A Few Of My Favourite Things: Fertility Resources
Originally Posted Jun 18, 2015
We all have to start somewhere.
When babies are on the brain you want to devourer every little bit of information that you can find on how you can get pregnant faster. Like, yesterday kind of fast.
While no product can do that…. There are some amazing books, sites and resources that I absolutely love and I wanted to take the time to share them with you today.
In the coming months I will be sharing My favourites and a variety of topics, but today is all about Fertility and getting you closer to Living Fertile.
*NOTE If you are looking at this list and getting a little overwhelmed or feel behind. Stop right here and take a breath. These are suggestions not absolutes. You do not have to buy every single one of these books or downloads or even follow all of these sites. These are my favourite out of a million other ones, but choose only what fits for you and nothing more. Start small that may just be enough.
Alright, let’s get started.
I love books, so I could probably make 4 or 5 posts about great books, but I’ve narrowed this down to my favourites.
Foundations (Start Here)
My Teacher Dr. Randine Lewis has 2 books that are always my first two recommendations.The first, The Infertility Cure: The Ancient Chinese Wellness Program for Getting Pregnant and Having Healthy Babies is the foundation to getting a woman’s body back into relationship with itself. Allowing her to understand the principles that we are trying to balance and provide simple steps that anyone can begin to do for themselves at home.
My favourite of her two books is The Way of the Fertile Soul: Ten Ancient Chinese Secrets to Tap into a Woman's Creative Potential. This book embodies the energy of the 5 elements and how a woman can emotionally free herself from the stresses of the fertility process with practices of self-care and meditation.
Fertility Diets
Unsure how to eat, need to make a change here you go
Check out my dear friend Kathryn Simmons-Flynn and her cookbook Cooking for Fertility for delicious recipes that you can make to support each phase of your cycle and according to your Traditional Chinese Medicine diagnosis.
One that’s new on book shelfs that’s a must read:
Feed Your Fertility: Your Guide to Cultivating a Healthy Pregnancy with Chinese Medicine, Real Food, and Holistic Living by Emily Bartlett and Laura Elrich I have had the distinct pleasure of learning from Laura, she is also a fellow of the ABORM like myself, with an amazing successful Acupuncture and Doula Practice in LA, This book is really good.
Understanding you Cycles and Hormones
Womancode: Perfect Your Cycle Amplify Your Fertility Supercharge your Sex Drive and Become A Power Source by Alisa VittiThis book is a must read if you suffer from PCOS, but if you have any kind of hormonal imbalance this book will be amazingly helpful in finding balance and understanding your body in a new way.
Code Red: Know Your Flow, Unlock Your Monthly Super Powers and Create a Bloody Amazing Life. Period by Lisa Lister
I just found out about this book, and so I’ve haven’t finished reading it. What I can say is its BLOODY good, and I can confidently say that every woman on the planet should read this one.
A Book For Your Man
A lot of humour mixed in with a ton of truth.How To Make Love To A Plastic Cup: A Guy's Guide to the World of Infertility by Greg Wolfe
E-Courses to understand your period and cycle
Fix Your Period: with Nicole Jardim
Debunking Ovulation: Nat Kringoudis
Debunking PCOS: with Nat Kringoudis
Guided Fertility Mediations
Circle + Bloom is my go to. You can buy general fertility mediations through to ones that are specific for any treatment that you may be navigating, such as IUI or IVF.
Anji Online also has really beautiful meditations that you may want to check out.
Workouts That Support Your Fertility
Qoya with Rochelle Schieck, I fell in love with this from the first moment I saw this. So much that I'm getting certified as a Qoya Teacher this Fall.
Fertility Tea
Moontime Fertility Tea Blended by Kathryn Simmons-Flynn this tea has a beautiful taste and objective to support reproductive function* using a nutrient-rich blend of organic teas traditionally used by herbalists to enhance fertility. This tea is certified organic, using all kosher ingredients and is completely caffeine free
I love to create ritual’s so every patient of mine that has used this tea I encourage them to view it as its own treatment. Setting a little time out of their day to meditate and creating that invitation to their child while sipping this blend.
Websites and Blogs
Kathryn Simmons - Flynn - www.fertilefoods.com
Alisa Vitti - www.floliving.com
Nicole Jardim - www.nicolejardim.com
Randine Lewis - www.thefertilesoul.com
Nat Kringoudis - www.natkringoudis.com.au
Emily Bartlett - www.holisticsquid.com
Fertility Retreats
If you ever have the opportunity to partake in one of Randine Lewis' retreats. DO IT!
I have attended a couple over the years, even before I ever thought of wanting to get pregnant and by doing so it changed my life. No joke or exaggeration, Just spending a few days with Randine and her team and it will flip your entire Fertility/Infertility experience on its head.
www.thefertilesoul.com for more details and to register.
Board Certified Fertility Acupuncturists
Check out www.aborm.org to find a practitioner near you. Don't see one there, email the contact information and the fellows will be asked if they know of someone qualified.
Alright, I think that’s enough to get you started.
XO Ashley