Sorry about the lack of bloggage lately. I have had quite a busy week. For starters, I'll update you and tell you that I am on CD 35. I've never in my life had this long of a cycle. However, I did see my doctor on Tuesday and my hCG levels were at zero, so I will not be getting a 2nd D&C. Yay! Our plan was to start TTC in February, but these events might have pushed that possibility back, who knows.
I have a list of topics I want to blog about, but some things need just a little more research so you'll just have to wait. In the meantime, please stay tuned and check out some of my "suggested sites" located on the righthand side of the page.
A 19 Month TTC Journey, and the Adventures of Pregnancy afterwards
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
hCG After a D&C
Just a little suggestion for all you TTCers who are TTC after a pregnancy loss. Before you start TTC again, be sure to get your hCG levels checked before peeing on a stick.
This is the latest development in my long drawn out roller coaster miscarriage. Ever since I miscarried on December 3rd, I've had my blood tested to monitor my hCG levels and see that they go back down to zero. As of yet they still haven't. What does that mean? It means that there might be some remnants of the pregnancy remaining, and until it's 100% removed my body is thinking it's pregnant. Even more so... this has got me thinking, since I was 4 months pregnant when I miscarried in September... my hCG levels would have been sky high up until the loss. What if they missed something on my D&C and ever since September when I thought I was ovulating regularly and TTC that I actually wasn't... and that the BFP I got in November was just because my hCG levels hadn't gone down enough to zero yet??
This would be good news and bad news. It would mean that I didn't actually loose #4... that I just got a false positive. The bad news, well not bad, but the annoying news is that it put me through all this stress and worry over what is wrong with me, and that if that is the case and since my levels aren't down to zero yet, I would most likely need ANOTHER D&C.
So, to research my theory I discovered that if tissue was left after my D&C, it would still cause my body to produce hCG, make my body think it's pregnant, go through all the motions it would if I were (i.e., building up the uterine lining, giving me symptoms) But after about 20 days my body would realize it's not pregnant, and flush everything out and start again. Since my D&C I have only gone a max of 21 days b/t "cycles" so that just makes me believe my theory even more. I am so tired of all this run around, it's ridiculous.
I go in to the doctor again on Monday to have my levels checked, so I will know by Tuesday at the latest if they've gone down or not. I am hoping and praying they have gone back down.
UPDATE: I am now on CD26...the longest one yet, so let's hope it's out of my system???
This is the latest development in my long drawn out roller coaster miscarriage. Ever since I miscarried on December 3rd, I've had my blood tested to monitor my hCG levels and see that they go back down to zero. As of yet they still haven't. What does that mean? It means that there might be some remnants of the pregnancy remaining, and until it's 100% removed my body is thinking it's pregnant. Even more so... this has got me thinking, since I was 4 months pregnant when I miscarried in September... my hCG levels would have been sky high up until the loss. What if they missed something on my D&C and ever since September when I thought I was ovulating regularly and TTC that I actually wasn't... and that the BFP I got in November was just because my hCG levels hadn't gone down enough to zero yet??
This would be good news and bad news. It would mean that I didn't actually loose #4... that I just got a false positive. The bad news, well not bad, but the annoying news is that it put me through all this stress and worry over what is wrong with me, and that if that is the case and since my levels aren't down to zero yet, I would most likely need ANOTHER D&C.
So, to research my theory I discovered that if tissue was left after my D&C, it would still cause my body to produce hCG, make my body think it's pregnant, go through all the motions it would if I were (i.e., building up the uterine lining, giving me symptoms) But after about 20 days my body would realize it's not pregnant, and flush everything out and start again. Since my D&C I have only gone a max of 21 days b/t "cycles" so that just makes me believe my theory even more. I am so tired of all this run around, it's ridiculous.
I go in to the doctor again on Monday to have my levels checked, so I will know by Tuesday at the latest if they've gone down or not. I am hoping and praying they have gone back down.
UPDATE: I am now on CD26...the longest one yet, so let's hope it's out of my system???
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Pre-Seed
Today I wanted to blog about a product I would recommend to anyone TTC. It is a little thing called Pre-Seed.
It took 12 months to conceive my son. The next time I got pregnant, it took 5 months. The last time, we conceived the first month we tried! What did we do differently? Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Pre-Seed.
During ovulation, due to all the hormones running through your body, the stress of TTC, or other factors leave you feeling a little dry down there. There are oodles of products out there to assist in those kinds of situations, but did you know that almost ALL lubricants, regardless of them having a spermicide or not actually are bad for TTC? According to the website www.storknet.com, after many years and all kinds of studies on the effect of lubricants on sperm, here are some of their findings with the most popular, KY brand, Astroglide, and Replens:
It took 12 months to conceive my son. The next time I got pregnant, it took 5 months. The last time, we conceived the first month we tried! What did we do differently? Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Pre-Seed.
During ovulation, due to all the hormones running through your body, the stress of TTC, or other factors leave you feeling a little dry down there. There are oodles of products out there to assist in those kinds of situations, but did you know that almost ALL lubricants, regardless of them having a spermicide or not actually are bad for TTC? According to the website www.storknet.com, after many years and all kinds of studies on the effect of lubricants on sperm, here are some of their findings with the most popular, KY brand, Astroglide, and Replens:
- A spermicidal or sperm killing activity of the leading three brands of lubricants as being equivalent to contraceptive jellies such as Gynol. In these studies, sperm had ZERO motility after 30 minutes of contact with the top three selling lubricant products.
- These effects are concentration dependent and were seen even with low concentrations (1-6%) depending on the lubricant product.
