The all new rat smacketers thread, this way for a 2012 BFP we are BROOKING NO ARGUMENT

Hi all. Sorry to hear some of you have been having a rough time of it, I've missed an awful lot. I've taken a little while off as was feeling a bit down, sorry for disappearing without saying why. We're off on hols on wednesday so won't be around for a while either - about three weeks in fact!

Imps welcome back! Glad you had a great time, it sounds like you had a wonderfully healthy holiday!

Pop no AF yet? Very good sign! Fingers crossed for you, lovely.

bean I hope you get to see a decent GP this week. So sorry you had a rubbish one last week - they really don't understand the trouble they cause do they?

Maybe sorry you're still unwell. I hope you feel better soon. Daytime tv is deeply depressing, do you have some good dvd's to watch?

Bartlet I was so sorry to see your news. I hope you're getting all the time you need to recover.

Got my GP appointment tomorrow, supposed to be referral time although DH has messed up and only dropped his SA last friday. Hopefully my problems will be enough - I think they are anyway!

Back to the manic house-packing. Did I mention that our kitchen is being done while we're away as well? So I'm emptying our kitchen too, while surrounded by appliances, worktops and cabinets. At least the worst will be over by the time we're back - in fact we've been told that it will all be done. How cool is that?

Oh goodness maybe you're still ill? Did you manage and SWI? If so, I think you should get Barlett's (?) award for SWI with illness :o

Yes that's a bit mean, banning melty cheese when it's not your DP that's pregnant? I think how lovely it will be to be able to carry a DC, feel every movement and growth, and to give birth - and that far outweighs having to give up a bit of pate? I think the men get the short straw tbh, even if they can have a cheeky beer and we can't, so it seems a bit spiteful to make them give it up without getting any of the perks in exchange!

Welcome back imps, and hello froot

pop, London was mostly meant to be pleasure, but with an ex-colleagues networking type fancy pants dinner in the middle. Seeing my pals was lovely, but I was beset my public transport failures at every turn, which made it all a bit stressy.

Sorry to hear you're unwell again maybe. I meant to say before, that whilst babies can be expensive, you don't have to spend loads to sort them out, and because your life is ruined completed, you don't go out any more. And there's no point having good clothes, and a week's holiday in Devon seems like absolute luxury, none of this aeroplane business. So you save quite a lot too.

Hello everyone else. I made coconut macaroons for a colleague as it's her birthday, but she's not here yet so we can eat them.

Imps my lovely!! So good to have you back. Your holibobs sound fantastic! That BFP is just around the corner!!

Thanks Pop it can be tough sometimes, but at least we all have each other I really hope AF is staying away today

Imps also, well done you on the alcohol front. I think I am going to try and give up my wine if this cycle isn't the one That's tough on your friend that she doesn't have the moral support from her DH. I have read things on other threads where the pregnant ladies have forced their DHs/DPs to give up everything that they aren't allowed to eat during pregnancy I could never do that to DH. It's one thing adopting a healthy lifestyle to get pregnant, but another thing to ban foods out of jealousy

I am off sick again today. Really thought I was getting better, but have spent the last 12 hours crippled with stomach cramps. Managed to get 3 hours sleep just now, so feeling a little better.

In other news, I do believe an egg has popped. Got a really +ve OPK last night that came up straight away (I normally wait for ages to see anything) and my temp has gone from 97.74 to 98.34 this morning.

Whims that's a great idea! What a clever way to recycle an old jumper :)
Sorry that AF turned up, though the fizzy wine sounds ace. Was London for work or pleasure? It's been ages since I've been, I must hop on a train sometime :)

Thanks maybe - it's not nearly as difficult as it sounds though! I know what you mean about ttc friends; I only have friends that got pg easily I'm glad DH is feeling a bit less tressed, too.

Ah, sorry little it feels like it was ages ago I hope have is doing ok and the repairwork is coming along well.

Hi imps ! Your holiday sounds lovely. Don't worry about work ? you're counting down the days, now! Yes I popped 3 days early this month and AF due today - I had my usual nausea and trapped wind tmi yesterday so I think she will arrive as planned, though we shall seeeee.

Pops, any AF-based news from you? You popped early too this month didn't you? We can be early egg-popping preggo buddies, if you want!

Bean, well done to you and your OH for OH's alcohol abstinence. Hopefully he will soon discover how much better he feels for cutting down and will wander why he didn't do it sooner. I've found that my OH has cut down without realising because I no longer drink that much - e.g. when we went out for dinner on hols, we didn't get a bottle of wine because I was just on soft drinks so he just had a glass of wine or a couple of beers. I'd love it if he cut down even more, and I will ask him too if we haven't had any luck by the summer. My TTC friend (they've been trying for a couple of years and have had one MMC during that time sadly) told me that her DH has asked her not to drink or smoke anymore so that she will get pregnant - but he is happily drinking and smoking as normal - I feel so sad that he is making her feel responsible for their difficulties.

