Pre-Pregnancy Preparation

[CharlieGirl007]

Folic Acid alone  or Prenatal Vitamins??

In preparation for getting pregnant, I am confused on what is best in terms of vitamin supplements. My doctors says to take a folic acid supplement so I have started to take 1 mg. per day. Some of my female friends tell me that I should be taking the prenantal vitamins already to prepare but I am not taking  their word for it as maybe too much of a good thing isn't good. I try and eat a balanced diet although with my busy schedule it is sometimes difficult.

I want to give myself the best shot possible at having a successful pregnancy and would appreciate an educated professional's advice on the best choice.

Thank you.

[Shawndell]

I would take prenatal vitamins that are high in folic acid.  Take b12 and b6.  Everything else is in God's hands.  When trying go for every other day.. Good luck!!

[CharlieGirl007]

Thanks, this is all very confusing! You get so many differing opinions on the topic that you're bound to shake your head! Did this work for you?

[sc1]

U bring up a great topic. Me and my husband have been trying for 6 months and no luck yet. When i saw my doctor she said i'm young(27 my husband is 33) and shouldnt have problems and gave me FOLIC ACID 1 mg only. At the time i didnt ask her about the prenatal vitamins. Now that's its 6 mo. and nothing yet I'm wondering if i should start taking prenatals. My friend told me that's what helped her get pregnant. CharlieGirl007 how long have u guys been trying?
So I guess my question is

1. should I start taking prenatals? and if so do i still continue taking folic acid? thx

[palanaki75]

When I went through my preparation phase, I took pre-natal vitamins that had folic acid in them.  It just takes care of everything.  I also (in case you're interested) did the BBT charting.  It helps you get to know your cycle better, and also helps you to recognize keys points in your cycle.  We ended up pregnant right away. It might have been lucky, but we've been lucky 3 times in a row. (Despite a m/c due to blighted ovum on the 2nd pregnancy.) Good luck and keep us posted. :)

[sc1]

are those prenatals over the counter?  What's the BBT charting and where can i get that from?

[CharlieGirl007]

Well I just had a miscarriage last month (Sept 15) to be exact. It took us 9 months to get pregnant so I was crushed!. I do have a 2 year old daughter already but she was unplanned so I can't really say how long she took to concieve. I am now 30 (almost 31) and my husband is 33.

The fact that it took us 9 months freaks me out too, not sure why, I guess because we're also young and I kind of expected it to be quick because my other pregnancy was seamless and perfect! LOL We expect too much of nature I think, it should happen for you soon sc1!! I think I am going to opt for the prenantal vitamin from here on in. It does have the 1 mg of folic acid in it already anyway and all the B vitamins you need too.  So if we take prenatal vitamins I guess we stop taking folic acid because if you read the label on the bottle, it clearly shows that it contains the 1 mg of folic acid.

Whenever I hear about charting, I feel intimidated. I'm not extremely irregular but I do have a range that is anywhere from 28 - 32 days so it is hard to pinpoint my ovulation to begin with! What I have been doing is bd'ing every other day from the day my period stops to the week my period is due. I did this just the last time I got pregnant, so once and it worked. I tried again immediately after my miscarriage before even getting a normal period and it didn't work this tiime. This could be because I am all messed up from the miscarriage still. I am on CD3 of my new cycle so I am looking forward to ttc again!!

Keep me posted on your progress too!

[Shawndell]

Yes you can get prenatals otc.  BBT is basal body temp.  You get a basal therm. and after a good nights rest you wake up {first thing before you talk, move, anything} take your temp.  It allows you to see when you are getting near O and after you O.  I just recently started this method this month. So far I have noticed things I never would have looked for.  And as for the prenatal I haven't taken those since I have a horrible experience with taking pills so I take Flinston Vit. My friend took those b4 and during her pregnancy.  She has a healthy 2 year old and trying again.  G'luck and baby dust to you!!!

[palanaki75]

How funny, I just responded to your post. You can get the vitamins over the counter.  As for the BBT charts, google "BBT Charting" and you'll get many sites that offer pre-made charts along with instructions that you can print out and start charting tomorrow morning.  (You're supposed to start on the first day of your menstruation, but you've just started if I'm not mistaken, right?)  Give it at least a month and you'll learn all sorts of things about your cycle that you may not have been aware of before. Let me know if there's anything else I can help with. And CharlieGirl007, I highly suggest this method for you as well. Hope all is well! :)

[Shawndell]

Also they say a lot of stress and worrying about pregnancy is not good.  Thats why so many ppl have unexpected pregnancy they weren't making it  a job.  It will happen just be patient and have faith.  I'm trying to but its so hard and I know.  So her lately me and dh have just been doing other things to get out mind off of it!!  Also got a ? though... Okay I'm on cd 12 should me and dh bd for the next 3 nights to up my chances?????

