Post IUD Pregnancy

Well, I just had my IUD removed a week ago today. I started my period after 2 days. It had been 2 and 1/2 years without those cramps!!!!! So I will let you know how long it will take me. We don't want to get prego until July or August. My doctor told me that it usually takes up to 3 months.....but sometimes people get lucky right away!!!!!! I feel like it would happen anytime.....just my feeling!!!!! It took me 1 year after depo to get prego with my 1st child!!!! This time feels different...I hope!!!! Good Luck

Hi T.,

I can't tell you about pregnancy after an IUD, but I can reccomend a great web site for helping you maintain your weight and even lose weight after pregnancy healthily. www.afterbaby.com I plan to use their program after I have my baby in two months. Good luck and may God bless you with another little bundle soon.
M. K

I got prego within 2 months of having my IUD removed. As far as weight gain during pregnancy, just eat sensibly. I craved all the wrong foods when I'm pregnant. I just have to re-think. Eat lots of fruits and veggies.
I had my 1st child 4 months before I graduated. I walked across the stage with her in my arms and her own cap and gown. Congrats on getting your degree. Also, please don't feel that you have to have a paying job to be a contributing member of society. Raising your kids to be responsible members of society is the best contribution you could give.

I have an IUD now and probably won't have any more kids, but my doc told me that once the IUD is out I would likely begin ovulating right away. With the IUD I still have periods but they are very very light. Some of my friends don't have periods at all. Lucky them!!!

As far as weight loss goes, get the boook Body for Life for Women by Dr. Peeke. It may seem somewhat restrictive but I have not found that to be the case. It teaches portion control and talks about all the fun things women go through that usually hinder weight loss. I have found the eating plan easy. I do have to limit certain foods, but that goes without saying. You are not going to lose weight if your diet is mostly refined cards and saturated fat. I still eat those things but I have to really really crave it or find myself in a bind to resort to food that may taste good but will not help me lose weight. For instance, we're military and just this past week had our house packed out because we are moving on to our next duty station. It was very stressful and frankly I did not care what I ate!!! I kept up with my workouts at the gym but this week I need to focus on my eating again. I feel so tired and worn out when I don't eat the right foods.
Well, good luck with the weight loss and with having another baby!

Hi T.!
Congratulations on your goals! I was in your shoes a little over a year ago. I had an IUD for four years and had it removed last August. We thought we would see what would happen, if it was meant to be, we'd get pregnant. We ended up getting pregnant in October. I don't think the IUD removal made the difference in the timing of the pregnancy as much as other factors! I probably could have gotten preganant sooner. Now I am eight months pregnant and expecting a baby on July 22nd. I, too, was concerned about weight gain. I have managed to keep my gain down to 17 lbs this time so it is possible. Just talk to your doctor on a safe weight gain. Mine said to try to keep it under 25 lbs so that was my goal. I hope my experience can help you make your decision! I wish you the best!

I don't know how different the IUDs are now than they were when my mother had hers. She had it removed and got pregnant with me immediately. She didn't even have another period after it was removed. Of course that was a million years ago, well at least 30 something. Good luck!!

Hi T. - I got pregnant within 2 months of removing the Mirena IUD. My MD said that women start to ovulate almost immediately. Good luck!

My daughter is 4 and I'm due in July with #2. Since you are so busy with school and a preschooler, I bet you won't gain as much weight. It's so easy to do the first time around, but you live and learn. I gained a lot with #1 and have gained 1/2 of that this time around...no doubt b/c I have DD to run around after. Again, good luck!

eat anything that you want but if you know that it is high calorie or BAD for you only eat half of it...one cookie instead of 2-3, half of the baked potato with everything on it, half of the piece of cake or pie, single candies instead of the whole candybar...
I once lost weight over thanksgiving and christmas by doing this... and I didn't feel deprived.

My third child was concieved while I was had the IUD. It happens in about 10% of the cases. My Doctor jokingly said she was holding it her hand at birth. Move forward and good luck.

