getting in shape for 2023 sway after 4 girls

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Originally Posted by atomic sagebrush

The guarantee is a siren song, but you have to keep in mind that it's only a guarantee if it WORKS, and many people never get to that point. Since they have sad stories and a lot of pain, they generally will disappear from these sites and you never hear their backstories, but many people get no eggs, many more get nothing to transfer, many others transfer but lose babies, and every go round is a huge expense even if we don't come out of it with a baby. So take the "guarantee" with a grain of salt, because there is a lot of space between an IVF cycle and a guarantee!

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Oh I’ve certainly seen the heartbreak of many on IVF/GS cycles.. it is very much a case of many « ifs » lining up to get to the DG embryo (s) then if the thaw goes ok you may have a chance of your DG that way. I know, trust me.. I just know that IF we made it that far, and implanted our XY embryo, it’d finally be a boy rather than the « yet another girl » we seem to make naturally.. iykwim? I’d have control over which gender embryo we get into my uterus. Then it’s nature deciding if it sticks but if if sticks, bingo!

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Originally Posted by atomic sagebrush

High testosterone in men has never been proven to sway, and even in women it's based on fairly sketchy data. We do seem to see a lot of balding celebrity men with girls (hello, Bruce Willis!) but think of it this way...if this was insurmountable, your husband and those men in his family literally wouldn't exist because how would their genes have been passed down?? If it was all girls, all the time, then...there wouldn't be bald men at all to begin with, since all bald men would have exclusively daughters and apparently those "bald headed men" genes would be inextricably linked to making girls.

Plus, we have a lot of couples who are swaying PINK and have their husbands go onto the baldness medication to get girls (and succeeding with that!) so I honestly don't think it can boil down to testosterone alone.

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I’ll try not to fret over that but I do see ( probably because I want to find patterns?! Lol) lots of celebs with girls / only girls with the male being bald / very muscular or both .. DH is not very muscular at all but bald he is soooo lol
My brain is just desperate to make sense of why TF do we only seem to make girls !? :P

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Originally Posted by LMSM

Oh I’ve certainly seen the heartbreak of many on IVF/GS cycles.. it is very much a case of many « ifs » lining up to get to the DG embryo (s) then if the thaw goes ok you may have a chance of your DG that way. I know, trust me.. I just know that IF we made it that far, and implanted our XY embryo, it’d finally be a boy rather than the « yet another girl » we seem to make naturally.. iykwim? I’d have control over which gender embryo we get into my uterus. Then it’s nature deciding if it sticks but if if sticks, bingo!

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I do totally understand, I just have to share that side of it since not everyone is hip to it! I hear from so many people who truly have no idea that IVF isn't a sure thing that I always have to share the flip side. :)

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Originally Posted by LMSM

I’ll try not to fret over that but I do see ( probably because I want to find patterns?! Lol) lots of celebs with girls / only girls with the male being bald / very muscular or both .. DH is not very muscular at all but bald he is soooo lol
My brain is just desperate to make sense of why TF do we only seem to make girls !? :P

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Just think of Prince William! :) And Patrick Stewart has a son as well! Stanley Tucci has two boys just like William has!

I SO wish I had the ability to just look it up in my files and tell people "oh yes see here's why you've had boys and girls" but as of yet I don't have that knowledge! Maybe someday. FXFXFX.

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Originally Posted by atomic sagebrush

Just think of Prince William! :) And Patrick Stewart has a son as well! Stanley Tucci has two boys just like William has!

I SO wish I had the ability to just look it up in my files and tell people "oh yes see here's why you've had boys and girls" but as of yet I don't have that knowledge! Maybe someday. FXFXFX.

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Wouldn't that just be AWESOME!?? it'll be way after my fertility boat has sailed, no doubt - but it'd be fascinating to understand the true mechanics and triggers :D
I'll be really interested in seeing how my daughters' family compositions end up being one day - I just hope so bad that none of them suffer from endometriosis and that they don't have any fertility issues because it SUCKS :(

Also (sorry, this brain never stops!!)
Carnitine (and possibly arginine) are on the top priority list for DH - *but* should I consider arginine at all for *me*?

