Thilde Vesterby

Tell us a bit about yourself and what are you passionate about 

My name is Thilde Vesterby, I am a yoga and meditation teacher (MBSR) and coach, and I am passionate about supporting women who are undergoing fertility challenges, fertility treatments or pregnancy loss. I have written the book FRUGTBAR – Yoga der booster din fertilitet – Mental førstehjælp, der bevarer din fosrtand, which offers a mind and body approach to fertility challenges and gives you tools that come in handy when it is difficult - especially during that period when you wait to see if you are pregnant. 

I hold courses that focus on fertility: YOGA FOR FERTILITY in Copenhagen and TTC-sisters online. I also offer 1 to 1 conversations for women who need support on how to tackle life in this limbo, when they are fighting to get to the next level in life - parenting. 

What does health mean to you?

My work is rooted in research – especially on the impact of stress on our fertility, as well as studies that show better pregnancy rates when women practice mind/body activities such as yoga and meditation or talk about their situation. The most important thing for me is that women do not end up becoming just boring statistics, which show that 15% of the women who are in fertility treatment for a year without achieving pregnancy develop severe depressive symptoms. 

My philosophy when it comes to health and fertility is, first and foremost, seeing body and mind as a whole and not separating the two. To treat the body as an ally in the fight for pregnancy instead of giving up on it when it gets tough. Therefore, I teach women to be aware of their emotions, calm the nervous system and the multitude of thoughts and be in the present instead of thinking about the next scan, the next cycle, or the next test. 

"The most important thing is that you feel good and live in the present, even if it means you have to wait."

What is your philosophy when it comes to health, diet and food supplements? 

You can find so much advice for women who want to be pregnant, and in order not to get overwhelmed about doing it all - because you want to do EVERYTHING to become pregnant - I think it is very important that you do what feels right for yourself. It is good to consider the scientific evidence, but also consider what makes you feel good. For some it is the alternative treatments that help them, while for others it can be the food supplements. The most important thing is that you feel good and live in the present, even though you are waiting.

What projects are you working on right now, and what past achievements are important for us to know about you?

Right now, I am adding the finishing touches for two online courses. One is an online version of my course, YOGA FOR FERTILITY, which I have held live 35 times. Now, you have the opportunity to attend even if you are not from Copenhagen - or if we are not allowed to meet in person due to the pandemic and the lockdown.

The second online course is a brand-new course named GRAVID EFTER FERTILITETSUDFORDRINGER – Yoga og selvomsorg i en sød og svær ventetid. This course has been highly requested by women who participated in my other course and women who I counseled and who managed to become pregnant. Right now, as they begin a new chapter, they have a lot of new worries and do not quite dare to join the "mother club". Therefore, I have decided to create a course which helps them say goodbye to the identity of involuntary childless and perform a conscious rite of passage into motherhood. I am very absorbed by this course at the moment – I love developing new concepts and bringing them to life. 

Thildevesterby.com