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The Official TTC Thread!

Kay

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Date: 3/7/2008 10:24:13 AM
Author: curlygirl
fisher, amnio can not be done until at least 15 weeks according to my doctor. I actually had mine at 19 weeks the last time because we did other tests first and one of them at 17 weeks left me feeling like I really wanted the amnio, even though I was pretty sure I was going to do it anyway since I was 35. This time, I already told my doctor I want to do it no matter what so we will be scheduling it for when I''m 15 weeks.
Curlygirl, is it 15 weeks past estimated ovulation/conception or 15 weeks from the beginning of your last period? I am seeing conflicting info online and have not met with my doctor yet.
 

blushingbride

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Hi Ladies - here''s a random question - has anyone concieved (or knows someone that has) a few days before ovulation? Some people say you can - even as early as 10 days from LPM (first day of your last menstrual period). I guess those little swimmers can stick around for days!
 

lili

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BB,
They say swimmers can last up to 72 hours.
So if you have a short cycle (ie. like 26 days with a 14 luteal phase), you can potentially get pregnant if you DTD on day 10 since O is on day 12.
 

janinegirly

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bb~well I know we bd'd O-4 and O, so if things "clicked" on O-4, then I guess I am an example of that. However, I have no way of finding out which set of swimmers were where they should be when I O'd. The way I interepreted it is you can't get pregnant before O, but the swimmers can survive for 3-4 days so if those are the ones waiting when the egg drops, then that's when it happens. But it is possible to BD days before O and get pg!

P.S. Of course I could've had my O off by a day or so (but seeing how I got a +OPK on O-1 with a negative on O, I think I was pretty accurate).
 

blushingbride

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Very interesting - thanks for the insight! So, the key is really to make sure you BD those days leading up to O and on O to better your chances. Thanks!
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curlygirl

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Date: 3/7/2008 2:07:50 PM
Author: Kay

Date: 3/7/2008 10:24:13 AM
Author: curlygirl
fisher, amnio can not be done until at least 15 weeks according to my doctor. I actually had mine at 19 weeks the last time because we did other tests first and one of them at 17 weeks left me feeling like I really wanted the amnio, even though I was pretty sure I was going to do it anyway since I was 35. This time, I already told my doctor I want to do it no matter what so we will be scheduling it for when I''m 15 weeks.
Curlygirl, is it 15 weeks past estimated ovulation/conception or 15 weeks from the beginning of your last period? I am seeing conflicting info online and have not met with my doctor yet.
I guess it depends on how your doctor calculated your due date--usually it''s from LMP.
 

curlygirl

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Date: 3/7/2008 2:32:28 PM
Author: blushingbride
Hi Ladies - here's a random question - has anyone concieved (or knows someone that has) a few days before ovulation? Some people say you can - even as early as 10 days from LPM (first day of your last menstrual period). I guess those little swimmers can stick around for days!
Well, I guess I'm proof that it can happen! We dtd ONCE on CD 10 of a 28 day cycle and assuming that I ovulated on CD 14 (I wasn't charting so I don't know for sure), it is possible for those swimmers to live for a while and catch that eggie!
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I agree that your odds are increased if you dtd in the days leading up to O, the day of and the day after just to cover all your bases. .
 

janinegirly

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curly~that is too funny b/c that''s similar to what happened with us (bd''d CD10, ovulate CD14)! I wonder if this means we''ll both have boys (or girls..you''re more of an expert on the shuttles method than me
emsmile.gif
)
 

sunkist

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Hi everyone! I have a baby name question that I've been wanting to ask for a while, and thought I just might as well post it here. Does anyone like the name Heath or Heathcliff? Originally I had really been liking Heath. My husband's name is Cliff and he keeps suggesting Heathcliff. Honestly I can't tell if he's joking or not
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But, oddly it's kinda starting to grow on me. Any comments? Don't be too harsh, I know it's a different name~!
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fisherofmengirly

