TTC FIRST BABY - THREAD 10!

Hello all, hope everyone is doing OK.

@cupcakesandglitter it wouldn't be normal for me during AF but that said, I've had the occasional weird AF in the past that has been completely out of the ordinary for me in terms of length/heaviness/symptoms. Hope you're OK.

@19Bee2 I've mentioned it to DH previously but have been trying to keep it fairly lighthearted!

Does anyone use the Clearblue digital ovulation tests? I've been using them for the first time this cycle. Got the 'high' on CD 15 (normally a 32 day cycle) but still waiting for the 'peak' now on day 19! So not sure if I've ovulated or not...

Ladies can I ask you if any of you have this? I'm CD3 and AF looks like it's finishing after two really heavy days. My boobs are still stupidly sore and also every day I'm seeing more and more veins pop up on them... this isn't normal for me at all, but is this normal for anyone else during AF? X

Evening all,

@TrashKitten10 @Keyboard91 I am also a teacher and feel your pain. Our fertile week starts next week, just as I go back, and I know how difficult that first week can be. I hope it goes well for you both!

Do people here tend to share details of fertile weeks with partners? I'm not one for seduction techniques and it will be painfully obvious that we are dtd more often due to ttc so I'm thinking of just sharing my FF calendar with my husband so he's aware and sharing the responsibility of initiating.

@keyboard91 I'm sorry you're having a tough time right now. No matter how understanding ones oh is I think they can struggle to grasp how important the timing is as they're not the one tracking everything all the time! I haven't told anyone else we're ttc either so venting on here has been a huge help

@Keyboard91 it's ok, i know his humour and that he meant it in jest.

It just caught me off guard!

@Jessikka if my partner did that he would be in the dog shed!!! How rude!!!!!

Thanks @TrashKitten10 it’s an inset day tomorrow so meeting after meeting .... until 5pm! I’ll be less anxious Sunday night as I know the day is in my control ... whereas this really is not! My DP works in a supermarket and is at work until midnight so I doubt I’ll rouse him before I have to leave tomorrow. We shall see what happens. I wasn’t going to opk but I’m tempted to do one tonight and tomorrow morning just to gain some idea as to whether Prediction is correct.

@Keyboard91

I'm also a teacher so I totally get the back to work anxiety and bone aching tiredness. We just went back today and after initially worrying I'd completely forgotten how to teach, I had a great day and it was really lovely to see all their lovely faces and get back into routine. I'm sure your first day back will go just as smoothly :) How frustrating about DP being unwell just as your fertile period kicks in. Is there any chance of dtd tomorrow morning before work? Then if all you want to do after work is put your feet up you're all covered.

Sorry you're having a bad day @Keyboard91 :(

If it helps make you smile... your OH cant be as bad as mine today...

I'm (possibly) 2/3dpo and today my right boob looks slightly larger/fuller than the other, making it appear slightly lower and asymmetrical. In my absolute fear and insecurity I ran to him and asked him to confirm my fears.

After saying "oh god yeah that one looks lower" he cupped them both and whispered at the right boob.... "please go back up"

Please go back up?? PLEASE GO BACK UP? Bloody BACK UP??!!!???

As if the moment wasn't bad enough I'm now sat here paranoid that my boobs are wonky and weirdly sagging and he wants them to go BACK UP!
Bloody boys.

Aaaagh I wanted to hit him lol

Hi all, sorry I’ve not been around. Just haven’t felt perky, especially as I’m back to work tomorrow (teacher) and I really don’t want to. My DP is still excited but I wish he’d flipping shut up sometimes. Like sometimes it’s all I want to talk about and I’m hopeful etc. Other times I don’t even want to think about t2c and him still talking about it just annoys me!

And then! We were consistently dtd every other day (off work = more energy for me) so I was feeling hopeful. And then he gets a cold (and of course the world has to stop) and then he said no today and it’s the first day of my fertile window according to Ovia which has annoyed me too! So we will have to wait until after work tomorrow (when I’ll be shattered) and tomorrow is 3 days since dtd. Argh!

I’m having more cramps this month (CD12) too and I don’t understand why. It’s central. Don’t think I’ve ovulated yet. My last AF was a bit strange. Everything is just STRANGE.

I’m sure this is just hormones and back to work anxiety. But boy I’m not pleasant to be around at the moment.

Sorry to rant but if anyone understands it’s you ladies. Only my DP knows we are TTC so no one to talk to about all this.

