# Just had ET - advice on what to eat/drink



## paisleypark

Hello
I had one snowbaby popped in yesterday. Am currently drinking plenty of herbal tea, plus the odd pineapple juice, and munching my way through some brazil nuts. Is there anything else i can eat or drink which would help implantation??
Thanks
paisleypark


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## Hopeful4712

Hi there!

Sounds like you're doing all the right stuff! Drink plenty of water too. best of luck. hope this works for you. I test tmrw and am going out my mind today!!

Hopeful
x


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## paisleypark

Yes i should drink more water - good reminder! Really, really best of luck for tomorrow- not too much longer now. It's so hard trying to distract yourself isn't it!!


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## BudgieSeed

Try and drink some milk as well and up the protein a bit.  Make sure the herbal teas you are drinking are suitable for pregnant women, some aren't as they can cause contractions in the uterus.

good luck!


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## curlyclair

Milk is good hun and lots of water, plenty of protein rich foods. I have also read that fresh pineapple is very good for implantation, cut a whole one up into five portions and munch your way through it over the next 5 days including the woody core because that's where the high concrentration of selenium is which aids implantation

No hot baths!! No heavy lifting, plenty of rest!!

Good Luck hun xx


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## BudgieSeed

See, I've heard conflicting information about fresh pineapple and that it should be avoided due to a certain enzyme.  Pineapple juice is fine though as in the juicing process this enzyme or whatever it is disappears/is destroyed/whatever.


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## sabah m

Good luck Paisley and Hopeful!


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## ☼♥ Minxy ♥☼ ©

HI there

I agree with BudgieSeed regarding eating fresh pineapple. It contains an enzyme called Bromelain which may cause uterine contractions but this enzyme is destroyed during processing which is why drinking fresh/pressed/from concentrate/not from concentrate juice is ok.

Here's some info I posted a couple of years ago with suggestions on what to eat/do etc during treatment so maybe you can pick out some tips relevant to the 2ww from this...

Upping protein can be good for encouraging healthy eggs. Although some dairy products and meat can contain hormones/anti biotics etc, it's fine if you have as much organic as possible.

Try to drink at least 2 litres of water a day and 1 litre of milk (preferably organic - skimmed or semi skimmed which have higher protein than full fat). The water helps flush the drugs around your system and keeps you hydrated and helps prevent headaches and OHSS. You should drink this all the way through the treatment cycle....downregging, stimming and 2ww. Water is essential for organ/gland function and cell production....so subsequently hormones and egg production and cell division.

The milk is good for the eggs because of the protein and zinc but also helps go towards preventing OHSS (protein helps this).

Ideally you'd want about 60g of protein in your diet per day.

"Too little protein in your diet can result in a reduced number of eggs. Make sure you have an adequate daily supply of protein"

"A good quality multi-vitamin and mineral supplement (ideally a prenatal supplement) will help your body cope with the demands of IVF. These are namely Vitamin C and E, which enriches the fluid which surrounds and nourishes your eggs. Zinc, which is essential for hormone production. Magnesium and vitamin A, which aid egg production. Selenium and magnesium to improve fertilisation rates. Iron and Co-enzyme Q10, to enrich the womb lining. Vitamins C, E and zinc also help you to repair quickly after the egg retrieval, ready to receive the incoming embryos and B complex will help your body cope with stress"

As well as the protein in milk, which is essential for hormone production (and subsequently healthy eggs !)....it also contains zinc, magnesium, vitamins A, C, E plus B vitamins....all vital in some way or another for egg and hormone production.

Vitamin A in form of betacarotene is fine but avoid too much vit A in form of retinol may cause problems to unborn foetus when pg.

http://www.milk.co.uk/page.aspx?intPageID=70

Another reason why milk can be good when having IVF is because of the calcium, especially if you're on long protocol and downregging. The process of downregging (putting body into temporary menopause) may decrease levels of calcium in your bones (which is why osteoporosis is something menopausal women should be aware of). By ensuring you get a good intake of calcium, this can help alleviate this (obviously you can get calcium from other sources if can't stand milk). As well as good if downregging, if you're prescribed an anticoagulents such as Clexane or Heparin, this may also contribute to decrease in calcium levels.

