is there anything special you did.
im going to have my full doctors check soon, and im starting back on the fefol. anything else?
Printable View
is there anything special you did.
im going to have my full doctors check soon, and im starting back on the fefol. anything else?
- have your GP check for rubella immunity
- maybe also go to your gyno and have a pap smear
- take folic acid (prevents spina bifida) 1 ms before ttc and at least first 3 ms of pregnancy (min. 400 micrograms a day - any antenatal vitamins contain at least 400 or more than that)
the fefol is folic acid so that covers that, i went to the doctors for a pap smar today so that covers that. and i had the rubella immunity redone before i started work, so that covers that, so hopefully im in good shape then!
- Quit smoking (if you do, and can)
- Start eating more vegimite if you like it, good source of additional folate and iron, as well as all those B group vitamins
- Get more calcium in your diet.
- Start cutting back on alcohol and caffiene (not really nescessary, but if you start to eat like you are pregnant now, you'll get into the habit, and it won''t be such a change when you do get preggers)
When you do get pregnant start using a safe moisturiser like Palmers cocoa butter for stretch marks, or something similar. If you keep your skin soft and supple, you'll have lesss chance of getting stretch marks. There are a couple of samples in the Bounty mum-to-be bag you get at your first OB/midwife appointment.
That's all I can think of, but I didn't do any of those things until I was 3 weeks or so. That's the advantage of forward planning I guess.
Oh, and if you have cats make sure you're careful when cleaning out their litter boxes so that you don't get toxoplasmosis (ideally get someone else to do the cleaning out).
Good luck! Hope you get that BFP soon :-)
What does everyone think about drinking while you are TTC? I love having a glass of wine with dinner but read somewhere that even one drink per week can lengthen the average amount of time it takes to conceive. But then on the other hand I'm also feeling like it is a little ridiculous to abstain even during the two weeks of the month I know I'm not pregnant.
I have had an occasional drink whilst TTC, not during the 2WW, but maybe once a month, often not even that (I'm not much of a drinker anyway). I really haven't done much reading into it, but I reckon as long as you're sensible about it and don't go overboard then it shouldn't cause any problems.
I tend to only drink while I have my period & before we BD the first time that cycle. So if we BD a week after my period then I can drink for probably 2 weeks. Not that I do every day.....
That way I am certain I'm not drinking while pregnant!
Thanks Angel and Sarah H. Sounds like you are both being sensible. I won't feel guilty about a glass of wine on the weekends when I am certain I am not pregnant. All my friends are wine drinkers and it becomes such an issue when we socialize. :roll:
DH canned the drinking and smoking. He also lost about 20kgs! I have given up the total junkfood diet! Taking all the right dietary supplements too.
Both of us have also increased our level of exercise, too.
Cant hurt, anyway. And the weekends are a lot cheaper!
Keen
Suga.........
DH & I both gave up the smokes and alcohol....we had been TTC for 2.5 years at that point, so it was one of our last avenues to try. We also took a lot more excersice and maintained our already healthy diet.
Not sure if it worked or not, but it certainly made me feel like we were the ones in control!
I started pre-conception care at least 6 months before TTC. Cut out alcohol and caffeine (including chocolate), did a detox, bought organic food and changed my lifestyle. DH cut down on drinking as well. Followed advice from 'Natural Way to Better Babies' and went to a Naturopath and DH and I started supplementing.
I don't know it this helped or not being a first pg. We conceived on the 1st attempt and have had a great pg so far with no major problems.
Everyone is different but I believe getting your body well can help.
Gemma, KeenAs: What kind of supplements did you start using? I've heard of taking folate, do you know if there are there any others that are good to take before/during TTC?
Folate, vitamin C, evening primrose oil, iron, vitamin B complex, Iodine, vitex.
But DEFINITELY not Vitamin A - this has been known to cause birth defects if taken in excess of recommended daily intake.
Keen
The supplement thing..........folate is the only one that is recommended by my OB......& I tend to agree with him on this...........that multivitamins can cause the body to "overdose" on some vits and minerals. If you want to your body to have the optimum amount of vitamins and minerals, the best way to ensure this is to maintain a healthy balanced diet with a broad spectrum of fresh foods, fruit and veggies. (Boring, I know, but I honestly believe this is the best way......)
Suga, The feeling in control thing was SO important for me and my overall mental health........I felt that I was spiralling into a horrible place of barren misery, & the only way I could see out of that was for me to be healthy and to take steps to control everything that was in my range of control. As soon as I did (gave up the smokes, cut out the grog, started excersing a lot more etc, I felt SO MUCH HAPPIER, even though I wasn't pregnant. And I did get pregnant 4 months later.
