Prepping for TTC

I have two stepchildren, whom I love more than anything, but I have always dreamed of having a kid of my own.  There is something about going through the process start to finish, the good, the bad, and the ugly that I just want to experience in my lifetime.  So, my husband and I agreed that we would do one last big travel extravaganza before trying to conceive (TTC).  Well, our Thailand trip is right around the corner, so I’m in kind of a now or never mode when it comes to getting myself in shape to have a baby.

If you plan to carry a baby for nine months, then it is important to get yourself in the best health possible.  These are the steps I have been taking to get ready for TTC:

1. Eating healthy and forming healthy habits

As someone who has a crazy sweet tooth and loves to bake, this has proven to be most difficult.  Nevertheless, when you know why you are doing it, it makes it a little easier to cut back on some of the things you love.  The main thing I have found is to not deprive myself of sweets, but instead I use an app like MyFitnessPal to make sure I’m consuming them only in moderation.

My husband also bought me this amazing water bottle for Christmas, which has made it significantly easier to consume the amount of water you’re supposed to drink every day.  Other than it looking super pretty, it is a great reminder to keep drinking throughout the day.  I don’t always stick to the times on the bottle, but I do make sure that I get through two bottles per day.

2. Getting in shape

During COVID, I was in the best physical shape of my life.  Unfortunately, work, stress, and kids created a major setback over the last year.  So, now that I’m trying to get back on track, I try to focus on consistency.  I tend to do my workouts after kids have gone off to school but before I really get into the heart of the day.  Setting a consistent routine helps me stay accountable to getting it done each day.

Additionally, I try to switch up my workout routines to keep it from getting boring.  One day I might be following a yoga video online, the next day lifting weights, and then going on a long walk outside when the weather is nice.  I do whatever it takes to just keep moving.  Setting positive healthy habits now will hopefully help me continue those routines during pregnancy.

Bonus: My gynecologist told me that the more in shape you are, with less extra skin to start, the less likely you are to get bad stretch marks.

3. Getting enough sleep

Honestly, with trying to start this blog, this has been a tough one.  My wake-up time is definitely consistent with getting the kids off to school, but I often find myself up until 2am writing blog posts and trying to figure out how to code my blog.  So, this one is a work in progress!

It is also important now to get as much sleep as possible, because you know the days of sleeping through the night will soon be history.

4. Consult with doctor

It is important to meet with your gynecologist before you decide to start trying to get pregnant.  First off, they can answer all the questions you might have during a preconception appointment.  The craziest thing I learned after meeting with my doctors was that in the first month you go off of hormonal birth control you are more likely to conceive twins!  Safe to say we won’t really be trying that first month 😊

The next important thing though is that you should get blood testing done.  Your doctor might order testing for cystic fibrosis and rubella antibodies.  Both of these can cause serious problems for your baby, so it is important to get tested prior to trying to conceive so you can make informed decisions going forward.

5. Take Prenatal vitamins

My doctor also told me to start taking prenatal vitamins.  She recommended taking a multivitamin at least three months before trying to get pregnant, but that a prenatal vitamin would cover that.  The most important thing with prenatal vitamins is to get one with at least 400mcg of folic acid.  Folic acid is greatly important in the early weeks of pregnancy because it helps develop a healthy neural tube and prevent brain defects.  After a lot of research, I have found that either One-a-Day or Nature’s Own are some of the best prenatal vitamins out there that hit all the marks.  I even found the Nature’s Own is currently being sold at Costco in bulk, so that is a win!

6. Stop birth control

I have read a lot prior to trying to conceive.  There are a lot of people out there saying that your body needs to adjust after being on hormonal birth control.  While this may be true, my doctor assured me that you can still 100% get pregnant as soon as you get off your birth control.  So, it is important to only go off of it when you are completely ready to start your TTC journey.  Your body will need to adjust though and it is not uncommon to miss a cycle or two after stopping your birth control.

7. Research & Relax

As a crazy planner, it is important to me to just keep reading and researching.  I have been trying to consume as much information as possible for how to put myself in the best possible position to conceive.  However, it is important to just relax and enjoy the journey sometimes.  I have read far too many stories of people tracking every hormone level and committing their life to TTC.  In reality, conception occurs most often when people stop trying and just let it happen naturally.  It is important to try and stay stress free and just know it will happen when it happens.

Getting ready for baby is an exciting yet simultaneously nerve-wracking experience.  Do any of you seasoned mamas have anything else you did to prepare for TTC?