[sc1]

good luck to all of us. It's just so frustrating that ppl who don't want kids get pregnant and the ppl who do we have to suffer and go through months of stress. Thx for all ur advice and keep in touch.
how long have u been trying Shawndell?

[Shawndell]

Only 2 months.  and you?

[CharlieGirl007]

They recommend to leave a day in between to let sperm replenish. Some men have abundant motility and sperm quality but you can never be too sure what your DH's sperm quality is so it's best to skip a day in between in my opinion. Sperm is supposed to live  for up to 72 hours anyhow so that one day you skip shouldn't hinder your chances!

I know it is VERY hard to not think about it because we want it so bad right? I try and relax too and you know what, when I got pregnant just recently in August, I did relax and said, whataver will be, will be and poof, it happened! Ithelped that I had a vacation to look forward to so I was able to focus on that instead for a while. See? Mind over matter!

[palanaki75]

I'm sorry about your m/c.  I had had one in May, and it really does shut you down.  But I'm now 7wk/3d, and my little one is growing on schedule and the heartbeat looks/sounds great.  It will take a lot of patience to get to that point again, but rest up and have fun trying in the process.  I have a 2 year old as well.  He is a result of our first try, my last pregnancy a result of our second, and this pregnancy is a result of our third.  And I probably wouldn't have gotten so lucky if not for the charting.  I still get blue thinking about my m/c, but I try to focus on my son and my new little angel, and my husband, who can be a ****, but is great for the most part. Anyway, best of luck.  Keep us posted.

[sc1]

6 months

[CharlieGirl007]

I am also sorry for your loss palanaki, how far long were you when you miscarried? I was 8 weeks along but baby stopped developing at 6 weeks.

Trying can be fun but equally hard because face it, sometimes you just aren't in the mood! Charting huh? Wow, seems to have worked for you! I justfeel it would make me focus way too much on this whole thingwhen I never wanted it to be that way. Maybe I should just embrace it and try!

Thank you for your wishes, I wish you all the best with this new pregnancy too! So glad your baby is doing okay!!! That gives me hope!

[sc1]

One of my husbands cousin's got married and they came back from the honeymoon and she was pregnant. How does that happen what r the chances of that?

[CharlieGirl007]

Wow, how perfectly out of a fairytale novel! That's rare and very lucky! She happened to be ovulating on her honeymoon!  Terrific!

[Shawndell]

Thanks CharlieGirl and I'm sorry about your m/c.  But don't give up.  But yeah your right about relaxing.. Maybe that method may work for you again!!! Good luck.

Palanaki good luck with this pregnancy!!!  I'm glad to hear everything is going well in the babies growth!!!

AND GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE... MAY BABY DUST FLY ALL OUR WAY!!!!!!

[tarajanes]

Hi guy recommended dosage of foilic acid is 4mg, i have been using (sanatogen) pronatal get at any chemist,contains folic acid,and all recommended vitamins.its in a pink bottle,good luck..

[CharlieGirl007]

Thanks Shawndell, BABY DUST TO ALL FROM ME TOO!!! Let's all relax and take a chill pill!  

[Shawndell]

sc1 that happened to one of my friends.... and my mother!!!  Lord I'm telling you I should plan a vacation!!!

[CharlieGirl007]

lol.... so vacation is the trick? LOL I think my vacationmayhave made me miscarry, I felt the air pockets in the flight were hard on my uterus, I felt lik ethe baby was being sucked out of me from the air pressure! Truthfully! I even asked my  mother if what I was feeling was normal!

[CharlieGirl007]

Am I the oldest one here? (almost 31)?

[Shawndell]

I agree... Chill pill it is!!!  Okay I wonder if this just happens to me... But when I feel like giving up on ttc and just let it happen on its own... Its like I see signs telling me don't stop.  Like a movie will come on Lifetime, and every commercial I see its either promoting hpt, opk's, baby lotion and all kinda stuff.  And then I have people coming up to me and asking me when my baby is due!!!  Hello I'm not even big!!!  And that just happened this past Friday.  So maybe this could be my month, Or I'm just hoping for it so bad!!