What Nobody Told You About Trying to Conceive...

Taken from Two Week Wait Which BTW is a very nice board full of interesting info and chats. Check it out! I just selected a few, but you can read them all if you click on the link.

What Nobody Told You About Trying to Conceive...

That your sex life would start to resemble a science experiment.

That one day you wouldn't mind checking your CM or CP to see if it is your fertile period.

That I would splash urine on my face while taking apart an hpt in the hopes there really was a 2nd pink line hiding in it.

That I would know more about the female reproductive system and menstrual cycle than most of the doctors I go to.

That it is insensitive to ask people when they are having a baby!

That I would be happy to see abundant cervial fluid and tell my DH about it.

That a group of "strangers" who I will probably never meet, have now become my "best friends" when it comes to ttc.

That I would resent someone who has been trying less time than me telling me "I know how you feel..."

That people would pity you and feel sorry for you.

That having AF show up makes you cry, no matter who's bathroom you are in

That talking about sex with fellow TTCers would be so easy.

Do you have any more you would like to add?

Taking Supplements (or any TTC advice)

I think the one thing that irritates me about TTC is that people tend to only look for a quick fix. They read about a product or a technique and figure they will give it a shot and hopefully fall pregnant too. I’m just as guilty of trying certain supplements once or taking someone's advice for one cycle. Only to throw it out the window the day AF arrives. Cursing that it never worked for me that month.

But the reality is…. With all supplements you need to give your body at least 3 months before giving up on it and moving on. You can compare it to taking antibiotics. You know your doctor insists that you finish the course of meds. You take the meds for the whole duration, otherwise it's not going to make you better.

It’s the same with TTC supplements or products. I was reading an International based TTC forum yesterday and noticed how many people were just giving up after one cycle. You can’t just start taking a supplement and then just because you haven’t noticed anything different or pregnancy achieved decide that it isn’t going to work for you. You need to keep at it. Tone your body and let the supplements work for you. Even if it does take 3 months! (Not that it’s guaranteed to work in 3 months either, could take a little bit longer. Sorry had to throw that disclaimer in there before I get bombarded with emails.)

It's the same with taking your Basal Body Temperature (BBT). You can't give up after one month of charting. You need a few charting months to get to know your body. I remember when I started charting way back when the dinosaurs still roamed the earth. I seriously thought I was PG the first month charting. Everything pointed to being PG. Only after a few cycles charting, did I realize that my body was going through it's own pattern. Every month without fail. I could rely on my charts to ease my heart towards the end of the 2ww.

I get frustrated when people give up after one month on a certain "plan of action". Yes I understand your frustration because you want to be PG right now. But you really need to give your body time to absorb the supplements and WORK. I have had clients fall pregnant the first month using supplements, but the general trend is only after a few cycles once their bodies have adjusted.

Especially the men supplements. Remember sperm take 70 days (or so) to produce. Any changes (positive or negative) you make today will only affect the boys who come into play in 2-3 months time. You can’t really do anything about the sperm that is already waiting in the side lines. They have already matured and getting ready for action.

Now, if you have been taking supplements for 6 months or more. We need to start looking for reasons why it isn't working. Are you timing your ovulation and BD correctly? Have you had your partner's sperm tested? Have you investigated the possibility that you could have blocked tubes? Go see your doctor. :)

I apologize for the sort of vent session. But I just don’t want people giving up. Don’t GIVE UP. I see so much heart ache daily, but when someone gets their BFP, we all rejoice and bounce up and down. I want to be excited for each and every one of you.

Fertivor Review

(Sorry everyone, I'm having major internet connection issues. Wanted to do some interesting research for you all, but with this connection it's impossible.)

Strangely enough I have been getting quite a few requests about how to improve cervical mucus. (CM). Weird how I get these "waves" of questions. One week it's all about sperm issues, then there will be three days of Fertile Focus microscopes.... and now today almost every email or call is about CM.

