Getting ready for ttc?

If you are overweight, losing 10% of your body weight is good for your health and fertility.

Even though I am TTC, I am doing as much as I can to make sure I am healthy. The following things I have been doing for sometime, not really in anticipation so I can TTC, but they do help:

- Of course, healthy eating. Plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit. Try to only have red meat once a week, but you can get your iron from other sources such as green leafy veges. Just make sure you take extra vitamin c to help the iron in veges metabolise properly. Eating fish 3 to 4 times a week helps. Try to cut down on caffeine.

- Exercise. Walking is properly the best thing. It is not good throwing yourself into a training programme at the gym if TTC. Ask the personal trainer to devise a programme that doesn't put a lot of stress on your body. Walking is great for building up cardiovascular fitness, and will help your body cope with the stresses of pregnany when it happens. And continue walking when you are pregnant, making sure your heart rate does not go over 140 bpm from the second trimester onwards. Try for 30 min to 1 hour walks 3 to 4 times a week.

- Supplementation. Take a good pre-natal vitamin. Many people recommend Elevit, however it is expensive, so the Blackmores Conceive Well is a very good alternative and cheaper. If you already take a multivitamin, just buy a bottle of folic acid to add to it. Once you become pregnant, change your regular mulitvitamin to one for pregnancy. Also take extra vitamin c if possible, as it is a water soluble vitamin which goes through the body very quickly. Flaxseed oil (in capsule form or having the oil mixed in something like a smoothie) or EPO is great for omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. I also take Maca to help stabilise my hormone levels, and is also great for female and male fertility.

- If you are at a healthy weight for your age and height, keep it there. Putting on unnecessary weight while TTC is not good.

Because you've had some nasty drugs put into your body, I would recommend eating a daily serving of beetroot if possible. Great for cleansing the blood of toxins and impurities. I really don't believe in those detox kits you buy from health stores. Also drinking 1.5 litres of water a day will also help. Try to limit your consumption of artifical additives.

I hope that info helps, but I'm an expert, just telling you what I am doing at the moment, and things my GP has told me as well.

I'm a vege also (well a vegan)... Just had to cover my bases. I can't really be preaching my own personal beliefs on the consumption of animal products. I just realised that the Blackmores Conceive Well actually has fish oil in it. Have never taken it myself (I always take Thompsons Multi-fort, which is Vege Society approved), but I suppose it is a good alternative for omnis.

That is great you are losing the weight :-) I managed to lose 27 kilos a year ago (went from 92kg to 65kg), and I have never felt healthier. Because I am TTC, I have cut down my gym routine, which was quite intense before. It is great that you have a programme specifically designed for you :-)

I think you've got most of your bases covered, I can't think of anything else!

I'd add to eat as much blue cheese and sushi as you can fit in and runny egg yolks. 9 months is such a long time without those things

Blue cheese and sushi is to me. And I ate runny egg yolks right throughout my pregnancy with Daniel.

Sheza: I don't think DH's swimmers need a kick up the bum. Daniel was conceived whilst I was on the pill (and had been for years)

Maybe just take Folic Acid or Elevit before you start. Oh lots and lots of practice

I didn't do anything when we were TTC Cooper. I did keep track of AF and that was about it.

Don't over think it! You know you can get pregnant, just let your body do what it needs too

Oh and have fun

kebakat wrote: Blue cheese and sushi is to me. And I ate runny egg yolks right throughout my pregnancy with Daniel. Sheza: I don't think DH's swimmers need a kick up the bum. Daniel was conceived whilst I was on the pill (and had been for years)

lol sweet then Wasnt meaning he had bad ones hehe, was just a thought, seems as we poor women take so many pills and crap while ttc and while preggers, the men could do something to help lol.

lol Sheza, he takes loads of pills now for insomnia and other random crap that I think I get away lightly at the mo

I have to keep up the healthy eating and exercise. The damn chiro (who is a fitness nutter) asks me everytime I see him if I'm still doing it and gives me a bit of flack if I say I've slacked off a little lol. That's a good thing though.

Practice now and folic acid is the only things I can think of for you.