It is hard when all your friends are in a different place/life stage. I stopped going out after work as these nights out tended to be binges, and made sure that I kept up with friends though going for brunch/lunch instead. We kept our TTC plans very very secret, so I "pretended" that I wasn't partying as much because of work etc as well.
Hi Suga,
My DH and I have never smoked to start with so that is not a problem for us. Though I would definately recommend you stop now if you do.
I stopped drinking alcohol two months before TTC, and my DH also drinks none but may have a beer if AF has arrived (he loves his home brew and may have one if he has made a new batch).
We also do not drink any coffee and we also keep eating healthy (I try and follow the food pyramid as best i can when cooking meals).
DH and I go swimming three times/wk (except when I have AF) and I try and cycle two days/wk while DH does his weights. We have always done this though.
If you don't usually do any exercise, they recommend that you start slowly because your body is not use to it and you could do more harm then good if you over do it.
Swimming is an excellent sport and I can not recommend it highly enough. You can start slowly and then increase the time you swim and the pase you swim at as you go. PLUS you don't have to stop when pregnant, I have read that it is actually the best sport to do in pregnancy and can help in reducing common pregnancy ailments. It is great for strengthening muscles (very important in pregnancy) and toning the body and is also great for your circulation.
I have also been taking folate for two months now, and you should take it as soon as you are going to TTC. I also take calcium tablets (I can't have dairy products) and I have had my iron levels checked which are fine.
So that is what we do. It all looks very daunting but it really isn't and it is just apart of our routines.
Hope that helps you out a bit,
Nadine.
I took the following as recommended my my naturopath:
Multi vitamin - a specific one with low Vit A, some of the general ones have too much Vit A.
Fish Oil - Blackmores
Vit C - buffered is best
Magnesium - Fibroplex
Zinc - My zinc level was really low and zinc is needed for TTC and birth. You can go to a chemist and ask for a zinc tally test which is free. If you get no taste then you need to supplement, stong unpleasant taste - zinc is okay. Best to speak with a professional about zinc as too much can do harm too.
Herbal thyroid tabs - thryroid was hyper and my temps at the start of my cycle were too low (below 36).
Folate - 3 months prior TTC
Iron - low as indicated by a blood test
Herbal general detox - which was specifically for pg and pre-conception. It contained some herbs to help eliminate toxins.
I agree with Lucy about overdosing on vits. I would not have taken anything unless I consulted with a naturopath who specialised in pre-conception and pg care. OB's tend not to supplement and mine is one of them. I agree that you should get everything from eating well balanced meals but the pesticides and things sprayed on our fruit and vegies and the poor quality of soil in Aust make it hard for us to get everything from food. The supplements I took helped to eliminate the toxins from my body years of eating this food.
Thanks:)
I am definately going to make an effort to start getting a little more healthy - need to do more excersise a a starter - might take up swimming, as we have a nice aquatic center near home. we aren't TTC or planning to just yet, but i just want to get more fit for my general health, and also for when we do start TTC later this year/next year.
Are there any risks involved if you do take too many vitamins?
Could it stunt baby's growth or cause deformities?
Also, do any of you know the affects of lots of caffeiene before/during pregnancy/TTC?? I rarely ever drink anything that contains caffiene , but i do eat choc which i have heard does contain caffeine.
(sorry if i am asking too many questions)
:)
Hi!
I have been preparing for TTC for the last three months. My gyno recommended I take a multivitamin specifically designed for three months before pregnancy, all through pregnancy and whilst breastfeeding. .You can just ask at a chemist and they'll direct you. Before this I was taking a whole range of things, but now Im able to cut down on all that and just take this one tablet. I also have a tablespoon of flaxseed oil every morning (not the most delicious thing) but it's jam packed of omega 3 and 6 which is so important for bubs and mum. I also take a flora tablet for the good bacteria.
I bought a book on eating for pre pregnancy, and have increased the salmon I eat, and also eat lots of grains. Have cut out yeast and wheat as much as possble and trying to cut down on sugar. Won't touch coffee either. Have a good tea I drink which is a red tea and is caffeine free. It's from South Africa and Sth African women drink it through pregnancy. You can add milk and sugar if desired and it tastes JUST like black tea. You can get it at supermarket or health food stores.
I have checked all this with my natropath. Im also going to her next week to get special herbs for pregnancy.
