So DH and I talked and he says that he would like to have more kids! :D

DS is almost 2 (his 2nd birthday is on Sunday) and DD is 4 1/2.

Our kids are exactly 2 1/2 years apart and tenatively we would like to shoot for 3 1/2-4 years space between #2 and #3. That would give me a little breather hopefully, so that I could feel a bit more rested up between pregnancies. I've also been breastfeeding non-stop since I had DD, so it might be nice if DS weaned around 3, so I could have a slight breastfeeding break before nursing the next one.

So, I've been thinking about pre-conception planning because I want to get as healthy as possible before we TTC #3. I would like to go back on prenatals, eat more green leafy veggies, exercise regularly, and sleep a whole lot better. I also want to do some other things, like yeast cleansing and so on, so I can be as healthy as possible.

Maybe I should start a savings account for a midwife and doula too. :lol:

But anyhow, anybody have any other ideas on things to accomplish before TTC? Any ideas on how to exercise when you're surrounded by snowdrifts and ice?

Anybody else have a pre-conception plan that you care to share?

Ruth,

Yay for TTC (eventually)! I don't have much advice to offer. I just wanted to say I'm happy for y'all! As for exercise (I just lost all my baby weight and then some), I did / still do workout DVD's after Ramsey would wake up / wakes up for his night feeding. I know not all people enjoy that kind of exercise, but I thought I'd throw it out there. With our recent spring weather here in Georgia, we've been outside playing and walking more. I know it's still pretty cold in your part of the country, though. Praying for better weather for y'all!

YAY!!! That's wonderful Ruth!!! :D

I don't have any ideas for you but I think the ones you have are great. I'm excited for you!!!

Woo hoo!! That's so exciting!! :) as for working out, I lost all my weight and stay in shape doing workout DVDs; amazon.com has reviews for all the workouts, so I just go... browse, read the worst reviews and the best and try to figure out what would work best for me. So far I love The Firm, Walk Away The Pounds (walk at home), and the 10 minute solutions workouts. :)

Thanks gals!

I guess that I'm going to have to break down and buy a DVD player. Believe it or not, we don't have one. If we have to watch a DVD, we watch it on our computer.

That sounds like a great idea, though. That way I don't have to rely on the weather being good to exercise. Right now we are having major ice in Michigan and a power outage. Not the greatest outdoor exercise weather!

If we wind up trying for 3 1/2 year spacing we could be TTC in 9 months from now, so I definitely want to be improving my health.

The other part of pre-conception planning that I want to do is to eventually get Micah more independent (potty training, eventual weaning, etc.) but I have a feeling that that part will be a little more complicated than getting into shape and eating right. :lol:

I agree with Jen... DVDs!! And we've never even had a TV, Ruth.... I just set up the laptop in the living room and work out. The kids love it cuz they work out with me :)

BTW...

HUGE congrats on TTC in the near future... I remember being ready LONG before dh after we got married... then with #2 he was totally on board, #3 I had to convince a teeny tiny bit... and now? Sawyer is 10 months and hubs is totally like, he needs a little brother!!

:D :D :D :D :D :D

Sweet! So it sounds like your DH is jumping on board for TTC #4 in the near future. That's exciting!

I'm going to have to start reading reviews on exercise DVD's.

I have this one http://www.amazon.com/Firm-Calorie-Explosion-Various/dp/B003SG8136/ref=sr_1_10?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1298342953&sr=1-10

And it's fantastic!! Broken into sections for creating shorter workouts and it's very intense, but easy to modify if you need to start slowly. This really helped whip me into shape!

I also have this one: http://www.amazon.com/10-Minute-Solution-Ultimate-Bootcamp/dp/B0033WH6KO/ref=sr_1_6?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1298343181&sr=1-6

It is also broken into sections for creating a shorter workout and covers all major muscle groups! One of my favies! :)

I'm a fan of Jillian Micheals... it comes down to personal preference, I guess. I tried a few others and some I just found to be annoying. Jillian is encouraging and upbeat but she doesn't let you get away with slacking! lol
http://www.amazon.com/Jillian-Michaels-30-Day-Shred/dp/B00127RAJY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1298344059&sr=8-1

Anyway, I loved the 30 Day Shred but my knees simply couldn't take it. I now use the No More Trouble Zones DVD and it is just plain awesome! It targets all those 'mom' areas :)
http://www.amazon.com/Jillian-Michaels-More-Trouble-Zones/dp/B001NFNFMQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1298344059&sr=8-2

I agree with Jen... DVDs!! And we've never even had a TV, Ruth.... I just set up the laptop in the living room and work out. The kids love it cuz they work out with me :)

BTW...

