Ok, let's talk progesterone in oil. You made it to the #PIOshot part of the journey, which is exciting (stick baby, stick!) but also DAUNTING, as that needle is much bigger than those used for stim medications.

I am here to tell you that they are do-able. This is coming from someone who always hated needles, blood and anything medical. Ask my high school friends - while they discussed episodes of Grey's Anatomy at the lunch table I squirmed and begged them to change the subject. Now I like to think of myself as a seasoned injection champ. Not sure if that's a good or a bad thing?! I guess that's infertility life. 

I still get uneasy prior to each injection (it's not natural to poke yourself with a sharp needle! ha) but you do what you gotta do. And YOU can do this! 

Here are my top tips:

#1 Ice the injection site 15 min prior (shop our cute ice pack). I've found the longer you ice the less sting.

#2 While icing, draw up the medication. Once you have everything set, warm up the syringe in your hand or you can place on a heating pad. (I find that warming between hands works fine.) This helps make the injection a little easier as the medication isn't as thick when warm. 

#3 If you have a partner helping you then great! You can stand up or lay down, whichever is most comfortable. I prefer that they count to 3 and then do the injection so I know when it's coming. I don't want to tense up in anticipation! It's best if they inject with a swift dart-like motion.

#4 If you're injecting yourself, stand in front of a mirror so you can see what you're doing, take a deep breath and inject at a slight downward angle. Sounds scary but a dart-like motion is best. I find it's less painful if you just go for it. Also, I try not look at the whole needle so I don't freak myself out. Focus your eyes on where you want to inject and GO FOR IT! You can do it! 

#5 Massage out the area for a few minutes to avoid knots. I have a Theragun which is awesome (I haven't had any knots yet!) but any massager would work great. Or get your partner to give you a good rub-down!

#6 Applying heat also helps with avoiding knots and reduces pain. Honestly, I've skipped this step if I'm in a rush and it's been fine. I think massaging out the injection site really does the trick

THERE, YOU DID IT! I promise it gets easier the more you do them. The first one I gave myself I was so nervous and sweating (check my Instagram reels for a good laugh). Let me know how they go!

xx

Juliette