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How to Thrive at Christmas: Your 10-Step Guide

7 December 2019 By Victoria Smith Leave a Comment

‘It’s Chrisssstmaaaassss!!!’ You know it’s that time of year when the dulcet tones of Slade’s Noddy Holder are ringing in your ears everywhere you go! Christmas can be a confusing time. On the one hand we look forward to having fun, spending time with friends and family, enjoying some well-deserved … [Read more...] about How to Thrive at Christmas: Your 10-Step Guide

Filed Under: Lifestyle change

Think Outside (No Box Required)

29 November 2019 By Victoria Smith 2 Comments

I have fallen back in love with walking! Something we take for granted and so often overlooked is now slowly transforming my life. My gorgeous 14-year old whippet Alfie sadly passed away last year and I have realised that without him walking had, until very recently, become functional and lost a bit … [Read more...] about Think Outside (No Box Required)

Filed Under: Lifestyle change

If you change nothing, nothing will change: my fertility story …

2 August 2019 By Victoria Smith Leave a Comment

  Sitting here at my computer typing this with one hand, whilst I rock my 4-week old daughter in her pram as she finally drifts off for a nap, I have been thinking recently about my fertility journey now that I am finally on the other side of the mountain that is trying to have a family. New … [Read more...] about If you change nothing, nothing will change: my fertility story …

Filed Under: Fertility

The life-changing magic of being cosy…

14 September 2018 By Victoria Smith Leave a Comment

I love the autumn, there are no two ways about it! I have tried to love summer, and there are elements of it that I do really like - picnics, going on holiday, eating supper in the garden, wearing sandals and spending more time outside to name but a few. But I love the autumn unreservedly and nearly … [Read more...] about The life-changing magic of being cosy…

Filed Under: Behaviour Change

The curious incident of the frog in the night-time …

9 August 2018 By Victoria Smith Leave a Comment

frog on green leaves

This morning I was woken up at 4.45am to the distinctive sound of a terrorized small creature in the house somewhere. Bleary-eyed my husband and I went on the search and together we found our cat unmercifully poking a frog in the sitting room. Swiftly picking up said frog with a wet tea-towel, while … [Read more...] about The curious incident of the frog in the night-time …

Filed Under: Behaviour Change

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✨ Moving on after an ectopic pregnancy ✨
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There is a lot of fear after having an ectopic pregnancy. The fear of it happening again is probably the no. 1 worry I hear from the women I work with and support.
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While it is certainly a fact that you are at a greater risk of having a second ectopic pregnancy if you have had one, there are some practical things you can do to lower your risk.
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1. Inflammation is often involved in ectopic pregnancy. To help reduce inflammation the best diet to eat is the anti-inflammatory Mediterranean diet.
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2. Vaginal dysbiosis (bacterial imbalance) has been associated with infertility, including tubal factor infertility. A vaginal microbiome test checks not only for any pathogens that might be causing problems, but also for the presence of  the healthy bacteria that ideally should be present to support a healthy pregnancy. If the vaginal microbiome is compromised, then it is unable to offer a protective environment. I can help you with this test.
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3. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) is one of the major causes of ectopic pregnancy. Often it is caused by an ascending infection of a sexually transmitted bacteria. Many women are completely asymptomatic and the first sign can be difficulty conceiving.  The main culprits are current or previous infections of Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, Mycoplamsa and other bacteria that normally inhabit the vagina. Speak to your GP about testing.
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4. Endometriosis can cause inflammation, resulting in scarring and adhesions. Your first port of call is your GP. But you can support this condition by reducing inflammation, supporting gut health and hormone balance, and reducing stress. Nutrition and lifestyle changes can be really helpful in managing endometriosis.
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If you would like support with any of these, then DM me and we can book a call to explore how you can move forwards.
Is it just me, or has anyone else struggled with s Is it just me, or has anyone else struggled with secondary infertility?
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This is me in March 2018 when my daughter was 20 months old. We had just started trying to have a second baby. During this journey to have our second we had 2 failed FETs and a second ectopic pregnancy.
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But 6 months after this photo was taken, I was pregnant again with my second daughter. Having our first daughter had been very challenging and I felt very ambivalent about whether I could go through it all again.
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But this time I knew that I was going to do things differently. After having my second ectopic pregnancy, I came to an acceptance that for us, conceiving naturally was really hard. 
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So, I started preparing for what would likely be our last fresh round of IVF. My body still felt depleted and I just felt exhausted from lack of sleep with my daughter. My mindset also wasn't in the right place as I was feeling really negative.
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Here's what I did:
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🥑 I ate a fertility nourishing diet to help support my energy levels so that I would be able to carry a baby to term
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💤 I prioritised sleep and got 8 hours a night, so that I began to feel rested again and improve my chances of becoming pregnant
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✨I worked on my mindset and started to build trust with my body again
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It was an intense few months of prep work but 6 months after that photo was taken we went for our final fresh round of IVF and we were successful. I was finally able to move on after 7 long years of struggling with infertility.
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If you too are longing to complete your family, please know that you are not alone. Don't give up hope. By being proactive and preparing your body properly for pregnancy, you too can improve your chances of success. 
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Are you struggling with secondary infertility? Let me know in the comments below.
Is your main goal for 2021 to have a baby?
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What are you going to do to increase your chances of this happening this year?
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Setting a goal is the first intention, but breaking it down into small achievable steps is key to helping you achieve what you want. 
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We need to keep in mind our ultimate vision and know exactly what to do to move us forwards, one step at a time.
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Take, for example, the goal of having a baby. Do you know where to start? Do you have a focused plan? What is your next step?
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This is where working with a Nutritional Therapist who specialises in fertility comes into its own. Together, we can break down your ultimate goal of having a baby and break in up into small, achievable steps. 
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All you then need to do is focus on the next small step in front of you. 

