Pregnancy Series Part 2. Getting Pregnant

I'm going to keep this post as G-rated as possible. If you have additional questions, e-mail me or comment below and I'll get in touch.

There are a lot of myths (or really Old Wives Tales) out there about getting pregnant and increasing your odds of getting pregnant. Most of those simply aren't true and I'll cover those as I go through how to get pregnant.

First off, you have to stop using contraception. Whether you are using a pill, an IUD, or condom, stop using it.

A note about condoms and STIs:

Condoms can protect against sexually transmitted diseases so if either you or your partner have one, talk to your doctor about treatment. Some STIs can be transferred to the fetus so be sure to get treatment and talk to your doctor about what you can do to get pregnant safely. If you or your partner have ever been intimate with someone other than your spouse, it's a good idea to both get tested- it can take years for an infection to show itself. 

If you have an IUD, you have to have that removed by a professional. When stopping hormonal birth control you simply have to stop taking the pill. Technically, as soon as you stop taking the pill the hormones are no longer in your system and *technically* you should be able to get pregnant immediately.

A note about hormonal birth control:

It is advised to wait a month or two before actually trying to get pregnant after the pill. This (according to the nurse I talked to at my doctor's office) is because one of the effects of the pill is that it thins the women's uterine wall. That makes it a lot more difficult for a fertilized egg to implant. You likely won't even know the egg was fertilized so do not stress about that. Unless implantation occurs your body will not give the pregnant hormones. *If you do get pregnant right after stopping the pill, do not worry, you are not at a higher risk for miscarriage. If the egg implants then you are pregnant and not at any higher risk for miscarriage. If you do miscarry after the first missed period, it is not because of the pill. Women report that it takes longer to get pregnant after taking the pill than not at all but these are hard statistics to rely on because there are so many factors that go into getting pregnant. 

You can stop taking the pill at any point, you don't have to finish the pack. But be aware that it can result in some bleeding. You will know you are ovulating when your period returns to a normal cycle. If you have been off the pill 3-6 months and you haven't started your period yet, call your doctor. This doesn't mean there is something wrong, but there might be so it's better to get it checked out sooner rather than later.

The mini pill (commonly used while breastfeeding) is such a low dose of hormones that you are considered fertile the day after you stop taking it. This is why it is so important to take it at the same time every day while using it to prevent pregnancy. 

The shot takes at least 13 weeks to gain fertility. It is not unusual for women to take up to 2 years after this method to get pregnant.

Next, you need to be intimate. A lot. Seriously. The odds of getting pregnant are actually very low, even if it seems that everyone around you is getting pregnant. It truly is a miracle that anyone gets pregnant at all so increase your odds by doing the act as often as you can during your fertile period. With this society's high stress, general lack of nutrition, and traveling spouses, it's even harder to get pregnant. (Click here for the post on pre-pregnancy nutrition) It can take over a year to get pregnant. If you've been trying at least a year with no pregnancy then it is time to talk to your doctors (could be the male or female) about fertility issues.

I had someone ask me if intimacy changes when you decide you want to get pregnant. In my experience, and a poll of one other person, it definitely can. It can be stressful and cause anxiety and that's ok. Just remember that making the baby is the fun part :) You don't need to worry about time of day, place, or position. While some people swear by these specifics, it hasn't been proven to make any difference at all. Do what you and your spouse like and are comfortable with, especially if anxiety is running high.

The most important bit of info about getting pregnant is timing it within your cycle. In order to get pregnant there has to be sperm present while there is a fertile egg available. The "average" women's cycle is 28 days and she will ovulate on day 14. If the egg is not fertilized with about 24 hours then it dies. If no implantation occurs within 2 weeks (it won't if there is no fertilized egg) then there is a change of hormones which causes the uterine lining to shed. This is the period, it starts on day 1. For more info on the hormones involved and a more scientific explanation of the whole process, go here.

Sperm can live up to 5 days in a women's body depending on the conditions. The goal is to have as many sperm alive and in the body when ovulating to increase your chance of once making it through the rough journey and then penetrating the egg which is protected by a thick layer. To give yourself the best chance, start trying a week before your estimated ovulation and keep going up to 2 days after (since you don't know exactly when ovulation occurs). In my class I was taught that doing it every other day gives enough time for the man's sperm count to recuperate but I've read a lot of other articles that say once a day will provide enough sperm.