The more "natural ways" to improve your CM are:

Drink lots of water (through out your cycle)

A cup or two of Green tea from day 1 to ovulation day. If you are like me and cant drink the Green tea. It makes me want to gag, then consider taking it in a pill form.

Evening Primrose Oil – EPO Taken from day 1 to ovulation. (1500mg to 3000mg per day.) Do not use EPO after ovulation since it can cause uterine contractions. Some woman have reported having bad headaches and an upset stomach while taking the EPO.

Eating raw baby carrots. I don’t have a recommended dosage, but I’m sure a handful twice a day will do the trick. If you start turning orange, I suggest you stop. LOL

Grapefruit Juice. Two cups a day up until O day. This one I’ve actually tried myself and it does work! Although it always just made my CM more watery and actually EWCM (egg white cm)

Guaifenesin, this is found in cough syrup. If you want to go this route, then make sure you get a cough syrup that only contains guaifenesin. You don’t want it to contain any other ingredients since that will dry up your mucus. Guaifenesin thins out your mucus. Benylin Wet Cough Syrup contains 200mg of guaifenesin. This is usually taken twice a day with a glass of water from CD8/10 up until O date. Remember this doesn’t help produce CM, just helps with thinning it out.

I have tried all the above methods. There is one product that I'm able to say 100% worked to help my body to produce that all important EWCM. The super fertile cervical mucus. Ask any of my forum girls, how proud I was of the EWCM I got while using the Fertivor. So proud I almost took photos for all to see. LOL

FERTIVOR



FERTIVOR is a nutritional fertility supplement integrating several key ingredients that safely and naturally promote the production of cervical fluids, support the ‘thinning’ of mucus, increase hydration of the mucin, as well as promote proper mucus alkalinity. In addition, the same ingredient that supports CM production (L-Arginine as nitric oxide precursor) has also been shown to induce endometrial secretion (creating a healthy uterus lining) during implantation time.

I absolutely love this product. Visit my website for more info and ordering :)

Luteal Phase Defect (LPD)

Your luteal phase (LP) is the time between ovulation and when your next period (AF) is due. Your LP should be between 12-16 days, with the average being 14 days. Although there is some sites that say anything between 10-17 days is normal. Some doctors believe that if the luteal phase falls under 12 days, then it could cause a problem falling pregnant.

If you think about it, implantation occurs anything between 6-10 days past ovulation (dpo). Now if you have a LPD, and your LP is less than 10 days. Your body isn’t giving the fertilized egg enough time to successfully implant. Your uterine lining will start to break down causing AF to unpack her bags and make you miserable at another failed cycle.

So what causes this LPD?

Mostly LPD is due to low progesterone. There are three main causes however; all are linked to the lack of progesterone. Poor follicle(egg) production leads to the premature break down of the corpus luteum (after ovulation). The corpus luteum in turn produces low levels of progesterone which then causes your uterine lining to not prepare itself for implantation.

How do you know if you have a LPD?

You need to monitor your cycle. Determine when ovulation occurs and count the days between O and AF. The easiest way to do this is confirm your ovulation by charting your Basal Body Temperature.

How to treat LPD?

1) Vitamin B6 can be taken daily for your whole cycle
2) Progesterone Supplement, which is then given after ovulation has been confirmed. (Remember that if you are on a Prog Supp that you continue taking it if you fall PG, until your doctor says it’s safe to stop.)
3) The use of Clomid. Clomid will in turn produce better quality eggs which will kick off the cycle of better corpus luteum and better progesterone levels.

So treating a LPD is pretty straight forward, and should definitely be looked into if you suspect your luteal phase is too short!

Great Special on Arouse 24 Caps and Gel

Just because I love you (and my supplier LOVES you too) I'm able to give you all a great special on the Arouse 24 Caps (60) - that is one month's supply. With every order of Arouse 24 Caps (60) you get ABSOLUTELY FREE ~ the Arouse 24 Gel. That is an awesome saving of R 140.00!!