- Critically, the negative effect of lubricants on sperm includes decreasing sperm penetration into the cervix in vivo, as determined by the post-coital test (PCT).
Now I don't know about you, but I would think you'd want the sperm to still be moving after 30 minutes, seeing that it can sometimes take days for the sperm to meet your egg. And it decreases it's ability to enter the cervix... that's pretty much their destiniation isn't it?
Once the sperm enters the cervix, it needs as much strength as possible to swim through cervical fluid and up to where it will meet the egg. The best condition for conception is for the fluid to be clear and eggwhite-ish, and stretchy. What if you don't produce that on your own? Are you doomed?
There is a wonderful product that has been on the market just about a decade. It's called Pre-Seed. The ingredients of Pre-Seed are natural, and create a pH that mimics that of natural cervical fluid. Not only does it give you a TTC safe alternative to a little dryness, but it gives you more sperm friendly fluid to help keep the swimmers strong and give them a little bit easier journey to it's destination.
It is applied Internally, about 15 minutes before baby dancing. Most come with a few applicators that you fill yourself. They look similiar to the applicators that you use to apply yeast infection medicine. The box recommend using 3ml of the product, but EVERYONE I've talked to suggest using 1.5-2ml is plenty. After about 15 minutes the Pre-seed has moisturized everything, and softened everything to create the optimal environment for baby making. I would advise you use it during your fertile stage of your cycle, that is when it is most effective, but some women I have spoken to use it throughout their cycle.
I HIGHLY recommend this product. Some friends of mine have told me their doctors aren't too sure about it since there isn't a lot of "literature" out there on it. If you google "Pre-Seed" you will find tons on it. I have used it and conceived right away. It is one lubricant out there that is clean, does not burn, and actually is condsive to TTC. The ingredients are natural, so why not give it a shot?
To know more about this fabulous product, visit www.preseed.com. There is a TON of info on that site, along with dozens of testimonials. It really brings some hope and excitement for TTCers who are looking for a little extra help.
Pre-Seed is sold at www.babyhopes.com, www.early-pregnancy-tests.com, and there's a link for local retailers in your state. I bought mine locally for $16.50 for an 8 time use tube...but since I don't use the recommended does, it would last longer.
Anyways, just wanted to share this with you guys!
Happy Baby Dancing!
Once the sperm enters the cervix, it needs as much strength as possible to swim through cervical fluid and up to where it will meet the egg. The best condition for conception is for the fluid to be clear and eggwhite-ish, and stretchy. What if you don't produce that on your own? Are you doomed?
There is a wonderful product that has been on the market just about a decade. It's called Pre-Seed. The ingredients of Pre-Seed are natural, and create a pH that mimics that of natural cervical fluid. Not only does it give you a TTC safe alternative to a little dryness, but it gives you more sperm friendly fluid to help keep the swimmers strong and give them a little bit easier journey to it's destination.
It is applied Internally, about 15 minutes before baby dancing. Most come with a few applicators that you fill yourself. They look similiar to the applicators that you use to apply yeast infection medicine. The box recommend using 3ml of the product, but EVERYONE I've talked to suggest using 1.5-2ml is plenty. After about 15 minutes the Pre-seed has moisturized everything, and softened everything to create the optimal environment for baby making. I would advise you use it during your fertile stage of your cycle, that is when it is most effective, but some women I have spoken to use it throughout their cycle.
I HIGHLY recommend this product. Some friends of mine have told me their doctors aren't too sure about it since there isn't a lot of "literature" out there on it. If you google "Pre-Seed" you will find tons on it. I have used it and conceived right away. It is one lubricant out there that is clean, does not burn, and actually is condsive to TTC. The ingredients are natural, so why not give it a shot?
To know more about this fabulous product, visit www.preseed.com. There is a TON of info on that site, along with dozens of testimonials. It really brings some hope and excitement for TTCers who are looking for a little extra help.
Pre-Seed is sold at www.babyhopes.com, www.early-pregnancy-tests.com, and there's a link for local retailers in your state. I bought mine locally for $16.50 for an 8 time use tube...but since I don't use the recommended does, it would last longer.
Anyways, just wanted to share this with you guys!
Happy Baby Dancing!
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Baby Psychics- Are they for real??
Some women out there are claiming themselves to be "Baby Psychics" specifically dealing with women TTC or are newly pregnant. Are they for real or is this just a way to expolit desperate desires to have a baby?
A while back there was an explosion of "baby psychic" talk on one of the message boards I was on. Several women jumped at the chance to pay $10-$50 to find out when they would conceive, the gender of their baby, their due date, or their baby's past life. I was actually quite surprised how many women paid to get these done. But are they for real?
First of all, my personal beliefs about "psychics" are about much as I believe the sky to be green. I do however believe that some people are given special gifts in this life, like some take to speaking other languages well and other things like that. I think some people have the ability to heal faster. I believe in God of course, and that he speaks to us through the Holy Ghost. I believe some people are more sensitive to those whisperings than others are. Here are some incidences that make me think that people have the "gift" of foreseeing. I have a dear friend who worked with me. She was showing something to a customer and she looked up at my friend and asked her when her little girl was due. My friend, had no clue she was pregnant and thought this lady was just some wacko, or thought she looked pregnant. She shook it off, and only a few weeks later she found out she was pregnant (total surprise to her) and then eventually found out it was a girl. Another scenario... my husband works installing security systems in people's homes. While in a customers house this past summer, the customer told him to enjoy playing with his 2 sons. My husband was a little taken back by that comment, this customer had no knowledge that we had any kids at all. I was pregnant at the time however, and when I lost my baby, we could see it was a boy. Our second son that they were referring to maybe? So I think people may be sensitive to those kind of things, but to be able to predict their conception month, due date, and past life? I'm a little iffy on that one.