Tea wise - I will finish my Nettle as it is to help up my iron levels but have a huge bag of red raspberry leaf tea.
I was thinking as we get into warmer months soon, to make that as an iced tea to alternate with my black tea (hot or cold). In old posts (like 2012!) you said it was good for blue, but just double checking.
If no good, will stick to black tea in various forms (green tea I don't fancy unless it's very lightly brewed and with heaps of sugar so probs no the best).

No arginine for you. We saw tons of cycle disruptions when women took it the first couple years of this site, and then most of the people who took it had girls anyway. I dropped it after that and haven't used it again, but I do still have people coming to me for help who have stopped ovulating and are taking arginine! One of the worst supps for messing up cycles!!!

Yes we believe RRLT is good for blue but there's very little data. I feel more confident about the black tea. If you do go with RRLT, be sure to discontinue it at BFP as it can make some CRAZY cramping in the first trimester, even right away.

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Originally Posted by atomic sagebrush

No arginine for you. We saw tons of cycle disruptions when women took it the first couple years of this site, and then most of the people who took it had girls anyway. I dropped it after that and haven't used it again, but I do still have people coming to me for help who have stopped ovulating and are taking arginine! One of the worst supps for messing up cycles!!!

Yes we believe RRLT is good for blue but there's very little data. I feel more confident about the black tea. If you do go with RRLT, be sure to discontinue it at BFP as it can make some CRAZY cramping in the first trimester, even right away.

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Thanks! Cool, I thought that was the case with arginine for me, so definitely NOT on my list.... :D

I have an extremely irritable uterus so basically it feels like I am in early labour with painful contractions around the clock...from pretty much conception :( so yes, would not risk it haha the bonus is that I labour quickly and efficiently once it's go time but not game to make those contractions worse, for sure! :D
I will aim for black tea more than anything but may add in some RRLT here and there ..my eldest even commented to me the other day "but, Mummy, why don't you drink coffee anymore???" (she likes to prepare it for me as she finds using the milk frother fun...but I just honestly don't feel like it tbh!)

That sounds great!! :bluecheer: :bluecheer: :bluecheer:

Here again with my one zillion questions....
*SLEEP* (or lack thereof)
Now, I co-sleep with miss 17m as that is the best way for me to get ANY sort of shut-eye and she nurses heaps (especially atm because she has a cold and she can only drink for 2 seconds before she is gasping for air because snotty and stuffy poor bub)...
I am at the point where I am getting aversions at night because I am SO bloody exhausted and do not have the opportunity to nap ever, so can't catch up on sleep ever.
I am very much ready to at least night wean her and even better have her transition to her room/bed again - I know this will be a long process as I want to be as gentle as possible and not rush her (or me, she is deliciously snuggly when she doesn't wriggle 1000000000 times around the bed lol)... the chronic lack of sleep is making me overall soooo much less patient and kind with everyone that it's too much of a toll on my kids (and my mental health is shite when I am this tired).
Obviously, better quality and more sleep would be ideal especially leading up to possibly TTC (just stamina wise even) - like, how long should I allow my body to recover from this sleeplessness to get to a point where it's in the blue zone?
I know this is probably very subjective (like, how do I actually feel?) but I worry that I will want to jump to TTC too soon once I feel more rested and don't want to screw things up...

Oh gosh I completely recall those days and commiserate!!

I honestly can't say how long to recover. I'd probably give it 3 months to be rested for the full cycle of the egg, but that's probably overkill TBH!

I would tend to agree that a good few months would be enough but also the minimum so that it's the new normal for my body and for it to be out of that "stress" zone due to lack of sleep.
Now, wish me luck to get this bubba sleeping well haha

My friend gave her son goats milk before bed and he started sleeping through! It tastes like the smell of a petting zoo but he really loved it. She was a total zombie he was 11 months waking up to nurse every 45 minutes all night every night. She would also give him goats milk yogurt.


