33 years old and want to start TTC in 1.5-2 years --- what should I be doing now?

[Anonymous]

I will be 34 at the end of this year. Within 2 years, I plan to start TTC.

I have my annual obgyn appointment next week and am wondering what specific things I should ask her about, or what specific things I should ask her to check? I guess I have a huge fear of being 35-36, starting TTC, and THEN finding out there is a problem. If there is a problem I would like to work on it over the next two years.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Anonymous]

Well, looking back on where I was when I did get pregnant, I would recommend a few things. I would shift your diet to as much organic as you can afford to minimize pesticides in your body, start taking a multivitamin, cut down on soy (an estrogen mimic and endocrine disruptor for some people), and take a large vitamin D supplement. I'd recommend acupuncture and also minimize alcohol consumption (which will also help with any slimming or trimming that might need to be done).

Basically, take all the things that are recommended for a healthy pregnancy and start doing them now to send the message to your body that the foundation is there and in place. Bodies adjust to change slowly, so over the course of two years these will have a positive effect. And, they're good for your overall health.

[Anonymous]

Also, keep in mind that where your body is at now and where it maybe in two years could be drastically different, especially since you are passing the 35 mark. So any testing you do now, may not be relevant in the future.

[Anonymous]

Move to a healthy BMI, if you're not there already. Too thin or too heavy and you may have trouble TTC when the time comes.

Also, four to six months before you're ready to start TTC, make time to read "Taking Charge of Your Fertility," and begin monitoring and recording your cycles. You certainly don't need to do the formal temping in advance (or ever) if you don't want to, but even trying some OTK ovulation sticks could be helpful so you know when you ovulate.

Other than that, just have fun!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Move to a healthy BMI, if you're not there already. Too thin or too heavy and you may have trouble TTC when the time comes.

Also, four to six months before you're ready to start TTC, make time to read "Taking Charge of Your Fertility," and begin monitoring and recording your cycles. You certainly don't need to do the formal temping in advance (or ever) if you don't want to, but even trying some OTK ovulation sticks could be helpful so you know when you ovulate.

Other than that, just have fun!!

THIS!!!!! I was completely surprised by how little I knew about when I ovulated etc. As someone who got pregnant 35+ this was such a great read - and I got pregnant 2 months after I read this book.

[Anonymous]

I don't know how prevalent this is... but I stopped taking BC (I was on the ring), a few months before I wanted to get pregnant. I did not get a period for 1 year. If I had to do it again I would not have been on birth control for 10 years straight and then stopped right when I wanted to get pregnant. Maybe this is not common, maybe there was some other factors making me not get my period. Just wanted to throw out my experience as food for thought.

[Anonymous]

Highly recommend reading a book "Making Babies" by Sami David. Lots of good information there and it will give you a good guide on how to prepare for pregnancy.

[Anonymous]

OP here -- thank you to everyone for your posts.

I am overall pretty healthy - I work out a lot - both with weights and running. I eat well, but probably too much, as still have 40 pounds to lose (have already lost 60).

I have not been on the pill for years, but was considering it going on it for the next year, then going off of it 6-12 months before TTC. Not sure if that is a bad idea but I will discuss it with the gyn.

Without the pill, my periods have always been very irregular, which concerns me. Clearly I need to educate myself though - thanks for the book recommendations.

[Anonymous]

I would definitely go off the pill way before you want to conceive. Some people take a long time to get their cycles back. In addition, definitely do try to get to a healthy BMI if you aren't there already (too thin or too heavy can have a massive impact).

If you're up for it, it can be helpful (temping or opk's) to find out at what point in your cycle you're ovulating. If your periods are irregular I'd definitely talk to your OB now and maybe get hormone tests run to see if there's any particular reason. Good luck!!

[Anonymous]

If you can start trying now, I would do so. I thought 30 was fine and it took 5 years and lots of treatments. Fertility declines significantly after age 30. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

OP, DEFINITELY avoid the pill. It took me almost a year to conceive at 31, after being on the pill for 10 years. I think part of it was that my hormones were just so messed up and took a while to get regular after the pill. My cycles were like 28 days, then 32, then 35, then 38, then 39, etc. The OB will tell you that it doesn't affect most women and your cycles will regulate after 1 month, blah blah blah, but too many women I know were messed up for a long time after.

The other big this is start charting your cycles now. That way you can start identifying patterns, and you'll know better when you start TTC what a "normal" cycle looks like for you. My normal cycles are 40 days long, and my luteal phase is 19 days, both of which are "abnormal" but normal for me. I didn't start charting until I started TTC, and not knowing that my cycles looked normal for me (after the BC pill wore off) added stress. I used fertility friend to chart (and later when I used a monitor, I added this information in and got preg first cycle using monitor!).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you can start trying now, I would do so. I thought 30 was fine and it took 5 years and lots of treatments. Fertility declines significantly after age 30. Good luck.

I would try now if I had my way. We have only been together for a year and half, just moved in together, and won't be marrying until the end of the year.

Argh.

Thanks again to all PPs, charting and getting an idea of my cycle, especially since it is so irregular, sounds like great advice.

[Anonymous]

Sleep a lot and travel!!

[Anonymous]

Re: irregular periods - perhaps I am an oddity, but the regularity of my periods actually improved after the BCP. I used to have incredibly irregular periods, like all over the place, and after the BCP it was a regular 28 day cycle. But I was on the pill for a long time, almost 10 years, before TTCing.

[Anonymous]

TOTALLY agree with the PPs who recommended going off the pill and/or BC NOW. It took almost a year for my periods to begin again, and when you are approaching AMA, every month really counts!

Learning about your cycle is also key - I also highly recommend Taking Charge of Your Fertility. I have never charted, but I learned enough from the book that I now can identify from signs in my body - and some occasional help from a fertility monitor - when I'm fertile. Alas, it hasn't seemed to make a difference so far... but I feel much more in control and much better able to tell my doctors what's going on.