Other protein sources:

cheese (including cottage cheese, dairylea, philadelphia)
yoghurt
eggs
quinoa
chickpeas (hummous)
lentils
baked beans
baked potatoes
oats/cereal
kidney beans
nuts (including cashew, peanuts, brazils, almonds, pistachio, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecan...peanut butter)
pumpkin seeds
sunflower seeds
flaxseed (linseed) - put on top of cereal
rice
wholewheat
spinach
parsley
broccoli
avocado

Zinc is also good for healthy eggs and is found in milk and eggs amongst other things

Vitamin E is another thing which helps promote healthy eggs and is found in wheatgerm, nuts, seeds

Coenzyme Q10 can help bloodflow to womb and also fertilisation.

Selenium is a good mineral because it's an antioxident it helps promote a healthy womb lining - brazil nuts have the highest level of this, so a handful (about 5 or so) a day is good but there are lots of other food sources for selenium.

Pineapple juice contains a certain amount of selenium which is why it's thought to help with implantation ie helps encourage healthy womb lining. Fresh or pressed pineapple juice is best but "from concentrate" and "not from concentrate" are still fine. It's eating fresh pineapple that should be avoided as it contains an enzyme called Bromelain which may cause uterine contractions but during processing (canning/juicing) this enzyme is destroyed. Pineapple does contain manganese though which is very beneficial when ttc.

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/selenium.asp

The main thing is to have a healthy balanced diet.

Avoid certain herbal teas such as green tea (as can effect the absorption of folic acid) and any that contain hibiscus (may cause uterine contractions)...as well as caffeine and diet/"sugar free" drinks which contain aspartame.

Avoid certain essential oils/aromatherapy as there are several that should be avoided when ttc and pregnant.

Keep your belly and back covered & warm at all times as this can help encourage follie growth & blood flow to the womb (and hence womb lining). Could try using heated wheatbag or hot water bottle during stimms.

Progesterone is the warming hormone and it's this that makes our temperatures rise following ovulation & it does this to make the womb a warm & hospitable environment....so explains why good to keep warm but not hot.

Warming foods are good...in Chinese medicine/acupuncture they believe fertility problems are related to cold womb so advise keeping belly, back and feet covered and warm at all times (but no hot water bottle/heated wheatbag etc during 2ww) to aid bloodflow and implantation...and eating warming foods like ginger, garlic etc. After ET you don't want to overheat or raise your temp too much above the bodys "core temp" but you fo want to keep belly, back & feet warm & covered.

It is also a point of view that is supported by fertility specialist Zita West and this is believed in both Eastern European and Chinese cultures...."you can't grow a baby in a cold womb...."

You may start to feel tired and bloated towards the end of stimming...peppermint tea is good for bloatedness but unforunately most of this will be caused by the fluid in the follicles so not an awful lot you can do about it whilst stimming...and if you feel tired then rest/sleep...don't overdo it as your body is using energy in other areas ie womb and ovaries.

Other things you could try are acupuncture, reflexology, hypnotherapy cds, supplements like spirulina and wheatgrass (as high in protein) and also bee products (I always take Apimist during IVF which is a honey with royal jelly, bee pollen and bee propolis ).

http://www.apitherapy.biz/home.html

Coenzyme, zinc, selenium etc are all good for healthy sperm too so make sure your DP has plenty of these in his diet !

Hope you're able to find some of that helpful

Lots of luck to you 
Natasha

/links


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## ✩ Annasupastar ✩

I had brazil nuts, pine nuts, pineapple juice & chunks & acupuncture!!xxxxxxxxx


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## paisleypark

Thanks so much everyone. Am following all the advice and keeping everything crossed!x


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