What all did you do before officially starting TTC? Track, chart, doctors visits, etc? Did you just jump into it without any preparation?
What all did you do before officially starting TTC? Track, chart, doctors visits, etc? Did you just jump into it without any preparation?
apricot / 441 posts
in prep to TTC I plan to just take prenatals and stop drinking. I'd also get a physical.
cherry / 181 posts
I am taking prenatals, and yes drinking is getting curbed. I've been reading a fair amount, mostly pre-conception books and a couple natural childbirth books. We chart, but that's not really representative because we practice NFP have charted for 1.5 yrs, until now our decision every month was to avoid pregnancy (i.e. no twister when I am fertile) so charting is just a continuation of our pre-ttc practices.
cherry / 112 posts
I've started taking prenatals and really focusing on what I'm eating, as well as cutting down on the alcohol. That's also because it appears that I have a gallbladder issue that I'm hoping can be resolved with diet, but it might need more intervention. I'll need to figure that out with my doctor and if anything drastic needs to happen (ie having it removed), I would want that done before we TTC.
admin / watermelon / 14210 posts
go to your dentist for a cleaning/checkup. bad gums are considered a chronic infection and it can cause low birth weight.
pea / 5 posts
We did the regular round of checkups... one each with my regular doctor, GYN, eye doctor and dentist. I went on pre-natals and switched my other regular meds either to baby-safe versions or came off completely. I even stopped taking OTC drugs that I knew were issues. I also cut my caffeine intake way down.
Now that we're legitimately within the two-week wait period, I've also cut out the booze and I'm trying to eat in a reasonable manner.
That sounds like a lot, but it wasn't really a big deal. And I'd rather take care of it now then have to all of the sudden change everything if/when I turn up pregnant.
cherry / 181 posts
Good Reminder Mrs Bee, I did let me Dentist know at my last checkup (i get cleaned 3x per yr) and we made sure that I had an exam and that I wouldn't need xrays in the next year.
I didn't really consider this per-conception prep but I did lose 20 lbs, putting me into the healthy BMI range. I know that weight can play a role in some couple's conception challenges.
blogger / apricot / 349 posts
All of the above are all great suggestions! I'm trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle, cut back on alcohol, exercise more, and take prenatal vitamins. We also tried to mentally prepare too-- if that makes sense.
apricot / 302 posts
I just went to the ob/gyn to talk about starting TTC and his advice was to start prenatals and focus on eating healthy and getting plenty of sleep (and to avoid working crazy, stressful hours in my case). He also set me up for some labs to test for a few things in preparation and I got a couple shots to be sure I was up-to-date with my vaccinations.
hostess / wonderful apple seed / 16729 posts
Right now, I have started taking prenatal vitamins, I have gotten off BC about a year ago, I already went to see my OB/GYN and she is expecting the next time I see her I will be pregnant (I hope *fingers crossed*). I'm getting my teeth taken care of by my dentist. I used to chart my temps but my dr said not to worry about that and to just look for EWCM (egg white cervical muscous) when I do plan to TTC. I trying to eat all the sushi and drink alcohol now since I won't be able to have it while pregnant. (Don't worry, I'm very far from a heavy drinker. I drink like once a month and if that. I just had two pina coladas this past weekend. Yum! ) I'm planning on buying Pre-seed lubricant since it's sperm friendly. Plus, it doesn't hurt to have it. I'm also buying those pregnancy strips and ovulation strips. I hear they are cheaper than those pregnancy tests. Oh, we are moving into a townhouse in December.
Yeah, I'm pretty much set. I don't think I'm forgetting anything. We plan to start TTC in November or December of this year so I'm ready!
So as of right now, I'm just trying to enjoy pre-TTC phase and my pina coladas!
pomegranate / 3764 posts
When we started TTC in December, I had already gone through numerous check ups & knew what our weaknesses were going to be. I started a low GI diet, take prenatals, vitex & began actively charting BBT & CM. I've been using OPK-tests since April.
hostess / wonderful persimmon / 25556 posts
I went off bc in April. I started temping at that point to try to figure out when we should *not* have sex until we started ttc.
Two months later I started taking prenatal vitamins and we started TTC shortly thereafter. I haven't changed my diet at all and don't appear to need to at this point. I have tried using opk's but haven't ever received a + result on them. It's very frustrating.
