We All Should Just RELAX

[Shannen]

"Stress may even affect fertility. Stress hormones have an impact on the hypothalamus gland, which produces reproductive hormones. Severely elevated cortisol levels can even shut down menstruation. One interesting small study reported a significantly higher incidence of pregnancy loss in women who experienced both high stress and prolonged menstrual cycles. Another reported that women with stressful jobs had shorter periods than women with low-stress jobs."

"Old wives' tales about a pregnant woman's emotions affecting her baby may have some credence. Stress may cause physiologic alterations, such as increased adrenal hormone levels or resistance in the arteries, which may interfere with normal blood flow to the placenta. Maternal stress during pregnancy has been linked to a higher risk for miscarriage, lower birth weights, and increased incidence of premature births. Some evidence also suggests that stress experienced by expectant mothers can even influence the way in which the baby's brain and nervous system will react to stressful events. Indeed, one study found a higher rate of crying and low attention in infants of mothers who had been stressed during pregnancy."

Stop worrying yourselves to death over a little discharge, a little blood, a little this or a little that! Most people who get pregnant without trying do so because they ARE NOT WORRIED about getting pregnant! They are stress FREE and their bodies are more relaxed and better able to implant their egss, release those necessary hormones, and all that. Its true when they say getting pregnant isnt easy, but they do so effortlessly and end up way ahead of us! Im not worrying anymore, as long as I dont see AF full blown yet, in my eyes, Im pregnant! Tests are NOT infallible.

LIGHTEN UP GIRLS! YOU WILL GET YOUR BFPS!!!

 

[shaerichelle]

Shannen, I agree. This month I dont care and I am not testing til after af is due. But I agree as long as no full blown af, I am pregnant.

And I am not symptom spotting either cause it will happen.

 

[Marysr]

I totally think this is true. It's also why many (most?) women who TTC maybe a little too aggressively say that they conceived the month that they relaxed and decided "not to try."

That said, it's dang hard not to obsess!

 

[Shannen]

it is very difficult, i admit! but i think about it and realze that there is more of a chance that if i BD at the time that i ovulate, im more likely than NOT to be pregnant...imagine how many women WERE pregnant who never realized it because they stressed the egg out!

 

[aragornlover8]

The kind of stress that can affect TTC is the kind that keeps you up at night, makes you sick, etc. Normal stress should not affect the hypothalamus gland enough to prevent pregnancy from occurring. When I say normal stress, I mean the "am I pregnant? am I not?" types of stress.

I think it's really important to keep this in mind. I personally have Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), so I have a really hard time telling myself not to stress. In fact, I can actually stress about stressing. What helps me, honestly, is knowing that a little stress is okay, that it's normal to be a little stressed during TTC, and to kind of deal with it as it comes.

 

[Shannen]

Stress is stress. The degree of it matters more than the precedent.

 

[Wispyshadow]

I have a hard time this go round with TTC and just letting go and saying if it happens it happens and just go about life like I normally do. I have been pregnant twice before and it occured without me actively and consciously TTC we just stopped preventing. I was also ten years younger and now my DH has had a VR a little over a month ago and we have the risk of it scarring over down the road and blocking things. So, I do have a normal amount of stress about the whole TTC issue.

After trying for a long time it does get to be more stressful TTC. It begins to cost a lot of money for testing and Dr's opinions and more testing and procedures and all the other things that can come along with TTC. It is a blessing to be able to get a BFP without difficulty and by destressing yourself about it but on the other hand after having a miscarriage and other fertility issues sometimes a little blood or a little discharge can be somewhat frightening and a normal response is to stress. Being able to talk to others about a concern over a symptom can help relieve stress also.

It is great to take time to specifically do something to relax yourself. I indulged a couple of weeks ago and got a massage....awesome! But even taking time each day to do something for yourself that makes you smile and feel good helps relieve even everyday normal stress.

Dance, Sing, Read a book, Talk to Friends, Drink a cup of tea, paint your nails, LOVE yourself!!!! Don't Forget to Laugh!

BIG HUGS!!!

 

[Shannen]

I agree Wispyshadow, I do forget what other ladies have been through, as ths is my first cycle TTC and I am only 19...never been pregnant, never had a MC and actually just lost my V a few weeks ago...but I do get that pang of "OMG what if im not pregnant?" I just try not to get into a mad frenzy about it though.

 

[aragornlover8]

Stress is stress. The degree of it matters more than the precedent.

I'm not sure what you mean by this...

Edit : That's not meant to sound witchy or anything. I'm honestly just confused.

 

[Wispyshadow]

Feeling all crazy about TTC does take a lot of the fun out of it. When I start feeling overwhelmed I know it's time to back up a little and breathe. It truly isn't healthy to be in a constant state of stress over anything. And the 2ww is enough to make you go insane. I just welcomed AF this evening and even my DH was really bummed. He normally is very neutral about the whole thing but he is beginning to get concerned. We have adopted 2 children but really wanted to have another by birth. We shall see what happens.

