Embody Fertility

06/05/2025

24/04/2025

Fertility Wellness is an industry and sometimes marketing can be unethical - preying on our vulnerability.

This is coming from someone who is has been passionate about the power of holistic care and wellness even before we were trying to conceive.

We are willing to do anything and fear-based marketing makes us feel like we aren’t doing enough or that we’re doing something wrong.

I truly believe in integrative care for our reproductive health but not at the expense of adding more overwhelm - from appointment fatigue to the financial strain of the multitude of supplements.

We are all unique and our fertility care is not one sized fits all. Also many of the changes we make while preparing for IVF or IUI aren’t sustainable for longer term.

It’s all about balance through making adjustments and changes that also feel nourishing to nervous system by offering more stability - not rigidity.

This is my hope in my Nourish 1:1 sessions - holistic nutrition and lifestyle support where we start with manageable steps, not with an overwhelming list of supplements or a restrictive diet. Tailoring adjustments so that they are sustainable and truly nourishing.

If this resonates with you, see availability at nicoleblackwood.com/nourish-fertility-one-to-one/ (link in profile)

21/04/2025

I’m personally in a better a place on our fertility path to use my voice to advocate for better fertility care and to let others know that they are not alone.

I was never one to share the in the moment process of our fertility challenges and journey through treatments. It is supportive for some people and I get that but for me it is as more draining than supportive.

But I still shared my struggles with my “safe circle” of loved ones. I didn’t let it fester inside. I learned who I could trust to just listen and hold space without judgement and criticism.

Sometimes I received unsolicited advice and I found a way to respond that honoured where I was at in the moment. Sometimes it was it was not responding but as time went on it was a response of the uncomfortable truth of our situation. I got used to others being un comfortable. It’s ok.

If you are the one who is on the receiving end of a vulnerable share from someone who is struggling to conceive, know that for the most part they just want to vent, to be heard, to feel less alone. If they want advice they will likely ask. It can be uncomfortable to sit with this and you may feel like trying to offer your opinion. But a simple “I’m here for whatever and whenever you need” can be enough.

And if you are in a different place, like me, and ready to share more publicly, I’m right here with you this Canadian Fertility Awareness Week. And if you want to send me a private message in my DMs I’m here too 💚

20/04/2025

We are 1 in 6 Canadians who faced fertility challenges and relied on medical fertility care to conceive our daughter.

And while this sentence makes it sound simple, the fact that we have her is a miracle. Our one and only pregnancy.

Infertility has changed us, our relationship, and informs how we parent.

We’ve grieved the vision we had for our path to parenthood and what our family would look like.

Our hearts have been broken through unsuccessful cycles, cancelled treatments, and loss of embryos that we thought would grow our family.

We’ve endured the financial, mental, and emotional challenges of coordinating frozen embryo transfers out of our home province in Calgary - many during a global pandemic that resulted in negative pregnancy tests while not being able to hold my daughter due to isolation restrictions.

We made the hard decision to not pursue further fertility treatments largely due to the lack of access of the fertility care in NL that would give us the best chance of growing our family - IVF. As well as the mental and emotional burden of a decade of trying to conceive.

We are beyond grateful for our sweet daughter, but many aren’t this lucky and are a childless not by choice.

This Canadian Infertility Awareness Week we encourage you to follow Fertility Matters Canada and join us in advocating for fertility care and breaking the stigma associated with infertility through educating yourself or sharing your story as part of their campaign.

If you want to connect with me. I’m here 💚

20/04/2025

🚨Breaking Federal Election News🚨

This is a game changer! What better way to kick off Canadian Fertility Awareness Week than to see Mark Carney and Liberal Party of Canada | Parti libéral du Canada include a commitment of up to $20,000 in federal funding support for an IVF cycle in their campaign platform!

Fertility Matters Canada continues to advocate to all parties to expand support for the 1 in 6 Canadians struggling with fertility to expand their families. Today's announcement would help bring much needed equity across provinces, including 2SLGBTQI+ Canadians.