While in a discussion about this, one lady claiming to be a baby psychic challenged me on my denial that they were really psychic. She said she would give me a reading for free to prove that she was psychic. She said I would get pregnant that current month (November) and that I'd be due August 7th, but have a planned C-section on the 27th of July, and that it would be a girl. I took her challenge and was very skeptical. November 3oth rolled around and I got a BFP. I was getting a little spooked by what she said. However I miscarried later and there goes the rest of the prediction. But who is to say if I hadn't miscarried that it would have come true? I don't know, but if someone could tell me EXACTLY what was going to happen, they would have seen that wouldn't they? I think that is more proof that we have a hand in our own destiny more than anything. If a "Psychic" predicts us to get pregnant in the month of January and we don't touch our husband's that whole month, what are the chances of that happening? Don't waste your money on a baby psychic predicton that may or may not come true. Your money is best spent elsewhere on something that will benefit you in the long run. I think more than anything God has his own timing for things and if you have concerns about timing, you should take it up with Him. Not to get all religious on you, but when the topic of psychics come up, religion always ends up in there somewhere. But if you are just too curious about a baby psychic, here are a few I've heard of:
Cheri22 - I've heard her readings are very indepth sometimes even going into the baby's personality, past life, and the baby's futere family. She does offer free readings in her slower times, and they just tell you the gender and EDD.
JennyRenny - Hers seem very specific, conception month, due date, gender and info about the delivery.
Ruby - Hers are very indepth it looks like as well. I have heard some negative things about how long it takes her to get the reading back to you, but I don't know by experience.
I'd advise you as my frugal thrifty self to not pay for a reading. If it does not come true, you are out money, and if it does come true, it would have happened anyway right? If your prediction doesn't come true, it is only going to make the arrival of your period that much worse when you get it on the month she told you would would get a BFP.
If you are looking for some fun, and instant answers, you could always try this. I think it's just as accurate :)
A while back there was an explosion of "baby psychic" talk on one of the message boards I was on. Several women jumped at the chance to pay $10-$50 to find out when they would conceive, the gender of their baby, their due date, or their baby's past life. I was actually quite surprised how many women paid to get these done. But are they for real?
First of all, my personal beliefs about "psychics" are about much as I believe the sky to be green. I do however believe that some people are given special gifts in this life, like some take to speaking other languages well and other things like that. I think some people have the ability to heal faster. I believe in God of course, and that he speaks to us through the Holy Ghost. I believe some people are more sensitive to those whisperings than others are. Here are some incidences that make me think that people have the "gift" of foreseeing. I have a dear friend who worked with me. She was showing something to a customer and she looked up at my friend and asked her when her little girl was due. My friend, had no clue she was pregnant and thought this lady was just some wacko, or thought she looked pregnant. She shook it off, and only a few weeks later she found out she was pregnant (total surprise to her) and then eventually found out it was a girl. Another scenario... my husband works installing security systems in people's homes. While in a customers house this past summer, the customer told him to enjoy playing with his 2 sons. My husband was a little taken back by that comment, this customer had no knowledge that we had any kids at all. I was pregnant at the time however, and when I lost my baby, we could see it was a boy. Our second son that they were referring to maybe? So I think people may be sensitive to those kind of things, but to be able to predict their conception month, due date, and past life? I'm a little iffy on that one.
While in a discussion about this, one lady claiming to be a baby psychic challenged me on my denial that they were really psychic. She said she would give me a reading for free to prove that she was psychic. She said I would get pregnant that current month (November) and that I'd be due August 7th, but have a planned C-section on the 27th of July, and that it would be a girl. I took her challenge and was very skeptical. November 3oth rolled around and I got a BFP. I was getting a little spooked by what she said. However I miscarried later and there goes the rest of the prediction. But who is to say if I hadn't miscarried that it would have come true? I don't know, but if someone could tell me EXACTLY what was going to happen, they would have seen that wouldn't they? I think that is more proof that we have a hand in our own destiny more than anything. If a "Psychic" predicts us to get pregnant in the month of January and we don't touch our husband's that whole month, what are the chances of that happening? Don't waste your money on a baby psychic predicton that may or may not come true. Your money is best spent elsewhere on something that will benefit you in the long run. I think more than anything God has his own timing for things and if you have concerns about timing, you should take it up with Him. Not to get all religious on you, but when the topic of psychics come up, religion always ends up in there somewhere. But if you are just too curious about a baby psychic, here are a few I've heard of:
Cheri22 - I've heard her readings are very indepth sometimes even going into the baby's personality, past life, and the baby's futere family. She does offer free readings in her slower times, and they just tell you the gender and EDD.
JennyRenny - Hers seem very specific, conception month, due date, gender and info about the delivery.
Ruby - Hers are very indepth it looks like as well. I have heard some negative things about how long it takes her to get the reading back to you, but I don't know by experience.
I'd advise you as my frugal thrifty self to not pay for a reading. If it does not come true, you are out money, and if it does come true, it would have happened anyway right? If your prediction doesn't come true, it is only going to make the arrival of your period that much worse when you get it on the month she told you would would get a BFP.
If you are looking for some fun, and instant answers, you could always try this. I think it's just as accurate :)
Labels:
baby making,
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Cheri22,
destiny,
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jennyrenny,
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TTC
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Fun TTC things
So, here are some fun things for you TTCers.
