How to Reduce Infertility Stress During the Holidays
As the holidays are fast approaching, fertility struggles can be amplified. While the holidays are already stressful, when you are trying to conceive, it can become even more stressful with the emotions and situations that come up. Here are a few tips to help you prepare for the holidays so you can move through them feeling relaxed and in control.
Set Boundaries For Yourself Ahead of Time
Before you step into the holiday season, think about what you hold sacred. Your sanity? Your happiness? Protect that. Think now about what information you are comfortable sharing and what information you want to keep close to your chest. You don’t owe anyone an explanation about what you’re going through so please give yourself permission to discuss only what you feel comfortable with. You can become an expert in redirecting conversations. “Yes, thank you for asking. We’re enjoying the practice!” ;) How are you and your family? And it is always helpful if you talk with your partner ahead of time so you are both on the same page about what you can and want to handle.
Also remember that you are under no obligation to stay at any party or event that makes you feel uncomfortable. Have an exit strategy that makes it easy to walk out the door without having to explain to everyone.
To help you out, here are a few ideas of what to say:
“Thanks so much for inviting me to your party! I have an early morning so heading home to get some rest.”
“I understand you’re excited for us to expand our family, but we are keeping those details private for now and we’ll let you know when we’re ready.”
“We’ll let you know when there’s news to share.”
Acknowledge Your Feelings
Going into the holidays, you might feel pressured to force yourself into the holiday spirit but you may not be there yet. That’s okay! Allow yourself to feel the full spectrum of emotions that come up. Emotions are like waves, let them move through you as they present themselves. The more you fight the emotion or try to push it down, the more stressed out you will feel. Grief, disappointment and sadness don’t have a seasonal schedule, they are present all 12 months throughout the year. There’s a place for tough emotions during the holiday season and while they might be uncomfortable, your feelings are totally valid. Allow the emotions to surface and boil over, knowing that they won’t have to come out later.
Treat Yourself
It is the season of gifts after all! If there’s something you’ve had your eye on or an experience you’ve wanted to enjoy, now is a good time to allow yourself to indulge a little bit. It’s good to nurture yourself and practice some self-care during a time of year that tends to be more sensitive and stressful.
Consider Your Obligations
Similar to setting boundaries above, you are going to be invited or expected to host multiple events. Are there parties with certain people you want to avoid? Are there gatherings with children that are too hard on your heart right now? If hosting is too much, pass those duties on to someone else. Or if hosting might be a great distraction and allow you to create the dynamics that inspire you, go for it! Think of what works best for you.
Take Care of Your Body
Make sure you are eating well-balanced meals, staying hydrated with plenty of water and getting enough sleep each night. Stress always takes a toll on your physical body which also interferes with your emotional well-being.
Take a Break From Treatment If You Can
If you are actively receiving fertility treatments, consider taking a break if you are not on a specific schedule. This might be the time of year to give your body some rest so you can reset and recharge going into the new year. Allow yourself some time to be present with your loved ones.
Focus on Creativity
Last but most importantly, focus on creativity. If you are trying to create a baby, the best way to align with the energy of creation is finding your creative self. Do you remember when you would color for hours? Find what suits the creative side of you as an adult. Is it cooking, drawing, jewelry-making, or dancing? Drawing a top hat on a frog or doodling on a napkin? Do this for 3 minutes a day and I assure you, it will make a big difference!
While there is no one size fits all solution, the overall goal is to make sure you are taking care of yourself during the holiday season. Magnolia Wellness is here for you throughout every stage of your fertility journey. Please contact us if you need support during this time of year and we will be glad to support you along the way.