The Official TTC Thread!

[lovelylulu]

Hello ladies!

Congratulations DD!!! and good luck to everyone that is trying.

My husband and I have been married since July ''07 and we''ve been thinking about starting a family for a while now. In fact, my husband is probably more ready than I am. almost

He lost his dad when he was just a small kid and i think, because of missing out on having a dad, he can''t wait for the chance to be one himself. so emotionally we''re there. but i just started a new job last august and he''s potentially changing jobs soon. basically all this rambling means that we are likely to TTC summer ''08. hopefully by then we''ll have our jobs settled and i''ll have been at mine long enough that i feel comfortable taking a maternity leave.

however, i''m worried about future day care. the last time i went to the dr. she told me that there was something like a 12-16 month waiting list for day care in my area (DC). If we start TTC this summer that means a spring baby ''09. and according to my dr''s timeline we need to start considering day care now? but how is that possible when pregnancy is so unpredictable? how does this work and does anyone have any advice?

and this thread is great! I''m learning a lot. heaps.

 

[blushingbride]

Date: 11/20/2007 8:10:51 AM
Author: *Lindsey*
Does anyone here have the ClearBlue Easy Fertility Monitor? I have heard nothing but good things and I looked up the reviews on drugstore.com and they were great! I have been using OPKs but they are sort of hard to read, and the CBEFM takes the guesswork out of it. The monitor is obviously a lot more expensive than OPKs but my work''s health spending account will pay for it.

Anyone use this?

I personally haven''t used the CBEFM, but I do know of several people who have and really liked the results it gives. Although, I haven''t started TTC yet, I will keep it in mind when the time comes.

 

[E B]

Date: 11/20/2007 1:36:04 PM
Author: blushingbride

Date: 11/20/2007 8:10:51 AM

Author: *Lindsey*

Does anyone here have the ClearBlue Easy Fertility Monitor? I have heard nothing but good things and I looked up the reviews on drugstore.com and they were great! I have been using OPKs but they are sort of hard to read, and the CBEFM takes the guesswork out of it. The monitor is obviously a lot more expensive than OPKs but my work''s health spending account will pay for it.


Anyone use this?

I personally haven''t used the CBEFM, but I do know of several people who have and really liked the results it gives. Although, I haven''t started TTC yet, I will keep it in mind when the time comes.

I''ve heard good things about it too. Amazon has it for $165, which isn''t too bad. I''m using OPKs too, but I''m not very happy with them, and am considering the CBEFM.

 

[ljmorgan]

Date: 11/20/2007 1:40:10 PM
Author: EBree

Date: 11/20/2007 1:36:04 PM
Author: blushingbride

Date: 11/20/2007 8:10:51 AM

Author: *Lindsey*

Does anyone here have the ClearBlue Easy Fertility Monitor? I have heard nothing but good things and I looked up the reviews on drugstore.com and they were great! I have been using OPKs but they are sort of hard to read, and the CBEFM takes the guesswork out of it. The monitor is obviously a lot more expensive than OPKs but my work's health spending account will pay for it.


Anyone use this?

I personally haven't used the CBEFM, but I do know of several people who have and really liked the results it gives. Although, I haven't started TTC yet, I will keep it in mind when the time comes.

I've heard good things about it too. Amazon has it for $165, which isn't too bad. I'm using OPKs too, but I'm not very happy with them, and am considering the CBEFM.

That is exactly my situation. On my OPKs my line was getting darker, but got nowhere near close to being as dark as the other line, so all of my OPKs were negative. I'm on CD 15. Then last night, there wasn't a second line at all, it had disappeared. So now I'm confused!

Plus my temperatures are just all over the place...

 

[E B]

Date: 11/20/2007 2:15:13 PM
Author: *Lindsey*

That is exactly my situation. On my OPKs my line was getting darker, but got nowhere near close to being as dark as the other line, so all of my OPKs were negative. I'm on CD 15. Then last night, there wasn't a second line at all, it had disappeared. So now I'm confused!

Plus my temperatures are just all over the place...

I hear you! My lines are never as dark as the control line. I took one yesterday at CD 12 and while it was a darker line than I've ever had before, it just wasn't as dark. I noticed a bit of EWCM this morning, so I'm not sure what to think. We're not trying this cycle anyway, but I wish I'd just get a clear answer either way.

 

[janinegirly]

i think if i was actively TTC, i''d just buy that CBFM and keep things easy. So far I''ve just been giving temping a try, and it''s kind of interesting, but very hard to interpret definitively. Not to mention trying to wake up the exact same time, not move too much, remember any sleep disturbances to note. and then see a rocky chart. frustrating! plus i start thinking certain things are symptoms, when they''re probably things i''ve expereinces forever but never noticed.
also i tried taking my temp a few times in a row out of curiousity (just random time in day) and my temp was never the same. makes me think the thermometer does what it wants!

