Yoga during treatment

[Laura_beth]

Hi All!

So I’m a bit confused about the dos and don’t’s of Yoga during IVF.

I am currently having my first ICSI cycle - I am awaiting to hear my ET date after EC on Friday morning.

Up until my EC I had been doing yoga poses as a way to relax and just feel like I was contributing something to this process.

I’ve since read conflicting reports that this isn’t safe to continue once you’ve had the transfer. Some instructors say that it’s fine to carry on but not do a full “class” others say you shouldn’t do any yoga but just meditation.

Does anyone know or have any experience with yoga??

Thanks for the support 💕💕

[Frenchie2017]

Hello, I also enjoy yoga and have carried on throughout my IVF. I have cut it down to one class a week though... I spoke to my yoga teacher and told her in private I was doing IVF, so she has been adapting what I do in class... I had my egg transfer on wednesday, so she said this week she will only give me restorative poses to do, with lots of relaxation etc.. could you talk to your teacher? I will have a Google as well - do you know why it said not to practice yoga after transfer?

[Laura_beth in reply to Frenchie2017]

Hello! Its great you’ve been able to adapt your classes like that.

I follow an online class so don’t have a teacher as such. The poses I do now are all specifically supposed to benefit fertility and IVF but apparently it isn’t safe to continue during the 2ww as it can cause things like ovarian torsion (think thats extreme worse case) and endanger the success of the procedure.

Apparently you’re not supposed to let your stomach get too warm or be jolted so I know they advise against “exercise” and things like baths etc but I wasn’t sure if Yoga fell under that category too or not!

It’s so hard to know whats the right and wrong thing isnt it 🙈🙈 xx

[Frenchie2017 in reply to Laura_beth]

It is so confusing! I also read somewhere that you should keep your tummy and feet warm during the 2ww 😂 I think it's linked to Chinese medicine... After my transfer my doctor said to carry on as normal, but not to start running marathons if I had never run one before! It's so hard to know what to do for the best though. I love yoga and it does help relax me xx

[Pookymama]

Im afraid I don't know the answer either but I'd like to because I've taken up yoga and Fitsteps classes since my last ivf cycle was cancelled in April. Also throw in the odd cycle and weights session.

I feel much better physically and psychologically for exercising and have lost over a stone so ill definitely be fitter going into my next round.

Like you though, I also wonder what exercise, if any, you can continue/adapt after the tww... do we then simply switch to pregnancy yoga or wait until out of the first trimester? I guess you can work out leading up to transfer day though can you?...

Good luck with it all anyway lovely. Xx

[Laura_beth in reply to Pookymama]

It’s so difficult isn’t it.

I think if you’re super active anyway then it doesn’t make a huge amount of difference because your body is used to it but on the safe side I would avoid anything strenuous or high activity like weights etc during the 2ww. Definitely don’t push yourself everyday - they say 4 hours a week max.

Personally I would do gentle exercise/yoga the week of transfer and nothing the day of/day after. If you’re like me you’ll be too sore/achey to want to exercise anyway.

I hope that helps xx

[Pookymama in reply to Laura_beth]

I fully agree with the no strenuous exercise thing but would like to keep the yoga after transfer dangers have passed.

Hope everything goes well for you xxx

[Busybee88]

Hey,

I’ve found yoga to be a fantastic way to cope with the stresses of ivf. I was advised that I could keep doing what was normal for me - which in my case was 1-2 yoga classes per week and dog walking - and not push myself too hard. So I just made sure that during the 2ww or if my stomach was feeling tender I didn’t go down onto it and didn’t create any tension in my body.

It’s so unlikely that anything you do physically will stop the treatment from working (within reason), plus I find that the mental benefits of yoga can only be good

Hope that helps! x