I talked to my gyn doc when I was in for a regular visit. She did blood work to make sure my thyroid was ok. She said we should continue what we're doing until we hit 9 months (I'll be 34) then I should make an appointment with an OB to look into things.
coffee bean / 34 posts
I want to/have to get off medicine (plaquenil- for an autoimmune disorder) before we can start trying (which will hopefully be in about a year). I've started the process of decreasing it little by little, so we will see how that goes. Then there's the usual: prenatals, diet & exercise, & doctor check ups so that I can get the go ahead.
pomegranate / 3032 posts
Ideally I'd like to lose about 30 lbs putting me in a more healthy weight range. I will also need to completely stop taking Humira and Methotrexate (for psoriasis) for three months before I can stop taking my BC. I'm scared and anxious that I will have a big flare up. I still remember how painful and uncomfortable I was before I started taking those meds. None of the medications (oral or topical) that i relied on to treat flares are pregnancy safe.
grapefruit / 4400 posts
i had no idea i should/could take pre-natals before i was even pregnant... but i guess that makes sense! i would like to lose some weight (about 30 lbs is what my normal dr. recommended). i haven't really done anything yet to prepare for TTC. i've been off BC since january of this year, but we haven't been TRYING to get pregnant yet.
pear / 1664 posts
I've been taking prenatals for quite a while. When we really decide, we'll have to *really* be sure also because I have a IUD and that would need to be removed. I'd probably ask the doc at that time what else I should be doing. I definitely know I need to cut back on alcohol, and wouldn't mind losing 10 lbs or so but it isn't necessary (just heard it's harder to lose after, and I'd rather lose it than keep it!)
pear / 1769 posts
I'm loving all these answers. Some of things I would never think of! It is interesting how different situations surrounding pregnancies can be.
wonderful pomelo / 30692 posts
Wow, after reading some of these answers, I feel less prepared, haha! I've been pretty regular about going to the dentist, so I wasn't going to do anything special in that department (although I'll probably ask next time if everything looks okay teeth-wise for when I get pregnant), but I did just recently go have a physical and ask some questions. I'm going on pre-natals in less than a month (figure I'll just go through my current vitamins first), and I'm going to stay on BC until we decide to start trying (according to my doc, that's what I should do). I have been trying to lose weight and get a little more in shape, but that's not going too well, so... oh well.
My biggest concern that I have is that I have ITP (low platelet count) and I'm not sure how that will affect my pregnancy or giving birth. I've read that if you're platelet count is too low, you can't get an epidural (and I'm a wimp...). BUT I have an appointment next week to see a hematologist, so hopefully they'll be able to answer some of my questions.
wonderful grape / 20453 posts
I started prenatals, calcium, and folic acid supplements. And ramped up my exercise so that when i tapered off, it would be easier.
hostess / wonderful grape / 20803 posts
I started taking pre-natals about 6 months before we started TTC and continued getting my routine dental cleaning, eye exams, and doctors visits (because TTC took a long time, I have had multiple dental visits while TTC!). Pre-TTC, I also had cataracts surgery (which I had been needing for some time).
When we were actually ready to TTC, I went off the pill (we had several friends that got pregnant RIGHT after going off the pill and we didn't want to pull the goalie until we were really ready).
Also (upon my doctor's advice/suggestion) I didn't cut out booze while TTC. I definitely cut back and didn't drink much during my TWW's I know that some people feel very strongly about this issue...and to each their own..... But, for me 8 months would have just been way too long and stressful a time to give up wine completely : )
wonderful pomelo / 30692 posts
@winniebee - I read somewhere that you don't share a blood supply with the fetus until 6-8 weeks, so if you drink during that time, it won't negatively affect your baby.
hostess / wonderful grape / 20803 posts
@adira - Yeah, my doctor basically told me to take it easy during the TWW, but that I didn't need to cut out alcohol completely. I'm not a binge drinker or anything, but I like wine with dinner and we go out to dinner on weekends. She just said to stop drinking when I got a BFP (which, obviously I did!) My husband is a doc and completely supported this practice. I really think it's whatever you are comfortable with... I just felt enough pressure from TTC without taking wine out of the mix!
coffee bean / 28 posts
I am taking pre-natals. I managed to lose 20 pounds and would like to continue watching what I eat and walking to try and stay healthy. I rarely drink, but once I hit ovulation I quit drinking until AF shows up, just to be extra safe. I also don't have caffeine and don't take OTC medicines for an extra pre-caution.
GOLD / wonderful apricot / 22646 posts
I thought I had posted on this already, but I guess not? ;P
I quit smoking (a 5 year bad, bad habit), I've been running mildly, I've given up alcohol (not hard, as I'm not a drinker), I just ordered the Rainbow Lite pre-natals and will start that later this week.
I also purchased, OPKs from Amazon and a Basal thermometer to start charting/temping.
I've also been trying to get a better work/life balance and "me" time to make sure that I don't overstress about other things in life.
coffee bean / 37 posts
I did NOT know about the gums thing. I'll have to make an appointment with my dentist. We're Pre-TTC at the moment. I'm planning on stopping my BC pills once my current prescription runs out in December, then with the start of the year I'm going to begin charting and taking prenatals until my cycle regulates.
cherry / 135 posts
Definitely read Taking Charge of Your Fertility - AND - What to Expect When you are Expecting. While the first may be an obvious choice read, I waited until I was pregnant to read What to Expect and was surprised how much of the book is applicable to TTC. Both books offer invaluable advice.
GOLD / eggplant / 11517 posts
What to Expect also has a separate book called "What to Expect BEFORE You're Expecting" that I read and thought it was really informative.
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