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Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

Original poster

Stuff to avoid while ttc

42 replies

Biscuitbreaker · 19/02/2010 13:28

Am panicking... maybe too much.

I have been reading about things to avoid while pregnant, which seems to be everything! Cheese, eggs, painkillers, bleaching your hair, bleaching your teeth, cat litter, certain essential oils...

I am ttc at the moment, and if I am on schedule, ovulating now.
How important is it to avoid all potentially dangerous stuff while you're ovulating - just in case you do actually conceive?

OP posts:
OtterInaSkoda · 19/02/2010 16:04

Best avoided when TTC, PG or indeed anything else. I also knew a girl who used to brush her teeth with Jif.

I'll slink off and stop being irrelevant now...

Original poster
Biscuitbreaker · 19/02/2010 16:18

Noted. Will put the domestos down...

Am still worried though about toxic chemicals in my bloodstream, being all harmful

OP posts:
Kaloki · 19/02/2010 16:21

Aww biscuitbreaker try not to worry, the human body is an amazing thing and can deal with much more than we give it credit too.

Kaloki · 19/02/2010 16:22

Or credit for. My ability to type coherently however...

CoupleOfKooks · 19/02/2010 16:25

bumsex

Kaloki · 19/02/2010 16:26

haha, yeah I've heard that doesn't really have the desired effect

Ariesgirl · 19/02/2010 18:17

I've had cats all my life. What are the symptoms of toxo-whatsit? Are there even any?

ShowOfHands · 19/02/2010 18:34

Aries, toxoplasmosis in something like 80% of people causes no symptoms. If it does cause symptoms, it's mild and very similar to a cold or flu. Swollen glands, fever, sore throat, headachey, nausea, that kind of thing. Most people catch it at some point (though not from humans, it doesn't spread that way) and you wouldn't know you've had it without a blood test as you'd just assume it was a cold if you even noticed it.

It's also iirc, less likely to transfer to a baby in the first trimester, but more likely to cause problems if it does transfer then. So, the time at which it's of most danger to an unborn baby (congenital toxoplasmosis) is the time when you are least likely to pass it to your baby if you did catch it. Does that make sense?

Ariesgirl · 19/02/2010 18:38

So if you go for blood tests in the first trimester (when do they take these?), will it pick it up. And are they able to treat it safely?

ShowOfHands · 19/02/2010 18:46

They don't routinely test to see whether you have antibodies for it I don't think and there's little point. Either you haven't had it and they can only advise the precautionary measures to avoid it (don't change litter trays, don't garden without gloves, was veg properly etc). Or you have had it and you're immune anyway. Knowing would make little difference apart from peace of mind and the NHS doesn't test for peace of mind unfortunately. You coud have it done privately I suppose or ask the GP and see.

It's nothing to worry about at all. It's a mild illness that you wouldn't notice. You just don't want it while pregnant in an ideal world. Remember, it's unlikely that you'd pass it to the baby in the first trimester and by the third trimester when the chances of transfer are higher, the baby would be unlikely to be affected by it.

ShowOfHands · 19/02/2010 18:47

wash/could. Typos, sorry.

Cosmosis · 19/02/2010 18:47

Aries, I asked about that when I had my bloods done (at 10 weeks) they don't check for toxoplasmosis in the UK as standard.

As for what you gave up while ttc, I didn't give up anything. TTC sends you mental enough so I just carried on with the rest of my life as normal.

HopingLovedTheSnow · 19/02/2010 19:04

I've stopped taking anti-histamines - I'm a bit of an insomniac, so frequently take Nytol or similar.

Unfortunately they have a systemic effect and dry up all mucus secretions in the body (inc cervical mucus) so make the task of the, umm, swimmers that much harder.

Oh well, as DH pointed out, being unable to sleep while TTC is probably not a bad thing

Ariesgirl · 19/02/2010 19:16

Anyway, leaving aside cat poo, I've almost totally stopped boozing, only drinking 2 cups of tea a day, eating a healthy breakfast, switching to wholefoods, making sure I have at least 5 a day some of which is organic and I'm taking multivitamins, EPO/Starflower oil, Omega 3 fish oil and a B-50 complex. I really don't think avoiding wine totally will last so I'm going to have controlled disciplined couple of glasses a week in the hope I don't get so pissed off with it that I'll go on a massive bender!

My sister thinks I'm way over the top, but then she's 31 (and pregnant) not nearly 35 (and not. Yet) Oh and we're getting loads of nookie of course

Ariesgirl · 19/02/2010 19:20

Really sorry. just realised thread was "stuff to avoid" not "stuff to do" . Ignore a lot of the above post and add to it ibuprofen around ov.

GrumpyGasper · 20/02/2010 15:40
  1. If you are any regular meds, check these with GP.
  1. Take folic acid every day.
  1. Do not take ibuprofen/aspirin from just before ovulation until next period.
  1. Have lots of sex, in the right hole at the right time.
  1. Do not worry about anything else. Even drink - it does not cross the placenta until a good few weeks into pregnancy.

TTC can go on a while, so do not put your life on hold.

Original poster
Biscuitbreaker · 20/02/2010 16:08

Thanks everyone. I have calmed down a bit now, now that I know I haven't damaged anything - so far! It's a weight off my mind.

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