 

[tiffanytwisted]

Date: 11/20/2007 8:10:51 AM
Author: *Lindsey*
Does anyone here have the ClearBlue Easy Fertility Monitor? I have heard nothing but good things and I looked up the reviews on drugstore.com and they were great! I have been using OPKs but they are sort of hard to read, and the CBEFM takes the guesswork out of it. The monitor is obviously a lot more expensive than OPKs but my work''s health spending account will pay for it.

Anyone use this?

We have been TTC since August. I started using the CBEFM in October. I think it''s much easier and probably more accurate than the other OPKs. I actually got mine off Ebay-it was new, in the box, never opened for around $80.
I have a few friends who have used this after trying for awhile and had success pretty quickly.

 

[fisherofmengirly]

Okay, I''ve thought and thought and I can''t seem to figure out what TTC could mean. Please help my tired little brain.

 

[snlee]

Date: 11/20/2007 10:28:14 PM
Author: fisherofmengirly
Okay, I've thought and thought and I can't seem to figure out what TTC could mean. Please help my tired little brain.

TTC - Trying to conceive. On page 4 of this thread there's a list of initials and what they mean.

 

[fisherofmengirly]

Oh, I hear you now. I knew it had to be something regarding the desire to become a mommy, but I couldn''t get the letters to match with any phrase that made sense, and I didn''t read through to page 4.

Thanks for clearing it up!

I''ll be joining this thread in the new year, then!

I simply CANNOT hardly wait!!!

 

[anchor31]

Date: 11/21/2007 10:02:51 PM
Author: fisherofmengirly
Oh, I hear you now. I knew it had to be something regarding the desire to become a mommy, but I couldn't get the letters to match with any phrase that made sense, and I didn't read through to page 4.

Thanks for clearing it up!

I'll be joining this thread in the new year, then!

I simply CANNOT hardly wait!!!

How exciting!

(I lurk... I won't be TTC for another 4-5 years...)

Also, I know I'm late, but congrats DivaDiamond!

 

[ljmorgan]

This thread has been a terrible influence. Just last month we said that we''d start trying in March or so... then by the time this thread appeared I had moved the date back to January. And now we are trying... now!

Haha. Although we say we are not "trying" yet although we''re not doing anything to prevent it... which is still sort of trying in my eyes. This is my first cycle off of BC and I don''t think I''ve O''d yet, so hopefully my cycle will straighten out and we can really start trying next month.

 

[Blenheim]

Congrats, Lyndsey! That''s really exciting.

I''m trying to decide whether to accept a job offer right now. Their benefits package doesn''t mention maternity leave, although they''re large enough to be covered by FMLA (and we''re waiting more than long enough to TTC that I''d be covered) and they provide short term and long term disability to all employees. Would maternity be covered by short term disability?

 

[DivaDiamond007]

Date: 11/22/2007 7:38:28 PM
Author: anchor31

Date: 11/21/2007 10:02:51 PM
Author: fisherofmengirly
Oh, I hear you now. I knew it had to be something regarding the desire to become a mommy, but I couldn''t get the letters to match with any phrase that made sense, and I didn''t read through to page 4.

Thanks for clearing it up!

I''ll be joining this thread in the new year, then!

I simply CANNOT hardly wait!!!

How exciting!

(I lurk... I won''t be TTC for another 4-5 years...)

Also, I know I''m late, but congrats DivaDiamond!

Thank you Anchor! I''ll be 9 weeks on Sunday and my first OB appointment is on December 7. I am so excited! Thanks again!

~Jess~

 

[fisherofmengirly]

Blen, I just added short term disability to my coverage, beginning January. It covers beyond the average amount of time a person can take Family Leave. I figure that way, we''ll have time to figure out if the baby will go to daycare, be watched by Paul''s mother, or if I''ll stop working for a few years and take care of the little one.

 

[blushingbride]

Hi TTC''ers! I was just checking in to see how everyone was doing. I''m still waiting for my second AF to come to see how regular I am becoming now that I''m off BC. I should be getting it end of this week or next. My poor DH wants to start trying NOW, but I''m just not ready yet. It''s only been 3 months since we''ve been married and I would like to wait until end of spring or early summer to start.

I do have a question for you all. I have 1 year old yorkie named Harry who is our pride and joy and who we love as if he was our own child. Over the past few months, my DH and I have noticed that whenever there is a baby crying on TV, he barks uncontrollably.

