Anyone want to join me in a waiting to conceive thread ? Anyone else really broody but can't TTC yet ?

[Hobnob76]

Hi everyone! Hubby and I are desperately broody and have been for a few years. We're hoping to TTC later this year, we're having to wait til Hubby finishes his degree as we just can't afford to have a baby whilst he's a student. Am wanting to come off the pill round about May, and hopefully TTC about Nov/Dec. Want to come off the pill a few months early as I've been on it for over 14 yrs, and would like to know what its like to have normal periods!

Be nice to know if anyone else is in a similar situation.

Hi ladies

I hope you don't mind if I join...

I am 27, married and am "getting ready" to TTC... The plan for now is to start TTC in January. Kinda lots of reasons for waiting for a couple of months. One is that it gives dh a chance to loose a little bit of the fear. He's really keen but has flashes of "oh my gosh...!" Also, I am a lawyer and its better (for all sorts of boring reasons like maternity pay etc) for me to be one year qualified when I have a baby.. I qualified in Sept, so anytime after that is fine!

No-one around me is anywhere near thinking babies... my friends all seem to think I am crazy young and work buddies....? saying I want a baby at work would be like dropping a nuclear bomb! So its nice to chat to others who are actually excited about the whole thing!

I am kinda lucky as I am not on the pill (I tried it when I was first with dh, about 6 years ago, and it really really disagreed with me!) so I already feel like I know my body and my cycles pretty well... I don't smoke and I have just started taking folic acid... are any of you guys quitting alcohol or caffeine in advance of TTC, to sort of "prep"? I am not sure I can do without my coffee! And so many work and client functions mean that not drinking would certainly raise a few "knowing" eyebrows with the partners at my firm, so I'm not sure what to do....

Oh, and one more thing, Kawaiiko, I understand a bit some of the stuff you say in your posts... I had anorexia then bulimia for many years as a teenager, but as its pretty much ancient history now, I hope it won't be a problem... I honestly don't even reslly think about it now. I had a few years, as a teenager, without af... but have had it like clockwork now for about 6 years. Actually, just recently, a girl who was in hospital with me (although she's older, 34) has had a baby...! Whoop!

Anyway, back to the point of the thread... Don't you all find its just so hard to be patient and not get started TTC straight away?! Imagine how much worse it will be when we start and are waiting for the positive test.... eek!

x

Florin, I think my pill runs out mid jan, so I think I'll start taking folic acid after that - begining of Feb? I think the optimum is three months dosage, although I think some of that counts in early pregnancy too. I doubt very much I'll be knocked up within a week of trying though

Hi Tif, nice to meet you

Hi Legally - January will be here before you know it! & it sounds like you're already cycling like a dream I plan to cut down on alcohol when TTC & make sure I do some form of exercise. I had a belly dancing teacher with three children & not a stretch mark on her, she was convinced it was because her skin was used to stretching & being used (typing whilst sitting at a compter desk eating biscuits at the mo, so have a little way to go!!) I also have a BIG thing to give up. Smoking. It's happening on Monday. I'm scared and excited about it. Positive giving-up vibes please peeps!

Weird, it already feels like my body isn't kinda mine anymore, already preparing for being a vessel. In a very good way.

Hi there, can I join you?

There's so much on this thread I can relate to, not least the being surrounded by babies/pregnant people. I've found that really hard at times, but it got a bit easier once I had the conversation with dh about when we might ttc.

So the plan is to ditch the pills at the end of the year and see what happens (1 1/2 packs to go.... So tempting to just ditch them now!). I hadn't even thought about all the temperature/ovulation stuff till I started reading things here - I think I'll try and resist the temptation to get sucked in cos then I'd just get hopelessly obsessed and would never think about anything else. Obviously in an ideal world I'd be pregnant at the first attempt but I know that's unlikely (not sure dh has clocked that though!) so if things take a while I'll probably start looking at temps etc.

They tested my rubella immunity when doing something else earlier in the year, and I've started taking folic acid (must remember to hide it - in laws visiting at the weekend). Anything else I should be thinking about? Gave into temptation and ordered a book the other day - it's starting to feel like a real possibility rather than a vague 'maybe someday'.

I'm determined to tell no-one, so it's really good to have found you all!