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Date: 3/8/2008 3:39:46 PM
Author: sunkist
Hi everyone! I have a baby name question that I''ve been wanting to ask for a while, and thought I just might as well post it here. Does anyone like the name Heath or Heathcliff? Originally I had really been liking Heath. My husband''s name is Cliff and he keeps suggesting Heathcliff. Honestly I can''t tell if he''s joking or not
3.gif
But, oddly it''s kinda starting to grow on me. Any comments? Don''t be too harsh, I know it''s a different name~!
9.gif
I think it''s a good name, with good background. You do have to consider that your son might would be teased about being a fat orange cat who likes pasta, but what name comes without teasing?

Also, as he ages, he may choose to be Heath rather than his whole name.
 

fisherofmengirly

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Date: 3/7/2008 4:13:23 PM
Author: curlygirl

Date: 3/7/2008 2:07:50 PM
Author: Kay


Date: 3/7/2008 10:24:13 AM
Author: curlygirl
fisher, amnio can not be done until at least 15 weeks according to my doctor. I actually had mine at 19 weeks the last time because we did other tests first and one of them at 17 weeks left me feeling like I really wanted the amnio, even though I was pretty sure I was going to do it anyway since I was 35. This time, I already told my doctor I want to do it no matter what so we will be scheduling it for when I''m 15 weeks.
Curlygirl, is it 15 weeks past estimated ovulation/conception or 15 weeks from the beginning of your last period? I am seeing conflicting info online and have not met with my doctor yet.
I guess it depends on how your doctor calculated your due date--usually it''s from LMP.
Do most people have the amnio, or is primarily only if a Dr. sees what could be an issue? Or is it just up to the mother and father to decide?

I ask because I have a friend who recently had a baby and she ended up in a heated argument with the Dr. because she''d read about problems that can potentiall evolve from testing, and didn''t want to take the chance. The Dr. didn''t indicate any concern during the pregnancy, and she didn''t care if the baby had problems because that wouldn''t have had an effect on her keeping the baby or not.

So, I wonder if anyone else has had any issues where a Dr. just insists that you have the testing, even if you are not interested in it. And I also wonder how necessary it is for a "regular" pregnancy where concerns have not been made known...
 

Tacori E-ring

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Fisher, I did not have an amnio. Most women with normal pregnancies and under 35 do not. With an amnio there is a *slight* chance of m/c. You have to decide the benefits outweigh the risks. Also if you would terminate the pregnancy *if* something was to show up (which should be thought about even though it is hard to). Some people do, some people want to be prepared if they will have a special needs child. I did have AFP testing b/c it was done with blood but there are chances of false positives....basically like EVERYTHING you need to research things and decide what is *right* for you. There is no one size fits all pregnancy or parenting decisions....

ETA: My doctor left everything up to us. He did not pressure us to do any testing.
 

fisherofmengirly

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That was my main question, Tacori... trying to figure out if Dr.s are "hard core" about pressing for the testing.

My friend is 33, so I don''t think her age would have been a part of the determination the Dr. had to do the testing. Anyway, the baby is almost a year old now and she''s just fine as can be.
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Now this leads me to ask what an AFP is, but I''ll look it up. I''m really loving learning so much about this. I should have started a while back, but my recent "scare" or "thrill" however you look at it, has gotten my desire to know as much as possible about the baby making and growing process.
 

