Looking for tips (and hello!)

[xcharlotte]

Hi there,

I've just stumbled across Mumsnet and it looks like a great resource & community.
My partner & I have just started TTC (still picking up the acronyms so bear with me!). I'm 36, and have been sort of using Clearblue ovulation kits for the past couple of months, although certainly not religiously.
I just wondered if people had any experience or tips for how long they think it should take to get pregnant.
We've both done that fertility test you can buy in Boots, which came up positive. I know I can conceive as I have done in the past.
So my question really is: assuming there are no deep-lying problems, if we 'go for it' on the 2 fertile days as prescribed by the kit, how long on average should it take?!!
I know I'm really really impatient but like I read somewhere else, I've got a biological clock ticking like Big Ben!

[Lio]

Bump for you, but you could also try the 'find' facility - try 'by topic' or put something like TTC and clearblue into 'search all messages'. Wishing you loads of luck.

[MrsMcJnr]

Welcome to Mumsnet xCharlotte It is a great site, I have learnt so much and met so many lovely and supportive ladies since I joined in June. No BFP yet but the best thing about this site is it always restores your faith that the next cycle WILL be the lucky one!

The most valuable lessons for me have been how to chart my temperature and my CM to determine when I OV so that I can plan BDing in my fertile time. Many say that this causes stress and you are better of BDing 2-3/week throughout your cycle but I like the power the knowledge gives me and I find it fascinating. If you are interested Toni Weschler's book "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" is a great book, or we can help on the various TTC threads.

I have personally given up on the OPKs. I got a few positives the first few cycles but then all negatives which stressed me out and I think delayed OV. Each to their own though. The saliva scope hasn't worked well for me this cycle either.

Can't really say how long it should take to get pregnant, everyone is different but they do say to give it a year before seeking medical advice but some think that if you are timing BDing for your fertile time, it should be less than that. Sorry, it's such a dark art, it's so hard to say.

That's great that you both got positives on the fertility tests. How do they work and were they expensive?

I wouldn't just go for it on 2 days if I were you, I would aim for every day or every other for the 5 days before OV, the day of and the day after. This is because sperm can live for up to 5 days in fertile CM, if you have it that long that is. If not, you can buy a sperm friendly lubricant called Pre-Seed which can apparently mimic fertile CM and let sperm survive and swim.

I hope this helps, stick around and join us on some of the other threads and all the very best to you, sending you tons of Babydust!!!!!!

[AttilaTheMeerkat]

xcharlotte

My tips for what they are worth:-

Do not get hung up at all on making love "at the right time". Timing of intercourse is often a mistake and can do more harm than good. Certainly do not just go for it solely on the two days as advised by the kit. Making love two or three times a week throughout your cycle is fine.

You need to be aware as well that opk's have its own set of problems; they are certainly not infallible. These kits measure levels of LH; if levels of LH are higher than average then the kit will read that. Also these kits assume that a rise in LH will be followed by ovulation; not true. Women can also have more than one rise in LH every month.

Even normally fertile women have the occasional anovulatory cycle. I would keep an eye on your cycles and if they start to lengthen and or become more painful seek medical advice.

Ovulation is not an exact science and women can ovulate earlier, later or not at all in any given cycle.

Unfortunately it does not always follow that if a person has readily conceived in the past they will do so now. Generally speaking fertility declines with age.

The general consensus as well seems to be that if you have been trying for over six months and are over 35 then simple investigative tests should be carried out (e.g semen analysis for partner and blood test for you).

I would not do temp charting at all unless your cycle is completely regular in nature. If your cycles do become more irregular seek medical advice sooner rather than later.

[xcharlotte]

Thanks for your tips!

I'm finding it hard to stop my over-analytical brain spending hours poring over all available information and trying to increase our chances just by being more informed.
Although I'm not averse to trying as often as possible either ;)
The cm testing method sounds interesting... maybe I'll try that next cycle.
Thanks again all

[Mellowma]

Message withdrawn

[xcharlotte]

Btw - MrsMcJnr...

The fertility test was called Fertell, and I bought it from Boots for ~£80.

From their own literature:

"The Female Fertility Test measures ovarian reserve (the quantity of healthy eggs remaining) by diagnosing key hormone levels in your urine.

The Male Fertility Test measures the concentration of sperm in your ejaculate that can swim (known as motile sperm), a key indicator of sperm quality. "

HTH x

[MrsMcJnr]

Thanks XCharlotte - hope you get your BFP soon!