Welcome legally blonde and Ocarina. Its great to have so many people to chat to especially when in real life mosts of us are trying to keep it to ourselves so have only partners to talk to about it and they seem to not want to talk about it as much as we do!
Good Luck Floopy21 with the giving up smoking-at least you have something you really want to try and motivate you. I am sure it will still be tricky at times but well worth it. I am trying to be good with alcohol just cutting down particularly in the week. I don't drink hot drinks but really should try and cut down on the diet coke. I don't think there is any point cutting anything out completly at the moment as still a few months till we start ttc and still after that it could take months! Think I will start on the folic acid when I come off my pill in jan though so its in my system plus if we have any accidents then we know we are covered.
Good that you have had your rebella tested Ocarina-that is on my list to do doc said to come in a few months before we start trying to check I have all my jabs. I have a couple of days off next week so going to try and get an appointment then. Dh is starting to talk about it more now and I even heard him discussing it with his best friend so think he must be pretty excited too!

Florin:- I asked my dr if there was anything to do before I start ttc and she said just folic acid... Should I be tested or have vacinations do you think?

Anyone else having proper pre-conception appointments with the dr and if so what advice are you being given on this?

I was going to call and say im ttc (bit of a fib really) to try and get the swine flu vacine. I dont know ifid have it once I'm actually pregnant...

Hi jennimoo. Last time I went to the docs for my last lot of pills I mentioned about thinking about ttc next year. She said they like people to come in before they do to check all their jabs are uptodate not sure what else though. Figured it seemed sensible going to try and get an appointment for next Friday so will let u know what they do!

Welcome newbies!!

Re: Vaccines, when I was pregnant last time they did tests to check I was immune as a rountine thing anyway. Never would have thought about checking beforehand

Docs know I want to ttc next year but haven't said anything about seeing me at all!

Feeling very sorry for myself today, I have broken my little toe, it is agony!! So stupid, stubbed it on the sofa yesterday, it is swollen and black & blue! Nurse said she thinks broken but not worth an Xray, but while I was there she gave me a flu jab & said I should have swine flu jab in a couple of weeks. (I have a low immune system after some recent treatment I had.) So at least I am not already PG as I don't think I would know what to do!

Owch - that sounds nasty. Hope it mends quickly.

I vaguely mentioned ttc at some point in the future back at my last pill appointment at the start of the year, hence them checking the rubella while they were doing something else. If he said anything else about it I can't remember what it was so it can't've been v exciting - don't think he thought I ought to go back in specially. Have changed docs since though, and not had to go into the new practice yet so have no idea what they suggest, but will probably default to putting it off so long that I never get round to finding out!

Went and bought some pregnacare this morning, and found myself looking around for people I know and being ready to suddenly be v interested in vitamin C! Got some of the his and hers ones, which dh pulled a face at cos they're not chewable. They're now hidden away ready for the arrival of the in-laws. Not impressed that they have to be taken with your main meal - they'll need to live in the kitchen or I'll forget them, which makes them far more likely to be discovered. Oh well.

Heard today of some friends' new baby girl and was pleased rather than jealous so that's good.

Morning all and welcome Ocarina and legallyblond. Sorry to hear about your toe bebejones, sounds very painful - could this be an excuse to spend the weekend with your foot on a cushion having cups of tea made for you? Just a thought!

Ocarina I take Pregnacare too and I take it after breakfast otherwise I tend to forget. I know it's not my main meal but I can't see what difference it makes as long as it's taken on a full stomach - plus more of it must get through that way than if I only remember half the time!

legallyblond I find it massively hard to be patient, it's never my strong point anyway and especially when it's something I really want. We have been talking about starting to TTC since May and the temptation to throw caution to the wind and get on with it is massive. I go through phases of trying to convince myself the 'preconception' phase is important and I can use it as a time to get healthy and prepared and so on - but that tends to wear off pretty quickly! Like you I have work reasons to wait another couple of months but it's tempting to ignore those sometimes.

Have a good weekend all.

Floop21 - (and anyone else giving up smoking) please please please read Alan Carr's easyway to give up smoking. It is exactly that - easy peasy, and lemon squeezy! especially if you've tried before using other methods i.e will power. You'll be surprised at how easy it is, you just read a book. That's it. I feel a bit like a preaching jahovas witness but i think the whole world should read this book! You don't need to 'try' and you don't suffer or lose anything, you just forget about it. It's even easy to read, and you can smoke while reading it. It's worked for everyone i know who's read it (including myself) aahh preaching done, message sent, over 'n' out....