HUGE congrats on TTC in the near future... I remember being ready LONG before dh after we got married... then with #2 he was totally on board, #3 I had to convince a teeny tiny bit... and now? Sawyer is 10 months and hubs is totally like, he needs a little brother!!

:D :D :D :D :D :D

Oooooo!! That is awesome news Margi!! I'm so excited for you! Hopefully you'll have news for us soon!! ;)

I'm a fan of Jillian Micheals... it comes down to personal preference, I guess. I tried a few others and some I just found to be annoying. Jillian is encouraging and upbeat but she doesn't let you get away with slacking! lol
http://www.amazon.com/Jillian-Michaels-30-Day-Shred/dp/B00127RAJY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1298344059&sr=8-1

Anyway, I loved the 30 Day Shred but my knees simply couldn't take it. I now use the No More Trouble Zones DVD and it is just plain awesome! It targets all those 'mom' areas :)
http://www.amazon.com/Jillian-Michaels-More-Trouble-Zones/dp/B001NFNFMQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1298344059&sr=8-2

I totally want to try one of her videos one of these days:)

Anyways, I do Zumba and LOVE it!! So yeah, its totally comes down to personal preference:) I live in WI and I have to have something I can do inside too. I do the same thing Jenn said...browse the amazon reviews and see what ya like:)

And CONGRATS on TTC:mrgreen:

it would take a miracle from God for my dh to ever get on board for another :( I never had a preconception plan we normally just talked about wanting another and then agreed to start trying and then bfp next month lol but if I ever got a chance to have another I think I will need a plan to prepare...being 31yrs old and 55lbs overweight will be tough on my body so I think I would have the same plan....to get in shape and get my body ready....and the only workout I can do are on dvds, I dont have a babysitter, my boys are with me 24/7 except the 2 older ones when they go to school, and living where I live there isnt a gym that has childcare and my house is too small for excercise equipment lol so the dvd is best and it usually occupies the little ones watching you bounce around and swinging arms lol :)

I'd tend toward starting a program I could easily do thru the pg too, to get in a healthy habit for the whole go, like a Sansone: http://www.amazon.ca/Walk-Away-Pounds-Leslie-Sansone/dp/B0007Z0OFY/ref=sr_1_4?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1298395032&sr=1-4

I have that DVD and Amy and our mom have at least one of hers aswell. Pg is mentioned in the one I have (linked above) because one of the ladies just had a baby. Idk if that'd help keep you focused and reminded of why to pop the dvd in every day;).

So excited for you Ruth. :mrgreen:
Before our littlest we had to wait six months to try to conceive. I did a cleanse and was really careful about vitamins and eating healthy. It felt good. My Dr. recommends taking 3mg of folic acid for three months before you get pregnant. There is not quite enough in the prenatal.
[claploud] Happy for your family! [lovesmile]

Thanks Kathaleen! :D

Can I ask what kind of cleanse that you did?

I'm definitely interested in that and any other kind of program that could help get my body to where it needs to be.

I've struggled with gluten intolerance and issues caused by that (we think I'm celiac, but it's too medically dangerous and risky to go back on gluten to do full testing) but I read that after one year of being gluten free, celiac women fare the same as their non-celiac counterparts in pregnancy. And I've now been GF for a year, so hopefully that has helped to repair the damage that gluten caused my body. I will try to be especially mindful about folic acid for that reason.

Oh, also I got to bed by 10 PM last night, so that's a good start on getting better sleep. :D I've been chronically tired because I habitually stay up late and I want to change that.

Thanks Kathaleen! :D

Can I ask what kind of cleanse that you did?

