Anyone Trying 100% Naturally?

[ProverbWoman]

Hi everyone! DH and I have been TTC for about a year now. We found out through that year that I have a progesterone deficiency and DH has low SA results across the board.

We are not using any RX meds, we will not do IUI, IVF, etc.

I was wondering if anyone was in the same boat?

I don't think clomid, IUI, IVF, etc are wrong or anything...but I know they aren't really for us. Clomid would probably be the most extensive thing we would ever try but still aren't ready for it.

I feel kind of alone sometimes because people think we should just use whatever we can to get pregnant but I just can't do it!

For DH's low results, we are having him taper off a med he is currently on...this med is probably the cause for his low results. We are also loading him up on anti-oxidents, etc.

For my progesterone issues, I'm seeing a naturopath that is helping me overall. I also have lupus and that has compounded the issues. So we are working on restoring my hormones to a natural balance.

Overall it will take about 6 months before DH's results are 100% back to normal and it will probably take me at least that long to get to a good point for my progesterone.

Sooo....anyone else?

[SimplyRochelle]

My DH and I started ttc soon after we got married in May 07. We finally tried two rounds of Clomid, one in March and one last month, but neither were successful. That is most likely as far as we will go as well since we don't feel iui or ivf is for us, especially right now. So from here on out, it's going to be all natural. My DH has some male factor infertility too. I seem to O every month on my own and my cycles have become much more regular than they were a few years ago when we started all this. Even if I never conceive again, we'll probably keep at this for the next decade hoping and praying our way to a bio kid, but adoption is definitely in our future either way.

Just wanted to post and say you're not totally alone.

[ProverbWoman]

Thank you SO MUCH for replying! I was starting to think I was alone. It just feels good to know that I'm not the only one out there like this. I'm also on babycenter and it's soooo mainstream on there...everyone thinks I'm crazy...lol.

[pixie1115]

We are going natural too. We do have 2 daughters, both were conceived using Clomid but that was before I became crunchy..lol

I have unexplained infertility. No one seems to know what the problem is. I apprear to O every month on time, I get my period on time. I have had lots of testing done and everything seems fine. DH has checked out just fine too. The only thing my OB could come up with was that perhaps I have some low hormone levels and the egss I O are just not viable..which would be why the clomid does the trick for me every time.

I am not against clomid but I am not sure Iw ould go farther than that. I would really for once just like to have it happen on its own. We tried for 16 months for dd1 before doing clomid, then for 8 months for dd2. This time we have not prevented for the last 19 months and have been really trying for about 9 or so.

I have read a bit about the soy isoflavones but am not really sure what to think. I am not sure if taking them would be like using something or not since they are all natural apparently? They seem to work in the same way as clomid so I would think they would work for me.

[millefleur]

I just finished my first round of Clomid after going the natural route for quite a while (started TTC summer 2008, m/c 12/08, 6 month break, started TTC again June 2009).

While I completely support it for other people, we will not be pursuing injectables, IUI, IVF, etc. We were hesitant about the Clomid, too. I haven't decided yet if I will take it next month or not. Hopefully I won't have to!

It does seem like I may have low progesterone, but we don't have health insurance coverage to go to an RE or anything, so we're not sure what's wrong.

Good luck! Welcome to MDC!

[ILoveMyBabyBird]

Hi I am dealing with possible secondary infertility we have been ttc #2 for 13 months now. I just had some bloodwork done for hormone levels etc. Waiting for the results but ultimately we won't be doing any intervention other than supplements, diet/lifestyle changes if needed. I know many feel pressure due to age but I'm 27 so I know I've still got quite a few good years left so I don't feel the pressure for medical intervention....

[hdirks]

We are ttc #2 naturally. dd #1 was planned but the moment we said we were gonna try I was pregnant within 2 weeks. We are now on month 7-going on 8 TTC #2. It's frustrating. I had post pardum hypothyroidism after DD was born and my levels are still a little off so i'm hoping after they level out it will happen for us.

[queenofjuly]

You are definitely not alone. We had regular, unprotected sex for two years--with nada. I was told I had polycystic ovaries; I do not ovulate regularly and have another chronic condition that I think caused some issues. I was told more than once by Drs. that I would definitely "need help" getting pregnant.

I was definitely feeling the need to do more & time was running out (I'm 34), so I went to the Dr. and did 1 round of Clomid. It made me physically ill (caused a giant cyst), stressed my husband and me out bigtime, and cost money. We could not continue down that road--just didn't feel right for us and I felt bad for having somewhat pressured my husband down that road that ended up not being right for us (he does not like any sort of pharmaceuticals).

Anyway, we just decided to stop and focus on our life. If it happened, it happened. I got pregnant a year later naturally. I think it just takes some people longer. My cycles even regulated somewhat after the Clomid/cyst incident (no explanation why). Good luck.

[justimaginelove]

Hi Ladies! I am so happy that you are willing to go the natural route first, this is so exciting! There are women out there doing the same thing. I am a moderator for another forum that is dedicated to Natural Fertility- first, preparing for IUI, IVF naturally- second. Don't feel alone! I am so glad you have all found one another!

