TTC through Donor IUI or Donor IVF or just undecided - all welcome! #makeithappen

Yes same shoes yuck! But on toilet roll it was like woah ok, I can just about deal with this and had the egg white thing too but missed the lh surge but good to know the signs

Hey pickle I think I saw some clear blue hormone kit that showed high low surges in boots today when I was looking at ovulation kits. I decided that was too complicated for me - I just wanted to know whether there was a surge of not haha

Not planning on detailed collection or analysis bug defo noticed the egg white thing on tissue - happy I know what it means now as guess another sign to watch out for

Re the mucus, I decided it was a step too far to 'collect' it from my fanny. I find that it just appears on the toilet paper anyway when I wipe after a wee.
It is a very useful indicator - mine is very obedient and went egg whitey just before I got my positive OPK so it was a useful indicator that things were about to happen!

Kwick - Have a fab holiday! Goodness knows you deserve it!

Have a fab trip kwick

hoping glad it went well at the appt, I've been using the Ovia app and it really makes you look things like that-some bits are way too weird, I'm not sticking my fingers anywhere!!! But it make u notice the mucous thing-I've been on the pill for over 8 years, so this is all a bit like oh ok yeh I remember this-no af yet(yay) but think it would be in about 12-14 days from now if I think I ovulated when I did-i was trying to use lh testing things but missed a day and was only doing once a day, but my basal temp when down and then jumped up again which is also meant to be a sign. The app asks me about when use lh testing stick whether it was positive or negative and also whether it was peak/high/low but my testing strips just show positive or negative,has anyone seen ones that show this?
Trying to get an idea of my cycle now so it's not so tricky when do start

I'm sooooo tired!!!yay for the weekend

Ah yes, sorry, I forgot about those issues. It does change things rather.

I'm just frustrated on your behalf that you have to miss the cycle you were gearing up for!

If my anatomy was straight forward I'd have no problem with it, but this Dr is the only person (and five have tried - three nurses and two doctors) who managed to get the catheter into the uterus! The phrase s-bend was used, and the tube had to be bent to a right angle... Apparently I have a beautifully visible cervix, so that's something!

Late - that is really disappointing for you

Sorry that this cycle hasn't worked out. You have to feel comfortable.

I have to say though, each of my inseminations was done by a different 'midwife' (that's what the clinic call them) and I really wasn't bothered but I'm a bit like that - just whatever it takes to get the job done!

late having just had two cancelled cycles due to clinic closures and switching to a different clinic I can totally understand the need to cry. It sucks. I hope the month passes quickly for you.

Thanks pickle
Thanks karen and shoes that is really helpful. I wanted to use clear blue for the simplicity of smiley face no smiley face but I like your ideas of cheap sticks then clear blue to check. I was shocked how expensive they are!
Really good tip about how often to do thank you ok not sure what the acronyms mean but I think this month just gone I ovulated around day 12 (I counted day 1 as first day of period)

I have to say two women with children told me I would know when about ovulating due to change down there. I had no idea so googled it all and now it makes sense what the differences mean and that its part of a cycle- I have to say I have never paid too much attention as to time of month and what the mucous ( yuk I've said the word) is like.

This morning went well all looks good so no obvious barrier to fertilisation - so down to the odds and natural . I'm going to try natural iui at first and see how I go. So I just need to pick sperm and go for screening tests / smear and can start. Will probably try in December as bit of rush to get it all done before my next period!

So I'm hoping my doc will do screening tests as well as smear ... Fingers crossed

AF appeared today. Just rang the clinic and my doctor is on annual leave from the end of next week and all of the following, so I had the choice of either seeing someone different or waiting another month. I went for the latter. I think it is better to see someone I trust, but oh it was very hard not to cry when I put down the phone.

I am trying to be positive. I am going to buy internet cheapie OPKs (any brands you recommend?) and test multiple times a day so I can find out exactly when it all starts. And I am going to have a drink at my friend's wedding and on my birthday the next day and I will relax and not worry whether this is pickling my eggs...

Oh and I love the excuse that titch is too intelligent to be upside down. I'm totally using that!