Please visit Making Babies for more product info on Arouse 24 Caps

The Arouse 24 Caps (60) sell at R 175.00 inc VAT excluding Shipping costs :)

Getting The Swimmers Where They Need To Go!

After ejaculation, sperm have to be able to swim through the cervix to reach the Fallopian Tube where fertilization of the egg occurs. However, the interactions of sperm and cervical mucus that allow this migration are often disrupted in fertility patients. It is thought that at least a third (if not more) of subfertile couples have some disruption of sperm-cervical mucus interactions that limit sperm transport to the tubes.

There are a few ways that you can ensure that your cervical mucus is friendly towards sperm. You can make use of either Conceive Plus or Pre~Seed lubricant. Both of these lubricants are sperm friendly and actually aid in helping the sperm’s motility and survival in getting to where they need to go.



The Conception Kit is another awesome product that actually places the sperm right over the cervix opening. This way the sperm won’t have to travel that distance to the opening. The Conception Kit is designed for couples who want to enhance their opportunity to conceive in the privacy of their own home.

The corner stone of the Kit is the cervical cap. The cap is placed right there at the cervix opening, enabling the sperm to come in direct contact with the opening. The cap can be left in for up to 8 hours. Then the sperm swims up to the fallopian tubes to that awaiting egg for hopeful conception.

The kit is specifically made for women who have the following issues:

1) Tilted Cervix
2) Hostile Vaginal pH

Obviously the kit will not help if the female has blocked fallopian tubes or having ovulation issues like non ovulation or Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (unless Fertility drugs are being used to induce ovulation). If you are ovulating every month and can track ovulation (using the Ovulation Predictor Kits that are in the Kit) you can time when you will need to BD and use the Cervical Cap.

The Kit for men addresses the following:

1) Low sperm count
2) Low sperm motility

Since the sperm is place directly at the cervical opening, it lessens the “stress” put on the sperm that would normally have to “swim” up to the cervix opening. Of course healthy sperm will even better your chances.

See our website on how to order The Conception Kit, or your Conceive Plus/Pre~Seed

Sleep: The Key to Conceiving?

** It's fun trying something new. So please bare with me while I figure out how to keep business and personal stuff separate. I opened my personal blog, so feel free to go read (follow) there: Picking up the pieces **


Sleep: The Key to Conceiving?

I read an interesting article the other day with regards to sleep and making a baby. You can read the full article here on Conceive Online

But what it basically boils down to is that a lack of sleep disrupts a woman’s circadian rhythm. (I didn’t even know we had one LOL). It’s the 24 hour internal clock that helps regulate all the bodies systems. Studies suggest a link between sleep and fertility. Research has also shown that 80 – 90 percent of ovulation occurs between Midnight and 4am.

So technically you should be sleeping while your body is trying to ovulate? If you aren’t sleeping well, does that mean that you are preventing your body from ovulating like it should, thus hindering your chances at conception? You see, if you aren’t sleeping well your body is rather going to use the energy it has to take care of the necessary functions like supporting your immune system. Than popping out an egg. Selfish circadian rhythm.

Remember if you are stressed out from lack of sleep, you are going to cause stress on your cycles. Which in turn is going to delay your ovulation, which can totally throw off your timing when you thought you were going to O. So don’t miss the O boat, get enough possible shut eye in!

Some changes.....

Due to some personal issues which are busy being dealt with, I'm slightly changing this blog into a "everything TTC related" blog. I will fill in the details as we go along. I know I've acquired some new followers in the process reading about our TTC journey. But for now "our TTC journey" has come to an end. I can't explain now, how or why.

I've set up another blog where I'll post about personal issues and family news etc. So this Making Babies blog will just be about Fertility/Infertility issues. And of course be a business blog with latest news and developments. Is news/developments the same thing?? :)

It's with a sad heart that I hang up my TTC shoes :(

I just want to say thank you to each and every one of you girls (and guy) that have supported me the last 3 years. I don't know how I would have gotten through this infertility journey without you all.

