ML Interest Tag: progesterone-levels

Can Seed Cycling Help Imbalanced Hormones?

By Amy Beckley

Photo: Seed Cycling via Healthline

Editor’s note: Any medical advice presented here is expressly the views of the writer and Red Tricycle cannot verify any claims made. Please consult with your healthcare provider about what works best for you.

Are you in tune with your hormones? Sure—maybe you know what they are and that you have them. Many women even have more in-depth knowledge about how hormones impact their cycles and fertility. But did you know that hormones can affect everything from your skin, hair, and mood to sleep quality, sex drive, weight, and general wellness? That’s a lot of important things!

All the more reason why you should want to maintain a healthy hormone balance. However, our hormones don’t always play nice. If you experience heavy or irregular periods, hot flashes, mood swings, irritability, breast tenderness, or just generally feel off, you may have a hormone imbalance. 

For many women with hormone imbalances, PMS, or PCOS, seed cycling can help balance hormone levels and can also potentially reduce symptoms. Seed cycling is a natural and healthy way to help balance hormones!  

Before you go buying up all the seeds, you need to know that while seed cycling isn’t harmful, it’s important to understand your hormone levels before attempting to treat imbalances. The last thing you want to do is make an existing hormone imbalance worse! Luckily, there are plenty of at-home hormone testing options available to give you insight into your cycle. Of course, if you have specific questions or are looking for where to start, I recommend consulting your doctor.

What is seed cycling?

Seed cycling involves eating certain types of seeds during certain phases of your menstrual cycle to promote a hormone balance. In a typical menstrual cycle, estrogen levels rise during the first half of the cycle (the follicular phase) and progesterone levels rise during the second half of the cycle (the luteal phase). Promoting the production of these key hormones during their respective phases leads to a healthy hormone balance.

When seed cycling, you’ll want to track your menstrual cycle so you know which phase you’re in and which hormone you should be boosting. The next step is adding the seeds!

During the follicular phase, estrogen is the star. For days 1-14 of your cycle (for those new to cycle days, day one is the first day you have your period), you’ll eat 1-2 tablespoons each of raw flax and pumpkin seeds per day. These seeds, which contain lignans and zinc, naturally support estrogen production.

After day 14, progesterone takes over for the luteal phase. On day 15 of the cycle, or after ovulation day, you’ll want to make the switch to 1-2 tablespoons each of raw sunflower and sesame seeds per day. These seeds promote progesterone production, thanks to their zinc and vitamin E contents. 

You’ll continue eating sunflower and sesame seeds daily through day 28 of your cycle—the last day before your period. Once Aunt Flo is in town, you can break out the flax and pumpkin seeds once again.

I’ve found that seed cycling works best when the seeds are raw and freshly ground, as it’s easier for your body to absorb the nutrients. If you’re wondering what the heck to eat seeds with, here are a few options:

  • Seed-based energy bites 

  • Fresh seed butter (sunflower butter is a fave!)

  • Seed-based granola

  • Sprinkling seeds on a salad or mixing them into salad dressing

  • Blending seeds into smoothies

  • Topping other dished with seeds, such as chia pudding, oatmeal, or yogurt parfaits

I’ve had low progesterone throughout adulthood, which caused my infertility challenges and continued to make for unpleasant periods, headaches, and low energy each cycle. I started seed cycling as a natural way to help my body naturally balance hormone levels and I’m a huge fan! Since starting, I’ve noticed fewer headaches, shorter and lighter periods, longer luteal phases, and overall increased mood and energy levels. I recommend it to all my friends!

It can take about three months for you to see the benefits of seed cycling. I recommend keeping a journal to keep track of your symptoms through the cycle so you can look back to see impacts over time. As always, if you have any concerns it’s best to consult your doctor. Happy cycling!

 

I'm Amy Beckley. After my experiences with pregnancy loss and IVF I used my PhD in Pharmacology to create MFB Fertility, Inc. and invented the Proov test in my basement, which now allows women to confirm successful ovulation by tracking PdG in 5 minutes, at home. I want to empower women.

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Struggling to Get Pregnant? Your Progesterone Levels May Be to Blame

By Amy Beckley

Editor’s note: Any medical advice presented here is expressly the views of the writer and Red Tricycle cannot verify any claims made. Please consult with your healthcare provider about what works best for you.

When I started to suspect I had an ovulatory disorder that meant my progesterone levels weren’t rising properly after ovulation, I went to my doctor and asked for a supplement. Although he was reluctant, he prescribed it for me. A couple of cycles later, I was pregnant and gave birth to my beautiful daughter who is now 6. But after my experience, I discovered there was a significant lack of knowledge in women’s health surrounding low progesterone and supplementation. Many women and their doctors did not understand or believe in the power of progesterone.