Tacori E-ring

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Basically it is a test that says if you are high risk but NOT what those risks are. If positive most people will get further testing (like an amnio). I go to an office that has a lot of doctors. I basically bounced around between 8 different docs (and that isn''t all of them!) b/c there is no way to know who is going to deliver you. Towards the end there was a new doc and we got along *really* well. I completely trusted all of them (I was pretty easy going about my whole pregnancy and L&D). I went to the new doc for all my weekly appointments since we clicked and since I went overdue I could get induced when we was going to be on call. So it worked out well for me. Not sure if you read my L&D story but there were complications. I had to go back to the doc''s at 2 weeks so they can make sure I was healing properly and he was so nice and said he was sorry for what had happened and felt badly (which was in NO way HIS fault!). That is the kind of guy he is. Really great bedside manner, gentle and kind. That is the kind of doctor I think everyone should have! I plan on making all my future appointments (OB and otherwise) with him. He even said he''d probably induce me early next time
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Hope he remembers b/c THAT''S not going to happen for a few years!!!
 

fisherofmengirly

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Well I''m glad to know that maybe the push for amnio testing isn''t as bad as I''d been lead to believe.

I hope to find a Dr. as good as yours. I know already that I''ll be needing one with a TON of knowledge and even more patience.
9.gif
 

Tacori E-ring

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Date: 3/9/2008 9:54:43 PM
Author: fisherofmengirly
Well I''m glad to know that maybe the push for amnio testing isn''t as bad as I''d been lead to believe.


I hope to find a Dr. as good as yours. I know already that I''ll be needing one with a TON of knowledge and even more patience.
9.gif

Do you have an OB you like now? Ask your friends who they use (except the pushy one!!!) My doc is very understanding and calming. He always encouraged me to call with any questions. Also he didn''t make me wait the standard 1-2 weeks to be induced (though I was 6 days so I guess it was close enough!) He had to make sure Tessa didn''t inhale the meconium (sp?) when she was born so he warned us he was going to do EVERYTHING in his power to prevent her from crying. He explained everything and made us feel very confident in him and the peds team waiting by my bedside. I did not get to hold her right away.
 

fisherofmengirly

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My Dr. I love is in NC, and since my move to GA, I''ve not found one I like here yet. A good friend of mine at work who''s just as overly inquisitive as I am and almost as goofy about getting all worked up over things has referred me to her Dr. I had an appointment but missed it for training at work, so I need to reschedule. I don''t want to be Dr. hopping with a pregnancy.

I did meet with a Dr. in late fall of last year (2007) here in GA, but that Dr. was a fruit loop and basically said i needed to lose about 40 pounds before I even consider having a child. That was ridiculous because I''m not forty pounds overweight (by any means) and since I was so heavy earlier in life, I have a lot of excess skin that accounts for part of the weight that I was being berated for. Plus, if I lost 40 pounds, I''d be underweight, and severely so. Moron. So, fooey on her! Anyway, she did tell me of a good brand of prenatal vitatmins to start on prior to going off the pill, so that was good. She also gave me a packet of information on how to prepare for pregnancy, which was brief and left me with tons of additional questions.

I think this next weekend I''m going to get that book, "What to expect when you''re expecting." Or does anyone have any additional suggestoins?
 

canadiangrrl

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Oh, please don''t read "What To Expect" -- you''ll never want to get pregnant! :)

One that immediately pops to mind as being immensely helpful (and fun) was The Girlfriends'' Guide To Pregnancy, which was written by Vicki Iovine.
 

canadiangrrl

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Fisher, I had CVS done when I was pregnant with my daughter - my choice was between CVS and an amnio. I had no problems whatsoever, it was a piece of cake. The key is finding a very good doctor with a low miscarriage rate.
 

AmberWaves

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Fisher, I know a lot of TTCers swear by the book "Taking Care of your Fertility", although being quite the worrier, I don''t think I could read it. Yes, ladies, I try to avoid knowledge rather than collect it. :) It''s really quite sad.

Despite my aversion, I really think you''d love it, Fisher! You seem to be all ready to learn about everything you can to make a baby, and I bet this book would help you learn everything you can about your reproductive system. As for me, I''m not really going to temp and all that until we''ve tried unsuccessfully for at least a year. I figure sometimes knowing too much is bad for me. Does that make sense?
 