Also increasing water intake just for health. And every morning I make a juice. I try not to have too many carrots incase Im pregnant. Im not sure the Vit A in carrots would be harmful, but if Im juicing 6 carrots you never know, so I put in one or two plus apple, ginger, cucumber and whatever else is on hand. Good idea to juice spinach for folate. Add it in and you can't taste it.
One last thing, I've cut down on my exercise and now just walk and swim. (not all that often, must increase that!!!). Just don't want anything strenuous. I also do some hand weights.
Hope that's been helpful, just some ideas. I am so keen to get it right this time. When I was pregnant with my daughter I was unaware and was in UK partying for the first 6 weeks of pregnancy. It was awful to go through the next 8 months and worry about the first part. So this time Im prepared!!
xoxo
Hi Meg,
The vitamin A in carrots is beta carotene which is fine during pg. It's the retinol form of vitamin A that you have to watch out for. You might like to check out THIS thread on vitamin A. HTH.
Good luck!
My OB has a theory that caffine when TTC and in the first tri is the cause of many MC's........becasue it can effect the ph balance of the uterus and make it difficult for a fertilised egg too properly implant...:
do any of you know the affects of lots of caffeiene before/during pregnancy/TTC??
I gave up coffee and all caffine before trying again for Olivia and haven't had any coffee or caffine in this pregnancy just in case (I had a late missed mc with my first pregnancy, before Olivia, when I was drinking a fair amount of coffee, so I couldn't help but wonder if there is something in his theory?)
Thank you Angel for clearing up the carrot thing. I am relieved and now can go back to my usual juice!!
Also the caffeine thing is interesting. I had a miscarriage 2 years ago and probably was drinking coffee, not too much though. I don't have any at all now, but am wondering, would chocolate be a prob with the caffeine in that? I seem to have trippled my choc intake very recently!!! No one may know the answer to that, and Im not sure how much caffeine is actually in chocolate, but it's worth asking in case anyone has any idea!
Not too sure about the chocolate thing, Meg. I'd say as long as you're having it in moderation and not overdoing it too often then it should be okay. A little choccy binge every now and then won't be a problem I don't think! I honestly don't know but I would have thought there wouldn't be a great amount of caffeine in choc (not like in coffee anyway). Personally I think I'd be more concerned about the amount of sugar.
Hey Gemma
Was wondering if you could tell me more about the hyper thyroid. My temps are usually very low at start of cycle - around 36....
Just curious what you found out about that.
Keen
Well now easter's over, Im stopping the chocolate. I usually have very little sugar in my diet, it really effects me, its' just that going without always ends in a binge!! Im back on track now though, it's been hard with my daughter having chocolate everywhere I look!!
Another thing I've been having alot of is lentil and watercress soup. The recipe is from my pre pregnancy and pregnancy diet book. I have this alot as watercress is such a good form of folic acid. I also juice watercress sometimes!
I have put the recipe on the belly belly recipe page!
Hey Keen,
I have hyperthyroidism (part of my Graves Disease). Let me know if there's anything I can help you out with. I never noticed low temps with my charts though. Temps starting around 36 sound okay to me. I would have thought that, if anything, low temps might indicate hypothyroidism, as being hyperthyroid tends to make you feel hotter and and more active.
Congrats ladies on making the effort to prepare your body for pregnancy. A suject very close to my heart as my DH and I did for 3 months prior to TTC and we also conceived on our first try. My pregnancy was a healthy one... well apart from the morning sickness, labour was a different story but something to work on for next time!
Both of us cut all crap (caffiene, alcohol, etc) out of our diet, exercised a little more, I basically did alot of walking and yoga and we both took supplements. I took Blackmores Pregnancy formula, evening primerose oil and vitamin C and DH took zinc, which are good for the swimmers.
I sort of know where you are coming from Suga, I was a big wine drinker socially and was always heading out for coffee with friends. What I did was aviod these situations and started doing other things with my friends, like going to yoga class with one g/f with whom I would go out for coffee with and stuff like that. DH never drank much anyway so cutting out that stuff was easier for him, he even stop all caffiene.
Gemma, we got our hints from 'The Natural Way to a Better Pregnancy' as well - great book! Love the idea of going to a naturpath as well.
Hope this helps you girls!
thanks for that Angel. Is something I might ask my specialist about.
Keen
Hi Keen,
My naturopath picked up the problem with my thryroid. My temps were below 36 at the start of the cycle. The herbal formula helped pick the temps up but my blood thryroid results have always come back normal. As Angel said 36 is probable okay. Good idea to speak to your specialist about it.