Unfortunately, some misconceptions are still common today. Read on to understand more about progesterone, why it’s important, and two common misconceptions that could be preventing women from uncovering what could be an easy fix.   

Why Is Progesterone Important?  

Progesterone is the hormone released after ovulation. It is required to prepare the uterus to receive an embryo, should conception have occurred and is essential to have adequate levels of progesterone for a long enough period of time after ovulation for a successful pregnancy.

What is misunderstood, however, is that a common problem with ovulation typically manifests as progesterone deficiency. Many doctors question if low progesterone is a real diagnosis and whether or not adding progesterone supplements can actually help.

Misconception #1: Studies Show Progesterone Supplements Don’t Help Fix Problems with Ovulation.

When I asked my doctor for a progesterone supplement, he gave it to me—not because he thought it would work, but because taking the supplement wouldn’t harm me. This lack of faith in the effectiveness of progesterone supplements stems from a study conducted in 2016. This study followed 836 women. When a woman got a positive pregnancy test, half were given vaginal progesterone and the other half were given nothing. Live birth rates were only 2% higher in the progesterone supplement group. So, the study concluded that progesterone supplementation didn’t really help.

But this experiment was flawed. Basic biology tells us that progesterone is required to prepare the uterine lining for implantation—which is why it is released by the ovary right after ovulation. So, by the time a woman got a positive pregnancy test, the embryo had likely already implanted. Providing progesterone after confirmed pregnancy was almost “too late” since progesterone is critically needed to prepare the uterus for conception. This study was highly publicized when it was published, so the information spread widely to doctors and women.

In 2017, another study was published. In this experiment, women were given progesterone at the start of their luteal phase (3 days after ovulation) so that they were able to have high levels before implantation and getting a positive pregnancy test. The results of this study showed a 17% increase in live birth rates. 

In fact, there are many studies that show progesterone supplementation starting after ovulation increases live birth rates. So when supplementing, it’s important to mimic the time when the body would have released progesterone as well—which is right after ovulation, not after implantation has already occurred. 

Misconception #2: A Blood Test Is the Best & Only Way to Confirm Ovulation. 

If you suspect you have a lack of ovulation or suboptimal ovulation (i.e. a progesterone deficiency), your doctor may order a day-21 progesterone blood test. A day-21 blood test aims to measure progesterone at the point in your cycle when it should be the highest—seven days after ovulation (given ovulation occurs on day 14). However, there are a few reasons a blood test can fall short. 

First, a day-21 blood test assumes you ovulate on day 14 of your cycle. But, every cycle is different in length, so one woman may ovulate before or after day 14. When this happens, progesterone still should be high seven days after ovulation, but that may not necessarily occur exactly on the 21st day of your cycle. This means that you could get a negative result when in reality, your progesterone is fine. Additionally, a one point in time measurement doesn’t always show the full picture. In my case, progesterone levels would rise, then fall a bit too quickly to be considered “healthy”. I would get a positive day-21 test and doctors would think I was fine, but my progesterone levels weren’t actually adequate over time. 

Second, progesterone is secreted into the blood in pulses. Studies have shown that serum progesterone levels can fluctuate eight times in the course of a single day. So, progesterone can range from 3-30 ng/ml, depending on what time of day you draw blood. This makes it extremely difficult for doctors to know if the amount of serum progesterone in your blood draw is actually enough to support successful conception. At 8 a.m., your progesterone levels could look great, but at 4 p.m., they could be low. 

So, what does this all mean for you? 

The most important thing for you to do is stay informed and ask your doctor the right questions. The good news is that there are other ways to confirm successful ovulation at home so that you can understand this important piece of the fertility puzzle! 

After progesterone circulates through the blood, it is then passed into the liver where it is metabolized and secreted into urine as PdG (Pregnanediol Glucuronide). Studies have shown that PdG levels, first thing in morning urine show an average of the serum progesterone levels from the day before. Because PdG shows an average, this makes it a better way to measure the overall progesterone production after ovulation. Add to this, testing PdG through urine is non-invasive, it’s simple to track levels over several days, allowing for a more complete ovulation picture. 

Understanding the importance of progesterone and the most effective ways to test for it can empower you with valuable information and help your better advocate for yourself on your TTC journey.

I'm Amy Beckley. After my experiences with pregnancy loss and IVF I used my PhD in Pharmacology to create MFB Fertility, Inc. and invented the Proov test in my basement, which now allows women to confirm successful ovulation by tracking PdG in 5 minutes, at home. I want to empower women.

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Is Seed Cycling the Answer to Restoring Hormonal Balance?

