who else is preparing to ttc?

[_Laurie]

I'm curious who is going to be ttc in the near future. What are you doing to prepare? Have you got your protocol ready? When do you plan on starting ttc?

We're planning on starting ttc my December cycle. I think this way at the earliest I wouldn't get sick until after Christmas or the beginning of the new year. In case it doesn't happen the first cycle, we'd have a few months to still have the entire pg in one calendar year (for insurance reasons/less money out of pocket). I've got my protocol ready and posted. I'm seeing a perinatologist in 2 weeks (no regular OBs will accept me in this town because of the HG combined with a heart condition I developed at the end of my last pg). I'm doing a pretty strict detox diet currently and an herbal detox soon. After the herbal detox, I'll do a very strict detox diet. I also need to gain some weight that I can lose (but wondering how to do this while eating all these fresh fruits and veggies, lol).

So, it's your turn to share...

[Bethers]

Hi ya:

We will be trying early next year. In fact, on Monday Sept 19, I meet with a new woman dr. This team of Dr's is supposed to be the best. With my last pregnancies I went through 4 men dr. They were not supportative at all and basically told me that nausea in pregnancy is common and to just deal with it. Ugh. So I would say early next year we will be trying. I am working on Weight Watchers trying to get some weight off 30-40 lbs would be nice. And, taking Folic Acid and learning the boards. I have learned a lot here, and from all the wonderful woman here, and from my past experiences. So that's where I am at. Here's spreading some baby dust your way......

[ladeeda30]

I just got off birth control and am scared to death. I have 3 girls and we are trying for a boy. My dh travels for 2-3 weeks at a time and isn't home much to help so we are pretty much on our own. He doesn't understand my HER and thinks I am exaggerating things. When my mom finds out I am pregnant (when it happens) she is going to say I am crazy and what were you thinking. I waited almost seven years between my second and third. My youngest will be 2 in Nov. I do have one thing going for me though. My Inlaws just moved nearby (30 minutes away) They used to live 3 hours away. Also my mom is 1hour away now. I am taking milk thistle and prenatal vitamins right now and am looking into detoxing. I am going to a OBGYN appt. in two days and hoping they will listen to my concerns and hope they help me this time. They didn't even tell me I had HG I found out by looking it up and finding this site. My oldest is 11 and helped out so much last time. Good luck to everyone TTC.

[_Laurie]

Hi Bethers and ladeeda.

Bethers, I was going to ask how your appt went but I think I see that you posted about it so I'll go there next. Sounds like your docotrs were similar to the ones I had first time around. One otf them actually told me at 28 weeks that I shouldn't still be on zofran since nobody's sick at 28 weeks and that I should really try to gain some weight and to try some high calorie milk shakes. Some docs just don't get it. Thanks for the babydust! I'm sending some your way too!

ladeeda, So are you ttc right away? We have two girls and will "try" for a boy too, using the shettles method. I would LOVE another girl, but since this will most likely be our last, I'd love to give my husband a son. I'm so sorry dh isn't very supportive when it comes to HG. I'm glad you'll have help closer this time. Hope your appointment goes well today. Let us know. Are you using the same DRs as before? Don't hesitate to change if you're not completely satisfied with them! What detox are you thinking about doing? Baby dust your way!!!

Laurie

[Bethers]

Hi Laurie:

Yes some docs just shouldn't be docs. It's like how did they get their medical license being so uncompansionate and unknowledgable. I remember back in 1995 when I did not know about HG and the dr was telling me i have no idea why your so sick. He basically made me feel like I had an alien in my stomach. I was told in 2000 pregnancies he had only one other person that was sick. I remember feeling so helpless and thinking why can't this doctor if he is going to be an OB be knowledgable on all aspects of pregnancy including what to do if somone gets sick. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. I can't believe that dr. said that to you. It's like ya know what doc "milk shake this". hahaha I feel so much better having a better dr for this next time. Tell me the method your talking about for trying to help with the gender?

[mandy]

Hi everyone,

We tried gender influencing methods and had success - we had a dd then a ds. I thought you might like to know what we did so that you can consider it????? Of course maybe we were destined to have one of each anyway but this is what we did:

dd - my husband had to.... have plenty of HOT baths, wear 'y' fronts (not boxer shorts), ttc at beginning to middle of cycle. This all influences the conditions around the sperm, how mobile it is, how quickly it reaches it's target ( ).

ds - my husband had to.... have COLD showers, wear boxers, ttc at late mid to end of cycle.

