I first saw this book starring [yes :P] at me in November 2011. I was at Barnes&Nobles with the kids I nanny, and I grabbed the book. You know how people say they lost themselves in the Harry Potter Series, Vampire....Twilight! Series, etc etc. Wellll I opened a page of this book and I was taken! Hahahahaha.
Below are my personal notes. It's very long so read only what you like to those who are interested. And again they're just my notes so dont expect much! :P
Chapter 3 is my fave!! Tells all about food suggestions on whats good to eat, what you should take, whats not good for you, etc. Warning in advance, Chapter 7 & 8 is edited with some info some wont want to read so skip if so. It's nothing disgusting, but TMI for most of you. But mid Chapter 7 is my fave. :]
Chapter 1 - Prepping Before You’re Expecting
Preconception Checkups:
History of Medical Issues (Diabetes, high blood pressure, thyroid, etc) and family health tree.
OBGYN who does Obstetrics or midwife to copilot your pregnancy.
Lifestyle
No Coffee or tea
No smoking
you or your partner should no exercise too much (or be unhealthy)
Dad to be’s shouldn’t be in hot tubs too often.
All skin care products and spa treatments are ok (but be extra safe on certain spa treatments once you’re pregnant).
Hair care AKA hair coloring
In fact, there isn’t even any consensus about whether coloring or other chemical processes should stay off the salon menu once you’re expecting. Most doctors green light coloring or ask that you hold off until the 2nd trimester.
Preconception Checkups:
Need general health
possibly internist
OBGYN
Dental (Gum disease is associated with pregnancy complications such as preterm labor, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes. Gum disease also get worse with pregnancy.)
Immunizations
History of Medical Issues (Diabetes, high blood pressure, thyroid, etc) and family health tree.
OBGYN who does Obstetrics or midwife to copilot your pregnancy.
Lifestyle
No Coffee or tea
No smoking
you or your partner should no exercise too much (or be unhealthy)
“You don’t have to be fit to be fertile (and lots conceive without ever putting in a single day at the gym), but it may help.”
The right kind of exercise helps release those feel good endorphins, making your mind and body feel its relaxed best.
Dad to be’s shouldn’t be in hot tubs too often.
All skin care products and spa treatments are ok (but be extra safe on certain spa treatments once you’re pregnant).
Hair care AKA hair coloring
In fact, there isn’t even any consensus about whether coloring or other chemical processes should stay off the salon menu once you’re expecting. Most doctors green light coloring or ask that you hold off until the 2nd trimester.
No tanning [duh :]
Limit stress
Sleeping like a baby to make a baby
Catching enough sleep can help improve your chances. Skimping on sleep can mess with your hormones which can lead to irregular periods. Take advantage of your still baby free home and seek the sleep your body craves. Nap when you can, turn in early, and stay in bed late with a goal of catching 6-9 hours of sleep per night.
Limit stress
Sleeping like a baby to make a baby
Catching enough sleep can help improve your chances. Skimping on sleep can mess with your hormones which can lead to irregular periods. Take advantage of your still baby free home and seek the sleep your body craves. Nap when you can, turn in early, and stay in bed late with a goal of catching 6-9 hours of sleep per night.
Do your “Last Hurrah”
Men should limit their excessive cell phone usage for potential fertility difficulties due to lower sperm count. Moderate use is fine. Instead of keeping the phone in your pant pocket, keep it in a jacket pocket or holster on the belt.
Chapter 2 - Weighing In Before You’re Expecting
Making some weight changes as close to your ideal weight (more or less) before you’re expecting can help you expect sooner and expect a healthier and more comfortable pregnancy.
Watch out for diabetes, if you’re under weight, losing and gaining healthy weight.
BMI - Body Mass Index
Chapter 3 - Eating Well Before You’re Expecting
Eating right can help you get closer faster to pregnancy and help your soon to be embryo get a healthier start while enjoying a more comfortable pregnancy. Eating well now while in preconception mode may increase the likelihood that you’ll get pregnant. Plus it sets the stage for a healthier pregnancy.