To know when you ovulate you can download an app to track your cycle, visit a website, or buy an ovulation kit. The apps and trackers give estimations, not exact days so they aren't as reliable. The ovulation kit will let you know exactly when you are ovulating based on hormones. You can also track your cycle by taking your body temperature. It changes when you ovulate but you have to take it every day at the same time so you know what has actually changed. This website explains how to do that. All it costs is the price of a thermometer.

Remember that it takes a long time and no time at all to get pregnant. So don't start trying before you're actually ready to bring a human into this world with the thought that it will take a few months. But also, don't go into it thinking it will only take a few times because it can take a while.

Next, you wait two weeks until you are supposed to start your period and take a test. Take the test first thing in the morning when your urine is more concentrated. The tests measure a certain amount of hormone that's only present in those high levels during pregnancy. You want it to be concentrated because those levels are still rising at that point in time. There are some early detection tests you can use as well if you are impatient. However, it can be hard emotionally to know you were pregnant and then start that first period. Half of all pregnancies end in miscarriage and a lot of them are early, meaning the pregnancy ends before you even knew you were pregnant, before your first missed period. Just understand that if you do decide to get an early detection test. You can get an accurate test at the dollar store for $1. Other than the early detection tests I don't know what the difference is in the tests or why they vary so much in cost. Know that the more money you spend doesn't necessary mean more accurate and it definitely doesn't increase your chance of being pregnant. You can get a false negative and you can spot while pregnant. If your period is lighter than usual you might want to take a test and see. Or if you get a negative test and still haven't started, wait a week and test again.

If you are pregnant call your doctor to set up an appointment. Most doctors want to see you between 10-13 weeks.

I want to briefly discuss choosing the sex of your baby. As far as the studies I've looked at go, gender is still by chance. You can try to help your odds, but know that no method will be 100% accurate. Some people swear by the methods while others say it didn't work at all. Just remember it's a 50/50 chance for a boy or girl.(My husband just informed me it is ever so slightly more likely to be a girl). Trying the techniques won't hurt (with the exception of the one that uses a douching technique. It's been found that douching can cause infection), just remember 50-50.

Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favor. Sorry, couldn't help it!

ABOUT ME

My name is Aimee, I graduated from Utah State with a bachelor's in Family and Consumer Science Education. That means I am a licensed teacher in the state of Utah. I am qualified to teach Family and Consumer Science (lovingly known as Home Ec)  to secondary students. The classes I, or any FACS teacher, am qualified to teach can be found here.

The classes all fit into 5 categories: Foods & Nutrition, Child Development, Adult Roles/Financial Literacy, Interior Design, and Clothing 

I now stay at home with my cute daughter but love the opportunity to teach any chance I get. 

If you have questions or comments you don't want public, feel free to e-mail me at aim.payne@gmail.com

Enjoy the blog!  

Kitchen Cleanliness and Safety

The most important thing in your kitchen is keeping it clean and safe... especially when you have little ones!! You don't necessarily need to bleach everything down every day, you'd be surprised at  how well hot soapy water works! Afterall, do you bleach your hands every time you wash them? Most likely you use hot water and soap. These are important things to remember in your own kitchen:

To prevent fires and burns . . .

1. Use salt or baking soda, not water, to put out a grease fire.
2. If there is a fire, first remove the heat source. Simply turn off the burner, do NOT move the pan while it is on fire
3. Keep flammable materials away from the top of the range and away from portable appliances that produce heat.
4. Use a dry potholder to remove pans from the range.
5. Store flammable substances such as aerosol sprays away from heat sources.
6. Use a metal trashcan when disposing of hot or smoldering items.
7. Keep the range exhaust hood and ducts clean.
8. Keep pan handles turned inward on the range.
9. When removing a pan lid, tilt the lid away from you and do not hold your face directly over the pan.
10. When removing a pan from the oven, pull the rack out.  Don’t reach into a hot oven.
11. Wear an oven mitt on each hand and use both hands to remove pans from the oven.
12. Check to be sure all appliances are turned off when you are finished with them.
13. Use a spoon or tongs, not your fingers, to remove food from hot liquid.
14. When lighting gas burners with a match, strike the match first, then turn the burner on.
15. If you smell gas, turn off all range and oven controlsr.

