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Thinking of TTC in a few months (1st time)

  • 20-08-2015 05:14PM
    #1
    mollybird
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,053 ✭✭✭


    Hi ladies,
    husband and I have only come round to thinking of having a baby while on hols last week. (we were both hit and miss for the last year or two and before that hadn't thought about it at all)

    We are hoping to possibly try in the winter as we are still getting our heads around the idea that we are going to do it. it has always been something we have taken very seriously and never been together without protection of some sort.

    Anyhow im off the pill 6 months now and going to start taking folic acid in the next few days.

    After that i really have no idea what i can do. i was reading some posts on here that women are getting healthy, eating right, getting obvulation sticks etc etc.

    Everyone thinks that we are not having kids so won't have anyone pressursing us about how things are going ( but do plan on telling my very best mate who has 3 of her own)

    Anyhow im half way through my 30's and hubbie same age, am petite with fairly reg eating habits.

    oh one other thing i should mention that def could do with some advice on is that i have a pretty big medical phobia ( can freak out pretty bad when getting procedures done) any advice on what i could do in the future if i do ever concieve. hubby very nervous on how i would handle an epidural and me being in a hospital enviromet i find very tough also.

    TIA.


Comments

  • #2
    Hazelnut Button
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 351 ✭✭Hazelnut Button


    mollybird wrote: »

    Anyhow im off the pill 6 months now and going to start taking folic acid in the next few days.

    After that i really have no idea what i can do. i was reading some posts on here that women are getting healthy, eating right, getting obvulation sticks etc etc.


    TIA.

    Definitely start the folic acid. They recommend taking it 14 weeks before pregnancy if possible. Otherwise I would say stop using protection, have fun and see what happens. I wouldn't use ovulation sticks yet as it takes the fun out of it and I find you can be upset if you don't get pregnant straight away and become more obsessive. See how u go for a few months and then if no luck use the ovulation sticks.

    Bear in mind, there's only a 20% chance if getting pregnant in any given month. That statistic astounded me. It may take a while so I think being aware of that helps you stay calm. I know I kind of expected it to happen instantly but unfortunately not.


  • #3
    Lucuma
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,356 ✭✭✭Lucuma


    A good thing to learn about is your cervical mucus. During your fertile time of the month the cervical mucus (discharge) changes and becomes wet, slippery and if you pull it between thumb and forefinger it makes strings. It looks like egg white so hence the name ewcm or egg white cervical mucus. If you don't want to start using opks (ovulation sticks) straight away then you could try having sex more often around the time you get the fertile mucus. You can start checking out your mucus ever day i.e. knicker watch! (which is also used to describe waiting for your period to arrive)

    I wouldn't worry about your fear of medical procedures at all, you don't have to get an epidural I didnt' get one. I used a Tens machine you hang it around your neck and fix the pads on your back (2 where your bra ties and 2 at the top of your knicker line) they send a little electric shock (not painful more like a buzzing sensation) which intereferes with the pain signals on the way to your brain so it lessens the pain. As labour progresses and contractions become more intense, you ramp up the frequency on it. As long as you put it on early i.e. as soon as contractions begin, it is very effective. I was in labour for 28 hours and I used the tens from the minute I realised they were contractions (thought they were food poisoning for the first hour haha) right up til she popped out and it was brilliant. It was hands down the reason I didn't need an epidural.

    I also used a birthing ball, I had been bouncing on it for 1 hour a night anyway for the last few weeks as it's great for getting baby's head to engage (if baby's head is engaged it increases your chances of a successful natural birth) and I brought it with me into the labour ward (they have them in there but only small ones, I'm tall so I wanted my own big one!) and I bounced away on it throughout labour. You can also kneel on the floor with your arms up on the ball. You can squat holding onto the bed or you can stand leaning onto the bed or sink (I did that alot) all of these positions are very good for opening up the cervix, getting gravity to help you get that baby down. All these things help prevent complications and the need for medical interventions - positions, using the ball, Tens, birthing pool, gas and air and your attitude most of all!
    If you want to avoid a medical intervention birth as much as you possibly can, I'd recommend you do a hypnobirthing course. I didn't do one but my sister gave me the CDs and I used to listen to them on the Ipod speaker at night. They encourage you to see birth as a natural, positive process. I really did feel that way when I went into labour, I felt it was positive pain. Every contraction I saw it as opening me up, as bringing me one step closer to my baby. Instead of tensing up and fighting the pain I welcomed the contraction and let it do its very important job of bringing my baby out. Through all these techniques I avoided an epidural.

    Sorry long post!


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