My 2nd is a post IUD baby and she was 'easy' to conceive. I think I had my IUD out for about a month when we had a whoops with a condom, we decided to give it a week of trying (it was the right time of the month) and there you have it bebe #2.

As far as weight gain, just sensible healthy food/eating. My midwife says high protien lower carbs.

Good luck!

Hi T.!
you said...I can finally be a contributing member of society....whoa nellie! You already are!!!! Mom's have the most difficult job on earth and here you are with one child and planning another. AND on top of it, going to school, keeping house, planning meals, child care, hubby care. You've got lots of hats in place and do already contribute much. I just wanted to say that first.

As to the iud....I had one, it fell out. No problem getting pregnant. Youngest daughter now 33. for what it's worth, check with your doctor and see what they say.

Diet and weight control. Whoee, that's a tough one when pregnant... or when not pregnant.... One way I've lost weight in the past was basically portion control. Ate, do eat, what I want, just not a whole lot of it. Healthy snacks, no fried foods, go back to the basics, fruit, veggies, chicken, turkey, fish, little red meat. Diets do not work, too much deprivation involved. Lifestyle changes work. Hard to do at first, but certainly possible. I've recently been diagnosed with gluten intolerance and boy it's been tough to give up some stuff, but I'm finding after a while I don't really miss all those processed foods and feel much better. And have lost weight with no effort. So there ya go, best of luck to you!
Hugs,
J. (Mom to 10..mine, his, step and adopted....and grandmother to gee...I think about 19 counting everyone's off-spring....)

I don't know what type of IUD you have. I had the Mirena and had it removed in January 05, started having normal periods in February, and got pregnant with my son in August. I was using ovulation kits and did start back to ovulating right away. I was also overweight when I got pregnant with him. I watched what I ate and gained about 20 pounds which I lost right after having him. I have since lost 30 pounds and am back to my pre-pregnacy weight that I was at before having my daughter 11 years ago. I am now 14 weeks pregnant with our 3rd and final child and am going to try to gain a healthy weight again (20-25 pounds). Congrats on your schooling!! My Mom just graduated with her nurse practitioner after being an RN for many years. L.

I personally don't have any experience with an IUD, but me and my 3 sisters are all 2 years apart, and our mother used an IUD in between each pregnancy. Mind you, this was 30+ years ago. Anyway, each time her doctor removed it, he jokingly said to her, "See you next month." And he ususally did beause she got pregnant right away. GOOD LUCK with getting pregnant!!!!

As far as weight loss goes, I have had success on Weight Watchers. They will not let you participate in the program if you are pregnant unless you have a doctor's note saying that you don't need to gain weight during your pregnancy. However, once you have the baby you can attend. Also, if you were to start Weight Watchers before you get pregnant, you would have all the info about how the program works and you could do it on your own while you are pregnant to keep yourself from gaining too much weight. BEST WISHES to you!!!!

I had an IUD after my second child. It was in place for almost 3 years. I had it removed and within 2 months was pregnant with our 3rd (due May 30).
As for the weight gain, you now have a 3 year old to chase around while pregnant which will help with the weight gain. With my first I gained a little over 50 pounds, with my second I gain around 40, with this one I have gained around 30 (I dont really track my weight gain, if there is a problem, the doctor will tell me). Chasing around a 5 yr. old and a 4 yr. old has really helped me with the weight gain!

I'm not sure about getting pregnant AFTER having an IUD but I have a 23 year old daughter who was conceived while I still had my IUD. I had been instructed to have the IUD changed after 3 years to reduce the risk of infection. So I did, and about 6 months later discovered I was pregnant. The IUD came out buried in the placenta when she was born. I gained a total of 9lbs 5 ounces while I was pregnant with her and she was a 7lb 3oz baby! I didn't deliberately do that - I just craved a lot of seafood and salads. Best of luck with your plans - Since the IUD does not interfere with the ovulation cycle, having it removed should no impact your ability to get pregnant right away.

Never think you aren't a contributing member of society!! Raising children can be the biggest contribution. Just think- you can only do the work of one person but if you raise two or more children you multiply your efforts!!

