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Hope, Healing & Conceiving - January 2015

5K views 46 replies 5 participants last post by  DungeonQueen 
#1 · (Edited)
Continued from the Hope, Healing and Conceiving - December 2014 thread.

This thread is meant for anyone who wishes to conceive after a loss or is planning to conceive and/or needs support with healing after a loss. In other words, you don't necessarily have to be actively TTC in order to post here.

If you'd like to be added to the thread or want to change your information, please make requests in bold or PM me. If you have an online chart (TCOYF, Fertlility Friend) and would like it linked with your name on the list, post the link and add the icon in your post.

Healing and fertile vibes all around!

~ Waiting to O ~
Tenzinmama
Henalexa

~ Waiting to Know ~
Meeba
DungeonQueen

~ Waiting to Adopt ~

mcghee45baby

~ Oh Crumbs! I Don't Know What I'm Doing?! ~

naturalmummy
LaurenB
ascher21

~ Waiting with Special Circumstances ~

laurela
MountainMama2Be
unuselyriver

~ Recent BFPs! ~

December- t2009

October- radiowave

September- ememers

August- Wilhelmina

June- alivewithyou

May- liladancing

April - LilyTiger, NSmomtobe , LaylasMommy2011, lmevans

March - granolamommie, Harmony96

February - Kaliakra, jesepumpkin, mamacatsbaby , rosie2727 , wengrin

January - RainbowAsylum, Right of Passage

December - taichimom

November - NSmomtobe , Arabelle , piratemere

October - MommatoGray , OSTC

September - eazar , Jesepumpkin

~ In Our Thoughts ~
(If you're in this group, we haven't heard from you in a while. Stop by and give us an update if you can.)

Anna1979
MsBe
loba
Sleepymama
Melinda1980
bfw0729
rosie2727
ilovemykiddos
MountainMamaGC
gelato
lollie2357
Alivewithyou
Redmom
mamacatsbaby
 
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#2 · (Edited)
Happy New Year Everyone, I hope everyone had a good holiday.:smile:
I'm happy for December to be over, its one of the worst months for me and with our prior due date passing on Christmas and losing my job its made December especially rough this year. We are excited for the new year hoping that this year long journey of TTC will be coming to a positive soon. My task for the new year is to find another midwife as ours has decided she will no longer offer VBA3C because the liability insurance is too costly to cover after 2 prior sections. I'm sad to have to find a new provider as there are few that offer VBAC to begin with but at least it will keep my mind off of things. I'm currently CD 29 and AF should be here Sunday.
Anyone have any New Year Resolutions or goals started ?
 
#4 ·
@DungeonQueen - perhaps you could contact a local chapter of ICAN to help you locate a midwife. I am sorry to hear that December was a rough month for you and that you lost your job. I hope 2015 will be the fresh start we all might need :)
Thank you I'm not too upset about the job, I could use a vacations and lord knows my kids love having me home. I just have to figure out the financial part of it.
I have been a member with my local ICAN chapter for a few years now, they helped me find my first midwife but unfortunately they haven't been able to help me locate another because all the midwives seem to be moving in the same direction with the cost of liability insurance nearly putting them out of business so none of them will take a patient after 2 sections. I think I will take the stance that if its meant to be it will work out in the end, so I can stay focused on TTC .:smile:
 
#5 ·
So AF:af finally found me this morning, I swear every month she shows up a little later, I'm now having 35 day cycles. I'm not sure what to make of that?
 
#6 ·
Wow its been super quiet around here, I hope everyone is doing well. I just wanted to stop in and see if any of you mommas have ever had any experience with sperm analysis? My DH surprisingly arrived home today with a collection cup and I wasn't sure what to say to him. I didn't even know he had gone to see his doctor today. I helped him fill it and go to drop it off but now I'm a little nervous for him. Maybe I have put too much pressure on with TTC ? I would feel very bad if something is wrong but also relieved to know what is going on. I'm feeling very unsure.....
 
