How much sex is too much?

Don't laugh. If you are trying to make a baby, this is probably something you thought about, if not talked about with your DH!

If you read Taking Charge of Your Fertility, then you might have read that men with a low sperm count should aim to do the BD only every other day while those with a normal count should DTD every day that fertile CM is present (p. 164-165 in TCOYF).

OK, that's easy enough. Do it a lot, and if nothing happens in 6 months to a year, get tested.

But is once a day too much? Not enough? The Bible of pregnancy, What to Expect When You're Expecting, tackles that one. Under Common Misconceptions (p. 10), is listed the following:

Myth: Having sex every day will decrease sperm count, making conception more elusive.

Fact: Though this was once believed to be true, more recent research has shown that having sex every day around the time of ovulation is slightly more likely to end in pregnancy than having sex every other day. More, apparently, is more.

So there you have it. More is more. And if you need more proof, I offer you this:

Exhibit 1: My friend Kerry. She's 35 and had been trying for years to get pregnant, to no avail. She admitted that getting enough might have been an issue - until she and her DH came up with "The Plan."

She told me matter-of-factly over dinner one night, while her 6-month-old baby slept soundly in his baby carrier, that they just decided to hell with timing, they would do it every night for a WHOLE MONTH. Looks like it worked for them.

Exhibit 2: Right after learning this bit of information, I ran home to tell DH, who was immediately impressed and shocked at the stamina of Kerry's DH. But I wasn't suggesting that we try the same thing. Rather, that we use my past charts to predict the best possible week for us and then give it a whole week. Every night, for a week.

Looking at my past charts, I could see that I was ovulating between Day 16 and Day 18. I knew that "normal" ovulation supposedly took place on Day 14, which meant that Day 13 was possibly fertile as well. I then graphed out a week lasting from Day 13-19.

We didn't make it the whole week. We FWP on Day 12-13, skipped Day 14, back on for Day 15-16, skipped Day 17, and back on for Day 18-19. As it turned out, I ovulated on Day 16. And the rest, they say, is history.

So, in conclusion, if you are going to FWP, don't hold back. Seriously, go for it!

Charting devotees

When we decided to start trying to conceive, the first thing I did was race out to the internet and read everything I could find on the topic, frantically absorbing as much as I could of the overwhelming amount of information out there (my good friend the Divasaur calls this being "hypereducated," which is the best term EVER and perfectly describes my general approach to life).

Naturally, the plethora of articles and forum posts I read included a huge amount of topics from charting devotees. Which I chose to ignore. After all, I figured I knew the basics of conception, so why take it to the obsessive level? I mean, it's not rocket science - by this time in life, I know how the bodyparts fit together. Besides, I didn't want to become one of those rabid women who grab you by the shirt and scream, "Why NOT?!?" with flecks of foam flying from their mouths when you tell them you're not charting. No thank you!
I'm such a turncoat.

I've officially become a charting devotee myself. Not only a devotee, but a fully fledged born-again believer in the Church of Charting. Possibly even a bishop of some kind. These days, when someone asks a question about getting pregnant or fertility, the very first thing out of my mouth is: "Are you charting?"

It only took one tentative venture onto Fertility Friend, that mecca of charters worldwide, to bring me around to a full conversion. I can only put it down to my Type A, organization loving personality. I mean - egads, man! The charts! The data organization! The temperature coverline alone makes me swoon.

The official Bibliosaur chart (thus far in this cycle, anyway).

And it's not just the organization - the information is phenomenally useful. I've learned things about my body that I never knew, never dreamed of needing - or even wanting - to know. Something that many - I dare say most - women don't take into consideration when they think about TTCing is that everyone (and I do mean everyone) is different. There is no mythical 28-day cycle with ovulation on the 14th day. Well OK - some women work like that, but the truth is that we are far more complex and diverse. My own cycle is in the neighborhood of 30 days (although it has varied from 26 - 39) with ovulation around day 17. Without charting, I would have had absolutely no clue about this, and trying to conceive based on a "normal" 28/14 cycle would be useless and frustrating for me.

