Do's & Donts

[jeffer]

i never got told to do any of them things meby that why i got BFN onnthe 24th gutted good luck to ev one elce though ... jen

[Jovigal]

so, is there a difference in protocal in Do's and Don't's for having had an IUI or an IVF?

I just had an IUI and my doc only had me rest for about 15 minutes immediately after and said to have intercourse the next few days to increase my chances of pregnancy....

[Xrayem]

Hi, just thought I'd take a peak at this thread and can't believe my eyes! The list of things not to do? Its a mile long! How does anyone live during tmt?

This may just be an Aussie thing but the on a medical myth-busters show the other week they listed do's and don't with pregnancy. They stated that low caffine doses (less than 4 cups per day) has been proven to have NO effect on a foetus. Also 2 units of alcohol, 2 times a week also has no proven effect. Smoking is obviously a big no-no.

In a book I read written by the "father of Australian IVF" he encouraged sex. He said as a stress reducer it can't be beat and lets face it stress can do worse things to your body than a glass of wine. He also said wine in moderation is fine, if it helps you relax.

We were told to carry on as normal and that is what we are doing. The 2ww is stressful enough as it is. How many woman swim, have sex, get drunk or worse for weeks before they discover they are pregnant? I know that we are different because of our infertility but how does our body know that a egg has been fertilised in a petrie dish or that the sperm was injected into us via a catheter rather than the natural route?

I hope people are not thinking that I am poo-pooing your beliefs, rather I am wanting to know why we are all told such conflicting stories around the globe? How do we know who is right? I guess that we should individually do whatever feels right for us at the time.

Em

[KF'06]

Hi, just thought I'd take a peak at this thread and can't believe my eyes! The list of things not to do? Its a mile long! How does anyone live during tmt?

I hope people are not thinking that I am poo-pooing your beliefs, rather I am wanting to know why we are all told such conflicting stories around the globe? How do we know who is right? I guess that we should individually do whatever feels right for us at the time.

Em

I partually agree with you but I'd rather not take any chances because in case of a negative result I would feel the guilt and keep on questioning myself: what IF i didn't have sex/swim/drink, etc.

[tintintti]

I was investigating at some point facial and cosmetology treatments in reference of potential pregnancy. Facials etc. are fine and no way harmful. Only thing you should be concerned with is if they use aromatherapy and essential oils. The reason to avoid these is that effective substance is in very concentrated form in essential oils and their possible effects to pregnancy are not researched. So best to avoid them. But if your cosmetologist is using normal cleansing, moisturizers and lotions you should be safe.

Apparently massage oils used in prenatal massages are rosewood oil and that should be safe.

I was in touch with chemical substance research institute in Finland and this was advice I got from them.

[Jovigal]

What about Hair Highlightening? (pulling hair through cap and bleaching the roots) I've always heard not to do it the first trimester.

[Mazy++]

Hi All,
I'm going crazy, I'm in the two week wait and there seem to be so many restrictions. The main one I'm curious about is caffeine! Is it all right to have just ONE SMALL cup of coffee in the morning? I can hardly get through the day with out it and can't find any clarity about this.
Any advice is helpful!
Thank you,
Crazy Mazy

[Cori]

I had my first IUI 5 days ago. My doctor said that I could have an occasional drink if I needed to relax but not after 8 days because that is when implantation would occur. She also said to not perform any aerobic activities for about a week because of gravity reasons but after that go back to normal routine. She advised us to have intercourse because it increases my chances.

[mel30]

Hi

I had EC today and was wondering about hair dye after a transfer, seems hard to get a yes no answer out of anyone!

Mel

[PebblesUK]

Hi Mel,

It is safe to dye your hair during pregnancy. There is no proof that the colouring harms the baby. The only reason some people may advise against it is because your hair may not take to the colour the way it would previously, that's all. Although a perm is a no no as it probably just wouldn't take at all!

I've got the above from my sister who's a hairdresser, the midwives, gp and pregnancy books!

Personally, I'm going to do mine next week when I'm in the second trimester. Don't ask me why but I'd just feel better.

Jo
xxx

[luvbabies]

Okay...WHAT

I was told 24 hrs bed rest after that lite activities, no sex, no exercise no heavy lifting. Now iIve heard of no caffeine and no tuna (mercury levels)
but NO CHOCOLATE or ICE CREAM.. SOPHIEJANE WHY??

and LONDONGEL... why no cotton wool? Not that I have any but that's on the outside of your body not in so what does it matter the smell or something?

[SASA]

Hi girls, this message board has been with me in the most difficult times during my first IVF (which failed) and FET (I am now pregnant), especially in 2ww. I am so grateful to have been able to share the valuable experience of the friends here.

Although some of the advice of DOs and DON"Ts seem to be restrictive and different from some doc's advice, I preferred to play safe. A long way has been gone thru to IVF and FET, why not just do a little bit more if it is not too inconvenient.

There is no harm to rest more, not to be so stressful and to avoid cold food for some time. Right?

In relation to no coffee and no tuna, coffee intake should be generally limited during pregnancy due to its caffin. Tuna can be taken in moderation just to avoid excessive intake of mercury (tuna is known to have high content of mercury) which is detrimental to both mother and the foetus.

[yogi]

hello ladies
about the facial it is actually good and relaxing just dont get peels and make sure your aesthetician is using products for sensetove skin beacause our skin gets sensetive whit all the hormonal changes. . by the way stay away from essential oils and aromatherapy. and please use sunblock.
i have one?
when u say no choclat u mean NO choclat at all i will die.

[Terana]

I have just experienced the negative result. If even my doctor related it to my age I have my reasons not believe him and ask myself why with 15 eggs, normal sperms, 2 blastos on the 5th day and my perfect (at least then) health condition it didnt work. Trying not to blame myself but there are things which I did and will certainly not do the next time. Thought would be helpful for anybody:

1.I have been overstimulated. My doctor didnt care about it and i was such a stupid didnt make him check my hormones even the day of my transfer.
2.I didnt use medication properly. Instead of putting progestoron gel as deep as possible into vagina and resting after that at least 30 minutes some days I managed to get it leak 5 min after putting.
3.I have constipation problem. After transfer because of spending a lot of time in bed it was even worse. Now I know that it is very very harmful for embrios and we have to drink a lot of water, eat healthy food cause of that.
4. My doctor lives in a different country and I was communicating with him almost 6 months. I still have a mail I sent to him where I asked what I have to check, what kind of analyses I have to get and guess what...He said nothing, just be here the 2nd day of your period. I was there, I got all treatment and only on the transfer day he saw a pollip I had in my uterus and cut it just before putting there embrios.
5.We live in 2 floor house and I have to go up and down stairs 10-15 times a day.
6.I live in a very hot country where the temperature is 37-38C right now. On the 5th day of the transfer I decided to have a sun bath. It didnt last long, about 30 min later I felt dizzy, hot, it was hard to breathe and I could see my belly pulsing like a crazy. The next day I began bleeding:(.
7.I was sitting in front of PC all day long.
8.Had a lot of stress related to my work.

My conclusion is my doctor is f..... a......, I was uneducated immature one who thought that doctors know what is best for us, you just had to have enough money to pay doctors and you'll get a baby (as parents told us when we were children:). Only positive moment was to realise that I have a wonderful, caring and supportive husband who has been cooking, washing, doing anything to help me.

[KF'06]

I'm shocked
Whenever I go to a doctor, I do some research myself online, so I know what to ask because definitely you cannot trust them completely. Of course not all doctors are the same but s....t happens.
I'm so sorry that you had to deal with that.