Bubble Baths and Pedicures for all!!!!!

Good Luck to you Shannen!

 

[Shannen]

Stress is stress. The degree of it matters more than the precedent.

I'm not sure what you mean by this...

Edit : That's not meant to sound witchy or anything. I'm honestly just confused.

lol, its ok, i just mean that general anxiety as opposed to situational stress still has the same effects on the body, only chronic anxiety/stress is more damgerous because it lasts longer

 

[Whitbit22]

Honestly after nearly 3 years (with a few months out for ntnp) the stress being less because of ntnp never helped us get pregnant. Some people don't get as stressed out as others do either.. I'm able to carry on with my daily life while in the 2ww, so I don't consider myself stressed at all--even going on 3 years trying for number one.

 

[aragornlover8]

Stress is stress. The degree of it matters more than the precedent.

I'm not sure what you mean by this...

Edit : That's not meant to sound witchy or anything. I'm honestly just confused.

lol, its ok, i just mean that general anxiety as opposed to situational stress still has the same effects on the body, only chronic anxiety/stress is more damgerous because it lasts longer

Okay, I understand what you mean now.

Still, though, I think the message that "stress can make it harder when TTC" is more disheartening to some than helpful (especially people like me who have a harder time handling their stress). And it's not easy for a lot of women here to "just relax," especially when they've been trying for so long. I've also seen a number of success stories on the forums when people have gotten pregnant during cycles that they have tried their hardest to get pregnant (using preseed, temping, opks, etc).

 

[Whitbit22]

Especially want to point out that if I wasn't stressing before... maybe now I'm stressing about, "Am I stressing? No not me--not stressing. AM I???"

 

[Shannen]

Lol I hope this thread does more good than harm! I certainly wasnt trying to down others for feelng natural emotions and all, I just wanted to see if maybe relaxation could help the conecption process...Its not detrimental, it just has a tendency to prevent the likelihood of conception thats all

 

[Whitbit22]

 

[aragornlover8]

Its not detrimental, it just has a tendency to prevent the likelihood of conception thats all

This statement contradicts itself.

I'm not trying to be militant here. There are just a lot of women who have been trying for a long time. As most women do stress a little during the TWW, this thread is less than hopeful for them.

 

[libbymarks198]

it is impossible not to stress about ttc.. i dont think i stress all that much really but i still find it hard at certain times not to stress... i am only on ccle 2 and i can not imagine what other ladies are going through, i think that even if you stress you can still fall pregnant i honestly do not think it matters all that much...

this month i have been stressing on and off, but today i am feeling good as i know i can drink on the 15th of may if i get a bfn or have not o'd yet which will most likely happen to me lol stupid birth control...

anyways i think it is impossible to relax when ttc espically if you have been for quite some time or have had m/c's before like me (you want to be pregnant but then when we actually fall we will stress outselves out to the max about having another one)
stress is healthy- in my opinion

 

[Shannen]

Its not detrimental, it just has a tendency to prevent the likelihood of conception thats all

This statement contradicts itself.

I'm not trying to be militant here. There are just a lot of women who have been trying for a long time. As most women do stress a little during the TWW, this thread is less than hopeful for them.

its not a contradiction; stress if significant enough could lower your chance of conceiving, not eliminate it altogether...and im just stating facts lol

 

[aragornlover8]

Its not detrimental, it just has a tendency to prevent the likelihood of conception thats all

This statement contradicts itself.

I'm not trying to be militant here. There are just a lot of women who have been trying for a long time. As most women do stress a little during the TWW, this thread is less than hopeful for them.

its not a contradiction; stress if significant enough could lower your chance of conceiving, not eliminate it altogether...and im just stating facts lol

The definition of detrimental is , in laymen's terms, "hurting your chances." That's where the contradiction lies.

And if they're facts, then back up what you are saying with significant sources. You're also contradicting what you said earlier in response to one of my points about how some stress is normal and shouldn't hurt you chances. Now, you are saying "stress if significant enough," which is quite different from what you stated earlier.

The only reason that I'm bothering to argue this point is that there is a bit of a sensitivity issue here. When you argued against my point earlier, after I had stated that I have Generalized Anxiety Disorder, you said that stress is stress and any kind of stress can hurt your chances. What that basically means to me is that , because I have an anxiety disorder, my chances of conceiving every month are going to be lower than other women's. Furthermore, when you are actively trying to conceive, as some have stated previously, it is almost impossible not to stress a little bit. Because this stress is inevitable, threads stating that you should "just relax" are less than helpful and can actually have the unintended effects of making women stress about stressing. This is what I mean when I say these threads that state these harms associated with stress can do more harm than good.

Furthermore, one thing that I've learned from my therapy is that stress is not going to just go away. Wishing something away doesn't make it happen. It's important to recognize the stress, understand what it is that is stressing you, and then learn how to address it.