Making Babies Program Questionnaire

I missed my acupuncture last week because I caught laryngitis. And in my work, talking is quite essential, so this has been a major hamper to my work life. Also, I talk A LOT, so it is difficult for my personal life, as I just can’t shut up sometimes.

Anyway, I went again this Monday, and left with herbs for my phlegm and a loan of a book called Making Babies: A Proven 3-Month Program for Maximum Fertility by Sami David MD and Jill Blakeway, LAc (Licensed Acupuncturist).  I have seen this book on Amazon while looking at possible fertility books to purchase. It has appealed to me as it looks at a combination of Western and Eastern medicine in its approach to fertility.

I mostly scanned the Part I & II as it covered basic strategies on achieving pregnancy naturally that I have come to know in-depth. However, if you are someone who is just starting out, or just wanting to expand your knowledge and awareness of what is involved to help your fertility, I would recommend looking at this chapter to ensure you have the complete knowledge to prepare yourself for fertility. I find it is always good to approach any undertaking with humility, to ensure I don’t overlook an important need due to my arrogance.

I am so pleased that I read the first chapter, which is pretty much an introduction to the authors and their philosophy of infertility treatment. I loved that Dr. David revealed his thoughts and feelings on what it was like to be on the forefront of IVF technology and how this motivated him to devote his practice to focus on finding an underlying diagnosis and making IVF and other ART procedures an option when less invasive methods have failed.

Also, the acupuncturist, Jill Blakeway, introduces Eastern medicine, what brought her to it, and how it works in comparison to Western medicine.

Under the fertility basics, I loved that it showed some charts for the various fertility types, so I bookmarked the ones I might be to reference later. Again, if you have not yet looked into charting this is a good introduction to using BBT for fertility charting, although I still consider TCOYF (Taking Charge of Your Fertility, by Toni Weschler) as the ultimate authority for BBT charting for fertility.

This book also reviews the nutrients needed for improved fertility, and one of the best parts, is in the entire book they make sure to highlight how each step helps both men and women individually. I was so grateful for the section that focuses on medications that can interfere with infertility. Many people don’t think twice about daily meds they are taking and whether it impacts their fertility. Women may certainly inquire on whether these meds will affect their unborn child, but not always whether it affects their efforts to achieve pregnancy.

The “What’s Your Problem?” chapter looks at both Eastern and Western methods of diagnosing fertility issues. I was amazed at the pagesworth of questions Dr. David believes are essential for any doctor to ask a patient seeking fertility assessments. Although many of these questions are a part of the forms your doctor has you fill out every time you go, there are some that I know have been rarely asked by my doctors. Positions for intercourse, types of intercourse engaged in, whether one experiences pain with intercourse.  I think the most astonishing one that was like a lightbulb were the ones regarding menstrual cycle history, such as age of menarche (first menses) including what it was like (smooth, painful, flow types, etc). I find many doctors like to brush over these things. If anyone is seeking an OBGYN or RE for fertility, look for a doctor that will take time to ask you questions like these and listen for the answer. Now if they miss a few questions on Dr. David’s questionnaire, don’t kick him/her to the curb, as long as they seem to really want to know what is going on with you.

So, the fertility types. There are 5 fertility types: Tired, Dry, Stuck, Pale, Waterlogged. The names are based on the Chinese medicine categories, but the authors explain that these nicely correspond to characteristics in Western medicine. There is a quiz you can take in the book, or if you like, you can take it online at www.makingbabiesprogram.com(click on Your Fertility Type? on the right-hand side).

I took the quiz in the book and online and found that I received the same result: Tired/Stuck, with Tired as my dominant type. In taking the book test, I saw my scores for all five, and saw that Waterlogged was a close third (I think, my score sheet was destroyed).

I copied the descriptions/advice of the Tired/Stuck types. Of course, these are property of www.makingbabiesprogram.com

The advice under the Tired closely matches the diet my acupuncturist recommends with the avoiding of raw/cold food & drink. Because of my complicated diagnosing, my acupuncturist advise for nourishing food, but wants me to avoid hot spices like cayenne or cinnamon. This is why going to a licensed acupuncturist with this info will help you get an individualized diagnosis.