Right, I must crack on and get meself to work. Catch up later!!

Oooh, welcome Froot btw! That BFP will be yours in no time at all.

Oh, whoops, posted too soon - let me finish what I was going to say...

Morning smacketers!! I'm back after a fantastic holiday - so relaxing and lovely to spend some quality time with OH. It was actually a pretty healthy holiday - I barely had anything to drink, and although we ate quite a lot it was mainly fish and veg and a whole shoulder of lamb between the two of us and we did loads of walking. Feeling properly refreshed now but am just a bit gutted to have to go back to the miserableness of work.

Little, I am so so so sorry to hear about your miscarriage. I went away before you posted and was so hoping to hear better news when I got back. I hope you will want to get back into full rat smacketing action soon.

Stasi, random WTF cycles like to turn up every now and then, don't they? I've had a fairly weird one - I got watery EWCM way earlier than normal (CD 10 in fact!) and it looks like I ovulated on CD16 - 2 or 3 days earlier than usual. Unfortunately I started the shagathon too early (given the EWCM) and by CD16 OH had run out of steam so we missed ov day.

Far, I really hope that you and DH are back on track. I don't think that men like to be burdened with responsibility for stuff and it freaks them out to think that whether or not a baby comes along is (in their mind) purely down to them. Don't let it drive a wedge between you - that's just what the rats and their cronies want.

Maybe glad DH has come around! I worry about money and practicalities waaay more than OH and it does stress me out slightly - the other day I was saying to OH that I had no idea how we were going to combine our commuting with getting children to and from school - he had to remind me that we have at least 5 years before we actually have to worry about that!

You're right Whim, TTC seems to big the thing that must not be spoken of. A bit like Voldemort

Little I forgot to ask, how are you getting on?

Pop I think you are confusing me with have, who had the fire. I'm pretty sure I've spotted her under a name change, so I won't out her incase she wants to remain inconspicuous for a while! I hope she's ok after the fire too, though.

You never know, maybe, you might do. It's not something that comes up often in conversation is it. Perhaps in 6 months time, when you and an old friend are both comparing your bumps, it'll turn out you both tried for a long time at the same time.

Glad to hear you had a good chat with your fella. must be a relief.

Bonsoir!

Pop we had so much food last night. We couldn't manage starter or dessert, but it is in the oven now!

AF is not coming tomorrow Pop mark my words. Your cardi sounds lovely. I wish I could design a pattern, would be lovely.

Whim sounds like a good night was had hope your head wasn't too sore after all the brandy So sorry AF turned up. But you gave her a good drink to celebrate her last visit so she'll be too pickled to return for a while

I wish I had a TTC friend, but it is just me I don't have lots of close friends anyway, and those that are, are male anyway

DH and I had a proper talk today. We have decided to screw any money worries, and go for it. And he has properly decided to go for it, baby town a-go-go in the maybe household

Froot I cam off the pill 11 months ago, and I still find that things aren't entirely normal. I have vowed I am never going back on the pill until we definitely don't want anymore bambinos

Hello everyone
Thanks bean, that was a lovely thing to say. I hope your house is filled with lots more little people soon (but don't go stealing them from the supermarket. People get funny about that)

pop I have what my boys call my goat legs for when I work from home (also being too tight environmentally friendly to put heating on). They are the arms of a slightly felted cashmere jumper, that i wear on my legs like pulled up leg warmers. And I sit with a hotty on my lap. A hot water bottle, not an attractive person. Although that would work too (although might be distracting from the work).

I've just had a couple of days in London. AF turned up yesterday, and I stayed up very late drinking fizzy wine and brandy when it ran out with a wonderful good old friend, who is also ttc. It was just lovely to have a proper conversation with someone, although it did feel indulgent as this will be her first. But I know she's glad to have someone else who knows what she's talking about. I had to check whether she's on here though! It would have been wierd if she was one of you...

Little I haven't heard from munx but she went awol for a while when she got a BFP previously - so I wouldn't necessarily worry yet? I hope it's going well, if you're lurking, munx :)

I hope your feast was yummo, maybe ?
It's my own pattern ? pretty basic tbh, just a top-down raglan with an eyelet pattern. I bought some yummy vintage glass buttons from a craft fair and I'm excited about using them; I'll just have to remember to be careful with them when I'm washing it!

Little was it you that had the fire just before Christmas? How are things now?

Ahhh froot if you've just come off the pill it might take a few cycles to settle back to normal ? my first cycle post-pill was a month and a half, but I'm now back down to 30ish days. I do think it's a good idea going to the GP though, if nothing's turned up for you. When is your appointment?

