Newbie Here, Just Introducing Myself :)

Blonde1817

Hi everyone, I've been lurking for awhile lol and I thought I'd finally post something.   My husband and I are both 28 and we have been married for 3.5 months...but I've had baby fever for years now!  I started a new job at the end of July so we are trying to wait to conceive until I would be covered under FMLA for maternity leave (if anyone knows how all that works I would love some insight!).  

Initially we decided to start trying in the new year, but it keeps creeping up sooner haha!  It is soooo hard to wait though, that's why I'm here with you like-minded ladies!  I have friends popping up pregnant all over the place and I feel so ready.  We are adopting a puppy tomorrow, so I think that'll be good training for us!  

I am still on BCP so I would appreciate advice on when to stop that and how to maximize my fertility so we can get pregnant when we start trying...I have no reason to think there would be infertility issues, but I'm still paranoid about it.

Please introduce yourselves, I'm happy to be a part of this community!  Anyone else going to start trying in November/December/January?

strickland8052

Welcome and congrats on the new job!

I just started a new job in April, and we'll begin TTC in October.

To answer your FMLA question, you become FMLA eligible after one year of working somewhere (there is also an hours requirement, but I'm not sure how many hours it is). So basically that means that you can begin TTC after 3 months on the job...pending you have a healthy, normal 9 month pregnancy. However, we are waiting a little longer than 3 months, just in case other issues arise (bed rest, early labor, etc.).

Once you are FMLA eligible, you are entitled to 12 weeks UNPAID maternity leave. This allows you to leave without having to worry about your employer firing you. It does not guarantee pay. Also, please note that some employers like small businesses are not required to follow FMLA.

If you are hoping for paid maternity leave, you'll have to look into what your employer offers. Some companies offer paid maternity leave or allow you to buy a short term disability insurance policy, which would pay you a percentage of your income for a certain amount of time (usually 4-6 weeks). When you become eligible for maternity leave or short term disability depends on your individual employer. However, most short term disability policies require that you have the policy for one year before they pay, so it would be ideal to begin TTC 3 months after your policy takes effect. Hope that helps!

Blonde1817

That's super helpful thanks!! I will definitely look into the short-term disability policy.

JenandJosh1310

Hello! I hope to get off my BC in january and give mys body a few months to regulate/chart/etc and id like to start actively TCC in march/april. My husband is really unsure about the financial part and lately weve been having plumbing/dog health/random issues like every week

JenandJosh1310

Aw man idk why it cut me off---anyways i hope my husband isnt getting scared off haha i cant stop my baby brain! Good luck to you!

KaeJudd

Welcome to the group! Congrats on your recent marriage! I hope you have many happy years together!

My husband and I are thinking about trying for a third in the next year or so. I'm not sure of the month yet, but possibly around October or November. Right now I just don't have the energy for a newborn. We already have a very spunky 3 year old and an adventurous 22 month old. They keep me on my toes for sure. I am very excited about adding another little one to our family though. 

My first pregnancy was very challenging and I had severe PPD following delivery. I never really got to cherish those first few months of motherhood. Then when I had my second child, life was too crazy. My oldest was only 17 months at the time, so there was little sleep and lots of work. The newborn stage once again passed in a blur. 

I'm hoping with number 3 that life will slow down a bit and I will get to take it all in. By that point our daughters will be 5 and 4 and past the dreaded toddler phase. We shall see what happens though! I'm not holding my breath on that. lol

Please introduce yourselves, I'm happy to be a part of this community!  Anyone else going to start trying in November/December/January?

Britt428

That is also our timeline. My husband is practically begging me to start TTC in October but I feel like that's just a little too soon. I'm so happy though that he is so ready to take on this adventure. About the time I would deliver baby, DD will be almost 4 so I'm hoping she will be my little helper. I am a littler nervous though that she will have a little bit of jealousy. She's our only child and the only grandchild on both sides of our families so it will be an adjustment for her as well. Good luck with the wait ladies. I think we all have a pretty good support system on this board.

HookEmNelson

Hi and welcome to the board! So many great ladies to get to know and support. It sounds like you got some great information about FMLA. I would suggest definitely checking out short term disability-my job offers Aflac, and I'm pretty excited about it this time after having a baby. Hang in there for this wait and that fever! We are all in this together.

LavenderBrown1018

Hi and welcome! We also have a similar timeline!! We've recently narrowed it down to start TTC in December.

I am not a doctor, so I can't cite any medical evidence, but we decided to go off BC 6 months before. I just got off Mirena last month and have been charting since then and it's been nice to see my body balance out from the hormones (my temperatures were really wacky for the first cycle). I'm almost two months out and things have finally balanced out I believe. So from my experience, I would get off BC at least 2 months in advance.

Have you read "Taking Charge of Your Fertility"? It's taught me how to use my temperature to chart my fertility (along with the Fertility Friend app which has lots of educational tools as well) and we're currently using that method to avoid getting pregnant until December.

greeneyes14

Hi and welcome ! Congrats on your marriage ! I would definitely buy the book Taking charge of your fertility it's an awesome read and can tell you way more than google searches it's awesome ! It goes through charting your cycles and figuring out when your fertile based on cervical mucus, basal body temperate and cervical position and it talks all about getting off birthday control and all about your cycles, TTC, timing sex and more. I am not finished yet but so far it's great !

Blonde1817

Thanks for all of the feedback and introductions!

I can definitely relate to finances getting in the way, my husband is concerned about the financial side of things too, but I think we're definitely stable enough now.  But I feel the same way about hoping my baby fever isn't scaring him off lol! But I think having a puppy now is helping him get ready to take care of a baby in a way.

I just bought "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" and read most of it, it was fascinating!  It's good to know that even though I have to continue the long wait, there is something I can (hopefully) do to get pregnant immediately once the wait is over. Good to know about the fertility friend app, I'll definitely get that!