Currently TTC

[PSM Guild Mule]

Yep as the title says I'm TTC.
I'm not a teen, I joined this guild because it's one of the more active guilds out there for this topic.
Been TTC for about three months.

I'm trying to boost my fertility..
So far I've quit...
Smoking.
Caffeine.
Drinking.

I'm taking prenatal vitamins.
Should I combine a womans multi vitamin with the prenatal?

I'm eating more fruits, and veggies.

I exercise, I walk up and down the street and I swim.

I also have an appointment set up in September with the lady doctor.

Dose anyone have suggestions and tips?

 

[LorienLlewellyn]

It's good that you have cut out tobacco, alcohol, and caffeine. Your partner should ideally give up those things up too, if he hasn't already, since they may affect sperm quality. You should both try to avoid second and third hand smoke as much as possible too.

You should not be taking a prenatal vitamin and a multi-vitamin unless your doctor says it's ok. Doing so may give you more than 100% of your daily intake for certain things, and it's possible to overdose or harm your baby if you get too much of something. Instead, compare the nutritional information for a few different types of vitamins. According to WebMD, you should be getting:

"400 mcg of folic acid
400 IU of vitamin D
200 to 300 mg of calcium
70 mg of vitamin C
3 mg of thiamine
2 mg of riboflavin
20 mg of niacin
6 mcg of vitamin B12
10 mg of vitamin E
15 mg of zinc
17 mg of iron"

When I started TTC, I found that my multi-vitamins were actually the same as or better than all the prenatal vitamins that I looked at in those areas, so I stuck with my mutlis.

It wouldn't hurt if your partner took some vitamins too, if he doesn't already. Zinc is supposed to be especially good for sperm production.

September is pretty far away for a doctor's appointment if you're trying to conceive now and haven't talked to a doctor about it yet. You should ideally talk to a doctor before you even start trying to make sure everything looks ok, to make sure you are healthy enough for pregnancy (eating right and exercising doesn't necessarily mean a person is healthy enough for pregnancy), to make sure any medications (even OTC medications) you're taking are safe during pregnancy, to ask questions, etc. So if you haven't talked to a doctor about getting pregnant yet, you might want to either hold off until September or see if you can get in sooner. If your regular doctor is booked until then, you can try seeing someone at a clinic like Family Planning or Planned Parenthood. At the Family Planning near me you can get in the same week that you call to make an appointment.

Keep exercising unless your doctor says otherwise (discuss all exercises that you do with your doctor).

Keep eating good. Eat organic produce when possible.

Track your cycle if you haven't been already and if you have a predictable cycle. Get to know your cycle and chart when you are most likely to be fertile. Look into how to take your basal body temperature if you want to track your fertile times more accurately. You can also keep track of your cervical mucus since it changes throughout your cycle and can give you an idea of when you're most likely to be fertile.

Talk to your doctor again if you have not been able to get pregnant after one year of trying (fertility specialists usually won't see you until you have been trying for at least a year if you're under 35 or over six months if you're over 35).

Other than that, try to relax. Don't panic if it doesn't happen right away. Good luck!  

[SESauvie]

LorienLlewellyn

Oh wow, I didn't know that TTC was such a complex thing.

Also, I didn't know you were part of TTC as well, Lorien.  

[Lass Kyon]

I'm assuming the doctors appointment is to get possible help with TTC. It's recommended that you try for at least 6 months to a year on your own before seeking a doctor's help if you're younger.  

[LorienLlewellyn]

Sauvie

LorienLlewellyn

Oh wow, I didn't know that TTC was such a complex thing.

Also, I didn't know you were part of TTC as well, Lorien.

My partner and I have been trying for just over two and a half years. So we are considered infertile (a couple is considered infertile if they do not get pregnant after one year of trying). When it doesn't happen fairly quickly and naturally, then yeah, it can get pretty complex! It can get a lot more complex than what I posted about too. What I posted about is more "Trying to Get Pregnant The First Year 101." After that first year, when a couple moves into infertility, then it can get a whole lot more complex than that. It can be time consuming, emotionally exhausting, and/or expensive. I think everyone should read this http://www.resolve.org/support-and-services/for-family--friends/infertility-etiquette.html It talks about how common infertility is, how difficult it can be, some common myths/stupid things people say about it, etc.