Getting pregnant...
Don’t overthink it! Enjoy it! Don't put a timeline on it.
Make it a fun little mission of trying to seduce your partner whenever is feasible.
Make time for each other whenever you can…
<3
Now I know life is tiring! Work is hard. There is never enough time in the day. Obviously.
But you don’t want to look back after it works saying wow that was horrible and so mechanical and stressful. Not saying it has to all be fireworks. But this is supposed to be the fun part.
Now me obviously was not planning it first time around and were very careful. The second time around only took 2 months (clearly super fertile here) , but I put a lot stress on it. Like if we missed a time, I would be pissed. We have to do it now! I want to have a spring baby etc etc. In the end there wasn’t any issues so why stress?! 3rd time around it took us a whole year! Which was very shocking with how quick it happened the first couple times. We were about to give up and then wham, positive test. I was so convinced by the end it wasn’t meant to be that when I was a few days late, I was delaying getting a test since I didn’t want to get my hopes up. I believe a huge factor was STRESS. Not so much with obsessing with trying. But we had other things going on with selling our house, moving, some health related issues etc. It just added up. And honestly the timing worked a lot better with us getting pregnant a year later. Otherwise we would have ended up having a baby living at one of our parents houses. We were grateful it didn’t happen earlier. Everything happens for a reason.
Side note: Subsequent pregnancies in general are easier when it comes to conceiving. Don’t overthink it!
And now I am only talking about the beginning phases here. It does on average take up to a year to get pregnant. But of course it’s always good to start focusing and paying more attention as you get more involved. Things like when are you ovulating, when was the first day of your last period, etc.
Tip: instead of spending money on overpriced ovulation kits, you can test yourself if you are comfortable with it. Put 2 fingers up inside there as close as you can to the cervix (you will feel it). Scoop up some fluids. Take your fingers out and look. Slowly spread the two fingers apart.
If it’s thick and white creamy like lotion and not sticking when you spread apart - low chance of getting pregnant.
If it’s in between lotion (thick) and translucent and staring to stick a bit together - you are getting close to ovulation.
If it’s clear and sticks together well - you are ovulating, get busy!
Even just paying attention to basics like generally when your ovulating depending on your period - it is always good to be aware as long as you are not stressing yourself out following this. Once you start paying attention, you will probably be able to tell when you are ovulating. Stress = not good environment for conceiving. If you find that it’s not working, you might just have an irregular cycle or might be ovulating differently than expected. Good to keep track of it. There are lots of apps you can download to clearly store the info for you and calculate (Flo is one). That is why the above method is a good way to actually what is going on down there in terms of your fertility. You can also start noticing that your region might not be most hospitable environment for conceiving and you can follow up with your doctor.
Tip: start taking prenatal vitamins. Vitamins usually take about a month to actually start working to full potential and will make your body a more hospitable environment for pregnancy.
Once you do think you are pregnant for example you are late or start feeling some weird symptoms like breast soreness, take an at home pregnancy test. 1 or 2 will do as the at home tests are quite accurate nowadays.
TIP: don’t cheap out on the life brand ones…get a digital test. That way you are not questioning any semi-blurred lines or your sanity.
Once you confirm you pregnant with a test, there are some to do items you need to get around to…
confirm pregnancy with family doctor (they make you do another test, but go off the assumption you are pregnant)
choose OB/ midwife route and set designated person (referral from family doctor)
book 8 week ultrasound to see heartbeat (usually done through family doctor)
tell family & friends post 8 week mark