Sia Cooper Tells Her Story To Beli+Well

The Start of Our IVF Journey

It's been two months since I got married (still need to blog about that!) and we are ready to build our family. I am 34 years old and not getting any younger so I do often feel as if my time is ticking. Building our own family has also been a huge goal that we have discussed over and over again. Now that we are married, we want to explore making that a reality.

We knew early on that my husband and I would have to choose the IVF (in vitro fertilization) route. I have had two children of my own, but my husband has struggled with years of infertility. The cause of his infertility was due to an inguinal hernia surgery that he had when he was younger which most likely resulted in an accidental vasectomy that cannot be reversed.

After multiple tests, he chose to get a biopsy done in late 2022 which showed him having living, viable sperm. The worst case scenario was that he would not have any sperm because previous basic tests showed none. We could not believe it!

No matter what, we did have a Plan B. If he had not had any sperm, we would have opted for a sperm donor, but it was nice to know that having our own was a real option. When we do go through the IVF process, he will repeat this procedure to retrieve the sperm which involves a needle penetrating the testicles in certain areas where pockets of sperm are known to be. They will aspirate the sperm and freeze it until we are ready.

My Journey to IVF

For now, we have been taking really good care of ourselves and prepping our bodies. He is taking a supplement called Beli Vitality for Men. Think of it as like a men's prenatal vitamin, right? It contains ingredients such as selenium, zinc, CoQ10, and folate to support healthy, viable sperm, support motility, protect sperm growth, and support overall preconception wellness. Since we have to go the IVF route, I want to ensure everything is perfect so him taking this is a must for us.

I on the other hand am taking the Beli Women Prenatal which supports conception, baby's growth, egg quality and supports labor, delivery, and breastfeeding. You do not have to be pregnant to take a prenatal vitamin! It is best to start wayyy before you even plan your pregnancy and it is best to continue taking it even during the postpartum stages because your body will need the extra nutrients and vitamins.

Beli also offers prenatal collagen which is super new. I add a scoop to my coffee every morning even though I am not pregnant yet because it makes an awesome creamer. I love that it contains protein as well because women especially have issues with getting enough grams per day. This collagen supports baby's growth, postpartum hair recovery, morning sickness, skin elasticity, and even balances blood sugar. Its a great addition!

Additional Resources

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Egg quantity and quality are critical aspect of our reproductive well-being. By understanding the ideal number of eggs at various ages, why egg quality and quantity matter, and how to nurture and improve egg health, we can make informed decisions about our fertility and overall health.

Read More

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Read More

If you’re no stranger to the telltale signs of seasonal allergies—sneezing, itching, nasal congestion, irritated eyes, the works—you’re likely familiar with antihistamines. When you’re actively trying to conceive, there’s more to understand about histamines, seasonal allergies and how it affects your fertility.

Read More

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Read More

The concern that hormonal contraception affects future fertility is making the rounds on social media again. But research continues to show that all that worry is for naught. While birth control doesn’t cause long-term fertility issues, it can mask them by creating an artificial cycle—something that’s important to understand.

Read More

For many of us, our twenties and even thirties are a time when the focus is on pregnancy prevention. And that’s okay! But even when the idea of motherhood is miles away there is tremendous value in understanding your fertility health and what you can do to support it during these young, carefree days.

Read More

Once a month, PMS symptoms make their unpleasant presence known. And while knowing what’s happening won’t make PMS magically disappear, it can help you manage symptoms by balancing hormones and supporting your reproductive health. Let’s review.

Read More

It’s an easy assumption, but you’re much better off thinking that every prenatal vitamin is wildly different in terms of composition, nutrient quality and, importantly, nutrient amount. Not only is that actually true, it puts you in the smart consumer mindset of understanding what matters in a prenatal vitamin—and why.

Read More

If you have endometriosis, you can already recite its lengthy list of pretty terrible symptoms. And the standard options for managing those symptoms — medications, hormone therapy, hormonal birth control, estrogen blockers, surgery —  aren’t always great. But there is evidence that a so-called “endometriosis diet” can help.

Read More
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