Best prenatal vitamins? And a few IVF questions

Tulips29

Just curious, what prenatal vitamins do you/did you take? Is there one that is the best or most recommended? I've been taking OB-Complete until now but my RE said I can take any over the counter prenatals. Looking for suggestions of what's possibly best.

Also, how did you prep for IVF? I've been reading that it's good to give up caffeine for example. I drink 1 cup of tea each morning as it helps wake me up. Is that bad or do I need to transition off of it? I've been eating healthier, but what other steps can I take to give myself the best change of it working?

Thanks!  

dragonfaerie

@Tulips29 I've been taking the Wal-Mart brand I think. But just make sure you have folic acid and DHA in there and you'll be good.

As for giving things up/changing your diet, here's how my nurse put it: "I would rather you have a glass of wine/coffee to calm down, then be completely stressed out of your mind. The most important thing is to be calm during this process."

I would try to transition to having tea less often (especially since once you get your BFP you really should quite entirely,) but a cup now and again is probably not the worst thing in the world. And if it helps you maintain a zen state of mind, then it's better to have that one cup rather than be stressing. I cut out coffee and drinking for the most part starting January 1, but about once a week I had a glass of wine if I'd had a rough day, and on my birthday (which was in the middle of my stims) I had two drinks.

I have heard of folks taking CoQ10 to improve egg health, but I haven't done research. Have lots of fiber-rich foods, cuz the hormones are going to mess with your tummy. Make sure you are getting plenty of Vitamin D for sure. But more than anything, just try to be zen. I HATE people telling me to "be calm", but really it's more important than almost anything else. Do yoga, go for walks, journal, talk to a therapist, get a foot massage, whatever you need to feel as relaxed as possible. I posted a discussion a few weeks ago with some infertility affirmations, if that's something you are interested in.

Best of luck to you!!

mclorn

@dragonfaeriesaid it all great!  Honestly do what you need to do (in moderation) to be calm.  I was more 'by the book' with my failed IVF cycle then my successful one, go figure.  Best of luck to you!!!

Tulips29

Thanks ladies! @dragonfaerie how can I find your previous post? I'd love to read through it. 

dragonfaerie

@Tulips29 Here is the link: https://forums.thebump.com/discussion/12661910/if-affirmations#latest

Let me know if that doesn't work and I will copy the affirmations directly here

khochanadel

All prenatal vitamins are pretty equal. Like PP said, just make sure it has the right mg of folic acid and DHA. 

As for IVF prep, the only thing I would add is to keep your exercise regimen. It will help you recover from egg retrieval faster and you can keep doing the same workouts when you get your BFP. Some will tell you to drop physical activity or even try to say bed rest is best, but that flies in the face of expert advice.

Tulips29

@dragonfaerie thanks, the link worked and some great points there!

@khochandel I've heard that it's not suggested to exercise a lot during the IVF process and especially after the retrieval and transfer. I happen to love spin classes, so wondering if I can keep going to them or if it's best to chose something else. 

dragonfaerie

@Tulips29 I have heard mixed reviews about exercise during IVF, even within the same doctor's office. The most consistent thing I have heard is keep it low impact, not a lot of twisting, and not a ton of heavy weight lifting. So some yoga would be okay, but don't tie yourself in knots. I would ask your RE about spin class. I felt so weird during my stims that I barely worked out at all, but if you are used to working out, you'll want to keep it up. Again, it seems to come down to keeping your stress low, and if a light workout helps with that, then do it!

khochanadel

They only limited me right after embryo transfer. Granted, when your ovaries are the size of grapefruits right before retrieval, you're not going to want to do much more than walk to the mailbox and back.

The key is to listen to your body. It will set your limits for you. Like @dragonfaerie said, if you're used to being active, you'll want to keep it up. 

AandDM2014

If you're going to be doing exercise you should ask your doctor what s/he recommends. I was limited to 30 minutes of very light aerobics during my stims, though towards the end I could only do about 10 before I was just too uncomfortable. I also had "kissing ovaries". It wasn't painful, but it was challenging to move around at any decent pace.

susykat77

I have to add that all prenatals are not created equal. Although, a lot of people can get away with the cheap prenatals and be just fine. Some folks have a defect on the MTHFR gene that inhibits their ability to properly metabolize B12 and folate - the treatment is simple - take B vitamins that already provide the methyl donor group - they are listed on label as methylcobalamin. I found this listed on my prenatals from Target - the brand is Healthy Mama. 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3250974/
 Best of luck to you!!! ☺️