By Amy Beckley

Photo: Ella Olsson via Pexels

Editor’s note: Any medical advice presented here is expressly the views of the writer and Red Tricycle cannot verify any claims made. Please consult with your healthcare provider about what works best for you.

Ah, hormones. Most of us remember from 7th-grade biology that hormones have something to do with the reproductive system. And some of us may have more in-depth knowledge about how hormones impact monthly cycles and fertility. But did you know that hormones, especially progesterone, can impact skin, hair, mood, sleep quality, sex drive, weight, and general wellness? 

If you have been measuring your progesterone and don’t consistently get a positive test throughout the implantation window, you may have low progesterone. Other signs of low progesterone include brown spotting before your period and irregular cycles, headaches, mood changes, breast tenderness, and more. For many women with low progesterone, PMS, and PCOS, seed cycling can help balance hormone levels and can also potentially reduce symptoms. Seed cycling is a natural and healthy way to help balance hormones, using…you guessed it: seeds! 

What is Seed Cycling?

Seed cycling involves rotating certain types of seeds throughout your menstrual cycle, in order to promote a hormone balance. In a typical menstrual cycle, estrogen levels rise during the first half of the cycle (the follicular phase) and progesterone levels rise during the second half of the cycle (the luteal phase). When these key hormones are imbalanced, it can lead to menstrual irregularities, including breast tenderness, painful periods, acne, and PCOS symptoms.

 

How Does Seed Cycling Work?

Seed cycling involves tracking your menstrual cycle and eating specific seeds during different days of the cycle, to help ensure optimal levels of estrogen and progesterone when these hormones are present during the cycle.

During the follicular phase, estrogen is the star. For days 1-14 of your cycle (for those new to cycle days, day one is the first day you have your period), eat 1-2 tablespoons each of fresh ground flax and raw pumpkin seeds per day. These seeds naturally support estrogen production (by containing lignans and zinc), but can also help in clearing excess estrogen, also known as estrogen dominance.

In the luteal phase, progesterone takes over at center stage. After ovulation or on day 15 of the cycle, switch from flax seeds and pumpkin seeds to 1-2 tablespoons each of raw sunflower and sesame seeds per day. Sesame seeds (high in zinc) and sunflower seeds (high in vitamin E) help with progesterone production during the luteal phase.

Continue eating sunflower and sesame seeds daily through day 28 of your cycle. You then switch back to flax and pumpkin seeds once you start your period again.

Best Ways to Consume Seeds

Seed cycling works best when the seeds are raw and freshly ground, as grinding the seeds increases the surface area for absorption. There are many options for ways to consume seeds, including:

  • Making fresh seed butter (to enjoy with fruit or toast)
  • Making a raw seed-based granola
  • Sprinkling seeds on a salad
  • Blending seeds into smoothies
  • Mixing seeds into salad dressing
  • Adding seeds to chia pudding, oatmeal, or yogurt parfaits

I have had low progesterone throughout adulthood, which caused infertility challenges and continued to make for unpleasant periods, headaches, and low energy each cycle. I started seed cycling as a natural way to help her body naturally balance hormone levels. I’m a huge fan of seed cycling. After starting it, I have noticed fewer headaches, shorter and lighter periods, longer luteal phases, and overall increased mood and energy level.

It can take about three months for you to see the benefits of seed cycling. We recommend keeping a journal to keep track of your symptoms through the cycle so you can look back to see impacts over time. As always, if you have any concerns, it is best to consult your doctor. Happy cycling!

Amy Beckley is the founder and CEO of Proov, the first at-home rapid response urine progesterone test, a hormone critical to fertility and general wellness. Proov was developed from Beckley’s personal infertility experience. Using her PhD in Pharmacology and passion for helping others, Proov empowers women with the knowledge to better understand their bodies.

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Are You Ovulating Sufficiently?

By Amy Beckley

 

Photo: pixabay 

Believe it or not, when it comes to trying to conceive there is a “sufficient” way to ovulate. You probably already know that ovulation is needed for pregnancy. After all, without an egg, it is impossible to get pregnant. But there’s a “right way” to ovulate? It may sound strange but making sure you are ovulating sufficiently is critical to increasing your chances of successfully conceiving.

 

What Is Sufficient Ovulation?

Sufficient ovulation is a phrase used to indicate the fact that a woman is not only ovulating, but she also has enough progesterone to support conception. Progesterone is the hormone released by the corpus luteum or empty follicle after the egg is released. Its presence confirms ovulation, as, without an empty follicle, the body won’t produce progesterone. Progesterone is critical to preparing the uterine lining, so it is ready to receive a pregnancy. Without enough progesterone, the embryo either cannot implant at all or implantation is insufficient to support it. So low progesterone can lead to lack of conception or miscarriage.