The stuck advice of hot water with lemon also matches recommendations from my acupuncturist and is my favorite way to get hot drinks (even more than tea!). 

So far, I am liking the book and am looking forward to investigating the conditions and advice particular for my Fertility Types. I truly think I am a combined type because although a lot of the Tired ones apply, there are some that don't, and some stuck characteristics that are also prevalent. Many of the symptoms overlap types, so you will score in each of them. 

Please comment if you have read the book and also if you have questions that I didn't address in this review. Or you can email me at motherhood.wanted@gmail.com.

Daily habits to change for improved fertility

I so often take for granted basic facts about how to improve fertility. After 4+ years of trying, it feels like I could write my own infertility guide. But, I realize many couples are starting their efforts to conceive and could use any helpful facts. Plus, I might always learn something new!   I received this article with information provided by Dr. Isabelle Ryan and www.PacificFertilityCenter.com presenting 6 overlooked habits that can give a couple the edge of achieving pregnancy.

Can Every Day Habits Age Your Fertility?

You want to do everything you can to stay healthy and become pregnant. But can “too much of a good thing” actually backfire? When taken to an extreme, certain healthy habits may do exactly that. With a little care, however, you can prevent problems. 

1. Avoid hot tubs and saunas. “Yes, it's important to relax, but avoid these methods of relaxation when trying to become pregnant. Raising your core body temperature too high may increase the risk of birth defects, miscarriage and low sperm counts,” says Dr. Isabelle Ryan, a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist at pacific Fertility Center in San Francisco. 
2. Exercise, but don’t overdo it.   Not only can very intense workouts raise your core body temperature, but in women they may also cause irregular menstrual cycles and hormonal imbalances.  “Use your best judgment on hot, humid days. Cool down between intensive workouts. In most cases, however, reasonable but vigorous exercise may actually help you become pregnant,” advises Dr. Ryan. 
3. Protect against cycling risks. Leisurely recreational biking shouldn't pose a big problem. But serious endurance cycling may increase the risk of male infertility by overheating the groin area or creating hormonal imbalances.  Racing saddles or a poorly fitting bicycle seat may also affect the testicles, but pain should provide a warning before you get into big trouble.
4. Maintain a healthy weight.  According to the Nurses Health Study, women with the lowest, as well as the highest, body mass index (BMI) were most likely to experience problems with infertility.  You need about 22 percent body fat to maintain normal menstrual function.
5. Rethink dairy—for now.  In general, a low-fat diet is laudable. But here's another surprising finding from the Nurses Health Study: Women who consumed a lot of low-fat dairy products, such as nonfat milk, were more likely to experience fertility problems than those who did not. Having a daily serving or two of dairy products made from whole milk appears to protect against ovulatory infertility. Just watch out for the extra calories.
6. Know your vitamin RDA. Sure, certain vitamins and minerals are essential to your overall health. Some may even help you get pregnant and protect your unborn baby. But, if you have a habit of taking mega doses of vitamins, be sure to discuss this with your doctor. You need to know safe recommended daily allowances.www.PacificFertilityCenter.com

Top ten things to know before purchasing a Clearblue Easy Fertility Monitor

Hey girls (or guys)!  I'm sure many of you along your fertility journey have been considering the purchase of a fertility monitor. Or maybe you've heard of one, but don't know what the heck it does. I was blessed to be gifted with an early generation Clearblue Easy Fertility Monitor (actually Clearplan) also known as CBEFM/CBFM.

I'm sure many of you are wondering what it is like to use one, how accurate they are, and whether or not it is worth 200 bucks or more.  There are a variety of fertility monitors out there. From what I can tell of most, they are effective at helping you pinpoint ovulation, and generally more accurate (or at least convenient) than an OPK.

