A Different Kind of Question
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brittda posted 36 weeks ago.
funny you should ask that. It is personal, but I can give you the female and male side :) We have been trying for 2 years. I will be 40 in May so we don't really have time either. After about a year we both got tested. He is fine. He was tested while riding 40+ miles rt each day to work and long weekend rides. Now they say cycling impacts this, but since we KNOW he is ok that leaves me.
I have been on fertility treatments now ballooning up in weight even though I am training for an Ironman in August. Not so fun. You did not mention if she works out as well. I have been told this can affect things as well, although clearly I have not stopped training. I don't want to stop to "maybe" get pregnant. Probably selfish on my side but thats how it is. I do know the drugs had a MAJOR affect in my last marathon training schedule. They "hyper stimulate" the female body and can cause problems. Many of my long runs were compromised and my race showed.
If time is of the essence, I would suggest you both get tested if you have been trying for a while. It's not cheap and most insurance companies won't pay but if you want a kiddo you may want to at least KNOW.
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cherelli posted 36 weeks ago.
Hi guys,
So many of my friends are getting pregnant at the moment and we are thinking of trying for kids later this year; a friend pointed out a book to me called "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" by Toni Weschler (2002) which I have been reading to get a better of idea of how my body works in terms of knowing when we are more likely to be able to conceive naturally, effects of different fertility treatments, how the female body works (everything they never told me in high school!) etc. Talks about the 5 hormones involved in the female cycle, the effects of your luteal phase not being long enough, physical exercise/stress effects etc (even has a section for the males too). Anyways, I've just finished reading it and found it very enlightening and I believe it will be useful to us later when trying for kids. Just thought I'd mention it as it could save money and time getting tested etc when you realise that you're not conceiving due ovulation having already occurred or not occurring yet for another 5 days (unlike what they say in high school, every cycle is not the same, you DON'T always ovulate day 14, it could be day 10 or day 25 of the cycle!) - really is interesting to find out just how the female body works if nothing else.
Another book I'm reading (which has many good reviews by more athletic women) is "Exercising Through Your Pregnancy" by James F Clapp III.
Best wishes to you both for a growing family and good luck in your IMs :)
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brittda posted 36 weeks ago.
cherelli wrote:
Hi guys,So many of my friends are getting pregnant at the moment and we are thinking of trying for kids later this year; a friend pointed out a book to me called "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" by Toni Weschler (2002) which I have been reading to get a better of idea of how my body works in terms of knowing when we are more likely to be able to conceive naturally, effects of different fertility treatments, how the female body works (everything they never told me in high school!) etc. Talks about the 5 hormones involved in the female cycle, the effects of your luteal phase not being long enough, physical exercise/stress effects etc (even has a section for the males too). Anyways, I've just finished reading it and found it very enlightening and I believe it will be useful to us later when trying for kids. Just thought I'd mention it as it could save money and time getting tested etc when you realise that you're not conceiving due ovulation having already occurred or not occurring yet for another 5 days (unlike what they say in high school, every cycle is not the same, you DON'T always ovulate day 14, it could be day 10 or day 25 of the cycle!) - really is interesting to find out just how the female body works if nothing else.
Another book I'm reading (which has many good reviews by more athletic women) is "Exercising Through Your Pregnancy" by James F Clapp III.
Best wishes to you both for a growing family and good luck in your IMs :)
Thanks! I have the first book, very good actually. Funny we spend so much time trying NOT to get pregnant that we don't know a lot of that stuff.
I would still recommend the testing if : 1. you are older and have been trying for more than 6 months- 1 year 2. have been trying for a while. My problem is not that I ovulate on different days, but not at all.
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AGFlorida posted 36 weeks ago.
Thanks for the responses brittda and cherelli. I think I'm going to do everything i can to make this happen before the integral part of my training begins. Otherwise, I'll focus on the running and swimming until I can hit the bike. Can you do an Ironman with just swim and run training? I seriously doubt it.
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brittda posted 36 weeks ago.
AGFlorida wrote:
Thanks for the responses brittda and cherelli. I think I'm going to do everything i can to make this happen before the integral part of my training begins. Otherwise, I'll focus on the running and swimming until I can hit the bike. Can you do an Ironman with just swim and run training? I seriously doubt it.