But when a woman both ovulates AND has sufficient progesterone to support conception, she is ovulating sufficiently—meaning that she not only has an egg present for fertilization, but she also has enough progesterone to support implantation should the egg be fertilized. To successfully conceive, it is critical that a woman has both an egg AND enough progesterone to support implantation of a fertilized egg.

 

Can I Tell If I’m Ovulating Sufficiently?

It’s not that difficult to figure out if you are ovulating sufficiently, which is great news! But since there are so many ovulation testing options—which can get confusing—it’s important to take a moment to explain the differences.

Predicting Ovulation: Predicting ovulation is very important because it helps couples trying to conceive find the fertile window and therefore better time intercourse. There are actually only 5-6 days each cycle when a woman is fertile so it’s really important to time intercourse correctly when trying to conceive. Methods include: Ovulation predictor kits (luteinizing hormone or LH tests), cervical mucus monitoring, or saliva ferning patterns

Confirming Ovulation: Although it may seem like you’re good to go if you’ve predicted ovulation, prediction does not always mean something will happen. For example, a weather forecaster may predict that a storm is coming (using sophisticated scientific tools, I might add), but we don’t know if the storm actually happened until we observe it. And we can probably all agree weather forecasts aren’t always accurate. As such, much like the weather, confirming ovulation is an important next step. Methods include:  Basal body temperature tracking, single progesterone test

Confirming Sufficient Ovulation: As we mentioned earlier, sufficient ovulation—meaning that a woman is ovulating AND has enough progesterone to support implantation—is critical when trying to conceive. While basal body temperature is great for confirming ovulation, it falls short of being able to confirm “sufficient ovulation.” That’s because basal body temperature looks for a slight spike in temperature – 0.5 – 1 degree Fahrenheit but the temperature spike does not correlate with the amount of progesterone present. So, getting a spike of 0.5-degrees does not necessarily mean you have low progesterone and getting a spike of 1-degree also does not mean you are good to go.

To confirm sufficient ovulation, it’s critical to ensure that progesterone levels are elevated to 10ng/ml in the blood—the level widely accepted as the minimum threshold to support conception—throughout the 3-4 day implantation window. This means it’s important to test progesterone multiple times during the luteal phase, or second half, of the cycle to make sure progesterone rises and stays elevated at a sufficient level such that conception can occur. Methods include: Multiple days of progesterone testing

When trying to conceive, making sure you are ovulating is good, but it may not be enough. Confirming sufficient ovulation can get you one step closer to ruling out what may be causing issues and to successfully conceiving. Testing progesterone can help you make sure you are ovulating properly and that you have enough progesterone to support conception!

Amy Beckley is the founder and CEO of Proov, the first at-home rapid response urine progesterone test, a hormone critical to fertility and general wellness. Proov was developed from Beckley’s personal infertility experience. Using her PhD in Pharmacology and passion for helping others, Proov empowers women with the knowledge to better understand their bodies.

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How to Tell If You’ve Ovulated

By Amy Beckley

Editor’s note: Any medical advice presented here is expressly the views of the writer and Red Tricycle cannot verify any claims made. Please consult with your healthcare provider about what works best for you.

There are lots of ways to predict ovulation—from temperature trackers to cervical mucus monitoring to ovulation predictor kits (OPKs) that measure luteinizing hormone. These methods are great for answering the question “If I’m trying to conceive, when should I have intercourse?” Timing intercourse correctly is critical for conceiving and these tools are very important when trying to get pregnant. The good news is, there’s a lot of information already out there on predicting ovulation!

But what about confirming ovulation? A key point of distinction of “ovulation kits” or “ovulation predictors” is that they are only predictive of ovulation. Similar to predicting the weather, we only know if the prediction is right when we see what happens. The weatherman can predict that it’s going to rain tomorrow, but until tomorrow comes, we won’t know if the prediction is correct. It’s similar in that way to ovulation prediction methods, many of which fall short of actually allowing us to see that ovulation has happened.

So how do we make this critical observation? After all, problems with ovulation are the number one cause of infertility. Making sure the body is ovulating properly and the right level of hormones are present to support conception is another critical piece of the puzzle. There are a couple of ways to confirm that ovulation has happened and, as you might suspect, they all lead back to the super hormone, progesterone.

Ovulation Confirmation Method 1: Basal Body Temperature or BBT tracking

During the first part of your cycle, your basal body temperature (BBT), or your body’s lowest resting temperature, usually ranges between 97.0 and 97.7 °F. Before your ovary releases an egg, your BBT will dip a little. The day after ovulation, your BBT will generally increase at least 0.2 °F over the previous 6 days’ temperatures, and then stay high for a few days or more. The second half of the cycle, the luteal phase, typically sees temperatures in the range of 97.7 and 98.3 °F. Note that these numbers are just examples and every woman’s body is different.

