5 Tips for Handling the Holidays when Trying to Conceive
The holidays can be a stressful time even under the best
circumstances, but when you’re dealing with Infertility, the holidays can bring
up a flood of emotions. Being surrounded by children and well-meaning relatives
telling you to “just relax” can be a source of anxiety and sadness for couples
dealing with infertility. Dr. Walid Saleh of SIRM Dallas in Dallas, Texas has
five tips for couples coping with infertility during the holidays.
1. Make Choices
You’ve decided to grow your family, and the road has not been as
easy as you’d hoped. Dealing with infertility during the holidays can be
difficult, so it’s important to make choices about what you can handle.
If you’re scheduled to undergo fertility treatments over the
holidays, consider putting them on hold until the stress of the holidays has
passed. This is especially true if you’ll be traveling – having to juggle
travel arrangements along with doctors’ appointments and injections won’t help
your stress levels.
2. Take Care of Yourself
The holidays usually mean families, full of children and
well-meaning relatives asking about that absent bundle of joy. If the thought
of being surrounded by children and being on the receiving end of painful
questions sounds like too much for you, then take a break to care for yourself.
Spend the holidays with friends who know about your fertility journey and/or
who don’t have children. If neither is viable spend time with your partner at
home or on a vacation. Right now, your well-being trumps tradition and guilt
trips.
3. Decide on a plan
If you decide to go home for the holidays, make a plan. It’s only
a matter of time before someone asks you and your partner if you’re planning on
having kids anytime soon. For couples struggling with infertility, this is not
something you’ll want to hear. While these questions can be hurtful, it’s
important to remember that the asker didn’t know about your struggles with
infertility. Decide ahead of time on how to respond to these questions, and, if
you’re comfortable, share your infertility struggles with family and friends
before the holidays roll around.
4. Practice Gratitude
We all have many more things to be thankful for than not, even
while struggling with infertility. Take some time this holiday season to write
out some of the things you are thankful for in your life – you’ll be surprised
by how much it can change your perspective.
5. Lean on Your Support system
No matter how much you plan for the holidays, there will be days
that will have you feeling down. Family and friends can be a strong source of
support for you during your infertility struggle, so consider confiding in a
close family member or two about your diagnosis. Allow yourself to feel sad,
depressed, or deprived and lean on the people in your life who understand what
you are going through.
Feeling sad, stressed, and frustrated when you’re coping with
infertility over the holidays is completely normal. Make sure to take the time
and energy to plan, practice self-care, and lean on those you love to help you
get through the holidays. If you and your partner have been struggling to
conceive, the experts at SIRM Dallas can help. For more information or
to schedule a consultation with Dr. Walid
Saleh, our fantastic fertility specialist at our Dallas, Texas infertility
clinic, please call (972)
566-6686.
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