First, I want to say that my first cycle using my CBEFM, I achieved pregnancy. Although that cycle ended with a miscarriage, I do not think the CBEFM is to blame. In fact, I know I would not have done any baby-dancing around my peak days had it not been for the CBEFM. Miscarriages happen.  Sometimes we don't know why. Again, one reason I continue to use my CBEFM is that I know personally that it WORKS!




That being said, here are some top ten little known facts about your CBEFM that you might want to consider before purchasing. Also, it was REALLY hard to stick to 10, which is why I have so many sub-bullets.

1. One box of 30 test sticks does not necessarily last 3 months
1. This is because most women who are desperate enough to purchase one of these suckers may not have your classic "28 day" cycle with CD14, or may have troubles ovulating at all. 
2. CBEFM estimates an average woman will need 10 sticks per cycle, however, since it's memory banks have no idea how long your cycle is the first time, it will prompt for test sticks at CD6. If you KNOW you regularly ovulate past CD16, wait to test until at least 10 days before your earliest known O date. 
2. CBEFMs are calibrated for cycle lengths between 21 and 44 days. 
1. If you are regularly anovulatory, or often have cycles below 21 days and above 44 days, this particular monitor may not be worth investing in. You will be basically pouring money down the toilet with the number of test sticks you will go through without any sort of change in your reading. 
3. Depending on your testing habits, you might skip a Peak reading.
1. Part of this may be whether you are anovulatory that cycle, but if you start testing too late or perhaps skip a test too close to Peak, you might see one or two Highs and then a Low with no Peak. It does not necessarily mean you did not ovulate.
4. Most CBEFM models will automatically give you a pattern of Peak, High, Low after your initial Peak
1. So don't waste your sticks! Once you see a Peak, you are DONE testing. The tricky little bugger will still ask for sticks though. CBEFM is huuuungggggryyy!
5. You have a 6 hour testing window that depends on what time you reset your CBEFM. (3 hours before set time, and 3 hours after)
1. CBEFM realllly want your first morning pee. So, if you are a classic BBT charter like me, you might make it your habit to press the m button around the time you temp. But this is a sweet feature, because how many times are you worried about messing up your temp because you got up to pee 2 hours before your temp time? 
2. You really can test with morning pee. If you find OPK testing difficult because the majority of tests require mid-morning to late afternoon pee, this monitor is for you!
3. Don't you just hate trying to find a stall to test in at work and figuring out how to sneak your test back to your desk without messing up the reading?
6. You DO NOT have to wait for the little m light to flash before resetting your cycle.
1. Although, it is so annoying when it starts to flash a week before you know to expect AF.
2. Also, you only have 5 days to set your new cycle date. So you can wait up to 4 days after first AF to reset (just keep holding down m button until you see the CD day you want). Otherwise, you miss that cycle or risk it being off if you reset within 7 days after your AF starts.
7. CBEFMs retain memory of your last 3 cycles (most models, newer models may have different features).
1. Why is this important? Well, this is what makes a CBEFM more accurate. After your first test cycle, it will adjust the day it asks for your first test stick. So if your last few cycles show a later O date, it will start asking for sticks closer to CD8/9 to prevent you from wasting sticks.
2. The first day most CBEFM models will ask for testing ranges between CD6 and CD9.
1. Again, if you regularly O on CD 21-24, you might wait until 10 days before earliest O date if you want to really stretch that box of sticks out 3 cycles. 
3. You cannot get it to read your test stick before it asks! Don't try. If you don't see a little flashing test stick with an arrow to the right, you will just get an error signal. 
8. You can only "sorta" read the CBEFM test sticks
1. No, they are not interchangeable with the CBEFM digital OPKs (unless someone knows differently?)
2. The lines on the sticks are not the same as a regular OPK. The line closest to the tip away from the wick that picks up pee is your estrogen line.
3. The line closest to the wick that picks up pee is your LH line.
4. So, you can look and see if your LH line is darkening, but it may not necessarily be as dark or darker than the estrogen line for Peak.
5. In my experience, the LH line and Estrogen line will be around the same color at Peak, but sometimes not. I have had so many varying "peak" sticks, that sometimes it looks like a Low stick from the cycle before. *shrugs*
6. 
9. Take out the batteries if you do not intend to use for a few cycles!
1. If you leave the batteries in, when you turn it back on again, you will get CD99 (because it doesn't go higher than 100 days). This is important because it will seriously skew your cycle memory and make testing weird. 
2. When you put your batteries back in, the monitor will give you the last CD you were on before you took the batteries out.
1. I just put batteries back in after maybe a year of testing, and it gave me CD24 or something. 
10. You can use a CBEFM that has had previous owners*
1. Please read the cautions under CBEFM FAQ
2. Please visit my post with picture-by-picture steps of how to reset the CBEFM to clear its memory and start anew.
3. Also a good idea if you are re-starting a CBEFM after previous pregnancy or months of disuse.

