is nowhere else to be and nothing else to do.
Now, notice each part of your being, allowing yourself to relax and release any tension you may be holding onto. Feel the weight of your body becoming heavier as you release into this space.
Start to move your breath into a balanced and even rhythm.
Breathe in, 1, 2, 3, 4, and out 1, 2, 3, 4
Allow your breath to fall into this even and balanced rhythm. With the rhythm comes peace.
Allow yourself to feel peace.
Move deeper into this feeling of peace, and with each breath, bring calm.
Allow yourself to feel calm.
Bring your awareness to the love and life of everyone around you. This love lives in a beautiful white light that surrounds you now. Its energy is warm and comforting.
Each breath brings this light in and love. Allow yourself to feel the energy and presence of those who have surrounded you with love and support on this journey.
It fills your body, starting at your toes and moving up through your feet into your calves and knees. Next, this light travels up into your thighs and pelvis, surrounding your belly and moving up into your torso, chest, and heart, filling your shoulders, arms, and fingers and filling your neck, face, and top of your head.
You are surrounded by and embody this light of love and life.
Bring your awareness to the light that is now surrounding you. Feel its warmth radiating through your body, with each breath starting at your heart center and slowly spreading outwards in all directions.
Notice how it fills your body with a sense of peace and calm.
Stay here in this space for as long as you like, allowing yourself to be held by the love surrounding you now.
Bring your awareness to your belly and pelvis. There is so much happening here!
Bring this energy of love to this space, allowing it to fill your body with healing light. Let the energy flow in and out of the belly.
Allow yourself to feel the connection between your breath, the love and light, and the life within you now. Let this connection be solid and robust, and full of love.
Lie here in this love and the connection with your body for a few moments. Feel yourself being held by the light of love that surrounds you now. Every cell in your body sends energy to this new life, and with it comes the calm of peace in faith and knowing what lies ahead.
When you are ready, bring your awareness back to your breath and allow it to return to its natural rhythm.
Take a few moments to recognize the extraordinary process of this journey, feeling the abundance and promise that lies ahead.
Your body is relaxed, and your mind is calm.
Be kind to yourself and trust that your inner wisdom will guide you through all stages of your journey.
Slowly open your eyes and take a moment to savor this peaceful feeling.
You are ready to continue your journey with peace and confidence in the power of love.