Sitti Reveals Trying Alternative Treatments To Prepare For Pregnancy

Last May, Philippine Bossa Nova Queen Sitti Navarro and her husband, triathlete Joey Ramirez, announced that they are expecting their first child—a girl—and they've already chosen a name: Dañelle. The mama-to-be is already 31 weeks along the family way. 

Preparing for pregnancy was one of the things Sitti made sure to do when she and Joey were trying to conceive. Apart from going to preconception checkups and addressing her polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), Sitti revealed in a blog post that she also tried alternative treatments such as acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine.  

"I also tried acupuncture treatments with Sister Regina [Liu] in [Quezon City]. This was in the latter part of 2016, I think," the singer wrote. Sitti shared she had four sessions done before she stopped. "The stress of driving to QC from Paranaque far outweighed the benefits, at least for me," she explained. 

Acupuncture, according to Sr. Regina Liu, is a way to tap your body’s natural channels of energy (or Chi) to stimulate your own body’s healing. "We simply stimulate points in your body that will release hormones or any of your body’s natural chemicals so that they can do their job more effectively," Sr. Regina told Smartparenting.com.ph.  

Sitti also had herself checked by an alternative medicine practitioner in Binondo late last year. "Feeling my pulse, he accurately said that I had PCOS, and I also obediently bought, boiled and drank those Chinese herbs he prescribed," she said. She stopped the treatment after a couple of weeks because she got busy and it became too much of a hassle going back to Binondo. 

It was pride and faith that stopped Sitti from wearing a fertility amulet which one of her and Joey's friends had. "When I do get pregnant, it will happen not because of anything I did, so that all the glory and recognition would be God’s," she said—and that’s exactly what happened.

She credits a healthy lifestyle—both hers and Joey's—for finally getting pregnant. Joey trains for swimming, running, and cycling, Sitti is into Pilates and running as well. As for their diet, it's the usual Filipino staples, except no white rice and spam. They eat brown rice or quinoa, and the only canned goods they consume are corned beef and tuna. 

"The major change would be our letting go of expectations and just enjoying intimacy as it is, a gift to be relished with each other, with no afterthought given as to whether we had just made a baby," Sitti shared. It was difficult to pinpoint her exact ovulating period anyway due to PCOS. Though they would still try to fit it in the days she might be fertile, they put more value in enjoying their intimacy.

After two failed intrauterine inseminations (IUI), a laparoscopy, and a diagnosis of "unexplained fertility," Sitti conceived the natural way "in God's time." She is pregnant despite also being diagnosed with Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APAS), which she revealed she had in a previous blog post. "I am an APAS patient, and I do need to be treated with more caution than usual," she wrote. Three out of five categories applied to her. 

The soon-to-be mama emphasized the importance of both husband and wife getting checked, roughly after about a year of trying. "Being aware can help you make informed choices. Once you know, surrender it all to the Lord in prayer, and be one with your husband in your next course of action. The Lord also blesses the womb through IVF, IUI, acupuncture, etc. He has many ways. Ultimately, I think, it is our hearts that He searches," Sitti said.