This morning as I was leaving for work, there was segment on GMA with kids laughing and crying and he again went nuts. I''m soooooo nervous that this will be a HUGE problem for us. I''ve heard that some people have played recording of babies crying in order to prepare their dogs for the new little one, but I was wondering if anyone else out there has had the same problem.

One thing we are thinking of doing is rewarding him everytime a baby cries so he associates it as a good thing. Any other ideas or suggestions you all may have is appreciated!

 

[janinegirly]

hi blushing, i can't help with the yorkie question (sorry), but wanted to say hi.

i agree that timing is tough when it's so close to the wedding (i'm in the same boat), but in my case i'm a few yrs older so don't have the luxury of time as much.

just curious, when you say 2nd AF, do you mean 2nd natural one off of BCP? seems that you must be pretty regulary already if 1st one was on schedule. (which must be good!). Are you charting/temping? How's that going? I tried it just to see...I think I'm starting to get the hang of it, but if there's a wrong temp for whatever reason, it can throw things off..

waiting till spring/summer to TTC sounds like a good plan--that way you can enjoy being newlyweds for abit!

 

[AmberGretchen]

Hey blushing - there are a LOT of things you can do to help your dog get ready for the new arrival when you guys start officially TTC. Please don''t get discouraged by the dog''s barking at the baby noises - he just hasn''t really heard them before and so doesn''t know what they are.

For now, the very first thing I''d start doing is have some treats ready at hand. Whenever a baby noise comes on (this is where the recording is helpful), feed the dog some treats and talk to him in a happy, excited voice. Try practicing obedience during this time as well. This creates a positive association for the dog with the baby noises, and also helps him focus back on you rather than on barking at the noises.

This Link has an EXCELLENT .pdf you can download for free on preparing your dog for the arrival of a baby. Its very clear and takes you step-by-step through what to do at all the different stages of pregnancy and early babyhood. I think it would be great reading for you and anyone else on this thread who has a dog. Dogs can be so wonderful for kids - they reduce the chances of allergies and asthma, and teach kids responsibility and respect for animals, and so I would highly encourage all of you TTC ladies to check out what you can do to ensure a smooth transition for everyone. I hope that this is a helpful link and let me know if you want more info.

 

[blushingbride]

Date: 11/27/2007 10:54:47 AM
Author: janinegirly
hi blushing, i can''t help with the yorkie question (sorry), but wanted to say hi.

i agree that timing is tough when it''s so close to the wedding (i''m in the same boat), but in my case i''m a few yrs older so don''t have the luxury of time as much.

just curious, when you say 2nd AF, do you mean 2nd natural one off of BCP? seems that you must be pretty regulary already if 1st one was on schedule. (which must be good!). Are you charting/temping? How''s that going? I tried it just to see...I think I''m starting to get the hang of it, but if there''s a wrong temp for whatever reason, it can throw things off..

waiting till spring/summer to TTC sounds like a good plan--that way you can enjoy being newlyweds for abit!

Hi Janinegirly!

Well, that''s the other thing - I''m 30 so, I feel like the clock is ticking - my DH is 33 so, maybe that''s why he''s a little more ready than I am.

Yes, I meant my 2nd natural one off BC. My first one was a week late so hopefully this one will come on time. I haven''t been taking my temp yet (although I have the thermometer and charts ready to go). I wanted to get regular first before I started that. However, I have been checking for EWCM and have not seen it yet.

Last month, I had it, but this month notta - unless I missed it.

How are things with you??

 

[blushingbride]

Date: 11/27/2007 1:10:25 PM
Author: AmberGretchen
Hey blushing - there are a LOT of things you can do to help your dog get ready for the new arrival when you guys start officially TTC. Please don''t get discouraged by the dog''s barking at the baby noises - he just hasn''t really heard them before and so doesn''t know what they are.

For now, the very first thing I''d start doing is have some treats ready at hand. Whenever a baby noise comes on (this is where the recording is helpful), feed the dog some treats and talk to him in a happy, excited voice. Try practicing obedience during this time as well. This creates a positive association for the dog with the baby noises, and also helps him focus back on you rather than on barking at the noises.

This Link has an EXCELLENT .pdf you can download for free on preparing your dog for the arrival of a baby. Its very clear and takes you step-by-step through what to do at all the different stages of pregnancy and early babyhood. I think it would be great reading for you and anyone else on this thread who has a dog. Dogs can be so wonderful for kids - they reduce the chances of allergies and asthma, and teach kids responsibility and respect for animals, and so I would highly encourage all of you TTC ladies to check out what you can do to ensure a smooth transition for everyone. I hope that this is a helpful link and let me know if you want more info.

