Pre-TTC preparations? (Cross post from r/tryingforababy)

[yodas_prodigy1]

My So and I are at a point in life where we've been talking about starting to TTC in a year or so when our finances are in a better place. So, is there anything we should think about doing/getting in the next year to prepare for it? Is it too early to start slowly acquiring baby stuff or should we go ahead on that? Is it a good idea to get fertility testing done or wait until we're actually trying and save that money? We're also living in apartments in Austin TX, so that'll be our living situation for the next few years. Tips? Advice? This will be our first and we're doing our research as early as possible. Thanks in advance!

 

[katrina2017]

@yodas_prodigy1 If either of you have any weight to lose or addictions to kick, now is the time! It also doesn't hurt to start taking at least a multivitamin with folic acid. Vitamins are a good idea for him too!

You may want to start looking at books. What to Expect Before You're Expecting is a pretty basic one that I just read and enjoyed. It gave me a few bits of info I didn't know. Taking Charge of Your Fertility is also one to put in your list if you plan on going off whatever your current birth control method is later this year. It is really mostly aimed at people who are more actually currently trying to get pregnant, so it could be a little intense at this point, but it's still a great read.

I don't think most people do fertility testing ahead of time unless you have a strong reason to suspect there could be an issue, but it doesn't hurt to get in for a general physical or any blood work and other tests you may find you need.

Buying baby stuff is up to you. I personally would wait since apartment living doesn't lend itself to a lot of storage, and you never know...if anything doesn't go according to plan, that adorable baby item you bought today could be sitting there mocking you in 18 months. Researching and making preliminary Pinterest boards or Amazon wishlists doesn't hurt, though!

 

[lailoved]

@yodas_prodigy1 I would say acquire stuff as you see fit. If you see a ridiculously good deal, snatch it up. This is also assuming that if you have fertility issues that having a lot of baby stuff around won't be triggers for you. My sister's giving me a bunch of big stuff as soon as we start TTC so that she can get it out of her house. And I'm going to get a piece of maternity clothing as I find stuff on sale between now and when I actually need them. I work in an office so I can't just wing a wardrobe. I'll need adequate business casual clothes and don't want to pay full price.

I would hold off on fertility testing unless there's a reason you think you'll have issues conceiving.

Apartment living shouldn't be an issue with a baby. Babies don't really need that much space.

As for me, I start a new job May 1 and I can get access to a gym with a pool. I plan on swimming 3 days a week before work and then walk 2 days a week during my lunch break. I want to drop 25-30 lbs before we TTC in August. And my issue right now is just lack of exercise because I'm working 60 hours/week at my current job.

Other than that, I'm just over here waiting on my SO to propose because I do want to at least be engaged before we TTC. We've both been married before so it's not our first rodeo. We already live together.

 

[yodas_prodigy1]

@lailoved We're both in good weight, though I wouldn't mind losing a few pounds (I'm 5'8" and weigh about 175 lbs). My issue is also getting the time to work out around work. As far things being triggers, I'm not sure how I would cope if we end up having difficulty. Right now, I'm just excited for the prospect and am kind of wanting something physical to see/feel to help my motivation to save money and be healthier. Maybe getting a few peices of maternity wear would be a good start! I'm also waiting on that proposal, though neither of us has been married, but I'm from a family that's been through multiple divorces (my mom alone has been through three) and I don't feel rushed to be married. I'm perfectly fine with non traditional we'll have been living together two years and have been together for nine.

 

[lilmateo]

@yodas_prodigy1 Just wanted to chime in that working out is really great for health but it can be just as easy (or easier) to lose weight without working out by just counting calories! My husband used MyFitnessPal to count calories and he ended up losing about 20lbs that way without ever going to the gym.

Getting execise is awesome though so don't let me discourage you, just know it's not mandatory! : )

 

[guitarhero1000]

@lailoved I have also considered swimming to get in shape, but not really sure what to do. I feel like I'll struggle after a few laps, then get bored. Do you know what a typical session would look like when you swim?

 

[lailoved]

@guitarhero1000 I freestyle it. I have asthma so can't do anything hardcore and am usually breathing heavily the entire time. But as long as I'm doing laps for 20-30 minutes I feel like I've accomplished something.

 

[guitarhero1000]

@lailoved Wow, good for you! I think that's much more than I could do. I'll have to give it a try!

 

[jacklemyapple]

@yodas_prodigy1 Doing things you really love doing as a couple. Things that might not necessarily be so easy with kids until they are older. Make a pre-baby bucket list. That way, you have no "wish I could have..." regrets. Only get the baby stuff if you have a place to store it. Because if (and hopefully not) you have fertility issues, that stuff could be sitting around for years. Instead work on a savings account specifically for baby related things. That way when you feel ready to buy, you can.

Edit to add: Our pre-baby honey moon was a 2 week long extreme sports road trip. It was amazing. We are outdoorsy people so it was two weeks of camping, rock climbing, mountain biking, kayaking, cave diving, and ended in hiking the tallest mountain in our state.

 

[frogger94]

@yodas_prodigy1 I got genetic testing done for kicks (part of a pre-conception research study) and found out I'm a carrier for Cystic Fibrosis. We got my husband tested and he is negative. This means my future kids will potentially be carriers, which means when they have kids they can have a child with CF if their partners are carriers.

It wouldn't change my mind about having kids, but definitely more prepared for something like this. Glad I got it done.

 

[lilmateo]

@yodas_prodigy1 everyone else has already covered a lot of good stuff, so I won't repeat it. One thing I was surprised at that I read a lot of places is dental care. Get yourself a dentist checkup and make sure everything is all nice and fixed up and in good working order before you ever try to get pregnant. Apparently pregnancy makes your gums and teeth really painful or something... anyways, it's a good idea to get any major surgery or medicine taking out of the way since lots of drugs/surgery don't go well with pregnancy.

Also, get yourself in a good mental place. If you have never seen a counselor or talked to any professional about your mental health and if you have any concerns at all I would see what your insurance covers. I spent a long time thinking that I wasn't a person who needed any help, but when I finally went to the counselor at my school it made a huge difference in my life and in my confidence that I am fit to be a parent.