Basically, from what I researched, 'female' sperm are slow and long living, therefore if you ttc early by the time you ovulate all of the male sperm *should* have died even though they got there first. 'Male' sperm are quick 'uns but also die quicker (must be from the effort to get there!) so therefore you must ttc as or immediately after ovulation so they beat the female ones to the finnishing post! That's the plan anyway.

Well, this is all we did and it seemed to have worked for us. I hope you all get what you wish for but most of all, healthy, successful pregnancies.

Good luck! Mandy x

[_Laurie]

Hi, Bethers

Yeah it doesn't feel good to be treated like some sort of freak. I think that's why this board helped so much. I didn't feel so insane when I found out there were other women out there going through HG like me.

Again, I'm sooo glad to hear you found a good Dr! Knowing you'll be taken care of has got to feel good! I'm hoping I'll have as good an experience next Monday when I meet my new potential OB.

As far as gender selection, we're going to do the Shettles method. There's a book by Dr. Landrum Shettles out there and it's very detailed with what to do to try for each sex. The logic behind it is "proven" with scientific studies shown in the book and seems to have good results. I read about it on-line and then ordered my copy through half.com for about $3.00. It's called "How to Choose the Sex of Your Baby". Basically it's like Mandy described. Kinda in-depth, but I figured it would be fun to "try" and see if it worked.

[_Laurie]

Hi, Mandy. Thanks for sharing your success with gender selection. The method you've described is like the Shettles method, so I'm glad to hear it worked for you and might work for me!

[JennyK]

Laurie,

I'm hoping to have the entire pregnancy in one calendar year for the same reason (money). Annie, my first, was born in January, so I hit all my out-of-pockets maximums for 2003 and 2004. Ugh. Hoping to avoid that this time. We're thinking of starting in November, though, so the BCP has more time to work its way out of my body. (It took 9 months after the pill to get pg with Annie.) I hope both our bodies cooperate with this timeline!!

[_Laurie]

Hey, Jenny
Yeah with both of my pgs I met the out of pocket expenses and they would've covered the rest 100% except the calander year changed halfway through the pgs and we had to start all over like you did. Didn't even think about that until too late, lol. So, yes I hope we both get pg right away. As long as we have to be sick, it might as well be cheaper...

With my 1st, we got pg the month after I got off the pill (ironically one of the reasons we got off the pill was because it made me sick, lol) so maybe you'll get pg right away this time. Are you waiting until Nov to get off?

I forget-- are you detoxing?

[JennyK]

Laurie,

Yeah, I think we'll try in Novemeber and December. We're sort of splitting the difference between trying to make it happen in one calendar year and giving the pill enough time to get out of my system. No way to know for sure, but I don't think I o'd for several months after the last time I quit taking it. I hope I'm like you and it works right away!

I'm not detoxing, but I generally keep to a pretty healthy diet. I've vegetarian anyway, and we buy organic whenever possible, eat low-fat b/c of DH's high cholesterol, etc. I wasn't too comfortable trying the differnt herbs or whatever. What are you doing to detox? Or did you say in another post?

[Bethers]

I ordered that Shettles book. I hope it works for me too!!! How's your prepping coming???

[nomore]

Bethers,

I see you ordered the Shettles book too I know some people who have had success with this. Which gender are you trying for???

I know Laurie is trying for a boy this time

We didnt try this. If we were having a 3rd, MAYBE I would try this.... but I am NOT doing pregnancy again..lol. DH is just as admanent about it as I am Hes elated hes going to have 2 girls! (well- 3 if you count me...lol). I do feel bad that we will never have a boy, but, 2 kids is all we wanted, and we left it in Gods hands on the gender. Although, reading Laurie's info she posted on shettles, makes me think since we started BDing a few days before I knew I ovulated each time (and contined until I knew I had), we probably put ourselves at a greater "girl" risk..lol!

Im sending ALL of you good baby and prepartation dust!!!!!

