Preparing to Conceive

[Cinnamon Girl]

My husband and I have decided that we are finally ready to take the plunge and have a baby. :bouncysmi

Now come the questions!

I'm 30, overweight, have been on BC for almost 10 years and have recently started taking Lexapro for minor depression.

I talked to my doc this morning and he said he 'thinks' I should be off the pill for about 6 months before hand and that I should definitely be off the Lexapro before trying to get pregnant. But he suggested I talk to an ob/gyn so I've gone ahead and made an appointment but that's not until September.

In the meantime, I'm wondering if any of you have any insight. Should I be off the pill for a time before trying to conceive and if so, how long? I only have a minor case of depression so going off those pills doesn't bother me that much, but does anyone have any idea how long you should be off them?

I know I have to lose weight (well, maybe not 'have' to, but I want to in order to facilitate a healthier pregnancy/birth/post-birth for myself and the baby) and that I need to start taking folic acid. Are there any other things I should be doing to prepare for conception?

Thanks, all! :colorful:

[Aine of the Fae]

I would give yourself 6 months for both pills to give your body, and your mind, some time to adjust before trying to conceive. Also try searching google for herbal treatments to prepare for conception. Certainly doing a "de-tox" would be helpful. Our bodies build up so many toxins in day-to-day existence it's shocking. Drink a LOT of water, now and during the pregnancy. Dehydration can be a serious problem (I know, I landed in the hospital for it during my pregnancy and I was drinking 64 oz a day!)

I found this website that has some info on herbs before pregnancy:

http://www.babyzone.com/preconception/herbs/Default.asp

Also, don't be disappointed if you don't conceive right away, many people have trouble after having been on the pill for awhile. Weight loss is probably a good thing, being overweight is a strain on your bones, muscles and joints and adding the weight gain from baby to that can be very stressful for your body. Also, being overweight may increase your risk for gestational diabetes, a serious, but treatable condition. Begin an exercise routine now, it's good for you, and exercise helps to ease pregnancy. Starting now will help you get used to exercising so you don't stress your body out too much during the pregnancy.

And we are all here for you if you have questions or just need a shoulder to cry on!

[devotchka]

Have you gone to your OBGYN yet? Oh wait, I just read... you made the appointment. Okay, good. I would go there first to get a routine exam to make sure everything is in proper working order and express interest in having a baby.

I don't know much about the pill, never been on it. Do you have a normal period and stuff now? Maybe you can stop them now and see if your cycle is going to be steady afterwards, like every 28 days or something. That way, you'll be able to time your ovulation right.

(You can also use this neat little tool (http://www.thelaboroflove.com/pregnancyplanner/index.html) to predict your most fertile times, I checked it when I was pregnant, and it was right on the money)

I would definitely toss the lexapro before even trying. Just because you don't know how that stuff can interfere with your conception or even yet, your little embryo. I was freaking after I found out I was pregnant because I had previously been a Goody's headache powder junkie!

Anyway, I would just wait a couple of periods to see if you're regular. But there's no harm in some pre-conception *ahem* warm-ups with your husband, if you know what I mean.... practice makes perfect!

A good thing to remember when trying to conceive is to relax about it and have fun. I know some people who just get crushed if they don't succeed in the first month or two. It's going to happen. Read up on ways to increase the chances, start taking a prenatal (your OBGYN should be more than happy to get you on one), do some light exercise like walking (light pilates or yoga is really good) and eat less starchy stuff and more green stuff and fish, if you eat little critters that is, fish is excellent (just not the high-mercury ones, like swordfish).

Anyway.

I say, trying to get pregnant is the fun part... ;)

If you have any more questions, feel free to ask :) I'm a new mom (my son is 2 months) so the pregnant stuff is still pretty fresh. Now, I like, totally love pregnant people. So get pregnant already!! hehehe..

