My trying to get pregnant arsenal

The hubby and I have had a chance to regroup recently and have decided to really have a go at TTC. I've been treating it rather half-heartedly and need to COMMIT.

So we're getting back in the game. I thought I'd share with you 

my trying to get pregnant arsenal. 

This is my TTC Bible. I stopped taking the Pill in 2003 after about a year. The story is, I started on the Pill when Drew and I were a few months away from our wedding. Then a Catholic gentleman I worked with gave me a brochure about the effects of the Pill and it was eye-opening. The idea of a pill making my body inhospitable to a fertilized egg was not in line with my beliefs and values so I was considering not taking it anymore when my backpack was stolen out of my car--with my pills in it. "Message received, God."

I then decided to teach myself the Fertility Awareness Method, ordered this book, and started right away with charting. I still pick it up on occasion when I have a fertility-related concern.

This is the 2015 anniversary edition of Taking Charge of Your Fertility on Amazon.

There are FREE printable fertility charts from TCOYF, too, so they're ready to go. I've used them dozens of times over the years and they'll tell me a LOT about what's going on with my body. They look like this.

Print yours by clicking here.

I also ordered a new basal thermometer so I can chart my temperature (along with cervical fluid and other fertility signs). Using this method, we got pregnant with Andrew after about four official tries then got pregnant twice in a row after that ON THE FIRST TRY.

I'm 38 now and we've "tried" over 20 times now to now avail so it's time to big out the big guns again. Here's the one I ordered on Amazon. Basal thermometer.

For me, the most important features are that it takes your temperature quickly and recalls your last temperature. So I can take my temperature at 7:00am every morning, even if I don't write it down until later in the day (when I'm not half asleep and it's not dark).

I also ordered these ovulation detection strips from Amazon.

My cycles have been between 27 and 31 days lately so that means I need to test from about day 13 to 18 to tell if I'm experiencing a surge.

Naturally, when you're TTC, you're going to wonder if you're pregnant...so I went ahead and bought a big ol' pack of pregnancy test strips, too. Pregnancy test strips from Amazon.

When I talked to my ob/gyn about taking prenatal vitamins (they often upset my stomach), she suggested forgoing the usual and instead just taking a folic acid supplement. There's not much to them so I just got these Folic acid tablets.

{If you've heard anything recently for or against folic acid, please let me know!}

I'm also determined to keep stress levels low, cut back on sugar again and just take better care of myself in general. After the holidays, I never quite returned 100% to my healthy eating habits (I'm looking at you, Lay's potato chips).

We're feeling ready!

Of course I'll keep you updated on our TTC progress. Hopefully charting officially will increase our odds because I'm not getting any younger!


 

Tab's Tips For Taking Pregnancy Tests

I say tipS (plural) because, seriously, who can take just ONE test!?!?

These are mine from September 2, 2008, approximately 14 days past ovulation. I dipped one in the cup and it popped up before I even set it down. Not trusting my eyes, I dipped the other one immediately afterward. I was amazed!!

When I was learning the Fertility Awareness Method, I remember reading that it is almost impossible for a woman to go beyond 18 days past ovulation without being pregnant. For charters, being past day 18 post-ov without a period is an almost sure sign of pregnancy. "Well, I'll just wait the 18 days and test after that, then," I remember thinking.

Riiiiiiight. That never happened.

With all three of my pregnancies, I started taking $1 tests as early as 10 days past when I thought I ovulated. I would have negatives or even light positives on days 11 and 12, but I didn't get a STRONG, dark, CONCLUSIVE positive result until fully 13-14 days post-ov.

I was never an obsessed test-taker, but I did try the dollar tests just for fun in the days leading up to day 13-14, knowing I'd have to splurge on a 'real test' for the official result.

So! Here are my Tab's Tips for Taking Pregnancy Tests:

1. Wait to take a test until your period is truly LATE.

Implantation needs to occur before hCG is produced, and that generally happens between 6-12 days post ovulation, usually by 10 days after. I recommend not testing before at LEAST 10 days post-ov, and closer to 13-14+ days if you can bear to wait that long.

During the 'waiting to test' phase is when knowing the typical length of your luteal phase (the time between ovulation and your period) is extremely valuable. Knowing what's normal for you means that you can test confidently within a day or two of when you would usually expect your period.