Robin

[Bethers]

Great to hear from you girl!!!!! Sure hope your feeling better!!! Well, we have the nursery done beautifully and so cute in Winnie the Pooh empty since I terminated. So on that aspect either one would be fine. I have always had nephews till I married Kev and now I have 2 year old niece. She is such a doll and my sister-in-law has given me so many nice clothes for girls and boys plus I had clothes from Jus my son. So, I set in either way that way but............. I would really like a girl!!!!!! But, it's all in God's hands and I know I will be happy whether I have a son or a daughter. I know just like you that my babies along with my parents will be holding my hands getting me through HG. I really feel confident though on this doctor. I think it's gonna go a lot smoother. I am doing so much prep it's not even funny. We are trying in Feb or March right when you will be done you lucky. We are hoping for a Thanksgiving or Xmas baby. But who knows it could take longer to get prego. Anyway, I am excited for that book and even more excited to get prego. Good lord, am I nuts. hahahaha Keep us all updated. I love reading your posts and knowing your ok.

Your friend,

[HelenA]

HMMM Where do I start on the whole TTC issue...lol At first it was me who told DP I'd like another one fairly soon (earlier than the 3 years we'd planned to wait) But now Kimi is getting so active and vocal I figured we'd wait a while... But now DP is the one making jokes (Well I THINK they are jokes) about having another one soon. We have discussed it but I don't want to be sick at christmas again as I only managed to stay awake and not throw up for about 2 hours on that day! And with it being Kimi's first xmas this year I want to make it special. I was 4 months gone then. DP is 22 years older than me and he doesn't want to wait too long until we have another one as he's worried that he won't see them grow up or get married... He's only 51 so the chances of him missing those kind of things are slim, but I kinda see his point. So I reckon if we're both in agreement then we'll probably start TTC again in the early part of next year.

[bibliojo]

Oh my Helen! I didn't think I'd see you in this folder so soon!!! It's a difficult decision to know when to ttc. With HG there is no convienient time to schedule in 9 months of sickness! Good luck to you and dp as you decide what to do, and of course, we are here to help you prepare for your next pregnancy!

Joanna

[megs4413]

We will start trying in June although we are not ACTIVELY trying not to have a baby beyond using condoms (TMI). There is a chance I could become pg before then. Right now I'm getting iron infusion treatments (iron through IV) three times a week to get my iron stores up. I have recently become aware of a link between iron deficiency and thyroid disease which complicated my pg last time. I already have some extra weight on since DD is only 5 months and I've been eating like crazy since she was born after 4 months of TPN and no food at all while she was still in the belly. I know these two will be close together but I want to be done with HG. So it's two--boom, boom-- and then done for us!

[_Laurie]

Wow, I was out last week since dd had stomach flu, and I didn't get any e-mails telling me that there were new posts. So sorry I didn't know you all had written!

Jenny,
Your diet sounds very healthy. I must admit, mine was not really. I was a junk food junkie ever since dd was born (4/2003). I guess I felt I deserved all that wonderful stuff since I couldn't eat it during pg and so I could go non stop on the sweets. Yikes. In the last couple months, I've taken out all hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrups, and most saturated fats. I'm basically eating vegetarian now (love those veggie burgers!!) and only organic and all natural foods including tons of fresh vegies and fruits. I don't want to lose weight (I actually want to gain a little before getting pg) but it's hard to do when you're eating so healthy. Also, I will do an herbal detox, but plan to wait until the end of October to do it (it's a 2 week thing). After that detox, I might be even more strict on what I eat, but I'm not sure yet.

Bethers,
Did you get your book yet? I thought it was a really interesting read and dh was surprised how fast I finished it. Good luck on trying for a girl!! I would love another, but since I only have one more chance, I'm going to try for a boy like Robin said. Prep is going well. Lately, though I've been getting a little nervous thinking that 2 cycles from this one we'll be ttc.

Robin,
Makes sense to me now how we had two girls too. Part of me thinks I can't make boys, lol. We'll see...

Helen and Megs,
Good luck as you decide on the perfect time to ttc again! Keep us updated on your preparations and protocols. Remember we're here for support!!

[Bethers]

Well besides the stress i have with that physco you read about. My main focus is getting that book and working on my weight. I want at least 10-30 off. My goal is 45 but know that won't happen before Feb or March especially with Hypothyroid. Ugh. I have to reorder the book because on Half.com the seller has 2 days to respond otherwise it's cancelled ugh. So I will reorder it now. Are you nervous to ttc or excited? I think I am both.