CBEFM Stick analysis time!

As I near April 2013 (6 month mark past last depo provera shot), I am starting to see more regular cycles. For now, "regular cycles" mean that I have a very, very light flow for about 5-7 days (usually with spotting beforehand) and that my cycles are now lasting more than 21 days and under 44. I need this range because otherwise, my CBEFM is useless to me.

*Check the fine print ladies, CBEFMs are calibrated to work for cycles that have a length between 21-44 days.

Anyhow, in the past few months since I stopped depo provera shot, I've been taking the occasional CBEFM test stick to see if my LH line is even there. Most cycles, it has been MIA. I started taking tests yesterday, and welllllll.......



Here are my two tests from CD13 and CD14 (I started late because I believe I will ovulate later in my cycle per previous ones).  I was ill recently, and had to discard or just didn't take some temps due to fever. My current temps are average post-O temps for me, but if you look at the pics from my current cycle vs the one below from around this time last year, there IS an LH line (far left, closest to the wick).  This gives me hope that I may ovulate this cycle, or perhaps despite my fever ovulated during my illness. Although it is common for our bodies to postpone O if we get sick too close to O date.

Current Cycle (2/01/2013)


I took the above photo while CD 14 was still drying. CD 13 and CD 14 looked about the same when wet, but it is hard to see CD13 in the photo.

Test stick on 02/28/12

Bee Fertile Giveaway complete *UPDATE WINNER ANNOUNCED*

The Bee Fertile Royal Jelly giveaway is complete! I have emailed the selected winner to inform her that she won. Please check your email/junk boxes for an email and respond within 7 days. Once the winner has accepted I will update with her name here!



photo rating

I'll be sending your prize either Monday or Tuesday! Thanks for all who participated.

Self-Fertility Massage DVD Review

I was the lucky recipient of the Self Fertility Massage DVD by Hethir Rodiriguez, CMT, MH  (Certified Massage Therapist & Master Herbalist).

If you are wondering if self-fertility massage is for you, this is a list of possible conditions that Hethir stated it was most helpful for:

Menstrual cramps

Scar Tissue

Blocked Fallopian tubes

Poor Circulation

Unexplained Infertility

Cysts

Endometriosis

PCOS

Hethir also suggest that this massage could benefit anyone seeking to improve their reproductive health.

I just made time to sit and watch it, and darn if one of the cautions was not to use when on your period! But, I take this as a sign I can watch it all the way through and soak in the information without being impatient to start.

I will start with the two cautions given during the video: Do NOT perform self-fertility massage while you are menstruating. Do NOT perform self-fertility massage if you are pregnant or think you may be pregnant.

There are six parts to the DVD:

Introduction

Reproductive Anatomy

Castor Oil Therapy

Self-Fertility Massage Introduction

Accupressure & Reflexology

Recap & Summary

I really appreciated that the introduction provided a thorough, but concise explanation of the benefits of self-fertility massage, how it works to benefit each organ system and how this relates to fertility as a whole. During the massage, you are not only massaging your reproductive organs, but your digestive system and liver. At first, you may wonder, “What’s my stomach have to do with infertility?” but Hethir gives an explanation of how each system is connected to improve fertility and overall health. I am a big fan of whole body healing and I think Hethir explained it without a whole lot of medical mumbo-jumbo, but easy to understand terms.

