Planning for a pink sway this summer - Femara advice!

[Boymommy1]

Hi!

I’ve just received my personalised sway plan for my pink sway! Just had a few questions and would love to get anyone’s advice / suggestions!

The plan suggests using Femara if possible - I’m a bit cautious of this as I conceived my first son using Femara! Does it have good results when combined with a sway?

In my first pregnancy when I conceived a girl (late mc @ 18w) I cut out sugar. I only did this to try to help my PCOS symptoms. I’m planning on strictly following the LE diet but wondered if I should be focused on low sugar too?

Thanks! Xx

[atomic sagebrush]

Even if you got a boy the last time with Femara, it's among the best tactics there is because it's easy to do and has been shown in studies to alter the gender ratio somewhere between 3-5% more girls conceive and that is in people who were doing nothing to sway (possibly doing many blue friendly things just to conceive). NOTHING in swaying is a magic bullet type of thing, it's always possible to conceive a boy even with an ideal sway, so you can't look at having a boy on Femara and think "well this thing obviously makes me have boys". That's not how it works. Imagine if, because you were taking Femara, you went from 60% likely to have a boy to 55% likely to have a boy. You still might have had a greater likelihood than 50-50 of having a boy, but we would be silly to leave an easy 3-5% possible sway sitting on the table!

Yes, please eat low sugar. I was thinking when I made your plan that due to your low weight for your height (which is already below our cutoff for not losing any weight at all, and being tall - and I know you are not hugely tall, but you're still "tall" in terms of what I have seen people losing ovulation at - can make weight fly off) and your ability to lose weight easily you should follow more of the standard plan and then exercise, but you're right, let's limit sugar and then make those changes I mentioned via email (whole grains, full fat dairy, higher macros for protein and fat.) I sent you this via email as well but here's our alternate diet. Just be REALLY careful not to lose too much weight on it - even if we have to increase the limits a bit for calories. It is REALLY easy to lose ovulation on the PCOS-type diet particularly for people over about 5-5 or so. A pound or two lost counts WAY more for those over 5-5 ish than those who are shorter. https://www.genderdreaming.com/forum/gender-swaying-general-discussion/9052-swaying-under-special-circumstances-part-3-pcos.html?highlight=swaying+PCOS

[Boymommy1]

Thank you so much, yes that makes sense! I was doing a lot of boy friendly things when I conceived my first son, even though I didn’t know it at the time!

With the exercise, is it okay to split the hour a day up? I usually do a 30 min workout every morning, so can I just add in another half hour at some other time during the day? Thanks! X

[atomic sagebrush]

We prefer the exercise be all at once. This is because after about 45 minutes, your body has burned off the carbs in the blood****** and starts burning off stores of fat instead. Something about this process seems to sway pink in a big way. 30 minutes of exercise just isn't enough to get into that zone. Now, there are some benefits of 30 min. of exercise for those with PCOS but ideally you would do the ful 60 minutes.

[Boymommy1]

Thanks Atomic!

I started yesterday - LE and 60 mins cardio. The exercise is fine. I feel like I’ll struggle to hit the maximum levels for food tho. I prefer to only eat between 12-6pm (I’ve done this for a while to help me ovulate with PCOS). So I’m only having 2 meals.

Yesterday I had wholemeal pitta bread with cottage cheese, then Greek yoghurt and strawberries. Dinner was wholegrain rice with stir fry veg. I added some cheese to up my fat and protein. I would prefer to go veggie but I also added a small piece of chicken. I had a glass of wine with dinner.

So I got to around 1200 cals, 40g fat, 50g protein. I’m doing low sugar and no snacks so not sure where to fit much more in! Also any good meat free protein options?

Thank you so much! X

[atomic sagebrush]

If you need to, add in small amounts of meat. I understand why you feel the need to go meat free but you NEED the protein because it helps with your PCOS. The rules are different when you have PCOS, you absolutely need the 50-60 g pro and fat.

Are you eating full fat dairy?

[atomic sagebrush]

Also, is the issue that you're literally stuffed with food or that you're afraid to eat certain foods?

[Boymommy1]

Yes full fat dairy.

I feel like I’m eating a lot of food and there’s not much time to eat much else! Today I’m at 1250 cals, 45g fat and 40g protein. I’d prefer to only eat meat once or twice a week.

Today I bought chick peas, broad beans, kidney beans to try to add these in to my meals. Maybe eggs? X

[atomic sagebrush]

Yep, eggs are absolutely fine, eating an egg or even two would bump you right up to where you need to be. Beans also fine.

Normally I'd advise a third meal, but if you can't fit it in in the time you're eating, that's a dilemma! I'd just focus on choosing higher pro and fat options (even adding a bit of oil to something can help add fat.)

[Boymommy1]

Hi Atomic!
I’m a week in to LE diet, all going well. I’m not hungry and managed 6 x 1hr exercise last week. Couple of questions for you. I have had to eat out twice over the weekend with family events. I chose a vegetarian curry and a tomato pasta with mozzarella. Both okay protein / fat wise I think but both had white carbs, white rice and white pasta. I’m sticking to wholegrain at home. Is this ok occasionally? Or is there anything else I should try to order?

Also I got soy milk for my husband, I realised it’s a protein soy drink though. Is that okay, is he allowed extra protein? I’ve tried to cut his red meat right back. Thank you! Xxx

[atomic sagebrush]

Yes on occasion it's perfectly fine. We're trying for the majority of the time, with room for some cheats as needed.

It doesn't matter as long as it's the soy protein for DH but next time I'd get the regular stuff.

[Boymommy1]

Great, thank you!

[Boymommy1]

Just looking for some advice re my LP - it’s always been fairly short, around 10-11 days, but this cycle it’s been 8 days. Do you think this will be because of the diet? Should I do anything about it?

I’ve lost a few pounds already, BMI is okay at 19.5 tho. We weren’t TTC this month. Thanks! X

[atomic sagebrush]

How did you determine when ovulation occurred??

[atomic sagebrush]

Also, you are well below the cutoff where you should have stopped losing weight. Once you hit BMI 21 you need to stop losing and try to hold steady where you are (and if an additional pound sneaks off then it's not the end of the world). The 18.5 cutoff is the amount you MUST NOT drop below under any circumstances and NOT a goal to strive for.

Stop losing weight immediately and let me know how you determined ovulation.

[Boymommy1]

Hi,
I got a positive OPK on Thursday 13th May, so I’m assuming I ovulated on Friday 14th... period then started on Saturday 22nd. It’s also pretty much stopped now already.
On the weight loss... ok I will try... but with 1 hour cardio 6 x a week, and sticking to the limits (plus no sugar) it feels like my weight will automatically drop!

[atomic sagebrush]

Eat more. If weight is flying off that is a sign your insulin response is either improved or was never that bad to begin with so up cal intake to stop the weight loss. Even if you have to exceed the limits on cals.

How many grams of fat per day do you estimate?

[Boymommy1]

Ok thank you. I’m usually hitting 50g fat, at least 40 per day. I’ve had a bigger lunch and dinner today so I’ll try to up the cals so that my weight holds steady now.

I’m only on week 5 and was planning to do the full 12 before TTC. Do you see a lot of difference in results between 8 to 12 weeks? I’m just not sure how long I’ll be able to keep going without losing too much. Thanks!

[atomic sagebrush]

While 8 weeks is acceptable, we do definitely see an improvement at 12 weeks (and then success rates stay high after that). What you can do (if you can't get a handle on the weight loss and hold steady) is try that first month with a stricter sway and then if you don't get pregnant you'll hit the 12 week mark. This can be a good way to include some stuff you've been wanting to try (like timing, pH, jump and dump, frequency, that sort of thing) so you can feel like you've given everything a whirl before we drop the things that don't actually work, and by then you've hit the 12 week mark.

You have up to 60 g fat to work with. Many times fat is the easiest thing to add as it's calorically dense so you don't have to eat scads more food to compensate for it. (meaning, if you were eating skim dairy, go to full fat, if you were eating reduced fat anything, switch to full fat, have butter and mayonaise, cream in coffee, that sort of thing). With very little change in what you're eating you will be up in cals and they're the type of calories that help keep people ovulating.

[Boymommy1]

Hi Atomic, I’m on CD25 and no sign of O. I’ve had very little CM, usually I have a lot in the 3/4 days before O.
What about castor oil packs, I’ve tried that before to encourage O - does this sway either way? Do you think it would help? I’m not going to be TTC this cycle but I just want to get it out the way as next cycle we will be (I should have been on diet at least 14 weeks by then. Thanks! X

[atomic sagebrush]

Please do not use castor oil packs. We don't know where you are in the cycle and it is not going to help you ovulate or for your period to come unless it's ready to happen. They do nothing and may cause harm.

