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Fabulous Forty Somethings TTC!

101K views 1K replies 102 participants last post by  EllaPhant 
#1 ·
Here's the new thread ladies.Hopefully there will be more action and the thread won't last a whole year.

I know we'll see some bfp's on the thread.
joy.gif
I can add you to the list, or feel free to cut and paste.

The list:

Trying to conceive:

gumblossom, 47 years old, mama to 5, ttc about 4 years (3 miscarriages)

KarinaNYC, 42 yrs old, optimistically (and naturally) trying to conceive #1

Meander 40 years old ttc #2

Shell77- 40 years old trying to conceive #3 , But DH's #1 For 18months.... 1 failed IVF and 5 failed IUI's

orangemomma, 44 and trying to conceive #3.

MamaTara 41 with three children

MsDolphin, 44 - DS born at 41, TTC #2 for 2.5 years. Have tried 3 rounds of Clomid, then injectables with 2 IUI attempts.

lovbeingamommy 48 (ttc #2 - 3 m/c 2008, 2010)

jrabbit Almost 47, and WANTING-TC

41Mommymaybe Im 41 , I have a 2 yr old that took 16 yrs to conceive after 6 miscarriages

MamadeRumi:I'm 43. I'll be 44 in about a month! I had my DS when I was 40

mamasee46 ttc#2

Zbugmama 41 ttc#2

morningtide 39

Halifax40:46 DH-45 DS born June 2012 TTC#2

Soul-O: 40, TTC #7

ayme371:40

chilee: Age 44, My last 2 children were born while tc on this thread :) at age 40 and 42

Pregnant:

carmen358:I am 42 and 17 weeks pregnant with #2 after 5 miscarriages

cldeshano:DS 2,I'm 41 and had a miscarriage in January

caritasrainbow 42 pregnant with #6

chichimama: 44 in September

innacircle:40, pregnant with #1

Babies born:

Halifax40: 46 years old, Xander born June 2012

Soairse2007

TenzinsMama, 43 yrs old, Baby #3 born Nov 2013

List of supplements and nutritional information for ttc:

DHEA: 25mg 3x a day, for improved egg quality

Co q10 : ubiquinol is the best type: more easily absorbed: up to 800mg a day (protects the cells you have)

folic acid (5000mg a day)

fermented cod liver oil (best sorce of Omega3 for anti-infammation)

baby aspirin in the tww (keeps blood flowing, stops tiny clots that may cause miscarriage)

magnesium

red clover isoflavones (nature's clomid, take similar doses on same days as clomid)

FertilAid for men

vitex and maca (for regulating the cycle)

Litmama: "My acupuncturist said that 1 glass of red wine a week is actually beneficial to my circulation and bloodflow to the uterus and ovaries"

vitamin D (many people are low without realizing and Vit D is essential for conception)

L-Carnatine

Evening Primrose Oil and milkthistle ( from AF to Ovulation) for better cervical mucus.

Resveratol: anti-aging properties

Royal Jelly

Prenatal

B complex : to lengthen luteal phase

Chinese Herbs to boost Yin (essential for fertility),

Folate (recently learned that if you can find folate it's better than folic acid - better absorbed).

Make a tea with some or all of these: decaf green tea, red clover, oatstraw, alfafa, nettle, mint, raspberry, dandelion root, lemon, honey.
USANA Pro-Flavanol (antioxidants)
Mitochondrial Energy Optimizer with BioPQQ (for egg quality: is supposed to not only help with biogenesis of new mitochondria (which could in theory help you produce brand-spanking-new eggs) but also protection of cells through various actions (such as anti-glycation... glycation is when your cellular membranes harden... not good for egg health, they need to be soft and penetrable)

info on pqq: http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2011/feb2011_Generate-Fresh-Mitochondria-with-PQQ_01.htm
Rhodiola (for stress and fertility)
Chlorophyll capsules (2 per day)
Renew Life Ultimate Flora Probiotics with B-Infantis (1 per day)
NAC (can't recall dosage)
Maxiflavone (2 per day for immune issues)

Shatavari (for immune issues)

Fo Ti (for anti-aging and fertility)

Pepcid and claritin (after ovulation, for immune issues)

bee pollen, propolis

camu camu

Reading List:

Alan Beer's book, Is Your Body Baby Friendly

TCM book Making Babies

books by Julia Indochinova

Randine Lewis's book, The infertility Cure
 
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#888 ·
I'm so happy to find this group! I'm just about 41 (October) and we have been ttc for 18 months. A little background ...dh and I have 3 little ones and had a 25 week loss for our 4th and that was 18 months ago. I got pregnant easy for all 4 but this time I have not wanted to wait.