If you are part of a message board community or are openly TTC, these are some fun little things you can display on your websites, profile, signature, etc..
1. Blinkies
These blinkies and MANY more are found here. Just find the one you want, right click it, save target as (remember where you save it), and then add it like you would a picture. These are kinda fun and let other people in your forum know a little bit more about you.
2. Tickers
Make an ovulation ticker
Above: Ovulation Ticker. Helpful not only for others to see and give you support at whatever stage you are at, but I find it helpful to keep track of where you are in your cycle. You need to know the date of your LMP, how long your luteal phase is, and how long your periods usually last. This one is from www.pregnology.com
Make a pregnancy ticker
Out of all the pregnancy tickers out there, I find this one to be the coolest. It shows week-by-week pictures of what your baby should look like each week. Very cool, and also from www.pregnology.com. You can change the colors if you want. All you need for this one is your due date.
TTC ticker. This one is small and cute and counts down to ovulation. Again, you'll need to know details of your cycle, but this one you can choose a small or large ticker (this is the small one) and pick your background and your marker (I chose the couple...seemed appropriate).
3. Banners
Want to make your own blinkie or poster for your signature/website? You see the cute little things like this on people's posts?
Make your own here! Just pick your size, colors, cute saying, and special effect and save it. It's completely free!
4. Photos
To add photos to a site that required html, upload them to photobucket.com first, then get the "embedded" code below the picture.
5. Delivery Day Predictions- For entertainment purposes of course...
I just took the test, and here's my "prediction" from Madame Zaritska.
"The day you deliver, outside will be windy. Your baby will arrive in the late night. After a labor lasting approximately 44 hours, your child, a girl, will be born. Your baby will weigh about 7 pounds, 7 ounces, and will be 22-1/2 inches long. This child will have dark green eyes and a lot of black hair."
Just a little fun prediction, but this one is kinda funny since there's no green eyes in my family and not a trace of black hair on mine of my husband's hair. Click on the link highlighted above to take your test, it's free and really just for kicks.
6. Glitter Text
Type your name, baby's name, or a cute saying in glitter from "giggaglitter"
7. TTC Graphics from Mommy Grapics
There are lot of cute things out there, and these are just a few. Just something to occupy yourselves and have some fun with TTC, other than the baby dancing part!! :)
If you are part of a message board community or are openly TTC, these are some fun little things you can display on your websites, profile, signature, etc..
1. Blinkies
These blinkies and MANY more are found here. Just find the one you want, right click it, save target as (remember where you save it), and then add it like you would a picture. These are kinda fun and let other people in your forum know a little bit more about you.
2. Tickers
Make an ovulation ticker
Above: Ovulation Ticker. Helpful not only for others to see and give you support at whatever stage you are at, but I find it helpful to keep track of where you are in your cycle. You need to know the date of your LMP, how long your luteal phase is, and how long your periods usually last. This one is from www.pregnology.com
Make a pregnancy ticker
Out of all the pregnancy tickers out there, I find this one to be the coolest. It shows week-by-week pictures of what your baby should look like each week. Very cool, and also from www.pregnology.com. You can change the colors if you want. All you need for this one is your due date.
TTC ticker. This one is small and cute and counts down to ovulation. Again, you'll need to know details of your cycle, but this one you can choose a small or large ticker (this is the small one) and pick your background and your marker (I chose the couple...seemed appropriate).
3. Banners
Want to make your own blinkie or poster for your signature/website? You see the cute little things like this on people's posts?
Make your own here! Just pick your size, colors, cute saying, and special effect and save it. It's completely free!
4. Photos
To add photos to a site that required html, upload them to photobucket.com first, then get the "embedded" code below the picture.
5. Delivery Day Predictions- For entertainment purposes of course...
I just took the test, and here's my "prediction" from Madame Zaritska.
"The day you deliver, outside will be windy. Your baby will arrive in the late night. After a labor lasting approximately 44 hours, your child, a girl, will be born. Your baby will weigh about 7 pounds, 7 ounces, and will be 22-1/2 inches long. This child will have dark green eyes and a lot of black hair."
Just a little fun prediction, but this one is kinda funny since there's no green eyes in my family and not a trace of black hair on mine of my husband's hair. Click on the link highlighted above to take your test, it's free and really just for kicks.
6. Glitter Text
Type your name, baby's name, or a cute saying in glitter from "giggaglitter"
7. TTC Graphics from Mommy Grapics
8. Or cute graphics from My Sun Will Shine
There are lot of cute things out there, and these are just a few. Just something to occupy yourselves and have some fun with TTC, other than the baby dancing part!! :)
Labels:
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TTC
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Home Fertility Tests
This post is merely for my own curiosity, as I was in the pharmacy aisle today I saw a over the counter at-home fertility test. Basically, you pee on the stick like a pregnancy or ovulation kit and it tells you if you can get pregnant or not. I was instantly curious. Now, I don't consider myself to be infertile by any means, I mean I dont seem to have the issue of GETTING pregnant, my issue lies in STAYING pregnant, but for all those women out there who are TTC for a year or more might worry if they are or not. If you are under 35, and healthy, and same with your spouse, you would want to see a fertility specialist after atleast a year of not conceiveing. If you are over 35, they say after 6 months of TTC you should see one. But in the meantime, if you are on like your 8th month TTC, and you wanna take matters into your own hands, you may wanna take one of these: How does it work?