What is Ghurka food like, bean ? I hope DS gets better soon ? do you think he walked into something because of his ?junky-eye-tis-- conjunctivitis?

Stasi it's lovely that you can talk to your mum about ttc. Mine are coming to stay in a few weeks and I'm already making a mental list of the ttc bumf I have to hide :o (but that's more because I'm just a private person than anything to do with her). I'm sure you'll get that surge & temp rise soon :)

Not much to report here ? AF due tomorrow. I don't think I'll be too upset when it arrives, I don't expect to be upduffed this cycle (which is quite nice, actually ? and it's the first time I've not been tempted to test ahead of AF, either)

I have a copy of Zita Wests Guide to Conception ? I've read it and I'm not really sure it ?speaks? to me, so if anyone would like it (free) I'd be happy to post it?

Hope everyone's having a lovely Sunday :)

Hi everyone

Just popping in to make a confession to generic. I realised I still had my pregnancy details on the antenatal stats thread. When I was deleting them I saw yours and thought you'd prefer them deleted too. Now I feel guilty for doing it because it wasn't my place to do so. Sorry for being presumptuous, I feel bad .

I hope everyone else is ok, and does anyone know if munx is ok?

Hi Everyone. Hope your all ok!

Maybe Meal in def sounds a good way to spend an evening. Time together, good food, a relaxing glass of wine and enjoy.

Froot Hope af catches up with itself soon.

I don't think I have ever told my dh a plan for our SWI/SFF I try to leave the ball in his court so he doesn't feel pressured. Somehow it has fallen into an every 2/3 days pattern depending on tiredness.

Stasi I admire your honesty with your dh, glad he likes that idea!

When i've read anything about the tests for fertility issues, it always mentions blood tests for the men too but i've never heard of a man having anything other than SA, unless they get refered to Urology(?)

My body is going for complete mindf**. About four days ago I was saying about it being different to normal, then three days ago I thought af was on her way. Well even the spotting was practically nothing and now it def is nothing. So Sunday is POAS day mainly because I am sleeping over into Monday. It is still possible af will arrive but I figure POAS will help persuade it to catch up with itself.
TMI alert I get constipated coming up to af, and now i'm not, so def answer time!

Popcorn this cycle was my first for doing OPKs. I had a faint second line on CD15, no second line at all previously or since. So I was expecting to ov CD16 and a temp shift CD17 as usual, but this morning's temp was exactly the same as yesterday. I'm not worried really, it's just typical that the cycle I depend on things being normal, they change. Maybe you could knit a cardy with matching accessories? A nice hat, gloves, scarf and leg warmers? :)

Sweetie you could try testing twice a day, if you're using internet cheapies?

Maybe lots of EWCM, a night in, and a feast of food. Sounds like perfect timing! Obviously the universe has decided this is the month for you. In 9 months time you can tell your parents their argument helped conceive your DC.

Froot what is a cake pop?? I hope AF returns from being AWOL for you so you can get smacking that rat.

Bean I'm sure your DS is fine, boys get in trouble all the time! My brothers were in A&E a lot as kids, and not all of it was innatention on my Dad's part. They're just curious about all the wrong things. I just got off the phone to my mum who told me to throw the thermometer away and SFF instead. I guess they found it stressful timing things when they were trying for DC2/4. Personally I like it, but the every other day plan is much better.

For those of you that drink.. do you think a half glass of wine will change my temps? I never normally drink, so have no data on how it affects my temps.

I was chatting to DH this morning, and told him next month he's going to have to ejaculate every 3 days all cycle... he didn't seem too concerned ;) Our SWI/SFF can be a week or 2 apart, with no other relief for him. I'm hoping getting regular will stop his fellas sleeping on the job and get the factory up and running top notch again. I asked him if he thinks his sex drive is low, but he didn't take it well, so I'm trying this way round. I'd like him to have a blood test to check, but I'll not suggest that again for a while.

I love smears. [ho ho]

Hello all of you. The ever elusive egg ladies. Hope you all get to work out when you ov'd. I've decided just to dtd every other day and stop trying to second guess my body.

Nice meal thanks - Ghurka restau - though DP took to 'teasing' me about how hard it will be with DC2. I've nipped that in the bud I hope.

Quick trip to A&E for us today. Severe conjunctivitis for DS. He'll get over it. Then a nasty bang on his head. Ouch. Feel rubbish-parent syndrome coming on.

DP has started acupuncture today - hurrah - and just had one beer all week. With my HSG in April will this be the end of TTC travails? Possibly. If we get lucky. If pigs fly.

I don't exactly review books Maybe. I edit them (non-fiction books and websites). Once wrote a short novel. Might write another, especially if DC2 never happens. Might as well make something of my life instead of reproducing in the plural.

