I came across this book at the library, it's called The Conception Chronicles. I was pleased to find a book about TTC, that wasn't all text-booky. This one is raw, blunt humor about the roller coaster of TTC. It was so funny at some times. I really enjoyed reading it, I read it cover to cover in a day.Some of my favorite highlights from the book:
On the topic of Timed Intercourse: "Since when did sex have to be special for him? In your old life, your husband could have one leg caught in a bear trap and would still somehow manage to have sex if you showed even the slightest interest." Absolutely hilarious, and true! lol
"Slutty Saturdays"- Trying to make the baby marathon less work by trying to spice up the romance with lingerie? It gets tiring when your 3 day window turns into 10 days of safety net, dubbing Saturday as "Slutty Saturday" reserving that to be the only day you have to strap yourself into something that doubles as a rock climbing harness. (I love this, it is so funny to me)
There's also a chapter about how to deal with "Fertile Foes" and those are the women who flaunt their obvious fertility in your face. That's a good chapter b/c I've encountered my fair share of those!!
Anywho...just my lil' book review. Enjoy!
BTW, I'm 9DPO today...just a few more days till testing! I can't say for sure if I feel pregnant or not though. Like every month I've gone back and forth and can't really say for sure. As far as symptoms go, I have a little nausea that started yesterday, and I pee a lot, but that one isn't such a good sign or not b/c I have waaay too much juice in my fridge and I always have a drink nearby. I was starving the other day only 10 minutes after I was full, and I've been a little on the sleepy side, which again isn't a good indicator since my 2 year old wakes me up daily at the crack of dawn by putting his nose against my nose and says "Mommy. Wake up!" LOL. Only time will tell. Very tempted to hit up the pharmacy and get me a first response since those are the most accurate test and give an early response, but I have sworn to wait until AF is due to test, which will be Saturday. I can do this!! lol.
So I went and saw my new OBGYN today. I'd heard great things about him, and that he also has a special interest in fertility. I've wanted to see him for a while, but we just got insurance that he accepts, so I made an appointment as soon as I could! Today was my appointment and I went over my medical history with him, and we lingered on the topic of pregnancy and my 4 miscarriages and he was very surprised that I still had not had any tests done to see what is going on. I told him that my doctor basically would tell me to try to get pregnant and then they would see how my body handled it and he was not thrilled about that.
So he explained to me that new findings show that a 20% of repeat miscarriages are caused by clotting disorders like thrombophilia. Basically a clot forms in the placenta and eventually destroys the pregnancy. He said that since I had a 2nd trimester miscarriage it made it even more likely that this could be a problem for me. So they drew 8 vials of blood today and sent them off to the lab to be tested. If it does happen that I do have a blood clotting disorder, when I do get pregnant I get to take 2 shots a day of a medicine called heparin throughout the entire pregnancy and through postpartum recovery. Not looking forward to that, but if it gets me a baby I'm all for it. And this made me wonder, since I had my son and the only "complication" was mild preeclampsia onset at the end of my pregnancy, why wasn't this possible disorder a problem? He told me that it can not only be genetic, but acquired at later points in life, so I could have acquired it after my son was born, but that gives no explanation to my 2 miscarriages before him. Anyways, we'll know in about 3-5 days the results.
He also told me if I am not pregnant now, than once I start my cycle again to call and schedule an HSG test (Hysterosalpingogram) which is where they inject dye into my uterus and it flows up the fallopian tubes and then they take an x-ray of it. They look for misshapen uterus, blocked tubes, or anything in the uterus like a fibroid, polyp, or scarring that prevents the embryo from properly implanting. He said sometimes the dye that is injected can clear out any blockages in the tubes, remove scar tissue, and basically aid in the process of getting pregnant. I heard it is a little painful and uncomfortable, but the results are usually pretty good- conception wise.
If all those come back normal we'll do a semen analysis, and then he suggests genetic testing to make sure neither of us have any genetic defects that are causing repeat miscarraiges.
Well, HOPEFULLY I am pregnant now, and these things will not be necessary. Well, except for the blood clotting thing, because if they came back positive I'd get on those shots right away.
I am very relieved, even excited at the chance to get some answers. Who knows, they all might come back normal and there's nothing wrong with me, but atleast this will remove any doubt! I am due to test a week from tomorrow and I am going to try with all my might to resist the urge to pee on a stick until then. We shall see! Wish me luck folks!
I'm always looking for a remedy or things to help in the fertility department, and one thing that I was curious about this week was gemstones and their relationship to fertility. For ages gemstones have been known to have healing powers, and meanings. I know that, for instance Citrine is supposed to ward off evil thoughts, Amethyst is supposed to prevent intoxication, and that Garnet is supposed to ensure safe travels (ironic that Noah on the Ark had a garnet inside the ark?). I've seen pieces of jewelry out there labeled as "fertility jewelry" and it sparked my interest. Being a jewelry maker myself, I figured if there was any reality to these gemstones having healing effects, then maybe I could whip myself up a piece and get pregnant! So first I did some research on what stones to use, and I've found several options.
1. One person said that any green stone can help promote fertility. I think in theory the green color symbolizes life, renewal, nature, and so forth. This is lucky for a lot of people because there is a huge variety of green gemstones available. Some good choices are Jade, Emerald, and even garnets and opals.2. Moonstone is a hormone balancing stone that is associated with feminine energy and brings balance to the menstrual cycle and synchronizes it to that on the moon. You can make a fertility elixir by placing a moon stone in purified water and leaving it outside at night under the moonlight. It should be left outside for at least a couple of hours on a clear night. Remove the stone and use the water as healing elixir by drinking it.I thought this was kind of interesting. Don't know if I'll try it, but it's interesting to say the least!3.Carnelian- Boosts fertility, Promotes sexuality and planned reproduction, Stimulates, balances and heals the uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes, cervix and vagina, Alleviate premenstrual syndrome, irregular cycles and cramps by helping to rebalance reproductive hormones.4. Rose Quartz- The stone of love, the first necessary stepping stone to creating a healthy baby.5. Pearls – These are the most closely tied gems to fertility. Since oysters are natures aphrodisiac, it would seem that the pearl would also contain some of those properties. Lastly, it is thought that since it requires patience and time to create a pearl, just like the patience and time required to create a baby, is why the pearl is so powerful to fertility 6. Rubies are thought to prevent miscarriages.
