News

TTC: Ready to Start A Family | What Will Happen At Your First Doctor’s Visit

Posted on August 16, 2020

Deciding to start or expand your family is one of the most exciting times in your life!

It can also be one of the most nerve-racking. That’s why it’s so essential to confirm you’re properly caring for your health before you become pregnant to both settle those nerves, and ensure you’re building the right foundation for both you and for your future baby.

This is called Preconception Care, and talking with your doctor is one of the best ways to check for any potential risks or medical issues you may have before getting pregnant. Before you begin, you should start by setting a “Preconception appointment” with your doctor.

What Will My Doctor Review with Me During My Preconception Visit?

During your preconception appointment, your doctor should discuss histories related to medical, surgical, family (of both you and future dad), and reproductive histories.

She/He should also talk about your diet & exercise, alcohol & caffeine consumption (or other drugs/stimulants), along with any medications or supplements you may be taking.

Your preconception visit is really the perfect time to ask your doctor anything that may be on your mind. Whether it’s health concerns, past histories, sex, diet, or prenatal vitamins, this visit is all about you and your health. It’s so much about you, that it’s worth saying again.

Preconception Care is all about you, and your doctor is on your side to help you give birth to a beautiful baby.

Physical Exam.

Because you’re about to embark on this exciting new journey, a physical exam is one of the best ways to ensure you’re ready. You should also ask her/him about a pelvic exam or Pap smear.

Vaccinations.

If you’re not vaccinated for chickenpox or rubella (or you’re not sure), it’s essential to ask your doctor to check your medical records, and if you’re not, request a vaccine. If you develop chickenpox or rubella during pregnancy, you are at higher risk of developing pneumonia, or congenital disabilities (birth defects). While a vaccine may delay your attempts to conceive by a month or so, it will be well worth it in the end if you’re not vaccinated.

Genetic Counseling.

This may require a separate appointment with a genetic counselor, however, it will help you understand your family’s risk of passing on an inherited medical condition, and how easy it may be for you to conceive.

Prenatal Vitamins.

Even before you become pregnant, it’s important to start to think about taking a prenatal vitamin or at least increasing your consumption of Folate & Iron-rich foods such as Leafy Greens or Broccoli every day. Along with several other vitamins and minerals, Folate, in particular, plays a significant role during pregnancy, as it aids in neural tube development, and its importance starts the day you conceive (when you may not know you’re pregnant yet).

Diet.

Similar to Genetic Counseling, getting a firm grasp on your diet may require a separate appointment with a nutritionist, but remember, “we are what we eat”, and you’ll soon be eating for two! Understanding the right foods for you and your potential allergies, will help give you a leg up on a more comfortable, successful journey to motherhood.

Remember, this appointment is ALL ABOUT YOU, so take a deep breath and get ready for one of the most exciting journeys of your life.

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Trying Get Pregnant in 2019: {Download Our Free ‘Fertility 100’ ebook}

Posted on September 3, 2019

If this is the year you plan to start a family, I invite you to download our Fertility 100 ebook with 100 tips and suggestions of things you and your partner can do to prepare yourselves for making a baby.

Most of the tips are related to dietary and other external changes, modifications, alterations or shifts you should consider to ensure you’re in optimal mode to procreate.

Now, it is possible that there may be medical, physiological, mental and other blocks or situational factors like age and such that may slow or hamper the process.

DOWNLOAD THE EBOOK NOW!!

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News

TTC: Could Seed Cycling Be Your Path to a Baby This Year? {INFOGRAPHIC}

Posted on July 30, 2019

When you are trying to get pregnant, no matter if you just started or have been trying for months, timing out your cycle and ovulation dates can be difficult and often frustrating.

This is especially true if you are suffering from a hormone imbalance or infertility, as it can make getting pregnant even harder. Fortunately, there are a variety of practices you can get started on to help balance out your hormone levels and boost your fertility. And the best part is they are all-natural, so no prescription is required!

