Preparing to TTC in 2022

[WingingIt09]

DH has agreed to starting to TTC baby #3 in April/May. We already have a 2 daughters (age 4 and 2). I'm so excited to start trying! I think it's going to be a long wait until we can start actively trying!

Starting to think about things to do to help prepare my body. I'm currently on the progesterone only pill so thinking of when to stop it. I have 5 days left in this packet and then one packet left after that in my current prescription. Don't know whether to stop when I finishes this packet or at the end of Jan after my next packet. Any experiences of how long it takes cycle to regulate after the pill?

I need to try and eat healthier as I've been so bad recently with Christmas but I'm a healthy weight so not too worried there. Also ordered some TTC vitamins which I remember from previous pregnancies is good to take 3 months before TTC.

Anything else I could do? Is there anyone else who will be starting to try later in the year and so excited that you're already on here 🙈?

I didn’t buy any books so the my first, I found antenatal classes covered the basics - but then I am of the lazy mum variety 🤦🏼‍♀️ oh wait I tell a lie, I did buy the Contented Little Baby book when DD was a few months old & I was struggling with her routine. I would recommend baby names books though as they tend to have more variety than the internet.

@Summerbreeze111 I bought this massive day by day pregnancy book, which actually was very informative but a bit too heavy for everyday!

I also had ‘Your Baby Week by Week’ book given to me as a gift and it was very useful. Just don’t compare your baby to what that book says!!

@Summerbreeze111 as soon as I get a BFP I will be buying so many books! I'm tempted to already but scared it won't happen for me so holding off. I'm constantly looking at baby name sites though!!

@DanisEndo I had my iud out in Feb 2021, and my cycle was normal pretty much right after. I did have a 12 day bleed after getting it out though

Not too eager at all @Summerbreeze111

When I was pregnant with DD the pregnancy whizzed by - I was working flat out, doing exams, all sorts. In hindsight I wasn’t as prepared as I could have been, and I wish I had taken the time to ‘enjoy’ my pregnancy more rather than working so much. I wish I’d done pregnancy yoga, had more lazy days shopping for baby things & stopping in coffee shops, showed off my bump more, read some baby books because I was clueless!

Anyone else already looking at baby items online 🤦🏼‍♀️

I did last night cheeky. I looked at prams and then remembered that it is cheaper and more practical to get a sling

Thank you @OCM19

I was very disappointed this month so hoping February will be better!

@Summerbreeze111 I've just read Expecting Better, which I'd heard was controversial but I found really useful in weighing up the evidence about what you should and shouldn't do in pregnancy. Also read The Mother of All Jobs which made me feel better about the balance of having kids and careers etc.

@Summerbreeze111 I haven't got any books yet, but I have my eye on Emily Oster's books. They are all based on data which appeals to me!

@Cheekypeach I was picking up a click and collect order from Next and their collection point is in the baby clothes section so I did have a little browse.

Yay I am glad I am in good company with the books! I really want to start reading but at the same time I feel like I am jinxing it .. but then again the wait is horrible and I want to do something productive iyswim!

If there are any more recommendations keep them coming =)

I found an article on mumsnet recommending books from the 21st December 2021, annoyingly my phone won't let me post the link argh. I will try and not throw my phone out of the window and figure out why it won't let me paste it, I am sure others would find it useful 🙂

I feel like a first timer. My first was emergency c section and my second was planned. Aiming for a vbac for the next one so feel completely unprepared. I'm planning on doing hypnobirthing and I'm going to get the positive birth book.

I have a whole folder of screenshots 🤣 outfits, next to me crib, pram, blankets etc

@Cheekypeach I could have written your post about the pregnancy going so quickly and being too busy to really enjoy it! I have been thinking of ways to maybe take some time for me if I am lucky enough to fall pregnant again, to do things like baby yoga or swimming etc. But I work compressed hours so long days. It’s so hard as this will be our last one so I don’t want it to go without properly enjoying it!

