IVF Diet

It's important what you eat and drink while doing IVF. I eat healthily most of the time anyway but make an extra effort during my treatment - thanks to my Hubby's help and cooking!

For the first part of my cycle (during my period) I eat foods rich in iron such as eggs, spinach and broccoli. I also take a liquid iron supplement called Flurodix:

 Also I include foods rich in Vitamin C as these help with iron absorption - cataloupe melons, strawberries, potatoes, tomatoes and peas.

During the next part of the cycle, up to egg collection, it is important to eat protein. I am a vegetarian and so I don't get the protein from meat. I eat chickpeas (in curry and hummous - yum yum), baked beans, milk, lentils, eggs, nuts and protein shakes. Vitamin E is also important at this stage as it is found in the fluid around the developing eggs and is important for their nourishment. Vitamin E can be found in sweet potatoes, leafy greens, nuts, seeds and whole grains.

Throughout the cycle I drink plenty of water, herbal teas, milk and shakes.

My big thing for the past few months has been eating blueberries on my cereal. Blueberries are full of antioxidants which are essential for combating free radicals that can damage cellular structures as well as DNA, and they are better than just having plain Shreddies in the morning.

I still have treats and today my friend's 3 year old daughter insisted that I had a fairy cake that she'd made - so of course I had to oblige. I also had to oblige when asked if I wanted an ice-cream after a hot day strolling around Drayton Manor Thomas Land.