With my first pregnancy, I knew my luteal phase rarely went past 12-14 days AND I usually had spotting on days 11-14 or so. When I got to day 13 post-ov with NO spotting, I figured something was up. Sure enough, the test on day 13 was very faint but on day 14 it was VERY positive.

CAUTION!! Many factors can lead to a longer-than-usual cycle including delayed ovulation due to stress of sickness. So unless you KNOW when you ovulated, just thinking you're 'a little late' doesn't necessarily mean you're pregnant.

COOL TOOL!!! Wondering when to test based on your specific cycle?? Try this on CountDownToPregnancy.com. Gives you a run-down of when various pregnancy tests will pick up the hormone levels. Very cool! According to my dates, I'd be a fool to test before at least Nov. 4 and I'm advised to wait until Nov. 7th and beyond. My plan is to hold out until Thursday the 8th because I have a big teaching gig the next day AND my grandmother arrives into town so I will HAVE to know!

2. Test with your first morning AND midstream urine if possible. You should use midstream urine--meaning you should pee a little first and then either hold the test stick in your urine stream or use a collection cup. And I recommend.....

3. Pee in a cup, THEN dip the stick IN (rather than trying to pee ON the stick). You will be nervous and your hands might be shaky, so don't attempt to pee ON the stick!

Follow the package instructions, of course, but for MOST tests, you can pee in a paper cup then dip the absorbent tip into the cup for the specified amount of time and lay the test down to get your result.

4. Keep the test pointing downward and then lay it flat afterward. I remember with my third pregnancy, I dipped it in the cup then watched it move across the control and BAM! The second line emerged, before I could even set it down! That was awesome.

5. Know your tests. Some tests are more sensitive than others. If you're testing early, you want a test that detects the LOWEST amount of the pregnancy hormone. There are many tests on the market that can pick up 25mlU. Some even pick up levels as low as 10mlU or 15mlU.

Check out this list from FertilityPlus.com for a list of the most sensitive tests then take it to the store and see which ones are on sale. 

Wondering about the hCG levels? A rounded-off average would be about 25 mIU at 10 dpo, 50 at 12 dpo, 100 at 14 dpo. You can see why I got FAST, clear positives on day 14!

I'd wait to get the digital "I'm pregnant" test until you're pretty sure you are OR if you are just DYING to know for sure early on. It is a fun picture for the scrapbook (or to use as a prop to announce your pregnancy), but cheaper tests can still give you a conclusive positive (or two or three or six) before you have to splurge on the expensive digital version.

Happy testing!

Do you have tests you love or hate? Do share!

 

What To Not Not Do To Not Not Get Pregnant

a.k.a. "What To Do To Get Pregnant"

As a teacher years ago, my class rules were written positively, like, "Keep hands, feet and objects to yourself" and "Use inside voices at all times" instead of "Don't touch or hurt your classmates" or "Do not yell inside."

In the e-mails I write as reminders for networking meetings, I say, "Thank you for RSVPing on Meetup" instead of the negative "Don't forget to RSVP on Meetup."

See the difference?

Wording things positively and telling people what TO DO makes them feel better and also makes them more likely to do what you want them to do. No one wants to be told what NOT to do! {Don't think about a pink elephant!}

As with kids, when you say, "Don't touch that!" they hear "Do the reverse of 'touch that.'" Not easy for a young brain to do! Or ANY brain for that matter!

So when I saw this online today, I rolled my eyes. As a writer and a fertility nut, it's aggravating. It's an article called What Not To Do If You Want to Get Pregnant.

I get it. Everyone talks about what TO do to get pregnant, but doesn't necessarily talk about the things people do WRONG in trying to get pregnant, or the little-known 'what to avoid' types of tactics.

But as I read through the list, I had to really take time to say, "OK, is this a list of what people do wrong that I should avoid or what I SHOULD do that people don't know they should do??" Um....no thank you.

My writing business is called Let Me Rephrase That because I love to do editing, re-writes and paraphrases of writing pieces.

So Let Me Rephrase That article for you. Here's what TO DO to get pregnant:

1. Have sex throughout the month and not just on your most fertile days. Why? Healthier sperm and reduced stress for your partner.

2. Have fun with the sex part. Why? Pleasurable, passionate sex may boost the odds of conception.

3. Use sperm-friendly lubricants (NOT KY Jelly or Astroglide). Using sperm-killing lubricants falls under the 'shooting yourself in the foot' category.

