I am 44 yo and had a tubal reversal on 4/19/12. I had begun to prepare my body and my husband’s body for conception several months before I even had my TR in hopes that my eggs would be healthy and my body would be healthier. After my TR I took the first month and did the fertility cleanse and just allowed my body time to heal. I have tried many, many things but the most important was regular high quality supplements to include CoQ10, a high quality prenatal vitamin, vitamin D3, vitex, maca (not as regularly as I would have liked), royal jelly or bee pollen (depending on which one I could find… most often royal jelly), evening primrose oil during first half of cycle/ flax seed oil second half of cycle, and our successful month I began the thyrofem thyroid support because I am convinced I have at least some borderline issues with hypothyroid. I used castor oil packs occasionally and self fertility massage. I have also been watching my diet carefully and eat as clean as possible, try to have a green smoothie daily with added wheat germ oil, powdered greens which include wheat grass, barley grass, and I think maybe spirulina? Another thing I did differently the month I conceived was that my DH and I began exercising daily at a local gym. I also followed advice in the book “Making Babies” written by a doctor and an acupuncturist and used a baking soda douche around the time of ovulation. I began acupuncture several months ago as well, which actually alleviated many cycle issues I was having and I believe contributed to my pregnancy also. With the acupuncture we began using a moxa stick on my low back every night (prescribed by the acupuncturist) during the TWW the month I conceived.

So, after all of the preparations and work to have a healthy fertile body, I was able to conceive on our 6th month TTC. I am now currently 23 wks. pregnant with a healthy baby girl. Don’t ever give up on your dream! I found that through our TTC journey I would change things around some months and try something new. Just keep working at it until you find the right combination for you.

Dalene Barton-Schuster - Certified Herbalist, Birth Doula

Practicing natural health and herbalism for over 18 years, Dalene received her training and herbal certification under the guidance of Lynn Albers at Yarmony Mt. Herbal College in Colorado in 2000. She went on to become a Certified Birth Doula at Birthingway College of Midwifery in Portland, Oregon in 2007. As a Birth Doula, Dalene has helped to bring many new lives in to this world. Dalene has written 280+ fertility articles and with her vast array of herbal and holistic healing knowledge has helped 1000’s of women on their journey to Motherhood.