Are you eating more fat?

[Boymommy1]

Okay thanks. Yes I’ve been making sure I’ve been hitting at least 50g fat (some days a little more). Day 30 now and still nothing. Anything else I should be trying? Thanks x

[atomic sagebrush]

How many calories?

Up to 60 g fat and be sure it's at least one serving of full fat dairy every day, 4-6 eggs a week, and a serving of salmon if you like it, red meat if you don't every week.

[atomic sagebrush]

Cut back exercise to 4 days a week till this sorts itself out.

[Boymommy1]

Okay thank you, I’ll try these things! X

[Boymommy1]

Hey atomic,

So quick update for you. I’m on week 15 of the plan, 2 cycles TTC. First cycle I eventually OV around day 36, no luck after 1 attempt. This cycle I managed to get femara, which worked perfectly as it has done for me before, OV on day 17 👍🏻 We did 1 attempt, 1 day before pos OPK. But I’ve just started AF on only 8 DPO 🤯. I’ve always had a slightly shorter LP, usually around 11/12 days, but this seems way too short.

Is there anything I should be doing differently now I’m on Femara? Also I upped my exercise back to the 6 days a week, as I knew I would OV ok with the meds but now wondering if that’s affecting my LP?

Any advice would be great! Thank you!

[atomic sagebrush]

Have you increased fat intake and dropped fiber? If not, please do. Keep going with this. Don't drop the recommendations I gave you earlier just because you've ovulated, you need more fat than you're getting.

What is your BMI?

HAve you continued with exercise 4 days a week or have you started doing more again?

How did you determine ovulation?

I would have you consider going to e4d. After your last dose of medication, start having unprotected sex every 4 days (count this in the 72 hour pattern, Monday/Thursday/Sunday, etc) and continue with this till you're certain you've ovulated (even if that means going all the way through to the next period starts. That way if you ovulate before you expect to, we are still covered.

[Boymommy1]

I’m at at least 60g fat, some days more. Still taking fibre tho, should I stop that?

BMI at 19.1. Back up to 6 x 1hr cardio a week.

Determined ovulation through OPK. We BD Friday, then got a positive on the Sat, so I’m assuming I OV on the Sunday.

Thanks!

[atomic sagebrush]

Yep, let's drop fiber.

I want you back at 4 days a week exercise till this sorts itself out.

OPK are not always reliable so I'm hoping your LP was more like 9-10 days. But letrozole/femara is a good way to help boost that for many people anyway.

I would say let's give it another month with those changes and I'm hoping your LP is more in normal range. (11/12 days is ok)

[Boymommy1]

43398Hi Atomic,

Looking for some advice re my attempt this month (2nd cycle on letrozole). We BD on sat night as I was expecting to have a pos OPK on Sunday. But I didn’t get a positive til last night (Monday), darkest line this morning (Tuesday am).

So should we have another attempt today, or stick with just Saturday which will likely be 3 or 4 days before O if I actually ovulate tonight / tomo? I def had EWCM on Saturday at time of attempt.

Help!

[atomic sagebrush]

I would recommend having another attempt. The odds that sperm will last that long is slim.

It's your choice, but since you're on the 2nd month of letrozole I'd have an attempt.

[Boymommy1]

I would recommend having another attempt. The odds that sperm will last that long is slim.

It's your choice, but since you're on the 2nd month of letrozole I'd have an attempt.


Hi Atomic

I got a BFP last week! We ended up having 2 attempts at ovulation though so I’m a bit nervous. One on Friday, and then one on Sunday when I got a positive OPK. So I’m guessing I OV on the Monday. What do you think?

It was my 3rd month on letrozole. Hoping that counts for a lot! Xx

[atomic sagebrush]

Going from a Friday attempt to Monday ovulation would really not be a terrible event, somewhat in line with e4d in the 72 hour pattern which has gotten good results for us. Likely nothing was left from the Friday shot anyway.

[Boymommy1]

20w scan today - it’s a girl 💖! Cannot believe it 🥰. Forever grateful for all your help and advice xxx

[atomic sagebrush]

Wonderful news!! Huge congrats!!!