Books on my Nightstand

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Ah, the second book that changed my outlook on the female body. Yikes! I didn't learn this much in 3 sex-ed classes in school. Instead of paying lots of money for the newer version, I found this 1995 edition at my local used book store for a quarter! I love that store. :) Although I haven't seen the newer versions, I can't believe that they have better information than what is in this book. It took me about a month to get through it, just by reading a little each night, but it really helped me to understand that conceiving a baby isn't just about having sex everyday (much to the dismay of Mr. BrainyBud I might add). I felt so relieved after reading this book and taking the online course through FertilityFriend that I wouldn't loathe my husband after the fact. LOL.

DEFINITE MUST READ if you are TTC.

Faith, Love, and Baby Flutters
Mrs. Brainy Bud

Hi from Worry Bud!

Hi everyone! Worry Bud here - I am the founder and co-admin of Bloomin' Babies & I am sooo happy we are finally able to bring our stories to all the readers that happen across our blog! As I mentioned in my welcome, it is my hope that each of the Buds' stories touches someone reading this. If you are TTC, I am willing to bet $$ that you will relate to at least one of the Bud's story in some way.

I am very much a beginner in this here TTC journey - but let's not get ahead of ourselves here, let me tell you a little about myself. I am a 20-something newlywed living in the DC Area & working in contracts for the federal government. MY DH - Mr. Worry Bud (WB) is also a 20-something & we are soo in love!

Mr. WB & I met thru a mutual friend in college back in November 2002...we quickly became an item in December 2002 & are about to celebrate 7 years as a couple soon! After getting a dog together, buying a house, joining our bank accounts, etc. we finally got married this past March - the day was a long time coming & all that we ever hoped for!

We always knew we wanted little ones, but were MAJOR flip-floppers on when we wanted to start TTC...first it was a year after tying the knot, then 6 months, then immediately & eventually we settled on 4 months - July 2009. Well we didn't really settle on it, one day I came home (after getting yet another notification from one of my friends that she was KU - we are all at THAT age) & I told Mr. WB that I didn't want to wait any longer...I wanted a baby & I wanted to get started right away. Much to my surprise...he agreed & after 12 years on & off (mostly on) the pill, I took my last BCP on my nephew's 1st bday - June 27th! Buh bye BCPs, woot!

Being the big time planner that I am I started reading up on the best methods to get KTFU quick. To that end, I discovered a message board (on a website where I was already active on other message boards) all about getting pregnant! The ladies on the site were so knowledgeable & they all suggested that I start charting (to detect O & to best time intercourse for baby making!) & reading TCOYF. Well I did start charting & received my 1st set of CHs indicating O on FF (chart link in my profile on the top right column)...I was sooo excited! Well, 8 days later I started spotting so I figured there were 2 options, either A) I was pg & this was implantation spotting, or B) AF was about to show. Well this is where it gets all mucked up - she never did truly show...the spotting only lasted a few days & (TMI sorry) got progressively lighter - never dark & never red - more of a pinkish brown & I never needed a pad/tampon. By this time I was majorly stressing...I had taken 3 HPTs - all BFNs & still no "true" AF had showed. I called my Dr. and the nurse said to wait it out 60 days to see if she shows by then & if not then I can come in and get an Rx for Provera to get AF started back up again.

I have been off the pill before for various reasons & my cycles have always gone back to normal right away - give or take a week, but this is insane! Moral of the story - BCPs are the DEVIL - they totally messed up my cycles...I will never, ever take one ever again...and even after we have a baby I will use the Fertility Awareness Method (FAM) taught in TCOYF to TTA when necessary.

*BCPs*

Well D-Day (60 days) is right around the corner now and I have decided that if AF doesn't show & I don't get a BFP by August 31st that I will be calling to get in and see the Dr. I don't want to take a drug to start my period back up, but I also don't pro-long this journey anymore than necessary & my mom told me that she has had to take Provera before & after getting her period from Provera, her cycles went back to normal...and she conceived my little brother & sister after that!! For all those TTC & just starting out just know that I understand & feel your pain - we have all these worst-case scenario thoughts racing thru our minds all the time: What's wrong with me/my body? Am I or will I ever O? Will I be able to have a baby? What if I'm not..what then? If we have to use alternative methods to conceive what will my insurance cover? How much will it all cost? Will my husband still love me if I can't give him a child? But I have been praying for patience and faith that we will have a child one day soon & it has really calmed my heart.

So, that's me in a nutshell & I probably shouldn't be worrying about all this stuff so early in the game, but I'm such a planner/worrier (hence my name) that I can't help but think of all these things. I have never been so anxious to actually get my period, but at this point I just want it to come so I can move on to cycle 2/3 (still debating w/ myself as to whether CD 28-31 spotting was actually AF)?? Hoping (as I'm sure we all are) that my journey is not a long one & putting faith in God that He will make it happen for our family!!

TTA for Just a Little While

Hi, I'm Sugar Bud and I am from Alabama. I am 25 and Mr. Sugar Bud is 29, almost 30. We have been a couple since March 20, 2007 and got married on May 2nd of this year.

At the moment we are just trying to avoid and wait until October 2009 to begin TTC. However, there is a story to all of that.


Ok, so, when we first got engaged and started planning our lives together, we said that we would start trying to have a baby immediately after we got married. Of course, that all changed once the vows were said and the rings were on. Mr. Sugar Bud decided that we should wait a while and start saving money, get ready to buy a house and think about our future as a married couple instead of new parents. I will tell you that this was not something that I wanted to hear nor did I agree with. So what he wanted to do was to wait until we owned a house and we are stable; whereas, I wanted a baby NOW and buying a house would come with that. Like every married couple, this meant that we would have to come to some sort of compromise, and WE DID!!!

Here is how the compromise went - we would start looking for a house in August and close on one by November (got to get that first time home buyers credit, of course). Once we did that, then we would start TTC in December. I was ok with this at first, but as time went on, I was not happy. So, about mid-July, we agreed that we would let my birth control prescription run in October and that this is when we would try. So, I am on my last cycle of BCP and we will TTA for two months, then we start seriously TTC in October. I am on prenatal vitamins and a DHA supplement and Mr. Sugar Bud is watching what he eats, how much he drinks and starting to exercise regularly.


Although, Mr. Sugar Bud seems to still have some apprehension about the whole TTC thing, but I think he is starting to warm up to it. Just the other day, he bought me the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility without me even asking. Instead, I was talking about the book and how the girls on The GP Nest board say that I should read it and then he immediately looked it up and ordered it for me.


So, goodbye Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo, hello Natural Family Planning!