Parenting Series: TTC

Yesterday's post was about what to do before you stat trying to conceive. Today's post is all about TTC(trying to conceive).




First things first if you paid attention to yesterdays post and followed every tip in it, you would know about charting and how your body works already. If not, let's get down to business shall we? 


THE most important step in TTC: CHARTING!!!!! I suggest buying the book "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" if you prefer to not buy a book, try their online site: "tcoyf", or try online tools for charting on sites like, "Fertility Flower", "The Birthing Site" or "Just Mommies".


This will all help you to know not only the best time for doing the BD(baby dance), but, how to recognize when ovulation is about to occur, when it has passed or when it doesn't happen at all. Keeping track of everything from menstrual cycle beginning, end, length, frequency, timing of sex, cervix position, basal temp and more can help eliminate guess work for you and the doctor and can signal potential problems along the way.


We'll start with the basics:


The first day of your period (Not spotting, but, the first day you bleed red blood) is Day 1 of your cycle. You will start counting from there. Mark this on the chart and mark every day, plus the flow on the chart (heavy, medium, light). 


Mark the consistency of your cervical fluid (Dry, Sticky, Creamy, Wet, Slippery/egg white)


Mark cervix position and how it feels(low/closed, mid/partial, high/open)


What is your basal temp(before you move, walk, talk, drink or get out of bed, take your temp at the exact same time in the exact same location(mouth, vaginal, rectal) and do this consistently to find your basal temp pattern)  Your temp should stay pretty consistent until just before and during ovulation. Your temp should dip slightly followed by a rise just before ovulation occurs and continuing until ovulation is over and your period is about to start(unless you are pregnant, it should stay elevated).


You should note when sex occurs.


All of this combined can help you to better understand your body and when the best time is to conceive. 


Another important thing to remember is to relax and not get too caught up in the process and make it clinical. Know that it can take months to years to become pregnant even if you are following everything. Don't give up or stress out. 


I hear tell that Mucinex is helpful in causing a women's body to create more EWCM(egg white cervical mucus) which is THE most fertile cervical fluid.


Do NOT use any lubricants or saliva in the vaginal area when TTC, those are both caustic environments to sperm. You CAN use "Pre-Seed" or actual egg white (although that grosses me out to even type that.) 


Like I also said in the last post, already be taking prenatal vitamins(make sure they contain at least 400mcg Folic Acid or more) and live as though you are already pregnant. No smoking, alcohol, drugs or foods that aren't allowed. Get fit or be trying if you are overweight, start eating healthier.


Having regular sex is the best way to get pregnant right away. Couples often try to time everything perfectly for ovulation but do not have sex when they think they are not ovulating. It is true that sex that is not within the time of ovulation will not result in pregnancy. However, because women do not always ovulate when they think they will, having sex three times a week will help a woman to cover her bases, so to speak, and not miss an opportunity to get pregnant.


 There are also potential ways to up your chances of having a certain sex baby. Now, it doesn't up it a lot and isn't guaranteed, but, it also doesn't hurt to try. In fact, this method when performed correctly has a 75% success rate. LOL Intercourse -Timed Gender Selection – In the 1970s, two doctors released two different books offering directions on how to conceive a baby with the gender of your choice. In 1971, Dr. Landrum Shettles and David Rorvik wrote “How to Choose the Sex of Your Baby,” and revealed that sperm with male (Y) chromosomes move faster than sperm with X (female) chromosomes but do not live as long.

To conceive a boy, have intercourse on the day of ovulation or one day after. To conceive a girl, have sex two to four days prior to ovulation.

Use any number of methods, such as:

• tracking your natural fertility signs such as: basal body temperature, your cervical mucus, and your cervical position

• using an ovulation predictor kit

• using an ovulation tracker/calculator

Shettles offers other tips for tipping the scales when it comes to conceiving a baby boy, too.

• Have sex in a position that encourages deep penetration to deposit the weaker “boy” sperm closer to the cervix

• When a woman orgasms, it changes the pH level in the vagina to be more alkaline, an environment where the Y-chromosome sperm thrive

• Create an alkaline or acidic environment for the sperm by douching with a special solution prior to intercourse

• The prospective father-to-be should drink coffee prior to intercourse

It is also said that man on top positions, keeping hips elevated and remaining in a lying down position for 30 mins or more after sex will also increase your chances of conceiving. 

I think that about covers it. Have fun baby making. :)

Parenting Series: Preconception

     I decided that I would like  to start a whole series of posts starting from preconception all the way through to older kids so that we can feature all stages of parenting and perhaps encompass any stage that a reader may be going through. So, in going along with our theme, today's post is all about preconception...