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Originally Posted by Thefinalcountdown

My friend gave her son goats milk before bed and he started sleeping through! It tastes like the smell of a petting zoo but he really loved it. She was a total zombie he was 11 months waking up to nurse every 45 minutes all night every night. She would also give him goats milk yogurt.


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Hey, I might give it a go haha
Do you reckon the goat's milk is better than other types of milk?

also just found this website - you pop in the ingredients of any recipe, and it analyses the macros (you can then have it broken down per serve if applicable too that way)
https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-n...alyzer-4157076
useful to ensure that the macros are hitting the protein limits I'd like :)

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Originally Posted by LMSM

Hey, I might give it a go haha
Do you reckon the goat's milk is better than other types of milk?

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Maybe? I have read that it’s the casein (which is in cow and goat) that really helps them sleep since it’s slower digesting [emoji2372] the yogurt would be more concentrated.


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Originally Posted by LMSM

Hey, I might give it a go haha
Do you reckon the goat's milk is better than other types of milk?

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I got goats milk once and I thought it was awful, but many children will drink it! FXFXFX that your little one sleeps for you!

Just looked it up - can't find goat yogurt anywhere main******...might have to do more digging haha
Could only find either goat milk ($5 a litre - that's a bit steep!) or goat milk formula (again, like 2 or 3 times the price of standard formula)... that's a hard one to swallow considering my bewb juice is free and easy to feed bubba :P
She did sleep better last night so hopefully we're on the right track once she's 100% recovered - though did try to pop her into her own bed (3 times I tried) and she woke up instantly crying for me...will have to be patient :P

Also, am on AF again already (1st cycle was only 21 days...I even spotted 2 full days before AF really started). I don't think I even ovulated, but I know it's normal for my body to still be regulating - though would love to have regular cycles so I can keep an eye on patterns.
I just hope that I am not back to low progesterone and luteal phase defect issues like I had before getting pregnant with #1 (I had a luteal phase that was too short and prog plummeting too early)???

Ovulation tests in the past have been rather misleading for me making me miss the mark of O, so am not sure I even want to use them if we TTC again - but rather, wanted to be guided by CM/ how horny I am LOL
Should I still use them? I want to because - control, hello! - but it scares me as it's failed me so much to try to align the readings with what my body was or wasn't doing...

It's normal to have those first few cycles be a little off, though. Not unusual at all!

It's totally up to you on the OPK. If you find they're not helping, then you can certainly try without them. I never used them with my kids. If you know your body just start having intercourse when you think the time is right!

The luteal phase defect is often misdiagnosed (people are told they have a defect when really it's plenty long enough to conceive with) and it's also very common to see a wonky cycle correct permanently once you've had kiddos!

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Originally Posted by atomic sagebrush

It's normal to have those first few cycles be a little off, though. Not unusual at all!

It's totally up to you on the OPK. If you find they're not helping, then you can certainly try without them. I never used them with my kids. If you know your body just start having intercourse when you think the time is right!

The luteal phase defect is often misdiagnosed (people are told they have a defect when really it's plenty long enough to conceive with) and it's also very common to see a wonky cycle correct permanently once you've had kiddos!

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I definitely feel conflicted as to whether I should use them - maybe I will try to use them for a few months to see how I go and then I can decide if I want to continue.
For the LPD, I definitely had it unfortunately - I had luteal series (several blood tests post peak to test progesterone levels) which confirmed that at the time, my LP was about 7-8 days max so while I know 14 days isn't the end all be all and far from the norm, at least 10 days is more compatible with pregnancy :)
I think that between #2-3, it was better more like 11-12 days and before falling pregnant with #4, it was still over 10 but I had spotting for 2-3 days before my cycles commencing so not great.
That is how I clued on to being pregnant with #4, I was expecting my period 2-3 days after the day I tested but had had NO spotting at all...and thought "eh, I might be regulating, yay!...hang oooonnnn..could it be that I am...could I be??" and yep, up the duff LOL

Ok - well, I just ordered some OPKs just to be able to get a feel for things at least ;)
On the WE, from a random conversation with my eldest (she really wants a baby brother!) and hubby (who used the opportunity of explaining statistics to the 9 year old LOL) - citing scientific studies showing that gender can be swayed to an extent so why not leverage that??
I think he may be not closed to TTC and doing small "harmless" (it's not the "interference" that he is against for IVF) steps towards blue such as supps, eating well, gaining muscle and (I emphasized the whole "lotta sex" thing afterwards, that seemed to light his eyes up haha)...
While this is not the IVF/GS green light I would obviously prefer, it still is probably going to be the best I'll get so have to make the most of it.
The planner in me is therefore trying to find out the best timeframe for TTC so that I can nudge him that way slowly LOL

Nice! Let me know how I can help! :)

Thanks Atomic!
Will start testing next cycle and likely come back with some questions...probably even Qs in between because, do I ever bloody stop asking myself questions about everything?? LOL

I love your questions!! Keep em coming!

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Originally Posted by atomic sagebrush

I love your questions!! Keep em coming!

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Naaaw .. you rock ! :)

Sooo … in that case :P would this collagen powder be ok??
It has a bit of soy which is as emulsifier not protein (the base here is whey) - not sure if I’m overthinking it or if I should just skip it altogether though my sway is far away I don’t want to mess it up

Yes that's fine, the soy lecithin is just a little bit of chemistry to help the consistency of the product. Not enough to sway, the protein comes from the whey protein. It does have the artificial sweeteners but I'm not finding small intakes of them to be strong swayers.

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Originally Posted by atomic sagebrush

Yes that's fine, the soy lecithin is just a little bit of chemistry to help the consistency of the product. Not enough to sway, the protein comes from the whey protein. It does have the artificial sweeteners but I'm not finding small intakes of them to be strong swayers.

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Great , thanks! The artificial sweetness would be the only source at all - I use either raw sugar or date/maple syrups otherwise :)

My gut tells me that would not make any difference at all!

Thanks!!
Seems like my OPKS are arriving today - just as I am just about to O so might be able to take a test this afternoon just for fun/confirmation (I know that a test alone means nothing as such :P) ... this cycle is definitely feeling better than the last ...
TMI warning
...CM has been very obvious (almost too much haha) so that's reassuring LOL
I think I read that you think watery CM is as good as EWCM for fertility - will see how O ends up lining up but seems like I get a couple of days of watery (like suuuper slippery) Cm and had clear EWCM yesterday...suspect O today possibly at most tomorrow
In a TTC context, we'd be going at it as much as possible with attempts as soon as I get that slippery watery CM, correct??
I just feel like if I wait for EWCM, it reduces the window a lot possibly (again, will see how the next cycles track and pattern is so I have a rough idea...I know that every cycle is bound to vary slightly at least).



I'm not even TTC but am excited at the prospect .. and feel like I am building my exercise and diet into habits which feels good :D

Yes the watery is considered just as good. The slippery CM just is very good at absorbing additional liquid, and that can make what comes out seem watery-ier, LOL than what people are expecting. But it's all good.

As long as you're not wanting timing, then it is certainly possible to just use your EWCM as your guideline. Do be aware tho, that some of us have EWCM for a LONNGGGG time before O in some months. I have gotten EWCM as early as CD 3 - now, it's not the norm of course, but certainly 5 or even 7 days before O is something quite common that many people experience. I mention all this because I don't want you guys going at it like complete bunnies too early UNLESS hubby can keep up the pace the whole time. We don't want you guys to have 47 attempts the first day you see EWCM and then have hubby shooting dust by the time the egg appears. So pace yourselves and use some judgement based on where you are in the month, as well (although this can of course vary by month, the odds are pretty good you're probably not going to be Oing as soon as CD 7, KWIM??) about how many attempts to have per day.

