Part 2: My Journey to a Successful Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET)
Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor, and I’m not offering medical advice. But after a lot of research and personal experience, I’m sharing the steps I took to optimize my body and mind for a successful Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET). In this post, I’ll talk about the holistic practices and rituals that played a key role in my journey. I hope it helps anyone else on a similar path. 🤍
If you’re preparing for an FET, you’re probably familiar with the basics like medications, hormone injections, and timing. However, I wanted to share some of the additional steps I took that helped me feel more aligned and ready for transfer. Here are the key things I focused on leading up to my procedure:
1. Reiki: Healing from the Inside Out
Trying to conceive (TTC) can bring its fair share of emotional trauma. It’s a deeply frustrating, isolating experience—and it can affect your fertility if you don’t address it. That’s why I turned to Reiki.
I found @iamjaimeclaire, a Reiki healer who specializes in womb and fertility energy. And let me tell you, the experience was powerful. After each session, I felt lighter, calmer, and more grounded. Reiki helped release not only my personal TTC trauma but also generational energy passed down through the maternal line.
Reiki is more than just relaxation—it can help clear emotional blockages and open up your energy channels. I walked away from each session feeling more at peace, and more in tune with my body’s fertility potential. If you’re struggling with emotional blockages or past trauma around conception, I highly recommend giving Reiki a try.
2. No Cold Foods or Beverages: Warming the Body for Fertility
One principle I took from Chinese medicine was avoiding cold foods and drinks. For two months before my FET and during my first trimester, I avoided anything cold—whether it was meals or beverages. I made sure everything I consumed was warm or room temperature.
The logic behind this is simple: a warm uterus is more welcoming for an embryo. While cold smoothies and iced drinks are often thought to be healthy, especially in Western culture, keeping your body warm supports fertility.
I didn’t eliminate cold foods entirely (who can resist the occasional smoothie?), but I made a conscious effort to follow this warming protocol as much as possible. It may sound like a small change, but I believe it made a significant difference in how I felt and how my body responded during this process.
3. Heating Pad: A Daily Ritual for Uterine Health
Warming my body was essential leading up to my FET. For a solid month before the transfer, I used a heating pad 2-3 times a day for 10 minutes on my uterus and lower back.
This practice is rooted in Eastern medicine, which believes that warming the reproductive organs promotes optimal fertility. I didn’t use the heating pad on the day of my FET (you should avoid heat after implantation), but I consistently used it in the weeks before. I believe it helped improve blood flow and created a healthier uterine environment for embryo implantation.
4. Morning Journaling: Connecting with My Baby
It may sound a little “woo-woo,” but morning journaling became an incredibly grounding and affirming practice for me. Every morning, I’d sit with a hot cup of lemon water, grab my journal, and write letters to my future baby.
I started this practice the moment I called the clinic to begin the FET process, and I continued it throughout the journey, even though I wasn’t sure whether my embryo would implant. Writing to my baby allowed me to express my hopes, fears, excitement, and doubts. It helped me feel connected to my future child and gave me a sense of peace during the uncertainty of IVF.
Even if I didn’t know what the outcome would be, this practice affirmed my deep connection to my baby and kept me hopeful.
5. Exercise: Low-Impact, but Consistent Movement
Exercise can be a controversial topic during fertility treatments, with varying opinions on how much or how little is appropriate. For me, I chose to stay active with low-impact exercise leading up to my FET. I cycled on my Peloton for 40 minutes most days, but I gradually decreased the intensity and time as I got closer to the transfer. By the time I was a month away from my FET, I was down to 20-minute sessions.
I stopped all exercise after the transfer to allow my body to rest, but I felt good about staying active beforehand. Exercise helped me manage stress and maintain my energy levels without overexerting myself. It’s important to listen to your body—what works for one person might not work for another, but for me, moderate exercise felt right.
The Bottom Line
The steps I’ve shared in this post are the holistic practices and rituals that helped me prepare for my Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET). I believe they played a big role in aligning my physical and emotional health for the process, but remember—everyone’s fertility journey is different.
If you’re preparing for an FET, I encourage you to research and find what practices work best for your body and mind. From Reiki to journaling and following the wisdom of Eastern medicine, I found these steps helped me stay centered and hopeful during a challenging time.
In Part 3, I’ll share what I did during the actual FET procedure and the two-week wait. Stay tuned!
To anyone on this journey: you are not alone. Keep going, take care of yourself, and remember, your fertility journey is uniquely yours. You’ve got this. 🤍
#FrozenEmbryoTransfer #FETPreparation #IVFCommunity #TTCJourney #HolisticFertility #ReikiHealing #IVFSupport #TTCCommunity #FertilitySupport