#7 ·
I'm around, I got a positive opk yesterday. We baby danced a couple of times. I've been trying to do inventory for my business so I've been super busy.

I usually have 14 day lp. So last month I got a positiv opk but fertility friend said I ovulated a day after my opk. It felt like I was ovulating the day I got the positive. Then I had a 13 day lp (if fertility friend was right) so I think I was correct. So we made sure we bd'd the day I saw lots of ewcm and then last night with the positive opk. But I know we both need a break tonight. Two in a row is a lot for us. Hoping we don't miss it. But either way, I'm more stressing about my mom's inevitable visit in two weeks. Which coincides perfectly with af. Lovely.
 
#8 ·
Yay for a positive OPK ascher21! Sounds like everything was well timed for you, I usually trust myself over Fertility friend when it comes to O timing. I don't blame you for being stressed about your mom visiting especially around AF but, I hope the visit goes well for you guys. I moved you to waiting to know :smile:
 
#9 ·
@DungeonQueen - keep us updated on sperm analysis...I don't have any personal experience with the process.

@ascher21 - glad for the OPK and BD opportunities! I hope you are able to enjoy your mom's visit...having family visit can be wonderful and stressful at the same time.

I am waiting to O...OPK's are negative/light. I was sick for a few weeks and luckily, my fever broke on Monday and will not mess up my BBT readings! My husband is feeling old and said he only wishes to try for a few more months. I feel much more pressured now that a 'deadline' is imposed on me. I am hopeful, though...because I realized that I have mistaken my O day the last few months due to fevers and long cycles.
 
#10 ·
@meeba I can totally understand the pain of trying to pin point O when you have really long cycles. Before my M/C my cycles were 45 days long and I would be trying to figure out from CD 18-25 which day it was, its was a pain and I used a ton of OPK's. I'm sure with you feeling better that you will have no problems with this cycle. Wishing you some happy baby dust:dust

AFM I think we have to wait till Wednesday to get the results of the SA, hopefully they will be easy to read and even then I'm not sure what my plan of action is going to be if it comes back unfavorable.On a positive note I order a new book called Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler. I'm hoping it will have some insight for us that will be useful on our TTC journey, the book was highly recommended by a friend of mine so I figured what the heck lets give it a shot.
 
#11 ·
Ok so we got his sperm count back but are waiting to get the rest of the SA results. I'm not really sure what the rest of it is :shrug

The count is low but not terrible hes got 11.3 out of 20.0 I'm guessing it stands for millions because there is suppose to be 20 million per ml is what it says. I have no idea what will happen next, I assume he's going to schedule a fallow up appointment with his primary. My emotions are all over the place with this, my DH is young and healthy I figured we wouldn't be facing any of these issues I feel bad, but I'm happy to know that there maybe some hope for us yet to still conceive.
 
#13 ·
The count is low but not terrible hes got 11.3 out of 20.0

@DungeonQueen I have heard that vitamin c can help increase sperm count. Worth a shot! Couldn't hurt, right? Orange juice or a little vitamin.
@meeba i hope you guys can conceive soon, that's hard, if he wants to put a cap on it.

AFM- I think i understand this opk thing. Like it was positive for two days then negative. That means it's over right? I didn't keep testing, so i don't know. I did feel some early morning cramps the projected day that fertility friend gave me, but it could have just been cramps from the sex. Which i get every. time. blech. My ob thought i had endometriosis, but with bf i'm not sure if castor oil packs are ok, so i've just been drinking some dandelion root tea to encourage healthy liver support. There's so much detoxing i would love to do. But it has to wait. So long story short, i think i'm waiting to o. I think i'm on 4th day of my LP and 18th CD. Don't feel anything, really. Who knows. i'm proud of our timing, but suspicious if i actually ovulated.
 