Now, in terms of worrying that you're waiting till too late, you guys can be doing the every 2-4 days pattern so there's always some action happening even before you see the EWCM!

Thanks, that all makes sense!
Yes, the idea is to have a pattern of every 2-4 days so that leading up to the fertile window, we’re still BDing but not eroding all energy and sperm either (that would be better used in the lead up to O!) ^^
At this stage, it’s only early days post PP AF returning so will of course keep track once I get my OPKs (turns out the parcel the other day was my collagen arriving super fast, not my opks haha) and see how my body goes – all being well, I have the luxury of time and spending some months just observing for now!

Still on the topic of CM - I know that for Robitussin, my goal will be to take it for approx. 5 days pre O and 3 days post O.
Is it worth trying to take some in the few months before TTC to check on effects on CM? (I'd be inclined to say yes :P)

PLUS super happy our chooks have starting laying again and they are laying like never before - we get 2 eggs per day on average so a good dozen per week - perfect fresh as they get, full of good stuff free range organic eggs - YAY :D

Bump! :)

Oh gosh, I read this and must have shut down without replying. My husband and I are sharing a computer right now so all sorts of weirdness keeps happening LOL.

That's exactly right on the BD pattern and is what most of us with all boys do just naturally.

I don't think it's worth it to take the Robitussin months in advance. Everything changes in the months you try anyway, as a general rule, there's just no conclusion to be drawn. Fine if you want to, but I know it's not free and is another thing to worry about and juggle, so it's completely up to you.

We are in late summer here and just inundated with eggs!! They're so good, though! Enjoy!!

Don't ever apologise for not responding straight away - I am grateful you do, when you do, full stop.
None of my Qs are time critical as yet though :P

Thanks - will hold off on the Rubitussin at this stage...last cycle CM was good anyhow!
Seems like my LP was good too (I'd estimate approx 12 days - not sure because no opks obvs) so happy with that and hope that it's a sign things are getting back into place ^^

Yeeees - love having loads of eggs - feel like it's giving my body all the good stuff when I use them haha

That's another advantage to not using the Robi/Muci - you can see what your CM is doing naturally without any intervention! Excellent news on the LP!

Yup! The CM lined up with the friskiness and pains so it's probably fair to say that it's a clear fertile window then...I have the opks now so will be able to see how that lines up over the coming cycles ;)
I'll hold off on the Rubitussin, definitely - might just have a trial month in a few month to see if it changes anything and then decide how to go when closer to /when TTC ^^

Brilliant! Keep me posted!

Hi again, glad the site is back up and running..couldn't access it for weeks! ;)

Sigh -we've had bout after bout of illness for one, the other or myself so it seems never-ending :P so glad not to be TTC or pregnant right now^^
That said, as little miss M grows and becomes more independent (at just turned 19 months, she is definitely a proper toddler, wants to do things herself and her language is picking up heaps!) - I can see myself craving that little newbie baby in a few months time and getting baby fever haha
I'll pass probation at the new job in 6 weeks and hubby in 5 months so will feel more safe to wait TTC until DH's contract is made permanent after that. I'll be 38 by then though and I feel like that is way past the timeline I'd have liked, when back when I started TTC for #1 10+ years ago (I wanted to be fully DONE before 35..ha!).
And am SO torn on when best to have a bub so that they have the best balance of age to start school (Jan-April ....but if it's a boy they mature later so it'd be best he starts school at a later age, which dictates when it be best for him to be born i.e. August-Dec!) vs my desire to NOT be heavily pregnant in Nov-Feb which are the warmest months *here* how to get your head in knots over nothing LOL

Me too I was going through withdrawal not being able to be on!

I hope you all feel better and have the time you need to prep for your little boy :)

Yes just want to give a big shout out to the site owner for getting us up and running again - very much appreciated!

Hey, keep in mind I had my baby boy at 39!

It's so hard to know when to go for it and then the school timing really does add a wrinkle, doesn't it!!

Just follow your gut and do what's best for your family first and foremost!