Fertility Archives - Natural Fertility and Wellness

What is fertility massage? A podcast with Claire Miller, fertility massage expert

March 7, 2017 by Donielle Baker

Fertility massage may help increase fertility and reproductive health by putting the reproductive organs into proper alignment as well as increase blood flow. It’s a form of massage that works directly with the abdomen of women and often times called Mayan abdominal massage, and therapists who work with this particular massage technique also claim that it helps to break up adhesions from endometriosis.

Back when I was writing my book I had the chance to talk to Claire Miller from ClaireMarieMiller.com to talk to us about fertility massage, what it is, and how it works. Below is the full podcast as well as the summarized version.

What is fertility massage?

Fertility massage is a certain protocol that I teach students where you are doing things that will enhance the fertility in terms of aligning the body, cleansing the colon, increasing circulation to the pelvis, and using reflexology to support the endocrine system as well as the reproductive system. It has a whole flow to it that honors the body, the emotions, and the spirit all together.

Who would benefit from receiving fertility massage?

I get a lot of women who have waited to have kids. A lot of them are in their late 30s and early 40s. But I think anyone would benefit. You could be in your 20s and thinking now you are ready to start your family and you would like to be cleansed and tuned up and in your center. I work with both males and females.

It really benefits anybody. I’ve worked with a lady who had an IUI (intrauterine insemination), and she conceived right after I worked on her. I’ve worked with ladies who have done IVF (in vitro fertilization) who have conceived as well.

Primarily I start working with them before they go to the fertility clinic. They are either hesitating or not wanting to go that route or would like to try something else before going down that road.

What are the benefits of fertility massage?

Any massage tunes you into your body. All of us, even massage therapists get on the table and realize, I didn’t know I was tight there or had something going on there. So it really does tune you in to what is going on, where you hold tension. Digestion is a big part of it.

It also relaxes the person. Letting go of stress, alone, is a great benefit to conceiving. If you are under a great deal of stress, it throws your hormones off. You’re less likely to conceive. You see that often when people go on vacation or there is a snow storm and you can’t go anywhere. People make babies.

It’s a relaxation effect as well as the cleansing effect as well as tuning in to your body.

When do you do fertility massage to benefit IUI or IVF?

It would be done before treatments. Its to clear the digestive system, increase circulation to the pelvic area, and open up and balance where the uterus is for the ladies. I also use castor oil quite a bit, which is very cleansing to the body. It breaks up adhesions and dissolves cysts and fibroids and has a whole bunch of wonderful benefits.

There’s a really good book called, The Oil That Heals by Dr. William McGarey. I’m a big believer in castor oil. I’ve even seen it increase sperm count. It would be good for both parties before either IUI or in vitro.

After the procedure you could do energy work, basically because the baby is now implanting. We don’t mess with the abdomen really until the second trimester. I’ll do some light massage on the arms and the legs, relaxing things, but none of the deep work that I would do at the end of the pregnancy.

Would that be the same when you are trying to conceive naturally?

Yes, and actually I will ask my clients that when they come. I say, are you actively trying to conceive? We schedule their session between the last day of menstruation and up to when they are about to ovulate.

What I have found is that they tend to get pregnant if I get them a day or two before ovulation. I have a really good success rate with them conceiving on that ovulation.

How often would someone get fertility massage done?

Most of the people I am seeing come once a month. You could have a couple of sessions if you really feel like you need to get tuned up and you are not actively trying to conceive within a month.

Once they are actively trying to conceive, they could get as many as two or three right before ovulation. Not everybody has the time or money for that. Most of my clients come just once a month and that is really affordable.

What can couples expect during a session?

Most of it’s very relaxing. I use aromatherapy oils and castor oil packs on their belly, because it is very warming and soothing. I do shiatsu on the back, which is working the acupressure meridian points down the back.

The first session takes at least an hour and a half because I am also getting to know them. After that it is usually about a 75 minute session.

Where might someone be able to find a massage therapist that offers fertility massage?

They can go to my website at ClaireMarieMiller.com. In the menu bar, there is a link to Find a Therapist. Click on that link and then select fertility massage as the therapist type and enter your postal code.