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#12 ·
@DungeonQueen - I remember reading about some things that effect sperm count/quality...the more obvious ones that I can recall are alcohol, riding a bicycle with a certain kind of seat, and possibly carrying a cell phone in a pant's pocket. I also remember reading that if a man has a lower sperm count, to BD every other day instead of every day during the fertile times. I am not sure of any research studies, but it maybe he could consider trying to get an optimal amount of sleep, having labs drawn and change diet/supplements acording to the results, drink enough water, moderate exercise, limit coffee, etc. At least you can gather some information from the SA results and make a plan.

I have heard great things about the book: TCOYF. I hope you find it helpful.
 
#14 ·
Thanks @ meeba you were pretty dead on about what causes low sperm count according to the research I read but, there was some conflicting views about how often to BD during fertile times, some said everyday some said to let it build up for a few days so I'm still unsure about that part.
After reading the research I found that DH doesn't really do any of the things that affect his count except eating non organic meat and dairy products that contain hormones so he may be going vegan temporarily...:lol
DH's primary doctor wants to refer him to a fertility specialist for a more in depth SA I guess to see the mobility of them or something, anyway I'm not sure if its covered by his insurance and I'm not 100% comfortable with traditional medicine and pharmaceuticals so I think we will be trying some alternative treatments and supplements/vitamins like you and ascher21 suggested.
I mean we have our DS together so I know we can have more its just a matter of figuring out the right combination I guess.

@ ascher21 I'm glad your OPK's were positive 2 days that great! I usually don't keep testing after the first positive I just check for good CM and then DTD. I always took the positive OPK as I should O with in 24 hours. Do you get any good CM as a sign of O? because that may help narrow down the day for you. As for the castor oil packs I'm not sure if they are safe while BF, I'll have to do some reading and find out for you.

Thanks for the support mommas I'm not sure what I would do without it :love
 
#15 ·
Hope, Healing & Conceiving - January 2015
Continued from the Hope, Healing and Conceiving - December 2014 thread.

This thread is meant for anyone who wishes to conceive after a loss or is planning to conceive and/or needs support with healing after a loss. In other words, you don't necessarily have to be actively TTC in order to post here.

If you'd like to be added to the thread or want to change your information, please make requests in bold or PM me. If you have an online chart (TCOYF, Fertlility Friend) and would like it linked with your name on the list, post the link and add the icon in your post.

Healing and fertile vibes all around!

~ Waiting to O ~

unuselyriver
meeba
DungeonQueen

~ Waiting to Know ~

Sarahl918
Sleepymama
loba
Anna1979
MsBe
ascher21

~ Waiting to Adopt ~

mcghee45baby

~ Oh Crumbs! I Don't Know What I'm Doing?! ~

naturalmummy
LaurenB

~ Waiting with Special Circumstances ~

laurela
MountainMama2Be
unuselyriver

~ Recent BFPs! ~

December- t2009

October- radiowave

September- ememers

August- Wilhelmina

June- alivewithyou

May- liladancing

April - LilyTiger, NSmomtobe , LaylasMommy2011, lmevans

March - granolamommie, Harmony96

February - Kaliakra, jesepumpkin, mamacatsbaby , rosie2727 , wengrin

January - RainbowAsylum, Right of Passage

December - taichimom

November - NSmomtobe , Arabelle , piratemere

October - MommatoGray , OSTC

September - eazar , Jesepumpkin

~ In Our Thoughts ~
(If you're in this group, we haven't heard from you in a while. Stop by and give us an update if you can.)

Melinda1980
bfw0729
rosie2727
ilovemykiddos
MountainMamaGC
gelato
lollie2357
Alivewithyou
Redmom
mamacatsbaby
HI everyone,

I found this thread, and would like to join. Please add me-- I'm waiting to get my cycle back after having a miscarriage at 7.5 weeks. I guess that would make me Waiting to O

I'll come back on here a little later, just trying to put my litles to bed. I want to read through and get to know you ladies, and give more of a intro of myself.
 