Hello everyone,

Just my tuppence on the pre-conception check-up: my GP was very good when I mentioned that we were going to start ttc (was worried because I take regular medication for migraines and didn't want to give it up -- but of course didn't want to take anything that might harm my future baby (fingers crossed!!)

She sent me off to have blood tests - a range of things including HIV and rubella immunity and other things that can't remember as everything was normal, thank goodness.

The only things that concern me are that my iron levels are still slightly low, and the lh check she sent me to on day 14 came back saying I probably didn't ovulate. Now, I was sent for the test assuming a 28 day cycle but I've never actually counted until this month. Currently on day 28 and no sign of my period, which is a relief!!!! To say the least.

She also printed out a load of info (most of which I knew any way, but it was nice) and told me to start the folic acid. Oh, and whipped my IUD out for me - pretty vital!

Oh, and legally, it was great to hear from someone else who has had eating issues, and very reassuring to here of your friend's success!

I'm hoping that aside from dodgy teeth, mild anaemia and boobs that belong to someone twice my age that I won't have any problems conceiving. Is your eating fine now?

Hey guys

Just booked a doctor's appointment for tomorrow am (before work) to test for rubella etc and generally discuss pre-ttc.. I am up to date on my smear tests, thank goodness, so that is one less thing to think about!

kawaiiko - yup, I would say I am 98% better. I was discharged from NHS treatment three years ago after having treatment of one kind or another for about 4 years... My body seems to have receovered, although I have a slightly lower than average bone density. I honestly only ever think about it all once in a blue moon now, usually when tired and stressed and even then, within a day or so, I kinda talk myself out of it and recognise the silly thoughts and just get on with my life. I wouldn't be going down the whole ttc road if I didn't truly beleive I was free from the whole thing.. but I do, so that is fine I guess!

But anyway... fingers crossed all my blood tests tomorrow are ok! I've kinda lost track of when everyone else is going to start ttc - there seem to be lots of May ladies. Anyone else in January?

Hope everyone's day is going ok, x

Our date for ttc depends on how long my cycles actually are... on day 29 and no sign of af yet (have never counted before). We're aiming for a September or later baby so could be next month, might have to wait till January.

Doubt I'll get pg straight away, though, so I'll probably still be around when it all kicks off in May!

Legally blonde hope doc appointment went well I've got mine on Friday so be interested to know what yours did/said. I'm up to date with smear test too so Hoping just blood test and general info. Dh has got appointment before me with same doc but just about knees. Was going to see if he wanted to stay at mine to hear info but he's not good with needles so he might have to go out for that bit! Also booked myself for first stage of childminding course. Although it's not till feb! At least I feel we are progressing nearer to time we can start ttc!

hope it all went well at the docs legally. I had blood tests like rubella done and the main thing I remember is having about eight vials of blood taken - no idea what the others were all for, except one of them was for folate. I'm also aiming for January (although just found out am going to be a bridesmaid in the summer, am hoping I will be working the heavily pg bridesmaid look!).

Came fairly close to being caught reading 'What to Expect...' on the bus by my boss today, fortunately he didn't make it as far as the top deck... Going to a christening on Sunday has totally restarted my broodiness - they do several at once so the place was awash with babies. I want one! I'm sick of waiting! Good to know there are others feeling the same...

Legally - hope it all went well at the docs?

May cannot come quick enough for me! I am actually looking forward to AF every month as I know it's another month to cross off the calender!

Going out with a group of friends 2moro and will see one of our friends 5week old baby, am gearing myself up for immense waves of broodiness when I see her, she is so cute and tiny. [sigh] Like you Pidgin.....I want (another) one!

Hey girls

Sorry I didn't post yesterday (crazy busy at work... still there now..)

The docs was fine... he asked me to talk through my usual cycle, asking lots of questions about discharge (oh, things we have to talk about with doctors...) etc. Thankfully, I know my cycle quite well as I have been off the pill for years and years (and was only very briefly on it). He basically said that everything seemed to be like clockwork - sounds like I am ovulating on day 13/14 - and he really didn't need to say anything other than: have a go and see what happens... I asked about rubella, but he said he didn't need to test as I had the MMR jab and, in any case, they will test when i am actually pg.... I didn't bother pushing as I know nothing about it all! Should I have? He said to try for a year and come back if I am not pg. So there we are!

