new to everything

zoeylove

Hi Everyone,

 I am new to this board and haven't figured out all the acronyms yet so please forgive me.  My hubby and I have started TTC for our first time in May with no luck as of yet. I realize it is still early but have been lurking on these pages due to my age.  I am 39 and he is 32 so I feel our chances are a lot lower than most and we both really want a child.  I met him later in life so unfortunately a lot of my "ideal" baby making years have passed.  We really haven't gotten into tracking ovulation and what not yet.  I was just trying to understand all of the ovulation stuff and was wondering if anyone had a recommendation for a specific kit or book I should read to help us along.  Or any advice for TTC at my age.

thank you

kris

gscoville

zoeylove:

Hi Everyone,

 I am new to this board and haven't figured out all the acronyms yet so please forgive me.  My hubby and I have started TTC for our first time in May with no luck as of yet. I realize it is still early but have been lurking on these pages due to my age.  I am 39 and he is 32 so I feel our chances are a lot lower than most and we both really want a child.  I met him later in life so unfortunately a lot of my "ideal" baby making years have passed.  We really haven't gotten into tracking ovulation and what not yet.  I was just trying to understand all of the ovulation stuff and was wondering if anyone had a recommendation for a specific kit or book I should read to help us along.  Or any advice for TTC at my age.

thank you

kris

Welcome! I'm 39 as well, will be 40 in September.

Basically, time is not on our side and figuring out when we ovulate so as to get the best timing possible is of utmost importance, and this is best accomplished by charting and temping. I would highly suggest getting an account with Fertility Friend, it's the charting site and app that most of us on these boards use. It's free, and it also has a free set of fantastic tutorials to teach you all about your body, cycles, and how to chart for ovulation. If you go over to the Trying to Get Pregnant board and check out the newbie link at the top of the page, there's lots of great start-up info there about FF, charting, etc.  Buy a BBT thermometer and start temping, FF tutorials tell you all about this as well as using OPKs to help figure out when you might be ovulating.

A great book to pick up is Taking Charge of Your Fertility, it's a good supplement to FF and the whole charting process.

 

zoeylove

ok thanks for the help.... I will check those out

MarylandWed

Welcome! I just turned 40 so I can commiserate with ttc at this age. My suggestion would be to see both your gynecologist and your pcp for routine bloodwork. Buy a bunch of ovulation predictor kits on amazon OPK's and start tracking when you ovulate charting is also helpful. Timing intercourse correctly is key. You need to be having sex in the days leading up to ovulation so you have sperm ready and waiting when the egg drops. Also make sure you have your h do a semen analysis. They have their issues, too. Also get him on a good multi vitamin if he is not on one already. GL!

Pintobean39

Hi! I'm right there with you I'm 39 also.

As PP's have said. Get the Fertility Friend app they have awesome tutorials and it does all the charting for you. I also read the book taking charge of your fertility. I never knew how much I didn't understand about my body. I also ordered on amazon a bunch of the cheap OPK and a thermometer.

I just started charting and temping a few weeks ago and I honestly thought it would be a big pain in the , but actually if you read the book and the tutorials it's very simple and not time consuming at all. Good Luck!

ksgsmu

Welcome!  I hope your stay is short and sweet! The other posters gave you excellent advice. Knowing when and IF you ovulate is the most important thing!  If you don't have success after 6 months of trying see your OBGYN.  If you see by temping or charting that you are not ovulating, have any medical issues that might hinder you or have wonky cycles then I would make the appointment now. Time isn't on your side but that doesn't mean you can't be succesful!

gscoville

MaiTaiBeth:

This is my advice based on my own personal experiences.  It might be crappy but I wish I had done these two things right away, it would have saved me a year and a half of heartache and I would be a year and a half younger.

1. Find out what your insurance covers for fertility and make sure you are on the right plan.

2. Go to your OB right away and tell them you have been trying for 6 months.  Get the ball rolling.

Um, no!  Why on earth are you telling OP to lie to her OB? She clearly stated she has only been trying since May, two months does not equal six months TTC!

Jacque Sills

Hi Kris,

 Welcome to the group.  I know what you mean about starting out later in life. I am 43, so I understand your concerns.....