One of the top, all-natural ways to boost your hormones and increase fertility levels is seed cycling. By adding in specific seeds to your diet during each phase of your menstrual cycle, you are helping your body function at it’s very best, improving your chances of not only knowing exactly when you are ovulating, but also improving your chances of getting pregnant.

Below is a break down of what to do during each phase of your cycle.

Follicular phase:This is the first phase of your cycle, lasting an average of 14 days, beginning the first day of your period and lasting until ovulation begins.

To help your bodies processes during the follicular phase, here are the seeds to consume and other things you can add into your lifestyle:

Eat 1 tbsp of ground pumpkin and flax seeds every day of your follicular phase for increase estrogen release and aiding in your bodies production of progesterone, which it needs for the next phase of your cycle.
Focus on foods rich in vitamin-E and omega-3 such as red bell pepper, fatty fish and avocado
High-energy workouts can help you detox

Luteal Phase:During the second half of your cycle (average 12-14 days long), your body begins the luteal phase, directly after ovulation. The lining of your uterine wall begins to thicken, for fertilization or eventual shedding. To help your body perform at it’s best during this phase, it’s important to implement some of the following tips into your daily life:

1 tbsp of ground sesame and sunflower seeds each day will help regulate mood swings ad fluctuating hormone levels, as well as aid in your bodies natural detoxification of leftover estrogen.
Root vegetables and calming, low-impact exercises will help to calm the body.
Avoiding high-sugar and high-carb foods during this phase is key to reducing hormone and mood swings.

The expert team at Snap Kitchen put together a helpful graphic so that you can easily get started seed cycling for improved hormonal health and reduced PMS. Check it out below and let us know how it goes!

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April Fool’s Day: Why You Shouldn’t Do the Fake Pregnancy Test Prank

Posted on April 1, 2019

Today is April 1, also known as April Fools’ Day, a day which traditionally involved people playing pranks on one another, dating back before the 1800s.

Jokesters have gotten bolder and more brazen with their tricks and a few have taken things too far, and so far that people have actually gotten hurt, physically, emotionally and mentally from jokes.

There are tons of harmless pranks to play: switching out salt with sugar at the coffee station, putting a whoopee cushion in someone’s chair, rapping on someone’s door and disappearing before they open it. Silly stuff like that, but there are others that should be avoided because they can be triggering.

One common prank is telling other people that you’re pregnant, or that your girlfriend/wife/friend is pregnant with your child.

That is not a good one to pull because it is insensitive to thousands, if not millions, of couples out there are are trying to actually get pregnant but cannot.

Briefly, they may be happy for your news, wish it was them, think about their own struggles, and possible losses, and go through a roller coaster of thoughts and emotions at their expense….only to learn later you were joking! Ugh!

It has been done before casually and aloofly without forethought to this very large group of people in the TTC (Trying to Conceive) community!

Carry on!

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Are you TTC (Trying to Conceive)? Download our Fertility 100 ebook FREE!

Posted on August 11, 2015

Is 2015 the year you plan to start a family or hope to finally become successful and conceive a baby after some fertility struggles? If so, we here at Bellyitch have assembled 100 of the common tips, suggestions, old wives’ tales, dietary and lifestyle advice we’ve heard and read in various sources over the years.

Download our Bellyitch Fertility 100 ebook FREE at Gumroad enter $0! (Or if you’d like to contribute to its production, feel free to enter a fair price! (smile))

Enjoy, God Bless and Good Luck!

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Parenting

The Pregnancy Test Hack that May be giving TTC women false hope

Posted on July 12, 2015

So…the new thing in women’s online parenting and pregnancy forums is a practice called pregnancy test “tweaking”.

It entails a woman who is trying to conceive posting an image among other members of the online or bulletin board community of a recent pregnancy test that doesn’t’ definitively indicate she is pregnant. There is usually a very faint second line or indicator that could be perceived to be indication that she is pregnant.

