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Tonight, I was thinking back to my post about how I knew that our baby girl was our last baby, and I remembered just how hard it was to TTC a baby.   If you aren’t TTC, you probably don’t know what that means.  If you are… you definitely know.   TTC is Trying To Conceive and I learned that after spending years on Google researching tips and ideas to make it happen.  It is a hard, lonely road, but now there are so many more options than even 12 years ago, when I first started looking into my options.  Today I am partnering with The Stork OTC, a promising option for women and couples having trouble getting pregnant, to share what I wish I had known.

TTC

 

Yes, I was thinking about it tonight, about how long I waited for our first baby.   I also realized just how quickly he grew from a premature five-pounder into this 9 year old amazing child.

It is hard for me to even wrap my brain (or my heart) around the fact that he is nine, especially when my brother (a principal at a high school) said: “In six years, he’ll be at my school.”  I can’t imagine it, yet, because there was a time when I never thought that I would hold him, or any of our four babies, in my arms…

becky & jack

So, if nothing else, let me share my ‘wisdom’, if you want to call it that, of the road to pregnancy with you.   Here are 5 things that I wish I had realized when I was TTC.

1- Spend time with your husband, but don’t set boundaries about “not talking about conceiving”.  We were given that advice:  “When you go out, don’t talk about the baby.  That topic has to be left at home.”  That was awful advice.  It was on my mind and heart and he knew it.  Why would I avoid something that I felt so passionate about?   Luckily, he felt the same way.  I want to encourage you to lean on each other.   The best thing that I ever did was to rely on my husband, however I saw many friends doing the opposite and I saw their marriages go through very trying times.

2- Don’t worry about it when someone says “If you stop trying, you’ll get pregnant.”   I know that you can’t stop thinking about being pregnant… I get it.  I was there.   Just ignore them.  The point that they are trying to make is to de-stress.  Seriously- it is a huge factor.  My friend, Jillian, told me (recently) about an app that she LOVES called HeadSpace.  She said that she uses it to meditate every day.  I’ve never even opened the app, let alone tried it, but something like that may be just what you need.

3- Let others in.   You don’t have to keep it a secret.   The best part about talking to others is that you might learn about new options or treatments that you hadn’t known about.

4- Don’t exercise too much.  If you really are having trouble getting pregnant, be careful not to over-exercise.  My doctor had told me not to let my heart rate get above 136 once I became pregnant.  (I was very high risk, because I have a bi-cornuate uterus… a heart-shaped uterus).  Anyway- I tried not to overexert myself when TTC, either.

5- There are options.   You are not stuck in the path that you feel you are on.   There will be forks in the road ahead.  Travel down a new one.   Don’t be afraid to take a few steps in a new direction  and see where it takes you.   It might be getting tested, having your husband tested, trying something simple at home like The Stork OTC At-Home Conception Kit (the only FDA cleared kit). Did you know that Cervical cap insemination has a recorded success rate of around 20%, which is comparable to IUI, at a fraction of the cost?   The Stork OTC is a simpler, lower-cost option $79.99/single-use device.   It is less costly than the really invasive procedures that they would soon ask me about, like IUI, IVF, etc… the procedures that aren’t even covered by most insurances.   (I just spoke with a friend who has spent over $35,000 trying these methods).    (I am happy to promote this product, because this company works, very hard, at getting advice and encouragement out there, into the world, for people to talk about.  I’ve worked closely with them for this reason).  They just seem to understand that the struggle is real.

So… today, I would love to offer one of their products to a reader.  If you would like to win The Stork OTC kit (a $79.99 value), please enter here.  (I am not going to ask you to leave a comment, because I know that this can a be a private ride for many of you).

a Rafflecopter giveaway
win

 

When the journey to starting or adding to a family is a difficult one, we know that can put a strain on daily life. Join us in our special one-hour chat as we discuss tips for conceiving naturally and what you can do when that doesn’t seem to be working.   

More posts you might like:
TTC
If you are traveling down this road, because you have found yourself facing the loss of a child, I have been there, too.   You can read that story here… 

life after miscarriage

Hi there!

I’m Becky, a former elementary school teacher turned certified child development therapist and blogger. I work at home with my husband and together we are raising (and partially homeschooling) our four children in the Carolinas. I love diet coke, ice cream, and spending time with my family.

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2 Comments

  1. Hi – thanks for posting this article. I like to read all encouragement and positive thoughts on the TTC journey. Facing my second try with 2 miscarriages, and 1 living rainbow. I’m not quite as terrified that I’ll never conceive as I was the first time and after the first miscarriage, but it’s definitely a tough journey, with few low cost answers. I appreciate you looking into the stork product, never heard of it before, but anyway, wishing you a wonderful day!