I have met the most wonderful friends through this, so I won't say that my journey was a waste. ;-)

I just ask that no one asks why what or how. Some personal issues have crept in and I don't see it viable to carry on TTC. Maybe one day I will be back on this wagon. But for now, my mind (heart will take a little longer) I'm closing the TTC chapter of my life.

Baby dust to you all. Hey, at least now you can all divide my share equally.....

Specials Specials Specials

I had this whole angry self pity post written out. Took me most of the morning to put it into words, but it still didn't sound right after reading it over and over again. So I'm rather going to bombard you with specials that Making Babies is running at the moment. That is more constructive hey?

First up we have Pregnavor Now selling at R 80.00 inc VAT (exc shipping)



Pregnavor is not only for our Pregnant Fairies. :) If you are trying to conceive and looking for a great multi-vitamin. I strongly suggest Pregnavor.

Liberator FF - My DH loves this product! (and so do I *wink wink*)



Normal pricing for Liberator FF is R 80.00 inc VAT (exc shipping) For this week only it is selling at R 70.00 per bottle. :)

And while we are on the topic of Libido enhancers. I have a lovely little gel, which I personally use and LOVE. Arouse 24 Gel Of course I don't suggest using this gel around O time (well not internally) Although it's all natural, I would prefer that you use the Conceive Plus during O time. But the Arouse Gel is great to use during your cycle.



Normal pricing for the Arouse 24 Gel is R 140.00 inc VAT (exc shipping) For this week only it is selling at R 130.00 per bottle :)

All you need to do in order to qualify for the special is be a part of our Making Babies community! (or pop me a mail and ask really nicely LOL)

It was fun while it lasted...

I was enjoying basking in the light of being a winner... But I thought maybe the fact that I was based in South Africa might be a problem in claiming my prize. (Shipping and all that). Darn, but it's totally understandable.

Guess I'll keep on trying and entering other comps. :) Now I feel silly for bragging about my luck....

This is a first......

My DH is always the one with the luck. He will enter comps left right and center, and most of the times he wins. I've always been so envious of him until now.... This morning I opened my mail box and there was an email. FOR ME. I WON!!! I'm super excited.

Behind the scenes today is going to be a really crappy day. (sorry no details allowed) But I'm hoping that this little win of mine is a sign that today is going to be OK. Please let it be OK.

So what did I win :) Check out this blog - TTC Connections She has some awesome giveaways and just found out that she is PG against odds from her Doc. Amazing huh. :)

Today feels so odd. Keep having to remind myself that it's Tuesday and not Monday. Some times these public holidays can really mess things up. Just slightly.

Could I ask that you please keep me and DH in your thoughts today? Hopefully the outcome won't be so bad, and things can just return to normal. Please.

A camping we will go...

Hey everyone. Just popping in real quick. We are still enjoying our "long weekend". Today is Women's Day here in South Africa. So to all you awesome women, big thumbs up to all that you do!

National Women's Day is an annual public holiday in South Africa on August 9. This commemorates the national march of women on this day in 1956 to petition against legislation that required African persons to carry the "pass", special identification documents which curtailed an African's freedom of movement during the apartheid era.

This past weekend we also celebrated our dear friend Mathi's 35th birthday!! There are quite a few pics, so if you want to go have a look, click here to see them.

We camped out at Monateng Safari Lodge ~ Located in a serene and tranquil environment on a exquisite bushveld property, conveniently situated 30 minutes from Zambezi drive in Pretoria, this RCI Gold Crown Resort is an idyllic venue to get away for the weekend or spend a tranquil holiday.

Monateng Safari Lodge offers guests a pleasant Africa bushveld experience with a noticeable abundance of birdlife and game while relaxing in a peaceful atmosphere.