Tacori E-ring

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Date: 3/10/2008 9:37:32 AM
Author: canadiangrrl
Oh, please don''t read ''What To Expect'' -- you''ll never want to get pregnant! :)

Oh, I don''t agree. I am in the minority but I liked it.
 

curlygirl

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Date: 3/7/2008 4:42:41 PM
Author: janinegirly
curly~that is too funny b/c that''s similar to what happened with us (bd''d CD10, ovulate CD14)! I wonder if this means we''ll both have boys (or girls..you''re more of an expert on the shuttles method than me
emsmile.gif
)
janine, that is pretty funny!! It will definitely be interesting if we both have boys or girls. Since this was totally unplanned for me, I didn''t do any of my gender swaying techniques which were pretty anti-Shettles. But if Shettles is to be believed, this would be the "right" way to get a girl. I would love another girl but a boy would be nice too. Healthy is the most important thing. I guess we''ll be finding out soon enough...
 

curlygirl

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fisher, regarding the amnio, it is totally your choice whether you want to do any kind of invasive, diagnostic testing or really any testing at all. My doctor gave me the option since I am of "advanced maternal age" but in general, I think most people choose not to do it. This time around, the AFP wasn't even offered to me because of the stressful false positives that it produces. That may only be true for women over a certain age but I'm glad to not put myself through that again and will go directly to the amnio! In my case, I'm a "need to know" person and since my doctor is an amnio expert, my chances of having a loss due to amnio are exponentially less than my chances of having a child with special needs. So it's kind of a no-brainer for me. Plus after having been through it once already, all my fears are put to rest because the procedure truly is a piece of cake and brings enormous peace of mind. Plus, it's a sure way of finding out the sex of the baby with no mistakes!!!
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Regarding books, I, like Tacori, had no problems with What to Expect When You're Expecting. I don't really know why people get scared or turned off by it. I guess because it presents pregnancy as a reality and lets you know that there can be issues and complications rather than painting a rosy picture where everything is perfect and nobody ever has any problems. I'd rather know more than less although many people would argue that ignorance is bliss! I also really like Your Pregnancy Week by Week. The Girlfriends' Guide is a cute distraction, not really a researcher's book but a more fun, conversational approach. I don't know much about Taking Charge of Your Fertility but many women swear by it. I just used Fertility Friend for my charting purposes and learned a great deal there. I also didn't buy any books until it was officially confirmed that I was pregnant. Sooo superstitious here!
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canadiangrrl

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Curlygirl, how do you know that most people decline CVS/amnio when it''s offered? My firsthand experience is just the opposite, particularly with women 35+ who receive questionable NT scans/multiple marker screenings.

I had CVS because I was 35, and both my husband and I are carriers for CF. For us, it was a no-brainer.

With regards to "What To Expect", the reason I didn''t like this book was because of the paranoia it seems to induce. It references endless worst case scenarios, when the vast majority of women have few or no major pregnancy or delivery related complications. I''m all about information - it truly is power - but it''s all in the way it''s presented, and I felt that this book pandered to fear. The diet plan is laughable and nearly impossible to follow, particularly if you have any kind of morning sickness or strong food aversions. Additionally, I found the tone of the book patronising and didactic. There''s more than one way to get from point A to point B - the authors believe that their way is not only the best way, but the only way. One of my sisters is an OB/GYN. She tells her patients NOT to read this book, and recommends William & Martha Sears. ''nuff said. :)
 

curlygirl

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canadiangrrl, I guess I meant most women under 35 which is why I specified that it was offered to me because of my age. I know all of my friends in the 35 and older age group opt for all the testing but in fisher''s case, she doesn''t fall into that category so I can''t imagine it would even be offered to her unless there was some specific reason for it. I''m not claiming to be an expert but I''ve spent a lot of time on TTC and pregnancy boards and I know that many girls under 35 do not entertain the thought of invasive testing at all unless there is real evidence to do so. Just sharing what I''ve learned, your mileage may vary.
 

janinegirly

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Am I wrong in also thinking that many women opt out of CVS/amnio testing if they get excellent results (miniscule odds) from their screening---even if they''re over 35? I mean I will move forward if I have questionable results or if they are considered good but too borderline for my liking, but if I get amazing #''s, I''m going to think twice. My impression was that CVS/amnio was a follow up to unclear screening results. Are we saying almost all women over 35 go for CVS/amnio based on age risk alone?
 