Like, all the pp said, I found that Taking Charge of your Fertility by Welscher...(can't remember her first name or the spelling of her last.  Sorry.)  was a great resource, as well, to help me start to understand all the nuisances with my body and what things to do to assist in me knowing my fertility window for the best time for baby making.  Then, to document that information on Fertiltiy Friend will help you manage your TTC process well.

Best wishes to you!

 

seet treats

Hi I'm new to the site as well and I'm 42, we have been ttc since 12/12.  I was misdiagnosed with PCOS, new DR ordered genetic testing and was found to have adrenal hyperplasia, was placed on daily dose of dexamethasone.  We have one child conceived using injectable meds on first cycle, so I knew I would have to go the same route this time around.  It's just taking a little longer this time because of my age.

The previous advice being given sounds all good.  You may want to also get started on prenatal vitamins.  But definitely see your DR to get blood work baselines done to help prepare should you need to go on a more aggressive route.

Best of luck 

Geekywife

Oh and if you have any other questions ask. Make a list of things that you want to know from the doctor if you have to go. If you can't wait that long ask us here. We will do our best to help and if nothing else we will be here to listen.

Good Luck.

zoeylove

Thank you everyone for all your advice and welcoming support......I was reading a lot into the fertility stuff you guys have suggested and had "a plan of attack" so to speak for when we got back from vacation.  Oddly enough, I have yet to embark on these plans.....because I was getting weird cramping on vacation ...kind of like I was getting my period but then no bleeding.  This was happening at random times throughout the day so when we got home I took a test because I was also a day or two late.   It came out positive ....  I still don't know why I am cramping like this and if it's ok/normal or if something bad is going on but I have a doctors apt tomorrow....keep your fingers crossed!

StephPV

Hope the Dr's appointment goes well!

dragonfly711

I think a few ladies have given the same advice but I will give some of what I do.

I am 39 hubby is 41.  I chart, temp, Wonderflo OPKs, pre seed, Prenatal vitamins, Clearblue Fertility Monitor ( you might want to wait on that I did a few months since it is about $ 200.00 to buy!!!) 

 I had a MC in Feb, my Dr told me to TTC for 6 months if nothing than come back to him.  He did not even talk about doing any testing until 6 months with our age group most Drs will not do anything until you have been actively trying for 6 months.  It stinks since we started in Dec but with my MC we had to start the months all over again.  

I also got the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility.  I just received it last week bought it online via Barns and Noble I believe.  

It is so nice to have other women in my age group.  This will be our first, so would loved to have had a baby younger but things just did not work out as I wanted!!!  But I do have an awesome husband so I guess I should feel lucky!!!

Feel free to contact me any time if you have questions.  I know some of these ladies have been trying a lot longer than me so they might have a lot more info than I do.  I have only been charting the past 4 cycles.  

Good luck!!! Enjoy!! The first month for us we just did OPKs, I did not know about all the other stuff til later on. It all depends on how much or little you want to start doing right away.

I would recommend getting on a prenatal vitamin, good to be on them before you start TTC.

dragonfly711

Oh, just saw that you got a positive and are going to be going to the Drs.  Hope all goes well, keep us posted!!!

zoeylove

no problem ... I hope it goes well too but I do appreciate all the info anyway in case something goes wrong as I know it can easily at my age .... I will be better equipped to try again.  I full heartedly agree about having an awesome husband....you should feel lucky but I know its hard when you both want something so bad!  

Pintobean39

Congratulations!

Sunni01

Congrats on the BFP. How did the doctors appt. go? FX'd.

zoeylove

thank you Sunni .... doctors appt went well....confirmed pregnancy and bloodwork was ok.  I made an appt with Ob for later this month....I have been having this weird cramping (I wouldn't consider it mild cause it hurts like hell) still at least once a day....doc said it was normal but it is scaring the crap out of me everytime I get it ... I have moved on to the pregnancy boards for support since this is my first and I have no idea what is going on... hopefully everything is ok and I am overreacting....but we will see .... keeping my fingers crossed....my hubby is so excited I would hate to have to tell him I miscarried

  

QOTR

Congratulations!   I hope everything goes well.

zoeylove

thank you qotr