According to the FirstResponse Website, this fertility test measures the amount of Follicle Stimulating Hormone, (FSH), in your urine. FSH is a hormone that is directly connected to your ovaries and egg production. It tells your body to produce an egg. If your levels are normal, you have enough eggs to consider yourself fertile. If your FSH is elevated, that means your body is producing more of the hormone to convince your body to prepare and release an egg, meaning you don't have very many or have a limited supply. Wow, betcha never realized your urine could tell you so many things!
How and when do you take it?
On day 3 of your cycle. So, you should take this while on your period. This is the prime time to take this test. Hold it in your urine stream for 5 seconds, replace cap, and wait 30 minutes. Yes, it's longer than a pregnancy test, but I think this process is a little more in-depth. After the 30 minutes have passed you will see either one line or two. This is one test where you want to see only ONE line! That means your FSH levels are normal and you have enough eggs to be considered fertile. If you see two lines, it means there is an elevated amount of FSH and so you may have a low supply of eggs and you might consider seeing a fertility specialist.
Does it Work?
Now that's the million dollar question. I think it accurately detects the FSH hormone. I don't it lies about that in it's claim to 95% accuracy. I think that's true. However, not all fertility issues lie in egg production. There several things that contribute to infertility such as PCOS, Endometriosis, even being over/underweight, low progesterone levels, and so much more. And according to www. MedicineNet.com only 1/3 of infertility cases are because of female issues.
Would I Recommend?
If you are healthy, have no signs or history of PCOS, Endometriosis, or other things that can interfere with fertility, then I say go for it. If anything it is a way to rule out one possible cause and give you a sense of relief in that department. But I could caution that you take your result with a grain of salt, because just like in a pregnancy test, there could be false positives, or false negatives. If you have $25-40 to spare it couldn't hurt. But if you are doing it to avoid seeing a fertility specialist, it won't save you money in the long run, because you should see one anyways regardless of your result.
I don't think I will buy one though. If you have tried one, please let me know your experience.
According to the FirstResponse Website, this fertility test measures the amount of Follicle Stimulating Hormone, (FSH), in your urine. FSH is a hormone that is directly connected to your ovaries and egg production. It tells your body to produce an egg. If your levels are normal, you have enough eggs to consider yourself fertile. If your FSH is elevated, that means your body is producing more of the hormone to convince your body to prepare and release an egg, meaning you don't have very many or have a limited supply. Wow, betcha never realized your urine could tell you so many things!
How and when do you take it?
On day 3 of your cycle. So, you should take this while on your period. This is the prime time to take this test. Hold it in your urine stream for 5 seconds, replace cap, and wait 30 minutes. Yes, it's longer than a pregnancy test, but I think this process is a little more in-depth. After the 30 minutes have passed you will see either one line or two. This is one test where you want to see only ONE line! That means your FSH levels are normal and you have enough eggs to be considered fertile. If you see two lines, it means there is an elevated amount of FSH and so you may have a low supply of eggs and you might consider seeing a fertility specialist.
Does it Work?
Now that's the million dollar question. I think it accurately detects the FSH hormone. I don't it lies about that in it's claim to 95% accuracy. I think that's true. However, not all fertility issues lie in egg production. There several things that contribute to infertility such as PCOS, Endometriosis, even being over/underweight, low progesterone levels, and so much more. And according to www. MedicineNet.com only 1/3 of infertility cases are because of female issues.
Would I Recommend?
If you are healthy, have no signs or history of PCOS, Endometriosis, or other things that can interfere with fertility, then I say go for it. If anything it is a way to rule out one possible cause and give you a sense of relief in that department. But I could caution that you take your result with a grain of salt, because just like in a pregnancy test, there could be false positives, or false negatives. If you have $25-40 to spare it couldn't hurt. But if you are doing it to avoid seeing a fertility specialist, it won't save you money in the long run, because you should see one anyways regardless of your result.
I don't think I will buy one though. If you have tried one, please let me know your experience.
Why we do this
Please excuse my absence yesterday, one of my best friends went in to labor yesterday morning 19 days early. I was at her side through the entire birth, helping her, counting for her, and just being supportive. This is the only other birth I've ever been involved in- besides my own, and I have to say I am even more sure that I want to be a L&D Nurse. It was absolutely amazing and just reminded me why we women go through what we do. All the pain and headache of TTC, the 9- almost 10 months of being uncomfortable and forgetful, and 30-40 pounds heavier, and the excruciating hours of labor and then the birth, is for that little baby we've worked so hard towards, and I have to say it's a small price to pay for that little miracle. Congrats to my friend she did an amazing job with no epidural (it wore off) and she now has a new little family, and the baby is seriously small and very beautiful!
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Herbal Supplements to Boost Fertility
A lot of info from today's post comes from all over the place, so I will do my best to give credit where due.
The first two pregnancies I've had were lost before I hit 8 weeks. They were pretty close together (January and Late February). I had some issues with Ovarian cysts in the past and the only thing a doctor said to do to get rid of them was take birth control pills. Well, that wasn't an option for me at the time since we were TTC! So, desperate, I went and saw an Iridologist (not sure how that's spelled). An Iridologist is a person who "reads" people's eyes. they basically look for patterns and colors in they eye and look for weak spots in the body, and that gives them a good idea of what is unbalanced and such. To learn more about it, CLICK HERE. Well, I went to this lady and she read my eyes and it was almost like going to a fortune teller. She knew a lot about me and my body just by reading my eyes. It was cool. She had no idea why I'd come in and she told me I had an Ovarian Cyst, among other things that were throwing my hormones out of wack. So, she also sold natural medicine, as in herbal supplements and stuff. She told me what I needed to balance out my system to make it more "baby friendly." So after that I found myself taking 9 pills in the morning 5 in the afternoon, and 7 at night. (I'll go into more detail on what I took later). This was in early March when this happened, and by the middle of April, I found out I was pregnant with my now 2 year old son. Not only was it a successful pregnancy, but it was complication free and my body responded well to the effects of pregnancy, having a virtually symptom free pregnancy. I cannot say for sure if it was due to the herbs that I was taking, but I can't say it harmed the processes at all.
