Please welcome my guest blogger who co-authors Trying to Conceive. While I was struggling to get pregnant I was too distraught to think about anything else but doctor’s appointments and shots. I knew I should change things about my lifestyle but it all seemed to much. I also never took the time to really learn about my body and my own fertility. Because I discovered that I had PCOS really early on, I was not encouraged to try naturally and learn about my own cycles, etc. I really wish I had done that before diving into IUI’s and medication.
Here is some helpful information and reminders about preparing our bodies to conceive and be healthy.

Also, in case you missed my last post, PFM wrote its first grant checks this week. Yay!
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My name is Olivia, and I am a mother of two kids conceived through IUI after a three-year struggle with infertility. My co-blogger Tania is a registered nurse who has been trying to conceive since the start of this year.

Our blog, http://www.trying-to-conceive.com/ covers topics surrounding conception, fertility challenges, and pregnancy.

Preparing your body for pregnancy

Most of us spend a long time mentally preparing before trying to conceive, but have you thought about the physical aspect? There are quite a few things that you can do to boost your fertility and prepare your body for pregnancy. I’ll discuss some straight forward steps that any woman can take before she starts trying for a baby, and during the period in which she is hoping to conceive.

Take a prenatal vitamin

Making sure you get all your vitamins and minerals can help to increase your fertility, and also encourages an embryo to develop properly and at the right speed. Taking a folic acid supplement stimulates development of the brain, spinal chord and skull. If you are a really healthy eater, you can get the same vitamins, as well as folate, from foods.

Know your body

When you are trying to get pregnant, knowing when you are fertile is essential. You can achieve this in a variety of ways. Using an ovulation calendar, in combination with ovulation predictor kits, is one way. Monitoring your basal body temperature and your cervical mucus is another. Once you are aware of the timing of your ovulation, getting pregnant will be that much easier!


Exercise

Being in great shape increases your chances of conceiving. If you are obese, losing weight before you try to get pregnant will not only be good for your fertility, but it will also make your pregnancy and birth easier. While there is no reason not to continue working out throughout your pregnancy, being fit before you get pregnant means giving yourself a great gift.

Quit any bad health habits you have

At the risk of stating the obvious, I will mention that quitting smoking is very important before getting pregnant, and reducing your alcohol intake can help you get pregnant more quickly, as well as ensuring you give your embryo the best possible start when you do conceive.

Look around for health care providers

It is never too early to start looking for the OB or midwife or your choice, You may even want to see them for a medical check up that rules out any obvious medical problems. And because your health care provider will play a crucial role during your pregnancy, knowing that you trust and like him or her can make your life a lot more pleasant while you are carrying your baby.

To celebrate 400 followers I am doing my first giveaway. This blog has been such an amazing outlet for me. Journaling here has given me way more gifts and opportunities than I ever imagined. The blog is the #1 way that I have been able to spread the word about PFM. The ALI community and its never ending support has done wonders for PFM’s rapid growth.

Don’t know what PFM is? Click here. And peruse the blog!

One winner will receive an Envirosax Eco-Friendly bag. Botanica.

and very cute Key Kaps. (check out the link)

Plus a set of PFM black and white drawings on stationery notecards.

Here’s my try at a giveaway.

Rules:

1. Become a follower and leave a comment. If you already follow, then leave that in the comments.

2. Blog about the giveaway. (you can enter if you do not have a blog)

3. Tweet or face.book the giveaway.

4. Leave a comment that you did all of these things and the link to your post and tweet (if you tweeted)

Giveaway is open until Wednesday, August 4 at 5pm.

I will announce the winner by Thursday, August 5, 2010.

By participiating in this giveaway you not only have a chance to win some cute items, but you are helping to network for the non-profit.

http://www.parenthoodforme.org/

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There is a button on my side bar to add to your post.

My best friend, K is pregnant due in October. She was in town last week and had us over for dinner with another couple who is also expecting in October. This was a good night for my challenge to stay away from alcoholic beverages for awhile. A couple of years ago in this situation I would have chugged a bottle of wine due to the fact that I can’t get pregnant.

Eventually Min man asked Aunt K, “What’s in your belly?” Aunt K always has a tiny waist so he must have noticed a change. Aunt K told him a baby was in her belly. This was the first time Min man learned that babies can be in bellies. He had a lot of questions about why it was in there, where it was, would it come out. Does it hurt?

He was so intuitive about the baby growing in the belly and how it was going to come out of Aunt K. Does it come out your eye? You have to push? I couldn’t believe he came up with that on his own. This conversation will spark many others when Min man sees pregnant women. I am also pretty scared about him asking heavy women and men if they have a baby in their belly. I’m sure it will happen. I’m already formulating a response to that question/statement hoping to save face.

Today Min man asked me if I have a baby in my belly. I told him, “No, it’s just a belly.” This conversation did not make me sad however. I am now in great anticipation of him slowly putting the pieces together of babies growing in bellies and that he grew in a belly too. As he gets older the story will become more detailed and pertain more to him and how he arrived in this world.

Tonight at bedtime I told Min man a story of a little baby who was born far, far away and lived with a woman named Mrs. A. She loved him and took care of him and made sure he was happy. Then one day a mommy and daddy found out that this baby was to come live with them forever. They waited and waited until finally the baby was able to go to the mommy and daddy’s house to be a family. He said, “It’s me. I the baby. It’s Min man.”

I should not be shocked at anything he says at this point, but I was. It could have just been a guess or his little brain understood that I was speaking about him and how came home to live with mommy, daddy and Lucy. And how we became a family.

When the time comes to answer some difficult questions about Min man’s adoption and birth mother, I hope I get it right. I think I will. I feel like he is extremely bright and such a sensitive little boy that he will understand. By getting it right I hope that he always knows just how much we love him and cherish the fact that he became our son.