When I researched "Gemstone Therapy" it basically calls for programming your gemstones, basically palming them, and stating some kind of mantra like "These gemstones will heal me, and bring me a healthy baby, or pregnancy." Then it says to place the gemstones on your body, near your ovaries, uterus, on your temples, and lay in a dark place and meditate for 15-20 minutes about the outcome you desire. It is supposed to help with all kinds of afflictions, not just infertitily. I would think it's worth a shot.
Also, the shape of the gemstone doesn't necessarily matter, but they suggest round, oval, heart, or egg shaped gemstones to have the best effect.
To purchase your own gemstones, visit your local craft store, like Michaels or JoAnnes. Most gems are available on a string, but you can also purchase individual pendants. Also, two good online stores are www.artbeads.com (free shipping) and www.firemountaingems.com.
There are many places on the web where you can purchase fertility jewelry. I've planned a fertility line to offer on my store and that will be coming soon. For now, I plan to scavage my jewelry box and see what I have that can give me a boost!
This is kind of long and sorry that it's broken into 6 parts, but I stumbled across this today and watched it today. It is utterly FASCINATING! I mean, I know how conception works and stuff, but this really puts it into perspective and makes the whole process seem absolutely amazing.
My 2 year old sat in my lap during some of the movie, and I could not help but swell with pride that HE was the one sperm who made it through all those obstacles compared to millions of others. He endured it all, he was the fastest, the smartest, and the strongest. It could have been a completely different one, but it was him. I guess the same goes for me... I was the one who made it out of millions. The ending of the movie very much sums up what I felt about luck. So, enjoy the movie, it's about an hour-ish long, but it is so worth the time. There are specialty doctors in this who give some insight on ways to increase your chances of conception...I learned several things in this video. I think I am going to make my husband watch it... it's just so cool!! Enjoy everyone!
Today's frustration is getting every party involved with baby making...well... involved! My husband is great, let me tell you all that first. He really puts up with a lot and probably knows more than most women even do about how a woman's body works, and the best ways to really get pregnant. If we were having a conversation about the things we are most passionate about, he would talk about video games or track, and I would talk about baby making. And believe it or not after all these years of TTC he actually understands what I am talking about, in the scientifical sense.
It seems that he has the hardest time connecting to the strong desire I have to have another baby. He says he gets it, and I know he tries. But today he mentioned that we "agreed" not to actively try anymore, but just to let what happens happen. Now we did have this conversation last month, because I still wanted to have another cycle come around before actually pursuing this, so I said if it happened last month, then great. Now here we are, I'm gung-ho about doing this, and he is taken all aback because he thought we weren't going to "try."
Honestly, if I could just put all methods on the shelf and just let chance takes it's toll, I would. I envy those so much out there who get pregnant without trying, I've heard so many people say "As soon as you stop trying it happens." But after all I've learned, all the difficulties I've had, and all the time that has gone by since deciding to TTC... How can I NOT try? How can I not take my BBT every morning, and count my days and study my chart, and take vitamins, and excersize and eat right and all those things that will help me get pregnant? DH and I decided to have another baby in February of 2009. That's over a year ago. How can I waste any time at all by being...oh what's the word, all nonchalant about it all?
When we first started trying to conceive our first, I had NO idea how it really worked, And still without using any birth control I had no luck for a YEAR. I'm not playing here!! I know I'm young and have lots of time, but when a woman knows she should have another, there's no stopping her!! It's all I think about, and I even dream about it at night. I wish it wasn't that way, but I want to give my son a little brother or sister, and I long to hold another infant of my own in my arms. There is honestly nothing else I want more than growing my family right now.
All the eggs are in the basket. All preparations have been made financially, insurance is set up, and my heart is ready. Now we just have to wait for that blessing!
Ok, just a quick little blog here, I came across this website and I have to say it's just fascinating! Not that I'm looking into these measures, but I just stumbled upon it. It covers all kinds of fertility treatments including IUI, IVF, ICI, and egg donation. It is very detailed and informative, and also gives costs of such treatments. It's all good to know if you are considering fertility procedures.
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.
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 theirodds 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!
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 Lutealphase 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!!
Yay first blog post! My main purpose for creating this blog is to journal all my experiences, pieces of knowledge that I learn, vent about the frustration involved, and basically unload all my feelings to someone who doesn't really know me. I try to keep the fact that my Dear Hubby (DH) and I are TTC a secret because once people know we are, they expect something right away! So, here's the background on me. I am 22 years old. DH and I have been married almost 4 years now and we have 1 little boy who is 18months. We decided in January that we wanted to start trying for another, and here we are at the end of June with no such luck. With my first baby, it took a year of TTC, so I am bracing myself and accepting the fact it wont happen overnight for this time either. That being said it doesnt help the feeling of utter failure when you look at the pee stick and see I big fat NO! in the little window. My hopes for this blog is that those who read it will relate to me, share their thoughts, and be a little place they can go to know that not everyone on the planet gets pregnant when they "weren't even trying!" I want to post any of the info I learn along the way, myths and truths, and all kinds of fun. So, subscribe and have fun with it. After all, isn't trying to make a baby the funnest part?
Some of my favorite highlights from the book:
