Preparing for Pregnancy Blogs

Today I am a mess.

So I wanted this to be the month that I conceived. I wanted it so bad! I ovulated around my birthday (last weekend) and it would have been the perfect birthday present!

I am a new memeber to this site and the ability to blog has got he hooked. I feel like I finally talk about what I feel and what I am going through and maybe someone will TRULY understand.

Well I've decided that I'd really like to be a mom someday. My boyfriend has two children already, ages 10 and 11. I treat them like my own and love them to death, but like his daughter says.. "I'm a mom, but not a real one". Both live with us full time because their mom ran off with some dude to FL about a year ago and never even calls. We just found out she was arrested for selling coke... what a winner. Anyway, his son has severe autism and can be a handful. We have our whole house under lock-and-key, not to mention he started urinating anywhere he pleases.

Reduce the risk of birth defects by choosing healthy food before you get pregnant. A new study from Stanford University shows that diet quality matters -- a lot!

So today is day 1 of my quest to become pregnant. I stopped taking my birth control pills after my last period which started exactly 21 days ago. Technically, I could already be pregnant, but I just don't think that it's going to happen so fast. I'll know in a week I suppose, but I'm confident that it's going to take until August or September for it to happen. We'll see, everything will come together when it's supposed to.

The March of Dimes just released the 2012 Premature Birth Report Card. The U.S. has hit a new 10 year low for preterm births -- a significant improvement now registering at 11.7%! Still, overall, the U.S. scores a "C" as we continue to have a high rate of preterm births comparatively. This is a clear indication of work to be done! Learn more of the resources available here at Pregnancy.org to help you and your baby with a healthy start!

My fiance and I are getting married on October 2nd. I went off birth control 2 months ago (we aren't having sex until the wedding) so I have been relearning my cycles and they still haven't changed since before I went on the pill. 29 days and a 4-5 day period. With that information wouldn't you know that I would be ovulating on my honeymoon! We aren't "planning" a pregnancy but are going to put the timing in God's hands so we aren't going to exercise any birth control right now. We have been together for nearly 2 years and feel called to have a child soon. My fiance would like nothing better than to have a honeymoon baby. I would welcome a baby with open arms at any point in the near future. I do sometimes wonder how I will cope with a new baby while starting midwifery school, but if it is part of God's plan than He will provide what we need and give me the strength and patience.

So, anywho. I have these really great prenatal vitamins that are all organic and super high folic acid and other nutrience and.... they are disgusting!!!! I don't know who they think they would be fooling with "vanilla" flavor! I don't have a gag reflex (could stick a spoon to my trechia and nothing), but these make me gag. Once they are down the settle great and I feel great taking them, but oh my. Why do the things that are best for you go down hard! But they are the best so I will be miserable for a few seconds for a very healthy body and someday baby.

Some books that I have found I love are, The Natural Pregnancy Book by Aviva Jill Romm; Spiritual Midwifery by Ina May Gaskin; Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin; Baby Catcher by Peggy Vincent.

I try to eat mostly organic although I do tend to contradict my ways a few times a month with fast food. This is a habit I plan to break! But what can I say, I was raised a typical American. Although the adult me is turning out to want to go down a more pre-industrial revolution road as does my husband-to-be. He is excited to get to a point in our lives when we are nearly completely self sufficient. He also wants 5 children total (we have a 2 1/2 year old already, step child for me), so that means 4 on my part! This will not be my "first" pregnancy but it will probably be my first live when I concieve. I concieved last year and lost it because I was on the pill. In my gut I knew I was pregnant but everyone convinced me to continue my pills against my better judgment. It resulted in a very painful miscarriage both emotionally and physically. It tears at you knowing that you did something that made you lose a life so near to you.

I am excited to see that stick turn positive in the next 3 months- 1 year and I hope what ever life I am blessed to carry will be healthy because no matter what it will be wanted and loved. I will be glad to record things on here and keep anyone remotely interested posted. So until wedding night I will just be tracking my cycles then will will be on baby alert after that!