Like I said, hubby got tested while training and everything was a-ok. I think that part is highly individual :)
And no, you must cycle...If I thought I could get away with it I would never ride-ahahhahaha
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triath02 posted 36 weeks ago.
We conceived our 3rd child about 2 months into my training for IM Florida in 2004. He was a couple of months old when he travelled to the race with us. We have 4 kids now, so training has not affected that part of our lives! I think Steve Larsen has 5 kids, and I'm sure he puts in more time on the bike than me!
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tri-ac posted 36 weeks ago.
unless you have a particular reason that might cause you to be the issue, your training shouldn't limit you from doing your part.
the danger of biking on your reproductive organs is an overuse issue (ie it takes a long time to kill them off). so the damage is already done, IF IT'S AN ISSUE AT ALL...my guess is that you will have no troubles. you might be too tired for fun in the bedroom at times, but there's always recovery weeks every fourth week to get back up on that horse :)
having a newborn arrive during training for IM would be a different matter...those little suckers need time from you; and your wife will also need time from you to be there and help her
practice makes perfect...have fun "training" this year! ;)
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Socket posted 36 weeks ago.
tri-ac wrote:
but there's always recovery weeks every fourth week to get back up on that horse :)
Perhaps not the most elegant turn of phrase there ;-)
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burnman posted 36 weeks ago.
My wife and I had two kids with relative ease - i.e. no effects from training other than fatigue which only hampered the act of conception (much to her dismay). One simple fact is that you can't conceive unless you try - and by all means, my friend, "try" frequently. I don't want to rain on anyone's parade, but experience tells me that training for an IM and having kids are somewhat mutually exclusive goals, by nature. Success stories are great, but don't base your decisions on anyone else's experiences. Base it on your personal convictions, and those of your significant other. After all, once you have a family, training is no longer an individual endeavor. I'm probably successful in that I manage training and family obligations in a relatively balanced fashion. But that is not to say that it's accomplished without challenges. Good luck!
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tri-ac posted 36 weeks ago.
Socket wrote:
tri-ac wrote:but there's always recovery weeks every fourth week to get back up on that horse :)Perhaps not the most elegant turn of phrase there ;-)
yeah, no offense really intended, but sometimes you get more bang for your buck, so to speak [there i go again], with multiple meanings...and it's more fun that way on the internet :)
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jtrimom posted 36 weeks ago.
tri-ac wrote:
Socket wrote:tri-ac wrote:but there's always recovery weeks every fourth week to get back up on that horse :)Perhaps not the most elegant turn of phrase there ;-)
yeah, no offense really intended, but sometimes you get more bang for your buck, so to speak [there i go again], with multiple meanings...and it's more fun that way on the internet :)
yea, tri-ac and beads are the kings of the double entendre on trifuel
Taper Naked
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jonovision_man posted 36 weeks ago.
I've spent a lot of time in the saddle... and if I even glance at my wife she seems to get pregnant! If it weren't for real birth control (cycling doesn't count!) we'd have to move. ;) Three kids and hopefully done!
jono
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groovyjen posted 36 weeks ago.
brittda wrote:
If time is of the essence, I would suggest you both get tested if you have been trying for a while. It's not cheap and most insurance companies won't pay but if you want a kiddo you may want to at least KNOW.
+1 to brittda. I'm relatively new to triathlons, but old hat at infertility. Odds are you'll conceive with no problems - but you may find yourself in that 10% of couples who need some help. General guideline is testing after 6 months if 35 or older, testing after 1 year if younger.
Good luck on both the conceiving and the Ironman!
I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...
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Ironmom posted 36 weeks ago.
I'm not sure how much effect exercising has on ability to conceive. I'd say it's more likely to be a positive effect given that healthy, happy, fit bodies just by nature seem to come together more often ;-)
Goodness knows, for hubby and I our exercise lifestyle didn't seem to have much of an effect for us. 2 unprotected occasions = 2 kids. Though they were both conceived during base season in the winter. Maybe that's not a coincidence...