In the Reproductive Anatomy section, Hethir provides various diagrams of the internal organs that will be addressed with self-fertility massage and explains how each system interacts to improve fertility. This is also where she explains how the massage works on different systems and how this relates to improving fertility.

I really loved having a visual step by step of how to apply Castor Oil packs. She offered a lot of tips from someone who has experience and I liked seeing what she meant by saturated.

**FYI—Tried to find Castor Oil at Walgreens—it’s in the laxative section! And the bottle sold was perhaps 3-5 oz. Much cheaper online!***

The self-fertility massage introduction gives step by step instructions with a visual of how to perform. Hethir reminds you of appropriate procedures and reminds you what organs/systems this massage is addressing. The very first technique is one I had read about when searching for insomnia cures at this website. I think the most valuable thing I will take from this DVD is how to find one’s ovaries. I could never be sure I knew where they were, but during the massage she gives you a “handy” technique to locate them. (Yes, that’s a pun. I apologize for my punny humor, I get it from my dad). She goes through a variety of techniques, but overall it doesn’t seem to take very long. I do see this as a way to relax and take care of yourself as you continue (or start) your fertility journey.

The Accupressure & Reflexology section describes the benefits and theories behind acupressure and how to apply to each area of the foot that will benefit each organ system for fertility. I was worried it would be hard to do, and those of us with poor flexibility will have to stretch a little, but since Hethir shows all of the massages performed on herself, you get an idea of what would be required to do a self-performed massage.

The Re-Cap and Summary section could be valuable as a refresher. Since she goes through the moves here without the explanations, it could be used as a reminder of how to perform each technique at your own pace.

I can’t wait for my period to be over so I can get started on this myself. I have an old flannel shirt that I am going to use for the castor oil treatment (I will probably cut off the sleeves, or just use the back).  Right now I have only the small bottle of castor oil I got at Walgreen’s. We’ll see how many sessions it lasts. She recommends doing self-fertility massage at least 4 times per week. I’m thinking I’ll be lucky to get one weeks worth of treatment from the Castor Oil bottle. I could also see this as a great thing to do right before bed, to relax.

Dream a little dream of me....

Last night I had a vivid, amazing dream. I dreamt that I was giving birth (thankfully did not dream any of the pain). I had a beautiful baby boy. It hurt to look at him, he was so beautiful. At some point, my SIL commented on the fact they were letting me out really soon. I laughed and explained that I had really stayed longer, and explained the usually time frame for vaginal birth vs. caesarean birth. Then I pointed out that SIL 2 was long in the hospital due to having a fever.   I can't recall why I was there longer than the 1/3 days, and I can't recall if I had a vaginal/caesarean delivery.

For some reason we decided to name him Killian (sorry, Summer!).  Then sometime into the dream I realized a friend had named her boy that and started to change my mind. Well, next part of the dream, for some reason my husband had to go home ahead of me, and I was struggling with the baby seat. The baby was in the seat already, and I was trying to fasten it in the backseat, but it appeared to be larger than the seat as the bottom was hanging off the edge. I still remember this powerful feeling of love when looking at the baby.

Then this is where dreams get weird like they do. Some sort of magical power/alien force was taking over.  Somehow it was eliminating children. My baby was taken, but not yet gone, and I was trying my best to save him. I remember the adults were trying to get on the invading forces good side so that they wouldn't be eliminated either, but I was having difficulty as my main knowledge/skills pertained to children, and since the children were taken/dead, my skills were meaningless. I was trying to cover in a different way, so they wouldn't get rid of me either.  (We watched Once Upon A Time right before bed).

As weird as the end of the dream was, I still remember that overwhelming love and joy that I felt when looking at my baby in the dream. It was so powerful, it is hard to feel sad that it was just a dream.  I'm trying to record my dreams more often, because I often have deja vu that reminds me of something I dreamt. I'm hoping I might be able to prove it if I get this deja vu again.