Plenty of folic acid (400 mcg) and the right kind of carbs
Omega-3
Walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds etc are not only vital to produce a baby but also to a healthy baby. These fabulous fats regulate hormones that induce ovulation.
B-12, B-6 likely reduces vomiting and nausea during first trimester
Zinc deficiency can slow maturation of good quality eggs. Oysters are rich in zinc and help to maintain a regular menstrual cycle. Other kinds of seafood such as crab and lobster, beef, turkey, dairy products, nuts, and legumes also are high in zinc.
Daily piece of fruit
Switch to whole wheat bread.
Whole grains, beans, legumes, fruits and veggies.
6 servings of whole grains: 1 slice of whole wheat bread, one cup whole grain cereal, couscous, buckwheat, brown rice, barley
2-4 servings of fruit
Berries help prevent cell damage and aging and also help prevent damage to eggs.
3-5 servings of vegetables: bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potato, cooked zucchini or squash, raw spinach, or lettuce, raw mushrooms.
For example pilaf of vegetables and quinoa, high protein or wheat pasta.
Calcium supplements 1500 mg / day (3 tums, rolaids, or calcium chews) along with prenatal
Power up on healthy protein (limit of 50-75 grams of low fat animal protein)
Plant protein may give fertility a boost.
Other dairy favorites are: cheese, yogurt, fortified juice, smoothies, almonds, sesame seeds, green leafy veggies, tofu.
Soy (tofu) is good but eating large amounts may throw off your estrogen levels affecting ovulation.
Soy is not good for males
Complex carbs have higher fertility rates.
Yams have a higher rate of twin pregnancies. Yams contain a substance similar to progesterone which just might help stimulate ovulation.
Upping your calcium intake before you conceive is smart and can help you conceive a lot sooner. During pregnancy, if your calcium falls short your body will tap into your bones to build the baby’s possibly setting you up for osteoporosis later in life. It will not only help strengthen your fetus to be’s developing teeth and bones but help muscle, heart, and nerve development as well.
Each month your iron stores are depleted by your period. Pumping up with more iron now also makes it less likely that you’ll suffer from anemia during pregnancy. To pump up your iron (30-40 mg/day), take leafy greens (collards, kale, spinach), dried beans, oatmeal, dried apricots, peas, etc. Couple your iron intake with foods rich in Vitamin C to help with iron absorption (OJ with oatmeal, tomatoes with beans).
Fertility UNFRIENDLY Foods:
Avoid high fat animal protein (red meat). Over 100 grams/day of animal protein (4 servings) may actually hurt your chances.
Avoid high mercury fish: Swordfish, shark, king mackerel, tile fish, fresh tuna,
And LIMIT: salmon, trout, shrimp, pollack, cat fish, white tuna.
Fish is packed with lean protein and vitamin D and loaded with Omega-3 fatty acids so fish is good as long as you are selective about which type of fish.
Go wild with sushi NOW there are no restrictions on enjoying raw or rare fish while you’re trying to conceive.
Write down everything you eat and drink (include amounts and appropriate calorie count) and number of portions consumed in each category. Be as specific as possible for example including a handful of M&M’s
As you ease into it, think positive and not so much on the word diet. Think small changes like switching corn flakes to whole grain cereal, dropping your cinnamon roll and adding a whole grain muffin in its place, switch to whole wheat bread.
Get rid of your preconceptions about food and rethink the serving of it. For example, instead of the bland spinach in the form of your childhood nightmares, toss it in your salad with a mixture of the things you love or steam it with stuffed cheese.
Men should limit their excessive cell phone usage for potential fertility difficulties due to lower sperm count. Moderate use is fine. Instead of keeping the phone in your pant pocket, keep it in a jacket pocket or holster on the belt.
Chapter 2 - Weighing In Before You’re Expecting
Making some weight changes as close to your ideal weight (more or less) before you’re expecting can help you expect sooner and expect a healthier and more comfortable pregnancy.
