With all forms of assisting with fertility and conception, timing matters. And with our in-home fertility massage timing definitely matters!
Fertility massage is intended to increase the potential for conception, whether that is completely naturally, with the assistance of medications for either the female or male partner, or more medical assistance where the hope of conception occurs in a doctor’s office.
Fertility Massage and Unassisted Conception
If you are you and your partner are attempting to conceiving naturally, then we recommend fertility massage up until ovulation! No changes are necessary. Massage of course can be done after conception, but we do not perform fertility massage then.
Fertility Massage While Taking Clomid or Letrozole
If you are taking any medications that help with ovulation or balancing hormones, a fertility massage is beneficially from day 1 of your cycle until the day before ovulation. Some people do not feel up for a massage during their period, and that is totally fine. Generally we say day 6 to ovulation is comfortable and beneficial.
Fertility Massage and IUI or IVF
If you are having a doctor assistance by receiving an Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) or InVitro Fertilization (IVF), you know the importance of timing. A fertility massage can be done up until ovulation for those who will going in for an IUI.
If you are going through IVF, fertility massage can be done up until implantation, but with a few changes based on your personal timeline. Up until egg retrieval, we will omit the endocrine reflexology as you have enough shots stimulating those organs, we do not want to make any more changes. Between egg retrieval and implantation, we will still use the castor oil packs and omit those endocrine reflexology points.
We also will be mindful of working with those who are going through IVF due to the shots that you must give yourself. We will definitely ask if there are any areas that are sore due to those shots, but please do not hesitate to speak up during a session.
Fertility Massage After Ovulation
We can definitely do a typical massage session work after ovulation, but we generally avoid the deep abdominal work and the reflexology associated with the fertility massage. While a massage will not cause a miscarriage, we feel like the deeper abdominal work may make things a bit harder for implantation. The foot reflexology we do is to stimulate the various endocrine and reproductive organs associated with pregnancy, and if conception has occurred, we do not feel it is necessary to stimulate those organs even more.