So - have you charted today?

Goodbye First Tri

Tomorrow is a big day. Tomorrow, my new pregnancy turns 13 weeks and 3 days!

That may seem like an odd number to celebrate, but it marks the end of the "cautiously optimistic" First Trimester.

Wha? Isn't pregnancy 9 months long? Yes. So how does 13 weeks/3 days = 3 months.

Aha. That is the trick, my friend. That is the trick. As I explained to my incredulous sister earlier tonight, pregnancy math is more complicated than it should be. I believe this was invented most certainly by a wicked man intent on confusing the already muddled pregnant woman's brain. As if we have energy and brain cells to burn!

So here is how it works out: Pregnancy is indeed 9 months, give or take a week or so, because only about 1 in 5 babies come when they're supposed to. But counted in weeks, it's 40 weeks. Now as we all know, 40 weeks = 10 months. So, clearly, something is wrong.

The reason for this discrepancy is that pregnancy is counted as staring from the first day of your last period. That means that the first two weeks of your future pregnancy start before you have even conceived! I guess by this logic, I have been pregnant for two weeks out of every month for the last 20 years. No one said this was a good way to count, but it's the way they do it. And they do have a reason...

For women who chart, it's very easy to pinpoint exactly when you ovulate and thus, when you were likely to have conceived. If you look at my horrible, incomplete chart to the left, you'll see that I most likely got KTFU on Thursday, Dec. 11. No, I have no recollection of this night. I wish I could say it was the most romantic night of my life and we stared lovingly into each others eyes as we made our baby... But it was FWP and it worked. Apparently.

Back to the reason for the messed-up measuring system. Other than those of us who chart, and by which I mean most women, it is very hard to determine on exactly what day conception occurred because it could be as early as Day 11 or as late as Day 21. It is, however, very easy to determine the first day of a woman's last period. Thus, this day was used as the starting point for measuring the age of a pregnancy.

Those already schooled in the cult of the chart know the problem with this counting method, which is that it assumes that every woman ovulates on Day 14, which we now know, thanks to reading TCOYF, is not true.

But no matter, my pregnancy "officially" began on Nov. 26. And that makes tomorrow 13 weeks and 3 days, which is almost exactly 1/3 of the 40 weeks that make up a full-term pregnancy.

Hallelujah! Bring on the Second Trimester...

Pre-pregnancy shopping

Mr. Divasaur and I don't plan to FWP until June. That said, we are preparing for pregnancy by eating right, exercising, getting more sleep, etc. That's a reasonable amount of preparation. But where is the line? I know there are TTC gals who already have baby clothes and maternity clothes long before they get their BFP.

This comes up today because I just found out that there's this mega-consignment event for all things maternity and baby related this weekend. It's called Just Between Friends and brings budgetzilla mommies and mommies-to-be out in droves to snap up incredible deals on gear. We all know becoming a parent is costly. Not just emotionally, but financially too. I hate to pass up a deal, especially since we're planning to be PG in the near future (Goddess willing!), so it's not so far fetched that I would attend one of these deals. But I don't know.

My mom really wants to go and scope it out, especially because this swap-meet-of- a-baby- gear-sale only happens twice a year. Once in March and then again in November. Well, if we play our cards right, I'll be in my third trimester come November. So in an effort to be more prepared, my mom thinks we should go and see what kind of deals can be had. I think she really just want to start buying stuff for this twinkle-in-my-husband's-eye baby-to-be. Just last week, she pulled out her quilting magazines and dog-eared pages " for the baby." And she wants to start knitting all sorts of cute buntings and booties. I think she may just have BOTB as badly as I do!

How cute is this retro crib embellished with cherry decals?

But I don't want to jinx myself! It's kind of like planning the wedding before getting engaged, right? One visit to The Knot shows that even that happens pretty regularly! They even have a community board completely dedicated to those "not yet engaged." (On a WEDDING site!). But I digress. I have nothing going on this weekend aside from preparing for an out-of-town conference for work. I think I'll go, just to see what's out there. But I absolutely will not buy a thing for my phantom baby. If I find something cute for my 6 months old godson, then I'll snap up the bargain and send him a gift! But nothing for us...I certainly don't want to put the cart before the horse or in this case the baby before the bump. My mom? That's another story completely.