Now as for training for an Ironman when your first baby is about to be born, I personally would not do that. Nor would I encourage my hubby to do so. Ironman training and racing is by nature a pretty selfish thing. Having a child is the most selfless endeavor on the planet. A baby's first year just rushes past you with every day bringing something new and special. I wouldn't want to miss that due to the fatigue and scheduling of IM training. I know its been done, but it's not something I'd willingly choose.
Blue Skies, -Robin-
http://ironmom.blogspot.com/
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dscf23 posted 36 weeks ago.
First thing, DO IT A LOT. If you don't have sex how is your wife going to get pregnant? I have a doctor friend tell me that some couples TRY without at least having sex 3 times a week. That is hard on your swimers, let them do some training too. Just chack with her if the schedule of pregnancy will coincide with IM. I would suggest that you wait for after. It will be better for everyone, but consult with her.
Daniel
Daniel
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Tamara posted 36 weeks ago.
Presuming that all the cycling, etc... doesn't impact your ability to contribute to conception, let me ask you a few questions. It seems like you're getting advice that it won't impact your fertility, but that trying to train for an IM with a new baby is just about impossible.
Would you be okay with continuing to train, but then NOT doing Ironman if your wife gets pregnant this week? I'm saying this because unless your wife is already pregnant and you guys just don't know it, your future child won't be born before IMFL is over at this point. So, how does your wife feel about you being "selfish" in the later stages of her pregnancy so that you can do your IM before a baby is born in Dec/Jan/Feb? Presuming she's okay with it, I'd say train away. Have lots of sex as part of your recovery from training! And assume that if all goes well you'll be holding a finisher's medal in November and your new child this winter.
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AGFlorida posted 36 weeks ago.
First of all, thanks to everyone for taking the time to post and offer advice. I really appreciate it the support as well.
Tri-ac, I like the humor......keep it coming.
Ironmom, I also would never train for an Ironman after my child has been born. Hopefully, my wife will be pregnant during my training. The baby would be born after IMFL.
I have no problem with "doing it a lot" dscf23. Even during training, I am always willing to participate.
Tamara, the answer to your question is I will do whatever my wife wants me to do during her pregnancy. That's obviously a very selfless time for her and I will support her in any way I can. If she asks me to wait and do Ironman another year, I will wait. So far though, my wife doesn't seem to have a problem with me training while she's pregnant. She even talks about writing "Irondad to Be" on my trisuit. Could that change after she becomes pregnant? I suppose, and I'll just have to wait and see.
Thanks again to everyone.
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Ironmom posted 36 weeks ago.
I didn't think about the timeline being as it's already March, so the baby wouldn't be born until after IM. I'd say if her pregnancy is straightforward and she's okay with it, then why not? But keep in mind that all kinds of things can happen during pregnancy, like women needing to be on bedrest or babies coming early or whatever. So I guess you'd have to be in a headspace where even if you'd trained for 20 straight weeks and the Ironman was just around the corner, it might be necessary to call a halt to it. Only you know whether or not that would work for you.
Blue Skies, -Robin-
http://ironmom.blogspot.com/
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beads1985 posted 36 weeks ago.
Getting checked by a Doctor is a good idea.
being in great health with all your training should help you, and make you more physically appealy to each other
Now get some candles, sexy lingerie, dim the lights, watch some Ironman Kona on DVD, and then have lots of sex,
Recover, rinse, and repeat and enjoy the ride ;-)
'Nothing to it, but to do it!'
I have paid and registered for the 2009 Florida Ironman, and I am extremely excited about the training and the race itself. I think about it every day, and I can't wait for the whole experience. My wife and I also want to try to conceive a child in the coming months. My question to anyone here that might be in the know is can you train for an Ironman and conceive a child at the same time? The reason I ask is that I've heard that cycling, tight pants, and excessive heat in the important region due to exercise can hinder our chances of conception. Waiting until after the Ironman to attempt to conceive is not an option. I realize that I may have to realize where my priorities lie and wait until next year to do the Ironman, but I'm hoping I don't have to make that decision. I dream of doing this Ironman. I don't want to wait. I know it probably depends on the person, but do any of you have any experience with this or know anything about it. I realize it's kind of a personal question, but any help would be appreciated. You don't have to write a novel about it either. I'm just hoping for some quick one liner success stories. I apologize if this is too much information for some.
Thanks.