A stunned bride has fallen pregnant just weeks after wedding guests donated hundreds of pounds towards her IVF treatment.
Alyson Blush, 28, from Lanarkshire, and new husband Terry, 44, asked guests to donate to her IVF fund over a traditional wedding gift.
Alyson, who struggles with polycystic ovaries which causes fertility issues, received £1,500 to put towards IVF from their generous guests - sending them on their way to their £10,000 goal.
Whilst saving, the pair discovered fertility reflexology - a treatment to help the body and mind to reach a balance.
She used the donations to fund the treatment which miraculously worked and the pair are now expecting a baby in October 2022.
Alyson, a marketing student, said: "I've always wanted to be a mum.
"Terry and I had been trying for seven years to have a baby, but I never had a positive pregnancy test.
"We went to the NHS for IVF but didn't qualify because Terry has a child from a previous marriage.
"So, we decided to ask our wedding guests to make a donation towards our IVF journey as we were quoted £10,000.
"Our guests were so generous but we still didn't have enough so I started looking into natural ways to get pregnant."
The couple purchased nine fertility reflexology sessions but Alyson admits thinking it was 'a load of rubbish'.
Reflexology involves helping the body and mind to reach a balance, which is thought to affect the balancing of hormones.
Alyson said: "I wasn't sure how someone touching my feet would help, but I was willing to try anything after so long.
"It is about like finding balance in your cycle, and certain parts of your feet are connected to your ovaries.
"At my appointments, I would lie down on a bed and my reflexologist would touch different parts of my feet.
"It wasn't a massage, she was just stimulating the muscles.
"I will admit I was very close-minded about it all, I didn't expect anything to happen.
"But after a few sessions, I started having regular periods, which I never had before, and she could even tell if I was about to start ovulating!"
A couple of months later, Alyson's period didn't arrive and much to her surprise, she was pregnant in January, 2022.
She said: "I had been feeling dizzy all day, so I did a really cheap test that was faintly positive, and then a more expensive one which I actually trusted.
"I was so happy, I phoned everyone because I couldn't believe it.
"Now I'm at 27 weeks and I can feel her moving, I never dreamt I'd get this far.
"We feel incredibly lucky that I've managed to fall naturally pregnant before attending any IVF appointments.
"And we can put our IVF fund towards spoiling our daughter when she finally arrives."