Sha

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Does ''advanced maternal age'' refer to anyone past the age of 35? Or older- like 40''s?
 

janinegirly

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35. I''m 35 1/2 and I don''t feel of advanced age. But alas, that''s how we''re termed...
emsmileo.gif
 

lili

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Date: 3/11/2008 10:05:29 AM
Author: janinegirly
Am I wrong in also thinking that many women opt out of CVS/amnio testing if they get excellent results (miniscule odds) from their screening---even if they''re over 35? I mean I will move forward if I have questionable results or if they are considered good but too borderline for my liking, but if I get amazing #''s, I''m going to think twice. My impression was that CVS/amnio was a follow up to unclear screening results. Are we saying almost all women over 35 go for CVS/amnio based on age risk alone?

True, some people will opt out of the CVS or amnio if they get favorable results from the NT or AFP screening even if they fall in the advanced maternal age group. The thinking is that if the screening is already good, why put yourself at risk of a miscarriage. Then there are people, like Curly and myself, who do not like the possible false positive results that the AFP can give and need to know for sure with a diagnostic test, so we''d opt to do the amnio regardless of the screening. I actually forego the AFP test since I know I wanted the amnio. No point in getting pricked more than I should.

Doctors will recommend the CVS or amnio if you fall in one of 2 groups (advanced maternal age of 35+ or if you are genetically dispositioned to some of the abnormalities). The reason age 35 is used is because the risk of miscarriage from the procedure is lower than the risk of having a baby with genetic defects.

I think anyone can opt for the procedure, but health insurance will only cover the procedure if the doctors recommend it.
 

TravelingGal

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Date: 3/11/2008 5:50:16 PM
Author: lili

Date: 3/11/2008 10:05:29 AM
Author: janinegirly
Am I wrong in also thinking that many women opt out of CVS/amnio testing if they get excellent results (miniscule odds) from their screening---even if they''re over 35? I mean I will move forward if I have questionable results or if they are considered good but too borderline for my liking, but if I get amazing #''s, I''m going to think twice. My impression was that CVS/amnio was a follow up to unclear screening results. Are we saying almost all women over 35 go for CVS/amnio based on age risk alone?

True, some people will opt out of the CVS or amnio if they get favorable results from the NT or AFP screening even if they fall in the advanced maternal age group. The thinking is that if the screening is already good, why put yourself at risk of a miscarriage. Then there are people, like Curly and myself, who do not like the possible false positive results that the AFP can give and need to know for sure with a diagnostic test, so we''d opt to do the amnio regardless of the screening. I actually forego the AFP test since I know I wanted the amnio. No point in getting pricked more than I should.

Doctors will recommend the CVS or amnio if you fall in one of 2 groups (advanced maternal age of 35+ or if you are genetically dispositioned to some of the abnormalities). The reason age 35 is used is because the risk of miscarriage from the procedure is lower than the risk of having a baby with genetic defects.

I think anyone can opt for the procedure, but health insurance will only cover the procedure if the doctors recommend it.
I was like curly and lili. I had odds of 1:10000...the very very best you could get. Yet, I still had the amnio. Why? Well, I just wanted the diagnostic test and felt confident that the baby and I would survive the amnio. Plus I had read the somewhere the experience of a woman who got a 1:8000 chance, but ended up having a baby with downs. Not a whole lot of rhyme or reason to my decision...just a gut feeling I went with.

Next time I would forgo the AFP. Just do the Nuchal Test and Amnio, I think.
 
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