Everyone Thursday: Marching Wedges

I’m probably way too late here and will need to repost this tomorrow…

I am (admittedly overly) worried about my fertility for a couple of reasons. We’re not going to TTC for another year, and I realize that it’s not helpful to stress about it and that I won’t really be able to see a doctor about it until after a year of not getting pregnant. However, I wanted to run two situations by you ladies to see what your experiences have been.

1) I’ve realized since I stopped BC last year (for reasons other than TTC) that my period is only about 21-23 days long. I know that anything less than 21 days is when OBs start worrying.

2) We’re currently using a combined condom/sympto-thermal method of BC, and I purchased Wondo strips to further confirm when I am ovulating. However, for the past two months I haven’t had a single positive ovulation strip, and that’s with 10 days of twice-a-day testing during my most likely fertile days.

Have any of you had either a very short cycle and/or all negative ovulation strips and easily conceived anyways? Or had difficulty conceiving? I guess I’d just like to know, in advance, if these things are going to be issues I should be aware of.

I am 4 months into a year old severance agreement with a company I was not happy with anyway, at full pay. I am having a baby soon, and have been doing consulting work and spending time with my other kiddo while taking it somewhat easy until #2 arrives in early June. My plan had been to start looking for FT work at the end of the year, with the idea of starting a new role in approx early 2017 or so, when #2 is 6+ months old and my non compete is up. I’ve got background and connections (and am doing consulting) so don’t anticipate a major issue stepping back in, but worst case, our family can survive without my income.

Whelp, I started a conversation with a company that just made me an offer. Conversations had been casual toward the end of the year, then they reached back out a month or so ago and were all but drooling when I told them I was willing to consider a chat. The offer is a VERY nice salary (more than I was making at oldjob), less responsibility in terms of people management but more tailored to my interest in really delving into the industry and relationship building (more of a BD/ cop dev role than department mgmt, which was my old).

The downside: (1) The role is in an office, so I’d be out of the house 8-5 or 8-6 or so, while my old gig and eventual ideal new gig in 2017 would be more flexible in terms of work arrangement. More importantly (2) I give up the next 9 months to spend time with my Kid 1, and have a nice long maternity leave with Kid 2.

If this role were offered to me any time after say, September of this year, I’d take it hands down. But taking it now, diving in, then ramping down (no travel, limited in-office days during the Very Last Weeks of pregnancy, then mat leave of some kind, probably minimal [surely unpaid, but minimal due to having just started…]) seems like a poor idea. They know I’m pregnant and it hasn’t really come up yet.

WWYD?
A. Start a conversation about some kind of start now then ramp up in the fall
B. Take it, but make sure expectations are set around When Baby Comes
C. Ask if they’d hold the role until the fall (?? They’ve been talking to me since Dec, but I know they want to get someone in….I also know they want my background)
Ca. Say no thanks if they are unwilling to do a fall start
Cb. Say yes if they are unwilling to do a fall start and throw all my new money at the problem (remember, I’m getting paid a full salary from my old role, plus this new role which is about 25% more than my old role…) and do my best to perform well while pregnant

Half of me says take it and throw money at it, the other half says enjoy this time with the family and see what’s around in the fall.

Has anyone found a good maternity version of the jockey skimmies? I like that they’re lighter than spanx and want something to get me through the summer with minimal thigh rub :-). Thanks!