Don't Tell Me To RELAX- The Fertility Podcast Hannah Pearn

Reflexology is a popular therapy used to support women's health, fertility and pregnancy and this week we have lovely Katy (reflexologist, fertility awareness teacher and regular co-host on this podcast) talking to us all her about her love for reflexology.



We discuss:




How Katy found reflexology
What reflexology is
What training is involved
The benefits of treatment
Why it's so popular for fertility, women's health and pregnancy
Where to look for a specialist
How often to have treatment
How Katy uses it alongside her Fertility Awareness work



You can find out more about working with Katy here.



To learn more about your fertility and connect with people who are TTC, come and join our free community "Don't Tell Me To Relax"



If you'd like to work with us in clinic or online you can book a discovery call or book an appointment directly online

You can also find us on Instagram



And finally if you have enjoyed this please share/ leave us a review, we really really appreciate it! 💛

If you have followed me on instagram or ever been to clinic, you'll know we talk a lot about Vaginal Health. There is a link between a healthy vaginal microbiome and positive fertility outcomes. So this week I am joined by Alison Hall, a fertility nutritionist who has a lot of experience and knowledge to share around this topic.

In this episode we discuss:


what is the microbiome and what is a healthy vaginal microbiome
why this is important for fertility
studies that have shown links to fertility outcomes, miscarriage and pre term birth
research from Tommys in this area
microbiome testing and how this can differ from tests offered at the GP
who this test is for
signs you might want to test (fertility problems, Vaginal Health problems, IVF failures, miscarriage,history of STD's)
where you can go to test
treatment approaches to improve your vaginal microbiome
how to maintain a good vaginal microbiome



If you want to find out more we use a company called Invivo for testing, and there are other options out there like Daye, ScreenMe. And as always we recommend getting professional help and support for testing and treatment in this area, so please do get in touch if you would like further information.

I am currently mid way through a Vagiversity Course with Moira Bradfield and her site is excellent for further information, research and support in this area. I've also written a blog with more information on here.



To learn more about your fertility and connect with people who are TTC, come and join our free community "Don't Tell Me To Relax"

We have a series of new events lined up covering topics like, male fertility, further testing, IVF abroad and IVF itself.



To find out more about working with us in clinic or online you can book a discovery call or book an appointment directly online

You can also find us on Instagram



And finally if you have enjoyed this please share/ leave us a review, we really really appreciate it! 💛

Episode 12 is all about STRESS!!!!



I'm joined by Carly Garrett, who is a reflexologist and a fertility coach and creator of our two online courses we offer The Two Week Wait and The Pocket Hug.



Does stress cause fertility problems? It's a question we are asked a lot and it's very common for people to feel stressed about their stress. So in this episode we unpick this and look at ways to help manage stress.



We discuss


The stress that comes from feeling stressed


Stress and fertility and the research that says there is no link.


But fertility problems do cause stress, anxiety and depression


The lack of control that comes with fertility problems


What stress actually is


Why it's important to know that fertility problems are really stressful and they don't go away when you're told to relax/ go on holiday! (hence the podcast title!)


Why actively seeking help and support to address the stress is vital


Why there is no one way, whatever works for you is right


Letting go of perfectionism


Why fertility problems are so unfair and why that is hard to sit with



Check out my blog you'd like to find out more about stress and fertility and organisations and communities for further support.



To learn more about your fertility and connect with people who are TTC, come and join our free community "Don't Tell Me To Relax"

We have a series of new events lined up covering topics like, male fertility, further testing, IVF abroad and IVF itself.



To find out more about working with us in clinic or online you can book a discovery call or book an appointment directly online

You can also find us on Instagram



And finally if you have enjoyed this please share/ leave us a review, we really really appreciate it! 💛

This week I am joined by Hollie from the Bump Plan to talk about exercise while you're trying to conceive, either naturally or through assisted conception.



Hollie is a PT and founder of The Bump Plan, which aims to support people with their physical activity through every stage, from TTC, to pregnancy, to post natally.



We discuss:


What we mean by exercise and by physical activity and what the difference is
Why there is fear around TTC and physical activity and where this comes from
What the guidelines say and what they mean for the general population and those who are pregnant
Where and why there is a gap for people who are Trying To Conceive
Where the fear around physical activity and Trying To Conceive comes from
The problem with the studies
Why physical activity is good for all stages
What Hollie recommends for people who want to keep active alongside their fertility journey
Why it's so positive for health and why it's good to unpick all of this and understand why it is not going to be detrimental to your fertility



You can find out more here about Hollie and The Bump Plan and her programme specifically designed for when you're TTC.



If you would like to learn more about your fertility and connect with people who are TTC, come and join our free community "Don't Tell Me To Relax"

We have a series of new events lined up covering topics like, male fertility, further testing, IVF abroad and IVF itself.



To find out more about working with us in clinic or online you can book a discovery call or book an appointment directly online

You can also find us on Instagram



And finally if you have enjoyed this please share/ leave us a review, we really really appreciate it! 💛

Back this week with the ever lovely Katy Ewen aka Reflex East 😍



There are many ways to track your cycle and a good one that people use is by taking your Basal Body Temperature. This week we discuss:




What basal body temperature charting is, what it's recording and why it happens
When to take and what you'll need.
How it can confirm ovulation
Which thermometer is best- we like this one.
Where to record your information. Katy recommends Read Your Body or there is our chart here to use.
What your temps should be in the follicular and the luteal phase.
What BBT charting can tell you about your menstrual cycle
Problems with BBT charting
And when to stop!



As always we'd love to hear your experiences of BBT charting,



If you would like to learn more about your fertility and connect with people who are TTC, come and join our free community "Don't Tell Me To Relax"

To find out more about working with us in clinic you can book a discovery call or an appointment directly online

You can also find us on Instagram

A diagnosis of low AMH can often cause stress and anxiety, but does low AMH always mean your fertility is declining and this is why you're struggling to conceive?



I know I say it a lot, but this really is a cracker. If you have been told you have low AMH then this is for you 💛



In this episode I talk to Alex O'Connor, a Fertility Support Trained Acupuncturist, AMH researcher and writer of "Explaining AMH"



We discuss:


our experiences of working with people who have been diagnoses with low AMH
what AMH is and why it is measured
what this means for your chances of natural conception
what this means when you're prepping for IVF
why low AMH isn't always the reason you might be struggling to conceive
fertility MOTs
what other areas to consider when trying to understand your fertility and why you might be struggling to conceive
what you can do to improve AMH levels







If you'd like to find out more about working with Alex she is in Essex, Central London and online. You can find her website here, and she's on instagram here. Her ebook Explaining Low AMH is available here.



If you would like to learn more about your fertility and connect with people who are TTC, come and join our free community "Don't Tell Me To Relax"

We have a series of new events lined up covering topics like, male fertility, further testing, IVF abroad and IVF itself.



To find out more about working with us in clinic or online you can book a discovery call or book an appointment directly online

You can also find us on Instagram



And finally if you have enjoyed this please share/ leave us a review, we really really appreciate it! 💛