Now here it is 2 years after the birth of my son and I've had another 2 miscarriages, again 6 weeks apart. Feeling like a total failure I looked back on what I did differently before my one and only successful pregnancy, and I had totally forgotten about the herbal help I had. So, I called up my Iridologist only to find that she's retired and not doing that kind of thing anymore. Rats! So, lucky for me I remember what it was she "prescribed" me all those years ago so I looked into it. I found the website that she was a member of and priced the supplements I took. I didn't have $75 to waste on 5 different supplements, so I researched which of the herbs would benefit me, and this is what I've found. In my research I've also found some things that can help your partner, so read on!
Now if I may insert a disclaimer here, IT IS BEST TO CONSULT A DOCTOR OR MIDWIFE ABOUT TAKING ANY HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS WHILE TTC. SOME HERBS ARE EXTREMEMLY BENEFICIAL TO TTC, BUT ARE HARMFUL TO A PREGNANCY SO BE SURE TO CONSULT A DOCTOR AND TAKE AS DIRECTED. JUST BECAUSE IT IS HERBAL DOES NOT MEAN IT IS SAFE!
Ok, enough of that. Here's what I was taking as suggested my my Iridologist:
Nature's Sunshine: Female Comfort. The main herbs in this supplement are:
Red raspberry leaves- Raspberry works by helping the fertilized egg attach to the uterine lining and stay attached. Raspberry also seems to have a toning effect that helps women’s reproductive systems function normally. Nowadays, herbalists capitalize on this benefit by recommending raspberry for a variety of women’s problems, such as morning sickness, menstrual cramps, and heavy menstrual bleeding.
Dong quai root-it is considered the "female ginseng" because of its balancing effect on the female hormonal system
Licorice root- Believed to balance feminine hormones
Black cohosh root- It helps to increase the chances of conceiving.
For couples using black cohosh, fertility is one of the best reasons to take it. If you suffer from PCOS (Poly-Cystic Ovary Syndrom) You can take black cohosh for PCOS to help with the problems that come about from this disorder.
I give this supplement the most credit out of everything else I took. The other supplements I took are Adrenal Support, Master Gland Formula, Nutri-Calm, and a prenatal vitamin. Those have more to do with balancing out the human body, not fertility, so if you are interested check them out at the Nature's Sunshine Website.
This time around I am trying something a little different, to be easy on the pocketbooks, I discovered is "Fertility Blend" found at GNC stores and online. It's $39.99 for 90 capsules.This supplement is designed for TTCers.
It contains:
CHASTEBERRY (VITEX) - Can regulate menstrual cycles, proper ovulation, and lengthen the luteal phase of our cycles (10-12 day LP is necessary for proper implantation, the longer the better)
FOLIC ACID- Helps prevent birth defects in your unborn babies
GREEN TEA-In a study conducted at Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program of Northern California in Oakland, researchers found that women who drank more than one half cup of caffeinated green tea every day
doubled their odds of conceiveing (www.babyhopes.com).
B VITAMINS-Balances hormones, correct irregular
cycles, assist in correcting progesterone deficiencies,
improve sperm and egg quality and development
and lengthen the luteal phase.
I am also taking EVENING PRIMROSE OIL. This helps your body create fertile high quality cervical mucus to make your body a sperm-friendly environment, and give you the best chance of getting pregnant.
I am also drinking a cup of Raspberry tea every night to help strengthen the walls of my uterus, hoping for better implantation conditions!
As far as side effects go in taking these supplements, I have to admit I get a little heartburn and an "herby" taste in my mouth, and my pee is bright yellow, but I'm told that's all normal when taking herbals. Again be sure to check with your doctor as some herbal medicine can interfere with other medicines. For example, you cannot take The Fertility Blend when using Clomid.
If you readers have any other suggestions, feel free to share! These are just a few I have heard the most about!
The first two pregnancies I've had were lost before I hit 8 weeks. They were pretty close together (January and Late February). I had some issues with Ovarian cysts in the past and the only thing a doctor said to do to get rid of them was take birth control pills. Well, that wasn't an option for me at the time since we were TTC! So, desperate, I went and saw an Iridologist (not sure how that's spelled). An Iridologist is a person who "reads" people's eyes. they basically look for patterns and colors in they eye and look for weak spots in the body, and that gives them a good idea of what is unbalanced and such. To learn more about it, CLICK HERE. Well, I went to this lady and she read my eyes and it was almost like going to a fortune teller. She knew a lot about me and my body just by reading my eyes. It was cool. She had no idea why I'd come in and she told me I had an Ovarian Cyst, among other things that were throwing my hormones out of wack. So, she also sold natural medicine, as in herbal supplements and stuff. She told me what I needed to balance out my system to make it more "baby friendly." So after that I found myself taking 9 pills in the morning 5 in the afternoon, and 7 at night. (I'll go into more detail on what I took later). This was in early March when this happened, and by the middle of April, I found out I was pregnant with my now 2 year old son. Not only was it a successful pregnancy, but it was complication free and my body responded well to the effects of pregnancy, having a virtually symptom free pregnancy. I cannot say for sure if it was due to the herbs that I was taking, but I can't say it harmed the processes at all.
