new to this board

Hello everyone,
My husband and I have recently decided to TTC. I have no idea where to begin and was wondering if anyone could give me some guidance as how to get started. I visited my doctor and she told me everything was good to go. Any advice will be greatly appreciated!

Re: new to this board

Welcome to a wonderful group of ladies who not only support you, but, are always there for you and know pretty much everything there is to know about TTC.


***BABY DUST****

Re: new to this board

First and foremost, welcome and congrats on your decision! I wish you a ton of baby dust and hope your stay on this board will be short and sweet.
As for what you should do next. The first thing I would suggest is start taking a vitamin each day (one that has extra folic acid, you don't need an actual pre-natal, you can use OTC vitamins as well).
Steps after that really depend on how aggresive you want to be. If you want to do whatever happens, happens kind of thing than I think there is nothing else to do (well, besides the actual babydancing ) If you want to be a tad more aggresive you could start using OPKs (ovulation predictor kits) they will help you figure out when ovulation is about to come.
Last but not least, if you want to be really aggresive, I suggest you purchase the book (or take out from the library) Taking Charge of your Fertility by Toni Weschler. This book will teach you what signs to look for, what our body does, how to chart ect. It's a wonderful book and i learned a TON about my body from it.
Hope this info helps!

Re: new to this board- update and possible TMI

Ok- I have been a very busy girl today- I got prenatal vitamins that my doc prescribed and I went out and bought an ovulation kit. I was reading the directions and I am a bit confused. They said to figure out your cycle interval and then count a certain amount of days between 5 and 11 after you begin your period, before you begin testing. I got my period today 25 days after my last period. The period before that was 21 days after. Before then I was on seasonale and so I hadn't gotten a period in 3 months. When should I test- 5 days from now on Thursday (which is for a 21 day cycle) or 8 days from now which is Sunday. 21 days is the earliest I had EVER gotten my period- so I think I should wait for the 8th day. Does this make any sense? I would be very grateful for any help.

Re: new to this board

Since your cycles are on the shorter side, and the average LP is about 14 days. You should subtract 14 from your shortest cycle and start the opk on that day. For instance, your shortest cycle is 21-14=7. I would start testing cd 7. Cd7 is extremely early for O,...but I have O'd, as early as cd 10. The suggestion regarding buying the book 'taking charge of your fertility' is a terrific one. I would just purchase that book asap. It's so educational....hopefully, this ttc, journey will be short and sweet !!!

Were you on injections for birth control ???

Although you are just starting, I would highly recommend charting. It really helps speed up this process. Check out www.fertilityfriend.com

Re: new to this board

WELCOME!!!

Re: new to this board

Welcome! Hope your stay here is short!

Re: new to this board

Welcome and I hope your stay here is short

Re: new to this board

Welcome, hope your stay is short!!!

Re: new to this board

Thank you so much for all the advice- I just have a few more questions-
I signed up for the fertility friend website, and I imputed some data, but the site still doesn't give me projected fertile days. What kind of thermometer should I get- can the regular one we have in the house work or should I get a special one? How often should I be taking my temp? And is it only possible to get pg during ovulation or is that just the best time?
Sorry if these questions seem silly, it's just that there is a lot of lingo that I am not understanding.

Re: new to this board

I am glad you signed up with fertility friend. The site actually will give you predicted fertile days, once you have charted. You can't go by that though, it's just an 'idea'. The biggest mistake people make is that they use a 'calendar' to predict ovulation and when AF is due.


You need to buy a basal body thermometer....bbt. You can purchase a good one at eckerd's , it's lavendar and says "bd' on it. It's endorsed by Toni Weschler's Taking Charge of Your Fertility, which is the "bible for all women who are trying to conceive'. I suggest you get that book.

Ovulation, is the release of the egg from the follicule that grows in the ovary. You can only conceive, during ovulation. The egg has to be released and meet with sperm in order to fertilize. Sometimes sperm can live up to even 5 days, inside your tubes if you have the proper environment for it, and that's how some people conceive. However, the closer to O you bd, the greater your chances. The egg only lives 12-24 hours. Basically a woman is 'fertile' one day a cycle and a man, is fertile every day :) Another injustice :) lol

You should take your temp with a basal body thermometer, as soon as you 'wake up'. It's your waking temperature that matters for charting. Don't get out of bed to brush your teeth and use the bathroom, you have to temp first, for it to be an accurate reading. Make sure you 'temp' at the same time every day. So if you wake at 6 am during the week you should set your alarm for that time on the weekends as well.