How to prepare?

[nona81]

Hey there!

I am new to this! My husband and I have been together for about 8 years, and we've been married for the past 2 months. We really want to start a family, we love the idea of having a baby, although the thought of being parents terrifies us! I really want to make sure that I get myself prepared to get pregnant. I have an implanon implant at the moment, I plan on getting it removed in February. After that, how do I go about preparing to conceive?

Do I need to leave it a while before we start trying? Do I need to take vitamins, folic acid etc whilst we are trying? I have no idea!

I work with my husband so it's really hard to discuss these issues with my girlfriends at work.

Any preparation advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

 

[holly81]

I'm taking folic acid and pronatal vitamins but other than that I'm just trying to eat and generally live healthily. I'm also charting to try to understand my body and my cycles better. I don't know if I should be doing more though. Hopefully someone will be able to point us in the right direction.

PS - Congrats on the wedding, hubby and I are also newlyweds (have been married just over 2 weeks!)

 

[Blah11]

Yep, take folic acid and keep yourself healthy with good eating and exercise and cut back on alcohol and maybe try and stop smoking if you're a smoker?

Also, maybe start tracking your cycles so you know when you're ovulating so you know the best times to have sex is to maximise your chances

 

[SweetMummmy2b]

I have started to act as though I am pregnant while waiting to try and now trying to conceive.
I have been taking a pregnancy tablet which contains folic acid 400µg, the B vitamins, iron, calcium, etc etc...all the stuff that's good during pregnancy. (Of course it is recommended that you start taking folic acid at least 3 months before you conceive).

Additionally I have been eating really healthily. Cut out all the junk food and replacerd with healthier alternatives. Cut out caffeine...no carbonated drinks, caffeinated tea or coffee...so been drinking loads more water, decaf alternatives, fresh fruit juice and milk.

I have completely given up alcohol, although I am not much of a drinker anyways, and I don't smoke.

Best of luck huni! I hope you see that BFP soon!!

 

[Amygdala]

Nothing much to add really, apart from: get yourself checked for Rubella immunity. If you need to have a top-up, you would then have to wait 3 months before ttc.

 

[AmeliePoulain]

As pretty much everyone else has said - start taking a folic acid supplement at least 3 months before - if not earlier just to get into the habit of taking it!

Me and DH are ttc from June and I got my Rubella immunuity checked just before Christmas because, as Amygdala said, you need to wait a minimum of 3 months before trying if you need the booster.

Good luck and welcome to BnB!

 

[nona81]

Thanks for the tips everyone!

I need to start taking folic acid straight away, fortunately, I'm not a smoker or a drinker, so I just need to give up the junk food. That should be ok, my hubby is a health freak so he never buys junk - I will just have to send him to the supermarket!

 

[cleckner04]

I really have nothing else to add except maybe start putting money aside for when you finally are pregnant! Good luck hun!!!

 

[auntie m]

i'm in the same boat!

i'm taking my vitamins, never smoked, drinking is easy to give up.

i've started trying too cook out of pregnancy cookbooks and find alternatives to what i eat now.

i'm reading now if i can have seltzer water or not. plain water isn't enough for me. i've tried the lemons etc...sometimes i need a little extra!

 

[darcon613]

just gonna pop in here....im confused about the rubella thing. can someone please explain to me a little further? we plan on starting TTC in (late) march. i have an appt with a new OBGYN on march 3rd. should i try to make an appt with my primary or something for sooner so that i can do whatever i need to do? i dont understand!


TIA

 

[runnergrl]

me neither.. whats Rubella?

 

[AmeliePoulain]

me neither.. whats Rubella?

"Rubella (German measles) is an infectious disease that is caused by a virus. It can cause a high temperature (fever) of 38C (100.4F) or over, and a distinctive red-pink rash. In most cases, rubella is a mild condition, but it can be serious in pregnant women because it can harm the unborn baby."

In the UK all children are immunised against Rubella as babies and have a booster before they start school.

Then all girls are given another booster when they are in their early teens (because of the problems it can cause if you are not immune and catch it during pregnancy)

The reason that doctors in the UK like you to get your immunity checked before you TTC is because sometimes Rubella immunity wears off over time.

If you need the Rubella booster jab because the doctor finds out that you are not immune I was told that you can't TTC for a minimum of 3 months.

When you are PG one of the first blood tests they do in the UK is to confirm Rubella immunity because if it turns out that you are not immune then midwife etc made aware and women are told to be extra careful about reporting if they get a rash etc...

Hope that helps, but this is all UK information - I really have no idea how immunisations etc work in the US

 

[runnergrl]

Thanks... I will have to consult my doctor!

 

[darcon613]

i have never heard of any of that and of course once i read it the other day i was asking all of my girlfriends who have recently had babies or are having babies soon! (nobody i asked had heard anything of it either) but i too will check with my dr! thanks that was helpful

 

[peremuk]

start to live healthier, such as giving up smoking, this is the most important thing, I think

Thanks