The practice of aromatherapy uses concentrated essential oils derived from plants. Like herbs, plant essences have been used for their healing properties for centuries. In aromatherapy, the essential oils are added to a base oil to dilute them, and massaged into the skin. Some essential oils should not be used during pregnancy,
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| What Increases The Chances Of Getting Pregnant |
Aromatherapy is particularly good at relieving strew, and can improve circulation. It can be a good way of making some time for yourself in a relaxing way, and may help you feel better.
Yoga
Although yoga is not really a complementary therapy, it can help you relax, and some believe it can affect your fertility. It is claimed that yoga can strengthen your reproductive system, improve your circulation and increase blood flow to the pelvis, rebalance your hormones and even stimulate your ovaries.
'I told the teacher about my problems and one lesson she focused purely on postures to help the reproductive system, I was able to take that away and do the asanas that stimulated the ovaries at home, I've been to yoga for years, so it was just a natural progression for me.' Angela, 32
Holistic therapy centres
Many holistic therapy centres specializing in infertility are now springing up, offering different combinations of complementary therapies and treatments. Some also advise on diet, exercise and general health for couples who are trying to conceive, and may offer a variety of supplements, tinctures and compounds that claim to boost your fertility.
These centres and their products are often expensive, which is fine if you feel you have the money and would like to spend it this way. Those who can't afford the sometimes exorbitant prices may feel this will decrease their chances of getting pregnant. In fact, much of what these centres do is aimed at making you feel more relaxed and receptive to pregnancy while improving your general health, and you may be able to do this far more cheaply yourself by making changes to your diet and lifestyle.
'You send a bit of your hair away for analysis, and they say what vitamins and minerals you are short of. At one point, we were taking 21 tablets a day of different vitamins and minerals. We spent so much money, but you get to a stage where you are so desperate that you will try anything. Occasionally I do feel bitter about all the money we spent and all the time we wasted, but at least I can look back and think we tried everything.' Mary, 38
With any kind of complementary therapy or alternative treatment centre, the absolutely crucial thing is to make sure you are seeing a practitioner who is registered with the appropriate professional body for his or her activity. It is also important to find somebody you feel comfortable with, as many women feel that they gain a lot of therapeutic benefit from the counseling role that complementary therapists can fill. Just taking some time out for yourself, to contemplate how you are feeling, and to talk about your emotions, can in itself be hugely beneficial.
There are many women who have been helped by complementary therapies and some amazing anecdotal stories of success, but there are many others who have spent large sums of money on therapies that they end up regretting. If you can afford it and you enjoy it, then complementary therapies can certainly help you relax and improve your sense of well-being, but they may not be right for everyone.
'The doctor I saw was very alternative and he thought I was over-stressed and if he could get me to relax it would be all right. I knew something was wrong. I knew it wasn't just a question of taking selenium or whatever. There's nothing like rushing out from work sweating to get there, only to be told by some aging hippy that you are very tense. I wish I'd had the courage to say, "No, that's not right for me.'"Julie, 40. To find out more, you can check out What Increases The Chances Of Getting Pregnant.