Afterwards, members of the community use digital imaging tools to enhance the photo so they can decipher better if there is a second line.

The “tweaking” process give women false hope, some critics say. They worry it could be a damaging practice that toys with the emotions of women who are struggling to conceive.

Some tweakers defend the practice.

“We can NEVER bring something out that IS NOT ALREADY THERE,” says Brandy Linex, who says she tweaks photos on BabyCenter.com “We do not create positive tests out of negative ones. It’s either already positive or it isn’t and we are VERY up front and honest about that.”

There is a common explanation for the faint line that is seen after the tweaking: It could be residual indication of an early miscarriage.

Doctors warn that some tweaked photos may actually reveal a chemical pregnancy, which often times go undetected and women recognize them only as a late menstrual period.

Only a follow up test at a doctor’s office, usually a blood one, can confirm the home-based test.

The tweaking process is just an exercise that lasts only until the obvious is confirmed a few days or weeks later when there is either positive confirmation of an active pregnancy or not.

What are your thoughts about “tweaking”?

h/t Dr. Drew at HLN

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BumpNews

Study: Acupuncture boosts chances of conception in infertile couples

Posted on April 15, 2014

Many couples trying to conceive a child may turn to modern Western medicines such as hormone, in vitro fertilization (IVF) and other treatments and procedures if they realize they have fertility struggles.

And some couples are looking to the East and exploring options like acupuncture and other treatments Asia have relied on for years to increase their fertility. Acupuncture involves placing very thin needles at specific points on the body.

Several studies have linked increased fertility to acupuncture. A 2002 study published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information found that women who did acupuncture on the day of embryo transfer had double the success rates of those who did not have acupuncture. That German study led by the famous Dr. Wolfgang Paulus was subsequently followed up and repeated with the same results by Dr. LarsWestergaard. A study by Dr. Stener Victorin demonstrated increased blood flow in uterine arteries with the use of electronic acupuncture. And for men, an earlier study showed increased fertilization rates when male partners did 10 sessions of acupuncture in preparation for IVF.

The Paulus study showed a success rate of 43% in the acupuncture group vs 26% in the non acupuncture group. The Westergaard study and other follow up studies turned up the same results.

What generally happens for couples who have failed to conceive naturally is that they could attempt 3-6 months of acupuncture and lifestyle adjustments usually to speed up conception rates, said Dr. John Zhang of New York’s New Hope Fertility Center.

“The acupuncture treatments would be about once per week and the protocol would be adjusted according to the phase of the woman’s cycle,” Dr. Zhang told Bellyitch. “It is recommended for men to do once to twice weekly during this period to improve the odds.”

That number increases to twice a week for couples going through IVF or other fertility treatments with medication.

Moreover, acupuncture can also be helpful in maintaining the pregnancy and relieving many types of discomfort associated to pregnancy (i.e. nausea, fatigue, headaches, insomnia etc.), while reducing the stress associated to IVF, Zhang wrote in a recent post in wellroundedny.com

For those considering trying acupuncture, Dr. Zhang and Christina Burns from Geneseed Acupuncture share some of his tips for finding the right acupuncturist:

An acupuncturist should have a minimum of 3 years training but it would be better if he or she had gone through a 4-5 year program. Ask them how much experience they have relation to the treatment of fertility and see how informed their answer is.

An acupuncturist should know that the treatment (acupoints) should change according to the phase of the cycle (menses, follicular phase, ovulation, luteal phase).

One might ask if they have an additional training in herbs and/or nutritional counselling as they are often a helpful complement to the acupuncture.

It may also be good to know their “needling style” (i.e. are they aggressive? do they do a lot of manipulation?) because some acupuncturist are gentle and others not so much. Both approaches work. It just depends on what is favourable to you (i.e. are you a “no pain no gain” person or a little timid of needles).

Good luck!