This spike in temperature is driven by the underlying rise in progesterone that happens after ovulation. See, the empty follicle, or corpus luteum, produces progesterone and progesterone causes the temperature spike. If no egg is released, there won’t be an empty follicle to produce progesterone.  As such, a spike in temperature, caused by progesterone, indicates that ovulation has occurred.

Ovulation Confirmation Method 2: Progesterone Monitoring

As explained above, the spike in temperature that confirms ovulation using the BBT tracking method is a direct result of progesterone rising in the body after ovulation occurs. Monitoring progesterone itself is therefore another way to confirm ovulation. Without that empty follicle or corpus luteum, there won’t be a rise in progesterone. So, no rise in progesterone = no ovulation.

But do you need both methods?

The simple answer is YES—especially when it comes to trying to conceive. Based on how your temperature and hormone levels change throughout your cycle, it might seem like you only need to measure one thing. But, the most complete picture comes from using both tracking methods.

BBT tracking is most powerful when used to track the cycle over time. By confirming ovulation using temperature tracking, BBT can be used to accurately calculate the timing of the next fertile window.

While basal body temperature tracking can be used to measure the slight increase in body temperature caused when progesterone rises and can, therefore, be used to confirm ovulation, it falls short of telling you if you have sufficient progesterone to conceive. As mentioned before, basal body temperature typically rises 0.5 to 1-degree Fahrenheit after ovulation from the presence of progesterone. But the temperature spike does not correlate with the amount of progesterone present. So, getting a spike of 0.5-degrees does not necessarily mean you have low progesterone and getting a spike of 1-degree also does not mean you are good to go.

To determine if you have enough progesterone to confirm sufficient ovulation, meaning you are not only ovulating, but also have enough progesterone to support implantation and early pregnancy, you need to test base progesterone levels.

To truly maximize your chances of getting pregnant during the fertile window, you should not only know IF you’ve ovulated but also know if your progesterone levels are where they need to be.

Amy Beckley is the founder and CEO of Proov, the first at-home rapid response urine progesterone test, a hormone critical to fertility and general wellness. Proov was developed from Beckley’s personal infertility experience. Using her PhD in Pharmacology and passion for helping others, Proov empowers women with the knowledge to better understand their bodies.

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When Skies Are Gray: Under the Cloud of Postpartum Depression

By Maria Bruce

Photo: Glenn Carstens-Peters via Unsplash

I sat with my arms cradled around her. I had stopped rocking at some point, but I wasn’t immediately aware of that. She wanted to eat, again, as she had wanted to do every hour for—how long? A day? Three days? I hardly knew. But it didn’t matter. And I had no care to think of when I had last slept or showered or eaten. In this moment nothing mattered except the pain of her relentless and inefficient nursing.

“We should see a lactation consultant,” my husband urged.

“Maybe tomorrow.” But it didn’t matter. It was something to feel. My stitches. My bleeding breasts. It was all I knew amidst the blur of sleeplessness.

I sat with my arms cradled around her and stared but did not see. I felt but did not feel. These moments of almost catatonic staring would pass only to be replaced with uncontrollable tears or the obligatory motions of going through the day and tending to my baby.

Occasionally I would catch my husband gazing at me with a look I had never seen before in the sixteen years I had known him. A look of pity? Concern? Fear?

All I knew is that it scared me.

Who was this person I had become? I recognized nothing of this woman in whose stretched and flabby skin I was existing. Physically, emotionally, spiritually, I didn’t know this new self. And I didn’t like her either.

“Will I ever be myself again?” I whispered underneath sobs to my husband.

“I don’t know,” he replied. “What can I do to help you?”

“I don’t know.”

These answers scared both of us.

We had prayed for this. For three years we struggled to conceive a child. Now she was here—but where was I? We had asked for this, spent money and energy to have this. I should be happy, I thought. The guilt of this overwhelmed me.

I’m a horrible mother. I can’t take care of a baby. I can’t even take care of myself. I can’t do this. I was wrong to want a baby.

The lies screamed so loudly through my mind that I heard nothing else.

And so I sat with my arms cradled around her and just stared into this cloud of darkness—for a day? Three days? Three months?

Others had commented that the first few weeks would be the hardest, that it would get better. The first few weeks passed, but the clouds did not. For all I could see, the skies were endlessly gray.

I watched as my husband looked lovingly at our little girl. From the moment of her birth he doted on her. The clouds thickened, and in this deepening darkness an irrational jealousy took hold of my thoughts. I didn’t feel love for this little person who cried and kept me from sleeping. And I felt anything but loveable myself. I felt jealous both of his ability to adore her and for his affection towards her instead of—according to my horribly skewed perception—towards myself.

