This is advice that I have heard time and time again during my infertility journey. Most infertility books, websites, and even my reproductive endocronologist recommend continuing, or even picking up, a hobby to help keep your mind off of babies and pregnancy and infertility during waiting periods, especially the dreaded two week wait. This is exactly where I am right now. I get to wait until May 15th to see whether our recent embryo transfer worked. Let me tell you, it is TORTURE! As much as a try, my mind is on the recent transfer and pregnancy. Maybe I should get a hobby, but what?
Normally if anyone would ask me what I do for fun, I would respond with either dance or theatre. The problem with that? I haven't dance in atleast 3 years (unless you count the three classes I took at my old studio this summer with infants - okay they were between 15 and 18 - and I could barely walk afterward). I also haven't been on stage in almost three years as well. So in actuality, neither of these are actually true hobbies of mine anymore. Maybe I could start doing yoga? Yay, it is a good healthy habit and it will help keep me centered and relaxed. Tried it! I am good for day one or two and then I can't get my fat but off the couch. Maybe I will do something crafty? I could make pillowcase dresses for my future daughter. I could scrapbook. I could quilt. Problem, I have all the creativity of a second grader left alone with glitter and the glue pot. In other word, it doesn't come out pretty. I know I did a lot of the crafts for my wedding (table numbers, menus, cake topper, pomanders), but those took me hours each and I threw away way more than I can count.
That brings me to the few things that could actually be considered hobbies: shopping and reading. Shopping, now that is a hobby I can stick with. Right now buying clothes is out of the question, but there are always shoes, accessories and home things. I clearly don't have enough cute heels or earrings. Home Goods is also a fantastic way to spend a few hours. I don't see any real problems with this, right? Sean won't mind when I spend all our emergency money just so I can take my mind off of infertility and babies. No problem right? Yay, so that wouldn't work. I guess that leaves reading. It is not something that I actually really consider a hobby, but it truly. I can loose myself for hours or even days in a good book. Sean frequently mocks me as I spend a Friday or Saturday night with my nose in a book. I may not read "high" literature, but does that really matter. So what if most of my books either take place in Elizabethan England or have covens of vampires (don't mock; they are good). These stories entertain me and keep my mind from constantly drifting back to the issues that I am dealing with. If they offer me even two minutes of solice, I will take it. So I guess in all actuality, I do have a hobby; one that I truly love. It may not keep my body or hands active, but it keeps my mind active, which is the most important part of a hobby.
I think I will be reading quite a bit in the next week or so. I had two lovely embryos transferred this past Wednesday. Both were what my clinic considers high implantation potential. Fingers crossed that at least on sticks and for you viewing pleasure, our future possible babies:
1 comment:
I've started doing Chi meditation to help clear my mind of negative emotions with my 'situation'.
You sit straight up on a natural surface, like wood or grass and tune out the outside world, release your mind and think only of two things; cool blue water trickling down your head and down your body, taking the emotions with it. Focus on the chi in your body, which is two fingers below your belly button, halfway between your spine and skin.
OH!! and make sure your cats are not around.. they love interupting at JUST the right momment..
Atleast Sirus does...
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