Watch out for diabetes, if you’re under weight, losing and gaining healthy weight.
BMI - Body Mass Index
Chapter 3 - Eating Well Before You’re Expecting
Eating right can help you get closer faster to pregnancy and help your soon to be embryo get a healthier start while enjoying a more comfortable pregnancy. Eating well now while in preconception mode may increase the likelihood that you’ll get pregnant. Plus it sets the stage for a healthier pregnancy.
Plenty of folic acid (400 mcg) and the right kind of carbs
Omega-3
Walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds etc are not only vital to produce a baby but also to a healthy baby. These fabulous fats regulate hormones that induce ovulation.
B-12, B-6 likely reduces vomiting and nausea during first trimester
Zinc deficiency can slow maturation of good quality eggs. Oysters are rich in zinc and help to maintain a regular menstrual cycle. Other kinds of seafood such as crab and lobster, beef, turkey, dairy products, nuts, and legumes also are high in zinc.
Daily piece of fruit
Switch to whole wheat bread.
Whole grains, beans, legumes, fruits and veggies.
6 servings of whole grains: 1 slice of whole wheat bread, one cup whole grain cereal, couscous, buckwheat, brown rice, barley
2-4 servings of fruit
Berries help prevent cell damage and aging and also help prevent damage to eggs.
3-5 servings of vegetables: bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potato, cooked zucchini or squash, raw spinach, or lettuce, raw mushrooms.
For example pilaf of vegetables and quinoa, high protein or wheat pasta.
Calcium supplements 1500 mg / day (3 tums, rolaids, or calcium chews) along with prenatal
Power up on healthy protein (limit of 50-75 grams of low fat animal protein)
Plant protein may give fertility a boost.
Other dairy favorites are: cheese, yogurt, fortified juice, smoothies, almonds, sesame seeds, green leafy veggies, tofu.
Soy (tofu) is good but eating large amounts may throw off your estrogen levels affecting ovulation.
Soy is not good for males
Complex carbs have higher fertility rates.
Yams have a higher rate of twin pregnancies. Yams contain a substance similar to progesterone which just might help stimulate ovulation.
Upping your calcium intake before you conceive is smart and can help you conceive a lot sooner. During pregnancy, if your calcium falls short your body will tap into your bones to build the baby’s possibly setting you up for osteoporosis later in life. It will not only help strengthen your fetus to be’s developing teeth and bones but help muscle, heart, and nerve development as well.
Each month your iron stores are depleted by your period. Pumping up with more iron now also makes it less likely that you’ll suffer from anemia during pregnancy. To pump up your iron (30-40 mg/day), take leafy greens (collards, kale, spinach), dried beans, oatmeal, dried apricots, peas, etc. Couple your iron intake with foods rich in Vitamin C to help with iron absorption (OJ with oatmeal, tomatoes with beans).
Fertility UNFRIENDLY Foods:
Avoid high fat animal protein (red meat). Over 100 grams/day of animal protein (4 servings) may actually hurt your chances.
Avoid high mercury fish: Swordfish, shark, king mackerel, tile fish, fresh tuna,
And LIMIT: salmon, trout, shrimp, pollack, cat fish, white tuna.
Fish is packed with lean protein and vitamin D and loaded with Omega-3 fatty acids so fish is good as long as you are selective about which type of fish.
Go wild with sushi NOW there are no restrictions on enjoying raw or rare fish while you’re trying to conceive.
Write down everything you eat and drink (include amounts and appropriate calorie count) and number of portions consumed in each category. Be as specific as possible for example including a handful of M&M’s
As you ease into it, think positive and not so much on the word diet. Think small changes like switching corn flakes to whole grain cereal, dropping your cinnamon roll and adding a whole grain muffin in its place, switch to whole wheat bread.
Get rid of your preconceptions about food and rethink the serving of it. For example, instead of the bland spinach in the form of your childhood nightmares, toss it in your salad with a mixture of the things you love or steam it with stuffed cheese.