I'm definitely interested in that and any other kind of program that could help get my body to where it needs to be.

I've struggled with gluten intolerance and issues caused by that (we think I'm celiac, but it's too medically dangerous and risky to go back on gluten to do full testing) but I read that after one year of being gluten free, celiac women fare the same as their non-celiac counterparts in pregnancy. And I've now been GF for a year, so hopefully that has helped to repair the damage that gluten caused my body. I will try to be especially mindful about folic acid for that reason.

I did the first cleanse from renew life. They sell it at our local health food store. I really like the lady who owns the store, she is very helpful and recommended it. I felt like it worked. [thumbsupgrin] Would try it again one day when I am not pregnant or nursing. From the reading I did it is best to wait until you are finished nursing to do a cleanse.

http://www.renewlife.ca/products.php
:-D So glad you went to bed early! I struggle with that too.

Congrats Ruth on going to try! You know I've been anxious for you to get on board. LOL [clapping]
Sorry, no plan - just always having a SuperMom vitamin ALL the time.
We just go with the flow with God's own timing. :-D

Just wanted to say like the other ladies here how happy I am for you Ruth! No words of wisdom but just words of happiness and joy for your news! hugs and prayers and can't wait to hear the news you are expecting in the next 9 months or so.

I agree with the folic acid comment... I have a nephew with spina bifida - he's paralyzed from waist down - and the Dr told his mom it could have been prevented with proper folic acid in utero. That was 20+ years ago and I guess they didn't push it like they do now. SB runs in my family so I'm pretty careful now. I do *try* to take prenatal vitamins all the time which has folic acid in it but I'm awful at remembering!!

[clapping] Woo-hoo! So happy to hear this. I have heard good things about Zumba, too, but haven't tried it yet. This is so exciting!

Congrats Ruth on going to try! You know I've been anxious for you to get on board. LOL [clapping]
Sorry, no plan - just always having a SuperMom vitamin ALL the time.
We just go with the flow with God's own timing. :-D

LOL!

At first I thought that you were joking around and then I googled and found the SuperMom vitamin. I'll have to read up more on them!

JY, I found the SuperMom vitamins and was reading about them and they sound awesome! [clapping] With the spirulina and stuff they sound very natural, which is what I wanted. And they are not quite as expensive as the other vitamins that I was considering.

I am going to order a bottle and try them out!

Thanks a bunch! [hug]

Do you have a reliable place you order them from, JY? I'm interested in them too~

Not sure where she orders them from, Jen, but I just purchased mine on morethanalive.com.

I did a cleanse and was really careful about vitamins and eating healthy. It felt good.


I would be interested in your cleanse Kathaleen! You can pm me :) I have no idea what the Lord has for us in regards to ttc again? But I feel like I need to get my body feeling healthier again and ready if we do?

so excited for you, Ruth! yay!

If I were you, I'd get some workout DVDs from the library before you buy any. :) Then you know if you like the style before spending $$ on them!

Also, I second the idea of starting a baby fund to pay for new baby things or midwife/doula like you said. I had a diaper/baby fund going from Shaelyn and just continued it before this baby was conceived...we will need a new carseat this time around and I'm planning on doing cloth diapers. Nice to have a stash of $$ to buy those things with!

so excited for you, Ruth! yay!

If I were you, I'd get some workout DVDs from the library before you buy any. :) Then you know if you like the style before spending $$ on them!

Also, I second the idea of starting a baby fund to pay for new baby things or midwife/doula like you said. I had a diaper/baby fund going from Shaelyn and just continued it before this baby was conceived...we will need a new carseat this time around and I'm planning on doing cloth diapers. Nice to have a stash of $$ to buy those things with!

Thanks Kate!

I can't believe that I didn't think of getting them from the library, that's a really good idea!

So did you figure out what type of cloth diapers to go with? Or still researching?

I need to see them and touch them before I decide! There's an awesome store in Columbus (SproutSoup.com) that promotes natural parenting. They have babywearing/cloth diapering 101 classes every so often that I'm planning to attend this spring or summer. Then I'll be able to decide I think...just hearing about it online here is very helpful, but I'm a hands-on kinda gal. I also want dh to come and help decide what he's comfortable with. I want him on board because I don't want to do all the diaper changes! lol!

