Preparing for conception?

[rainbud]

Does anyone else have any other advice about things to do to prepare yourself before TTC?
I have had my crazy brain rant in "scary decision" now I am looking for all your helpful tips. My Hubby and I have been talking for a little over a month about having a baby. So when we started talking I went to the doctor to ask some questions, started taking Vitamins, had my blood work done. I am very nervous about all of this, but i want to be as prepared as possible. I am a bit over weight and I worry how that will affect conception and pregnancy. We are planning to start TTC in August/September, so it not like I can lose much b4 then, plus I have been up and down with weight for a long time. I am sure thats not good for me.

I guess my main questions are:
Does anyone else have any other advice for things they have done to prepare?
Does anyone else have a weight concern as well? Should I be worried right now.

Some times when I talk to doctors, I don't always get a good answer, feels like they are trying to rush you out the door. so Any advice you have would be awesome. Thanks

 

[tasha41]

I think they advise starting prenatal vitamins or at least folic acid while you are TTC I have a bottle of prenatal vitamins left, I'll check in a couple mins for you.. I think it says it on the bottle..

 

[DeeDee2009]

Hubby and I too are planning on TTC in September (although we've been NTNP lately) but are going to get serious about trying in September. I visited my doctor as well and had blood tests and asked all of my questions as well, so that I could make sure I was ready to start TTC.

My doc said to take folic acid. I've been taking the Women's One a Day vitamins for a few months and he said that is fine (it has 4000 mcg folic acid in it, which I have read is the amount recommended when TTC). According to my doc a prenatal vitamin is not necessary until pregnant, but he also said that I could take a prenatal vitamin if I wanted to, so it's up to you.

I also have a weight issue. I've lost 25 pounds since April and in the grand scheme of things I would like to lose a lot more. Maybe the weight will make it harder to conceive, I'm not sure. We'll have to see how it goes. I wouldn't worry too much about the weight, as lots of people are overweight and many seem to have no problem getting pregnant. Also, it doesn't sound like you are significantly overweight. My doc did tell me not too lose weight too rapidly before TTC, as it can effect your menstrual cycle and throw everything out of wack. He said 1 to 2 pounds per week at the most. I've just been eating a lot healthier, not really dieting and I plan keep it up through pregnancy and forever now really.

You might want to visit your dentist too before TTC, just to make sure everything is healthy. Good luck in your TTC adventure! I hope you get a speedy !

 

[rainbud]

Good luck to you as well. Thanks for the tips.

 

[Sarahkka]

A book that I found really helpful was Taking Charge of your Fertility by Toni Weschler. She is all about charting, but she makes the process really easy and understandable. I worried about my fertility before we TTC'd, too. I am the type of person that feels a lot better with information, so I went the charting route. That let me know that I was ovulating and what my cycles were like, etc. If you have trouble conceiving, the doctors are going to get you to do this anyway to see if you are ovulating, so I thought it was data that would get me answers faster, should I need them.
It turned out that it also helps you figure out PDQ what days you can get pregnant. I got my BFP on the second cycle, and I think we missed ovulation on the first one, so yeah, I think it's very effective.
Oh, and for weight loss, I had great luck with a very easy dietary change: the GI diet. It was so easy and I lost 25 lbs and kept it off with very little effort. It's very common-sense stuff written by the former head of the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Might be worth a look?

 

[rainbud]

Thanks those defiantly sound like things I should look into. I feel my baby will deserve all the planning I am trying to do. Happy and healthy is all I'm hoping for. not just the baby but my whole family.

 

[Sarahkka]

Thanks those defiantly sound like things I should look into. I feel my baby will deserve all the planning I am trying to do. Happy and healthy is all I'm hoping for. not just the baby but my whole family.

You sure have the right attitude! You're going to be an awesome mum!

 

[bunnyg82]

Hello! I just wanted to share that I too have weight worries. I am starting in September too and I will be just working as hard as I can to be as healthy as possible, even if I am not skinny (which i won't be as I will be extremely overweight). I have taken the view that as long as I do lots of exercise to get fit and have normal blood pressure, etc, then I will be happy. Obviously my ideal will be to be at target weight, but I can't wait any longer so as long as I can get my body into as healthy state as poss, then I am happy. It may take longer to conceive but I will be seeing this as an opportunity to get healthier and healthier each month, but I will feel happy just knowing I am trying

Hope that made sense!! THe main thing is it looks like you are doing absolutely everything you should be to get your body ready xx

 

[rainbud]

My friend who recommend this site, was right its so nice to get advice from others and know your not alone.

 

[lozzy21]

I think as long as your are eating healthy your actual weight(within reason) dosent have that big an effect on your fertility.
Eat healthy, try to get some sort of exercise sorted before yout ttc. Take folic acid and most of all enjoy it. We get so many girls come back in here from ttc because its stressing them out and then fall pregnant once they have stoped trying.

 

[rainbud]

I am going to try to be calm, im really not in a hurry, I know it may not happen right away. We are just going to start trying septemberish. and we will see what happens, it could happen right away and it might take some time. I'm just excited to be thinking about it. I can't wait to start. I always new I wanted to be a mom. Can't wait until I am. I do know realistically good things come to those who wait. So if I have patience and stay calm I will be alright

 

[elmaxie]

Hi.

When I was ttc no1 last May me and hubby had started to eat healthier and take multivitamins and me folic acid (just ownbrand as they are way more cheaper!) then about a month before ttc hubby started on zinc and eating alot of tomato soup as he read it was good for sperm.
I am overweigh infact classed as obese as my bmi at that time was 40. I was 5 foot 5 and about 16 stones... worked out at dress size 18. It took us about 3 months/4 cycles to concieve...although we did have a chemical pregnancy on our 2nd cycle.

I think so long as your eating healthy and if you feel your wanting to loose some weight go for it...I know I am for this time round! And also taking your vitamins its all good.

I have just started doing my temperature this month...mainly as its only my 2nd cycle since having by wee boy so I want to know that I am possibly ovulating and will start using my clearblue fertility monitor in October so it can get used to my cycles too....

But that said people who do none of the above and have a higher BMI also get pregnant so I guess its just what you decide to make of ttc.

Good Luck!

Emma.xx