Best Wishes on your natural fertility journey- it is possible!

http://www.natural-fertility-info.com/discuss/

[MoOnFiReGlOw]

Yep, we are all natural here as well. We have been trying for over a year while I charted my temps and cervical mucus to make sure I was ovulating and that is about as far as I'm willing to go. I've since stopped taking my temp and decided to just keep track of my periods and that is it.

We have mfi due to his meds as well, unfortunately we won't be able to get him off the meds for at least a year due to a serious back injury. We've decided that if we are meant to have another, s/he will come along. If not I'll be more than content with the three boys we already have.

I have swung back and forth with how far I've been willing to go to have another and finally had a revelation. My first boy was conceived through the pill AND a condom. My second was a first month try and my third came after a miscarriage. If another child is meant to come to our family, it will find a way regardless of the obstacles.

[JenBuckyfan]

I check back this board now and then as I spent so much time here not that long ago. We were trying 100% natural. I had been off the pill for 5 years before ttc. DH has a little low morphology and a varicocele that supposedly wasn't causing us issues. His A/R test came back normal. I was having weekly accupuncture for 6 months and then dropped back to monthly and switched over to seeing a therapist to talk through my struggles ttc instead. I charted the whole time as well. We were going to go in for a clomid challenge and do all of the female testing last June combined with an IUI - low and behold, after 22 months of trying, somehow we ended up pregnant and never had to go in. We'll never know why it took so long and how we ended up having everything including lots of luck align to become pregnant naturally. [I would like to punch everyone who says oh, just when you stop trying so hard or decide to give up then your get pregnant... as if we were giving up!]

I have a dear friend who has PCOS (I think that's what she has) and she was told at 17 that she would likely not be able to get pregnant. She and her DH ttc for 3 years and they did use clomid for some time in there. They had decided that if the baby couldn't be made in their bed then they must have been meant to be parents in another realm. It took almost 2 years, but they finally have their adorable little 6 month adopted baby boy. I think that you do what feels right to you and take the measures that make you feel the best and where you can be at peace with your decisions. I was not looking forward to the possibility of clomid or everyone in my business for an IUI (we were going to try two of them then turn to IVF), however, that's the route I felt I wanted to go.

Best wishes and lots of luck on your journey to motherhood!

[dykemom]

DP and I doing home insemination. TTC try #4, hopefully this month we'll get a BFP. I am even afraid of frozen sperm and don't really want to go into IVF and using injectables ever. But I'm 20 y o, and with no health problems. Not sure why it is taking so long....but hearing you guys had BFP is inspiring!
We have to buy all our sperm from a donor, so it's costly enough just to have home inseminations. It's natural in the sense it's 'drug free' but it is alternative insemination (we are lesbians).
Good luck!

[oceane]

we are. we've been trying for 2 years now, not avoiding for at least a year before that. I chart and we do hit the right timing regularly. I'm not sure how much longer I can do this though!

[indianagrl]

We are trying naturally now. After a year of trying (and my hormones going haywire...I had a three month long cycle!) we went to see an RE and did the clomid thing for a couple of months and then a failed IUI. That was the end for me. DH wanted to go forward with another IUI but I just couldn't do it. All the needles and getting "wanded" every other day was draining me. Especially since I have unexplained infertility. I totally blame my year of wacko hormones and uneven cycles on taking bcp's. Never again! Doctors hand those out like candy with no real chat about what they are really doing to you. When I was going through all these hormone tests to find out why I wasn't ovulating I started doing research into bcp. Being that this year my body is behaving in a "normal" way, I really think it took that year for my body to recover from being on bcp. Anywho, we are totally natural at this point and have no plans to move forward with more treatment. Everyday I try to seek God's will in this area...

[busybumblebee]

we also tried only naturally, after having a c-section and surgery on both ovaries, i was not interested in any more medical intervention, after many months of ttc #2, i assumed the medical world took my fertility and let go of another baby, but it happened and i am 5 weeks now

[justimaginelove]

busybumblebee- Congratulations I am so happy for you! Exciting! Keep us posted on how you are doing.

[busybumblebee]

justimaginelove - thank you, so far doing very well

[mindfulmomma]

Hugs. I know how difficult. DH and I have been TTC#2 naturally after more than a year of trying. I totally get how you feel about not wanting to do IUI, IVF, etc...

I will be going to have a salpindectomy in November to remove a hydrosowpinx(sp). I normally would not be undertaking this b/c after my unnecesarean with my son I am not trusting of doctors at all. That being said after a little research we found out that this could spred to my other tube(which is 100% fine). That would block both tubes and make IVF our only option.

We are still going to continue TTC naturally after the surgery. WHile I do not like the idea of clomid or injectables I do take homeopathics to help give my eggs and body a better chance of conceiving naturally

[AirMiami]

I wish I could go all natural! Good luck to all of you!

[cocobean]

Glad to see posts from other people in the same boat as me! We've been TTC #2 for a little over a year now. I'll definetly admit that it wasn't the right time in the beggining. We were really stressed and not really ready. But For the last 6 months things are much better! I obsessed for a while charting and what not, but I just couldn't do it anymore!!! I was not being the mother that I could be! We can't afford much in way of fertility treatments so we don't really have many options. I've decided to stop thinking about the family I want and enjoy the family I have. Some days are harder than others, but today is one of the hard days. I'm pretty positive it will happen but somedays it just feels like it never will!!!! ARRRGGG!!!!!!