Ep 358 Bed Rest or Movement After Transfer? Surprising IVF Insights
Should you really stay in bed after an embryo transfer? For years, many fertility clinics recommended 24–48 hours of strict bed rest, but research now reveals surprising insights: movement may actually support better outcomes.
In this episode of The Wholesome Fertility Podcast, I explore what the latest studies say about bed rest versus gentle movement after transfer. I also share holistic, evidence-based practices from both Western research and Traditional Chinese Medicine that can help create the most supportive environment for implantation.
You’ll learn about the role of acupuncture before and after transfer, nourishing foods and supplements that enhance blood flow and uterine receptivity, and mind-body practices, from meditation to laughter therapy, that ease stress and boost outcomes.
Whether you’re preparing for an IVF cycle or supporting someone on this journey, this episode is packed with practical, compassionate guidance to empower you with knowledge and ease during this important stage.
Key Takeaways:
Extended bed rest after embryo transfer may not improve success rates and could reduce them.
Gentle movement supports circulation and aligns with TCM principles for reducing stagnation.
Acupuncture before and after transfer can significantly enhance implantation success.
Warm, nourishing foods like bone broth and circulation-supporting foods like beets are beneficial.
Supplements such as CoQ10, vitamin E, omega-3s, and L-arginine may support uterine health (always consult your clinic).
Stress management, meditation, time off work, and even laughter therapy can positively impact outcomes.
Disclaimer: The information shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your health or fertility care.
Ready to discover what your body needs most on your fertility journey?
Take the personalized quiz inside The Wholesome Fertility Journey and get tailored resources to meet you exactly where you are:
https://www.michelleoravitz.com/the-wholesome-fertility-journey
For more about my work and offerings, visit: www.michelleoravitz.com
Curious about ancient wisdom for fertility? Grab my book The Way of Fertility:
https://www.michelleoravitz.com/thewayoffertility
Join the Wholesome Fertility Facebook Group for free resources & community support:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2149554308396504/
Connect with me on social:
Instagram: @thewholesomelotusfertility
Facebook: The Wholesome Lotus
Disclaimer: Some of the links shared are affiliates but this is at no cost to you and can even get you discounted prices!
-
Michelle: [00:00:00] Episode number 3 58 of the Wholesome Fertility Podcast Should you really go on bedrest for 24 to 48 hours after an embryo transfer. This is a question I hear all the time, and it's something many clinics have traditionally recommended, but research now shows that extended bedrest doesn't necessarily improve success rates, and in some cases may even lower them.
Michelle: So welcome to the Wholesome Fertility podcast. I'm your host Michelle Orbit, and in today's episode we'll explore what the studies actually say about bedrest after transfer, and I'll share holistic evidence-based ways you can prepare your body and mind to create the most welcoming and environment for implantation.
Michelle: So stay tuned.
Michelle: [00:01:00] So for years, clinics have been saying that after an embryo transfer, people should go on bedrest for 24 to 48 hours and basically not do much. And the idea was that laying flat is going to be optimal for helping the embryo stick. But here's what the research shows. In some cases they say that it makes absolutely no difference, and in other cases it actually shows that people who are a little more active, and we're not talking about.
Michelle: Exercise, just moving around, have a better chance of a successful embryo transfer than those who are on bedrest. And some clinics do not advise to rest for 24 to 48 hours after transfer. In fact, they believe that if you move around, you're gonna create more circulation and it's better for the outcome of the transfer.
Michelle: So from a traditional Chinese medicine perspective. It does make [00:02:00] sense that if you're not moving around a lot, you're gonna create more stagnation in the body and you wanna create more blood flow in order to support the new embryo growth and implantation. But ultimately, I do suggest that you speak to your doctor because every doctor has a different theory on this.
Michelle: And then what you could do is bring this to their attention if it is something that you're concerned about, and then ask them what their thought is and if there's any studies that back up what they're suggesting. But I also wanna cover a couple of different things that you might wanna look into when you are preparing your body for transfer and what you could do to really support the outcome.
Michelle: So I am a licensed acupuncturist and I specialize in fertility health, and I frequently support women who are going through the IVF journey. And one of the biggest things that I say is more timed and is really, really vital when it comes to transfers is getting acupuncture before and after the transfer.
Michelle: There's a protocol that has been shown to really help the outcome of the [00:03:00] transfers, and I personally have seen incredible success with it. But even way before that, I would say even a couple of months, it's really important to get acupuncturist so that you can increase the blood flow to the uterus and do this regularly so that it's not just a one-off acupuncture session.
Michelle: And oftentimes I suggest for people to get maybe twice a week. Before and leading up to the transfer. And I often suggest on warm, nourishing foods before and after the transfer. So things like bone broth is really supportive. And then before that you can do beets, which are very high in nitric oxide and they support blood circulation.
Michelle: And that is really something that you wanna do so that you can support more of that blood flow for that healthy uterine lining. And from a traditional Chinese medicine perspective. Warming foods such as bone broth and soups and stews are very supportive to a warm environment in the womb, which from A TCM perspective, supports receptivity.
Michelle: And some of the supplements I [00:04:00] often suggest are continuing coq 10, 'cause coq 10 is also really good for egg quality. It's also amazing for uterine lining. Vitamin E is really great. Omega threes your prenatal vitamins and L-arginine. Now, all of these things really depend on the clinic. Sometimes the clinic has their own method and protocols, and they prefer that you don't take certain supplements.
Michelle: So I would always make sure that you are on the same page with your doctor, and ultimately, I highly suggest. Working on your nervous system. So doing things like meditation and really working on the stress levels. And oftentimes, a lot of my patients have full-time jobs while they're going through this, and many times it's in secret.
Michelle: They don't really want their work to know what's going on in their personal life. So I often suggest taking that week off before transfer, really getting your body prepared so that you can mentally get a little break and a buffer from any other stressors and what's been shown to. Also improve outcomes [00:05:00] in embryo transfers is laughter therapy.
Michelle: So there was a study done and it was clown therapy, and this clown would come in and make people laugh after their embryo transfers. And the people that got exposed to the clowns and were laughing had an increased rate of pregnancies versus the group that did not have that. So I often suggest watch comedies and if nothing else, it really takes out the stress of the whole time and the two week wait.
Michelle: So it's kind of good as one other way to possibly get your mind off things, although sometimes it's impossible. One of my dear friends and colleagues, Monica, is the author of the IVF Planner and in there she has some adult coloring pages just to get your mind off the two week wave. So it's not often very possible to get your mind off it.
Michelle: Completely. But there are certain things that you can do to keep your mind occupied, and one of the ways to do this is really getting your hands busy. So any kind of craft or [00:06:00] drawing or coloring or even taking walks can really shift your perspective because when you're changing your physiology or doing something different, it can help take the edge off from the two week weight.
Michelle: I do also offer hypnosis audios, and one of them is for uterine lining and receptivity. So a lot of the different. Audios can shift and change depending on where you are in your journey or if you're going through the IVF journey, and this is in my membership, which includes lots of hypnosis audios, and you can find that in the episode notes.
Michelle: But all in all, really giving yourself that TLC, that time and support, possibly having a community around you or people that you can talk to. During this time, because I know that it could be really difficult for some people and some people are going through this after loss. So it's really, really important to have self-compassion and have tools ready so that when you do need something, you're able to readily access it.
Michelle: So I hope you got a lot of good information from this episode [00:07:00] because it is a very frequently asked topic, and that's why I thought about speaking specifically to embryo transfers and how you can really support that. In your journey. So thank you so much for tuning in, and I'll see you next time. [00:08:00]