Advice for Women TTC

For most of you, this acronym (TTC), is a new one.  It stands for “trying to conceive.”  When I first embarked on my baby journey I found that many blogs used this acronym.  I actually really like this term as it sounds much more sophisticated than “baby journey.”   J

I am posting this blog for all women who have even an inkling that someday they would like children.  I want to pass down some advice that I never received.  In fact, after talking to many women, I have found out they are just as unaware as I was about how this whole reproductive thing works. 

I seriously wish that we came with a user’s manual.  It would be so helpful.  Think about it.  There would be a section on maintenance (brush your teeth twice a day, exercise for at least 30 minutes a day for at least 4 days a week, get at least 7-8 hours of sleep a night, etc), a section on fixing things that are broken (how to cure a cold, solutions for an upset stomach, a list of doctors to help us do all of this fixing, etc), and the list goes on. 

The one section that I would put in there would be about women’s health, more specifically women's reproductive health.  I would put the book “Taking Charge of Your Fertility” by Toni Weschler in that section.  This excellent book has taught me everything I never learned from school, my gynecologist or friends/family.  The book educates you about the phases of your cycle (did you know that there are 2 phases???  The follicular, or first phase and the luteal, or second phase), basal body temperature, and cervical mucus and position.  What?  If any of this information in unfamiliar to you, than it’s time for you to read up and become knowledgeable. 

By becoming familiar with all of these intricacies, you will be able to pinpoint when you ovulate and therefore target the best days for TTC.  This is so amazing to me and it really works.  I have been tracking my BBT (basal body temperature) for over a year now, and it has become an excellent resource.  I also check my cervical mucus and track that, as it is probably the most obvious signal that you are ovulating. 

Learning about your body now will prepare you for the future.  When I was younger, I was put on oral contraceptives for irregular periods.  At the time, this seemed great because I finally knew exactly when I was going to get my period.  In hindsight, this only put a patch on a potential problem.  I was never diagnosed with anything at the time and I never knew that this irregularity was perhaps a sign that it could be difficult for me to get pregnant in the future. 

Learn from my mistakes.  Empower yourself to learn more about your reproductive health.  Even if you don’t forsee any problems, it is still important to know how your body works.  Knowledge is power and the more you know, the more you can be an advocate for your health. 

Good luck to you all if you are TTC and pass this information along to friends and family.  Don’t be in the dark any longer about your reproductive health.