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BumpNews

Trying to Conceive: Questions to Ask Your Doctor

Posted on April 5, 2014

Congratulations! You’ve decided to have a baby and that’s a very exciting time of your life. But remember, making a baby can take time. So be patient, especially when your friends seem to constantly be sharing their good news and the in-laws are asking, ‘Are you pregnant yet?’ every time they see you. Often, after years of painstaking birth control, it can be a tough realization that getting pregnant when you finally want to isn’t as easy as you thought it would be. Here are a few questions to ask your doctor when you are ready to conceive:

1. How long should it take for me to get pregnant? This depends on a great number of factors. But realize that making a baby takes time, often up to 12 months. If you’ve been trying for longer than a year, see your doctor to begin an infertility evaluation. If you’re older than 35, it can take longer because of aging impact on your eggs, so start your evaluation after 6 months if you have not conceived . Don’t panic, try to be patient and have fun in the process. After all, stress will only exacerbate the challenge.

2. How much will my age really affect my chances? The chances of a woman naturally having a baby after age 35 decline by about 50 percent, and they decline by about 90 percent after age 40. So if having a baby is in your future plans, get started sooner rather than later. If you’re under 35, see an infertility expert after one year of trying without success. If you’re 35 or more, see an infertility expert if you don’t conceive naturally within six months. If you’re over 38, be seen after 3 months of unsuccessful trying. Though conceiving after 40 may be difficult, it’s not impossible, so ask your doctor what else you can do.

3. Should I take prenatal vitamins? What kind? Yes. Eating healthy will raise your chances of conceiving and having a healthy pregnancy (that means cutting out the junk food and loading up on greens), and prenatal vitamins help fill in any holes in the mother’s diet. Ask your doctor to recommend a good prenatal vitamin with calcium and lots of B6 when you first start thinking about having a baby. Rainbow Light Complete Prenatal System is one of the few prenatals that has enough vitamin B6, which has been shown to increase fertility. Also, take an Omega-3 fish oil. Look for those with a higher mg of DHA and EPA.

4. Does timing matter? You’re best bet is try to conceive just before and during ovulation, which happens anywhere from 13 to 20 days before your period. I recommend using an ovulation predictor kit to time intercourse. Then, have sex a few days leading up to and on the day of ovulation. Remember that sperm can live up to 6 days in your body, but your egg can only survive 12 to 24 hours. This timing gives you the best odds of the sperm and egg meeting. To be sure you’re getting the timing right, pick up a ClearBlue fertility monitor to help you map your fertility calendar. Use a digital thermometer, which is much faster and easier to use than a standard one, for basal temperature measurements. And to keep you on track, use a journal to keep track as a personal conception and pregnancy organizer.

5. Can I use a lubricant? If having timed relations is affecting your ability to be intimate, a lubricant is a great option. But many lubricants may actually negatively affect sperm motility. Try Pre-Seed. It’s the only FDA-cleared, clinically shown ‘Fertility-Friendly’ Lubricant developed by doctors and used by fertility clinics. Use the applicator to apply it near the cervix. Its pH balanced to match fertile cervical mucus as well as the pH of sperm, so it won’t harm your chances of conceiving.

6. When should I take a pregnancy test? And which one should I use? Home pregnancy tests work by detecting levels of the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), that is produced during pregnancy. These tests can only detect hCG after implantation occurs, which is generally 10 days post-ovulation (dpo). But don’t freak out if a test comes up negative at 10 dpo, since it’s not an exact science and you may still get pregnant up to 15 dpo. 15 dpo is when a woman who is not pregnant will typically get her period, so it’s the ‘first day of a missed period.’

First Response Early Result is the only pregnancy test that can detect pregnancy up to 6 days before your missed period (9 dpo). That’s one day sooner than any other home pregnancy test in the market.

Gloria Richard-Davis, MD, from the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences (UAMS) Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, is an educator and Educator author of Planning Parenthood.

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