The Fertile Journey

one step at a time

An acupuncturists insight into the fertility journey…

The fertility and pregnancy journey holds so much emotion and so I very much wish to start by extending my love to all that have been through it, are currently going through it or learning to let go of it. So much love!!!

I want to share with you my personal fertility, pregnancy and parenting journey and my professional one supporting women in their journey.

Let’s start with my professional journey. In 2007 I studied in London at Westminster University with an amazing team of teachers and students. My love for this medicine was sealed within this study. When I graduated I honestly didn’t know what direction I was going to take. A couple of months out in the professional world and good friend and study colleague called me to tell me to apply for a paid position with Dr Zhai. ‘The Baby Maker’ according to an article in the Guardian magazine, which circulated Europe, and attracted patients both locally and from across Europe. And thus started my path in supporting couples who wished to start or grow their family.

When I immigrated to Australia, I’m a Northern Irish born girl if you haven’t met me, my first acupuncture position was within the busy Melbourne multi-disciplinary clinic Fertile Ground. Again, with a sole focus on seeing patients for fertility, pregnancy and beyond. Here though, any one was welcome.  

In 2016 I went out on my own to work from several locations. I joined Eve Studio and founded Embody Balance in 2018. Eve Studio is a female (and those that identify as female) only yoga/pilates/dance studio, and so my focus then became women only too. Through these years I’ve continued to attract many women on their fertility journey.

Let me tell you I’ve seen it all and held space for hundreds of women on their journey. I go through every anguish that every menstrual bleed brings that says, it didn’t happen this month. I see all the stages of the IVF cycle and the many variations and developments available now for IVF. I see women who are choosing to do this amazing journey on their own. I see many same sex couples who are gifted this chance from a known sperm donor or an anonymous one. I see those with complicated menstrual health issues that have impacted their ability to conceive naturally and those who have never had a clear answer as to why this miracle is not happening for them. I am often one of the first to hear about their pregnancy and will support them and their symptoms throughout this journey. I am there when grief is overwhelming after a loss of a pregnancy or complications during pregnancy can be gripped by fear. I am also there for women who are trying just one last time before they choose to heal and grieve for a life they feel they is their birth right, is not to be. I love and support all of you at every stage.

What is the role of acupuncture within all of this? As a Dr of Chinese Medicine we look at each individual, asking many questions around your health, symptoms, life style etc... We also then use diagnostic methods such as pulse diagnosis, tongue diagnosis, channel palpation, abdominal palpation and observation. Compiling all this information with what has been shared as well as the wealth of experience we have, we are then able to select acupuncture points that will help bring your body back into alignments, relieve painful symptoms, improve ovarian, uterine health and menstrual regularity and overall health in general. Acupuncture helps to balance hormones and support your nervous system as well as calming and settling the mind. We offer advice on diet, herbs and supplements if needed, that are specific to what we discover in the diagnostic stage.

We do all of this in a gentle way, giving you time and space to talk and share and open up as well as time to rest and settle and rejuvenate yourself.

My Journey

Now to share my personal journey. When my husband and I decided to start trying in 2011 it took 7 months for us to conceive. Every month was filled with anguish. I had been preparing for months and was getting acupuncture, taking herbs, taking supplements and eating a healthy diet. The month I conceived also happened to be the month I had let go of attachment and let my hair down a little. I cant say for sure if this had anything to do with why that was the month Lucas started to grow. But a part of me likes to think so. At 16 weeks into my pregnancy I had a scare and was told by a local GP doctor that I might loose the baby. I couldn’t get a scan until the next day. That night was agonising. I don’t think I slept a wink. The next day I discovered that I had a low lying placenta (well actually it was completely covering my cervix) and that this was a high risk pregnancy. A condition called major placenta previa. I was advised not to lift anything and I should have my phone on me at all times and have people close by in case I needed to rush to the hospital at any given moment. Needless to say I became quite anxious. It was decided that I should fly home to Ireland and stay with family who were always around. I swear that acupuncture and herbs were my savior during this time, and the opportunity to rest and be loved and looked after by my family was by far the blessing in disguise within this story. Taking the stress out of the busy London life I had was a gift. I did have a ten day stay in hospital at the very end of my pregnancy (I think because the in-laws had arrived and my stress level rose) but I made it through to my planned c-section at 38 weeks gestation without any major issues. This I am very grateful for as it’s rare for a woman with such major placenta previa to have so few issues.

The birth however was traumatic and I had post recovery complications. Little Lucas was absolutely fine. Fast forward nine years on, I am a solo mum, co-parenting with Lucas’s Dad and navigating how to parent a beautiful, vibrant and loving boy with ADHD. Lucas has stopped asking me to give him a sibling but it definitely still, at times, plays on my mind that I didn’t give him and myself that. It plays on my mind that our family is small here. My fertile days are nearing a new era in the next few years as menopause approaches and so my journey continues as a maturing women. You are as young as you feel though right, and honestly I feel more vibrant and full of life in my mid 40’s than I did in my 30’s.

I am always striving to be in moment for my son, for my patients, for my friends and for myself. Nurturing each relationship along the way as best I can.

If you have any questions as to how acupuncture and Chinese Medicine can help you, your family or friend with fertility, pregnancy or beyond please get in touch.

Dr Jane Ditty

BSc hons Chinese Medicine: Acupuncture

171 Sydney Road, Brunswick, 3056