Blue Sway Folic Acid QQ - Please help!

Just do your best and if you don't get there it's ok.

Eat ANYTHING you can. Even if it's something like M and M's, whatever sounds good and that you think you can keep down. And keep sour candy on hand. Pop one in your mouth first thing before you even get up, it works quite well. I found water just aggravated the sickness. All the things they say to eat - water, toast, crackers - made me throw up. Only things that were sour/sweet/cold truly helped. Fruit, candy, soda, juice, even things like ice cream and sorbet I was able to keep down. With my 4th pregnancy I went through a phase where I ate a lot of Jelly Beans, entire meals of jelly beans, LOL. But you just need to keep something going through you all the time to keep your body with enough carbs to function and enough liquid to keep from getting dehydrated.

Oh my God I’ve found that exactly. Crackers and water are the main culprits! I keep plain crackers by my bed like they say and every morning without fail, eat a few bites of one, have a sip of water… then puke my guts up for a couple of hours 😩😂

I’ll definitely try sour candy thank you. I’ve found white bread & ham helps a bit. But only in the afternoons, mornings are the worst.

I guess it’s hard to think straight like this. I do keep feeling tremendously guilty that my girl now potentially has two siblings coming along instead of just one.. (plus my partner already has a 7 year old son). But maybe everyone feels guilty. What a rollercoaster! Thanks for writing back to me, it means a lot. I haven’t told many friends about this as I don’t think most people really know what to say / may feel uncomfortable xx

EXACTLY! I swear it's almost as if they tell us the absolute WORST things for soothing the nausea!

It's true literally everyone feels guilty when they're pregnant again, let alone with twins. And you're doing the hardest thing right now you'll probably EVER do physically speaking. Hang in there, we are here if you need us!

Heya, just wanted to let you know that there have been some changes… and I sent you a PM, hope that’s ok xxx

Hi Atomic,

Me again :) I hope you’re well and thanks for your support before. I’ve got some questions please, ahead of starting a blue sway in September before we try in December. I’ve been trying to improve my diet ahead of it as I am naturally not the healthiest eater, but after a series of losses I’m very determined to have a healthy pregnancy which I can sustain. My partner is 9 years older than me, at 43, so he may need some pointers too. I’ll lay out my main questions on here – many thanks in advance.

SUPPLEMENTS – how does this sound?

Daily, for me:

-- Vitamin D 1000IU
-- CoQ10 100mg
-- Omega 3 capsules – would you recommend 500mg once a day / any particular brand? Or is it just as effective to take one 1000mg tablet every other day?
(thinking of buying: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Omega-Provi...e%2C282&sr=1-4).
-- Probiotic
(thinking of buying: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bio-Culture...9229820&sr=8-7)
-- Centrum women (which contains 300ug of folic acid)
-- Folate 1000mcg tablets (should I take one or two a day?) / Folate 400ug tablets (ditto)
-- Folic acid 400ug tablets (one or two a day?)

[My main confusion is what mix of folate and folic acid to take – or whether to take a mix at all. I’m happy to buy pills with different levels of Folate in too, I just bought two sets: 1000mcg each and 400ug each. I was planning to wean to the 400ug ones once I take the dose down, God willing I get pregnant]

- Plus Royal Jelly 500mg?
- Plus Robitusson around O?
- Plus iron tablets (ferrous fumerate) once a day? I was once anaemic but I'm thinking eating more red meat may dispel this.

DH tablets daily:

-- Centrum 50+ for men
-- Omega 3 – the same dose as me
-- CoQ10 100mg
-- Vitamin D 1000IU
-- Probiotic – same as me
-- Carnitine 1000mg
-- Folic acid 400mg

Is there anything I should add to either list?

EATING
How many times per week should I eat:
1) Salmon? (currently eat 3 portions per week)
2) Sea bass? (currently eat 2 portions, or 4 fillets, per week)
3) Steak? (currently eat 2 portions per week)

-- Shall I use olive oil or butter to cook?
-- What’s the most important food group to focus on – protein and vegetables? Is there much evidence that ‘alkaline foods’ like potatoes and bananas help?
-- I’m currently hooked on thin chicken slides with iceberg lettuce and mozzarella cheese… should this be dropped?!
-- Do you recommend I drink Raspberry Leaf Tea for a month or two before trying? I think my womb lining is quite thin, maybe because of all the losses. It's been commented on in scans.
-- Should I increase water intake?