I actually think I should have been more patient because my cycle lengthened this month to 36 days which is closer to normal for me. And in looking back, my fertility seems to come back around 18 months pp. Now I'm just babbling. Anyway, I'm on my period right now so maybe this is the magic month! This past 1 1/2 years was hard without a baby to hold. I worried my loss effected my fertility. That and my age and I thought I was doomed. My family does not feel complete. Oh and dh is 46 and has MS. I'm not sure if that effects fertility but I think it might.

Oh and I'm fascinated by astrology having an effect on fertility. How do you figure that out?
 
#889 · (Edited)
Hi Nonie, I'm sorry to hear of your loss :( I used astrology to calculate for my current pregnancy, age 45 almost 30 weeks preggo. It's complicated, I used position of transiting jupiter and midpoints as well as uranian planets. I hired astrologers who were very good, first pregnancy she predicted in Jan 2014 which I screwed it up and miscarried because I was still nursing, she warned me of hormone problems and sure enough my body couldn't handle being pregnant and nursing. The current pregnancy was predicted by vedic astrologer who gave me a 4 month time frame when it would happen and I narrowed it down with my own calculations, I've been studying for over 20 years to do these calculations myself with a program but a medical astrologer as well as vedic astrologers could really help you calculate the likely times ahead and ease your mind. There are zero to 3 opportunities each year. I think that at age 41 you have excellent chances as long as the stars are saying,.. yes this is the right time. Good luck!

oh also, I had a 7 week loss 3 months prior to my current pregnancy so it seems it has no effect on fertility. I did acupuncture for a whole year and ate a great healthy vegan diet, drink pure water...maybe that helped too? the only thing i know for sure is the astrology is the one part I know works.
 
#890 ·
Wow that is way out of my realm of knowledge! So fascinating! ! I figure ill just do it a lot and hope for the best, LOL. Its good that I still like that part...giggle.....even at my age. I'm so happy for you and your baby!! So exciting!
 
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#891 ·
Hi. Just shy of my 41st bday here. I removed the Mirena IUD a few weeks back. Technically we are NTNP...I do tend to get PG easy so just taking that step feels like TTC...but being over 40 now I want to have reasonable expectations that might not be the case this time. I have six children, three littles and three teens. My baby is 21 mos. My oldest is 19 and going off to college. I was really active on the boards here years back but I can't remember my old log in...it's ok, fresh starts are good!
 
#892 ·
I was pregnant within 3 months of removing my IUD. I only had it in a year or so though. It took me a while to figure out my password and stuff too!! I was very active back in 2006. Good luck!!! Oh when is your birthday? I'm the beginning of October
 
#893 ·
I got pregnant on first try when I was 39 and had 1st baby at age 40. I think you guys have excellent chances, especially because you have prior babies.

I just had my Level 2 Ultrasound and got to see his face, he has the cutest mouth and nose:grin:, I'll be 31 weeks tomorrow. Also just did my hemoglobin and gestational diabetes test, passed both. I have a high posterior placenta, so no placenta previa either though they say at age 45 I should have all those problems!

I'm doing a natural birth at the same birth center I had my first baby at age 40 and this time I'm using the new technology they have...nitrous oxide! I used no pain killers with baby #1 ...but they did give me some bach flower remedies to relax me which were nice.
 
#896 ·
Hi Nexxus, i just wanted to say , congratulations on your pregnancy at age 45! Its very encouraging. 30weeks, ...almost there...best of luck for the rest. Wishing you an easy labor and healthy mom and baby.
Maya
(who was on this board a few years ago, and finally got pregnant at 44, giving birth one week shy of my 45th birthday)
 
#897 ·
Thanks maya.... congrats on your baby at 45! these stories are probably very inspirational for people on this thread :smile: It seems to me the fertility clinics who say you have a 1% chance over age 44 are wrong and are just trying to scare people, and yeah they had me scared. I personally mostly believed the chinese gender calendar which goes all the way to and including age 45 as being a normal part of fertility. Then give or take a few years because some peoples health will be very good at age 45 which may give them even more years beyond 45.
 
#898 ·
Hey, ladies. I've been keeping up with your posts over the past year but haven't posted since my chemical pregnancy last fall. I find myself pregnant again (naturally, at 42) for the second month in a row (chemical pregnancy in august).

