(Part 2) Best products from r/ttcafterloss

Would anyone be interested in a free copy of Trying Again: a guide to pregnancy after miscarriage, stillbirth, and infant loss? I found it helpful to have a physical book on my TTC journey to hold and read when I was nervous. Comes with good vibes and free shipping. Will likely take a week or two to be delivered.

PM me if you're interested.

Thinking of you all.

Oh I see... that could certainly take timing out of your hands.

> my decidedly un-mucus-y cervix and his drier than normal semen

My wife has had gotten good advice on these kind of 'nitpicky' aspects of the cycle from a book called Fertility, Cycles, and Nutrition. Some of the supplementation advice in that book has really helped some women we know (we volunteer to teach fertility awareness, so we're somewhat familiar with a lot of couple's bodily functions, haha).

As for your husband... has he tried drinking tons of water? I know it sounds stupid, but I've personally noticed a ton of difference. There's some advice in that book for men too! We've found that some of these tips make us feel like we're 'doing something', so at least there's some psychological benefit?

Well anyway, just thought I'd recommend that. Totally understand if it sounds unappealing, though.

It is important to temp at roughly the same time every morning. I wake up at 5:30 for work and on days when I'm not working, I still set an alarm for 5:30 to temp, but I just keep the thermometer next to my phone so I can grab it without looking when I turn off the alarm, turn it on, temp, and just turn it off when it beeps. My thermometer has a memory function so I can check the temperature later when I'm more awake.

After nine years of temping for both contraception and TTC, I've decided that this is my favorite thermometer. It has a large display and a backlight so I can see the reading in the dark without turning on a lamp. It has a memory function AND a clock/date setting, so I can double-check that the temperature I'm reading is for the right day. It's large enough and the buttons are big enough that I can find it and push the right buttons to turn it on without looking at it. And you can easily replace the battery when it dies. I also feel like it doesn't "like" certain temperatures the way some thermometers do.

Unfortunately, it looks like my favorite thermometer has been discontinued. This one looks like the closest replacement, but I can't vouch for it personally.

I haven't quite gone through a loss yet, but am potentially in the process of it (waiting on CVS results). I've been reading a lot on forums about TFMR, ending a wanted pregnancy, etc. and that helps. I did buy the book Our Heartbreaking Choices: Forty-Six Women Share Their Stories of Interrupting a Much-Wanted Pregnancy. That has helped.

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I guess we are kind of in the same spot, needing answers and waiting for them to come, hoping for the best. I'm really sorry this is happening to you. I have found tremendous support from other women on here.

I use this thermometer that stores data.
http://www.amazon.com/Fairhaven-Health-iBasal-Digital-Thermometer/dp/B00BR4BRXW

It's pricey. I don't know why I spent so much on a thermometer when I got it. Looking back it seems ridiculous, but now that I have it I think the features are worth it. It has an alarm that isn't too annoying. It does almost everything FF does--tracks other data, stores data, and predicts cycle phases, and after high temps for 20+ dpo (and a data point of sex during the fertile phase), it signals to you that you might be pregnant. It's a pretty smart thermometer.

I also pre-ordered the Wink to send temp data wirelessly/automatically (and alarm without beeping). That'll be a life/sanity saver (I plan on continuing to temp for TTA after TTC).

I am suddenly questioning my own sanity ~ $100+ on thermometers? What is the matter with me!?

It'll have been worth it (maybe) if I can regain some sense of sanity this spring by not feeding this habit of checking in with charts every single day.

My husband took over the job but he bought this litter box from amazon and we love it! It has a filter inside so all you do is roll it to the right and the clean litter sifts through the filter while the clumps collect in that scoop thingy. Then you just take the scoop out and trash it and that's it. No contact with anything.

Well, chatted with husband last night. Told him how I want him to do some MC reading so that when we do go see the loss obgyn there's two brains rather than one at work. Because I think I'm going to be in tears within minutes of talking to this doctor.

I made him come for the last to appointment back in march and he did help by remember all sorts of things I'd forgotten or couldn't remember in the moment.

So now that we're on that page, I have to figure out what I would like him to read. Not Broken ( https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B06XTZW86Y/ref=pe_1086170_134824320_cm_rv_eml_rv0_dp ) was excellent and I think gives a good overview of everything....