Plan ahead with you shopping list and meals. Plan a healthy breakfast the night before and for a nutritious dinner.
Stock up on healthy snacks you enjoy and keep them within nibbling distance (in your bag, at your desk, in the car).
Keep it realistic when making your plan of changes for the better.
Don’t deny it. If you’re craving a bowl of ice-cream, fine eat it just don’t eat three of them. You can buy single serving cups or pops instead. Longing for a chocolate bar? Munch on a mini instead of king size and enjoy every single bite.
Chapter 5 - Predicting Ovulation
Fertilization occurs about 12-24 hours after ovulation
Ideal to have intercourse day you ovulate
Sperm can live to fertilize 3-6 days so you can get a fertilized egg even if you have sex a couple of days before ovulation
BBT - basal body temperature
Take with a digital basal thermometer each morning before you get out of bed [tenth of a degree instead of a standards two tenths increment]
It’s extremely sensitive to any change so take the reading immediately after waking up and around the same time each morning.
Mark each daily record on a graph and connect the dots.
Ovulation occurs then a day or two after there is a half degree jump in body temperature.
For example: huge sized margaritas the night before or when you’re fighting an infection, tossed and turned before getting up, etc. can cause a spike in your waking temperature so look for overall pattern.
About 6-15% of women have anovulatory cycles where their period does not release an egg. Common reasons include illness, travel, strenuous exercise, weight gain or loss, chronically underweight or overweight, or extreme stress.
Chapter 6 - Figuring Out Your Fertility
It takes the average healthy couple 6-12 months to get pregnant.
A normal cycle is 26-35 days between periods with 28-30 being the average.
Occasional cycle length irregularities are not cause for concern. Consistently irregular cycles can make conception slightly more illusive.
Fertility does decline in men too. More gradually than it does in women beginning around age 30 and more rapidly after age 45. Viagra could possible decrease your chances of conception.
Stock up on healthy snacks you enjoy and keep them within nibbling distance (in your bag, at your desk, in the car).
Keep it realistic when making your plan of changes for the better.
Don’t deny it. If you’re craving a bowl of ice-cream, fine eat it just don’t eat three of them. You can buy single serving cups or pops instead. Longing for a chocolate bar? Munch on a mini instead of king size and enjoy every single bite.
Chapter 5 - Predicting Ovulation
Fertilization occurs about 12-24 hours after ovulation
Ideal to have intercourse day you ovulate
Sperm can live to fertilize 3-6 days so you can get a fertilized egg even if you have sex a couple of days before ovulation
BBT - basal body temperature
Take with a digital basal thermometer each morning before you get out of bed [tenth of a degree instead of a standards two tenths increment]
It’s extremely sensitive to any change so take the reading immediately after waking up and around the same time each morning.
Mark each daily record on a graph and connect the dots.
Ovulation occurs then a day or two after there is a half degree jump in body temperature.
For example: huge sized margaritas the night before or when you’re fighting an infection, tossed and turned before getting up, etc. can cause a spike in your waking temperature so look for overall pattern.
About 6-15% of women have anovulatory cycles where their period does not release an egg. Common reasons include illness, travel, strenuous exercise, weight gain or loss, chronically underweight or overweight, or extreme stress.
Chapter 6 - Figuring Out Your Fertility
It takes the average healthy couple 6-12 months to get pregnant.
A normal cycle is 26-35 days between periods with 28-30 being the average.
Occasional cycle length irregularities are not cause for concern. Consistently irregular cycles can make conception slightly more illusive.
Fertility does decline in men too. More gradually than it does in women beginning around age 30 and more rapidly after age 45. Viagra could possible decrease your chances of conception.
Older moms have a greater chance of conceiving twins even naturally. They tend to ovulate irregularly and produce more follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) which results in dropping two eggs at a time.
Chapter 7 - Getting Busy Making a Baby (edited)
Your diet is on track, weight is on target, kicked bad habits, went to doctor and dentist, and ovulation prediction.