I need to see them and touch them before I decide! There's an awesome store in Columbus (SproutSoup.com) that promotes natural parenting. They have babywearing/cloth diapering 101 classes every so often that I'm planning to attend this spring or summer. Then I'll be able to decide I think...just hearing about it online here is very helpful, but I'm a hands-on kinda gal. I also want dh to come and help decide what he's comfortable with. I want him on board because I don't want to do all the diaper changes! lol!

That sounds like a good idea, to check some out in person. :) I think that your DH will get onboard quickly, especially when he sees how much money gets saved. ;)

My DH doesn't mind changing cloth diapers, but he loathes changing prefolds. So I would suggest, if your DH is like mine, to make sure to have some easier diapers around.

Do you have a reliable place you order them from, JY? I'm interested in them too~

Wow - thanks Ruth and Jen for thinking of me. My reliable source for SuperMom Vits and SuperDad and SuperKid vits come from beeyoutiful.com. Very nice company and they have nice natural products and articles too that come with the order/catalog. I have been taking those for maybe 3 or 4 years ago - and I think they help. :-D My anemia that I get with pregnancy has improved with them - but I still have to hog on spinach and dark leafy veggies just for that extra boost.

I did the first cleanse from renew life. They sell it at our local health food store. I really like the lady who owns the store, she is very helpful and recommended it. I felt like it worked. [thumbsupgrin] Would try it again one day when I am not pregnant or nursing. From the reading I did it is best to wait until you are finished nursing to do a cleanse.

http://www.renewlife.ca/products.php
:-D So glad you went to bed early! I struggle with that too.

Did you use any of the other cleanses from 'renew life'? I am interested because I have Lyme and just got back from FL, being there 3wks, doing some intense body cleansing, to get rid of yeast and parasites. My 3 boys have yeast and so I am on the look out for ways to get on top of it all, before I have another baby. We have changed our diet somewhat... but have found out -through cleanses in FL- that yeast doesn't feed on gluten. And that gluten intolerance/stomach issues comes from yeast and parasites. So we do not eat any sugar, use honey and maple syrup, and eat fruit sparingly, no yeast, so no bread... though I am looking to make sourdough things soon here.

We have been on a very interesting journey!!!

Wow - thanks Ruth and Jen for thinking of me. My reliable source for SuperMom Vits and SuperDad and SuperKid vits come from beeyoutiful.com. Very nice company and they have nice natural products and articles too that come with the order/catalog. I have been taking those for maybe 3 or 4 years ago - and I think they help. :-D My anemia that I get with pregnancy has improved with them - but I still have to hog on spinach and dark leafy veggies just for that extra boost.

Just thought I'd stick a word in here... You can get the super mom pills much cheaper through luckyvitamin.com Here is the link for the -vcaps http://www.luckyvitamin.com/p-5535-now-foods-special-two-multiple-vitamin-240-capsules

I have been told that beautiful just puts their own lable on these pills. I like beautiful.com, they are a great company, I just like being able to get my stuff cheaper if I can.:-D

Did you use any of the other cleanses from 'renew life'? I am interested because I have Lyme and just got back from FL, being there 3wks, doing some intense body cleansing, to get rid of yeast and parasites. My 3 boys have yeast and so I am on the look out for ways to get on top of it all, before I have another baby. We have changed our diet somewhat... but have found out -through cleanses in FL- that yeast doesn't feed on gluten. And that gluten intolerance/stomach issues comes from yeast and parasites. So we do not eat any sugar, use honey and maple syrup, and eat fruit sparingly, no yeast, so no bread... though I am looking to make sourdough things soon here.

We have been on a very interesting journey!!!

Hi! [welcomesign]

I have not tried any of the other cleanses. I thought the yeast one was interesting, but thankfully have not needed it.
You must be learning alot. I do not know very much about lyme disease, but I followed a blog that the Mom had lyme disease. Here is the link if you would like to check it out. :-D

http://noahsteven.blogspot.com/

[welcometocmoms]