The Great Big Conception Experiment.- Ladies in white coats in here......

[Thandeka]

Okay in an attempt to stop me obsessing and to try and make this more fun (well the BDing is fun the other bits are annoying!) I have decided to look upon TTC as an experiment where each month I am going to try something new which is supposed to help me concieve. Obviously if its just me then its not a fair test so anyone up for joining me? We can also post tips and ideas for conception.
Some of the ideas and things I want to try are:
Much Healthier diet
Give up alcohol & Caffiene
Increase water intake
Increase exercise
Massage
Reflexology
Accupuncture
Using pre-seed

(There are 8 things there- I am hoping it won't take me 8 months to concieve but since the average is 7-8 months TTC then this seems reasonable).

So always one to start on the easiest (and not quite ready to give up alcohol!) I am starting on the massage this month but I am also going to increase the exercise too (Need to have a pain and reward thing going on!).

So who is with me? (Oh yeah and I am on Cycle 2 CD8 of TTC#1)

Bumpity bump for bump making.

I'll join you! I'm at exactly the same point in TTC and trying pre-seed this month!

I'll join you.

i am about to start next cycle - af definately on its way. am starting acupuncture next week
already use preseed.
have given up alcohol and caffiene.

Excellent idea for a thread, Thandeka!

I'm on cycle 2 CD1 TTC#1 after being on the pill forever. Being a bit of a control freak, I have already done the following:

• given up alcohol (much easier than I expected, phew!)
• given up caffeine (no big hardship as don't like tea or coffee)
• started taking evening primrose oil as it's supposed to help regulate hormones
• been swigging grapefruit juice to boost EWCM
• trying to boost fluid intake

I'm wondering about trying the cough mixture trick to further boost EWCM, as I don't seem to be producing any. Anyone else tried this? Mind you, preseed might do the same job, I suppose...

Would love to hear about people's experiences of acupuncture and reflexology as have been wondering about trying those, too.

Hi

I have tried reflexology and although it gets my hormones to kick in ( i always have an LH surge on opks 1 -3 days after treatment). But am about to swop over to acupuncture next week as believe it to be a deeper treatment.

I'll join you too. TTC #2 and it's taking a lot lot longer than no. 1. Have the odd glass of wine but apart from that try to stay off the alcohol. Need to cut down on caffeine & drink more water so that's what I'll do this month, can't afford massage/reflexology I'm afraid.

I'm in. Am on cycle 9, and this time have:

Cut down on booze (although going to a Beer Festival last weekend probably negates that one
Mostly cut out caffeine
Tried pre-seed

So we'll see how it works in a week or two!

Okay just had a lovely amazingly relaxing full body massage, now washing it down with a large glass of wine so probably negating all the effects! Ah well! I can't afford too many massages (got 6 on a deal and used my birthday money) but I have a master plan in making DH give me a weekly massage, tee hee (an option for you migola?)

Glad this thread has started to get going- it was a bit lonely being the mad scientist on my own.

Oooh another part of my experiment is really daft and is buying his and hers fertility test kits (measure FSH for women and sperm count for men). We haven't done ours yet but we probably will soonish. I am just really interested in all this anyway since a large part of my degree was reproductive physiology and I happen to teach Sex ed & child development!

Happy experimenting guys.

P.S Moogatron- by exactly the same point do you mean the child# cycle# and day? (spooky!!!) Or just the day? Either way- hello TTC twin!

bah- have been banned from TTC and sex this month as I have an infection in my fallopian tube (the stitch like pain that I thought was a pregnancy symptom didnt go away after AF-bah!). Had a massive dose antibiotics today. Ah well rest of month shall be spent experimenting on relaxation and examining my cervical mucus!!!

Hi ladies,
this looks good!
I am going to try acupuncture this month, and NOT using my Clearblue monitor!!
The word "Obsessive" comes to mind.
Have already tried:
Preeseed
CB monitor
Reflexology
Caffeine
Water.
Am on cycle 15 since a miscarriage July last year.
My motto of the month is "just keep swimming" (from Finding Nemo! )
Lou

thandeka - good luck with those things!

ooh and also going to try overusing emoticons as an aid to TTC.

thandeka- yep, bang on the same! Well someone had to be! Hello Twin!!

Oooh that is soooo exciting Moogatron. I am out of the race this month(see above, but not that it is a race anyhow) so will keep fingers firmly crossed for you this month!
Although if you could just hold off til I am back in then we can concieve at the same time then destiny dictates our little ones will fall in love get married and live happily ever after.

Tee hee. Okay will shush now, am jesting.

Lou let us know how accuptunure goes- was reading another thread were they popped a needle in her perineum
Blimey!

I still want to try it though

Hi, I will join.. what is preseed?