I had a
Positive text exactly 4 weeks ago today. By Friday, I was spotting and my hcg was 8. I passed tissue on Saturday. My hcg was 3 on Sunday 4 weeks ago. After a month of thinking g I'd lost my last chance at pregnancy, I started to have symptoms again and I got a positive pregnancy test this morning. Got a blood test that shows my hcg is only 17.

Depending on when my cycle began, this could be either pretty low or ok. Going back on Friday to see if it doubles, but wanted to ask for your collective wisdom.


I have no idea how to figure out when my last cycle began this month because I had a chemical pregnancy last month. Can I judge by my hcg levels falling? Do I start counting from The day I started spotting? Or the day I passed the sack?

So confused and not feeling too hopeful with that 17.

Thanks!
 
#900 ·
Hey, ladies. I've been keeping up with your posts over the past year but haven't posted since my chemical pregnancy last fall. I find myself pregnant again (naturally, at 42) for the second month in a row (chemical pregnancy in august).

I had a
Positive text exactly 4 weeks ago today. By Friday, I was spotting and my hcg was 8. I passed tissue on Saturday. My hcg was 3 on Sunday 4 weeks ago. After a month of thinking g I'd lost my last chance at pregnancy, I started to have symptoms again and I got a positive pregnancy test this morning. Got a blood test that shows my hcg is only 17.

Depending on when my cycle began, this could be either pretty low or ok. Going back on Friday to see if it doubles, but wanted to ask for your collective wisdom.

I have no idea how to figure out when my last cycle began this month because I had a chemical pregnancy last month. Can I judge by my hcg levels falling? Do I start counting from The day I started spotting? Or the day I passed the sack?

So confused and not feeling too hopeful with that 17.

Thanks!
Oh I sure hope you get a sticky baby this time!!! I second the testing every few days thing. The line should be darker. Can I give you an early congratulations anyway?!!!!
 
#899 ·
Hi Gokey, my HCG was 6000 or 7000 both times I was pregnant at 15 days after implantation (5 weeks 1 day pregnant). I never checked for doubling because the number was so high at 5 weeks. There's such a huge variation in HCG per person, I'm pretty sure the ONLY thing that matters is doubling. That will be the key. Very sorry about your losses. Any body else start out at 17 on the HCG? There was one person who posted here her HCG numbers and doubling numbers and she was not quite doubling which led to a miscarriage. She was also age 42.

Another thing you can do is keep taking the pregnancy tests (strips that you dunk in pee in a cup) every two days and watch the test stick get darker each time. I did this every two days and it was amazing to see how dark it got 6 days later. It was so dark 6 days after implantation that I was more convinced this pregnancy was going to work. I knew when I implanted because I got 3 days of implantation bleeding. Did you get implantation bleeding? That will help you know where you are in the pregnancy.
 
#901 ·
Thanksr

Hey, thanks for the replies. I go in for blood work tomorrow, too late to go out for test strips but I will keep some around in the future. My first BFP was an frer that indicates hcg at 5. I took a cheapie that indicates 25+ tonight and it was slightly positive. So. I know they are going up. I did not have implantation bleeding, but I really wasn't paying attention this month to anything so I'm really in the dark. I tested because I felt pregnant. I ovulate pretty regularly at 14 days, so I am only 14dpo at the most today.

I'll keep you posted!
 
#902 ·
I hope everyone is doing well! I recently read a book that made me feel a lot more confident about TTC (I just turned 40, two kids 13 and 22). It's called "The Impatient Woman's Guide to Getting Pregnant" by Jean Twenge, PhD. I got the kindle version and it's worth the money.

The one thing that really stood out to me is that she recommends NOT doing any supplements it enhance fertility unless you have tried for a while and are having issues. The reason being, even natural supplement can alter your body, and if you don't *need* them, they could make things wonky....not that they would make you infertile, of course, rather, it could lead to delayed or missed ovulation, things like that. I had been taking EPO and vitex for months, in preparation for TTC, because I figured it would "help", because I'm old, lol. Over six months, my cycles were no different than they were prior to the supplements, so I decided to stop them for a few months and just try naturally.

I got a faint positive on two tests today, I'm probably about 10dpo so I'm trying not to get too excited in case of chemical; BUT, I haven't had any faint positives since I've started trying, so, I am excited. LOL.
 
#905 ·
I hope everyone is doing well! I recently read a book that made me feel a lot more confident about TTC (I just turned 40, two kids 13 and 22). It's called "The Impatient Woman's Guide to Getting Pregnant" by Jean Twenge, PhD. I got the kindle version and it's worth the money.

