Books
I’m a researcher at heart, and I read a lot of fertility books in the three and a half years we spent trying to get pregnant. Below are the best I read.
Note: The links in this article are Amazon Affiliate links which means I make a small commission off of the sale at no extra cost to you.
Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler
This is a great book for any woman to better understand their body and their fertility. It will give you the basics of what you need to get pregnant and begin to give you an idea of what fertility problems you may have if any. Though the information in this book was empowering and enlightening, ultimately it was not enough to help us actually get pregnant, as I needed medical treatment. But it did help me get a great understanding of the female body and fertility and helped me figure out what I needed to do next.
It Starts With the Egg by Rebecca Fetts
I loved that this book gave science-backed, practical suggestions of what the average person can do to improve egg quality. This includes things like avoiding plastics and fragrances, consuming healthy fats, and a list of suggested supplements and vitamins to try. Many infertility books and resources I’ve checked out are full of overwhelming suggestions or quack science, so this book was refreshing in its practicality.
When Infertility Books are Not Enough: Embracing Hope During Infertility by Betsy Herman
This book is written from a Christian perspective and tackles the emotional aspects of infertility. I really appreciated that the author wrote the book during the midst of her infertility journey, and could relate to so much of what I was going through emotionally. Her optimism and hope were contagious, and much needed at the time I read it. Her book stands out from other infertility books as it was full of hope and encouragement. Highly recommend!
Safe in the Arms of God by John MacArthur
If you have suffered a miscarriage, a stillbirth, or the death of a child, this book is a must-read.
Have you ever wondered where your child is now? MacArthur lays out a compelling case to believe your child is in heaven, safe in the arms of Jesus.
After reading this book I felt a lot of peace knowing my babies were safe and well cared for, and never had to experience suffering on this Earth.
Resurrection Year: Turning Broken Dreams Into New Beginnings by Sheridan Voysey
In this book, the author and his wife grapple with letting go of their dream of having children. It was helpful for me to read as it allowed me to see that life without children could be happy and fulfilling, even though it was something I desperately wanted for myself. At the time I read it, I had no idea if we would ever be able to have kids, so I was challenging myself to accept the possibility of a child-free life. This perspective may or may not be helpful to you depending on where you’re at in your journey.
Practical Items
ClearBlue Digital Ovulation Predictor
I didn’t use an ovulation predictor every cycle, but it was helpful in the beginning to confirm I was predicting ovulation correctly.
Standard lubricants can contain ingredients that are damaging to sperm. When trying to conceive, always use lubricants that are sperm-safe such as pre-seed.
It can get really expensive to buy one-off pregnancy tests from the drugstore. I started buying them in bulk so I could test at will without feeling like I was flushing eleven dollars down the toilet every time.
The above-linked pregnancy tests require peeing into a cup and dipping the stick. Trust me, you’ll want something to pee into when the time comes that you can just throw away after.
For a list of all the vitamins and supplements I took, go here.
Note: The links above are affiliate links, which means if you shop through them I earn a small commission at no cost to you. Using my affiliate links helps me support this blog, so thank you!