10 bits of advice for TTC

BackBackAndForthandForth - 2 Jun 17

I give this advice as a woman who went a little mental TTC (see previous post here) and yet I still managed to.

1. First things first, buy a jumbo pack of pregnancy test strips from Amazon. You can get approx. 25 for less than a fiver. Cause lets face it, you’ll be using at least 1 of these each month right? They work just as well as the pricey ones but these will at least save your bank balance. Keep the pricey ones for when 1 of these tests come back positive.
2. While you’re on there order some Ovulation test strips. Even if you’re doing BBT and using a period tracker app a little extra input can’t hurt. Maybe even chuck in a small, cheap, dedicated plastic ‘pee cup’ too. Although a Calpol cup works just as well.
3. Start taking prenatal vitamins now. It’ll do wonders for your hair & nails, and give you reassurance for when you do conceive.
4. Have sex regularly, every 2 days at least, and not just on fertile days because even the best laid plans can go awry. We missed my supposed ovulation window but shagged a LOT before & after. Turns out I had miscalculated the ovulation date and 2 weeks later I found out I was pregnant. We might have missed that opportunity had we not been at it like rabbits regularly.
5. Don’t smoke or do drugs. Leave those for the non-baby years.
6. Consider cutting your alcohol intake. I didn’t drastically, I was still averaging around 8 units a week which mostly comprised of midweek G&Ts after work & a little bubbly at the weekend. But perhaps rethink the binge drinking.
7. If he’s cool with it, programme your ovulation dates into your fella’s diary and that way he can take the lead with seduction during the fertile window and you don’t always have to always play the sex-craved, TTC maniac. Some men like to feel they’re more than a baby making machine.
8. ORGASM! Get as many of these as you can because the contractions of the big O can help the sperm along their journey. Use toys if you like (always a guaranteed orgasm there). At the very least it’ll help make the sex fun. After a while, baby-making sex can get a little mechanical.
9. Don’t pee immediately after sex. Lying there for 20 minutes really won’t increase your chances of a UTI. There’s no need for the legs in the air business, but maybe try a few Kegels while you’re waiting, see if that can’t help the wee guys along.
10. Really REALLY try not to let it take over your life. Yes you will go mad. I did for the first 2 months and it was hard on my partner, but I eventually chilled out and tried to just let it happen. Which it did, unsurprisingly once I’d stopped trying so hard.

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