New life - effects on the body - & possible pregnancy

[Ryan76 46]

Long thread title and I had no idea how to sum it up.

My wife and I have been married 3 months, and everything has been wonderful other than the "typical" stuff for a new immigrant.....like stress over the visa process, missing her family, waiting/stressing to begin work, etc.

Her schedule is also drastically changed...she used to have to get up at 3am every morning in order to get to work on time every day. Now she gets up at 9am. She's also currently not getting as much natural exercise as she used to. Coming from a huge city she usually walked the equivalent of 4-5 miles every day. Now she's sort of just stuck in the house most days while I'm working, and while we're waiting on her to get her work permit. Obviously food/diet has changed as well (although we're trying to eat traditional colombian meals at least a few nights a week).

So as many of you know from your own experiences...EVERYTHING is different for her. Change in stress/stressors, diet, schedule, day to day tasks, heck, even a drastic change in elevation.

She says her cycle (period) is usually the 24th of every month but has varied before until almost a week later. Since she's been here it's started between the 24th and 26th of each month. In Nov. it never came. December 3rd we took a home pregnancy test and it came back negative, and tomorrow we have a doctor's appointment scheduled. We've also done a bit of research and it says periods can be delayed or even skipped due to stress, drastic schedule changes, etc.

I'm just worried about her health more than anything else...the timing for a baby isn't good but if it happens then we will both be happy.

I'm kind of just wondering if anyone else has gone through any drastic body changes when they moved and started a new life. She hasn't really complained of much else, health-wise. One night she had a headache, one morning she woke up with a slightly rapid heart beat...both of which could point to a number of things from simple stress all the way to pregnancy or nothing more than a bad dream.

The other key factor here is that we always used condoms. Sometimes we'd start without it but then put it on halfway through. That maybe more info than you want, but i'm trying to give all the details. So yes, the chance is there, but percentage wise should be a very slim chance. I just have a hard time imagining she's pregnant given the cirucumstances (never had big O without condom, negative pregnancy test), but something is obviously 'off' with her cycle.

[The Mean Lady 604]

Big changes like this can most DEFINITELY screw up your period.

Not to mention even skip it all together. It's COMPLETELY normal if she's stressed.

You are correct to get a test through a dr to make sure.

Use condoms like a responsible adult, and if you can't/won't then get on BC.

[Ryan76 46]

Big changes like this can most DEFINITELY screw up your period.

Not to mention even skip it all together. It's COMPLETELY normal if she's stressed.

You are correct to get a test through a dr to make sure.

Use condoms like a responsible adult, and if you can't/won't then get on BC.

I totally hear you. Hard for me to say no to my wife sometimes, but we've already had the talk about upping our protection level to include other methods.

Anyway, thanks for the response. That fits with most of the research i've done about body changes / periods / stress, etc.

[The Mean Lady 604]

There's nothing wrong with NOT using them in your marriage, just be prepared for the possibility of a baby.

If you choose the method of "knowing your cycle" then it has to be taken seriously which includes using those fertility tests to find out when you SHOULDN'T be having sex to lessen your chances.

Perhaps that's what will work best for your wife.

[EminTX 131]

But be forewarned that major stress, while can impede successful pregnancy, it may NOT impede it either.

I, a semi-old lady who can count on one hand with fingers left over how many time she ovulates in one year, got pregnant on the single most stressful day of this year. Surprise!!!!!!

KD is absolutely correct. Get yourselves a reliable method of contraception. Even if you use the most expensive method on Earth, it is still cheaper than any kid.

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

There's nothing wrong with NOT using them in your marriage, just be prepared for the possibility of a baby.

If you choose the method of "knowing your cycle" then it has to be taken seriously which includes using those fertility tests to find out when you SHOULDN'T be having sex to lessen your chances.

Perhaps that's what will work best for your wife.

If you use ovulation prediction strips, that isn't much of a help with natural family planning. The real key is cervical mucus and taking temperature to confirm ovulation after the fact (so that in future months you can line up cervical mucus with when you ovulate). It isn't for the faint of heart or those with little self control.

[The Mean Lady 604]

If you use ovulation prediction strips, that isn't much of a help with natural family planning. The real key is cervical mucus and taking temperature to confirm ovulation after the fact (so that in future months you can line up cervical mucus with when you ovulate). It isn't for the faint of heart or those with little self control.

Well there you go, you know more about it than me.

I have been taking a pill for 12 years lol.

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

Well there you go, you know more about it than me.

I have been taking a pill for 12 years lol.

You are a saint! I could never do it for more than a couple of months before I got all bitter and fat.

[The Mean Lady 604]

You are a saint! I could never do it for more than a couple of months before I got all bitter and fat.

Oh god. Fat I never got. I mean, sure I don't weigh as much as I did when I was 15, but jesus who does?

In fact, I've lost 25lbs since our wedding 2 years ago lol. So, weight, never an issue.

HOWEVER, instead I just find sex to be completely boring and have no interest in it.

Which is why I think we may be exploring natural planning methods very soon.

My husband is a good sport only to an extent >.<

[Ryan76 46]

My wife said she tried the pill 7 or 8 years ago and gained weight really fast, which is why i think she doesn't like that idea. But either way, as i said before, we will be significantly upping our protection methods regardless of how this all plays out.

Last night was day four after the first negative pregnancy test, so we decided to take another one. Negative again.

Her doctor's appt is today so we'll see how that goes.

[EminTX 131]

If the pill that she took before is not her cup of tea, then there's:

• the patch (I would never recommend it--think of how sexy band-aid residue is and itchitchitch),
  
• shots (some reports of infertility or delayed fertility but oh-so-easy to do),
  
• implants (hard to find in the US now--big weight gain was very common 20 years ago--there should be more options nowdays, though),
  
• Nuva-Ring (Easy, both parties can know it is there, and you can piggy-back them to skip periods),
  
• a whole plethora of pill options, IUD (controversial but popular),
  
• diaphragm (if you can find it),
  
• cervical cap,
  
• a dizzying array of over the counter options
  
• and, of course, you can always use two that are not hormone based together.
  

Here's a site that has lots of easy-to-read info:

Birth control options

KDH, good luck in getting to the point where you and your beloved are matching up. I know that is very frustrating for both parties. There are lots of ideas about dealing with this, but I think your option to look at the hormone effects first is on track.

[The Mean Lady 604]

My wife said she tried the pill 7 or 8 years ago and gained weight really fast, which is why i think she doesn't like that idea. But either way, as i said before, we will be significantly upping our protection methods regardless of how this all plays out.

Last night was day four after the first negative pregnancy test, so we decided to take another one. Negative again.

Her doctor's appt is today so we'll see how that goes.

Just FYI tests should be taken first thing in the morning prior to using the bathroom.

It's when the hormone is most prevalent in urine because you haven't been moving or peeing for hours.

[PA132 5]

Last night was day four after the first negative pregnancy test, so we decided to take another one. Negative again.

A pregnancy test would definitely come up positive by that long after a missed period.

It probably is just stress. I've had stress and the occasional worse-than-normal illness mess up my cycle many times.

My only suggestion would be to try to find some sort of hobby/distraction to help her relax a bit. I'm personally a big fan of walks in the evening, which can be bonding time if you go with her, and will also be good exercise