Thanks a mil AG! I was so alarmed by his reaction to babies crying that I honestly didn''t know what I was going to do. I will start off with giving him treats and go from there. That link you sent me will definitely come in handy!

 

[jcrow]

Date: 11/23/2007 12:45:29 PM
Author: Blenheim
Congrats, Lyndsey! That''s really exciting.

I''m trying to decide whether to accept a job offer right now. Their benefits package doesn''t mention maternity leave, although they''re large enough to be covered by FMLA (and we''re waiting more than long enough to TTC that I''d be covered) and they provide short term and long term disability to all employees. Would maternity be covered by short term disability?

it might be. mine is, but i can''t be preggo before appling. it doesn''t start preggo coverage until 10 months. so that means if i was trying, i''d have to wait at least one month after appling before ttc.

 

[Blenheim]

Thanks, Fishie and Jcrow. Our tentative plan is for me to start working (which won''t be immediately -- I need to graduate first), wait 7 or 8 months, see how my back is doing and how we''re feeling emotionally, and then maybe start trying. I''m reluctant to ask questions about maternity coverage, since we''re not immediately TTC and I don''t want them to think that I''m going to leave for a couple of months really shortly after starting. What would you do in this situation? Their short term disability seems really generous to me (7 weeks at 100%, 6 weeks at 80%), so it would be great if it were covered by that. They also seem really family-friendly (and one of my interviewers was 6 months pregnant, so I was able to watch how they were acting towards her), which is a positive sign.

And yes, I know that I joined this thread rather early.

I''d like to start trying now, but it''s clearly not a good time career-wise plus my back couldn''t take pregnancy right now. I''m living vicariously through the rest of you.

 

[gailrmv]

I asked this on the pregnancy thread but I'm interested to hear people's thoughts who are TTC also.
Just wondering - do you feel ready for pregnancy + baby, or do you already feel ready for the whole thing - raising a kid to adulthood?

I know i'm not ready quite yet, but I could really picture myself pregnant and caring for a baby. I have trouble picturing the whole future... toddlers scare me a little! Teenagers scare me a lot!

 

[E B]

Date: 11/27/2007 5:37:30 PM
Author: TanDogMom
I asked this on the pregnancy thread but I'm interested to hear people's thoughts who are TTC also.

Just wondering - do you feel ready for pregnancy + baby, or do you already feel ready for the whole thing - raising a kid to adulthood?

I know i'm not ready quite yet, but I could really picture myself pregnant and caring for a baby. I have trouble picturing the whole future... toddlers scare me a little! Teenagers scare me a lot!

Hi TDM!

To be honest, I'm much less scared of the child/young adult/teenager stages. As long as they're able to communicate using words or signs, I'm not worried. We'll be fine. It's the infant stage I'm the most nervous about! No sleep, having to guess what the baby needs constantly, not knowing what to do to make them happy. And the pregnancy part worries me a little too, because my husband is so tall and will no doubt pass his size along to our child. I was 9 lbs at birth and he was 10 lbs 6 oz, so I'm trying not to think about how big our babies will be.

 

[snlee]

Date: 11/27/2007 5:37:30 PM
Author: TanDogMom
I asked this on the pregnancy thread but I''m interested to hear people''s thoughts who are TTC also.

Just wondering - do you feel ready for pregnancy + baby, or do you already feel ready for the whole thing - raising a kid to adulthood?

Most of the time I feel ready to be pregnant and have a baby. But it''s still scary. I''m dreading the sleepless nights. I know it''s a huge responsibility. I know it will be challenging but I also know it will be rewarding. Thinking about teenagers scare me a lot! To be honest, I''m not looking forward to those years! But I''m sure with each age there are negatives and positives. I feel like you''ll learn along the way and make yourself become ready as your child grows older.

 

[blushingbride]

Date: 11/27/2007 5:37:30 PM
Author: TanDogMom
I asked this on the pregnancy thread but I''m interested to hear people''s thoughts who are TTC also.
Just wondering - do you feel ready for pregnancy + baby, or do you already feel ready for the whole thing - raising a kid to adulthood?

I know i''m not ready quite yet, but I could really picture myself pregnant and caring for a baby. I have trouble picturing the whole future... toddlers scare me a little! Teenagers scare me a lot!

I can picture myself pregant and caring for a baby too - my best friend just had a baby boy little over a month ago and I''ve been keeping up with her "journey" ever since she announced her pregancy so, I feel like I''ve learned a lot.

