I heart Circle + Bloom

I love, love, love love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love Circle + Bloom. 

"What is it?" you ask. Well, it's a set of guided meditations that I have downloaded to my mp3 player. There is a separate, unique short guided imagery for every couple of days of your cycle that give you relaxation and other visualization exercises. I purchased the one that specific to IVF for obvious reasons, but they have other products for natural cycles, PCOS, and more. I've tried other audio CDs with guided meditation and this is THE BEST.

I love how each segment is different and absolutely right for where I am in my cycle. My mom and aunt both say that I am much more relaxed for this third IVF.

Want to know more? Heck, here's a cut and paste from their website (as they say it best):

Benefits Include

• Specific visualization for the IVF / IUI cycle for optimum stress reduction and leveraging your innate mind-body connection.
• Reduce stress each and every day of your medicated cycle.
• Feel in greater control over your body and health by taking time for yourself every day for an enjoyable, relaxing, “massage” for the mind.
• Learning to use the brain to connect with the body through guided visualization can potentially bring about a physical response to improve fertility and well-being.
• Ability to listen to special sessions for egg retrieval and implementation while the procedures are being done.

Program Features

• 18 unique sessions that progress with you through your IVF or IUI cycle.
• Designed to fit into your schedule easily and can be listened to either daily or every other day.
• Each session includes (i) deep relaxation; (ii) therapeutic visualizations (mind-body); and (iii) emotional awareness exercises.
• The sessions are organized into the following categories:
• Precycle Sessions: Three unique sessions to be used prior to your cycle start date to help optimize your body preparedness.
  • Cycle Sessions: Starting with Cycle Day (“CD”) 1+2, we have one unique program for each two-days in a combination set. In total: CD1+2, 3+4, 5+6, 7+8, 9+10, 11+12
  • Trigger Shot / Egg Retrieval Special Session: One special session designed specifically for the trigger shot and egg extraction (or ovulation if IUI) to help your body best prepare for the shot and the procedure.
  • Cycle Day 13+14: Designed to be listened to prior to the transfer.
  • Transfer / Insemination Special Session: Designed to be listened to prior, during and after the transfer or insemination procedure when stress reduction, and feelings of openness are of prime importance.
  • Two Week Wait Sessions: CD 16+17, 18+19, 20+21, 22+23, 24+25, 26+27 to help your body continue building progesterone and uterus preparation for implantation.
• Each program averages between 13 – 16 minutes, with a few of the special programs running as long as 19 minutes.
• Our programs should qualify for reimbursement under Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), check with your companies benefits team for more information.

No, I'm not getting paid for this plug. I just love the program and highly recommend it to anyone who is completely stressed out by IVF. And I know that's most of us.

~Jem