-
@MediaNaranja: we need to get married!! Haha we've been together for 8 years, we own a house, we've lived together for almost 3 years now but we haven't made it legal. We are eloping in August and very excited. I also need to take and pass my registration exams now that I've graduated, and that will also be happening this summer. Finally, just some house renos that we are slowly working away at.
So, you know.... Just a couple minor things to get wrapped up
-
@PermaStudent: registration exams...architecture perhaps? cause thats what I do!
also I'm so akwardly nervous about the day we choose to stop protecting, are we going to be like "put a baby in me" thinking the whole time while dtd...i dont want that type of pressure and it seems like it is somewhat unevitable as we are the ones who have set the start date...if that makes any sense at all!!
-
I would love to lose 10 pounds, but basically get in good shape to help have an easier pregnancy.
All the other baby bucket list stuff is done. We had a 2 week road trip through Europe this fall, and we just got back from Hawaii, and we have trips planned to San Antonio, Phoenix and Boston this summer, as well as Orlando this fall (if we get our BFP on the first try, we will find out on vacation!) No travel is planned after that, just trying for a baby!
All our friends have kids (with new arrivals in May and October too!) so we are lucky to have some guidance when ours finally does arrive
-
@MediaNaranja: we had a bunch of things on our baby bucket list like traveling, saving money, paying off cc debt, and taking a couple of professional certification exams to advance our careers. Other fun things we put on there that might be more difficult once we have a baby were starting yoga, going camping and spending some time with our grandparents who live in different states than we do. I had a lot more motivation to do everything bc it brings us one step closer to baby making!
-
The main thing on my to-do list before TTC is trying to make healthier decisons - I go to the gym every now and then as it is, but I'm hoping to form the habit of at least 4 days a week now so it'll be easier to follow through when I'm pregnant and out of energy. Also, trying to eat healthier and find new recipes that are quick and easy that I'll actually make instead of grabbing greasy (but convenient!) take-out... that kind of thing.
I stopped taking birth control in December to try to figure out what the heck my body does without hormones (I'd been on BC for 12 years straight - and we have been/will continue to use condoms as BC until April.) My periods are wacky and much longer than they were on BC (36 day cycles?!) - so trying to find out when I ovulate is on my to-do list now too, haha.
-
@Raspberries I really, really need to go off my BC so I can figure out what my body does too! I have also been on BC for like 12 years! I keep putting it off because I'm so nervous about having crazy periods and cramps and bad acne and stuff
Actually, the main thing is that right now, I know exactly when my period will start and when it will stop, and I can plan my life around it. What do people do off BC? Wear pantyliners all the time in case I start bleeding and bring supplies all the time? Ugh, sounds like a pain. But I need to suck it up and do it. LOL!
-
@PermaStudent: Ah, I noticed you always said "SO" and not "DH" so now that makes sense! What are your certification exams in?
@raspberries: @MrsADS: I've never taken BC (can't due to a blood clotting disorder) so one good thing about that is that I already know all my ovulation signs, etc. A 36-day cycle isn't that unusual, though, if your cycle is that length consistently! Once you figure out when you ovulate and then can also recognize your typical PMS signs, you'll be ready for your period, so you won't have to wear a pantyliner all the time! LOL.
-
@MrsADS: Yeah... so not enjoying the teenage skin either! (To be fair, it's not nearly as bad as it was then, but I now realize how much BC was keeping my super oily skin under control. Ugh.) Also, I start cramping about 2 days before it comes, so at least I'm warned? Double ugh, haha.
@IRunForFun: Ah, I'm jealous that you know exactly what your body is doing. It hasn't quite stabilized for me - it was 32 days the first time, 44 the following, and 36 this time. It's driving me crazy after knowing and planning for 28 day periods every month!
-
I am nervous abiut irregular cycles too. I have had my mirena for 5.5 years and plan to get it out in June. My ob/gyn had me start opks and period tracking now to get some idea of what is going on but I am worried that it will all change in June upon removal. I had really tough periods before bc when I was in high school and I am not looking forward to it again!
-
@PermaStudent: That's awesome that you have another bee close by to talk to about all things baby-related. Agreed, yay for mommy friends.
@MrsADS: Being off of BC isn't really that bad, as a couple other people have already mentioned, you do get to the point where you know your cycle and know when to expect your period. Its an adjustment for sure, but its also kind of fascinating to be more in tune with what your body is doing.
