In a year full of surprises, one mom-to-be is certainly counting her blessings! After being told for a year that she would never be able to conceive naturally, 33-year-old Jodie Relf is now 31 weeks pregnant after using a conception cup.
Relf and her fiancé Anthony became discouraged amid their infertility struggles and with doctors telling them that they would never be able to conceive a baby without the help of IVF. Jodie, who is a Dietitian and Pilates instructor, was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in her twenties and received the devastating news that she was no longer ovulating. Her fiancé experienced his own fertility issues while being told that he had low sperm mobility. Together, the couple felt hopeless, however, they didn't fully lose faith.
Relf was determined to conceive naturally, taking conception multivitamins and making lifestyle changes to increase her chances of pregnancy. According to Daily Mail, Ralf eventually tried a conception cup to keep the sperm in place, which resulted in her falling pregnant with her 'miracle lockdown baby' after just one fertile window.
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When Relf's friend, also trying for a baby, shared an article about how a menstrual cup can be used to keep sperm in place, she felt pretty doubtful. After doing research, Jodie admitted to being "put off" with that technique as she felt that ultimately it was not what the cup is made for. But in April, the first-time mom found out she won a competition on Instagram to win a FERTI·LILY Conception Cup, and one day before her fertile window, it arrived at her door. According to the FERTI-LILY website, the product works by inserting inside the vagina after intercourse, worn for 20 minutes but no longer than 1 hour, and increases conception by 48%.
Jodie revealed that using the cup was surprisingly straightforward and comfortable. However, the couple remained skeptical about its success, so when she fell pregnant so fast, it was a very surreal moment. "We found out in the middle of May that I was pregnant. It was the first and only cycle that we used the cup for," Relf gushed to Daily Mail. Now, at 31-weeks pregnant, Relf described her pregnancy journey as a 'miracle' and how she has been lucky to not have experienced any morning sickness during her first trimester. "I had two weeks of tiredness and feeling a little queasy and then I went off vegetables for about three weeks - which is very strange for a dietician!" Relf said.
Keeping their baby's gender a secret, the couple is over the moon as they await his or her arrival. Now, Jodie and Anthony are firm believers in the conception cup, recommending to couples who are struggling to get pregnant, to try it. The FERTI-LILY cup is hormone-free, can be used for up to six cycles, and helps up to 300% more sperm cells to enter the protective environment of the cervical mucus, increasing the chances of conception.
Would you use a conception cup? Let's hear your thoughts in the comment section.
FERTI·LILY Conception Cup is available to buy at ferti-lily.co.uk for £32.99
Sources: FERTI-LILY, Daily Mail