Hi C1ndy

Preseed is a lubricant that is sperm friendly meant to help them get to their destination. started using it couple of months ago and think its amazing. DH doesnt seem to mind either sorry tmi - try access diagnostic for more info and price quite competitive.

am having acupuncture tomorrow as come down with stinking cold.

hey thandeka i read that too but think she also said she got pg that time too.

i had acupuncture for sinusitus and think it def. works so happy to give it a go for this would find it weird if they put one there though
starting clomid on cd2 of next cycle so hope all helps with that to work faster this ttc is getting depressing

love and baby dust

Oh no, thankdeka, how frustrating! I hope the infection clears up quickly and that you're feeling alright.

I've just ordered some preseed since everyone is raving about it...

Can't wait to hear people's experiences of acupuncture and reflexology. I'm quite firmly on the fence as to the scientific basis of these treatments, but even if they do no more than mobilise the powerful placebo effect, they've got to be worth a go.

Any opinions about agnus castis or cough medicine? (Crikey, the things that the TTC journey makes you consider!)

ON CD 3 today so these are all preparations for next week...

hi existentialistcat,

you will LOVE the preseed. and have heard of loads of people that changed that one thing and got pg.

i know the acu works on my sinusitus literally clears it up by the next day without antibiotics.

have had reflexology while ttc but not sure about results was getting LH surge but no ovulation.

now the clomid is making me ovulate so maybe the acu or reflex will make that one swimmer find its way. even if its placebo effect what do i care so long as get BFP that stays.

Agnus castis is meant to have a good effect think it goes with evening primrose you might want to look it up abit further. the cough medicine am on fence with as dont know enough.

love and baby dust

ps. does the grapefruit juice work may give it a go.

Oooh preseed arrived in the post this morning. DH - who clearly thinks I'm bonkers and just wants to relax and see what happens (grrrr) - was surprisingly accepting of this. Phew!

I don't know whether grapefruit juice actually works, pinkie, but I'm swigging a pint of the stuff each morning just in case. It seems the least outlandish of all the methods I'm trying! I recently read a review of a trial of acupuncture used in conjunction with IVF, and they'd found that it helped with implantation under those specific circumstances. So hopefully it'll help in conjunction with the clomid - fingers crossed!

I've started to have temping dreams... Is there an award for Most Obsessive TTCer?!

existentialistcat, am thinking of trying preseed myself. where did you get it from?
what is it about grapefruit juice?

Ooooh I have another experiment I am going to add to the list.

Positive visualisation.

We are all getting a bit het up with the whole TTC thing and every month it doesn't happen is "obviously" a sign of dried shrivelled ovaries, blocked fallopian tubes and even infertility. The stress of TTC probably being a major factor in not concieving. and far be if for me to join the "just relax and enjoy it brigade"- (yes we all want to punch them!)

I know that since my infected fallopian tube was diagnosed I have cried every day and have a very low blue mood. (which isnt me -I am quite a positive person) so my latest experiment is being positive about conception.

I may try this cd:secure.tesco.com/books/product.aspx?R=9781906044114&in_merch=1&in_merch_title=You+may+als o+like&inmerchname=Getting+Pregnant%3A+Hypnotherapy+for+Fertility+and+Conception

and follow some of the visualisations mentioned in Sarah Dobbyns book the Fertility diet.

P.S Is there a way to make grapefruit juice more palatable- I really loathe the stuff. I read somewhere green tea can have same effect on cervical mucus but then somewhere else it said it could be detrimental to TTC.
Anyone have a definitive answer?

Hi Thandeka

Did ask the green tea question to the gynaen but he said that you would have to drink piles of it for it to have adverse effect. Good old fashioned tea was proven in America to aid implantation and make it stick (controversial regarding the caffeine)but apparently it works. So have swopped to a few herbal teas and the odd cup of normal tea.

Let me know how you go with the hypnotherapy and positive thinking could be fun.

Am going to try the grapefruit juice as like you say it could be the easiest thing of all. (possibly cheapest too which helps)

Existentialistcat you can find preseed on access diagnostics web site dicounted rates and pretty good value. The tube is better value as the individuals there is lots of waste (TMI) but if you try it you would see what i mean.

will let you all know what happens at acupuncture later on

Love and baby dust

Thanks for that Pinkie, I like rooibos tea at least but Jasmine green tea tastes like perfume (so much so i actually put the tea bags in the bath- makes it lovely!)

Well am chugging down the coffee (with sweetner gasp) but I figure since this month am out I may as well indulge in the odd vice. It is DH's work do tommorrow night with unlimited free champagne so that will be another naughtiness this month. But hey I used a lot of energy clicking my mouse to buy a ww fit (being delivered tommorrow so haven't actually used it yet) so I am feeling very virtuous!

I may make an accupuncture appt. for next month but still trying to find a recomended person, how much is yours pinkie?