Can fertility massage be used along with other natural alternative therapies like acupuncture and herbal treatments?

Absolutely. I network with acupuncturists, a local herbalist, an aromatherapist, nutritionists, and chiropractors. I am all about trying as many of the natural ways as possible. They all work really well together.

What are some of the success rates for fertility massage?

Mine has been running somewhere around 80 percent. I’ve had a number of my students go out and do this. One of my students reported back 10 out of 12. Another one reported 2 out of 3.

[Claire includes more information about talking to the baby spirit and The Fertile Female by Julia Indichova at 8:58 to 10:35]

How long have you been doing fertility massage?

I’ve been teaching Nurturing the Mother since 1990. I’ve been a massage therapist since 1979. I consciously conceived my daughter, Jessica Hope, in 1984. So we were using some of those techniques back in 1984.

I have other types of clients too. I do pregnancy massage and reflexology, as well. I travel all over the country teaching massage. Pregnancy, fertility, and reflexology are my three specialties.

How many of your clients are struggling with infertility versus being already quite fertile?

I travel and teach so I don’t keep a large clientele. Right now I am working with 2 or 3 women who have not currently conceived. I have one about to deliver any day. I have one who is pregnant and the others have already delivered.

With your clients who have not yet conceived and may be dealing with infertility, is there anything special you do for them?

I teach them how to use castor oil packs at home. I may refer them to an acupuncturist so they are getting both things at the same time. A lot of times it is just getting that timing right and making sure they are really open.

I had one lady who had been coming for 8 months. We had a talk and I asked her if she really wanted a baby. She was here, there, and everywhere with all kinds of stuff going on. She looked at me and said, absolutely I want a baby. Within a month she was pregnant. She just had come to that place.

I have them come once a month and try to get as close to ovulation as they can. I think that is the best time, because we can really open things up and they are really excited about feeling their energy moving when they go home and hopefully conceive.

What is fertility massage

Pill Recovery 101, restoring balance when coming off of hormonal birth control

July 15, 2016 by Asher Thayer

“Just as we shake our heads now when we look on the barbaric medical procedures of previous centuries, the day will come when we look back and see the pill for the crude instrument it was.” –Lara Briden, ND

The pill has become a cure-all; a sure-fire way to regulate the monthly cycle of all those with a uterus and ovaries. It’s also used to treat acne and moodiness. We’ve come to understand that it does so by regulating our hormones. Unfortunately, the cycle one might obtain from a pill isn’t a true cycle at all.

One of the most important things to grasp about the pill is that the hormones they provide aren’t true hormones. They’re synthetic, not natural or bio-identical. And when you’re having a pill-induced period, you’re not having a biological period.

Naturopathic Doctor Lara Briden refers to these periods as pill-withdraws, because the bleeding is happening because your body is withdrawing from the synthetics and bleeding. You’re not actually having a rhythmic shedding.
Additionally, the pill carries with it many side effects.

Elevating blood pressure
affecting cholesterol levels
Hair loss
Mood swings
Depression
Low libido
Blood clots
Increased risk for breast cancer (2014 research demonstrated an increased risk for women aged 20-49)
Weight gain
Post-pill amenorrhea (lack of period)/Infertility after getting off the pill
Vitamin/mineral depletion
Abnormal pap-smears

If you experience any of these side effects… or even if you don’t… getting off “the pill” is an important step to healing.

But… how?

Quitting the pill is as easy as that. You quit. But your body needs to recover and heal from the pill. And, if you’re one of the many women that were put on the pill for reasons other than to prevent pregnancy, you’ll need to address the underlying causes of your illness/disease that prompted your doctor to recommend the pill as medication. Coming off of the pill, then can look vastly different between any particular group of women. Let’s focus on just a few that will be helpful to everyone.

Supplement

Because oral contraceptive is known to deplete the body of zinc and b-vitamins, one of the first things to do, even BEFORE coming off the pill is to supplement these. Remember, supplements that are food/herb based are the best source of supplementation, beyond your diet. Supplements that are whole-foods/herb based are the most bio-available to your body. Meaning, your body recognizes the nutrition in them and is able to absorb and utilize that nutrition.

