Trying to conceive??

[vharper]

Well we are....as Dr. Atkins said you can use the maintenance part of the program..and that is what I am doing..just wondered if anyone else is doing this as well and how is it going for you??

[Sharni]

Hi Val, we are still trying too but I have decided to stick to OWL until I actually find out. I do have 15 pounds to go so I really want to maximise my time by losing what I can before I get pregnant. The good news is that the last time around I was 169 (2 months) and went up to 182 (9 months). I am now at 155 so I am very pleased!!

Happy trying to you and please keep us posted!! :hug :hug

[2big4mysize]

Sharni I hope you will rconcider and move to maintnenance. you will not know for serveral weeks if you succedded or not and in that time oif the baby doesn't have the proper nutriants you can cause all kinds of birth defects like spina bifida. You will have yrs of time with your healthy child to become a smaller person again but you only get one shot to make her a healthy person.

[Sharni]

2big, to be honest I am quite terrified to move too fast. :yikes Any suggestions? I really don't want to "jump" into maintanance. The problem is that the last time it took four years to conceive. It is really hard to think of being on maintenance that long when I could have tried to at least lose 5-10 more now. I have started having more fruit and I have nuts and occasionally some wholesome bread.

[vharper]

Sharni- I do have to agree with 2big. This is the reason that I jumped into maintenace. I know it is scary..believe me it is but when you are burning fat..you know..ketosis...that is not healthy for the baby at all. As 2big said as well you won't know until you have missed your period that you are pregnant and those few weeks are very important for the embryo.

If you aren't comfortable with moving to maintenance then maybe adjust your carbs so you are eating in owl but not in ketosis? I tried out my ketosis level and about 100 carbs seems to keep me out of ketosis. So when you start adding your fruit and berries and grains it adds up pretty quick.

My first goal is a healthy baby. After nursing, I will got back to either induction or owl depending on what I have gained from the pregnancy weight. I know that Atkins works so I know if I need to lose the WOL will be here once I am done doing my part with my body for the baby.

I hope this helps. But it is best to always ask a Dr. or OBGYN

[MaggieBE]

I was doing OWL when I conceived my second and third child. I have fertility troubles though and knew just when I ovulated(blood work/ultrasounds). I also had blood test done 10 days after I ovulated. At that point the placenta isn't even functioning. For the first weeks the baby "lives" off hormones. I was taking a prenatal and additional folic acid during this time. Though if I had only 15 more lbs to lose at that point I might have just gone to maintence and tried to lose some more pounds by watching calories a bit and increasing exercise.

It is difficult to transfer from owl to maintence when newly pregnant I think. You are dealing with your raging hormones, food adversions, morning sickness, etc. I ended up being so overwhelmed that I went back to eating like I had before Atkins. Not good. Perhaps if I had been on maintence while ttc that wouldn't have happened? Maybe I wouldn't have gained so much. ensive

My youngest child is 6 months old and I doubt we will be ttc in the next three years. I hope to be at my goal and maintaining it for quite a while at that point. :nod I think it would be great to start pregnancy at a good weight.

[Sharni]

Thanks for the advice guys. I guess I never really looked at it this way. I suppose that I would be happier getting to 150 so I think that adding more dilligent exercise may do the trick. Ironically I bought the Atkins for Life book first because I remembered the name "Atkins". That was over a year ago so I guess I need to go and read that one now. I'll keep you posted.

[vharper]

Maggie-I do understand what you are saying. I was talking about people who are trying to conceive right away. I am sorry if that was misunderstood in anyway. If you aren't planning to conceive for a few more years then I am sure you will be fine to go thru all phases and do well. I thought conceiving was something you were wanting to do right now. i am sure the hormones can make you do "crazy" things that is why I have decided to stay in maintenance. I actually just went thru the "rungs" of OWL quicker and then went to maintenance. Thought I was pregnant but wasn't but figured since I was already here mine as well figure it out. That was great that you were able to have your dr check on you with things..that is certainly recommmend for sure!!

Sharni-That Atkins for life book I think was written by "atkins" and not Dr. Atkins so I would watch what they tell you in the book.

Keep us posted!!!

[MaggieBE]

I knew you were not talking about people that were going to ttc in several years. I just wanted to throw my two pennies in because in the past I had followed Atkins and conceived during owl. Actually with my last two children I didn't have an easy time conceiving. Then I started Atkins and within a month I was pregnant. This was after months and months of fertility treatment. Atkins seemed to make me super fertile. Thankfully I have an IUD in place now! :nod

Good luck with the ttc! Hopefully you will conceive fast! :icondance

[vharper]

Sorry to have misread that!!! Super fertile..I like that..lol

[2big4mysize]

first Atkins for Life was written by Dr Atkins it was the last book he finished before he died.

Now yep Altins helps with fertility because many infiertile folk have insulin resistance which keeps the androgen levels high and the estrogen levels low. You fix the insulin problem which fixes the androgen problem which foixes the estrogen problem andpoof you got a very fertile unprotected lady running around thinking no way can I get preg who posts a SURPRIZE IM PREG topic :joy

which is why if you are even having sex without protection on theBC side you need to make sure you are getting the right vits and minerals. spina bifida is preventable by just getting folic acid in your diet period no magic no hard things to do but it has to be there during the first weeks of growth before you know you are preg :yikes and it is a crying shame that any baby is born cause its mommy didn't get the propper prenatal vits in her system. okay stepping off my soap box.

[vharper]

Oh which book am I thinking on then ?

Edit: Sorry about that It is the Atkins Essensials I was thinking of when I wrote that message..thanks 2big.

[OnlyDo]

spina bifida is preventable by just getting folic acid in your diet period no magic no hard things to do but it has to be there during the first weeks of growth before you know you are preg :yikes and it is a crying shame that any baby is born cause its mommy didn't get the propper prenatal vits in her system. okay stepping off my soap box.

Anencephaly, spina bifida, and encephalocele (the neural tube defects) have multifactorial causes. Folate ensures the development of a nice, healthy egg that will be less prone to cell division errors. Spina bifida and anencephaly can also have numerous other causes (environmental contamination, excessive vitamin A, maternal hyperthermia, and genetic predisposition, among myriad others).

Someone can eat a diet rich in folate and still have a baby with an NTD. 2big, please don't assume that it's the mother's fault for not taking folate. NTDs are not 100% preventable. I know. My second daughter was anencephalic, and my diet was completely adequate and I was taking the recommended 800 mg of folic acid at the time.

[Pebbbles]

Trying to conceive here too!!! Just thought I'd post for some support for you!! Although I don't follow Atkins, (Zone girl) I would move to maintenance too just in case so that baby does not miss out on anything.

Me...been married 2.5 years and no baby. I have an appt. with a fertility specialist in January of 2005. We shall see what happens!!! I already have 15 year-old.

Good luck to you! It's so hard not being able to conceive, isn't it? It breaks my heart every month :no

[Anonymous]

Welcome to the board!!!!

I have a place I go that give good "conception" support..really helped me out. Our first one was just a "shot" in the dark..one time deal if you know what I mean. PM me if you are interested in the web address. Lots of ladies there trying for years and years a great support system!!


EDIT: Oh my not sure how I ended up being a guest..lol..it was me posting!!!