The one thing that really stood out to me is that she recommends NOT doing any supplements it enhance fertility unless you have tried for a while and are having issues. The reason being, even natural supplement can alter your body, and if you don't *need* them, they could make things wonky....not that they would make you infertile, of course, rather, it could lead to delayed or missed ovulation, things like that. I had been taking EPO and vitex for months, in preparation for TTC, because I figured it would "help", because I'm old, lol. Over six months, my cycles were no different than they were prior to the supplements, so I decided to stop them for a few months and just try naturally.

I got a faint positive on two tests today, I'm probably about 10dpo so I'm trying not to get too excited in case of chemical; BUT, I haven't had any faint positives since I've started trying, so, I am excited. LOL.
I found that to be true with certain herbs. I tried liquid vitex in the first 2 weeks of one cycle and it was the worst cycle ever. If you are charting, you want to see a nice high rise after ovulation and high temps, well that cycle looked bad with temps all over and had short luteal phase. But for my current pregnancy, now at 36 weeks, I did use strict raw food vegan diet, acupuncture, Kaneka Ubiquinol, PQQ Mitochondrial Basics, whole food zinc and selenium, plus high potency methylated B Vitamins and progesterone cream (luteal phase only)! Those supplements didn't alter my cycle, but the acupuncture did move my ovulation day up from day 17 to day 12. Day 17 is not a problem because baby #1 came from a day 17 ovulation. I don't know if any of that helped or not but it didn't hurt it seems. But vitex I don't trust.
 
#903 ·
UPDATE, I am NOT pregnant. Last night, after I posted, I took a FRER and it was negative (the previous two were equate brand +/- blue dye tests). I wasn't sure if it was due to it being later in the day and too early to tell, or if it was correct and the notorious blue dye tests were false. So, I took out my last equate test, dipped it in WATER, and got the same "positive" result. These were NOT evap lines, or narrow off center lines (I had that happen years ago and it freaked me out, wasn't TTC at the time, and was NOT pregnant). In these cases, with my urine and with the water, the vertical line in the "plus" showed up almost instantly, and, while light, was thick and definitely there. Got darker over time, and totally believealbe as a faint positive for early testing.

Anyway, I wasn't that bummed because I thought our timing was off this month, and wasn't sure I was even 10 dpo. Today, period started, and when I went back over my chart, it seems I ovulated about day 17, and dh and I hadn't DTD that day or the day prior. We did do it two days prior.....but, I remember all the signs being there, and telling DH that we HAD to do it those two nights, and he had to work and we didn't get to.

Maybe we will have some luck this month :)

Never buy blue dye!!!
 
#904 ·
UPDATE, I am NOT pregnant. Last night, after I posted, I took a FRER and it was negative (the previous two were equate brand +/- blue dye tests). I wasn't sure if it was due to it being later in the day and too early to tell, or if it was correct and the notorious blue dye tests were false. So, I took out my last equate test, dipped it in WATER, and got the same "positive" result. These were NOT evap lines, or narrow off center lines (I had that happen years ago and it freaked me out, wasn't TTC at the time, and was NOT pregnant). In these cases, with my urine and with the water, the vertical line in the "plus" showed up almost instantly, and, while light, was thick and definitely there. Got darker over time, and totally believealbe as a faint positive for early testing.

Anyway, I wasn't that bummed because I thought our timing was off this month, and wasn't sure I was even 10 dpo. Today, period started, and when I went back over my chart, it seems I ovulated about day 17, and dh and I hadn't DTD that day or the day prior. We did do it two days prior.....but, I remember all the signs being there, and telling DH that we HAD to do it those two nights, and he had to work and we didn't get to.

Maybe we will have some luck this month :)

Never buy blue dye!!!
Bummer! Sorry you got tricked!!! Maybe this month dhs work schedule will cooperate!
 
#908 ·
Hi orangemomma, I'm 10 days away from my due date. All is going well, textbook pregnancy, just had perfect results on the 36 week iron blood test, but they did suggest I do a non-stress test ONLY due to my age because it is standard of care for advanced maternal age...did any of you older moms do the non-stress test? I want the baby to be safe, so I agreed to do it. I can feel the baby moving, and she said that's your best indicator that baby is doing well.

