Education

What the heck is a Fertility Coach and why do I need one?

Jul 14, 2015

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When I was going through infertility I tried to figure out everything by myself.  Late night Internet searches left me feeling overwhelmed and downright scared. Would I ever hold a baby in my arms?  It seemed like everyone around me was pregnant, except me.  I would have benefited from someone to guide me through the often scary world of infertility.

That someone is a Fertility Coach.

You may be asking – what the heck is a fertility coach?

Let me break it down for you:

As a Fertility Coach I have experienced infertility – so I get it!   This part is crucial – it’s hard to explain what it feels like to not be able to get pregnant to someone who gets pregnant on the first try.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s not their fault, but they just don’t get it.

I’ve been there, I was diagnosed with premature ovarian failure at 28 and had both my kids with donor eggs.  It’s scary, overwhelming when it seems like your body has failed you.

Going through infertility can be emotionally draining, overwhelming and confusing.  Navigating your way around doctor’s appointments, contradictory information on the Internet and well-meaning advice from friends and family can make you want to hide under the covers and never come out!

As a certified life coach I support you and your partner to reconnect with one another and acknowledge the emotions that you are feeling (often times we stuff down our emotions, until they bubble up to the surface in the form of depression, anger or jealousy).

I help you to stay on track.  Often we have good intentions to eat right, exercise, get enough rest, be nice to our partner and then life intervenes and we fall off track.  This is where a Fertility Coach helps to keep you on track.  When you trip up (and you will as self-sabotage likes to rear its ugly little head anytime you commit to something) I hold you accountable, so you get results. 

I support you to trust your gut and intuition.  Many of have given over our power to someone else.   Our body sends us signals everyday.  First it whispers to us and then it starts to shout usually in the form of disease (or in this case infertility).  A Fertility Coach helps you to tap into your intuition so you can listen to the signals.

Stress definitely affects your fertility, which in itself can make you more stressed. A Fertility Coach helps you to figure out which stress-busting strategy is good for you.  I develop a plan so you know that exact steps to take so you can finally hold your baby in your arms.

You may have heard that there are some foods to eat and some foods to avoid to help boost your fertility.  You may have heard that Paleo is good for fertility, or that you need to go Vegan or that if you just tried the latest and greatest superfood you would get pregnant. I’ve done the research and have a road map to lead you through the exact steps to take to get pregnant.  Hint – It’s not about one magic superfood or vitamin.

Maybe you haven’t even considered that there is a link between your food and fertility.  I discovered many years later that the root cause of my infertility was a food intolerance.

I have studied over 100 dietary theories at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.  During my health coach training I learned that one person’s medicine is another person’s poison.  What works for me may not work for you, since we’re all unique.  I apply these principles with my coaching programs.  The programs are customized to suit your individual infertility diagnosis.  I always go at your pace, but I hold you accountable so you get results.

I work with a Functional Nutritionist in our signature Couples Coaching Program who specializes in autoimmune disease and food sensitivity.  Often this is the key to unlocking the root cause of your infertility.

This information may sound intriguing and you may be ready to get started.  You can sign up for Fertility Consultation here.  This consultation will give you the exact strategy for our specific infertility diagnosis.  We’ll work out a plan that is customized just for you!

Or you maybe you feel like this is one more gimmick or new thing that you have to try.

Here is what may stop you from using a Fertility Coach:

I can do it by myself – Thing is if you could do it by yourself, you already would have done it!  Harsh, yes, but true!

I am already eating a healthy diet – thank you very much. Don’t worry it’s not your fault.  Many of us aren’t aware how the standard western diet is affecting our health.  Infertility is on the rise, it affects more than 1 in 6 couples.  What you place on your fork every day DOES affect your fertility.

I can’t afford it.  What if making lifestyle and diet changes actually increased your success rate at the fertility clinic.  As Randine Lewis, says in The Infertility Cure (top book on Infertility), the average success rate of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) at one clinic near her is 60%. However, for patients that she sends there, the success rate reaches 90%. Her program contains diet and lifestyle suggestions similar to those outlined in my Fertility Coaching Programs and she also employs the techniques of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). These include, but are not limited to herbs, acupuncture and lifestyle changes.

With the average IVF treatment costing anywhere from $ 10,000-14,000, if you can increase the success rate, isn’t that a wise investment?  Your call – but to me it’s a no-brainer!

Here’s what my clients are saying:

We think this program should be a part of what every couple does at the beginning of their pregnancy plans, regardless of where they may be on the fertility spectrum.  It is a holistic, wholesome and lifestyle approach that would benefit so many people. We really, really wish it was mandatory part of the referral from a OB/GYN to a fertility clinic.  Andrea

Here’s what you’ll be asked to do during the Fertility Coaching program:

  • Be coachable
  • Be open to new foods, concepts and exercises
  • Fulfill on the commitments I make
  • Eat nourishing foods according to the guidance of my Fertility Coach
  • Exercise according to the guidance of my Fertility Coach
  • Pause and play sometimes
  • Give gratitude in the relationships in my life
  • Develop a listening to my body’s wants and needs
  • Powerfully deal with the stressors in my life

 

More testimonials:

It felt really good to finally establish some of the health routines I had been talking about doing for a long time.  Sarah’s support and focusing on my diet, exercise, and mental health really helped me through the stress of infertility treatments.  Miranda

If you want to get three times the results in double the time.  Schedule your FREE Fertility Consultation here.

Sarah Clark empowers couples to discover how lifestyle and diet can dramatically impact their chances of conceiving.  She was diagnosed with premature ovarian failure at 28 and had both her kids with donor eggs.  Not until years later did she discover that the root cause of her infertility was a food intolerance.  Ready to gaze into your baby’s eyes….but struggling.  Download 10 step Checklist here