Congrats on your degree and planning to have a second child!!

I have been pregnant four times- the first time I was on bedrest in the hospital the last month and gained a whole lot of weight. I was determined to weight the same when I delivered as I did when I got pregnant for the next three...and I did it!!

I got as much exercise as possible, even if it was while I watched tv. I tried to get enough sleep and drink only water...no sodas. I found munchie things that were low in calories and fat and I planned my meals and snacks and made sure to eat several small snacks a day. You are used to counting calories so you are used to doing some of that already. I don't think counting calories is necessary, but you should always be aware of what you are putting in your body and when.

I should point out that I am severely overweight and the babies grew well so my lack of gaining weight was not a concern. If you are underweight or an ideal weight you will want to gain some reasonable weight during pregnancy. The pregnancy where I gained way too much weight I actually had a small baby- only 4 lbs (2 months premature.)

Good luck and have fun,
S. mom to four girls

HI T. - I also had an IUD it took I believe 3-4 months for my cycle to get back in sync - good luck!

HI,
I used an IUD for years. My first pregnancy took 2 years but the second took two months. I also had/have thyroid hormone deficiency. Everyone is different. So who knows.
Good luck. You are an inspiration on loosing weight. It is hard at first but knowing what you need to do and doing it is the key. You have the key so keep it up. Do remember daily vitamins.

T.,

If your doctor says it's okay, try the exercise videos "Fit Mama" by Leisa Hart and "Pregnancy Workout" by Kathy Smith. They really worked for me. Walking and swimming are also great exercise. A healthy diet and exercise are so important, especially during pregnancy. If you're in good shape now then you should be able to continue to exercise during your pregnancy. You'll feel so much better and be far less uncomfortable during those last few months.

If you're interested in losing weight now I suggest looking into the South Beach Diet (there is a book/audio book you can check out at the library). Also, avoid drinking your calories (e.g. soda, juice,). Then make exercise a daily part of your life (walking, biking, swimming, exercise videos, running, kettle bells, whatever it takes to keep you motivated!) You rock for wanting to be the healthiest you can be before, during, and after pregnancy!

Good luck with your RN/BSN degree! It's a great, flexible career for someone with a family. I have my RN/BSN. I work 2 or 3 times a month on weekends when my husband can be home with our four children. I work for a staffing agency at one of the local hospitals. I currently earn between $36 to $38 per hour. But, my full time job is raising our wonderful children and being the best wife I can be to the best husband in the world.

Well, I'm glad others said what I was thinking, and that is that you already are a contributing member of society by being a woman, a wife and having the awesome responsibility of being a mom! Thanks for mentioning Spark People. I checked out their site and decided to join! See, you are more of a blessing than you realize! Blessings to you!

pregnancy is about gaining weight for the baby. If you are worried about that then you are not ready to have one. I am sorry if that sounds mean or bitchy, but you need to be focused on having a healthy child and that means gaining a healthy amount of weight not worrying about counting your calories and keeping trim...worry about that after your little one has been born and you are done with breastfeeding (this requires a high caloric intake to keep up with your little ones demands on your body).

To make sure baby weight comes off quickly afterwards and stays off work with your doctor to keep fit during pregnancy and afterwards with a light exercise routine that includes walking and mother/baby or mother toddler (as you have a three year old) yoga.

Good Luck ;-)

I just wanted to say, Good luck, and I hope that everthing goes in a timely fashion for you, as you would like!

When I had my IUD removed, I was able to get pregnant immediately since it was not the hormonal IUD but rather the copper one. However, I was placed on birth control due to cysts on my ovaries...still got pregnant even though I had the cysts and was on birth control later on.

You would just need to ask your doctor based on the type of IUD, whether you can conceive immediately or what to expect. Sometimes birth control methods will take 1 week up to 3 months before allowing you the ability to conceive. But the hypothetical is once you do not have the protection, you are taking the chance of pregnancy.