[Mab]

I've been ttc for about 7 months myself, after 8 years of taking the pill. I just met with my primary care phys. & this is what she said:

Cut back on or out caffeine
Cut out alcohol
Get a pap & pelvic (which you'll probably want to do when you meet w/your ob/gyn)
Start taking pre-natal vitamins
And basically just take care of yourself

Now, in the State of Colorado, (I just found this out) it's required that every pregnant woman have a gonorrhea/chlamydia test. However, if you have one w/i 12 months prior to conceiving, you don't have to have another one once you are preggers.

Since my iron is low, she also ran a basic T4 to test my iron levels & my thyroid.

Basically, you just want to make sure you provide the best possible environment for baby. And, yes, my doc said the same thing to me "If you're not trying, it happens in a snap. If you're trying, it always seems to take forever." She also said if you try for a year & it doesn't happen, then you can start worrying, but each woman is different, so it might take a few months, it might take a year....ya never know.

Good luck, honey!

[Autumn]

Ok...

Make sure any multivitamin you take includes folic acid.
when it comes to the antidepressant, were you so down you were nonfuntional? If not probably if you increase you outdoor time and improve your diet you will feel better. If you are depressed anyway Wellbutrin is cantigory B as opposed to the C of most of the others.

Your best bet for how long to be off the pill before you concieve is to chart your cycles including your basal body temp and when you've seen a couple of ovulatory cycles you are good to go. Remember folks occasinally get preggers on the pill and their babies are fine! Also remember that women take SSRI antidepressants while pregnant without severe effects to the fetuses. If you can go off the lexapro without depression making you miserable that's great, but if you need the help just reduce the dose as low as you can and know your baby will do better if you are not depressed!

[Bec_W]

When you do go off the pill still use some kind of birth control, unless your hoping to get pregnant right away.

As far as I'm aware they can do the gonorrhea and chlamydia testing when then draw blood to confirm and date the pregnancy so at least you wont have to go through too many singular tests. I think in the US you have to request a HIV test but they do them here (australia) as routine.

*edited to add* I found this site for larger pregnant women (http://www.plus-size-pregnancy.org/) it's really a good read.

[Mithrea]

Lexapro metabolizes quickly--that's why it's one of the better ones -- it's also why you can't miss a pill :P

You also need to get this book: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0961462000/qid=1091049862/sr=8-4/ref=pd_ka_4/104-6186216-3940708?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

It's Susan Weeds WildWoman's Herbal for the Childbearing years.

:hugz:

I'm so excited!!!!

[Temair]

I think in the US you have to request a HIV test but they do them here (australia) as routine.

I had to sign a consent form if I wanted one, but was quite free to decline. AFter all, when you're on your fourth baby, and you've been faithful and all the previous ones were negative, there's no reason to think that it will spontaneously materialize in your body. :)

[WolfMoon]

Congratulations! Trying is the fun part! ;)

When you see your Ob/Gyn, request a script for pre-natal vitamins. it won't hurt you to be on them, and the longer you're on them before you conceive, the better it is for you and the baby.

That said, everyone else has added whatever advice I could have, save this: Relax. Don't stress it, don't push it. Lay back, play some nice music, have a small glass of wine (if you drink), set a nice atmosphere, and enjoy! :)

[Cinnamon Girl]

Thanks, everyone for the information and support. :hugz: Keep it coming - this is great.

And that looks to be a really interesting link, Bec - I've added it to my favorites. :)


Holly, you'll get to be a goddess-mother! :broomride

[FlyingBear]

I was overweight and on the pill when we deiceded to start trying for a baby. I quit the pill in Feb and got pregnant in April-May. Even tho there were doctors telling me that it would take several years due to my size and my irregular cycle. Also said I would probably have to do IVF. * shrug*

I took herbs and a prenatal vit to give a boost. I started excerising very regulary, got plenty of sleep, and took my basal temp. It worked for us.

The Kmom site is really great, gots LOADS of helpful advice from there.

Good luck!!

:floating:

[Mithrea]

Thanks, everyone for the information and support. :hugz: Keep it coming - this is great.