Happy egg hunting Brookers. It's Easter every month with us lot. xxxxx

Thanks Pop Have decided to make the feast for DH and I instead, and we are going to have a nice night together. Sorry about the wobble, my life is just being a bit turned upside down at the moment. But DH has just poured me a glass of wine so I am sure all will be well!!

A cardi you say? I really want to make myself one, I just need to find some lovely yarn for it. I have a fave yarn shop, but I am a danger to my bank balance when I go there. What pattern you using Pop?

Stasi thanks for the temping advice. I am looking forward to getting some cross hairs on FF

Sweetie I haven't had a rise, though I have been taking paracetamol too! Though TMI alert, I have just had loads of EWCM, more than I have ever had! o this excites me I got 10 free OPK cheapies with my thermometer, and have done a few, though all have faint lines. I wouldn't worry so much about these, as everyone seems to have such varying results, and it really is a case that you may miss the surge by hours

Thanks Stasi I have converted the reading, it is just short of the 0.2 C. So I would say I have OVed but will see what the temps are like the next few days. I was hoping the OPK would make it easier to determine the surge but I must have missed it. I have done them for the last 4 days at 6pm each day.

Maybe has your temp risen yet? Do you do OPK tests either?

Hope everyone else is ok and enjoying this sunny Saturday.

:o glow-in-the-dark dust, bean
So it must have taken her 5 years to conceive no.2? Wow, that's an example of patience to us all, isn't it?

Sweetie that's not abnormal; you can ovulate up to 48 hours after a surge. I'm not sure about your little rise, only time will tell ? but if you've taken paracetamol for your cold, that will lower your temp quite a lot and make it difficult to tell too.

Yes maybe DH is notably worse when he's on nights ? he says it helps him get to sleep?! :o
I'm really sorry to hear about your parents row! I'm sure everything will be fine, but it's a shame you didn't get to have them over. I hope you can have all the dessert to yourself rearrange it for another time :)

Stasi is it worth doing some OPKs and seeing what your surge is like? Might give you some indication of how soon you'll ov?
Glad the smear went ok. I am terrified of them, to the point where I put off going for my last one for about two years, til DH gave me a stern talking to. Then the nurse started with a big speculum, had a few painful rummages, and decided to switch to the small one ? my tummy hurt for 3 days :( :( :( Then it came back inconclusive (I would guess there was blood in the sample from all the rummaging) and I had to go back again after putting it off for another 6 months :( Thank god they're only every 5 years, eh?

Hi froot ! Iirc you're usually pretty regular, aren't you? I hope the GP helps ? are you sure you're not pg?!

Loving all this slanket-talk :o

I am knitting a cardigan. I bought 6 skeins of yarn before christmas, got one out and put the rest away. I finished my ball and couldn't find the other 5, looked everywhere and eventually gave in and bought more. I've just found them. So now I have enough yarn to make two three jumpers the same colour Typical.

Well, after all my careful attempts at abstaining and timing SWI, my cycle has gone weird. I'm on CD17 with no temp rise. Unusually late for me, though I've put in some old cycles (early last year) into FF and it tells me I've ovulated later than this before. We have done SWI on CD15 and 17, so I hope we'll catch the egg.

Bean I hope you had a nice evening out with your DP.

Sweetie Yep, you want the first temps you take in the morning, unless you go back to bed for at least 3 hours. FF will give less importance to temps taken at the wrong time of day (at least I think that's what it does, making them open circles instead of dots on the chart), so it shouldn't throw off it's predictions if you're taking them earlier than normal. Keep waiting for a sustained temp rise, and don't worry about -OPK, you may just have missed the surge. I think your temps have gone up enough today to point to ov being yesterday - but it needs to stay up to rule out just a warmer night in bed.

Maybe and Sweetie my phone says: to confirm ovulation there needs to be 5 high temps above the low temp level. All of the higher temps should be at least 0.05 degrees C above the low temps, with one of the high temps at least 0.2 degrees above low temps.

So, just convert that to F and it all makes sense, right?

I don't know how much should be considered a rise either! Glad we can both be newbies together!

I have just got back from the butchers as we were meant to be having my parents over tonight. Then I got a text from my dad saying they have had a huge argument and won't be coming. This has really really upset me [small child emoticon] One of my downfalls is that I am always so worried about other people, and I get worked up on behalf of other people. That and I am a terrible daddy's girl

I will be walking the pup soon though, after I have watched my Saturday Kitchen (thank the lord for sky+). I still feel terrible, like I could sleep forever and ever. I have got an immense lump of pork belly sitting in my fridge if anyone wants to come over

What are you up to Sweetie? And everyone else for that matter? It's chilly outside, so wrap up warm.