No more trying everything, no more confusion, no more worrying about where to start.
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Getting this momentum going and focusing on one small step after another gets energy flowing. When energy flows, amazing things start to happen. 
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This is how you start improving your chances of having a baby.
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So, if you are ready to do something different this new year on your fertility journey, to get focused and get your energy flowing, then DM me today and we can have a chat about working together.
How are you feeling about Christmas?
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Christmas can be a tricky time when you are struggling to have a baby. It can be a time where we feel even more devastated about the losses we have experienced.
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The baby I lost after my second ectopic pregnancy would have been born on Boxing Day and would have been 2 years old this year. This time of year also makes me think about the other pregnancies I lost along the way. 
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But, I have been one of the lucky ones and have two gorgeous, spirited and happy girls. Many haven't been so blessed and I count my lucky stars every day that our journey ended with a family.
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If Christmas is a time that brings up painful feelings of loss for you, then please know that you are not alone. 
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2020 has been an awful year for all of us with so many restrictions but, maybe, if having a quieter Christmas this year means that it's easier to get through the next few days, well maybe that will be one blessing.
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So how can you get through the next few days?
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✨slow down and use it as a time to rest
✨see it as a chance to recharge your batteries
✨have a break from worrying about trying to conceive, try and be present and be here now
✨do something everyday that brings you a feeling of joy, no matter how small
✨get out for some fresh air everyday
✨start thinking about what you can do differently in 2021
✨be kind to yourself 
✨remember it is only a few days and you will get through it
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So, if you would like to do something different on your fertility journey in 2021, then do reach out and send me a DM. I am taking a break until the New Year, but I have a bit of space for new clients starting in January. 
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Sending love and strength and wishing you a very happy and restful Christmas and New Year. 💕
Are you just wishing for a baby or do you have a s Are you just wishing for a baby or do you have a solid plan in place to improve your chances of having a successful pregnancy?
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So many of the couples who come to work with me have had previous failed IVF cycles or pregnancy losses. They feel lost and devastated and simply have no idea where to start with their preparation. They just know that they want to do something different this time. 
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I cannot tell you how important it is to have a plan. Not only am I a fertility Nutritional Therapist, I am an IVF mum to 2 girls. I know from personal experience how essential it is to have a plan. 
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I'm all up for positive thinking when it comes to fertility (in fact building a positive mindset is something I actively work on with clients). 
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But it is not enough just to wish for a baby. You also have to back it up with the right actions.
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Working with a targeted nutrition, lifestyle and supplement plan is so important. This, combined with digging deeper for any underlying reasons why you might be struggling to have a baby AND addressing these reasons is how you improve your chances of having a successful pregnancy.
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If you need help with creating your own plan then please do get in touch. I am now taking on 1:1 clients to start in January and would love to help you take the next step on your journey. 
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Send me a DM or email me at victoria@victoriasmithnutrition.co.uk 💜

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