The main thing my husband and I need to take care of before TTC is for him to get a new job. He makes alright money now, but wants to get into a different career field to be better off down the line.
Other things we and/or I would like to do:
-Do some more traveling. My husband has an 8 year old who lives with us two days a week. So we already know from traveling with my stepson that its a whole different experience to travel with kids. Good but definitely different.
-I'd like to get in better shape, start eating better, and learn some new recipes to mix up what we make for dinner.
-Save more money (does this ever end?)
-Finish a few house and yard projects. Paint our spare bedroom/eventual nursery, put in more raised beds for my vegetable garden, do some organizing throughout the house.
-
@raspberries: your timeline is exactly the same as mine was! The only extra thing I had to add on was - get married.
We married and bought a house last year.
We got two dogs who are both trained and grown up a bit now.
We have some savings.
We went to Paris last year...I'm 11 weeks pregnant and we just came back from Rome last week (had to rush that one a bit!)I was on this board for a while before ttc, only words of wisdom would be start a prenatal vitamin now, be as healthy as you can be and get to know your body. I thought it would be easty, but took us 8 months of hard graft
-
We will be TTC this fall, maybe October but definitely by November. We are waiting on my grad school and some financial things. We will have our first wedding anniversary in July, and by this fall we will be 36 and 37.
-
@MrsADS: I went off BCP before we got married and took a class on charting my cycles. It helped IMMENSELY to know what was "normal" and what could indicate issues. A few months in when I saw my gyno she was able to easily diagnose PCOS based on my cycle lengths and temps. I'm so grateful I had charted because I heard horror stories from friends with PCOS over how much testing they had to have done to figure out the issues and how long it took for them!
Now that I track, I can see what to expect from my body and what signs indicate that I should start stuffing my purse with feminine products
-
@Mrs tartan: Haha, great minds think alike - and CONGRATS on your little one coming!
I think that's actually one of the most important (psychological, anyway) things I've learned from this board - all of that "It only takes ONE TIME to get pregnant!" fear that was pounded into my head growing up isn't necessarily true. My younger self thought it would just be a matter of figuring out when we wanted a baby, counting back 9 months, doing the deed a couple of times, and voila!
-
@sunset840: @IRunForFun: I'm in a health care field, so I have a practical and a written exam to survive. I am sooooooo not looking forward to them!
@IRunForFun: Ha, I love that you caught on to the SO thing! Honestly, I already feel married, we just need to make it legal. I'm not a wedding person at all (and neither is he), so eloping to a pretty place will do just fine!
To everyone getting off BC: I stopped taking the pill a while ago (at least 8 months) after being on it for 10 years, and my cycles started off regular and have become more wonky as time goes on. It sucks! My last cycle was more than 60 days long. I'm hoping this one is a little closer to 30 days, because two months is ridiculous!
-
@Permastudent Oh no! I hope this cycle is shorter and you get settled into a groove. Have you tried the B6 trick some of the TTC ladies use?
Planning this morning for my summer, I am starting to think that I need to pull the IUD (well, not me literally pulling it out, ouch!) in early May, which is the EARLIEST that it makes sense, just to give myself the extra 6 weeks before TTC that the original late June plan would have... Just for more "getting regular" time.
I think I am really over analyzing this. I keep playing with my FF calendar for IUD removal dates, our vacation dates, and TTC dates and way too many "what if" scenarios. I am such a control freak
-
@Mrs. Microscope: Given my experience, I'd pull it sooner rather than later
There are other temporary birth control methods that you can use while your body gets its groove back! I totally get you though, I'm super type A myself 
I haven't tried the B6 - I am absolutely going to look into it though! Thanks so much for mentioning it.
-
Quick bump for the thread!
I am getting my IUD out this Wednesday! EEK!!! But keeping to the not trying until September. Just got a big pack of OPKs and I am excited to start charting for real!
How are you ladies all doing? updates?
-
@Mrs. Microscope: Yay, that's so exciting! I hope it goes smoothly for you. I'm going to start charting next cycle as well. The irregularity is driving me crazy and I'd like to have a better idea of what's going on. We are still looking at sometime between September and November to start trying
There are other temporary birth control methods that you can use while your body gets its groove back! I totally get you though, I'm super type A myself 
- Google Plus
- Stumbleupon
- Twitter
- Facebook
- Pinterest
- Favorite0
58 comments