Sperm levels are higher in the morning. Guys hormones and erection peaks are also in the morning.
Lie down for 20-30 min after intercourse to fast track sperm delivery to cervix. Put your knees or legs up to enlist gravity. Don’t get up and pee.
Best time to conceive is from Oct-March. Most likely to conceive in early fall. More boys are conceived in October and girls are most often conceived in April and born in the winter. (Don't know if I believe in this.)
Dating your partner regularly is one of the best ways to make sure you stay partners for life. Surprise her, notice her, date her, and treat her. Just because you’ve moved on to bigger and better things doesn’t mean you can’t go back to the basics. Head out for a romantic dinner or cook together, get out of town and treat yourselves to a pre-baby vacation, do romantic stay at home weekends, and take time away alone to find me time to make us time more satisfying and have a laugh.
Plan a little something special each month. A dinner out, a bouquet of her favorite flowers, a cupcake from her favorite bakery, even a card that lets her know how happy you are to be working on making a baby with her. It will remind you both not only how lucky you are to starting a family together, but how lucky you are to have each other.
Chapter 7 - Getting Busy Making a Baby (edited)
Your diet is on track, weight is on target, kicked bad habits, went to doctor and dentist, and ovulation prediction.
Sperm levels are higher in the morning. Guys hormones and erection peaks are also in the morning.
Lie down for 20-30 min after intercourse to fast track sperm delivery to cervix. Put your knees or legs up to enlist gravity. Don’t get up and pee.
Best time to conceive is from Oct-March. Most likely to conceive in early fall. More boys are conceived in October and girls are most often conceived in April and born in the winter. (Don't know if I believe in this.)
Dating your partner regularly is one of the best ways to make sure you stay partners for life. Surprise her, notice her, date her, and treat her. Just because you’ve moved on to bigger and better things doesn’t mean you can’t go back to the basics. Head out for a romantic dinner or cook together, get out of town and treat yourselves to a pre-baby vacation, do romantic stay at home weekends, and take time away alone to find me time to make us time more satisfying and have a laugh.
Plan a little something special each month. A dinner out, a bouquet of her favorite flowers, a cupcake from her favorite bakery, even a card that lets her know how happy you are to be working on making a baby with her. It will remind you both not only how lucky you are to starting a family together, but how lucky you are to have each other.
Acupuncture appears to reduce the number of abnormal sperm and increase the number of healthy sperm in men with a low sperm count. It can also be used to pump up blood flow.
It not only increases your chances but may also speed up the conception process for women. Acupuncture may help a variety of fertility issues at almost every age and promotes reproductive health in general. The technique increases nerve stimulation and blood flow to the ovaries and uterus. Chiropractic techniques can help.
Physical health including your reproductive health is related to your emotional health. A negative state of mind can have a negative effect on hormone levels and fertility. You man boost your fertility by boosting your emotional well being.
Chapter 8 - Are You Pregnant?
Breasts are often the first body part to notice when sperm meet egg. Areola usually darken in color and increase in diameter in the weeks after conception. There are also an increase and enlargement in the tiny bumps on your areola resembling goose bumps. These areola alterations will only appear if you are pregnant not if you are PMSing.
Usually 5-10 days after conception implantation bleeding will likely occur earlier than your expected period. It is much lighter than your period, lasts anywhere from a few hours to a few days, and bleeding is usually pale to medium pink or light brown in color. It is rarely red.
Usually about 2-3 weeks after conception you’re pregnant kidneys work overtime to filter waste from the blood once there is an extra waste producer on board. A just pregnant uterus has begun to grow and you urinate frequently.
Just days after conception or 4 weeks later, you begin to feel nauseous. 6 weeks or by the end of the first trimester this should stop.
You’re fatigued, bloated, your cervical mucous becomes creamy and stays creamy after ovulation, and your sense of smell is heightened.
Best time of day to take a pregnancy test is first thing in the morning. It is best to wait until your pregnancy is expected give or take a day depending on the brand.
A faint positive line means you’re probably pregnant.
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