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Cascade Christian Childbirth Association
PROMISES IN GOD’S WORD FOR OVERCOMING INFERTILITY AND PRAYING FOR CONCEPTION By Julie Bell, R.N. Our Story: It took us a year to conceive our first baby. It’s usual for most normal, healthy couples to take from about 6 months to a year to conceive. But in our case we had a few things to overcome. Due to extreme stress (we were in a front-lines situation on the mission field), I was only having a period every 60 days. But God used all that time to teach us so many things about having babies and about the promises in God’s Word that in retrospect we were grateful for the long wait because we learned so much through it. We researched everything on the subject at the local library and went through the Bible like miners looking for gold, discovering wonderful promises related to the whole subject of having children. We wrote out all the Scriptures, put them up them on our bedroom wall, and prayed every day according to His Word. We improved our diet and began praying specifically for our future babies. I drew up a personal fertility chart so that I could identify our combined fertile periods. They were few and far between! I did not have much fertile mucous. And often, right during our fertile times, I would get a thrush infection. It seemed like spiritual opposition to us. So we began to pray in agreement. We built up our faith and waited for the next fertile period. We prayed that according to Isaiah 41:18, that I would have “rivers” of abundant fertile mucous on the “barren heights” of my cervix, where the mucous-producing cells are located. It happened just like we prayed. Then, just like before, I developed a thrush infection. But this time, I felt the Lord prompt me to stop using the treatment cream and instead rebuke the devourer and stand in faith for conception. Before we came together (dear me! Haven’t I put that discreetly!), we prayed together. Doug was confident and knew with certainty the very moment we conceived! He had no evidence, but he proclaimed it and believed it by faith. I waited anxiously and took two pregnancy tests. Both negative. Doug kept smiling and saying, “You’re pregnant! I know it! We prayed, and you’re pregnant! There’s someone in there! He or she is just too small to make enough HGC hormone yet!” A week later …. Two blue lines!!! We had specifically prayed that our first baby would be a little girl, and asked that she would be between 7 and 7-and-a-half pounds. We conceived during the full moon, and every time the full moon came, Doug would count the baby as being one month older. Interestingly, our baby was born 9 lunar months later, during the full moon! That proved to be more accurate than the usual method of estimating the due date. And she was a little girl weighing 7 pounds and 4 ounces. This was our first adventure in believing God for the promises in His Word concerning our children. Little by little, we have learned more about faith as well as practical tips for conception, pregnancy and birthing. Everyone’s experience is quite unique and personal … there is no blue-print or formula. We hope that in sharing our journey, you might glean whatever tips or ideas that suit you and freely discard whatever doesn’ t. Jackie Mize (“Supernatural Childbirth”) said, “We should have as much sense as an old cow … chew on the straw, spit out the sticks!” We’d like to share some of the things that worked for us. Key Scriptures: God specialises in miracle conceptions! Hannah, Elizabeth (not to mention Mary!) God is a fertility specialist – He causes rivers to flow on the barren heights (Is 41:18) God loves babies and it is His delight to bless you with good gifts, such as children Through Christ, you are blessed and not cursed. It is your heritage to not be barren, nor to have miscarriages; and the fruit of your womb is blessed. Jesus has broken the power of any curse. Having children: Ps 127:3-4; Ps 128:3-4; Deut 7:12-15; Ex 7:12-15 Overcoming barrenness: Ps 113:9; Is 54:1 Praying for healing: Is 53:4-5; 1 Pet 2:24; Ps 103:2; Deut 7:15; Ex 24:25 Confidence in asking God for these blessings: 1 John 5:15-15; Heb 4:15-16 God will answer your prayers: Ps 66:18-19 God gives good gifts: James 1:16; Luke 11:9; Matt 17:21; Matt 18:18-20; Mark 11: 22-26; 1 John 1:9 Nothing is impossible with God! Luke 1:36-37; Matt 18:18-20 – the prayer of agreement Conception is about life. Jesus is the giver of Life – John 10:10 The Word brings life – the significance of meditating on the Word and letting it nourish you: Prov 5:20-22; Ps 107:20; Deut 8:3; Jeremiah 17:8; Prov 3:7-8; Psalm 1 The significance of confessing these scriptures with your mouth and declaring them aloud: Prov 18:21; Joshua 1:8; Romans 10:10 Fertility: Isaiah 32:15-18; 35:1-2; 41:18; 54:1. Joy is significant for conception: Joel 2:21-23; Psalm 4:7 Be joyful and do not be afraid: Isaiah 35:1-2; 54:1. Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart: Psalm 37:4; 103:1-5 Pregnancy: Isaiah 40:11; Psalm 139:13-16 Promises for no miscarriage: Malachi 3:10-11; Exodus 24:25-26 Childbirth: Isaiah 66:7-10; 1 Timothy 2:15; Ex 1:19; Romans 8:37; Phil 4:13; Nehemiah 8:10 Overcoming fear (fear is the enemy of childbirth) – you’ll have peace and confidence instead. Prov 3:24-26; Psalm 4:7-8; 34:4; Psalm 91; Isaiah 26:3; 30:15; 2 Tim 34:4 1 John 4:16-18 * Barren women who became pregnant: Sarah – Genesis 21:1-2 (By the way … we know a lady who conceived and had her first baby, a little girl at age 50!!! This was a special blessing from God for her and her husband as she had suffered much in her earlier life. God is a restorer and redeemer!) Rebekah – Genesis 25:21 Rachel – Genesis 30:22 Hannah – 1 Samuel 1:20 & 27 Ruth – “the Lord enabled her to conceive” – Ruth 4:13 Elizabeth – Luke 1:36 PRACTICAL TIPS: Vitamins that Promote Fertility: • Vitamin C – in case studies of infertile couples with whom fertility drugs had not worked, high doses of Vitamin C caused them to conceive. • B-group Vitamins – increases fertile mucous, regulates hormones and nurtures the female reproductive system. Start taking Folic Acid (Folic Acid is one of the B-group Vitamins) and eating folate- rich foods BEFORE you conceive to help reduce the risk of birth defects. Because they are water-soluble, it is easier to become depleted in B-group vitamins than fat-soluble vitamins like Vitamin A. Therefore it is advisable to maintain a daily intake of water-soluble vitamins such as Vitamin C and the B-complex vitamins – either through a nourishing diet, or diet-supplement tablets (or most likely a combination of both!) B-group Vitamins are essential for women’s general health and well-being. Maintaining an adequate intake of B vitamins can help normalise pre-menstrual tension, mood-swings, fatigue, etc. Caffeine reduces your body’s ability to absorb the B Vitamins. • Vitamin E – called the “Fertility Vitamin.” Promotes fertility in both the male and female reproductive systems. I personally have also found generous doses of Vitamin E helpful in regaining strength and stamina after fighting off debilitating viral illnesses (like Dengue Fever!) • Zinc – enhances male fertility – pumpkin seeds are high in Zinc. I can see it now. “Here you are honey, more pumpkin seeds to munch on!” It’d take a pretty dedicated man to go along with that. Oh well, there’s always tablets if he’s not into seeds! “Real men do ZINC!” … good luck with that! SUBSTANCES TO AVOID: • The Oral Contraceptive Pill Some women get pregnant right away after stopping the Pill. But usually it takes time for hormonal and nutrient levels in your body to normalize. It takes about three months for the levels of Vitamin A to return to normal after stopping the Pill. The Pill also reduces the absorption of B group vitamins and Vitamin C. So after coming off the Pill, chances are you will be deficient in the water soluble “fertility vitamins” C and B- group, and have an excess of fat-soluble Vitamin A, which is accumulated in the body. It is advisable to use barrier contraception for about 6 months after stopping the Pill to allow your body to normalize before trying to conceive. This may reduce the chances of miscarriage. You might try eating foods high in Vitamin C and B-group (e.g.wheatgerm, whole-wheat products, Brewer’s Yeast, blackstrap molasses, brown rice, herring, salmon, walnuts, peanuts) and avoiding the following foods that are high in Vitamin A: (barley, oats, soybeans, carrots, fennel and green beans.) Note: You only need to avoid these foods until you’re actually pregnant, after that, these foods listed are nutritious for the growing baby. • Caffeine Caffeine reduces the absorption of B-group Vitamins – the ones that increase the flow of fertile mucous! In fact, caffeine reduces fertility in both men and women. Cutting down or eliminating caffeine is a good thing to do now and to continue throughout pregnancy and breast-feeding. • Stress Reduce stress by eating a nourishing diet, avoiding sugar, caffeine, smoking and refined foods (“junk food”), making time for adequate rest, and daily exercise and stretching exercises. • Antihistamines Just like they dry up the mucous in your mouth and nose, anti-histamines (and sleeping pills which have similar ingredients) will reduce fertile mucous in your cervix. If you’re planning a pregnancy it is a good idea to avoid all medications (except under specific medical advice) anyway. OTHER TIPS: • Body Weight You need 15-20% body fat in order to have enough oestrogen to trigger ovulation, so if you’re super-slim and have been exercising a great deal, you might want to gain a few pounds. MOST of us probably won’t have to worry about this, right?? • Fertility Facts If fertile mucous is not present, you can’t get pregnant. Whenever it is present …. You can! This factor is more significant than when you ovulate or when you have sex, because the sperm can stay alive, nourished in the fertile mucous, for up to 5 days. So keeping a chart and learning to observe when the mucous is present (it is usually clear, stretchy and egg-white consistency) is the most significant indicator of fertility. OK. Time to get practical. How do you “observe” for fertile mucous? • Remember times when your underpants felt damp and you wished you had a panty-liner or a spare pair to change into? Or times it felt slippery when you wiped with toilet paper? When you’re not thinking about pregnancy, it’s just inconvenient. But now that dampness or moistness is exactly what you’re on the look-out for – it’s fertile mucous! • During the days that your cervix is producing fertile mucous and you are feeling that dampness, have a little look at the toilet tissue after you wipe – you might be able to see it on the surface of the tissue. It looks shiny and slippery. • OK, now instead of the ‘rule of thumb’, we have the ‘rule of finger’: gently insert a clean finger into your vagina and withdraw it. Hopefully you’ll have a sample of fertile mucous on your finger. It is clear, or nearly clear, and slippery like egg white. If you press your finger and thumb together and then separate them, it stretches out (kind of like pizza cheese – but clear). • It is different to arousal fluid produced by the vagina, which is clear, but quite watery and not stretchy. It’s different to non-fertile mucous, because non-fertile mucous is not clear, more opaque, even cream coloured, and it is non-stretchy. • Make a little note in your diary whenever you definitely observe fertile mucous. If there is any regularity to your cycle, you may begin to see a pattern. It normally shows up during the week following the end of your period. • Some women notice that their libido, or desire for sex, increases soon after the end of their period – around the middle of their cycle – right about when the fertile mucous shows up! This is because we’re biologically programmed to desire sex when we’re most physically ready to conceive. Makes sense. Great if you’re trying to get pregnant … could be frustrating if you’re trying to avoid pregnancy! Either way, it’s good to be aware of this phenomenon. It’s advisable to have sex every second day during the time that fertile mucous is present (usually 5 days to a week). You don’t need to stand on your head …. but one book suggested staying on your back with a pillow under your hips and knees drawn up for 15 minutes after intercourse. Recommended reading: “Your Fertility Signals” By Merryl Winstein (Smooth Stone Press, P.O. Box 19875 St. Louis, Missouri 63144 USA). This is a very clear explanation of fertility with practical tips on naturally achieving or avoiding pregnancy. • Herbs ~ Ginseng is supposed to enhance fertility in men. ~ For women, Dong Quai (Angelica Sinensis) regulates the menstrual cycle and is a general tonic for the female reproductive system. ~ Black Cohosh and Chasteberry are good for female fertility ~ Red Raspberry Leaf Tea also nourishes the female reproductive system and is rich in nutrients. |
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| Overcoming Infertility |