@OCM19 same this will be our second & last baby, yet sadly I’m still right in the middle of my training course with more exams in the summer etc. I think it will just be a case of taking it easy as much as possible, booking lots of leave & basically doing enough work to get by but no more than that. Plus perhaps starting maternity leave around the 33 or 34 week mark - my health means I’ll always be induced at around 37 weeks, last time I finished work on the Friday and was in hospital being induced by the Sunday 🤦🏼‍♀️

@Summerbreeze111 I read Expecting Better with my first and really liked it. If we have a success with TTC I’d re-read it as I liked the data aspect a lot. I also read First Time Parent by Lucy Atkins - that was good, really down to earth and practical advice. Not sure if there’s an up to date version as it was published a while ago but it really covered the basics and made me feel more confident.

Back in the old days I think we were given a book from the midwife or in a bounty pack or something. Unless I completely made that up in my head. It was the only one I referred to in my first pregnancy, I spent a lot of time on baby and bump forum and researched my own things online.

I have heard of a few of the books you've all mentioned and I would have loved them first time around. I can't see me getting any this time for myself, but might buy my partner one since it's his first rodeo.

@Vasectomyreversalhopeful I love a sling but did find a pram still useful if you want somewhere for baby to sit or lie if you're out having a coffee, meal, are clothes shopping etc.

@DanisEndo I think things can come back quite quickly after the coil, although no one is the same. In your shoes if the coil does a good job of controlling your symptoms I'd leave it as late as possible.

Nice to see our group still growing!

Yes definitely need both pram and sling. Ive still got my silver cross brompton from DD, it was eye wateringly expensive so I can’t justify a new one 😂 also still have the ergo baby 360 sling which I can really recommend - easy to use & very comfy for little one.

Well my ovulation strips have arrived (got those cheap green ones from Amazon), I’m CD 21 today so not much point cracking them open now - I’ll wait til around CD 8 I think and start then. I have a hunch that I ovulate very early, my pregnancy test with DD was a clear positive at something like CD 21 out of a 28 day cycle it’ll be good to know either way.

I’ve got a blood test next week to see how my blood sugars are getting on, so hoping it’s under 50 so I can start trying! But I think it’ll be just out…

@Cheekypeach that sounds like a good plan, good luck with your exams. I’m CD10 today and while the bleed was probably my withdrawal bleed I’m tempted to start using my ovulation tests! I still have to pinch myself that this is actually happening, given on Christmas Eve we spoke about whether we would even try for another baby!

It’s funny, I have friends in real life I can speak to, but this group is now my go to place as we’re all in the same boat and it’s wonderful to have others on the same journey rather than me sounding baby crazy to my friends!

@OCM19 It's so strange that if it were any other life circumstance - buying a house, getting married - it'd be easy to talk about with friends, but TTC is such a 'secret' it's so nice having this group! Two of my work colleagues know but none of my close friends.

DH is away this weekend so I'm going to read all the pregnancy books and watch all the 'which pram' youtube videos etc without him telling me its jinxing it to start preparing this early

I'm exactly the same, I'm the only one left out of my group of friends to have a baby and every time we meet up it's when are you having one 🙄 so I've decided not to tell them we're trying. It would be far to much pressure, I could imagine texts every week 'are you pregnant yet'

It's nice to be able to discuss & learn things from other people. I think this group is great & it's nice to have other people going through the same things at the same time. Xx

I only have 2 close friends that have children, but I haven’t told them we’re going to ttc either - it just feels like a slightly pointless ‘we’re having unprotected sex’ announcement 😂 much better to announce a pregnancy in my opinion unless they’re ttc as well!

@Amber17 if you want to watch pram YouTube videos, I love The Stroller Workshop. Really useful for breaking prams down into categories and seeing what would fit into your lifestyle. I know far more about prams than I should do as a childless person!

Yes if I still lived in a city or town I would get a pram but I wouldn't be able to go anywhere with one where we live now will be sling for first 6 months then mix of sling and a tough pushchair with massive wheels.

@BlueberryMacaron omg. This is perfect. Thanks!

@OCM19 I started using the, just to see what's going on since I haven't had a withdrawal bleed. I think my body has tried to go straight to a normal cycle tests we're getting darker (but never positive ovulation test) and tests are now stark white negative again. Assuming I'll just start a period in a few weeks 🤷‍♀️ at this point I just want a period so I know what's going on.

I also love this group for be able to obsess about TTC in a way I can't anywhere else!