Alphabet Soup

After you have the discussion with your husband and you decide to start a family, everything changes. It seems you cross some imaginary line and suddenly, you're in a differently world. A world that speaks another language. Out of nowhere, there are all these acronyms you need to know - baby lingo, so to speak.

You're now TTC (trying to conceive) with your DH (dear hubby) and people accuse you of having BOTB (babies on the brain). For some, that may mean casually stopping BCPs (birth control pills) or any other form of birth control. For others, that means being a bit more proactive than just not TTA (trying to avoid). Some women start charting - this means recording temperatures daily with a BBT (basal body thermomter) and tracking changes in your CM (cervical mucus) for signs of increased fertility. (This post isn't meant to teach anyone the ins and outs of charting - for that, check out FF (Fertility Friend) or TCoYF (Taking Charge of Your Fertility)). Before we started TTC, the big O had an entirely different meaning. It referred to a mind blowing almost out of body experience. Now the big O = ovulation! Go figure.

So, you chart your temperatures and check your CM to find out when you're most "fertile" and to pinpoint your O. Each day on your chart is referred to as a CD (cycle day). The first day of your period is CD1. The problem with charting using a BBT, though, is that it tells you when you O'd after the fact, not before. So while that's great to know for the next go around, your O day can actually vary +/- a few days each cycle. The widely stated fact that women O on CD14 is merely an average, for the women that have a 28 day cycle and a 14 day LP (luteal phase). The fact is, that most women O anywhere as early as CD9-10 and all the way out to CD60! So for those who are wanting a bit more of a head's up on when they might O, they use OPKs (ovulation predictor kits). OPKs detect a surge in LH (luteinizing hormone), the hormone responsible for triggering ovulation of mature follicles. OPKs can be a bit trickier than PG (pregnancy) tests because instead of one line = negative and two lines = positive, you can often have two lines on an OPK. It's only considered positive if the test line is equal to or darker than the control line. The first time I used OPKs, I was squinting at the lines, holding them out at a distance, trying to figure out if my line was darker. Eventually, I got a +OPK, and then it became obvious what a positive result looks like. The cheapest brand I've found in retail stores is the brand Answer. You can find it at Walmart, Walgreens, and CVS for about $1 per test stick. If you don't want to deal with subjectivity and ambiguity of these types of OPKs, you can get the ones that show you a smiley face when they're positive - like the one pictured below in Bibliosaur's post. Or you can go even more high-tech and get the CBEFM (Clear Blue Easy Fertility Monitor).

Regardless of what method you use, once you know you're O'ing, it's time to BD (baby dance), FLB (f__ like bunnies) or FWP (f__ with purpose). Those who prefer to be more politically correct can use the medical term TI (timed intercourse). The hope is that with good timing, you'll be KU after a few cycles. The odds of getting PG each cycle varies based on several factors (male fertility, the woman's age, frequency of intercourse around O, etc.) but in general it is about 25%.

After you get the big O, you enter into the dreaded 2ww (two week wait). I swear that time likes to stand still during the 2ww when you're waiting to find out if you're KU (knocked up) - or as some jokingly refer to it - KTFU (knocked the f__ up). The time period after a woman O's, the LP (luteal phase), can vary, but it's usually anywhere from 10-14 days. Once you're TTC, you start referring to the days after O as DPO (days post ovulation). Many women refer to their monthly period as "Aunt Flo," or AF for short. On average, most women can expect to see her about 14 DPO - hence the term 2ww.

