Hey Ladies! 

I've been lurking this board for a bit but haven't made an apperance yet. DH and I aren't quiet ready to TTC, but we are going to try this year. We're going to Hawaii in July and I don't want to be pregers for then.

But July will come before we know it and I want to be ready. Though I'm not sure if it's too soon for me to start prepping. Two summer back we went to 7 weddings, so of course there are 7 new babies/and pregos in my life and I'm starting to get the fever.

So here I am secretly lurking and secretly thinking about babies!

What kind of things do I need to start thinking about?

Welcome!  I think the best thing you can do for yourself now is to make sure you are exercising and eating well.  It is a good idea to start prenatals at least a couple months before you TTC, but if you are bad at remembering to take a daily vitamin (like I was) then it's not a bad idea to start them now.  I don't know if you are on the pill or not, but some women can take several months or up to a year for their bodies to return back to "normal" after going off of it.  You may want to consider stopping now, or at least 3 months before you want to actively start TTC, and using another method of BC for the time being.

I know several of us really liked the book, "Nutrition for a Healthy Pregnancy" by Elizabeth Somer, MA, RD.  Another good one is "Taking Charge of Your Fertility," which you can probably borrow from the library.  SO much good info in there that I never knew (and wish I did 10 years ago)!  And the ladies here are a wealth of knowledge so feel free to ask anything you can think of!  I hope your TTC journey is an easy one!

Ahh, exciting!!!

July is definitely going to get here before we know it--hoping for a quick and easy TTC journey for you!

Yay! That is so exciting!

I've been thinking of making a similar post, since we are planning to start TTC in August, possibly September. I have major baby fever! LOL

I went off BC in November, and have been using FAM (Fertility Awareness Method) since then. So far, it looks like my cycles are back to normal already. I bought "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" and have been reading that a lot. It has so much good information! I definitely recommend reading it. I also "stalk" this board and a FAM board quite often. 

Good luck!

yay! Welcome Nicole and Contrygirl! Summer will be here in no time. My best advice would be to start reading about TTC and fertility. I was so glad I knew that much when we started TTC...And Laurie gave great advices too!

Welcome, ladies!

I would do what the others have said and also make an appt with your OB/GYN now to discuss TTC and get a check up. My dr had me do a few different things based on my age and family history than DH and I were planning to do.

GL and let us know if you have any questions!

Eeep, Ayla you seem so much more prepared than I am!

I have my annual physical coming up in a few days and my annual OBGYN in March. I figured I would wait until I spoke with my primary care before trying to book an earlier OBGYN appointment and see if she can answer my questions. It's super tough to get an apt. there. I also figured I would come off BC in March. But do you all think I should be getting off earlier?

Looks like I have some book reading to do. I'm a bit hesitant though because I'm starting to freak out a bit about all these things I need to do. I feel like I'm so unprepared, but then I feel a bit crazy for obsessing when its 7 months away. These next 7+ months are going to be insane! But, I am so so happy I have a place to come chat.

I've already started new eating habbits and gym routine. I'd like to lose 10 lbs. before Hawaii and get in super shape before getting prego, so it's a double plus.

Everyone is different. I had been on BCP for nearly 21 years when I went off - I started charting before I stopped the pill and found I was already Oing - my body was completely overriding the hormones. So going off for me was no problem - I continued to O and my LP got longer by about 4 days.

I know some women wait a whole year before AF regulates and they start Oing on their own....I don't know if that is due to the type you are on or if its just everyone is different. My dr did want me to stop a full 3 months before we actually tried to TTC because of some studies that show that getting pregnant right after coming off BCP results in a higher rate of m/c.

Yay, welcome welcome Ayla and Nicole! Its great that you ladies are thinking so much ahead and getting your bodies ready! DH and I were also going to start TTC next summer, but the more we talked about our future family the more baby fever set in, and here we are on our third cycle TTC. Lol. I hope you guys have more willpower than we did! Good luck to you:)

YAY!!! Welcome Nicole and Ayla! So excited to have you ladies in this group :-))))

Everyone else has given such great advice, I can't really add much more. Just wanted to pop in and welcome you! 

I agree with reading TCOYF (SO much great info, especially if you read it before you even start TTC); starting a pre-natal now to get in the habit; getting off BC if you are still on it to give your body time to adjust (just in case -- you never know); and, of course, stalking this board for all kinds of stuff you can't find anywhere else :-D 

Also, if you are at all interested in charting, I think it is awesome. It is so informative, and honestly quite amazing, to see what your body is doing every month. I wish I had started a few months before we actually started TTC. It is not as hard or daunting as it may seem -- at all! Very quick and easy every day, and it is so, so helpful if you are the kind of person who just kind of likes to know what is happening in your body without leaving things completely to chance. 

Good luck on your journey(s)! :-)