EXERCISE
I currently do a mix of running/walking uphill on treadmill, yoga/pilates, HIIT classes, swimming, cycling. I do ‘body conditioning’ too with light weights – I’m naturally petite and small.
-- What should I focus on? (e.g. weights?). What should be dropped? (e.g. running?)
-- DH is a keen cyclist, will this be an issue? He’s also a big vaper although I am working on getting him to kick the habit :)

Thank you for reading this far and for all your help to date. I want this to work so badly. And the sway is less important to me than a healthy pregnancy and baby. But like we said before, boy sway = trying to be healthier anyway. Given my four losses this year, I am willing to do anything on earth to make this work. Thank you so much xx

Hi Atomic,

Me again :) I hope you’re well and thanks for your support before. I’ve got some questions please, ahead of starting a blue sway in September before we try in December. I’ve been trying to improve my diet ahead of it as I am naturally not the healthiest eater, but after a series of losses I’m very determined to have a healthy pregnancy which I can sustain. My partner is 9 years older than me, at 43, so he may need some pointers too. I’ll lay out my main questions on here – many thanks in advance.

SUPPLEMENTS – how does this sound?

Daily, for me:

-- Vitamin D 1000IU
-- CoQ10 100mg
-- Omega 3 capsules – would you recommend 500mg once a day / any particular brand? Or is it just as effective to take one 1000mg tablet every other day?
(thinking of buying: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Omega-Provi...e%2C282&sr=1-4).
-- Probiotic
(thinking of buying: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bio-Culture...9229820&sr=8-7)
-- Centrum women (which contains 300ug of folic acid)
-- Folate 1000mcg tablets (should I take one or two a day?) / Folate 400ug tablets (ditto)
-- Folic acid 400ug tablets (one or two a day?)

[My main confusion is what mix of folate and folic acid to take – or whether to take a mix at all. I’m happy to buy pills with different levels of Folate in too, I just bought two sets: 1000mcg each and 400ug each. I was planning to wean to the 400ug ones once I take the dose down, God willing I get pregnant]

- Plus Royal Jelly 500mg?
- Plus Robitusson around O?
- Plus iron tablets (ferrous fumerate) once a day? I was once anaemic but I'm thinking eating more red meat may dispel this.

DH tablets daily:

-- Centrum 50+ for men
-- Omega 3 – the same dose as me
-- CoQ10 100mg
-- Vitamin D 1000IU
-- Probiotic – same as me
-- Carnitine 1000mg
-- Folic acid 400mg

Is there anything I should add to either list?

EATING
How many times per week should I eat:
1) Salmon? (currently eat 3 portions per week)
2) Sea bass? (currently eat 2 portions, or 4 fillets, per week)
3) Steak? (currently eat 2 portions per week)

-- Shall I use olive oil or butter to cook?
-- What’s the most important food group to focus on – protein and vegetables? Is there much evidence that ‘alkaline foods’ like potatoes and bananas help?
-- I’m currently hooked on thin chicken slides with iceberg lettuce and mozzarella cheese… should this be dropped?!
-- Do you recommend I drink Raspberry Leaf Tea for a month or two before trying? I think my womb lining is quite thin, maybe because of all the losses. It's been commented on in scans.
-- Should I increase water intake?

EXERCISE
I currently do a mix of running/walking uphill on treadmill, yoga/pilates, HIIT classes, swimming, cycling. I do ‘body conditioning’ too with light weights – I’m naturally petite and small.
-- What should I focus on? (e.g. weights?). What should be dropped? (e.g. running?)
-- DH is a keen cyclist, will this be an issue? He’s also a big vaper although I am working on getting him to kick the habit :)

Thank you for reading this far and for all your help to date. I want this to work so badly. And the sway is less important to me than a healthy pregnancy and baby. But like we said before, boy sway = trying to be healthier anyway. Given my four losses this year, I am willing to do anything on earth to make this work. Thank you so much xx

Ok these didn't get approved just because something about the format of them is tricking the spam folder into thinking it's spam. But I have approved them now. I will get back to answer them as soon as I can!

Thank you so much :) it was probably me messing around with the formatting (like bold) to try to make my message a bit clearer! Thank you & look forward to hearing from you whenever you have time, no rush x

The Centrum for Women should already HAVE the 1000 IU Vit D. It's ok to add in more if you think you're low in it but not necessary if you are taking the Centrum for Women.

I prefer 500 daily to 1000 every other day.

I would actually have you take one 1000, and 2 400 mcg folate. That combined with the Centrum will be about 2000 mcg daily. Space these out over the day for best absorption.

I do not recommend royal jelly. It has NOTHING in it other than B Vitamins, and small amounts of protein and fat that you are getting more than enough of elsewhere. The high dose of B Vitamins has been highly disruptive to people's menstrual cycles, delaying or even stopping ovulation for many people. And it can prime your body for future allergies to bee stings, and some people have even developed allergies to the royal jelly itself. People have even died from taking royal jelly and then encountering more royal jelly later on (in foods/drinks) and then having an allergic reaction.

Are you anemic now? what is the dose on the iron?

For hubby, same thing applies with the Centrum - it SHOULD have enough Vit D (tho I am less sure about the Men's over 50 Centrum as they sometimes change the formula on that one!) But if he feels he needs more, 2000 IU is ok and considered in reasonable safe parameters.