#16 ·
Welcome tenzinsmama I'm sorry to hear about your recent loss and I hope you find some peace and healing here with us. :Hug
 
#17 ·
Welcome!
@DungeonQueen it's interesting because I get lots of ewcm first, then the following day I get a positive and then the third day is when fertility friend predicts I ovulate. So I usually baby dance the day of the cm because it is such a strong sign! It's been so much easier to read, too, since I started taking evening primrose oil. This time we also did on my first positive. But we missed it the third day because we were tired and I noticed less cm. hoping this was good timing for us! Although I feel nothing. :(
 
#18 ·
Well now i'm confused. I have a feeling i didn't ovulate until today. I usually get a headache right around ovulation and my period. :( Looks like we totally missed the mark this time. Just when i think i got my body figured out (like a reasonable expectation!) it goes all haywire. this would most likely explain why i haven't felt anything. grrrrr.
 
#19 ·
Oh no ascher21 I'm so sorry, could the headache be from anything else? I've never had a positive OPK and had ovulation come so much later.:Hug Try to stay hopeful, swimmers can live for a long time after BD.
I'm :1praying for you.
 
#21 ·
@tenzinsmama - so sorry to hear about the loss. I hope you feel as supported here as I do as you move through your grief. Feel welcome to vent, complain, ask questions, etc.
@ascher21 - I kept using OPK's after a positive and was surprised at the second positive. I am assuming that I was gearing up to O the first time, but didn't. How are the temps lining up with the OPK/symptoms? I feel like BF make my cycles crazy and difficult to monitor.
@DungeonQueen - I have been eating a vegan for about 10 years...let me know if you have any questions about it...it isn't hard to do, especially if you cut things out gradually and if you live by a Whole Foods like I do!

DS and DH and grandma's since I am working all weekend. We tried to BD before he left just-in-case, but neither of us could get into it...too planed, not able to clear our minds and enjoy. :(
 
#22 ·
@ meeba Vegan for 10 years, way to go girl that's awesome! Thank you for the encouragement. We do try to eat at least 1-2 vegan/vegetarian meals a week right now and it would be so much easier if we had a Whole Foods close by, the nearest one is in Orlando FL about an hour or so away depending on traffic. If only I could convince DH and the kids to like vegan food more and give up there favorite foods that are so bad for them. One thing at a time right, maybe if I have them remove one food a month or something ? we can get there.

Sorry you had to work all weekend that really stinks. I dislike the unfortunate downside of every intimate moment being so planned when TTC, it really takes the mood and fun out of it sometimes.
 
#23 ·
I do have some good news, after painstakingly calling, emailing and Face booking about 20 midwives I finally found one that will take on our VBA3C. We had a consult this last Thursday and she is just fabulous. I'm totally in love with her, which has renewed me and DH's spirits in TTC because we were starting to get really depressed about it after the whole low sperm count issues. Together we made a plan of starting DH on some new supplements, an 8000 iu dose of vitamin D and this Fertility Blend for men http://www.amazon.com/Fertility-Blend-Supplement-for-Men/dp/B00MZYY8TS/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1421501384&sr=8-12&keywords=fertility+blend and then changed my dosage and timing for my supplements so now I'm going to be taking my regular prenatal vitamin along with these

Day 1 (first day of bleeding) - Day 5 of cycle

No herbs/supplements.
Day 6 until Ovulation
Dong Quai 250mg,Red Raspberry Leaf 1000mg and Vitex Berry 500mg (2x daily)

Ovulation - first day of bleeding
Vitex Berry
500mg,Evening Primrose oil 1000mg and progesterone cream-wild yam (2x daily)



I'm definitely going to need a bigger pill box for all this. It should take 2-3 months to get DH's sperm count up and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that my body will be willing and ready after all this. I'm currently on CD 13 so I'm going to start the new supplement schedule after O.
 