    Honestly, most parents never went through preconception. LOL They just found out they were pregnant then started in on everything, so, if you are wanting to plan on TTC(trying to conceive) then you are one of a lucky few. :) 


For starters, I suggest sitting down and discussing with your partner what you plans, ideas and personal beliefs in parenting are before you go one step further. Make sure you are both on the same page in everything or at least have compromised and researched things together to get an idea of how you both feel. Make sure you are financially stable enough to handle it. Not saying you shouldn't if you aren't wealthy, just look at your situation and think about it. If you are still living at home and have no job and your partner is also jobless and living with mom, chances are, you can't afford a kid right now. Also make sure you are PHYSICALLY safe, domestic violence tends to rise drastically during pregnancy. If you are not sure of your safety, do NOT try to conceive. Chances are it will only lead to more violence and not less.


Now, make sure you are already eating right and this goes for both the prospective mom and dad. Mom should start taking prenatal vitamins with at least 400mcg Folic Acid 3 months before TTC. Most vitamins now come with a DHA supplement as well. If you are already eating right, taking a vitamin and exercising, you are on the right track to being healthy and fit enough to sustain a pregnancy. As a side note to eating healthy, apparently Goji Berries and Kombucha have fertility boosting properties. It helps to treat yourself as already pregnant healthwise before you try. 


Another good thing to do is to get both you and your partner to a doctor for a check up, mom to an OB/Midwife for a preconception visit. You can rule out any health issues or needs before becoming pregnant. 


If you haven't already, you should look into charting and learn what EWCM, Basal temp, luteal phase and more are. There are books (Taking Charge Of Your Fertility), websites (Fertility Flower) and paper charts to help you learn your body and cycle so that you have the best chance of conceiving. Also by charting or even keeping a fertility journal, you can start to spot issues if there are any to talk with your doctor about. It can really help with pinpointing a problem that may arise. For instance: an anovulatory cycle, PCOS and more.


Stop drinking and smoking BEFORE you even start TTC. It's best to give this up long before you start rather than trying to stop and being pregnant all at the same time. this goes for the father as well. Secondhand smoke is not good for the pregnancy either.


If you are on any prescription drugs, be sure to discuss with a doctor if you need to switch or stop taking them before you even become pregnant. Be sure to use Acetaminophen ONLY starting before TTC and throughout pregnancy. Ibuprofen, Aspirin and Naproxen are NOT approved for use during pregnancy.


Right now, before you even begin TTC, do yourself a big favor and RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH!!!! Find out if you want an OB or a Midwife, do you want to deliver in the hospital, birth center or home, do you want to deliver naturally or with an epidural, will you deliver on your knees or sitting up, learn about delayed cord clamping, nursing, water birth, kangaroo care, co-sleeping, vaccines...EVERYTHING to do with pregnancy and babies. There is a lot to learn and plenty places to find the info. It also helps you tremendously in pregnancy and through labor if you have studied up enough and are confident in your choices. If you aren't, then you can be easily scared and swayed into choices you may not agree with or enjoy or will feel guilty about later. researching and reading prevents most of this.


Most of all, relax and have fun preparing to try for a baby. take the opportunity to do some non kid things before you get started. 

Gallery Of Nursing Moms and Babies(Our attempt to make breastfeeding the norm and not the feared)

A beautiful display of babies fed straight from the breast....Nothing here is wrong, ugly, gross, sexual, shameful, to be hidden, for mom's sick pleasure or anything else negative you can come up with. If YOU see something icky, wrong or sexual here, YOU need psychiatric help. And to Facebook: Bite me, you can't delete these!!!!

Here is a picture right when my little princess Olivia was born.. I Love this picture. She was looking for the breast right away. ~Heather (Aww...a newbie to the bewbie. LOL ~TM:I)

Isn't nature beautiful?!

Thanx for your efforts on FB!

Carmen feeding her little one.... (Thank you, it's my pleasure ~TM:I)

This is Stephanie and her bundle of goodness!!! 

(I want to pinch some cheeks! ~ TM:I)

Nursing, in a wrap, with our Supplemental Nursing System.~Nyssa 

(P.S.: TM:I thinks this is fantastic)

My sweet Lexi nursing .. 23 months old ~ Margaret    

(Who says that kids need to stop at one or sooner? ~TM:I)

Me feeding Gianna on my wedding day 8months old ~ Arielle 

(Awww!! ~TM:I)

Suzy's little boobie monster.  

