TTC FIRST BABY - THREAD NO. 9

@stormtrooperjulian I love baking! Literally proofing a brioche right now. It does take your mind off things for sure.

@cupcakesandglitter yeah, can't argue that. But that's exactly the reason not to poas too soon, as torturous as it is during the TWW.

@DayDreamer1707 have you tried temping? That'd be pretty telling, although soul crushing too.

@stormtrooperjulian I was going to pee on another opk and see if it was just because it was FMU and then try another pregnancy test tomorrow but there's no need as I've just had a bit of spotting so I think I cycles are clearly still messed up 😢

@KatBeCool that's true, it's still difficult though 😩 there's always that glimmer of hope left I guess.

@Scotslass55 it's awful symptom spotting - every cycle I've had new symptoms that I then google and must be a sign of being pg. it's super hard!! I did Christmas shopping yesterday and came back, got pissed again 😂 but finished wrapping presents etc and do you know I actually didn't think about being pg once. I actually smiled when I realised I hadn't thought about it!!

Me and DH DTD last night, but I've not had any EWCM since Thursday I think it was. Oh well, if we've missed it we've missed it 🤷🏻‍♀️

Thanks @MrsEG! I have a busy weekend so lots to distract me. I guess I’m just beginning to realise what a rollercoaster this is! 😃

Hi @Scotslass55! It’s so, so hard not to symptom spot all month. The way I see it now is, it will either happen or it wont, and you can’t know for sure until AF is due. As difficult as it is just try and take care of yourself and keep busy til then! I’ll keep FX for you :)

@MrsLBear It’s so weird, when I was younger I hated it - felt like I was constantly on my period! This is the only time it has felt useful!!

Currently 3DPO. I’ve had an MC and CP this year though, so we’ve taken it easy this month. Just taking the pressure off completely. Still tracked my ovulation but we’ve tried to actually enjoy DTD and incorporating date nights in to it to, as it was all just starting to feel so scheduled and, well, not sexy! So yeah, after a hellish few months we’re now thinking let’s just see what happens. No stress. It’s only our 6th cycle too, so FX.

Will keep my FX for that solid smiley for you very soon!

Sorry to see lots of you having a bad few days. I’m convinced AF is on its way (due Monday) but getting frustrated it’s not here yet, just the cramps. I’ve been feeling funny about it all cycle, ever since weird spotting CD17, 18 and 20. I mostly know I won’t be pregnant, tried not to let that get my hopes up, but I just want AF to come, confirm it, chalk the whole thing down as a weird month and start again. Also realised that when we started trying back in September I realised in the highly unlikely chance it worked first time then I’d have my 12 week scan right before Christmas and we’d be telling everyone about now. Then I find myself thinking I could actually be pregnant in spite of weird spotting, and I won’t know for sure til AF comes. I’ve said before I’m very realistic about how hard this might be and how long it might take, but this month I seem a bit in a muddle! Ready to draw a line and move on! Sorry for the rant!

@MrsEG I'm jealous. Never thought I'd see the day where I'm jealous of something like that.
Yeah we have pretty much DTD every other day since af finished cd4 or something. And actually it's just happened naturally. I've stopped saying when is best etc. But every morning I think right it's gotta be today.
Thank you!! Really hope it comes.
What cd are you?

@MrsLBear I only have a short 26-28 day cycle and I had 4 days of flashing smileys this month before my solid. It’s a pain! I have heard you can get flashing for 9 days in some cycles. FX for your solid soon (and make sure you’re DTD!!)

@ValidUser sorry you got the awful grey line too. You will get a glowing pink line xxx

@MrsLBear sorry I don't use the CB test but I have seen a lot of people getting continuing flashing faces with no positive, is that what's happening?

I did a silly thing and peed on an IC OPK this morning and it was positive...why do we do this to ourselves. Probably why you get told to not use your FMU but I needed to pee on something. I can't be ovulating as I'm only on CD6 and the pregnancy test a did was a Big Fat Grey x

Sorry to hear that @ValidUser. Nothing can dampen your mood more than poas and getting a bfn.

So I'm so fed up. I'm on CD20 today and I've been using the CB OPKs since CD9 and this morning was my 7th flashing smiley. I've also done a few ICs in the afternoon and nothing. My temp is still down so I know I haven't ovulated. Maybe I won't this month? My longest cycle I know of (since paying attention is 39 days (but I put that down to wedding stress) I'm like 32/33 average and last month was 30 so I was excited thinking I'm finally back to semi normal (but hey what the F is normal when you're TTC!!!!). I'm now worrying that my LP is always too short anyway. Any ladies with long cycles got any advice or have ovulated late?

@cupcakesandglitter @ValidUser I just keep telling myself that faulty tests won't take my pregnancy away. Only thing left is to get pregnant.

@ValidUser Sorry you’re having a hard time. Evaps are soul destroying! It doesn’t seem fair that something as simple as peeing on a stick can be so bloody challenging. Hope you’re feeling a bit better this morning.

Sorry @ValidUser that's crap, it's so shit how FRERs are so expensive but so notorious for Evaps x

Picture attached this time!

Found an evap from last cycle today.

Repeated just in case.

Not pregnant. It hurts.

@EltzBee Good luck!! I love baking, I find it so therapeutic (well, when it all goes right!) - enjoy :)

@MrsEG ooh that really would be! lol

Haha love the sound of your friends way of thinking! We've done everything we could this month too, looking at the dates we DTD every other day during the fertile week including on the day of ovulation, so we've given it the best shot at that 20% chance!

I'm gonna try and distract myself this weekend - I need to learn how to make penguins out of fondant icing for my Xmas cake....eeeeek!!!

@PaintingOwls that really sucks :( it is so hard, one of the chaps at work is waiting for his first to arrive any week now, and another has just come back from there first. My friend and colleague brought her 5 month old in this week, who is adorable, but dang that made my ovaries ache!

@DayDreamer1707 thanks for sharing that link, a very helpful series of posts from that chap which make a great deal of sense :)

Ah shit @PaintingOwls that's crap. We'll get our BFPs eventually ❤️

@EltzBee DH Birthday is on Xmas Day! So a BFP would be a double present for us haha! But we shall see. We’ve done all we can, just a waiting game! A friend told me that she used to imagine it all happening in her 2WW, she’d visualise the sperm meeting the egg, then travelling down and sticking on - quite positive really, sounds much nicer than just sitting around worrying about it!

@MrsR16 haha! I drove to the train station so I had an excuse not to drink :D the twinges are weird, last month was the first time I can recall getting them.

@MrsEG Oh sods law due Xmas day, mine being due just before Christmas is like, oh great, lol. It's my birthday the week after though, so I'm hoping it's on time if it does come and doesn't last too long.

Keeping fingers crossed for this month. for us all!

@DayDreamer1707 Very interesting link! I no longer test until AF is due anymore for those very reasons. Was messing with my head/mental health far too much! Good to hear it from the perspective of a clinician too!

@EltzBee @MrsR16 2WW for me too! AF due Xmas day - typical haha! It’ll either be the best or worst present ever! Determined not to worry these next two weeks - no early POAS or symptom spotting I’m just getting in to the spirit of Xmas and if it happens it happens! FX for you girls x