At my postpartum follow-up appointment, my midwife finally named what I was too ashamed to admit:

“Postpartum depression. It’s very common. It’s not your fault.”

But wasn’t it? It’s because I’m a horrible mother. The lie screamed too loudly for me to hear rational thought.

“Let’s schedule another follow-up,” she suggested, “after you’ve seen a counselor.”

A counselor? But therapists are for people who are failures. I’m a horrible mother. I’m a failure.

Again the lies screamed.

That weekend my husband and I had dinner plans with friends. I told myself I was excited. Surely a good meal, a good beer and good conversation with friends were all I needed. Yes, I told myself, I just needed to get out.

However, instead of an enjoyable and rejuvenating evening, I sat at the table desperately, exhaustingly willing myself to engage.

What did she just say? Why can’t I focus? The night passed, but I was hardly present and hated myself for it. On the drive home I broke down. I was utterly ashamed—of what? Of being?

I can’t do this. I do have postpartum depression. I am a failure. It’s all my fault.

Amidst the darkness my irrational thinking only screamed more loudly.

“I’ll make an appointment with the counselor for you,” my husband said. I nodded as the tears continued to stream down my face.

I’ve since learned more about postpartum depression. It can happen to anyone and is, ironically, quite common among those who previously struggled with infertility. It often occurs because of the sudden drop in the hormone progesterone that women experience after giving birth. For some women, this sudden withdrawal of progesterone creates feelings of depression and anxiety. Mixed with the drastic life change and sleep deprivation that accompany caring for a newborn, the postpartum period can be an especially dark and trying time.

According to the CDC, an estimated 1 in 9 women experience some degree of postpartum depression. With such a high statistic, why does it seem to be such a taboo subject? Perhaps the feeling of guilt that often accompanies this experience clouds any clear understanding of it and prevents a woman from asking for the help she needs.

Eventually I pursued treatment through NaProTECHNOLOGY, the same medical science I had used to treat my infertility in the first place. For postpartum depression I received supplementation of bioidentical progesterone. With elevated progesterone levels, the cloud of depression lifted.

Combined with ongoing counseling sessions, I began to find myself. The various things I loved once again became enjoyable: reading, writing, even getting out for a jog. I could go to dinner with friends and engage—and laugh!

Now I can look back on those first few months and see it for what it was. I’m still learning to sift through some of the lies that took root during that dark time, but I am healing and learning to love myself as a new mom…

And falling in love with my precious baby girl—oh how I love her!

I recently looked back at photos of my baby girl just a day old in the hospital. What a beautiful baby she was, just as much then as she is now, although my vision was too clouded at that time to see it. As I looked at these photos, I felt like I was seeing her day-old self for the first time, this time through my own clear eyes, the eyes of a mother who absolutely adores her precious baby.

The old lies still echo in my mind from time to time, but I’ve learned how to recognize them for what they are and to quiet them with truth.

I’m a horrible mother—

But she’s healthy and growing. Little rolls round out her thighs.

I’m a horrible mother—

But she’s happy and smiles when I sing to her.

I’m a horrible mother. She deserves better—

But she quiets when I cradle her in my arms. She turns her eyes towards my voice and smiles and coos, eyes lighting up when I smile back. She relies on me for nourishment, and her cheeks are becoming increasingly plump.

I am not a horrible mother.

I am a mother who is learning and a mother who loves.

*****

If you think you may be struggling with postpartum depression or postpartum anxiety, please know that it’s not your fault and you’re not alone. Not only have many, many women struggled with this, but there is hope for you. Make an appointment with a counselor who specializes in postpartum depression (counseling is actually pretty great!) and get the care you need—the care you deserve.

You got this, momma!

Maria Bruce lives in New Orleans with her husband and daughter and works as the communications director for a women's healthcare and pregnancy center. She has an MA in English and loves to squeeze in a little reading and writing whenever the elusive free time appears.

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Are You TTC? Here’s the Skinny on Progesterone—& Why It’s So Important

By Amy Beckley

Editor’s note: Any medical advice presented here is expressly the views of the writer and Red Tricycle cannot verify any claims made. Please consult with your healthcare provider about what works best for you.

 

As the name suggests, progesterone—as in “pro-gestation”—is critical to conception and pregnancy. But we don’t hear much about this super hormone that not only indicates ovulation is occurring properly, but also prepares the uterus to receive a fertilized embryo for implantation.

So why is progesterone so important when trying to conceive? Let’s find out!

Progesterone confirms ovulation.

At the beginning of each menstrual cycle, progesterone levels are relatively low. First, Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) stimulates an ovarian follicle to develop, which causes an egg to mature and increases estrogen production. Then, as estrogen levels rise, FSH production declines and Luteinizing Hormone, or LH, production increases. A spike in LH levels indicates that ovulation or an egg being released from the ovary, is about to occur.