He did of course say: take folic acid now and, if there is a suspicion I might be pg, try not to drink or, if I do, have just one glass of wine. Thats not too tricky for me. I asked about wight (as I've had to think about that before) and he said my current bmi (21.5/22) was spot on. Another phew!

bebe - I TOTALLY know what you mean about loving af as its a month to cross off! i'm not sure I'll be loving her so much from Jan when I'm ttc though!

How is everyone doing?

x

Oh, and one more thing I meant to say

Had a major "love my husband" moment yesterday... he totally wants to have a baby next year and is excited about that, but the whole ttc thing? He is not interested and just thinks "sex" is all there is to it (which is pretty much true when you boil it down1). Anyway, beyond the actual decision to have a baby, he's not really into discussing it or getting excited about it.

But... yesterday evening, when I came home from work, he said that he had left a leaflet for me on the bedside table (in a typically nonchalant way). The sweet boy had seen a leaflet in Waitrose all about healthy eating when ttc and when pg and had picked it up for me AND READ IT! Bless!

Are your dp/dh's excited about ttc... or just about the baby decision?

x

I think its time I said hello as I seem to "fit" on this board better than any other!
I have 2 children (7 & 10) - I have been with my partner for 3 years and have we decided to try for one of our own. I have totally convinced myself that I won't be able to conceive again due to a variety of reasons which I am sure I will go into more detail on over the coming weeks/months!

I have come off the pill and we would be trying this month except, like in Pidgins case I am due to be a bridesmaid for my best friend on 28th Aug 2010, so am just delaying ttc for a month so I don't risk giving birth on that day!

Also. Florin I became a childminder this year in preperation for being at home more if things go to plan - if you have any questions re childminding, ask away.

Welcome balijay. One of the reasons we are holding off is that I'm a bridesmaid for my twin on July 10 my sister has a real issue with me being pregnant at all but don't see why I should wait till then so figured if we started ttc in April will be max of 3 months so hopefully not showing. May I ask how u did ur childminding qualification I was going to do with the council as then it would be free however they do a first meeting which is on a week day then a 5 day course which is every thursday for 5 weeks which I can't take off from work without it looking very suspicious. So need to do it some otherway. Nice to know I'm not the only one planning on starting childminding with a new baby! My parents think I'm barmy!

Hi Florin. I think it is very good of you to wait until April to ttc - it is taking all my will power to wait until Jan and if by some miracle I conceive 1st time around and I am an 8months pregnant bridesmaid then too bad!!

I know childminding courses vary from area to area. At the start of the year I went on two briefing sessions followed by my Introduction to Childminding Practice (ICP)course which was run over the course of 9 weekday evenings. Might be worth checking with your local early years team to see if they run any evening courses?

Thanks for the smoking advice Babydancer, it's not easy at all at the mo willpower has never been my strong point. Going to go & get a copy of Allan later!

Ooo, everyone is very organised with doctors appointments & the like. I think I'll wait until next year for mine (TTC April?). I would like to prepare my body first I think. Trust me, there is A LOT to prepare! smoking, drinking, exercise. I feel pretty rubbish about how awful I am at the moment...gonna stop wallowing & go & DO something about it now!

Big smiles to all you excited TTC'ers to be

good luck with the giving up Floopy, hope thinking about ttc provides the willpower/whatever else you need.

I keep finding myself in conversations about things that will happen in the future thinking 'well hopefully I'll be pregnant then' or 'I'd miss that if I was on maternity leave'. Fortunately I don't have any weddings to plan around, but it's weird making plans eg at work but thinking it might (hopefully) all change.

Pidgin I suspect you're right about the pregnacare - better to remember to take it than to worry about when and forget.

Legally, I'm another hoping to ttc Jan (nearly finished penultimate pill packet!), it's getting excitingly soon. Occasionally I think about the implications of it all (will be our first if it happens) and wonder why I'd want to turn my life upside down like that, but then the broodiness wins out!

ocarina - I TOTALLY know what you mean! I keep doing the same with my plans (as an example, the possibility of being pregnant means that I am planning not to go anywhere too far away/exotic for my summer holiday...silly I know!).

So glad a gaggle of us are ttc in Jan. It will be my first too...!

As you can see - working v hard today

x