CD 7 - Healthy Supplements

Some notes about what I recently learned:

• wild yam taken from ovulation to cycle day 1 has been known to assist lengthening the luteal phase
• flax seed or flax oil can help relieve constipation during pregnancy and is an essential fatty acid
  
• red raspberry tea/infusion is helpful for pre-conception and pregnancy
• a source for herbs and supplements: Swanson Vitamins
  

CD 6 - Another Response from 2/19 Post

If I don't try to get pregnant now, then what? What are your concerns and fears? If you were not to enter the path of motherhood now at this time, what would that be like?

• If I didn't try to get pregnant now...? Well technically we're taking "off" this cycle. It feels a little bit freeing so far. I feel myself relaxing a little more. I think the break will be good. You hear of so many couple getting pregnant right after they stop trying so hard... (although plenty get pregnant trying awfully hard too).
• My concern is that we will "waste" another good, potentially very fertile month. My fear as time goes on is that I don't truly know with 100% certainty that I will be able to be a mother of my own biological children.
  
• If I don't enter the "path of motherhood" right away, well... It certainly has been disappointing to have not entered it when I wanted to. But I have learned a lot about the fertility process and about myself in this "wait" period. The journey surely involves plenty of waiting!
• Also I know I'm "young," but I'm starting to feel the clock tick... I would love to have more than one child. I don't want to prolong number 1 any longer so that we don't have to face more risks and potential issues in the future if I am a lot older.
  

Tuckered Out Pups

CD 3 - I'm Not Sure Whether I Want to Become a Mother Because...

• From what friends and family say, my entire life and purpose for it will change. Life will no longer be about me. It will be about my child. That will mean giving up a lot of personal "me" time. Life will revolve around my child for the next 18+ years. I like my space and time to do what I want, when I want.
• The responsibility scares me yet intrigues and excites me at the same time. I hear stories of parents taking home their first baby thinking, "What, they're really going to let me leave with this baby? Are they sure this is safe? That we can really take care of it?" I bet I would be thinking the same thing! I suppose I could practice by carrying around a crystal egg, like the one in the movie Risky Business with Tom Cruise for about 3-6 months. I remember how much trouble he got in with his mother when she found the crack in the egg after she and his father returned home from their vacation. I fear I would easily "crack" or break a baby!
• My marriage would turn upside down in many ways. Less sex, more stress, different topics that would require our communication between each other. We would be changing many of our typical routines.
• I would have to spend less time with my dogs. Indy & Razor would adjust, but they would most certainly be jealous of the baby on some levels. Indy would suffer more. He is more "needy" than Razor. Razor in his Labrador Retriever way is more capable of "going with the flow." Indy, however, has more needs. At his Border Collie core, he needs a job and needs to feel needed.

That's all I can think of at the moment. They don't sound like very significant reasons to me so far to halt this journey!

CD 3 (cycle day 3)

I have started reading on more natural methods to assist fertility. I've joined some "fertility alternative" online boards and started reading Fertility Wisdom: How Traditional Chinese Medicine Can Help Overcome Infertility by Angela C. Wu. Chinese medicine and acupuncture is all about finding the proper and natural balance in our bodies. Ms. Wu describes and illustrates many methods in this book that can be used and practiced throughout everyday life in conjunction with other natural methods or with a modern western medical fertility doctor. I look forward to learning more about these practices. I will also ask my friend who sees an acupuncturist more about what she has learned.

Also I called my OB-GYN and got the name of the fertility doctor (reproductive endocrinologist, or R.E.) that they refer patients to. The nurse gave me the name of Dr. Bruce Bateman at Martha Jefferson Hospital in Charlottesville. I plan to quietly ask around about him and other doctors in the area, just to gather more information in case I decide to make an appointment somewhere.

Jason & I have decided to "take a break" this cycle. The stress of trying will not be missed; though, I think we are getting better at keeping it fun ;) when the fertile time rolls around. We are not thrilled about the idea of a December baby. (My brother seems to get the "shaft" every year. His birthday is December 19.) However, if we are blessed with an "accident" this cycle, what a blessing it would be! And, there's always the possibility that he/she could come early (November)! Not knowing my ovulation date yet of this cycle, an estimated due date would be approximately December 8.

I am loving this blog! It's excellent to be able to get all my thoughts and many resources listed in one place.