Now here it is 2 years after the birth of my son and I've had another 2 miscarriages, again 6 weeks apart. Feeling like a total failure I looked back on what I did differently before my one and only successful pregnancy, and I had totally forgotten about the herbal help I had. So, I called up my Iridologist only to find that she's retired and not doing that kind of thing anymore. Rats! So, lucky for me I remember what it was she "prescribed" me all those years ago so I looked into it. I found the website that she was a member of and priced the supplements I took. I didn't have $75 to waste on 5 different supplements, so I researched which of the herbs would benefit me, and this is what I've found. In my research I've also found some things that can help your partner, so read on!
Now if I may insert a disclaimer here, IT IS BEST TO CONSULT A DOCTOR OR MIDWIFE ABOUT TAKING ANY HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS WHILE TTC. SOME HERBS ARE EXTREMEMLY BENEFICIAL TO TTC, BUT ARE HARMFUL TO A PREGNANCY SO BE SURE TO CONSULT A DOCTOR AND TAKE AS DIRECTED. JUST BECAUSE IT IS HERBAL DOES NOT MEAN IT IS SAFE!
Ok, enough of that. Here's what I was taking as suggested my my Iridologist:
Nature's Sunshine: Female Comfort. The main herbs in this supplement are:
Red raspberry leaves- Raspberry works by helping the fertilized egg attach to the uterine lining and stay attached. Raspberry also seems to have a toning effect that helps women’s reproductive systems function normally. Nowadays, herbalists capitalize on this benefit by recommending raspberry for a variety of women’s problems, such as morning sickness, menstrual cramps, and heavy menstrual bleeding.
Dong quai root-it is considered the "female ginseng" because of its balancing effect on the female hormonal system
Licorice root- Believed to balance feminine hormones
Black cohosh root- It helps to increase the chances of conceiving.
For couples using black cohosh, fertility is one of the best reasons to take it. If you suffer from PCOS (Poly-Cystic Ovary Syndrom) You can take black cohosh for PCOS to help with the problems that come about from this disorder.
I give this supplement the most credit out of everything else I took. The other supplements I took are Adrenal Support, Master Gland Formula, Nutri-Calm, and a prenatal vitamin. Those have more to do with balancing out the human body, not fertility, so if you are interested check them out at the Nature's Sunshine Website.
This time around I am trying something a little different, to be easy on the pocketbooks, I discovered is "Fertility Blend" found at GNC stores and online. It's $39.99 for 90 capsules.This supplement is designed for TTCers.
It contains:
CHASTEBERRY (VITEX) - Can regulate menstrual cycles, proper ovulation, and lengthen the luteal phase of our cycles (10-12 day LP is necessary for proper implantation, the longer the better)
FOLIC ACID- Helps prevent birth defects in your unborn babies
GREEN TEA-In a study conducted at Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program of Northern California in Oakland, researchers found that women who drank more than one half cup of caffeinated green tea every day
doubled their odds of conceiveing (www.babyhopes.com).
B VITAMINS-Balances hormones, correct irregular
cycles, assist in correcting progesterone deficiencies,
improve sperm and egg quality and development
and lengthen the luteal phase.
I am also taking EVENING PRIMROSE OIL. This helps your body create fertile high quality cervical mucus to make your body a sperm-friendly environment, and give you the best chance of getting pregnant.
I am also drinking a cup of Raspberry tea every night to help strengthen the walls of my uterus, hoping for better implantation conditions!
As far as side effects go in taking these supplements, I have to admit I get a little heartburn and an "herby" taste in my mouth, and my pee is bright yellow, but I'm told that's all normal when taking herbals. Again be sure to check with your doctor as some herbal medicine can interfere with other medicines. For example, you cannot take The Fertility Blend when using Clomid.
If you readers have any other suggestions, feel free to share! These are just a few I have heard the most about!
Monday, January 4, 2010
Pregnant Lady Parade
The last few days seem like they've been part of a pregnancy parade. Atleast 6 friends of mine found out they were pregnant today, some others found out their baby's gender, some are having theirs and/or are due very soon, and at church in a room full of 6 women, I was the only non-pregnant one there. When you live in Idaho, in Mormon country, such is life I guess! :) It still makes it very hard to know I should be 30+ weeks today if I hadn't lost the first baby this last time around. It doesn't seem fair. Especially since "experts" say that when you are in your 20's the risk of miscarraige is 15%. Bull Shiz!! Sorry, a little rant on my part but hey, all you TTCers can relate I'm sure. Tomorrow my post will be on herbal supplements to boost fertility! Yay!
Labels:
baby,
getting pregnant,
miscarriage,
pregnancy,
TTC
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Pregnancy Test with Conception Indicator
This is something that I, as a TTCer, think is VERY cool. When I saw it, I don't know why, but I was excited. It just shows how much science is progressing and before we know it, we'll know as soon as we get pregnant, that we are!
This is the NEW Clearblue DIGITAL Pregnancy Test with Conception Indicator. Not only does it tell you if you are pregnant or not without having to worry about faint lines or evaporation lines, but it also will tell you roughly how pregnant you are!! Like a normal pregnancy test, it detects the pregnancy hormone hCG in your urine. This baby also calculates the concentration of it (hCG should double every 48 hours in a healthy pregnancy) to determine roughly how far along you are. I can see it being a little off for some women because some don't produce high amounts of hCG during pregnancy, and if you are pregnant with multiple babies it might tell you you are further along than you are. But still, it's very cool. Just another thing from my friends at Clearblue! I don't use any other test but their digitals!!