Thryoids are complex and I don't know much about it. I actually misunderstood my OB getting results on the phone for one of the thyroid blood results and started taking the herbal formula again during pg. When I went to see him he said my thyrois was a little over active rather than under active so I have learnt a lesson not to self-diagnose without professional guidence.
Nell - The book 'Natural way to a better pg' is great too, I have bought all of the books in the range now and will read the 'The Natural way to better birth and bonding' and 'The Natural way to better breastfeeding' again before I give birth.
Hi Suga,
I am ttc, no 3,an am still able to drink coffee and enjoy it-however did find with both my other pregnancies couldnt drink coffe or stand the smell of it even before i got a positive preg result.!! As for the alcohol i am still drinking moderately a glass or 3 of wine once a week. i stopped totally the minute my result was positive. What i was thinking of is drinking only when i've got my af,otherwise don't risk it cause somebaby precious could be forming... :-k
Pauline
Hey there Suga,
That's a good question! I'm new and have thought the same thing. I usually on average will have a few glasses of wine twice a week. I have a coffee every morning and a few weak teas throughout the day.
I do (if I think there is any possiblilty that I might be PG) stop drinking alcohol in the 2WW just in case. I don't know if this is the right thing to do or not - but that's what I do.
I still have a glass or two of wine every now and then ... mostly when AF shows up, and rarely in the TWW. I haven't had a problem with people asking questions about why I'm not drinking - I just offer to be the designated driver, and they're usually so grateful they don't question it.
I haven't stopped drinking coffee though - you'd have to chisel it away from my lips LOL.
When I conceived Gemma I gave up alcohol and coffee completely and that cycle I got pregnant.I think it was more the alcohol then the coffee. IYKWIM?Alcohol is ten times worse while ttc.I must admit I do have the odd glass of red wine still but we haven't actually started TTC yet as I'm still waiting on AF!But I have given up coffee already, but I've never been a big coffee drinker anyway.
I stopped drinking coffee about 8 months before TTC (although partly due to other reasons). And I stopped drinking alcohol about 3 months prior to TTC. And I haven't touched a drop since!
I have been doing preconception care for about the last 3-4 months. I haven't been drinking any caffine or alcohol or soft drinks. If someone asks I just say I am on antibiotics for a bladder infection. After a few months of not drinking coffee and no pregnancy announcement people just assume you are being healthy for healths sake.
Hi Suga
All the best with TTC!!
I read that caffeine can reduce your fertility, but provided everything is a-ok that doesn't mean you have to cut it out all together. Once you're pregnant they say no more than 400 mg (I think) of caffeine a day - which is a few cups of tea, or a cup of coffee plus a bit of chocolate. Something like that.
You could try cutting down to this while you're trying, since once you're pg you get used to it anyway!
As for alcohol, there aren't really any conclusive tests on how much is safe, since it's kind of hard to 'recruit' pg women for trials! I gather the occasional glass doesn't do any harm, but then again, for the first three months especially you obsess about almost every little thing so if it makes you feel better I'd avoid it. In my case, I completely went off alcohol and could smell it from the other side of the room! I just volunteered to be the driver when we went out and most people I think just assumed I was being nice to my DP!
Good luck!
Suga,
I started pre-conception care in July and we started TTC in September. I don't drink much at all so it wasn't too much for me to give it up. We told two of our really close friends that we are TTC as they are the ones we mostly socialise with alone and have over for dinner and vice-versa. I didn't want to have to explain why I wasn't drinking and couldn't eat certain things. Haven't told anyone else though.
I drink decaf coffee anyway so not too much of a problem but only have one or two cups a day. Might stop depending on how I feel once I get a BFP.
I stopped drink softdrinks, don't eat any smoked salmon (OMG I sooo miss that), mussels etc. Everything they say you can't have when you are pregnant. Apparently listeria (that you get from these foods) can stay in your body up to 3 months so I really wanted to allow enough time for it all be out before getting PG.
So used to all this now that I don't actually think it is denying myself.
Oh and have been on folate/PG tablets since July.
That's how I feel now too. I don't miss anything and have no cravings for bad food. And no sugar hits required anymore.:
When we were TTCing, I stopped drinking alcohol about a month before but as for coffe, I kept drinking it. I also started drinking green tea as this can help with increasing your EWCM.
I haven't had any full strength coffee for a month now and only just started TTC. I almost never drink so cutting it out completely isn't a big issue for me.