#24 ·
@DungeonQueen - I am so happy that you found a midwife! I will be preparing for a VBAC also :) I hope your new vitamin and supplement schedule works wonders! I have a chronically low vitamin D level, despite being supplemented. I am not an expert by any means...but, it might be something to consider for your husband to have his calcium and parathyroid and kidney function levels checked. A baseline vitamin D level can guide you as to the supplement type and amount of vitamin D needed. I have read different recommendations as to the upper daily limit, the more conservative state 4000 IU/day and others stated 10000 IU/daily - depending on the type. Vitamin D levels that are too high might cause hypercalcemia (too much calcium in blood). I am sure you have looked into it already, but I just wanted to share what I have learned. :)

Still waiting to O here...cycle day 22. I didn't breastfeed DS for 2 days when he was at Grandma's house this weekend - hoping that will help move things along. OPK still negative and temps still under coverline. We will try to BD every other day because I have no idea of when I might O. On schedule to have a 40 day cycle :(
 
#25 ·
Hey there, just popping in. Was tired today but that was because I stopped coffee again. I'm working on changing my personal sleep schedule back to normalcy. It's tough because the only time I can sew for my business is at night and naps. I've been feeling really anxious the past few days, like the way I did before I started having panic attacks, but thankfully it stopped. Just worried about my mom's visit. My insides have been churning.

I tested this afternoon at what I thought was 10 dpo and it was negative. I would like to at least know where I am in my cycle, so I guess I'll be temping in the morning if I can remember. My temp this afternoon after nursing laying down was far too high: 99. I remember that our temperatures go up as the day progresses, so I don't trust that number.

Just sad. I was hoping our timing this month was really good. I wish we could just get it together, already. Dh did say he was fine if we only ever had just our one, but I guess I'm not ready for that. It took some pressure off, though. Since it was dh's idea to have two, and then I realized I did too.
 
#26 ·
Oh and To answer your question, @meeba, cm was on point with the first ovulation days where I thought I was gearing up. Then I was stupid and stayed up too late working a couple days and moved furniture, and just pushed myself too hard and I think that delayed things. I had minimal cm after the initial surge, though. Nothing the day I got my headache (we were out of lube and it was terribly uncomfortable). Nothing left to do but watch my temp.
@DungeonQueen I'm glad you found a midwife who wants to be apart of the whole process. I'm glad you have a supplement.

I'm gonna be absent since my mom comes this Friday. I'll let you know whenever af arrives.
 
#27 ·
@meeba I'm glad I'm not alone in my VBAC plans. Thanks for sharing the info on the vitamin D, my DH's levels seem to be chronically low according to the lab reports but, this is his first time supplementing. I'm not sure what testing his primary doctor did on him but he is the one who suggested the vitamin D supplements. I did do a little reading about optimal and safe dosage ranges and came across the same things you mentioned so it worries me a little but his doctor said he would check his levels again in 8 weeks and adjust the dosage accordingly. I think the strange part is my DH works outside most of the time and we live in Florida so why is he not making enough vitamin D? It makes me wonder.

Sorry your looking at a long cycle this month, I'm still waiting to O as well at CD 17 so it looks like we might be in the long cycle boat together. I hope the break from BF gives you a boost.

@ascher21 ugh must have coffee, I totally know the feeling I quit a few months ago and even though it was only one cup a day it would pick me up and keep me going. Oh coffee how I miss you. I'm sorry your feeling anxious, sounds like your moms visit is putting some pressure on you. I hope it gets better and your visit goes well. I would imagine that a visit from my mom would be both stressful and wonderful at the same time but, I wouldn't begin to know how to handle it. So my best advice is to try and relax or take some time for yourself before she gets there, you know to clear your head.

I've never had an early positive test I'm always 16-20 DPO before I get a positive but then again I tend to have long cycles. Maybe it is just too early for you to tell? Did you temp again in the morning ? Don't give up it will happen :Hug
 
#29 ·
@DungeonQueen I also have low d levels. But I spend a lot of time inside, and I'm also in Florida. I'm on 6,000 iu. So many people I know have improved by supplementing vitamin d.

Well, I took my temp this morning. It was 98.3 day before, then 97.7 when I woke up last night, this morning at roughly the same time after resting 98.0. I think I'm gearing up for af. I've had pressure in my abdomen and I'm starving. But that might be because I'm trying to do gluten free and rice cakes are just not cutting it!
 
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