Advice on pre conception!

[Heytheredelilah90]

Hello, we have decided to start trying for our first baby and I would really appreciate your advice on the following questions:

• what supplements should I be taking? Is it possible to take too much folic acid? Or for too long before getting pregnant? What brands would you recommend? What happens if you get pregnant before you've taken folic acid?

• I have stopped using the pill and will track my periods, can anyone recommend a good app? Do you think it takes a long time to adjust after taking the pill for a very long time? Could it do the baby any harm if it happened too soon after the pill?

☕️ - should I avoid alcohol, and caffiene? Is there anything else? I tend not to have diary (It gives me stomach ache) so I have oatmilk, but maybe dairy has more nutrients?

📖 - would you recommend any books for getting pregnant? I know very little...

• I enjoy exercising and I worry about both not being able to but also about accidentally doing some damage!

• Is there anything else worth considering this early on? Things to do, avoid, etc.?

Thank you! ❤️

I started taking folic acid as soon as I came off the pill and good job I did as I fell in that first month. So it's not a bad idea. U can't take too much if u just buy whatever the local boots shop have

I also avoided alcohol when I was trying as again u don't know how quickly u will fall

Also I used an app called flo, I think that's the name it was dusty pink colour with a wing

This one

Thanks! In terms of coming off the pill did you just wait until the first 'pill period' was over to start tracking? I guess I just have to wait and see when my 'real period' arrives before I can do that?
Thanks!

No harm in tracking as soon as you come off the pill, some women's cycles reset very quickly.

Regarding apps, they can't know exactly when you will ovulate. Even with a textbook 28 day cycle it's not a given that ovulation occurs on CD14, but many apps just assume this. But they're useful for tracking periods. If nothing is happening in a few months, even with regular sex, then you could look into tracking your actual ovulation.

You should be taking the recommended 400mcg of folic acid every day. Vitamin D also useful, often they come in tablets together.

Exercise - just carry on with what you're doing, if you fall pregnant then some forms of exercise will need modifications.

Unless you're binge drinking alcohol or have a crazy coffee addiction, carry on. Normal amounts of caffeine are fine, as is the odd drink. If you want to stop drinking alcohol in the TWW then do so of course. Obviously cut back caffeine and no alcohol if you fall pregnant!

Take a prenatal vitamin. That will give you plenty of folic acid and other vitamins as well.

I didn't start properly trying until after I had. My period when coming off the pill. Thrn I input my period data into the app and it was easier then to see when I was ovulating

Hi I am trying ttc#2 and this is my second cycle. I can off the combined pill just over a month ago and got my first proper period on Monday, 4 weeks after taking my last pill so it came back pretty quickly. Same thing happened with my first and went back to regular cycle.

I started tracking as soon as I stopped the pill but it's hard to know exactly when you'll ovulate first time. Now I have first period I can have a better understanding but am planning on using Ovulation tests this month too.

I've been taking folic acid since just before stopping the pill, cut down on my caffeine intake and I cut out alcohol until I had my first period as I just didn't know when/if I might fall pregnant. I enjoyed a glass of wine last couple nights but will probably leave it now.

I exercise regularly and keep it up and did the same last time. However I am mindful post ovulation to not too much hiit and trying to do some yoga each week to relax which I really enjoy anyway. Funnily the thing that told me I was pregnant last time was going to the gym and completely struggling to do a workout. I just had no energy. So at lunchtime during work I bought a test and true enough I was pregnant.

Oh also I use the Ovia app which I quite like