You’re Not Getting Pregnant Because Of Your Guilt Trip

It turns out that the common advice from fertility doctors about relaxing carries some weight. The New York Times blog “Well,” reported that baby-seeking women who underwent stress reduction exercises along with infertility treatments were more likely to conceive. Patients worked specifically to re-frame negative thoughts about themselves and their conception process. Instead of ruminating over thoughts like “It’s my fault for waiting too long,” and “I’ll never be happy unless I have a baby,” women showed positive results from mantras like “I’m doing everything I can to have a baby.” No wonder older women have a difficult time conceiving. Aside from not having the boundless fertility of a teenager, many are rattled with guilt for having other priorities besides having children.

The type of stress generated by such thoughts not only wreaks havocs on the self-esteem of ladies but also makes them less fertile. Dr. Alice D. Domar, a psychologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, observed the following:

If you’re really stressed out and depressed, the body seems to sense that’s not a good time to get pregnant. There’s something about practicing relaxation techniques or being with other women who understand what you’re going through, probably a combination of everything, that makes a difference. It isn’t just about relaxing.

Surrounding yourself with other hopeful moms-to-be who aren’t judging you for getting a few other things out of the way before starting a family sounds like a good practice in general. Even if you’re not hoping for a new addition.