I know I''ve said this before, but I just think it''s too soon for me to get pregnant since I just got married at the end of August. I realize people get pregnant on their honeymoons or much sooner and that''s great for them, but for me personally I want to wait at least until spring/summer...probably more towards summer at this point.

Teenages also scare me!

I mean, there are just so many things that can get them into major trouble - it''s really overwhelming. I agree with snlee that are positives and negatives with any age so, I guess we all just deal with things when the time comes. Hopefully, DH and I can be wonderful parents who can set examples for our children and help them to learn all of life''s lessons!

 

[ephemery1]

Date: 11/27/2007 5:45:47 PM
Author: EBree

Date: 11/27/2007 5:37:30 PM
Author: TanDogMom
I asked this on the pregnancy thread but I''m interested to hear people''s thoughts who are TTC also.

Just wondering - do you feel ready for pregnancy + baby, or do you already feel ready for the whole thing - raising a kid to adulthood?

I know i''m not ready quite yet, but I could really picture myself pregnant and caring for a baby. I have trouble picturing the whole future... toddlers scare me a little! Teenagers scare me a lot!

Hi TDM!

To be honest, I''m much less scared of the child/young adult/teenager stages. As long as they''re able to communicate using words or signs, I''m not worried. We''ll be fine. It''s the infant stage I''m the most nervous about! No sleep, having to guess what the baby needs constantly, not knowing what to do to make them happy. And the pregnancy part worries me a little too, because my husband is so tall and will no doubt pass his size along to our child. I was 9 lbs at birth and he was 10 lbs 6 oz, so I''m trying not to think about how big our babies will be.

EBree, I''m with you! I''ve worked with/cared for kids of all ages, and I have to say that the older years have always felt most natural to me... even when they''re crazy teens! But I do NOT do well with no sleep (and devoting myself 24/7 to another human being!), so I worry a bit about staying sane during that first year or two!

And as for big babies... I''m with you on that too... I was 9lb 13oz! My husband was a small baby, but so was my dad... and my mom ended up having me followed by my 10lb 3oz brother, then my 8lb 15oz brother (all without drugs.. ugh!

).... so if genetics are involved, I''m afraid they might be mostly on the mom''s side...

And an update on the TTC front.... we hadn''t planned to actively "try" this month, but without charting (just tracking CM) I''m pretty sure I''m close to O''ing... and DH has decided he wants to give it a shot!! Not much BD''ing due to all the traveling/holidays, but maybe we''ll go from here and see what happens.......

 

[snlee]

blushingbride, I totally understand about wanting to wait to get pregnant. My husband and I knew we wanted to have a baby soon and had baby fever but we also wanted to spend alone time as husband and wife and do a lot of traveling. We decided to wait a little over a year before trying. We got married in August 2006 and the wait was long but we did get to do lots of traveling and spend lots of time together. And now here we are TTC. Hopefully it''ll happen soon! I hope your husband agrees to wait until the summer.

ephemery, that''s exciting! Lots of baby dust to you!

 

[janinegirly]

things have been a bit quiet on this thread--how is everyone?

i have some basic questions some of you charting experts might be able to help with:

1) CM: how do you check for this? first thing in the morning by observing TP? (hopefully using initials makes it not seem like quite TMI, haha). Or can it be observed throughout the day?

2) temps: i know everyone is different, but what does the most standard chart look like for a cycle? low temps in first half of cycle, temp spike and staying high until AF arrives? (that''s how i understand it so far). Also, should my temp drop a bit before spiking, or does it stay constant before O and then spike out of the blue when O''s passed? I''m just tyring to understand what the "norm" is so I have something to base my observations off of. Right now it''s kind of hard and a lot of the signs for charting could go either way.

thanks all..

 

[drk]

Janinegirly,
Not sure if anyone has mentioned this to you yet, but the book Taking Control of your Fertility by Toni Wechsler (?sp) and www.fertilityfriend.com are invaluable. I love charting on fertilityfriend (for free), and they have a charting self-teach series you can somehow sign up for to get one segment a day by email. It was pretty helpful too. www.babycenter.com has a Temperature Charting Patterns board where there are lots of helpful women who can help interpret your chart when you have one going.
I also found this to be really helpful: http://www.justisse.ca/ebook/ebook.html It''s basically the Creighton Method that primarily relies on CM. Good instructions on how to do it (they suggest checking only externally), and it seems pretty reliable to me. My RE gets her patients to learn how to chart the Creighton method way in order to standardize things a bit.
Hope the links help! Now if only my knowledge would finally end in a BFP, life would be great...
Kate