How are things going for you on the TTC? Hope all is well :smile:
 
#909 ·
checking in!
wow nexxus! due date tomorrow? cant wait to see <3

as for me...46
still breastfeeding a 4 year old

cycles shortened to 25 days since Feb.
cd 29 today

cycles used to be 27 days.

who knows, but last pg was early miss
 
#910 ·
good for you saoirse! i also breastfed to almost 4 years, then i realized it caused a conflict in my hormones when TTC, caused miscarriages. Hopefully your hormonal system isn't sensitive like mine. I'm 39 weeks 2 days with a due date of Nov. 1st. My 1st came naturally at 40 weeks plus 4 days. But the astrology has me on a Halloween due date so we'll see.

i did the non stress test last week and baby didn't like it i think. he moved A LOT. i read the sound waves from the doppler are very irritating. he passed the test no problem (heart rate goes up when they move).

hope you are pregnant this time, baby dust!

imo the shorter cycles are just more chances to get preg. my mom was preg at age 48 and she wasn't even healthy for her age (overweight with medication controlled hypertension).
 
#917 ·
Hi everyone - what a great thread :) I'm 42 and currently in the horrible 2ww after an fet on Thursday. I did Ivf in 2013 and that resulted in my 2 year old and this little blast that I'm hoping will settle in. I've already decided to have one last go, whether with donor eggs or my own, if this doesn't work and your stories have given me so much hope!
 
#918 ·
I'm 44 and I guess I'm also currently in the tww. I think O was last night or this morning. My LH surge was yesterday morning. DH works out of state but the universe seemed to be looking out for us and he got home a day early- was here yesterday by noon. So we had some lunchtime lovin and he timed a headstand for me afterwards :) we also got some lovin in last night and this morning...I feel like we've covered it the best we can...we just ran a pretty tough hour or so trail run and he suggested we could "nap" when get home. Today was huge for me- I usually get scared and quit running after O because I don't want to risk anything. But we took last month off- I was out of the country during the fertile window- and when we decided to try again this month I committed to keeping up my normal routine. It's been a rough road of 2 years of trying for us with 4 losses along the way. I need to feel like I'm not living just to have a baby...
 
#922 ·
thanks every one...:grin: baby is so strong, lifting his head at 2 days old and great nursing! cute as can be!

WOW Honeybunmom, that's just amazing...I just want to tell you that nursing my 4 year old 100% caused my 1st miscarriage at 7 weeks. Progesterone and Prolactin compete against each other for receptors in your cells. It can cause hormonal conflict in older moms and some younger moms. If you want to be safe, you can start on progesterone cream asap...or get your progesterone tested to see if it's struggling against the prolactin. could save you the misery I went through. Hopefully you'll be fine if you have your grandmothers genes...but natural progesterone cream can only help in any pregnancy. I hope your little bean sticks!

this is the one I used in 1st trimester with my newborn (I used it just in case, I wasn't nursing): http://www.progesteronetherapy.com/progesterone-cream.html#axzz3r9jtPGGA
 
#923 ·
You know what? I WAS on progesterone when I nursed through the first trimester of my second full term pregnancy! I had a loss in May of 2008 and then conceived that pregnancy in July of 2008.

Thank you for jogging my memory nexxus! I am going to get the progesterone.

Your little one sounds amazing!
 
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#924 ·
I made an appointment to have a blood draw tomorrow. Results will be ready by Friday and I will have the progesterone in my hot little hands. I tried the link you provided, nexxus, but they are out of stock. Thank you, though. My second loss was also while I was breastfeeding my then 2 year old in 2011. I never drew the connection. I want my baby girl to have a sibling and since we were lucky enough to conceive this little one, I am going to do what I can to make the pregnancy go to term.
 
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#926 ·
Hi, Ladies, I went to see my midwives this morning for a blood draw. She agreed not to wait for second results and give me the progesterone prescription today. I go back Monday for a second draw and if the numbers are good, back again on Thursday afternoon for a transvaginal ultrasound.

Please send baby dust my way!!

Thank you again, nexxus! Your post may very well be the difference between whether or not my baby has a sibling close in age to her!
 
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#927 ·
I'm so happy for you honeybunmom, .....baby dust !!! transvaginal might be a little harsh for tiny bean, personally I would do the other kind of ultrasound through the abdomen and quickly. I had two at almost 6 weeks and you can see sac, heartbeat and fetal pole all ready.
 
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#930 ·
I got my second Beta and progesterone results today. All numbers are up! Beta more than doubled, but it was 96 hours and not 72. I go Thursday afternoon for the ultrasound. Praying all is developing normally!! I want my little Boo Bear to be a big sister!!
 
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#931 ·
Woo hoo! I hope it's meant to be and she gets her little sister! I'm so happy my 5 year old is now a big bro to lil bro :)
 
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