A lot of women who are TTC (myself included), have a hard time waiting for AF to show up to find out if they're KU. It's highly recommended that you refrain from POAS (peeing on a stick) until you are officially "late," or on the day you expect AF to show up at the earliest. Testing too early can cause a false negatives and can be discouraging. Not to mention it can be expensive. Not to worry, though, because if you have a bad POAS habit, you can get them for $1 each at Dollar Tree (they can detect as little as 20 mIU/mL of hCG - click here for a list of sensitivity ranges for most HPTs). If you're not in a rush, you can save even more money by getting them online and having them shipped to you from here. To describe how much it sucks to get a negative HPT (home pregnancy test) when you're hoping for a baby, it's called a BFN (big fat negative). Conversely, you can celebrate when you finally get that BFP (big fat positive). If you're lucky enough to see those two beautiful lines, then your OB (obstetrician/gynecologist) will have you go in for a beta (blood test to measure the pregnancy hormone hCG) and in a few weeks, you'll be scheduled for an U/S (ultaround).

So there you have it. A whole mess of alphabet soup we learn to use once we finally decide we want to become pregosaurs. It's a lot to take in, isn't it?

Here's a quick summary:

2ww = 2 week wait
AF = aunt flo aka menstruation
BBT = basal body thermometer
BCPs = birth control pills
BD = baby dance (timed intercourse)
Beta = hCG = human chorionic gonadotropin (anything over 5 is considered pregnant)
BOTB = babies on the brain
BFN = big fat negative
BFP = big fat positive
CBEFM = Clear Blue Easy Fertility Monitor
CD = cycle day
CM = cervical mucus
DH = dear husband, dear hubby
DPO = days post ovulation
FF = fertility friend
FLB = f__ like bunnies (frequent intercourse)
FWP = f__ with purpose (timed intercourse)
HPT = home pregnancy test
KU = knocked up (pregnant)
KTFU = knocked the f__ up (pregnant)
LH = luteinizing hormone (triggers ovulation)
LP = luteal phase
O = ovulation
OB = obstetrician/gynecologist
OPK = ovulation predictor kit
PG = pregnancy
POAS = pee on a stick (take a home pregnancy test)
TCoYF = Taking Charge of Your Fertility
TI = timed intercourse
TTA = trying to avoid
TTC = trying to conceive
U/S = ultrasound

Babyhater

I'm a babyhater. There. I said it. And yet, ironically, my husband and I are trying to start a family.

I've never loved babies. Never even liked them. I'm the person who would rather run a mile in tight shoes than hold a baby. I've never cooed over them, never asked to hold one, never burbled about how adorable they are. Because frankly, I don't like babies. Sticky, smelly, screamy babies.
My mother has never understood this side of me - she's the exact opposite, a dedicated baby lover, so charmed by the little rugrats that she will walk up to complete strangers in the grocery store and ask if she can smell their newborn. (I'm informed that newborn babies smell like milk. I wouldn't know.) She told me time and time again that she wished her three children had stayed babies forever. Whenever I would refuse to babysit for a neighbor, she'd cry, "But why? You LOVE babies!" Um - no. That's you. I'm the hater, remember?

So what happened?

For a long time, I assumed that eventually I would grow to adopt my mother's feelings - that biology would wreak havoc on my brain and I'd suddenly turn into a baby-crazed nutter who wanted to cuddle everything in sight. That didn't happen. I still hate babies. And yet somehow the sneaky biological imperative DID manage to slip one by me - because although I still hate everyone else's, I want one of my own.

And I can't exactly explain why. In fact, when it very first crossed my mind, I was shocked. Me? Want a baby? I'm not one of those women! Mr. Bibliosaur and I started discussing it, and decided to wait for a while and see if the feeling stuck around (he's always loved kids, but understood that there was a good chance I'd never want them). Several months later, it was still the same: I wanted a baby. Right now. I still don't want to hold or care for anyone else's, but I very much want one of my own - all the best parts of my husband and I, all our love made tangible in this little bundle. I want to see Mr. Bibliosaur as a father, and myself as a mother.

I'm a little bit terrified - this is uncharted territory for me, after all. But I'm also excited about it - me, the babyhater! Who'd have thought?

