New Years Resolutions

So it's that time of year again when we start thinking about New Years resolutions! Now im one of those people who has a list as long as my arm of things i'd like to change for the new year and well I think i've done well if i've managed to stick to it by the end of January! I honestly don't know why I can't seem to stick to it or even why i bother making them in the first place as I know im not going to keep them! BUT here i am about to make some reolutions for 2011 and I fully intend to keep them for longer than a month lol!
So here they are:
1 - LOSE WEIGHT I know, I know everyone says that after Christmas and yes it's on my list every year and I never seem to do it! However 2011 is going to be different you see somehow i managed to gain an extra 21lbs putting me at my heaviest weight ever and I am done with carrying that extra weight around. Plus it can only help with fertility to lose the weight and WHEN I do get pregnant im only going to gain more weight which is not going to do my already delicate joints any good at all!
2 - BE POSITIVE Now i usually am a positive person so im hoping that this one isn't going to be too hard to keep lol! But this has been a difficult year for me and the past 6 months i have noticed myself feeling down more than happy and thinking negatively rather than my usual positive outlook. I hate this and need to change it I know it's impossible to be positive all the time but I can certainly try.
3 - NO MORE RESOLUTIONS! What i mean by that is to stop making a list of goals that im know im never going to acheive and therefore give up on them easily! So losing weight and positive thinking are my 2 goals for 2011! Wish me luck!

As I was googling I also found this list of fertility resolutions that were written for 2010 so i thought they would be interesting to read.
Here are eight resolutions for your fertility for 2010:

1. The top New Year’s resolutions are generally in the areas of weight loss, exercise, and quitting smoking and all of these goals may also impact your fertility. "You should eliminate smoking, drugs, alcohol, excessive caffeine and get close to a normal body weight by modifying diet and exercise. You should see a reproductive endocrinologist if there are any hints at something being wrong, or if you’re not pregnant in six months or more." - Dr. Edward Marut, Medical Director, The Fertility Centers of Illinois, Highland Park, IL 2. "Check your FSH levels and AMH levels [these hormones will give you a sense of your reproductive capacity]. - Dr. Bill Meyers, Carolina Conception, Raleigh, North Carolina 3. If you're over 35, don't postpone pregnancy for an enormous period of time." - Dr. Meyers 4. "Despite the travails of the fertility journey, be resolute in supporting the relationship with your partner. Also, maintain a positive outlook and perspective on life outside of fertility. Do not ignore the rest of your life." - Dr. David Kreiner, Medical Director, East Coast Fertility, Plainview, NY 5. "Set a non-fertility related goal for youself; something with a distinct beginning, middle and end. This might be hobbie or something self-care related such as learning how to knit a scarf or training to run in a 5K. This helps you know you can achieve things which are completly in your control." - Sharon N. Covington, M.S.W., LCSW-C, BCD, Director, Psychological Support Services, Shady Grove Fertility Center, Rockville, MD 6. "Infertility can get you in a pattern of 'stinkin' thinkin' and research shows there is great power in positive thinking. Keep a journal by your bed and each night before going to sleep write down three things you are grateful for. As the song goes, 'you'll fall a sleep counting you blessings" and help channel positive energy.'" - Sharon Covington 7. "From the world of Traditional Chinese Medicine the suggestion would be, 'Don't stagnate.' Stay active and engaged physically by walking or doing yoga. Don't keep over thinking and over- worrying and talk to family and friends about your worries and fears. Trying to help mitigate some of the negative aspects of the stress is crucial to helping your body stay balanced." - Michelle P. Hay, Licensed Acupuncturist, Co-Director of Acupuncture, The Domar Center, Boston, MA 8. "Focus on balancing the very real difficulties and pain of having fertility problems with identifying the positives in your life that are independent of having a baby (e.g. people in your life you love and enjoy, activities that can bring joy like walking on a crisp sunny winter day, reading a good book, volunteering for something meaningful). Make sure you seek out those positives." - Andrea Braverman, Ph.D., Director of Complementary & Alternative Medicine, RMA of NJ, Morristown, NJ

Even if you take action in the first few months of the year, it may make for a better 2010. Happy New Year!

Sad on Christmas Eve

Ok so despite the title of this post I have had a wonderful Christmas! It is the end of a fun filled festive day but as I have started this blog as a way to vent my feelings I know I will feel better for getting this off my chest. So here goes, the last few days have been an emotional time for me it almost seemed to come out of nowhere but the end result was me sobbing my heart out to Richard.  This time last year I was so excited we had decided to TTC and I couldn't wait to get pregnant thinking it would only take a few months. Everyone I know who have had children pretty much conceived right away so i just assumed it would be the same for me. 12 months on I now understand that it doesn't work out like that for some couples and have met and befriended so many wonderful women who sadly have had and still are struggling with TTC. This breaks my heart it will never make any sense to me why these amazing women are struggling to have a baby when I know that they will make such wonderful mothers.  This time last year I thought we would be celebrating our baby's first Christmas or at least be well on the way to having a baby! It doesn't help that everyone around me is pregnant don't get me wrong I am so happy for them but i can't help that i feel this stabbing pain in my chest everytime I look at them! I also can't get out of my head that i should be 31 weeks pregnant now i had an early miscarrige in June and it still hurts now thinking about it im not sure when that will fade.  All of this just became overwhelming and well my dear husband got the tears on Christmas Eve! I have to say that I would be lost without him and am so thankful for his love and support he keeps me sane even when i feel like im losing it! I just hope that this time next year I will have a baby in my arms and all this heartache will be a distant memory. Sorry for the downer post I promise a more positive one next time! This is actually quite theraputic writng this.  

Hi there!

So this is my very first attempt at blogging forgive me if i waffle only im pretty new to this and not really sure where to start! I have a few friends that blog and I really enjoy following them and have thought about blogging for a while but have never been sure where to start or what to write about until now.  So from the title you will see that for now this is going to be a TTC blog. For those that don't don't know TTC means Trying To Conceive. So far this has been a year long journey for me and I have so many thoughts and feelings about my journey so far that I thought it blogging would be a great way to vent those feelings and share my thoughts and experiences with well whoever wants to share them with me!

A little about me...
So for those that don't know which im guessing is probably anyone reading this right now haha! Im Claire im 27 (28 in a couple of weeks!) and have been married to my lovely husband Richard for 4 years. I love my life, family and friends more than anything! I am a full time housewife and can't wait to be a stay at home mom! Im a trained nursery nurse which is a job i did for a while but sadly had to give that up due to a condition i live with which made things a little difficult but more on that later.  A year ago today we decided we were ready to start a family!

Thankyou for reading if you have made it this far without getting bored haha! Im looking forward to sharing my thoughts and experience on this journey and would love for you to follow along.