(NEW HERE) Waiting to TTC preparations and thoughts…

vtasorl88

Hi all, I’m fairly new on the boards but I browse them pretty often. My DH (30) and I (27) plan to start TTC #1 in August 2016. We’ve been married for 3 years next month. We have a lot of things we are working on that has been keeping us super busy, although time is flying by. I remember when we had two years to go and now we are down to 9 months. Some of the things we are working on:

INSURANCE:

DH added me to his company’s medical insurance for 2016. Currently we are each on our own employers plan (it’s cheaper and we only visit the doctor about once per year). We recently compared our medical plans and determined his is MUCH better, so we made the switch. During my open enrollment next month I’ll drop my medical.

DEBT:

One of our biggest motivators to wait to TTC is DH’s private student loan debt and him needing a new car. He got a brand new SUV in June and we are almost done paying off his private student loans. It was at about $28,000 in January of this year and we are down to a little over $8,000. We have a plan to have it paid off before we TTC in August 2016, along with his new car. This will free up lots of extra $$ for daycare and baby items.

HEALTH:

I’ve been working on eating healthy and losing weight and I’m down 17 pounds.  I have another 13 pounds to go to reach my goal weight and it’s been hard but rewarding. We purchased Fitbits, ordered an elliptical for home and have been cooking most of our meals at home and bringing our lunches to work and it’s been paying off.  I also started taking prenatal vitamins in August and DH started a multi-vitamin.

HOUSING:

We currently rent a really nice two bedroom, two bathroom apartment (we relocated to the area last year for DH’s job). At this point, he will be up for another promotion in early 2017 which could relocate us again, so we plan to stick it out in our apartment for the time being. We’ll turn our current guestroom into a nursery.

WORK PLANS:

We’ve been talking about our plans after having a baby and I’ve decided to take 4 months off and I’ll return to work full time. DH gets two weeks of paternity leave and he’ll take two weeks of PTO, so he’ll have a total of 4 weeks off. We are still trying to decide if he should stay home during month 5 when I return to work (saves us an extra month of daycare) or if he should take his time with me during my maternity leave. The baby will go into full time daycare because we don’t have any family in the area. We’ve been researching daycares in our area and have found some great places ranging from $1000-$1500 per month. We can afford to pay $1,500 and still be comfortable, so we’ll try to find the best place when the time comes. From my research, daycare centers in my area have year long waiting list, so we’ll have to make a decision fairly early on.

It's exciting to plan everything but also a bit scary. I can't believe we are getting so close! For any other ladies waiting to TTC, what are you and your significant other currently working on/planning to prepare to TTC? Are any of you going to TTC in 2016 along with me?

lizard85

My husband and I are in a similar situation.  I went to my annual physical 2 weeks ago, she asked if we still wanted kids and I said yes and then she asked if I was still on birth control and I am.  She told me I shouldn't wait too much longer to go off of them.   DH and I have always wanted kids, but never talked about a time frame other than when I am done with school ( graduation is end of Dec!!!!) Hubby suggested I go off the pill when this pack is done and we will just play it by ear and not try to prevent but maybe not actively try ( will be hard for me lol)  Now that we had that initial discussion I have baby fever and been reading a ton of these boards hearing everyones experience and advice. As far as preparations go:

Health Insurance: I have my own insurance now, but I will be applying to jobs soon and if I get one right away I will get their insurance.

Housing: We own a 3bedroom house now so that should be good.

Vehicles: I have a pickup truck right now but when baby comes I would drive hubbys fusion.

Job: Big one that needs to be taken care of for peace of mind as well!!!  I have a prospect that I would do full-time and then what I went to school for is more part time early morning and afternoons so I would do both.

Vitamins:Dr recommended prenatal as soon as I go off the pills so I will start those as well

I need to get my butt back to working out regularly!!!!  Dr was happy that I put some weight on(said it would be easier to regulate my periods).  I have been on birth control for about 13ish yrs, so I am worried that it may take time to get everything back working how its suppose to.