We had such a great time. I'm not the out doors camping type. But this lodge/caravan park was just great. We set up tent on Saturday, and with a heavy heart made our way home late last night. Can't wait to go back in the summer. There is a gorgeous pool there. Taking a dip this weekend was out of the question. Even though most of the kids were splashing around, I tend to think us adults weren't as brave to face the icy waters.

It always amazes me how quickly kids make friends. We hardly saw McK this weekend. She was either playing in the park with other children, riding bike or jumping on the trampoline. Funny how us adults are quick to judge fellow campers and roll our eyes or snicker. Kids, they just fall in line and play.

The big attraction there was the Super Tube. McKenna really wanted to go, and I forced got her father to oblige. Up they went all enthusiastically. McK even climbed up by her self, waving at me every now and then. I was standing at the end of the slide, with camera in hand. They came down just to quick, my clicking finger wasn't as quick. Of course there wasn't going to be an opportunity to take a second shot. Madam screamed the whole way down top volume. I burst into tears. Can't believe I made my baby go on such a scary tube!! LOL But she survived. Daddy loved it, and went down a couple more times.



Wish I was still lazing in my camp chair, sipping on an ice cold beer. Come on Summer.......

In love

**warning, if you are my father/mother/grandmother/any family member. You can just skip this entry. ;-)



I might just be in love with Conceive Plus. When I was first approached to market Conceive Plus, I got this “good vibe”. I somehow knew already just by reading the product info that I was going to love this new lubricant. I’m pretty good with going with my gut feel. And I was not disappointed.

I started investigating and reading endless information and the more I read, the more I just felt that this lube would be awesome for couples who are Trying to Conceive. It aids in enhancing sperm motility and viability. It is formulated to match the pH balanced of fertile cervical fluid and semen. So what does this mean to you? Well it’s all about enhancing your chances to conceive. I think this is an awesome product for those who have sperm (male fertility) issues as well as women with cervical mucus issues. The lube counter acts these problems and creates the best environment for the sperm to survive in the cervical mucus and female body.

Enough with the product jargon. So how does it feel? ;-) You want to know the details.

With the Conceive Plus you can continue with BD without having to plan ahead. No inserting lube before hand. You can still have spontaneous BD, grab the lube when needed and continue. No need to break the “romance”. Come on you know what I’m talking about. We try so hard to keep sex exciting as possible while trying to conceive. With the Conceive Plus you can continue in the throws of passion without making it feel like you are only having sex to make a baby.

I loved the feel of it. It was very natural and I almost want to use the word “yummy”. But I can imagine my father’s eyes bulging right now if he is still reading this. DH was very impressed too. The lube can be applied to both you and your partner. Which I love. You know you sometimes need that bit of lubrication. We have been TTC for so long now, I do sometimes find that we are drier at times. Probably due to stress and pressure from “having to make this work now” issues. So this lube is fantastic to replace that natural lubricated feeling.

I had a friend ask me if the lube has any smell. LOL. And I’m glad to report it doesn’t. If any smell, it’s a clean hygienic scent. It goes on well, and feels great. It’s not as slippery as other lubes, just natural. Plain simple words, I love it! I’m sure you will too!

I was hoping to give you all a review on the Conceive Plus but unfortunately the Post Office conspired against me. So the review will only be featured tomorrow. :) Don't forget if you still want to qualify for the special on the Conceive Plus that Making Babies is running at the moment see this post for further details.

I'm super excited about this new product and the interest shown already in it.

And while I'm busy plugging Making Babies. If you are looking for a entertaining (yet educational) read, wonder over to my site and check out my eBook - Baking Maybe's

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We are going camping this weekend. Provided of course we can find a tent. It's our best friends birthday weekend. We were going to just go through for the day. But being the responsible adults we like to be, we think it's a better idea to camp over for the night as well. Things may get rough. :)

eMail issues....