Many ovulation predictor kits measure LH, as the presence of this hormone is “predictive” of ovulation. After ovulation comes the luteal phase, where the corpus luteum produces progesterone. The corpus luteum is the empty follicle from which the egg was released. The presence of progesterone indicates that ovulation has, in fact, occurred, because if no egg is released, there is no empty follicle or corpus luteum, to produce it!

Progesterone stabilizes the uterine lining.

Each month, estrogen is released before ovulation and stimulates the uterine lining to build up. After ovulation, progesterone acts to stabilize the uterine lining so it is at the optimal thickness to support implantation. Progesterone’s role is to prepare the uterine lining for a pregnancy, allowing it to become receptive to the fertilized egg so that it can attach, implant and thrive for the duration of the pregnancy. Ideally, after ovulation, progesterone levels remain high, enabling a fertilized egg to successfully implant.

Progesterone enables a fertilized embryo to implant.

Since progesterone is involved in stabilizing the uterine lining, high levels of progesterone are needed for the embryo to attach in the womb and to maintain the pregnancy. Implantation typically occurs seven to 10 days after ovulation. Up until about the 8th week of pregnancy, the corpus luteum produces progesterone to support the pregnancy. After about the eighth or ninth week of pregnancy, progesterone production is taken over by the placenta and continues to nourish the fetus for the duration of the pregnancy.

Progesterone is needed to maintain pregnancy.

Whether generated from the corpus luteum or the placenta, progesterone levels consistently rise and remain elevated throughout the duration of pregnancy to support a healthy uterine environment for the growing fetus. It has some side benefits too. That pregnancy glow? That’s mighty progesterone at work making the skin appear firmer and brighter!

Tracking progesterone shows the full picture.

While traditional ovulation predictor kits are great for determining the best time for intercourse when trying to conceive, they fail to show the full picture. The menstrual cycle has two distinct phases. The first is the follicular phase, which is comprised of menstruation and the fertile window. This is the time leading up to ovulation. The second is the luteal phase, which is the time after ovulation and is critical for enabling conception and implantation.

Progesterone is the dominant hormone present during the luteal phase. By using ovulation predictor kits to track hormones during the follicular phase and tracking progesterone during the luteal phase, women can understand both halves of their cycle and therefore, the full menstrual picture!

Progesterone plays a critical, direct role in conception and pregnancy, but it plays a peripheral role in other aspects of women’s health related to conception and pregnancy as well. For example, progesterone plays an important role in libido. During ovulation, many women experience their peak in libido, which perfectly matches the fertile window of when you’re most likely to get pregnant.

In the luteal phase, progesterone levels significantly rise and libido typically drops as well. It’s as if high progesterone levels are a stop sign for your body to let you know you’re no longer in the fertile window. It is common for libido to fluctuate throughout the cycle, but what happens if you don’t have any sexual desire at any time during your monthly cycle? Well, this could be a sign of low progesterone. See, for a healthy libido, it is really the balance of estrogen and progesterone that matter the most and if these are out of balance due to low progesterone, it could tank your sex drive.

From confirming ovulation to supporting implantation to helping maintain pregnancy, progesterone is a hard-working hormone that is necessary for so much related to conception, pregnancy and general women’s health. If women are tracking hormones in the first half of the cycle using ovulation predictor kits, adding progesterone to their tracking regimen can help them understand the full menstrual cycle. Knowing about this critical hormone empowers women to ensure their body is ovulating properly and is prepared to receive and support an early pregnancy.

Amy Beckley is the founder and CEO of Proov, the first at-home rapid response urine progesterone test, a hormone critical to fertility and general wellness. Proov was developed from Beckley’s personal infertility experience. Using her PhD in Pharmacology and passion for helping others, Proov empowers women with the knowledge to better understand their bodies.

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How to Overcome These 7 New Mom Challenges

By Samardeep Sood

Being a mother is a blissful experience, and sometimes daunting! If you are a new inexperienced mother, life becomes thrilling cum challenging.

The good part, these challenges will help you learn a lot at the same time. A new mommy is usually overprotective and goes an extra mile to ensure the best for her kid. Maybe, that is why mothers are always deeply attached with their kids and cannot let anyone throw shade on them.

Are you a new mother? I understand, how you are being up all night and still going through the day, ensuring that your baby sleeps in peace. Worry not, here are some tips to make your motherhood more ecstatic.

Given below are the 7 problems that every new mother faces and some tips of how to cope up with the same.