*edited cuz I forgot something lol

MonaLisaRalphio

I am new to the boards, as well, and planning to TTC as soon as my cycle regulates from BC!  We are making basic plans - charting so we can see when my cycles regulate, prenatal vitamins, etc.  We are both athletes - we ran our second half-marathon this weekend! - so we are pretty comfortable with our health level.  We own a 3-bedroom house in the best school district (although I'm not nuts about our part of town, but that's a story for another day...), and we are working off the last of our debt.  We hope to conceive before the summer.  Here's to TTC in 2016!!

maddaddam

Welcome! My husband and I are also going to start TTC in 2026 for the first time. We just finished ticking off our baby bucket list and are going to start once we get back from the last of the longer trips we have planned that I don't want to be pregnant during.

I'm kind of toying with the idea of going off of birth control and temping ahead of time to get used to my cycle, but I'm also a type A control freak so we will see how that goes.

JenandJosh1310

Hello! We are trying to pay off some car loan/credit cars debt next year before we start ttc as well. My husband just got a job at the company i work for and it is much more secure/awesome benefits/closer to home so thats been a big plus-now i need a promotion and those bills need to vanish! I wish we could start now even though i know its smarter to wait but man is it hard. Hopefully next year will be an awesome year for all of us!

CamieM3

Hi all! I am new to the board as well. Though I have been lurking since April. DH and I also plan TTC for August 2016. I have completed a check up and have a years supply of prenatals. We have a few things to fix up around our new place, more regular exercise, and one more trip overseas before TTC and saving up for a baby. Here's hoping for a lot of good news in 2016 for everyone!

Hayrock

Hi. We are TTC baby #2 hopefully January 2016 so it's a little earlier than you. We have a vacation in January that we might just TTC there. we live in a small farming community and we are trying to have a due date after the crazy harvest and planting season.
I have horrible baby fever. I have had it for months. I keep looking at the due date calculator and counting down periods.
I hate waiting. Hopefully with the holidays I can keep myself distracted.

Lysta85

@maddaddam 2026? hope you mean 2016

Welcome. We also had some things we wanted to solve first. Keeping your goals in mind helped me with not driving crazy while waiting. Good luck.

maddaddam

@Lysta85 LOL. Yes. That was an iPhone typo for sure.

BluesGal10

I have been lurking as well, off and on for several months now when it's slow at work. We decided to start TTC in June. I am in the midst of trying to pick up a second job to try and pay down debt faster (both our school loans and two car payments - I think we might be a tad insane). I'm a librarian, DH is an engineer. 

I got off BC in May and have been waiting for my cycle to figure out what it's doing. 

Health Insurance: We have insurance through my job. 

Housing: We own a 3 bedroom house, so we're good there. Just gotta turn the spare room into a nursery. 

Vehicles: We're set there, too - hence the car payments.

Job: We're both gainfully employed. 

Vitamins: I have been on prenatals for a year now, more to try and help my hair grow out faster than anything, and DH is now on a multivitamin. I've been working out more, and as soon as work slows down a bit for DH, he plans to get back into it as well. 

That's all I know at this point. I've been researching everything like crazy, since that's what I do. 

Sirius37

Welcome. I've been lurking daily since about September since DH and I are planning on TTC #1 around June 2016. We decided to wait until after he gets back from deployment, so he has a better chance for being around for everything. When he leaves, I'm going to get off BC (been on them about 8 years or so) so I can give my body several months to - hopefully - regulate and let me get used to temping.
Health Insurance: DH also just put me on his work medical for 2016 because they had better maternity benefits.
Housing: we have a great house with lots of room so we're all set there, as well with good vehicles.
Job: We're both employed, but I'd like to change companies; I'm not challenged at all and would prefer a different sector of the science field than what I'm currently doing. I'm also pursuing my master's degree, which should be completed by next summer.