I would add in 500 mg arginine alongside the carnitine unless he has some type of herpesvirus (cold sores or genital herpes) because arginine can cause those to flare

Salmon - 2x a week
Sea Bass - drop this entirely till after you are no longer pregnant
Steak - as much as you want

Both olive oil AND butter are great. I'd prob focus most of my energy on butter to be sure you're getting enough Omega 3 vs. Omega 6 but they're both great.

Protein and carbs at every meal and snack, good amounts of healthy and saturated animal fat. Choose more nutrient dense options. Beyond that there is no "best food group"

No, there's no benefit to "alkalinizing" foods vs. "acid" foods, that's unscientific nonsense that makes no biological sense. Everything you eat immediately drops into your stomach acid and is low in pH, then goes into your intestines where it's made high in pH. and your blood pH does not change regardless of what you eat unless you are on your deathbed.

And the potassium foods like potatoes and bananas don't work either. Plus, you'll be getting gobs of potassium on HE Diet anyway, with more nutrient dense options than either potatoes or bananas, which tend to be fattening and honestly don't have that much potassium in them compared to things like tomato, berries, red meat, etc.

The chicken sliders are great! Enjoy! Protein and carbs and fat right there!

Personally if your lining is that thin I would suggest talking to your doc about ways to improve it. RRLT is ok, but it doesn't fix problems like medication does (particularly Viagra to improve blood flow) and we are honestly none too sure how it really even sways or if it's fully safe. When I drank RRLT in early pregnancy (this was before I knew any of this stuff) I had the most mindboggling uterine cramps, to such extent I dropped it even tho I had been told it was perfectly safe and beneficial. I don't like anyone who has had losses to be using anything that has caused such a dramatic result for me personally!!! So if you do decide to use it, let's stop it at ovulation every month.

Drink water to your level of thirst. There's no proven advantage in drinking gobs of water provided you are adequately hydrated anyway, and it may "wash away" nutrients your body needs to stay fully fertile. As long as you're doing guaifenesin and are drinking when you're thirsty that is all you need to do.

I think you should continue the exercise you're doing. I would cut back the intensity of the running, but keep up with it because it can help keep you from gaining much weight. Overgaining weight can actually undermine your sway because it can suppress fertility (if the gain is too much) and because people get upset they've gained weight and give up on swaying. So as long as you're doing exercise 45 min. and no longer, 4-5 days a week, that's great, pick and choose what you like.

If you see massive weight gain quickly, I will have you do 45 min. walking or other cardio 4 days a week, weights 5 days a week at a different time of day than your cardio, but we don't need to do that unless you really gain a lot fast.

Cycling and vaping both likely sway pink (cycling is more proven than vaping, but we do assume that since smoking sways pink, vaping does as well even tho it's not studied yet). I would have him cut back if he's willing, and if he's not, just focus on the other stuff you can do. It's not a dealbreaker, you can work around those things if need be.

Thank you so much for your reply. It's always so nice to receive messages from you with this wealth of information :)

Re Vitamin D, I checked online and the Centrum Women tablets available here have 10ug Vit D, which is 400 IU. The Centrum Men 50+ have 15ug or 600 IU. So if both me and DH take two tablets a day, I'll be ingesting 1,400 IU Vit D and he'll get 1,600 IU - should he take that much or stick to the 600 IU a day?

Re the iron, I have ferrous fumerate 210mg tablets. I was taking one daily for a while but have since given up as I'm not sure if I'm still anaemic. I was prescribed them in my previous, only successful, pregnancy 2.5 years ago because I became very anaemic in that pregnancy. I was too exhausted to even walk down the street - but then I wasn't very healthy when I got pregnant: over-exercising, very underweight, restricted diet (perhaps unsurprisingly I had a girl!). So if you think there's no harm in taking them I could start, but I thought I would be getting lots of iron from steak anyway so not sure whether to bother.

Thanks for the arginine tip, I'll get that :)

Out of interest, why does sea bass work against the blue sway? Is it white fish in general which isn't good? And I assume you mean to drop that from Sept for a Dec sway.

One thing I completely forgot to ask about - but is clearly pretty crucial lol - is BD pattern. Both DH and I are exhausted a lot and can sometimes fall back on a once-a-week vibe. I've read that every other day is best for blue, as well as on day of peak ovulation, twice the next day, and the following day. My question is, should we aim to BD once every three days over the next couple of months and then go to once every other day in December? (if he can manage this!!)
And also, we've been using protection recently as my cycles are very long due to polycystic ovaries but also quite irregular. So it's hard to predict when I ovulate. And after the traumas of this year, neither one of us is ready to face something else going wrong just yet. The protection method I use is the diaphragm (very old school!). Could this affect the sway at all / should I try to not use it when I know I'm unlikely to fall pregnant?

Thank you so much once again :) xx