IVF is a BIG step for a couple in their infertility journey. It can be both really exciting and totally terrifying! Soon, they will be scheduling their lives around daily injections, frequent doctor appointments, egg retrievals, and transfers. Especially for someone starting IVF for the first time, this can be quite overwhelming. Not everyone is going to be open about their decision to do IVF, but if you do have a friend whom you know is starting this crazy journey, here are some gift ideas for them as they go through IVF. I personally was pretty open with close friends and family when we decided to do IVF and I’m not going to lie, I LOVED getting sweet, thoughtful gifts for IVF like these:
- Pineapple gifts. Pineapples are kind of the “mascot” of the infertility community, symbolizing the idea of being like a pineapple-standing tall, wearing a crown, and being sweet. It is also rumored that eating pineapple can help with implantation after an IVF transfer. Gifting something pineapple related will really let your friend know you’ve done your research and know that the pineapple means something to them in their infertility journey.
- Cozy socks. Who doesn’t love cozy socks?! Socks are such a great gift because when you are spending every other day at the doctor’s office during your IVF cycle, you spend a lot of time with your pants off and your socks on! You also want to keep your feet warm after transfer to keep your body temperature warm to maintain a warm uterus for it’s new occupant.
- McDonald’s gift card. Haha okay, hear me out on this one. If you are familiar with IVF or fertility treatments in general, you have probably heard of the ol’ “eat McDonald’s french fries after transfer” superstition. I don’t know if it actually helps with anything, but you better believe we stopped by the McDonald’s drive thru to get fries after both our retrievals and transfer.
- Thoughtful jewelry. I have seen so many beautiful jewelry ideas that would be so perfect for an infertility warrior. It can be such a sweet reminder of a difficult trial and help give them strength. Etsy has some great ideas, but I especially love this simple pineapple necklace.
- Warm blanket. Post retrieval and transfer you spend a lot of time resting and relaxing on the couch or in bed. A cozy blanket would be a simple, yet totally useful gift!
- Med carrying case. One of the reasons IVF is kind of a big deal is because you are signing yourself up for daily stims injections for about 2 weeks plus longer if you include PIO shots during transfer. I did two rounds of Stims, and was injecting up to 8 shots a day at one point. NOT FUN. But a cute little med carrying case would be a useful gift to receive, especially if you are often traveling during injection times.
- IVF related shirt. Once you get to Transfer Day, you have gone through weeks of shots, yucky side effects, stressful waits for fertilization reports, and genetic testing. Transfer Day is like the marathon you’ve been training for, a fun transfer day shirt would definitely be worn by your IVF friend and admired by their nurses and doctors. These “Wake, Pray, It’s Transfer Day!” shirts are one of my favorites.
- IVF Journal. There is a lot going on throughout IVF. The IVF Journal by Good Grief Journals has space for you to jot down questions for your doctor and notes from consults, record memories of egg retrieval and transfer day, and even includes daily prompts to help you cope with the emotions of infertility. Talk about the perfect gift!
- Snacks. When I say snacks, I mean chocolate, haha, at least for me that was what I craved when I was feeling bloated, uncomfortable, and quite emotional. IVF is a lot! Throw in your friends favorite treat or snack with your IVF gift.
- Heating pad. A heating pad or reheatable rice pack was something I used for days following my egg retrieval. Even after sucking all the eggs out of you, your belly is still bloated and your grapefruit size ovaries are slowly shrinking back down, causing painful cramps. A heating pad greatly helped alleviate that pain post retrieval.
These are just a few ideas to get you thinking about what you can get that friend who is taking this next step towards growing their family. Who doesn’t love a little care package to let them know they are loved? These gifts for IVF will be so thoughtful and your friend will appreciate that you took the time to get them something to make them smile through the tough stuff.
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