BluesGal10

Good luck on the Master's! I just finished mine in August. What is it in?

Sirius37

Currently wildlife management, but I'm submitting an application at the end of this month for a PSM in fish and wildlife administration. Congrats on finishing yours this year! Thats a huge accomplishment! What field is it is?

BluesGal10

Library Science. I got a job in the field, but it doesn't utilize the degree like I had hoped. There is opportunity for advancement, though, so I can move up the chain as positions become available. Good luck on yours! I did a lot of drinking during mine.

GG620

Hello ladies! This is my first post, been lurking for a bit as well. I am excited to see some goals of trying to conceive in June 2016 - because that is when DH and I plan to try!

We both are excited for a baby, but I just began a new job at the end of August and unfortunately we felt that I had to be here a little while before announcing a pregnancy (unfortunately still a stigma against females getting pregnant in my field). The other reason we are waiting is to attempt to save money. I get four months off (not paid grrrr) and my younger sister (20yrs) would be off all summer from college and could watch the baby for several months after I return to work if timing works out. So that would def help us save some money. We figure that puts us pretty far out and we will take it from there afterward (hopefully we will both have raises by then and daycare wont be too much of an issue).

I actually plan to schedule a preconception visit this week and have a question for you ladies - would you schedule it with your intended OBGYN or with your primary care doctor? 

Health Insurance: We have insurance through my job. 

Housing: We own a 4 bedroom house, so we're good there.

Vehicles: We're set there too.

Job: Both employed full-time.

Vitamins: I have been on prenatals for about two months now and DH has been taking a multi-vitamin for months as well.
Exercise: I used to practice hot power yoga every day. Fell off the wagon for a bit, but am getting back into it. The 5:30am class is killing me though haha. DH runs with our furbaby every morning and is in good shape.

So excited to meet you all!! Best of luck ladies!

Sirius37

schuette2 said:

Library Science. I got a job in the field, but it doesn't utilize the degree like I had hoped. There is opportunity for advancement, though, so I can move up the chain as positions become available. Good luck on yours! I did a lot of drinking during mine.

Haha, I can imagine; graduate school is no joke!

@Heatho620 - I was able to work in a preconception "counseling" with my OBGYN during my annual appointment so it was really convenient. So unless you have any general issues you're concerned about, I would stay going to your OBGYN would suffice.

djh513

This is also my first post, have lurked off and on for awhile. DH and I plan to start TTC late winter / early spring.

I am finishing my last pack of BC (AF is here this week) and I am hoping my cycles regulate pretty quickly. I have been on it for 10 years, but was completely normal before that, so we'll see. We will NTNP for a month or two, then actively start trying March-ish? We are both super excited, but also both very nervous! He has wanted to start TTC since the day of our wedding (August 2015), but I told him I needed a few months.

Health Insurance: We each have insurance through our jobs; we will stay separate.

Housing: We built and own a 4 BR house, so we are set there.

Vehicles: He owns an SUV (paid off) that we will keep for another few years. My car needs to go and we are currently shopping for another SUV - should purchase one during January 2016.

Job: Both gainfully employed at jobs we like, challenge us, and compensate us well. We both received promotions in November 2015. I completed my CPA certification in January 2015 so that was the last bit of 'schooling' for me. He MAY go back to start his MBA, this will not affect TTC/ baby (his job pays for it and I want him to do it if he so chooses). I AM a bit nervous about telling my employer that I am pregnant (when that time comes).... for no good reason. It is not looked down upon, I have been with the company for 6 years, ya-da-da-da. Just nervous!

Vitamins: I have been on prenatals since August 2015.
Exercise: I exercise nearly everyday in some form, trying to incorporate some new, different routines. Need to focus on eating healthier, but nothing severe. No weight loss wanted or needed. Hubby could (and needs to) pick back up his exercise routine (new promotion = long hours for him). Nothing severe here, though.

Best of luck ladies!