4. Avoid douching and the use of scented feminine hygiene products. Let your natural ph balance do what it is meant to do.

5. Seek fertility help sooner rather than later. To quote the article, "If you've been trying for six months and you're over 35 -- or you've been trying for a year and you're under 35 years of age -- then you should see your doctor." I would add to that...keep an accurate Fertility Awareness chart to take to your doctor if the need arises.

And here's a revisit of MY original list: Tab's Top Ten Tips for How To Get Pregnant. Just DO the things on that list! Isn't that better??

What are YOUR 'how to get pregnant' tips? Or questions?

 

I'm a Fertility Nut {and giveaway}

I'm getting used to the "Fertility Nut" title. It's a little strange, being "known" for something. I've recently come to a point where there's no turning back. And now, I don't want to. I want to embrace it.

Friends often introduce me by saying, "This is my friend, Tabitha. She's a fertility nut." Women typically respond in one of two ways: they stare blankly, nod their heads politely and try to change the subject...OR, they blush a little, edge over to within whispering distance and begin a question with, "OK, I just have to ask you..."

Hardly a week goes by that I don't receive an e-mail, Facebook message or text that starts with, "Sorry if this is TMI, but..."

I get so excited when messages start out that way. Really.

I can be innocently eating cake at a family birthday party, pushing my son on a swing at the park or rolling the dice at Bunco and I find myself learning details about a woman's sex life, menstrual cycle or cervical fluid, answering questions about birth control, breastfeeding or ovulation and hearing stories about someone who is pregnant, had a miscarriage or just had a baby.

And I enjoy hearing stories and fielding questions.



"Should we be having sex every day I'm fertile or every-other-day?"

"How long did you nurse your boys?"

"What was your first postpartum period like?"

"What're you supposed to do about a clogged milk duct?"

"How far along were you when you miscarried?"

"How long do sperm survive?"

"Did you ever use an ovulation predictor kit?"

"How long does it take to get back to normal after I stop taking the Pill?"

You get the idea. There is no such thing as TMI anymore. I'm like a doctor: I've heard it all.

And I LOVE IT.



Every new question or situation is a challenge and gets my heart pounding. It's a thrill to teach women about their bodies, read up on the latest fertility research, give out How To Get Pregnant tips, share my miscarriage or pregnancy story, decode fertility charts and advise people on breastfeeding issues.

It's just as much fun as crafting (which is what I USE to be known for)...except it's better, because it really truly helps people and has the potential to change lives forever.



When someone approaches me with, "We're going to start trying to get pregnant and I wanted to ask you..." I actually get chills.

I told ya, it's nutty.

This IS my passion and I want to grow into the Fertility Nut title. It's a bit surreal, being branded and being the "go-to" ANYthing. It's a lot of pressure! And it's personal--for them AND for me.



As a niche, or a "thing" in life, it's kind of...weird. Fertility involves bodily functions, intimacy between couples, birth, hormones and all sorts of private information. There are still people who think these matters should be kept hush-hush.

But I have walked side by side with several women courageously trying to get pregnant after a miscarriage. I have had the priviledge of being asked to pray for a baby even before it was conceived. I have witnessed births. I have heard the stories of abortion, sexual abuse and struggles with PCOS and the way God has used those situations to bring about redemption.

This stuff matters. It needs to be talked about and addressed. Women need the support, encouragement and camaraderie that comes from sharing our stories and our experiences.



Women need ME and what I have to offer. God has allowed me to walk this journey and it is time for me to honor that by taking God Knits to the next level. That is all at once humbling, thrilling and terrifying.

This is important. This is who I am. This is part of the Pleasant Place God has placed me in (Psalm 16:6).

I'm Tabitha and I'm a Fertility Nut.

How may I help you?

......................

{Read my Becoming a Fertility Nut story HERE}.

If you want to maximize your fertility or need one-on-one fertility coaching, e-mail me at tabandrew(at)hotmail.com for more information.

GIVEAWAY!!!! I will give away one copy of my favorite fertility-related book, "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" by Toni Weschler {on Amazon}.




TO ENTER, simply leave a comment to this post answering the question "Which area of fertility interests you most: pregnancy, the Fertility Awareness Method, birth control, breastfeeding, miscarriage, nutrition...{or one I didn't name}?"