As for the weight loss, since you are considering conceiving, I would sit down and speak with the doctor to see if you are at a good weight, overweight, or underweight. I found it amusing with WIC when they advised me that I could go up another 20 pounds...ive been overweight most of my life and just about fell out of the chair when they said "go ahead, its okay to gain weight". Ironically with this pregnancy, I have lost about 20 pounds, and while I am trying to ensure my child is getting everything she needs, I also am trying to avoid gaining any extra weight. With my other two, I gained approximately 20 pounds or so a piece.

If anything, just make sure you are intaking prenatals already, since you plan to conceive, a well balanced diet, and exercise. Dieting doesn't work since you end up denying foods you can have in moderation and you also tend to cut out essential vitamins, nutrients, and minerals. Best advice, just speak with your primary or your ob/gyn to see what they say.

Well I wanted to share my experince with you, February 1st of this year I had my IUD removed with the hopes of having another child. Well need less to say on March 8th I was 3 weeks pregnant so, in some cases it does not take long at all, others may take a little longer. Today I am 14 1/2 weeks pregnant and everything going well. Good luck to you and God Bless!!

I had the Mirena IUD for nearly three years. I had it removed in Jan of 2007 and conceived in April. However, I miscarried in June. I then conceived again in August and miscarried again in September. I'm not sure if it was related to having the IUD or not. The cause of both miscarriages was never determined. I conceived again in November and am currently due the first week in August. I have read online that some people question whether there is a higher risk for miscarriage after having an IUD, but don't know the answer.

Just the same dieting advice you've probably heard - portion control. When you're pregnant you might want to look at the "Bradley - diet". I know I learned about it during my Bradley childbirth classes. You eat lots of extra protein which is supposed to help stabilize your blood sugar during pregnancy. Also you might want to see a diet plan for women who are diabetic during their pregnancy. It is safe for all pregnant women to follow. You'll find lots of food plans to follow, but I know how hard it is to follow when you feel hungry all the time. Good luck!

T., I have no information about the post IUD pregnancy thing, but I believe it is right away that you can start trying. I do know how to lose weight. I gained 65 lbs with my first child, 55 with my second and 45 with my third and I am only 5 foot 4. My pre-pregnancy weight was already 145! I can't believe I was over 200lbs. Anyway, I lost the baby weight by working out a lot and kind of watching what I ate until I plateaued at 145 again. I could not lose any more no matter how hard I tried. I exercised till I thought I would die and...nothing! Then I asked a friend how she looked so good after four kids and she said Weight Watchers. There is no special food that you have to buy, and no foods that you can't eat. There are WW snacks and food that you CAN buy, but it is not necessary.

You can eat the same food as your family...they have online tools where you can put in your favorite recipes and they take the fat, calories and fiber and break down how many "points" a serving of your food is...then you just stick to a serving since you are bound by how many points you can have in a day. That doesn't mean that you can't eat. Veggies for example are zero points (except for potatoes and corn) so you can eat an entire can of green beans and it is "free." You can eat a piece of fruit, or a hershey's miniature for one point. A piece of whole wheat toast is one, an egg is two and a slimfast shake is three, pretzels are one or two for 20, one cup of rice or pasta is four. The real issues about eating come out when you count points. One ounce of lean meat is only one point, but one ounce of cheese is three (one ounce of cheese is the same as an egg and a piece of toast, or one slimfast shake!). Depending on your weight, age and activity level, most people start out with twenty five to thirty five points per day, (plus a weekly bonus of 35 points to use when you want to splurge)so that is a lot of food.

While I was losing my 28 lbs IN FOUR MONTHS WHICH I HAVE KEPT OFF FOR A YEAR, I ate a filet mignon and half serving of fettucini alfredo and two huge slices of Dominoes Brooklyn-style pepperoni pizza EVERY WEEKEND! If you decide to joint the program or want pricing info and all, please e-mail me. I actually have inspired five people in my are to join because of my success...one of them had such great success herself that she now works for the company. You can see before and after pix by going to myspace.com/heatherfife. WOULD LOVE TO SHARE MORE WITH ANY OF YOU! AND I DON'T EVEN GET PAID TO SING THEIR PRAISES!