(Has the newborn, boobie bigger than head phenomena going on. ~TM:I)

Nursing my 15 month old while 40 weeks pregnant ~Serena   

(Awesomesauce! ~ TM:I)

Stacie and her nursling enjoying some outside feeding and the sunshine!!  

(Kudos to you momma. ~TM:I)

Joslin and her bitty baby... (Aww...I want one!! ~TM:I)

I just have to say... I love your blog/Facebook page!! PLEASE keep up the good work. I'm delighted to be able to share a favorite picture of my little Bobby quietly nursing (though this was several month ago, he's more of a gymnast while nursing now).

Thanks for all that you do!

Sincerely,Rachel                

(Thank you Rachel. I appreciate you and your comment. Makes me want to keep going stronger than ever. ~TM:I)

Ellie as Yoda nursed by me as Princess Leia

Ellie nursed during the Komen Oregon Race for the Cure, she's the newest member of our race team "Just in Case" ~Cyndi 

this is mommy Abby and baby boy Jack (now 4 months). we live in chicago, il. there is one where you can see my nipple (oh my!) so not sure if you can use it but its my favorite, he stopped to give me the stink eye for talking while he was eating. he likes it quiet! thanks for taking the time to do this.
(You're welcome!! And I love the "stink eye")

 (Stink eye)

Billy with mom Caroline (Sweetness!! ~TM:I)

That is my baby boy, Jackson, at 12 weeks.Christie 
(Lovely and an awesome nursing necklace to boot~TM:I)

Thank you for being such a strong and informative voice on facebook. I love your blog as well :)
Kim and my beautiful 4 month old daughter Summer on a cold winters eve
Much love. (Thank you!! ~TM:I)

1st pic: Taken about an hour after my 2nd son was born.
2nd pic: About a month old. ~ Kimberlee   (Sweet little one)

This is a photo of my 3rd son. Still in the hospital. Maybe one day old. At this point in my life I'd been either pregnant or breastfeeding (or a combination of the two) for 5 years ;-)Molly (Love the hat!! ~TM:I)

Picture #1:  nursing my daughter immediately after my VBAC.  With my firstborn daughter, I ended up not even getting to hold her for hours, so nursing and holding my baby right away was such a wonderful moment.
Picture #2-#5: nursing her in the hospital
Picture #6: post-nursing cuddles and milk-coma! ~Kylie 
(Glad you got to hold after the VBAC! ~TM:I)

My two week old son happily enjoying moms milk. :)~Amy 
(He looks blissed out. ~TM:I)

My son Jack, he has Downs Syndrome and is still breastfed at 15 months! We were told not to expect him to breastfeed and after he was whisked away to a different hospital for 48 hours we were told again not to expect him to feed as we had missed the window of oppurtunity, this is him a few minutes after coming back to me feeding like a pro!x~Jenny (Absolutely wonderful!!! ~TM:I)

Gabriel, 3 months.
Oh, and I'm Kathryn Plasencia from facebook or ~kp~ 
from Mommyhood By the Handful.Have a happy day =)
(The hand on the boobah is awesome!!! ~TM:I)

  My 9 month old nursing as we are choosing bridesmaids' dresses for my wedding. ~Ashley 

(What a cool pic!!~TM:I)

 First i want to tell you how much i love your page and blog. It is so nice to feel connected with other mamas like me. This is Silas at one day old. This is the first nursing photo i took and you can see how he felt about it. Thanks for letting me share, i love the message you are sending with this. -celina

(Aww, look at that little hand. And thank you so much!!! ~TM:I)

This is Stephanie and her bundle of cuteness!!! 

(Yes, baby IS nursing here)

(Apparently, baby LOVES to hold a handful of 

breast while she eats too!! LOL ~TM:I)

(Don't even think about it!!)

(First feeding. Look at the vernix!!)

(Bright eyed)

Zachary nursing, 6 months, love that boy! ~Emily 

(Look at those eyes!!! ~TM:I)

  

It's hard to see he's nursing......right after our shower, 

nursin naked :) both of us.
Thank you for all that you do, I am so glad you're here for all of us, 

and in turn we can all be here for you! ~Hannele

(You're welcome!! And thank you!! ~TM:I)

(Awesome shot!)

                                                                                                                                                     

So you see...breastfeeding is what kids do. It's why you have breasts and why they make milk. They aren't there just for holding out your shirt. They actually have a job. Stop flipping out when you see a breast do its job. If you have breasts and a baby, try nursing and see if you like it. Don't just assume you won't or can't.