As always, but ESPECIALLY when coming off of the pill, focus on nutrient dense foods like bone broths, coconut oil, nuts and seeds, nuts, and avocado. Not only do empty calories have no nutrition, but highly processed foods with lots of sugar will rob your body of nutrition it vitally needs!

Be patient

I know this is going to feel impossible, and you probably are scowling at me through the computer screen, but your reproductive and glandular systems have been repressed for so long! You MAY cycle right away, or you may not. Or you may and it will feel something like death. Give them a chance to kick back in and get back in the swing of things before you panic. It can take 9 months to a year for the body to find its rhythm again. While you’re “waiting” keep building up your body with solid nutrition, good supplements, and learn some stress reduction techniques. This is exceptionally important if you are seeking to achieve pregnancy.

Pay attention to your periods

I like what ND Briden says about your monthly cycles. They are your monthly report card that let you know how your body is doing. If they’re terribly miserable and completely derailing, something is off within your body that needs your attention. It would be helpful for you to seek out the support of a like-minded, holistic practitioner who can help you navigate what those symptoms mean for your internal health

Track your cycles

I am a huge fan of the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility. I recommend it to every single female client that comes to me with reproductive/menstrual concerns. I believe woman are not taught enough about how their bodies function! In this book you will learn more than you ever thought possible about your menstrual cycle, and it does a great job of explaining exactly how to chart. and what you can learn from all of it.

When you are tracking your cycles you can better understand how your cycles are doing. You’ll learn how long each of your phases are, and if you are ovulating (or not). This can be a great tool when coming off of the pill, whether you’re simply seeking to understand your health, trying to conceive, or trying to avoid pregnancy.

Tea

A simple tea of red raspberry and chaste berry (vitex) can go a long, long way to helping you restore a healthy hormone balance and healthy cycles. While there are many, many other herbs that may be indicated for you based on who you are, these are two that should be easy to find and help.

You’re Not Alone

And remember, no one should have to walk a healing journey alone. Find a practitioner that is educated and a good fit for you that will help you navigate getting off the pill and help you recover from the reasons you were taking the pill in the first place. If you’re in the Grand Rapids area, I’m happy to help.

Resources

Period Repair Manual (available on Amazon)- I’ve referenced the book several times throughout this post, and I highly recommend it to anyone who has period and fertility concerns. There are lots of great, straightforward information about how the pill damages our bodies, and how we can restore balance to them.

Naturally Knocked Up (available on Amazon)- I’ve referred several clients to this book and everyone has found it to be very helpful in understanding how so many things in our every day life can be so disruptive to our health, and specifically, matters of cycles and fertility.

Taking Charge of Your Fertility (available on Amazon)- If you have a uterus you need to read this book! Even if you’re not seeking to achieve pregnancy, you will gain oodles of information and wisdom about how and why women cycle.

Choosing natural menstrual products; what you need to know about tampons and pads

June 30, 2016 by Melissa

We use them every single month and they come super close to our most precious space, yet we seldom think about what tampons and pads contain and how they may be affecting our health.

1.What are they made of?

Most pads and tampons are made of cotton. This is one of the most grown crops and also one of the most pesticide ridden crops. Cotton is considered the world’s dirtiest crop due to its heavy use of pesticides. Cotton grower’s use 16% of the world’s pesticides.

Dioxin is one of the most worrisome ingredients within these pesticides as it has been linked to endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, cause cancer and reduced fertility.

The average pad also contains the same amount of plastic as four plastic bags. That plastic is also likely to contain chemicals like BPS, BPS and affect our natural hormone balance.

2. Everything down there gets absorbed

Your cells in your vagina are super absorbent and whatever is in that space is going to be absorbed. This can be advantageous if you are wanting to make a healthy suppository but if you want to avoid toxins leaching into your body, then it is imperative that we become more aware of what we use.

“Vaginal tissue is lined with permeable mucous membranes, which protect the body from bacteria, but which can also easily absorb or be irritated by other chemicals,” explains Alex Scranton, director of Science and Research at Women’s Voices For The Earth, a group that advocates more research into menstrual products’ safety. These vaginal membranes are filled with blood vessels, which allow any chemical they are exposed to be easily absorbed into your bloodstream.