It's not too late to add your voice by calling on your local candidates to ensure
in . Sign here: https://www.fertilitymatters.ca/learn/funding/federal-advocacy/

14/04/2025

The nourishing practice of Supreme Release Yoga (SRY) offers deep rejuvenation through an internal undoing of accumulated physical, mental, and emotional tension. By doing less, we turn our awareness inward, allowing ourselves to let go, surrender, and soften the habitual gripping that comes with the body’s natural stress response.

This gentle but very deep practice is especially beneficial for people with joint hypermobility/laxity, back and/or hip pain, full and busy lives, or an overall sense of depletion.

It is a deeply nourishing practice for those who are struggling to conceive to nourish the region of the pelvis, settle your nervous system, and tend to your heart.

SRY incorporates supported yoga asana (postures) using yoga props and sometimes your hands and arms designed to position the body in specific angles that encourage inner alignment and deep muscular release—especially in the pelvis and spine. Creating spaciousness in these regions fosters a greater sense of stability, helping you feel more anchored within.

While this series is also offered online via Zoom, students joining from home will need to have the necessary props available. In-studio students will receive hands-on support from Nicole, and she may step away from the camera at times to provide this assistance. For those new to the practice, Nicole recommends attending in person. All classes are recorded and available for one week after the live session.

Learn more and sign up at NicoleBlackwood.com/supreme-release-yoga

27/02/2025

When trying to conceive becomes more effort and goes on longer than we could have ever imagined it can leave us feeling depleted and burnt out.

It can feel like we aren’t doing enough if we aren’t constantly efforting towards growing our family. But as time goes one we realize it isn’t sustainable. It can feel like we are losing parts of ourselves along the way.

In this SRY series, we will decompress the spine and nourish the pelvis, cultivating an inner landscape more receptive to letting go and rejuvenation. We will emphasize SRY postures that allow the body to be fully held, with minimal or no muscular effort. Through intentional angles and complete support, you’ll be guided into profound softening, deep release, and the freedom of effortless being.

This series is not only for those TTC but these postures are fundamental to how I teach my fertility yoga classes. You can even bring your partner or a friend to receive deep nurturance together.

While this series is also offered online via Zoom, students will need the necessary propping available at home. Additionally, Nicole will be providing hands-on support to the in studio students and will be leaving the camera view at times to do so. Nicole recommends new students to the practice to join in person but she’s happy to work with you if online attendance is preferable.
Classes are recorded and available for a week after the live class.

Learn more at sign up at nicoleblackwood.com/supreme-release-yoga (link in profile).

08/01/2025

When I first had a conversation about my yoga teacher about SRY and teaching fertility yoga she affirmed what I was feeling based on my direct experience - SRY is basically fertility yoga ♥️

Which is why this style of yoga is the foundation of the fertility yoga I teach. While I don’t have a fertility specific class on the calendar right now I do have a general offering coming up. You can learn more below.

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The nourishing practice of Supreme Release Yoga (SRY) is one of rejuvenation that allows for an internal undoing. We live in a society that causes us to “overdo” in many aspects of our life, leading to physical, mental, and emotional tension. In doing less we can turn our awareness inwards and begin to let go and surrender. We can de-condition ourselves from the internal gripping that comes with the body’s natural stress response.

SRY includes soft, gentle, and supported yoga asana (postures) that position the body in particular angles to promote an inner alignment that allows for deep release of muscular tension, with an emphasis on the pelvis and spine. When you create more spaciousness in these regions, you can cultivate a general sense of stability and feel more anchored within.

Join us for an Introduction Pop-up Class on Tue, Jan 21, 7pm where I will offer direct support to find your sweet spot within postures. A 4-Week Series, Soma: The Nectar of Rejuvenation will follow at the same time. It is great for those who are depleted, tired, experiencing physical discomfort, or have an extra full life and need rest and rejuvenation.

These classes will be taught in person at Embody and online via Zoom. Zoom participants will need to ensure they have the appropriate propping at home.

Learn more about Supreme Release Yoga and these offerings at NicoleBlackwood.com/supreme-release-yoga (link in profile).