all the fun of making a baby

I know that title sounded like something else, but hey it caught your attention right ? Anyhow so my blog is going to take a turn here, Lately D2 and I have decided it is time to add a new addition to our family. Yes ladies and Gentleman, we want another baby, but it is not that easy. A lot of families today, mine included have a hard time just having a baby. 

According to the CDC around 12% of women ( regardless of marital status) struggle with infertility. But women are not the only ones. about 8% of infertility is among men. 

So in our case, we know why we are struggling to get pregnant. If I have not said it before, I have PCOS. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. There is so much to PCOS that it would make your head spin. If you do not have it and you are not a medical professional you would not believe everything that accompany it. anyhow but this post is not about me or my PCOS, this post is meant to kick off our baby journey and hopefully help some other women who are just beginning their baby journey! 

The most intimidating thing that I have encountered so far is the acronyms. There are sooooo many of them and half of them I have no idea what they are. So I want to kick this baby journey off with a guide to terms and Acronyms. 

TTC -  Trying to conceive. This is a basic one you will see a lot. especially in mommy and TTC groups, threads and subreddits

AF- some of you are already familiar with this term, Aunt Flow. This should not need explanation.

BBT - Basal Body Temp. you will use to track your body temp to predict when you will ovulate. There is a difference between a standard thermometer and a BBT Thermometer. You also have to be very strict when tracking your BBT and do everything to a T otherwise it could throw you off. 

BC or BCP- Birth Control or Birth Control Pill. 

BD- Baby Dance, or in simple terms sex with the intent of conception. 

BFN- Big Fat Negative. This is regarding a pregnancy test 

BFP- Big Fat Positive. This means you have a positive pregnancy test! 

CD-  Cycle Day 

CM - Cervical Mucus 

CP- Chemical Pregnancy ( A very early Miscarriage before the fifth week ) 

DPO- Days Past Ovulation 

EWCM- Egg White Cervical Mucus- If you are TTC you know that you actually have to examine your CM. This is the most fertile CM. You want this! 

FSH- Follicle Stimulating Hormone. 

FMU- first morning urine. This is the best time to test is with your FMU 

FP- Follicular Phase.

HPT- Home Pregnancy Test 

HcG- Human Chorionic Gonadotropin. Hormone detected by pregnancy tests.

IUI- Intra- Uterine Isemination, 

IVF- In Vitro Fertilization. this is the process of extracting eggs, and introducing the two together manually and then placing them inside of a uterus.

LH- Luteinizing hormone. An acute rise of this hormone triggers ovulation. 

LMP- Last Menstrual Period. This is the first day of your last period. 

LP- Luteal Phase. This is the second half of your cycle. This starts after ovulation and ends when you get your next period. 

LPD- this is where your body releases progesterone and the lining of your uterus grows. 

MC- Miscarriage 

MFI- Male Factor Infertility 

NTNP- not trying but not preventing 

O- the big O, no not  orgasm, but Ovulation! 

OPK- Ovulation Prediction Kit. This measures your Luteinizing Hormone which typically surges about one day before ovulation. 

RE- Reproductive Endocrinologist 

SA- Semen Analysis 

TWW- Two Week Wait. This is the grueling two weeks between when you ovulate and when you can take a pregnancy test! 


Alright if I missed anything let me know! I will be happy to edit it.

Tell me about your baby journey and keep posted here as we embark on our baby journey!

Wishing you best of luck and lots of sticky baby dust!