To prevent falls . . .

1. Wipe up all spills at once.
2. To reach items stored in high places, use a sturdy step stool or ladder.
3. Close cabinet doors and drawers.

To prevent cuts . . .

1. Keep sharp knives sharp.  They are less likely to cause an accident than dull ones.
2. Use a cutting board.
3. Cut away from you with the knife blade slanted.
4. For peeling vegetables such as carrots or potatoes, use a peeler instead of a knife.
5. If a knife, kitchen scissors, or ice pick starts to fall, get out of the way.  Do not try to catch it in mid-air.
6. Wash, dry and store knives separately from other dishes and utensils.
7. Keep your fingers away from beaters and blades in appliances.
8. Use knives and other sharp tools only for their intended purpose.
9. Sweep up broken glass immediately.
10. Wrap your hand in a towel to pick up broken glass.
11. When opening cans, cut the lids completely off.
12. Don’t leave sharp knives in a sink full of water. (Always set knives on the side of the sink, wash and immediately dry and put away. It's too easy to get accidentally cut when you can't see it in a full sink or on a drying rack)

To prevent electric shock . . .

1. Read appliance booklets before using appliances.
2. Keep electrical cords away from water and hot objects.
3. Do not plug several cords into an electrical outlet at one time.
4. Unplug portable appliances after you have used them.
5. Disconnect appliances before cleaning them.  Do not put them in water unless the appliance is labeled “immersible.”
6. Before using an appliance, make sure your hands are dry and that you are standing on a dry surface.
7. Unplug appliances before bringing metal objects in contact with any working parts.
8. Plug the cord of portable appliances into the appliances first, then into the wall.

To prevent microwave accidents . . .

1. Never use a microwave if the door appears damaged.
2. Never turn on the microwave if there is no food inside.
3. Do not heat sealed jars, cans, or bottles in the microwave.
4. Do not heat home-canned foods in a microwave. Use a conventional range.
5. Use potholders to remove food containers from the microwave.
6. Remove lids and plastic wrap carefully to avoid steam burns.
7. Distribute the heat by stirring microwaved foods before serving them.

 SANITATION PROCEDURES

1. Place books, purses, and other personal items in an area not used for food preparation. The kitchen is for food and food only. Think about where you set your purse all day and then putting it on the counter...then putting your food in that...then eating it...
2. Wear appropriate, clean clothing.  Avoid long, loose sleeves, sashes, and dangling jewelry.
3. Wear a clean apron or lab coat.
4. Pull hair back and secure it so that it stays away from your face and shoulders.
5. Avoid working with food if you have an open wound on your hands.
6. Wash your hands with soap before you start cooking. Dry your hands with paper towels or on cloth towels not used for drying dishes.
7. While working with food, avoid touching your hair, skin, face, or other unclean objects.
8. Repeat hand washing when necessary - especially after coughing, sneezing, or using the restroom.
9. Be sure you have clean dishtowels, dishcloths, potholders, and oven mitts. Obtain additional clean items as they are needed but NOT in excess.
10. Wipe all counter tops and tables at the beginning and end of each lab.
11. Use hot, soapy water for washing dishes.
12. When tasting foods, use a spoon other than the one used for stirring.  Use a clean spoon for each person tasting and for each time food is tasted.
13. After working with raw animal foods, scrub all areas and utensils used with hot soapy water. Use bleach if you feel it's necessary. (I always bleach after using raw meat)
14. When possible use a kitchen tool, not your hands, to complete tasks.
15. Thoroughly cook foods to be served hot.  Keep them hot until they are served.
16. Foods to be served cold should be kept cold until serving time.
17. Cover leftover foods and store them in the refrigerator immediately.

(This worksheet was used by the teacher I taught with at BRMS and I edited it for the purpose of this blog)

Next up, a MUST READ will be FOOD SAFETY!!

Pre Pregnancy Nutrition

I was just talking to a pregnant friend of mine. She hasn't told anyone else she's pregnant, she just needed some advice and since I'd been through it all and I live nowhere near anyone she knows (so I can't spill the beans) I was a good candidate. 

It can be scary and intimidating to be pregnant and you might not want to tell anyone yet but have no idea what you're supposed to do. And since those "Baby Your Baby" commercials don't play anymore, a lot of people don't know when to go to a doctor. Or what to expect at the doctor. Or even how to find a doctor. 

So I thought I'd go through basic "need to know" pregnancy tips. This post will cover pre-pregnancy nutrition. 

Pre-Pregnancy:

Nutrition
(I am not a doctor or a registered dietitian. Everything I have written here are general guidelines and may not apply to everyone. If you have special circumstances please talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian. You can find an RD here: http://www.eatright.org/programs/rdfinder/)

So you want to get pregnant. Congratulations! It's a scary decision, but so fun at the same time! First things first, if you want to get pregnant, you need to be healthy. Both of you. The absolute best way to get nutrition is through food. Yes you can and should take a multivitamin but please PLEASE eat a healthy diet. Here are some really easy guidelines of how to eat well:

60% of your calories should be carbohydrates. Yes, 60%, as in MORE THAN HALF. Carbs aren't bad, I'm not sure where they get their bad rap but carbs=energy and if you want a baby you need a LOT of it! Also, your brain runs off of glucose and guess what the easiest source of glucose is? You guessed it, carbohydrates. So a little more than half of everything you eat in a week should be carbs. Carbs are bread, pasta, cereal, and fruits even count because of their sugar content. Also candy is a carb. Eat up! 

My one stipulation to eating carbohydrates is you need to make half of the grains you eat whole. Oatmeal cookie anyone? If you do your own cooking, add half wheat to anything you would normally use white flour in. You can buy already ground wheat in the grocery store but keep it in the freezer because the oils will go rancid very quickly. If you grind your own, which is much more cost effective, freeze that too. (Wheat is cheap and you can get decent hand mills for a really good price. You can't really put a price on health, can you?) I've made German pancakes with half white and half wheat- tasted the same. I even thicken my soups and sauces with hand milled whole wheat instead of white. Buy whole wheat pasta, bread, and brown rice, if you like it. Don't buy anything you won't eat. But if you've never given it a chance, try it a few times. It takes children up to 12 times trying something before they like it. But if you've tried it and you just don't like it, fine. Don't eat it. I don't like brown rice. I eat lots and lots of white rice. But I eat whole wheat bread to make up for it. 

Some grains to enjoy: Amaranth, Barley, Bulgur wheat (cracked wheat), Corn, Durum wheat, Flaxseed, Fonio, Kamut, Millet, Oats, Popcorn, Rice, Rye, Semolina wheat, Sorghum, Spelt, Teff, Triticale, Wheat, Wild rice, Quinoa 

Please note that popcorn is a grain. That stuff is seriously SO good for you. I'll put up some delicious popcorn recipes. If you like popcorn, I recommend buying an air popper. I lived off this stuff while I was pregnant and teaching. Refer to this site for info on some of the unfamiliar grains: http://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/whole-grains-a-to-z

Nutrition is all about balance over time. It's ok if one meal or even one day is full of white flour, just be sure to balance it out throughout the week. 

Next up, fruits and vegetables. Half your plate should be filled with these! If the only way you can stand broccoli is covered in cheese sauce, PERFECT! Cover it in cheese sauce! Nutrition doesn't cancel out. You still get the benefits of broccoli. And eating broccoli with cheese sauce is better for you than not eating it all. My favorite way to eat most vegetables is steamed or blanched (put in boiling water until almost cooked) then sauteed in canola oil and Real Salt or Vegetable salt (regular salt is fine too, I just prefer the flavor of the others). Obviously fresh fruits and vegetables are best. But frozen, canned, and dried are still wonderful!! Really, there is so much flavor in a well prepared fruit/vegetable, it's sad that so many people don't like a lot of them. If you want tips on how to prepare certain foods, comment and I'll put up a post for you!!

Next up, dairy!! Milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream. No really, ice cream. In high school I compared the nutrition facts of a Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter granola bar to those of an ice cream sandwich. They were almost exactly identical. Did I eat another granola bar after that? You better believe I didn't! Ice cream is great. Make a milk shake: frozen strawberries, some ice cream, and some milk.... a wonderful, delicious, and nutritious snack! Dairy is SO important!!! Girls, your baby steals your calcium before your bones even get a look at it. It's not uncommon for women's teeth to fall out during pregnancy if they are deficient in calcium. Because of a variety of other factors, women are more prone to osteoporosis (break down of bone). I won't get into that right now, but trust me, you need calcium! But dairy is so much more than calcium. You get a lot of protein and good fats from it. There is nothing wrong with drinking 2% by the way. 

A good rule of thumb is to drink a glass of milk at each meal and drink water throughout the day. If you can't stand the flavor of milk go ahead and add chocolate or strawberry syrup. 

Meats and beans! More protein! More fiber! More iron! I don't have a soap box for this group, but eat them! Beans can be substituted in baked goods for the oil. Seriously, I make a mean black bean cupcake! When choosing meats, choose a lean cut and try to vary your meats: ground beef, chicken, pork, etc. Don't forget your fish too! Some fantastic oils are in those!

Multivitamins:
Alright.... here we go. Men, you need to be healthy to create healthy sperm. You really should get your nutrients from a healthy diet, but if you are finding that hard, a simple multivitamin will be fine. Unless you are seriously deficient in a particular substance and your doctor has tested and told you this, stay away from single nutrient vitamins. This can lead to toxicities. There IS such thing as too much of a good thing. Talk to your doctor if you have questions or concerns. 

Women: there are a billion multivitamins. What's the difference between a prenatal and regular multi? It depends on the brand, but I'm seeing a trend in prenatals to be lacking in a lot of nutrients, probably to avoid toxicities for you and the baby. To be honest it doesn't really matter what you choose. There are 2 things you want to look for: Folate (or folic acid) and Vitamin A (from beta carotene). You want to make sure you are getting enough folate. And if the scene from Baby Mama where she has to swallow a folate pill the size of a cookie scares you, just realize that most people don't take a separate folate pill. It's in most multis and at the point in her pregnancy in the movie it wouldn't have been effective. You need folate before you even know you are pregnant. Luckily for us, most cereals are fortified with it. If you don't have enough folate your baby is far more likely to have spina bifida. That is a birth defect where the backbone and spinal canal do not close before birth. Scary. But don't be scared, just eat your grains and take your vitamin with it. Next, it doesn't matter what type of multivitamin you take but make sure the vitamin A comes from beta carotene.  This is an inactive form of the vitamin. If your body needs it, it activates it and uses it. If it doesn't need it, it gets rid of it. If the vitamin is coming from retinol, it's already activated and you can have vitamin A toxicity. It can cause serious birth defects. Any vitamin A you get from food will only be used if needed.  

Something you may notice about a prenatal is that it's high in iron but low in calcium. That's because calcium actually blocks the absorption of iron. It's best to take the multi with a meal or snack that is low in calcium. However, if you have a bowl of cereal every morning and can't remember to take your vitamin another part of the day, take it with your cereal, you will be fine.

A word about iron: you need it. Lots of it, and so does your baby. Here is a list of iron rich foods. Obviously red meat is a good source but I know that can be hard to stomach during pregnancy. 

• Beef
• Lamb
• Ham
• Turkey
• Chicken
• Veal
• Pork
• Eggs (any style)
• Spinach
• Sweet potatoes
• Peas
• Broccoli
• String beans
• Beet greens
• Collards
• Kale
• Chard

So basically, meats and dark leafy green vegetables. A spinach salad with chopped chicken topped with berries and your favorite dressing... delicious!

What nutrition questions do you have? When you're pregnant your nutritional needs do change but I will cover that in another post.

Welcome to the first day of Foods and Nutrition 1

When you're in the kitchen do you feel like Lindsay Bluth-Funke,

 

Or Carl Weathers??

Whatever your skill level I am here to help! If you were in my classroom, I'd make you watch Lindsay cook and list the good and the bad about what she does. You can do that on your own. I counted 5 good and 5 bad.

Answers:
Lindsay:
-She wore an apron! (yay! An apron is for more than protecting your clothes from food, it's about protecting the food from your clothes. Just think about how many kids you hug, dirty laundry you carry in your arms, push-ups you do on a dirty floor... your clothes are germy and you don't want those germs in your food)

-Using appropriate pot (there's a lot of soup, I mean hot ham water, the pot is big enough to hold it. When choosing pots, you don't want it to full since it might boil over. Her's might be too small but it's pretty big. She probably has too much water but we'll give this one to her.  You don't want it too small because it's too easy to burn.