“Studies have shown that hormone chemicals, like estrogen especially, will be absorbed vaginally at 10-80 times the rate that the same dose would be absorbed orally,” notes Scranton. So it isn’t hard to believe that any pesticides and chlorine present in the cotton used to make your tampon would be quickly absorbed through your vagina, too.

3. Your choice impacts the environment

Think about it… all those tampons and pads have an incredible environmental impact. In one lifetime we may use 11,000 to 16,000 tampons in a lifetime. That is all landing up in landfills, rubbish and simply doesn’t biodegrade easily.

We’ve also got to consider that all that growing of cotton and use of chemicals lands up in our rivers and oceans.

4. Blocking the nature of things

When we menstruate, we want things to flow out of the body. Using tampons creates a block and also opens up room for infection and unhealthy bacteria. It has been shown that tampons are not able to absorb all parts of our menstruation process. They tend to only absorb the liquid parts of our period. This means the thicker cells are not being absorbed and remain stuck in the uterus.

We are also not supposed to have something with old blood sitting inside of our bodies for extended periods of time. Menstruation is our bodies way of cleansing. It is supposed to come out!

Recommendations for natural menstrual products:

If you like pads: use washable pads to allow a natural flow of things, without all the chemicals and without impacting the environment. You can find many options on Amazon as well as handmade pads on etsy.

If you like tampons: Use a Diva Cup (available on Amazon) or Mooncup to replace tampons. These can be used each and every month, saving you money and the environment at the same time.

Whole foods cleanse (natural fertility 101)

January 7, 2016 by Donielle Baker

It’s really no coincidence that I started off the Natural Fertility 101 series with detoxification. Even in January. You see, cleansing our bodies before conception is important AND January is a great time to do it! During the fall months we normally dine on rich and dense foods like stews, chili, and roasts so that our bodies can build up nutrient stores to help us last through the winter months. The normal indulgent and sweet treats of the holidays are also behind us and our bodies are ready for a break.

I’d long heard that winter was a great time for a cleanse and I heard it again when I had a chance to listen to Jordin Rubin speak last fall. He highly recommended a week-long diet cleanse every three months, starting in January. A recent newsletter from the Body Ecology Diet mentioned the same thing as well as referred to the Traditional Chinese Medicine theory that backed that thought as well.

But how do you cleanse your body?

It can actually be as simple as making just a few changes within your diet and healing with real foods.

Length of a whole foods cleanse

The length that one would choose to cleanse can vary by person, but could last somewhere between 3-10 days. The goal is to lighten the load placed on the body and increase bile production in order to assist the body in its natural detoxification system to remove toxins. (increased bile production makes the liver more efficient and moves more toxins out of the body faster than it normally would)

You don’t want to do a strict dietary cleanse any longer than 10 days (unless you’re working with a professional for a specific health issue) because while the foods that help your body cleanse are healthy, you also need to make sure you get the building blocks needed for strong health as well as keeping your reproductive system working in top gear. Growing babies need those building blocks too!

I’ve also chosen many times to simply reduce harder to digest foods and increase more cleaning foods without a major overhaul on my diet.

Foods to avoid or reduce during a “cleanse”

Caffeine – While it’s the most popular ‘drug’ consumed in America, it’s also very hard on the body. It’s one of the biggest contributors of adrenal fatigue, causing constant internal stress. It also causes us to push our bodies beyond normal limits and we work instead of rest.
Sugar – Not only is refined sugar hard to digest it depletes the body of nutrients. During a time of cleansing, we should also refrain from even unrefined sugars to allow for even more healing.
Gluten, Grains, Legumes, Nuts, and Seeds – Often hard for people to digest, they also contain enzyme inhibitors that are difficult for the body to deal with.
Meat – While meat is a very nutrient dense and building food, there are times where we need to take a short break from including it into our diets.

photo credit – m.kukova

Foods that may assist in detoxification

All of the following foods have wonderful cleansing properties to them and contain plenty of antioxidants, sulpher compounds, and/or specific nutrients that can help increase bile production.