Thanks ladies. I think I've just about come round to accepting that I will have a c section. There's advantages each way I guess. Unlikely now that titch will turn round (but still trying to encourage it), especially after ECV failed. Still, means I get to meet titch just a little bit sooner

taydex how exciting to be so close! Im sure baby will turn, plenty of time left. Bet you can't wait to finally meet your little one. So nice to hear from you.

taydex
Wow so close, he ended up diagonal which can be quite dangerous so she was admitted to hospital about a week before he was due and then had c-section on Monday but is doing well so try not to panic. These little bubs can turn right at last minute, my nephew was just being a mini pickle :)

Hi Taydex

Been thinking about you and wondering how you were getting on. It's great to hear that everything is going smoothly (apart from baby not cooperating on positioning!). Thinking about it, why would anyone choose to spend a few weeks upside down? Your baby is too intelligent for that - it's much nicer being the right way up

Kwick - a few reasons I don't like Amazon... the way Amazon treat their staff is absolutely appalling. Also I don't like one massive company having a monopoly - it threatens smaller businesses in the UK. And they have seriously let me down in the past and the customer service was rubbish. Occasionally I cave and make an Amazon purchase but I always feel bad afterwards! So I tend to search for products on Amazon and then see who actually fulfils the order and shop from them direct (and use Wordery for books).

Hello ladies,

Apologies for being away for a while. I'm finding it hard to keep on top of everything at the moment with all the prepping for the imminent arrival. I just wanted to pop a quick message here to say hi and remind you that IUI/IVF really can work - I'm living proof of that. Hang on in there. xx

I'm 38 weeks + 2 days today, so baby could make an appearance any time in the next 4 weeks ish. All has gone really smoothly for me once I finally fell pregnant. Th only issue at the moment is that baby is in breech position and nothing seems to be encouraging it to move round to the correct head down position, so I'm booked in for a (slightly) early c section. Pickle - did your sister's little one ever move round or did she have to have a c section too? Bit nervous about it, but if it's what is best for baby and me then so be it.

I've just been trying to read up on where you all are with your journeys. And I wanted to say I think you are all awesome for what you are doing. It takes balls to do this and each and every one of you is amazing.

Apologies for hormonal slush I just sometimes think we need to step back and see how well we are doing, even if the results are not showing yet.

TayDex x

Pretty much the same as Karen re the OPKs. I used internet cheapies on the first cycle I tracked and sellotaped them to a piece of paper so that I could see any patterns then once I knew that I ovulated on 15dpo I did the following:

Test twice a day using internet cheapies from 10dpo then on 13dpo at least 3 times a day and every 4 hours during the day from 14dpo until ovulation. If I get a near positive on a cheapie back it up with a Clearblue digital to be sure.

Doing it this way I've used around 4 of the Clearblues a month. Buy them online - they're a lot cheaper.

My testing regime might sound overkill but I had to miss IUI one cycle because when I got the positive it was midday and I hadn't tested since the night before. The clinic said it was too much of a gamble to do IUI (natural) not really knowing the window when I'd started the surge.

I suggest you buy 100 internet cheapies and 20 Clearblues (I buy them from HomeHealth because I try not to shop from Amazon).

One thing to watch out for is the tests getting gradually stronger but then dropping to nothing before you've got a positive. Don't panic! This turned out to be a pattern for me every month. My LH would look as though it was nearly there, then go really weak for a day before building back up to a positive.

Good luck hoping. I use easy @home tests. Wasn't sure if they would work, but they do for me! I figure I surge around day 15, so I start testing on day 11, just to be sure. I test at noon and at six until the colour starts to darken and then I'll test first thing in the morning too. When I get one that seems dark enough I will use a clear blue digital to confirm with the same sample. The picture is from last month. Not sure if that helps. I thought I missed it but the ladies here told me to keep testing and sure enough I was surging later in my cycle than I thought.

Use the asterisks either side of the word you want in bold * this little dude :)

Wow that has come round quick-well prob not for you!!!! Wishing you the best of luck. Let us know how you get on.

Just got in from a work organisation thing so straight to bed,will reply more to everyone tomorrow. Na night all xx

Hello, how do you write people's names in bold? Lovely hearing your news shoes and everyone else's journeys. It's really helped me be realistic about what to expect .

I have my appointment tomorrow for ultra sound and consultation. Bit nervous now it's close as always assumed I'm all ok down there for when I want to try to have babies and now I will find out...
Also I think this may have been discussed in this thread before but what ovulation testers do people use? The clear blue ones were £18 in wilkinson and £23 in boots but only seems to have ten in box and I wasn't sure if refillable? I would like to try natural iui ( if poss) but worried I will miss surge.

Who cares about the bosses! That's excellent news

Another step in the right direction.

shoes I love hearing things are going well! So happy for you.

Last minute cancellation at my clinic so they have fit me in for my consult tomorrow morning. Don't think the bosses are too happy but I am determined to not care and just get on with what I want to do in my life. Early to bed tonight ladies.