I've heard some women say they are found at their Walmarts, but others say it's only available in the UK. I have found them on ebay, but have yet to check Walmart. If any of you readers have found them somewhere let me know!!
This is the NEW Clearblue DIGITAL Pregnancy Test with Conception Indicator. Not only does it tell you if you are pregnant or not without having to worry about faint lines or evaporation lines, but it also will tell you roughly how pregnant you are!! Like a normal pregnancy test, it detects the pregnancy hormone hCG in your urine. This baby also calculates the concentration of it (hCG should double every 48 hours in a healthy pregnancy) to determine roughly how far along you are. I can see it being a little off for some women because some don't produce high amounts of hCG during pregnancy, and if you are pregnant with multiple babies it might tell you you are further along than you are. But still, it's very cool. Just another thing from my friends at Clearblue! I don't use any other test but their digitals!!
I've heard some women say they are found at their Walmarts, but others say it's only available in the UK. I have found them on ebay, but have yet to check Walmart. If any of you readers have found them somewhere let me know!!
Labels:
clearblue,
conception,
digital pregnancy test,
getting pregnant,
hCG,
pregnancy,
pregnancy test,
science,
TTC
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Fertility Awareness
In the book "Taking Charge of your Fertility," I was taught a concept that made me say "Duh, why didn't I try that sooner?" This method is called the Fertility Awareness Method or FAM. The FAM method is one of the most accurate ways to determine ovulation, when your period will arrive, what days to baby dance in order to conceive, and can even be used as birth control!! Since this site is dedicated to TTCers, I am not going to talk about using it as a Birth Control Method.
This post will help you break down charting so that is super easy to do and understand. Don't be afraid of the chart pictured below, it's honestly not as complex as it seems!!
If you are TTC or ever are planning to TTC, this is something I think every woman should know about.
All you need to chart is well a chart, and they can be found all over the place. You can chart online at www.fertilityfriend.com or just google "Blank BBT Chart". Here's one you can use: CLICK HERE
And you'll need a basal body thermometer (BBT). They make these in digital or in glass thermometers. This is the one I use (mine's blue and white though). The significance of a BBT is it's acurate to a tenth of a degree, so instead of getting 98 or 99 degrees, you get 98.6 degrees. These are found everywhere, walmart, walgreens, anywhere you'd buy a normal thermometer. Some say the glass one's are more accurate, but I prefer digital.
So here's how you do it: Every morning as close to the same time as possible BEFORE getting out of bed, pop the thermometer in your mouth and take your temp. Stay as still as possible, and make sure you leave the thermometer right by your bed so you don't have to get up and get it. Make sure you have atleast 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep to get the best results. So, record the temperature on a chart in accordance with the cycle day you are on (i.e., your are on cycle day 10 so plot the temp on a chart. Do this every morning! Once you get in the habit of it and chart everyday you're chart will look something like this:
Ok, so now woopdie doo you have a chart going for you. Now what the heck does it mean?? This is when you look for a few things. First of all, make sure the day you start your period is on the chart as Cycle day 1 (CD1). Some charts have places to put details about your period or any spotting you might have. This one doesn't have anything for mentruation details. Anyways, your temperature should remain low until ovulation. This person's chart has her temperature lower than 97.9 when all the sudden it jumps to 98.1. That is an increase of .4 degrees. Why? That means this lady ovulated on CD13. After Ovulation, your temps should stay higher than before. This is the Luteal phase of your cycle. A successful pregnancy and implantation requires ATLEAST a 10 day luteal phase, but most doctors advise having 12 or more days...which means 12 days after ovulation is when you would start your period. So keep taking your temps even after ovulation. If they are staying above coverline (The highest temp recorded BEFORE ovulation) that is prefect! In a normal, non-pregnant cycle, the temperatures will begin to drop a day or two and fall below coverline to begin a new cycle. If you are pregnant however, your temps will stay up atleast 16 days, and sometimes even skyrocket on your chart to a whole new degree. This is one way to know you are pregnant before you take a test. It is also a way to identify missed miscarriages (very early ones).
Now, using the FAM and charting you can't really "predict" ovulation... you can only confirm when it has already happened. So what's the point in charting? MOST women (and I use this term lightly knowing how "Most" tends to mean a very few when it comes to topics like these) ovualte around the same time every month, so after a few months of charting, you may be able to time your baby dancing around those times you've recorded in the past.
I am a firm believer in charting now. I couldn't believe that I had do much control and "insider knowledge" to this technique. If you want to know more check out www.fertilityfriend.com. You can create an account and take a 20 lesson tutorial on how to chart. It's excellent! Good luck and I'd be happy to answer any questions!!
I'm back.
Ok, So I haven't written since June. Ironically enough, just days after my last post I found out I was pregnant, so I decided to nix the whole project and put that book "Taking charge of your fertility" on the bookshelf and enjoy being pregnant. Well, unfortunately I lost that baby at almost 4 months along, and then got pregnant AGAIN in November and just lost that little one at 7 weeks. Needless to say I have devoured every little bit of information since the miscarriage in September and I can say that babies, pregnancy and TTC are my obsession. So I am back with a vengence and this board is dedicated to all those three obsessions. I welcome comments and ideas and anything you guy have to share!!
Labels:
baby making,
getting pregnant,
miscarriage,
TTC
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