If there is one thing that irritates me beyond anything it's having eMail issues!!! Especially when I'm expecting important mail orders to come through. It's like the world is against me, when I'm finally excited about something.....

Hopefully it will be sorted out in the next few hours. If you are sending me mail to marcellem@makingbabies.co.za and it's bouncing (which it will) please send the mail to ......... (never mind we have managed to fix the problems.) But yes, if you did send me mail today and it bounced, please resend it :)

ANNOYING!!!!!

Cycle news... LOL.... you know I can't help myself. I think I only Oed last night to be exact. MoFo cramping went on, sure I popped 10 eggs out at once. LOL. Are we covered? ........... of course...... ;-) As you can see I'm handling this "on a break" stuff much better these days. LOL

It's picture day at school today. I braided McK's hair. Hope it holds. Hope she smiles for the camera, and none of those dorky grins. :)

You can expect a cool review tomorrow of a certain new product. Watch this space.

Conceive Plus

I'm always on the search for new products for my Making Babies members. I've found a great lubricant - Conceive Plus. What do I like about it? It can be used as a normal lube while BD. No need to insert lube before the time. Some times we just need that little bit of extra lube, and why not use one that is sperm friendly:



Conceive Plus......

Enhances sperm motility
Enhances sperm viability
Formulated for couples trying-to-conceive
pH balanced to fertile cervical fluid and semen
Electrolyte balanced to match natural fluids
Contains Calcium and Magnesium Ions
Promotes egg fertilization

Sasmar Conceive Plus™ is a scientific formulation designed to assist your path to pregnancy.

Conceive Plus exclusively contains Calcium and Magnesium ions formulated to match fertile cervical liquid and semen to create a conception-friendly environment that feels completely natural.

NOW AVAILABLE only for Making Babies Members at R 200.00 (plus shipping R 30.00) * Unfortunately only valid for members living in South Africa

Orders need to be placed and paid for by FRIDAY 7 August 2009 in order to ship early next week. Please send email order to marcellem@makingbabies.co.za

Click here for more info on this new exciting product. * You will need to register on the Making Babies Network in order to view this page :)

Hi Ho Hi Ho

It's off to O I go! LOL.... Yeah it's that time again folks. O time. Will she? Will he? They are still on a break, but will the heavens open and the big man upstairs decides now is the right time. Who knows.....

I've come to the conclusion that my TTC journey is pretty much like playing the Lotto. Chances of me winning the winning the millions are about the same as conception. LOL :)

Hope you all had a great weekend. I'm just glad the sun is shining down on us today.

The August MB Newsletter is available, you can CLICK HERE to view it.

That is about all the words I have for you today. :)

Oh do go check out fellow blogger: Other Everyday Stuff, very cool giveaway going on there :)

Someone didn't get the memo

We are having crazy weather here! It's the 1st of August (gulp) and this weather is unbelievable. Not only are we FREEZING our asses off. But it's hailing and raining. It's so not typical for this time of year and this country!



Probably about the closet we will get to "snow" LOL

Cycle news. Seems that this 43rd cycle is going to be more or less like cycle 42. I have loads of EWCM. Which is so "murphy's law", you know I take a break and get beautiful fertile cm. *rolls eyes*. CD10 same as last cycle. Guess I'll be Oing within the next 2 days. Same as last cycle. Yes, I'm paying attention. Just every so slightly. A girl can dream right?

I see our ticker to the right says 1 more month until we start TTC again. But I think we will only start late September, so that is more like another 2 months or less.

Flu wise, I think we have a break through. Still sitting with the sore throat and stuffy nose, but at least I feel human again.

I'm waiting patiently for 2 of my friends to go into labour! Kelley who doesn't blog hehe, and Krissy. Also a sister of another good friend. So that is 3 babies who will be entering the world over the next few days.

We also received the news of our 4th Making Babies baby, little Andrew was born on Thursday 30 July!!! Congrats Marshall family.

Anyway, let me go try and warm up...... Have a good weekend everyone! x