And that looks to be a really interesting link, Bec - I've added it to my favorites. :)


Holly, you'll get to be a goddess-mother! :broomride

That's why I'm so excited!!!!! :lol:

And . . . oh yeah, I'm excited for you too :2G:


:T

[Bec_W]

Some one sent me this link today http://www.fertilityplus.org/bbw/ I've not looked at the info but my friend says its a good site. :)

[Cinnamon Girl]

OK, so I had my initial consult with the doctor today and here's what she said:

- Finish off my current round of BC pills and then stop and let myself have a normal cycle for a couple months

- If I feel I can go off the Lexapro (i.e. if my depression is so severe that it would be worse for me and the fetus if I went off them), which I do, then I can slowly wean myself off them but they are the type of pill that will cycle out of your system in about 3 days (other drugs, like Paxil, she said, have a longer 'shelflife' in your body)

- Since I'm healthy, eating right and exercising, my weight is not a significant concern

And she gave me a prescription for some prenatal vitamins - PreCare Conceive is the name of them, which I'm going to start tomorrow.

I'm so excited! :dancy: So right now it looks like we'll start trying by the end of this year. Yay! :boing:

[Llewyth]

My advice, sit down and have a chat with yourself. What I learned from being a mom is that children are the best teachers out there. Whatever it is that stuck with you, good or bad, from your own childhood is going to come up again. So, if I had to do it all over again, I'd clean up my emotional baggage beforehand.

Also, have a blast! :)

[Ceres]

start taking 200 mgs folic acid every day. its been shown to significantly reduce the chance of your baby having spina bifida, but ONLY if its taken prior to conception and only if u are getting enough. i would start researching pregnancy and birth now. consider switching to a midwife for prenatal care, the delivery and postnatal care. enjoy your husband NOW because everything changes so much and this time when its just the two of you will never come again. :)

[Soulsong]

start taking 200 mgs folic acid every day. its been shown to significantly reduce the chance of your baby having spina bifida, but ONLY if its taken prior to conception and only if u are getting enough. i would start researching pregnancy and birth now. consider switching to a midwife for prenatal care, the delivery and postnatal care. enjoy your husband NOW because everything changes so much and this time when its just the two of you will never come again. :)

Akk, that's mcg, not mg! Micrograms, not milligrams. Good heavens, would that be a lot of pills to swallow!

The vitamins your doctor prescribed have 1 mg of folic acid, so you shouldn't need any extra.

Good luck, and enjoy getting pregnant! ;)

[Autumn Scarletwolfe]

Heehee...I don't know much that would be helpful, but I do know that you should get off the Lexapro. *nods* I also wanted to say, good luck! I shall keep you in my prayers. :)

Blessings,
Autumn

[Ceres]

thanks for the correction soulsong...guess thats how ppl get toxic livers, huh? lol
by the way, if u do a general search on billings method birth control, it will explain how to chart your fertility in detail in these monthes you are waiting to start trying. we just skipped over the whole temperature mess and watched for vaginal mucus changes, which were so obvious we used them very successfully both to prevent conception and to facilitate it it when we were ready.
Theresa

[RhiamonButterfly]

congrats on the decision! Ok, this is my opinion and experience....the Lexepro I'm not sure about but I was on Celexa for depression when I concieved, and they took me off of it because there wasn't enough research to prove it safe during pregnancy, but there ARE safe ones...Paxil, Prozac, Zoloft, etc....so if you need to, you can still be safe. Weight loss is a good idea, but don't go crazy with it because dieting can be just as dangerous on a pregnancy than a few extra pounds. I was overweight with my pregnancy and I had a whole lot of pain in my lower back and legs because of the added weight...then again, my son was 9lbs 7 oz!LOL...I also developed Pre-eclampsia in my 3rd Trimester. The pill, I'm not sure about because me and hubby were married a long time and tried for a baby most of it, so I wasn't on it....and don't dwell on it, I did that and it caused alot of stress and tears for nothing. Have fun and it will happen :)

[Soulsong]

thanks for the correction soulsong...guess thats how ppl get toxic livers, huh? lol


You're welcome! Maybe it's the pharmacy student in me, I've spent over five years with people standing over my head chanting, "Check your units! Check your units!" :tongueout

[HorseCrow]

200 mcg is the normal dd for all people (non-pregnant and not planning pregnancy).