Charting success for an A-type personality

Our decision to TTC this summer came to us quite quickly over the 2008 holiday season. We have gone from "maybe we'll get started in 2011" to "let's get pregnant THIS summer." No one is more surprised than me! When Mr. Divasaur and got hitched 18 months ago he had the baby rabies really badly. So we got a puppy. That puppy just turned one and some how, in the past year, I have come around. I don't know when, I don't even know how, but I do know that it has hit me. Like a ton of bricks.

So after the shock of actually wanting to do this I went into planning mode. I stopped my birth control pills (BCP), starting taking prenatal vitamins, ordered Taking Charge of Your Fertility (TCoYF), signed up for Fertility Friend (FF), and bought a basal body temperature thermometer (BBT). I wanted to get to the business of charting fluctuating waking temperatures and ever-changing cervical mucus all in search of that one day each month when you O. Not THE big O, the other one...ovulation.

So I set my alarm clock for 4:45 a.m. so I could be sure to wake before our menace of a cat could get the idea first and tucked my trusty BBT in the nightstand drawer. Faithful to the egg and its journey, each morning I awoke and took my temperature before doing anything else. Once I actually did get up I entered the precious number into FF and noted my other "symptoms"...increased appetite, skin break-outs, stuffy nose, you name it. And I even learned that the flux in my CM is not only normal, but a great thing! Who knew? It's taken me nearly three-and-a-half decades of life on this earth to figure that one out! I was a little uncertain that my first go at charting could be so clear so I panicked and bought some ovulation predictor kit (OPK) strips. The cheapies, of course. But they worked and confirmed what my chart was only telling me.

And luckily, first cycle of BCP my cycle was back to "normal". Thirty-one days long and ovulation on CD17. Yipee! When you've waited as long as I have to even fathom becoming pregnant it's a little scary to think that it might not even be possible. Especially since every gynecological medical professional you talk to immediately reminds you that you are of "advanced maternal age". UGH!

Ever the planner, I researched my OB/GYN options and got a new one that was highly recommended to me. She's reassured me that my age and weight and anything else I am worried about should not hinder my ability to conceive. She also told me that I should try to relax and enjoy the process. She doesn't know me very well, after all we've just met. But she will...

So...the ovaries are working...at least according to my chart. But being the overachiever that I am I want high tech back-up to confirm my results. So I scour the 'net and score a deal of a ClearBlue Easy Fertility Monitor(CBEFM). Ever the pragmatist, I justified this first big, baby-related expense as an investment in our family's future since we'll definitely want baby #2 someday and therefore I will get two for the price of one. Right? First we've got to get baby #1. The plan is start using the CBEFM in March, which will be my third cycle off BCP and two cycles before we actively TTC. I hope that will all of this accurate pinpointing of my fertility we'll get knocked-up this summer. Best laid plans?


February is my second cycle charting. Now in the swing of all things fertility-related, I have dropped morning cup o'joe and have substituted jasmine green tea. I have also lost 19 lbs. but completely overhauling the way I eat and incorporating daily exercise into my routine. I want to be a lean, mean, baby-making machine come June. I am eating low-glycemic fruit, lots of fresh veggies, lean proteins and high fiber, complex carbs five or six mini-meals at day. No sugar, no salt, no dairy or added fats. And 100-140 oz. of fresh, filtered water each day. It feels good to get the processed and unhealthy foods out of my system. I am also skipping my occasional glass of red wine. My cravings are diminished, my skin is looking better and my energy levels are off the chart. I also continue to chart and am grateful that my cycle is right on target with O on CD17 again this month.

As March approaches I am gearing up to continue on my new eating plan and exercise regime, adding in some weight resistance training a couple days a week. I will also break out the CBEFM, although I am feeling more and more confident in my charting ability. Type A? You bet. But I knew that. My family thinks I am nuts, trying to plan my first pregnancy. They don't believe in it. You just get pregnant. You don't even have to try. They didn't. You see, most of my family members' babies were "accidental", although I really think that if you're doing the horizontal mambo with no protection you might as well expect to get knocked up! They also don't understand why I am in my thirties and just considering motherhood. Oh well...I have never quite fit the mold with them anyway.