Dandelion leaves and spinach.
Carrots
Beets
Broccoli and brussel sprouts
Asparagus
Garlic
Lemon
Avocado
Eggs

Other foods to include

Probiotic Foods. Fermented vegetables, yogurt, kombucha, and homemade lacto fermented dressings all add to the beneficial bacteria within your system. This bacteria is essential for good health and keeps your body’s immune system functioning properly.

Homemade Bone Broth. Deeply nourishing, bone broths are rich with minerals and may help heal the digestive system.

Seafood. More specifically wild caught seafood, is not near as “heavy” as other animal meats and offers a multitude of essential nutrients.

Berries and “Sour” Fruits. Lower in natural sugar, many types of berries and the more sour or tart fruits can help the body cleanse as well as help deal with any sugar craving that come up during a cleanse. You’ll want to look for not only berries and lemons, but fruits like green apples and grapefruit.

{Learn more about cleansing with foods in chapter two of the book!}

Cleansing During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

There are a couple of times in life when a woman should not try to actively cleanse her body. Pregnancy and breastfeeding are those times! When you cleanse, your body may release many toxins, which can end up being sent to the baby in utero as well as through the breast milk. It would be a good idea to eat foods that have cleansing properties along with your normal diet, but do not cut out foods like whole dairy and meat because your little one needs these nourishing foods to grow and develop correctly.

Also be aware of when you try to conceive following a strict cleanse as the sperm and egg have a three-month life before conception. You don’t want to be displacing toxins around your body to have them effect the DNA of the egg or sperm. If you are already in good health and don’t have a lot of exposure to toxins, this won’t be such a big deal as if you are coming off of a very standard american diet and may have a much larger toxic body burden.

What do you do/have you done to actively cleanse your body with foods?

article originally posted on January 10, 2011

Why we want to avoid plastic as much as possible

October 3, 2015 by Melissa

For a long time, I used to purchase a water bottle from the gas station or supermarket and re-used the bottle for months at a time. I really believed I was saving money by not re-buying my bottle every day, because let’s face it – some places charge a ridiculous amount for water!

I did this for years and never thought twice about it…. until a friend of mine refused to drink from my water bottle after we had been on a long hike together. I knew she was thirsty as she had repeated this for the last part of the hike, over and over again and we both made jokes about our desperate need for more water! She had seen my mankie (yes, I made that word up!) water bottle. It was torn and slightly dented in places.

Well, naturally I had to understand why she didn’t want to drink from my water bottle – even though she was super thirsty! We were good friends, so I made a joke about it being about my germs or something but she revealed something far more important. She explained to me that water bottles were a nasty form of Oestrogen which mimicks our own oestrogen and can play havoc with our hormones.

The worst part was that when these water bottles sit in the sun, those oestrogens leak into the water and we essentially are drinking Oestrogen Tea!

Admittedly, I never considered this for all those years and it was what started my desire to learn more about the things we put into our bodies!

Since then, I discovered a scary connection with Endometriosis (a condition I suffered with for many, many years) and too many Oestrogens – particularly these bad Oestrogens, which are typically called Xenoestrogens.

With Endometriosis, having too much oestrogen is really, really common and is said to be the trigger in Endometriosis growing and progressing. This makes sense as most oestrogens trigger growth within the body. We do need this growth while we are going through puberty – yes, for our boobs to grow but also to ensure our bones grow, amongst many other things.

photo credit – pressmaster on canva

So, could too much Oestrogen from environmental toxins, particularly from plastics be a contributor to Endometriosis?

It certainly could be.

See, Xenoestrogens act as far more potent forms of oestrogens, naturally produced within the body. It is super powerful and will cause imbalances within our hormones – PMS anyone?

Xenoestrogens from plastics are super easy to avoid. Don’t drink from plastic bottles and particularly those which are made of that cheap plastic! Avoid eating foods which were prepared or stored in plastic tubs – Chinese take-out is one of the most common places for using plastic tubs for take-out.

The truth is, since recognizing these facts with plastics and oestrogens…. I can now actually taste the oestrogens in the water! I just can’t drink it either and finally understand what my friend was talking about!

Have you tried “oestrogen tea” water? Noticed a difference with normal water? Did you know this about plastics?