When planning pregnancy and for the first trimester you should take 400 mcg daily.

[Temair]

I just started drinking a glass of orange juice every morning when I found out I was pregnant. It has remained a habit for the last 9 years. I can't wake up now without my OJ. I don't know how much folic acid is in 12 oz of OJ, but it does taste good.

[Rockprincess]

What is mcg? My folic acid tablets are 1 mg each.

[Soulsong]

What is mcg? My folic acid tablets are 1 mg each.

An mcg is a microgram. There are 1000 micrograms in on milligram, or mg. That means you're getting well over double the minumum requirement for someone pregnant or trying to conceive, and five times the minimum for a non-pregnant person, so either way you're getting plenty.

(I should also add that the extra folic acid isn't harmful - 1mg is a normal dose. Didn't want you to think they were trying to kill you or anything!)

[Rockprincess]

LOL. I guess I'm peeing a lot of extra folic acid every day too :lol:

Edited to add: Thanks for the info. :)

[~*Ginger*~]

just a little side note:
Big gals have been known to have healthy pregnacies, and healthy babies, as well as little gals...

Wishing you the very best of both, Cinnamon Girl!

[Ceres]

a good point flora! i was over 200 lbs BEFORE i conceived all of my kids and had big healthy babies (two at home :D). it would be frustrating to lose weight, get pregnant and then be fat again after the birth lol.
Theresa

[Seren_]

I've been trying to conceive for about a year now...Approaching the "officially infertile" stage. My doctor tells me that my hormones are all shot because of being on the pill, so I might not be ovulating...as far as I know, that's why they tell you it might take six months to conceive when you're coming off the pill, because on average it takes about that long for your body to regulate itself again. For me, the only treatment is more hormones, which won't help me get pregnant; or else I get pregnant, which seems to be a bit catch 22. So I'm just waiting.

I have heard, however - and I don't know how true it is - that losing weight might increase your chances of conceiving. My former landlord told me that in times of famine (or what your body perceives as "famine"), you are more likely to conceive to balance out long term population die offs. Women tend to store more fat around their reproductive organs (bum, thighs, hips, tummy), which contains the hormones that make sure you conceive - these hormones are thought to be one of the causes of cellulite. So when you lose weight, these stored hormones are released, making sure you continue to produce offspring. Starving yourself obviously doesn't help this though. But as I said, I have no idea how true this is.

[Ceres]

have u heard of dr mirkin? he has a radio show and helps a lot of couples with infertility by putting both partners on 3 monthes of intensive antibiotic treatment. he believes there are lots of diseases we dont even know how to detect that cause things like infertility and that a big round of antibiotics can fix them. try www.drmirkin.com

[Seren_]

have u heard of dr mirkin?

:hmmmmm: Can't say I have, thanks for the link, I'll check it out.

I'm not sure I can trust someone who's named after a pubic wig though....

[LadyTrinity]

I took paxil through my whole pregnancy because the odds of me trying to hurt my self were GREATER than my son being born with paxil defects.. if you have bad depression.. stick with it through ur pregnancy.. you will be better off and your baby will be fine. :thumbsup:

[treefae]

good luck bright blessings

[jadepearl]

Congrats!!!

DH and I are also ready to become parents. I am now taking folic acid, flax seed oil and EPO. We will keep trying till we are blessed with a wonderful healthy beautiful child.

I was reading some of the posts and I discovered that one of the members made a fertility charm for a friend and asked her to place it under her mattress. But alas, I couldn't find how he/she made it.

Have fun and sending you lots of babydust vibes!!!