1) Sleep Deprived

I know I know! You are sleep deprived. You are making sure that your baby sleeps with a smile. But when you try to hit the sack, you suddenly hear baby cries. You need to get up and sing a lullaby to your baby. Sweet enough for the onlookers, this repetitive cycle can be very tiresome and might even take a toll on the mother’s health.

If being a mother is a bliss, then getting solution to the related challenges is a boon. You must seek help. Not sleeping is not possible and might lead to abrupt mood swings. Continuous lack in sleep can also lead to mental and emotional disturbances. You need to make sure to ask for help.

Ask your friend, a family member, or trustworthy neighbour to spend some time with the baby and till then you must sleep. Sleeping in bits and snatches can also make up.

2) Breastfeeding Problems

You are not used to it! You never had a baby and the baby doesn’t know anything either. What to do now? Breastfeeding is one of the most common problems every new mother goes through. Many problems like generation of milk, baby not latching, painful feeding, and others arise. But, you simply cannot stop the process.

In this case, you need to see a latching consultant or should ask an experienced mother for help. You must talk it out and call them when trying to breastfeed the baby. They’ll be able to notice the flaws or the problems and can help you. Take your time in excelling in this and let the experts guide you. Sometimes, you just more time to get used to it.

3) Lack of ‘ME’ Time

After giving birth to a baby, you are going to miss your ‘ME’ time with your friends and family. And, you must get prepared for the same. Do not get scared! You can still have the time of your life with a baby besides you.

Try inviting your friends home. They are your friends, so they should better understand your state. If you want to go out, look for places you can take your baby along. A lot of mothers do this and this doesn’t let your ‘ME’ time go in waste.

Also, ask your husband or a family member to babysit for sometime. There might be lesser occasions than before, but you won’t regret it. Also, you must consider meeting friends who already have kids or are about to. They’ll understand your part and won’t press you down for anything.

4) You Feel Out of Shape!

Stretch marks and the stubborn fat! You do not feel like being in your own skin. You feel like an unknown person altogether. And, watching television and celebrities with the perfect body shape after giving birth to babies adds a lot more to existing breakdown.

But, it is okay! It takes around a year to get back in shape with mild regular workout. Prior to that, you need that extra fat, to be true. You need it to be energetic and keep the baby healthy with all the proper nutrition.

Even a personal trainer and full-time babysitter can’t fetch those luring results instantly, but that doesn’t mean you lose hope and stop try. Do whatever you want even; what if you’re the mother of a toddler? Just keep following the tiny bits and you’ll be there.

P.S. Do not forget the motherly glow that you’ll get on your skin!

5) It Pains

After going through an extensive pain, everything seems uncontrollable. You feel that you won’t be able to get out of the pain and it’ll stay with you forever. After going through c-section, surgeries, vaginal stitches, etc., you barely feel in a good state. That hurts.

However, you’ll be fine. All this is temporary and the pain will go away. In case of extreme discomfort, visiting your gynecologist is recommended. Also, ice packs and medicinal pads are prescribed for initial days; they can bring relief.

6) “Baby Blues”

You are hormonal which making you low every now & then. This feeling is termed as “baby blues”. You’ll feel like being stuck in something that doesn’t seem to end. Progesterone levels will decrease and you will be acquainted with mood swings.

And, all this with lack of sleep will mess up things.

Don’t worry it’s a matter of a couple of weeks. With support of family and friends, you can get through. There are many online & offline communities and forums too that help new moms feel good. Do not worry, you are not alone.

7) Ambiguity About What the Baby Wants

You’ll have to deal with this one, but again, just for sometime. Your kid won’t say thanks to you every time you are cleaning his face or wiping his poop. The baby won’t tell you whether he/she needs food or wants some warmth. Baby will just cry & you’ll have to figure out the reason. This might sound so difficult to you, doesn’t it?

“It gets better,” they say. Yes, It will. You’ll ultimately know what your baby wants for the moment. You get to know some fixed expressions and conditions that help you get through it. After all, you have gave birth to the baby so you’ll eventually get acquainted with his quirks and expressions. That’s why, it is said that mothers know their kids the best.

Your baby will smile when happy and no feeling will be better than that. Trust me! When your baby will smile at you for the first time, you’ll feel that all the hardships have paid off.

Then, the long due acknowledgements won’t matter. As, the connect will finally be there!

Take a Note

New mother? Have a newborn besides you being all cranky and crying every now and then? I hope this helps to make you feel tad bit relaxed.

Do not worry! In some time, you’ll be back to pavilion with the best version of yourself and a blessing in your hand. Don’t bother if your night parties are being missed for changing diapers. Trust me, you’ll find the worth.

Samardeep Sood is an experienced lifest‌yle writer who loves contributing to parenting blogs. The 26 YO blogger studies human psychology and loves sharing views on the same.

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