Annette Pope - Getting Pregnant--What You Need to Know

Getting Pregnant What You Need to Know When TTC

A Guide to That Exciting, Frustrating, Heart-wrenching, Aggravating, Nerve-wracking, Frightening Time BEFORE You Conceive

By Annette Pope

I know your type.

You watch all those cute little pregnant women with the cute little bellies as they waddle up and down the grocery store aisle, absently rubbing your own, non-pregnant belly as they pass.

You stare wistfully at all those cute little pastel colored baby onesies with the adorable little duckies and bunnies and chickies on them when you should be looking for toilet paper.

You find yourself smiling when you see a tired, but happy-looking, mother hauling around one of those unwieldy infant carseats with a teeny tiny little scrunched up face napping contentedly inside.

You've got the fever.

Baby fever.

Don't try to deny it.

Because I've been there too, and I know how it feels.

It's the red car phenomenon. This is when you start noticing something you have, want or desire EVERYWHERE the minute you have, want or desire it. It's called the red car phenomenon because the simplest comparison is when you buy a red car and then notice how many red cars there are around you.

But in your case, it's pregnant bellies. You see them EVERYWHERE. Babies are EVERYWHERE. It's The Big Belly and Baby Phenomenon, or BBBP.

The BBBP usually comes along right around the time you become aware of your biological clock and its imaginaryyet maddeningtick, tick, ticking. You know, because you're not getting any younger. And you feel ready. And the time feels right.

Just stop beating around the bush and scream it to the heavens already, will ya?

I WANT TO GET PREGNANT!

There, that wasn't so hard, was it?

But therein lies the rub. Wanting to be pregnant is easy. Getting pregnant... well now, that can be a little tougher. Tougher than most of us are lead to believe when we're growing up.

Because, contrary to what our grandparents thought, the act of conception isn't just a matter of having lots of unprotected sex. A few key factors have to come into play to allow a single little sperm to meet that elusive egg, and if the timing is off, the whole cycle is a wash.

And that's where the frustration comes in. And the disappointment. And the sadness. And the obsession.

Don't worry though. I'll walk you through all the details of conception and timing and help you recognize your most fertile time for the best chance of success. I'll explain the details and abbreviations and trying-to-conceive (TTC) abbreviations and lingo that you're likely to run across on your conception journey. I'll reassure you, sympathize with you and comfort you as you walk this sometimes hard, sometimes long, always emotional path.

And I'll bring you back to reality when you start to wander. Because sometimes TTCing can, shall we say, alter a woman's thought process.

My name's Annette and it took my husband and I over 4 years to conceive our daughter. During that time I devoured every tip, suggestion and shred of advice I could find on getting pregnant. I read dozens of conception books, scoured the Internet for new and useful information, as well as the crazy enough it may just work tricks. I altered our lifestyle, kept track of body signs, downed fertility supplements and joined a popular message board (that has since died, unfortunately) where I learned some valuable things from a great bunch of very knowledgeable ladies.

Trying to get pregnant was my life.

I'll pass along the things I've learned, as well as some of my personal experiences from my days as a TTC-aholic.

Every journey down the TTC road is different, and you may find yourself getting off quicker than you expected, or trudging along longer than you'd hoped. This guide is designed to help make the time you spend on it a little less stressful, arm you with the knowledge you need to know to seek additional help, and help you decide when to step down a different path.

Now stop patting your belly and put down those baby booties. It's time to begin.

***OBLIGATORY DISCLAIMER***

I am not a doctor, nurse, or medical professional of any kind, nor do I play one on TV. I am just a long-time TTCer who spent years researching, studying, and learning all she could about the whole process of getting pregnant. Take any advice I offer with the spirit in which it's intendedas helpful, friendly tips to arm you with the knowledge you need to stay sane as you enter the world of baby-making.

S o you've decided that you want to get pregnant. Before you toss all your contraceptives out the window and start having nookie like there's no tomorrow, stop. Look down at your belly. Is it fit for human habitation? Luck willing, you'll soon be growing another human being in there. Is your body healthy enough for that kind of monumental responsibility?

Before you pooh-pooh the very idea, take a second to think about your daily routine. Do you get enough proper nutrition, or are pizza, take-out and energy drinks your go-to form of sustenance? Is the run for the elevator your version of exercise? What about the big vicesalcohol, tobacco or even the harder recreational drugs? Are you treating your body like a temple or a garage?

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm in no way suggesting that pregnancy is only for those who run five miles every day, eat only organically grown alfalfa and head to bed by 9 pm every night. And yes, as many people will point out, even those famous crack-addicted teens can get pregnant without much trouble. But here's the thing:

Just because you CAN get pregnant while shooting up, drinking yourself stupid on a regular basis or eating your weight in donuts every day doesn't mean that's what's best for a growing baby.

Because that seems to be a big detail that some women forget. Getting pregnant is not a goal in and of itself. It's a means to an endspecifically, to have a healthy baby. Continuing to indulge in harmful, unhealthy habits could put that end at risk.

Ask any pregnant woman what she hopes for and most all of them will say A healthy baby. You'd be hard-pressed to find one who claims to want a baby addicted to crack or suffering from fetal alcohol syndrome.

Remember, THAT is your goal for getting pregnant. It's not the belly or the kicks or the cute little clothes with the little duckies and bunnies on them. It's having a healthy baby after all is said and done.

How do you have a healthy baby? The sad fact is that sometimes you can do everything right and still have a baby who's sick. So I'm sorry to say that you cannot absolutely guarantee a healthy baby. It's a very cruel fact of nature.

However, you can greatly reduce the chances of having problems by creating a healthy environment for the baby before it's planted, and as it grows. In other words, YOU must be as healthy as you can be to encourage a healthy pregnancy and baby.

See Your Doctor

All sorts of problems can lie hidden in our bloodstream and various cells, so hit up your doctor for a full checkup to ensure you are healthy and not harboring any nasty viruses or illnesses before attempting to implant another life in there. This can also give you a baseline reading for your bloodwork and vitals so your future obstetrician (or OB in pregnant lady terms) can watch for unusual results later.