https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 10 Aug 2026 05:45:51 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/before-ttc-what-did-you-do-to-prepare#post-1973511 Sat, 06 Dec 2014 10:38:23 +0000 Mrs. Coral 1973511@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@aderyn:<br /> Things I Did:<br /> -Got a physical<br /> -Started taking prenatals<br /> -Read TCOYF<br /> -Read another preparing for conception type book<br /> -Attempted a fitness routine, should have worked harder at this</p> <p>What I Will Do Next Time:<br /> -Make freezer meals for the first trimester. Even if I am too sick to eat them, at least I'll have hubby taken care of<br /> -Stay on top of future to-dos ( tax return, gift purchasing, etc.) so when morning sickness does kick in, I have less obligations<br /> -Make sure all organizational systems at home are a go!<br /> -Consider hiring a housekeeper<br /> -Review vaccination records and make sure up-to-date </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/before-ttc-what-did-you-do-to-prepare#post-1973467 Sat, 06 Dec 2014 09:59:56 +0000 krispi 1973467@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I started taking prenatals pretty early. I was feeling bad around the beginning of the year, and I figured the vitamins wouldn't hurt. </p> <p>I meant to get into better shape and lose some more weight, but grad school has a tendency to get in the way...</p> <p>We also had some financial goals we wanted to accomplish. We were still paying a mortgage on my old townhouse from my single days. Selling that was such a hassle! But we know that we can afford daycare because it will be about equal to the extra mortgage we were carrying. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/before-ttc-what-did-you-do-to-prepare#post-1973368 Sat, 06 Dec 2014 07:41:13 +0000 MrsKRB 1973368@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>All of the above + we started to save more money and really look at our budget to be sure we could afford a baby and daycare. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/before-ttc-what-did-you-do-to-prepare#post-1973084 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 20:18:46 +0000 PawPrints 1973084@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>-Researched birth centers near us<br /> -Pre-conception appointment/consultation at the midwifery center I was interested in using for prenatal care and delivery (at the adjacent birth center) (this appointment doubled as my regular exam, so pap smear etc all checked out)<br /> -Took a tour with DH of the birth center we were interested in (thankfully nobody acted like we were insane for being there so early)<br /> -Started taking prenatals<br /> -Lurked a TON in the TTC threads to learn about OPKs and charting, though I didn't actually start doing either because I assumed I would conceive on the first try (........ :meh: )<br /> -Bought a couple of HPTs, assuming I would need them immediately to celebrate our immediate successful conception (............ :bummed: )<br /> -General psychological and financial preparation/talks with DH leading up to the month we had decided would be our first cycle TTC </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/before-ttc-what-did-you-do-to-prepare#post-1973063 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 20:00:07 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 1973063@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Exercise.<br /> Started tracking my cycles with Fertility Friend.</p> <p>I became more aggressive at work to earn more money. Babies are expensive! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/before-ttc-what-did-you-do-to-prepare#post-1972948 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 17:56:48 +0000 Anya 1972948@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Prenatals, charting, read ALL the books. </p> <p>I agree with all those who said you should go to the dentist first! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/before-ttc-what-did-you-do-to-prepare#post-1972911 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 17:19:53 +0000 Skadi 1972911@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Go to the dentist now! I ended up having a cavity that didn't become painful until I was already very pregnant. I decided to wait until after the birth to have it filled. I ended up needing a root canal, probably in part because I waited so long to get it fixed. At the same time, my dentist decided my wisdom teeth needed to come out. Nothing makes recovering from childbirth harder than having major dental work, I tell ya.</p> <p>Along the same lines, schedule an appointment with your OB/GYN to get a pap smear and breast exam. It wasn't until I was pregnant that they found two lumps in one of my breasts, and it caused a lot of anxiety for me. I decided to go ahead and get a biopsy to make sure they weren't malignant (test turned out negative, thankfully). I realize now that I should have really taken care of myself before I got pregnant to save me a lot of stress. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/before-ttc-what-did-you-do-to-prepare#post-1972902 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 17:09:48 +0000 Kimberlybee 1972902@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Prenatals, eat healthier, and get all your sleep on... cherish those nights of good sleep! I have. Not slept good since the 2nd trimester and my DD is 18 months now. PP insomnia is awful! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/before-ttc-what-did-you-do-to-prepare#post-1972899 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 17:06:47 +0000 Kimberlybee 1972899@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Torchwood: Thanks for the info and tip! Hope 2015 is a wonderful year of new beginnings for you. :heart: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/before-ttc-what-did-you-do-to-prepare#post-1972862 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 16:39:29 +0000 Torchwood 1972862@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Kimberlybee: I use these- <a href="http://smile.amazon.com/Liquid-Health-Products-Prenatal-Vitamin/dp/B00COSDFG2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&#038;qid=1417815511&#038;sr=8-3&#038;keywords=liquid+prenatal+vitamins" rel="nofollow">http://smile.amazon.com/Liquid-Health-Products-Prenatal-Vitamin/dp/B00COSDFG2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&#038;qid=1417815511&#038;sr=8-3&#038;keywords=liquid+prenatal+vitamins</a> I'll be honest, they're pretty gross. But I mix them with Bolthouse Farms Berry Blend and it works pretty well. Also, if you go on their website, they have buy 2 get 1 free, so it makes it cheaper even though one bottle is actually cheaper on Amazon. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/before-ttc-what-did-you-do-to-prepare#post-1972834 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 16:18:35 +0000 Kimberlybee 1972834@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Torchwood: What brand do you take for the prenatals? For DD I used a dr prescribed one called OB Complete but it was so expensive! ($100 per month even though I have insurance). I would love to find a cheaper one while TTC#2. I am just taking a generic OTC one right now. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/before-ttc-what-did-you-do-to-prepare#post-1972826 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 16:08:57 +0000 MrsMccarthy 1972826@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I did a lot actually. I took prenatal vitamins, temped and learned my cycles, started eating a better diet and consuming fertility friendly foods such as whole organic milk, bananas, yams, avocados and lean beef for iron. I was underweight with a BMI of 17 so I got my BMI up to 21 as well. I enjoyed reading What to Expect BEFORE you're expecting on my kindle and it helped me to prepare. This was all 6 months before we conceived. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/before-ttc-what-did-you-do-to-prepare#post-1972814 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 16:01:23 +0000 birdofafeather 1972814@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Temping/charting and taking a prenatal. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/before-ttc-what-did-you-do-to-prepare#post-1972777 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 15:39:15 +0000 edelweiss 1972777@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i started taking prenatals, and tried to pay more attention to my ovulation cues (like cervical fluid) and the length of my cycles. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/before-ttc-what-did-you-do-to-prepare#post-1972668 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 14:38:49 +0000 simplyfelicity 1972668@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just prenatals. I pretty much learned about TTC while in the process. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/before-ttc-what-did-you-do-to-prepare#post-1972666 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 14:37:19 +0000 Mrs. J 1972666@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Prenatals, TCYOF, charting.</p> <p>ETA, I didn't do TCYOF or chart until we started TTC. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/before-ttc-what-did-you-do-to-prepare#post-1972645 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 14:19:28 +0000 Mama Bird 1972645@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wasn't in good shape (10 pounds underweight) so I started eating more to get my weight back up, and taking a vitamin b / folic acid complex. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/before-ttc-what-did-you-do-to-prepare#post-1972616 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 14:05:39 +0000 Tanjowen 1972616@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Prenatals, quit drinking diet coke or any sodas, and a visit to the periodontist for me. I struggle with gum disease, which can affect baby's health, so wanted to make sure all was well before getting pregnant! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/before-ttc-what-did-you-do-to-prepare#post-1972613 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 14:03:25 +0000 autumnlove 1972613@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Exercise, dentist, learned how to chart, prenatals, pap and I went over my birth history with my OB. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/before-ttc-what-did-you-do-to-prepare#post-1972599 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 13:53:15 +0000 ineebee 1972599@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Same as others: forming a solid exercise routine and taking prenatals! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/before-ttc-what-did-you-do-to-prepare#post-1972499 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 12:47:29 +0000 Torchwood 1972499@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Started taking prenatals and folic acid initially. This time, with our history, I switched to organic plant-derived liquid prenatals, a much larger dosage of folate (instead of folic acid), and added fermented cod liver oil. I also started making more of an effort to eat healthy (though I have avoidant restrictive food intake disorder, so I'll be honest, I still don't eat that well). I joined a gym too, but haven't actually gone (hush). But I've been more active in that I've started volunteering at the library and that means a lot more up and down and being on my feet more instead of on the couch, so I figure that counts some. </p> <p>I also started OPK's again, to help figure out my cycles since they had gotten a little weird. I wanted to be sure I knew when I O'd since I couldn't just count on my old 28 day cycles with a perfect day 14 O. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/before-ttc-what-did-you-do-to-prepare#post-1972460 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 12:31:18 +0000 cait 1972460@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Started taking prenatals, eating healthier (more greens!), and excercising </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/before-ttc-what-did-you-do-to-prepare#post-1972452 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 12:25:32 +0000 MenagerieMama 1972452@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Prenatals and exercising regularly! Took up running actually. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/before-ttc-what-did-you-do-to-prepare#post-1972443 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 12:21:15 +0000 Mamasig 1972443@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Took prenatals - that's it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/before-ttc-what-did-you-do-to-prepare#post-1972437 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 12:20:26 +0000 BandDmommy 1972437@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I started taking prenatals. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/before-ttc-what-did-you-do-to-prepare#post-1972432 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 12:15:55 +0000 MaryM 1972432@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I started charting two years before. And when my charts were wonky (I had long cycles) I had my OBGYN check it out and was diagnosed with PCOS. </p> <p>Had I not done that earlier, it would have seriously postponed things! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/before-ttc-what-did-you-do-to-prepare#post-1972425 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 12:10:34 +0000 blackbird 1972425@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I started prenatals. That's all my dr suggested. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/before-ttc-what-did-you-do-to-prepare#post-1972414 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 12:02:19 +0000 catlady 1972414@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was crazy so I:</p> <p>- Started taking pre-natals early<br /> - Started exercising more and eating better<br /> - Read "Taking Control of Your Fertility"<br /> - Started temping and figuring out my cycles (this was actually really helpful b/c my cycles are weird)<br /> - Bought some opks and figured out how to use them</p> <p>Not health related but we also took an awesome vacation prior to TTC, which I'm glad we did. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/before-ttc-what-did-you-do-to-prepare#post-1972412 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 12:01:15 +0000 Synchronicity 1972412@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I posted this a whiiiile ago (and we are still waiting to TTC...), but it has some really solid advice! </p> <p><a href="http://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-go-back-to-the-year-before-ttcpregnancy-1" rel="nofollow">http://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-could-go-back-to-the-year-before-ttcpregnancy-1</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/before-ttc-what-did-you-do-to-prepare#post-1972403 Fri, 05 Dec 2014 11:57:58 +0000 aderyn 1972403@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just what the title says. TTC is still a few months away for me and DH, but I was wondering if there was anything you did in the months preceding TTC, knowing you were going to start TTC? Like any special health changes? </p>