And don't you know...I am already researching doulas, maternity wear, baby items, as well as our daycare and school options? You know, to somehow be prepared. As if I could ever, ever truly prepare for what is ahead. Something tells me that deciding to get pregnant may just be the easy part of all of this. Only time will tell.

The training wheels are off

When we decided to start trying for a baby, we had no idea things would happen this fast - I had my Implanon removed and then eight days later - whammo!

No, that's not a pregnancy test, just an ovulation predictor; the happy face means that I've already returned to fertility! It's not completely unheard of, but a week is still much faster than usual - I thought I'd need at least another cycle to return to normal.

And naturally, I lept around the house like a crazed lunatic doing double fist pumps of victory in the air after seeing that little smiley face. A positive OPK so soon out of the gate is very validating for a Type A control freak who has to do everything exactly right the first time. God help us when we actually get a positive pregnancy test!

So it's official: the training wheels are off. From now on, we're doin' it for real.

Former 'saurs

A huge shout out to the rockin' ladies who decided to stop blogging after giving birth to their little one, or graduated to our sister site, Littlesaur!

BAKERSAUR

BELLESAUR

BIBLIOSAUR

BLONDIESAUR

CHOCOSAUR

CITYSAUR

CRAFTYSAUR

DIVASAUR

JOGGERSAUR

LEGALOSAUR

LILLYSAUR

LUCKYSAUR

PHOTOSAUR

POLITISAUR

PRIMAVERASAUR

RELAXASAUR

ROCKASAUR

SHOPASAUR

SHORTYSAUR

Showing our blog love!

Are we missing anyone? Comment below with your favorite trying to conceive/pregnancy/baby blog!

TTC/PG websites that we love!

BabyCenter
Getting pregnant, baby, toddler, preschoolers and more

BabyFit
Sparkpeople for pregosaurs!

BabyNames
Make custom name lists that others can vote on!


Blogmama
Love this blog directory for moms!

The Bump
Helpful resources and online forums from conception to 6+ months

Elizabeth Pantley
Elizabeth is the author of a series popular books featuring solutions to common parenting problems - as she says, her ideas employ "wonderful, practical, loving solutions"

Facts About Miscarriage
A blog with tons of resources for those who have lost a pregnancy or baby

Fertility FAQs
Finding it all a bit intimidating? Some FAQs to get you started

Fertility Friend
Chart your way to conception!

The Happiest Baby on the Block
Every single parent I know loves Dr Karp's book on how to get your baby to sleep peacefully through the night

HPT FAQ
Everything you ever wanted to know about Home Pregnancy Tests

The Miscarriage Association
Support and information for those suffering a pregnancy loss


The Mom Blogs
Awesome directory of moms who blog

Nymbler
Awesome baby name tool that suggests more names based on the ones you like

OPK FAQ
Everything you ever wanted to know about Ovulation Predictor Kits

Share
Pregnancy and infant loss support

Stirrup Queen's List of Blogs
An awesome blogroll of adoption, infertility and loss blogs

Know of any great resources you'd like to share? Comment below!

About Us

Everyone's journey toward becoming a parent is unique, and our 'saurs are here to to tell it all about trying to conceive and pregnancy: sometimes funny, sometimes touching, sometimes TMI, always honest - even when it's scary...or gross...or both!

Contact
Want to get in touch? Send us an email!
pregosaur - pregosaur@gmail.com
littlesaur - littlesaur@gmail.com

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Join Us!

We're always looking for new 'saurs to join the blog and share their journey! You'll need to be:

• Actively trying to conceive, currently pregnant or adopting
• Willing to share the details of your journey (even the TMI ones!)
  
• Committed to posting a couple of times per week
• Able to write for an audience (if you currently blog, include a link so we can take a look - it's OK if you don't, you just need the ability to compose a compelling post and keep a reader's attention - include a draft post or two so we can check out your writing style)

If that sounds like you, send an email telling us a bit about yourself to pregosaur@gmail.com - we can't wait to hear from you!

Already have one or two (or more!) littlesaurs? Want to blog about the joys and challenges of being a parent? Get in touch with us at littlesaur@gmail.com

What did you say?