-Handles turned the right way (this is more important with saucepans because they have longer handles  but again, I'm really giving this girl the benefit of the doubt. It's easy to bump a handle sticking out or for a child to grab it and pull it down)

-Using appropriate long handled wooden spoon (The spoon is long enough to get to the bottom of the pot. This way she can be sure that no ham will burn to the bottom.)

-Using hot pads (almost everybody has forgotten to use a hot pad before. It hurts.

Bad:
-Opened lid toward herself (Steam gets a LOT hotter than water. To avoid burn, open lid slowly and away from you so the steam doesn't touch you.

-Hair down (This should go without saying, pull your hair back. Unless your family enjoys a strand or two in their meal... I keep a clip on my apron so I always have something available to hold my hair back)

-Long sleeves (probably not as big of a problem in your own home as it was with 9th graders, but just think about everything your sleeves touch, usually the same as your hands, and you wash your hands throughout the day but not your sleeves. Baggy jacket/sweater sleeves are the worst! At least hers were tight)

-In the second segment she is stirring with a spoon rest. (It's important to use each utensil properly and for what it was intended for)

-Serves Buster with the same spoon she's stirring with. (If you're going to do this, you might as well just spit in the food before serving it. It's the same thing. Gross. If you need to taste test it, use a spoon- only once. Get a new spoon each taste test.)

Did you catch anything I missed?

Introduction

Hello! Welcome to my blog!

Do you ever feel Home Wrecked??? According to Google (with a little help from me):

wreck  

/rek/

Noun The destruction of sanity at home; a homewreck.

Verb Cause the destruction of (sanity) by family or life in general.

Synonyms noun.   ruin - wreckage - homewreck - destruction - insane person-  verb.   ruin - destroy - demolish - shatter - smash - homewreck

If you fall into that category, then this blog is for you!!

I'm just curious, how often do you use Avagadros number in everyday life? Or actually need to know all 50 State Capitals? Or what was so special about Rembrandt's technique? I'm sure sometimes it feels like we spent years and years in school preparing us for the "real world" (which really just meant college) and yet, here I am, a college grad, in the real world, not really using any of my AP Human Geography knowledge. Not that there was much of that to begin with. I got a 1 on the test. But I digress. I want to clarify- I AM NOT PUTTING DOWN ANY TYPE OF EDUCATION BY ANY MEANS. (For the record I do use Algebra every time I go to the store. Especially when  calculating if it's worth spending more per pound on a leaner cut of beef.)  But I do feel like there were some gaping holes in a lot of people's education. For example, certain "core" subjects were and are required for everyone. I understand, those are important to know. But why are other subjects considered unimportant? I haven't found exact statistics but something like 47% of college grads go on to use math or science everyday in their careers (to be clear, I made up that number). However, more than 95% of people go on to be parents (Again, another made up number but I feel like it's a fair assumption that more people are parents than go into a scientific career). So why are the subjects that involve family life desperately left out of our education?   

So maybe you did take Home Ec/TLC in school but likely it was years ago and after a kid or two do you honestly remember how to sew a drawstring bag/pajama pants, or "cook" an orange julius? How about knowing how to hem a child's or husband's pants? How to create a family budget? Where to put that super-cute border up in your child's room? Or what are developmentally appropriate learning activities for children of all ages? How do you get your kid to eat more vegetables? How many extra calories do you actually need while pregnant? What the heck is gluten?

The point is- life is hard. Parenting is hard. I'm here to try and make it a little easier. I graduated in Family and Consumer Sciences Education (Home Ec). And while the joke commonly heard was "oh, so you're majoring to be a mom?" It's true! Yes I did!! Being a mom is crazy enough WITH the education I had, I can't imagine doing it any other way. 

So here's how this blog works. I'm a teacher and I will teach you things that I think are good to know as a parent. I will cover  5 categories: Foods & Nutrition, Child Development, Interior Design, Financial Literacy, and Clothing & Textiles. I will post a "lecture" of types and there will be assignments/challenges you can choose to do. If you have a request for a lesson, leave a comment or e-mail me.

Above you can see I have tabs to organize my posts for you. Constructive feedback is always appreciated (remember, even though the internet doesn't have feelings, the people using it do!)

Enjoy!
-Aimee