Does anyone else have suggestions?
What was a must read for your partner, for you??

14 weeks! 🎈🎈 It's the second trimester. And today is extra special because my first romance novel came out today! I might buy myself a little piece of cake or a nice pastry to celebrate both milestones. I've never made it to the second trimester before!

It's You Babe Best Cradle, Medium (150-220 Pounds) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000I5UARK/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_bFTJAbY8B9PB9

I bought this one. He recommended this brand specifically. There was a noticeable difference if I didn't wear it. That or non-supportive shoes. Ultra boosts and this cradle all day! Ha and compression socks.

In a leap of faith, I made a baby blanket: http://imgur.com/8ujCb4t

I used to crochet in high school, but had forgotten how, so I got a little beginner's kit and re-learned the stitches. Then I found this ridiculously cute book of patterns for small throws: https://www.amazon.com/Corner-Corner-Throws-Family-Crochet/dp/1590127870. That's where I got the pattern for the blanket in the picture. I'm satisfied with my amateur efforts and I want to make some more stuff!

When we went to the hospital to deliver Solomon, we went empty-handed. Whatever the outcome, I won't do that again-- we will have this blanket. At the hospital with Solomon, we received a donated knitted blanket and hat, which we were extremely grateful for. All of the pictures we have of him, he is wearing his hat and wrapped in his blanket. I'm thinking about paying it forward and making some little preemie blankets and hats to bring with us this time, taking a page out of /u/PNWmonkeybaby 's book.

Thank you for responding. I have read there is no reason to wait on a few websites, so I will definitely push my doctor for a firm reason WHY if she insists on some arbitrary number of months. I know DH is very excited to get back to baby-making ;)


I'm so glad you can relate on the coloring! There are a lot of really cool grown up coloring books. I got this one on Amazon, but if you browse around you'll see there is a nice big selection!

I think it was less after the bathroom, but still there.

I lived in Georgia/Louisiana until I was 25. I broke two gift cards in two days my first winter in Utah before I broke down and got an ice scraper. Indiana is just as bad.

I was laughing this morning as I was getting dressed. I wanted to send my sister in Georgia a video. First I get dressed for work: tank top, sweater, dress pants, wool socks, boots. Next is a hoodie. Then I put on this incredibly warm hat and pull the hood of the hoodie over the hat. I then wrap a 6 foot scarf around the neck opening so I can pull it over my moth and nose if necessary and put on a thick knee length coat and a good pair of gloves. I stay warm dry enough to wipe snow off my car door so I can open it and get the snow brush/ice scraper out without soaking everything inside. But it sure is a process just to leave the house.

Hugs! It's so hard, just take it day by day. I MC in late August at 12 weeks and have three people announce their pregnancy one due after mine (was due) in March. Today I have to go to Thanksgiving with my husband's family and his cousin has a 10 month old who's perfect. It's such BS, I get it! Take it day by day and if that doesn't work minute by minute.

Have you tried the [Wondfo Strips] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RY8UBNC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_X-veAbBJ4DCM1)
I've recently discovered I'm ovulating much sooner than my predictor app on my phone.

You don't need a fancy syringe. I've gotten pregnant at least twice (third time was an ambiguous CP type thing but probably three times) using at-home insemination. We used a medicine doser, a needle-less syringe you can pick up at CVS for like $5. Like this. Yep, worked fine. However, I would not say it's an alternative to IUI or IVF. IUI and IVF serve different needs. It depends on the issues you're having.

I just use this cheap thing that I got on Amazon a while back (here it is). The threads are pretty cheap, like $0.30 a pop, if you go to an actual store and buy them. Amazon seems to only have bulk thread. I only stopped working on that project because I finally ran out of black and can't finish the Death Star until I actually leave the house to go buy more. :( Damn you women with your babies strapped to your chest always in Joann's Fabrics! Etsy has a ton of really adorable projects that are instant download. I think I'm going to do something like this next for the kitchen.

http://www.amazon.ca/Scribbles-Really-Giant-Drawing-Coloring/dp/0811855090

I use this one! It's playful and kooky and as much work as you want it to be :)

Does anyone have advice on a pregnancy pillow? I am trying to figure out which shape is best. Long and straight or the C shape. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FFACNGE/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00K6K4U46?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_2&smid=AVYX6WLZPI055