Confused by all the acronyms? Here's a short guide to the most common:

2WW - The two-week wait period of time after ovulation before you can take a pregnancy test

AF - Aunt Flo (menstruation)

BC - Birth Control

BCP - Birth Control Pills

BBT - Basal Body Temperature

BD - Baby Dance (baby making sex)

BF or BF'ing - Breastfeeding

BFN - Big Fat Negative (pregnancy test result)

BFP - Big Fat Positive (pregnancy test result)

CBEFM - Clear Blue Easy Fertility Monitor (this popular tool for tracking your fertility)

CD - Cycle Day

CM - Cervical Mucus

D&C - Dilation & Curettage (a procedure carried out if a miscarriage cannot be completed naturally)

DC - Dear Child (of either sex)

DD - Dear Daughter

DH - Dear Husband

DS - Dear Son

DPO - Days Past Ovulation

EDD - Estimated Due Date

EPT - Early Pregnancy Test

EWCM - Egg White Cervical Mucus (indicates your most fertile time)

FF - Fertility Friend (this popular free charting website)

FLB - F*ck Like Bunnies (baby making sex)

FWP - F*ck With Purpose (baby making sex)

FMU - First Morning Urine (used when taking a home pregnancy test)

FRER - First Response Early Response (popular early pregnancy test)

HPT - Home Pregnancy Test

IF - Infertility

IUI - Intrauterine insemination (a type of artificial insemination)

IVF - In Vitro Fertilization

KU - Knocked Up (pregnant)

KTFU - Knocked The F*ck Up (pregnant)

LH - Luteinizing Hormone (the hormone that precedes ovulation - this is what ovulation tests look for)

LP - Luteal Phase (the length of time after ovulation but before your period)

MC - Miscarriage

MS - Morning Sickness

MW - Midwife

OB/OBGYN- Obstetrician or gynecologist

OPK/OPT - Ovulation Predictor Kit/Ovulation Predictor Test

PCOS - Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

PG - Pregnant

POAS - Pee On A Stick (take a home pregnancy test)

SA - Sperm/Semen Analysis

TCOYF - Taking Charge of Your Fertility (this book)

TI - Timed Intercourse

TTA - Trying to Avoid (generally, charting to avoid pregnancy)

TTC - Trying To Conceive

U/S - Ultrasound

WTEWE - What to Expect When You're Expecting (this book)

Meet the 'Saurs...

Browneyedsaur
Married to BFF, mama to a brown eyed girl.
Read my posts!




Dreamersaur
Mom to princess and a  tomboy, dreaming of a prince.
Read my posts!
See my Fertility Friend Chart!


Eiresaur
Happily married, hoping to become a mommy!
Read my posts!



Hungrysaur
I have PCOS, our son is 10 yrs old and we've been trying for Baby #2 for about 6 years now with no luck. We saw an infertility specialist, tried Clomid a couple of different times with no success. But, within the last 14 months getting pregnant isn't the problem anymore, its staying pregnant. I've had 3 miscarriages all before I've reached 7 weeks. Each pregnancy has lasted a little longer than the last but it's still heartbreaking to keep losing my babies and not have answers to why. We're hoping and praying this Lil' Bean wants to stick for the long haul!
EDD: April 15, 2012
Read my posts!



Jerseysaur
A year into our marriage we decided to start "trying". After two miscarriages we successfully and naturally became pregnant. This journey has taken me to places mentally I hope to never see again, I have to always remember those I have in my life currently.  It was not an easy road to get to where we are today and I am so thankful for each day that passes. We are now awaiting the arrival of our little girl.
EDD: December 12, 2011
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Laughosaur
In the Spring of 2010 we decided to start trying for our first baby. Over a year later we're now working with an amazing fertility doctor to select the option that works for us so we can finally have our baby.  Never in a million years did we think this would be the way we'd bring our first child into the world, but this was the hand we were dealt and now we're playing our cards the best way we know how. Hoping to get pregnant before 2011 is over!
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