@thosethreewords I had a stark bfn 9dpo so don't give up hope yet!! I waited till the day af was due (or the day before depends on my LT phase). Fx for you!!!!

@thosethreewords don't test early! Wait until you're late, saves money and disappointment. I'm also not cutting tea, that's just not happening. I don't think you have to cut caffeine entirely and tea is fine. I don't drink coffee anyway so tea is all I have.

@Crossfitgirl so nice to hear from you! Hopefully the sickness will go away soon.

@AnnaMC214 ohh there's so much to keep track of while ttc that it reaches the point of "f* it, need to take a break" and seems like that's when you get pregnant lol.

@GemmaJen keep reminding yourself that you're doing everything you can to get pregnant. Don't try to control what can't be controlled and then be upset at yourself for it. Stay healthy, take your vitamins, exercise, and be nice to yourself. Hugs.

Just checking in, hope you're all getting on OK! Sorry I just can't keep up with the thread now. The nausea and exhaustion is real. Phone screens do not help! Oh ladies, enjoy all the DTD, drinking, over the counter medicine, hot baths, spa days and whatever else you can cram in. Take your flipping ibuprofen and don't stress about avoiding things until you get your BFP. Seriously. Not only are you not allowed to eat or do basically anything, but you won't bloody feel like it either once symptoms kick in!

I'm still keeping a little eye on you girls though and can't wait to see the next BFP!
For whoever asked, here's the thermometer I used:

iSnow-Med 1/100th Degree Basal Thermometer, Measure BBT within 60 s, ±0.09F accuracy, C/F switchable, Storage Box and Ovulation Chart available www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B076YY5LYC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_vOJlCbCBPMZY0?tag=mumsnetforum-21

Right, off to Boots I pop then! They have a 3 for 2 offer on at the mo in case anyone else needs to stock up. It'll help me feel like I'm doing something constructive as well. Especially while my dh isn't here.

@stormtrooperjulian I'm going to start with opks this month to try and time it better. My dh has a relatively low sex drive which was still higher than mine when I had the coil in but not very helpful for ttc! We probably average about once a week so not nearly enough!

@thosethreewords I'm sorry about the negative test. It's far too early for it to mean anything like you say but I know it's hard not to get a poas addiction!

@MrsFraserB Congrats on quitting smoking! I quit caffeine a couple of months ago. I was taking an NSAID (not ibuprofen) for back pain but then I read that it can prevent ovulation so I stopped and now I just put up with the pain. Slightly worried about the preventing ovulation thing though, I don’t know how I’d know if it had that effect on me or not? Maybe I just wasted my first 3 cycles?

@EltzBee happy belated birthday!

@GemmaJen try to relax, maybe plan a nice date night or something with your DH to take your mind off it for a while

@AnnaMC241 have you been tracking ovulation or anything? How often do you dtd? Apparently every 2-3 days is ideal according to NHS. I take so many supplements I’m surprised I don’t rattle when I walk, but you should at least be taking folic acid

@AnnaMC214 I would get some yes either pregnacare or pregnacare conception. They have the vitamins you need from the get go. I've got the standard ones but I could use the conception ones I suppose!

Also why did I do this to myself. Took a FRER and it was negative 😩😩 10 DPO so I know full well that it could be a negative because it's too early. Sigh. Waste of money!

Thank you for your reply @thosethreewords. I started off thinking we would just stop trying to not get pregnant but it didn't take long for me to realise that we don't really dtd regularly enough for that and now we're on cycle 5!

I'm not taking any supplements. Is that one a no-brainer then and I should get some pronto?

@AnnaMC214 I know what you mean. For me this is cycle 1 of trying but it's hard to keep up with "don't take this and that and do this and do that". I've decided to TRY and be kind to myself the first few cycles while I'm getting to grips with everything.

In terms of some of the things not doing:
I'm doing dry jan anyway but got a few weddings coming up in the next few months so would drink while TTC if it was before a BFP even.
Not completely cutting caffeine because I love tea. I'm on decaf but it's still caffeinated and I take that for a heart condition.
I just take a pregnacare supplement currently and not lots of extras because I can barely remember to take these and my heart medications never mind lots of other vitamins 😂

Does anyone else get overwhelmed by all of the things we are/could be doing in order to make this happen?!

I don't think my dh and I have actually managed to even time dtd right yet! We might give smep a go next month when he's home again. And if that doesn't work start to look at what other changes we can make.

Sorry, feeling despondent today and the months just seem to add up so quickly even though each tww seems to take an age!

@GemmaJen I so know what you're going through! I don't have anything to add to what the others have said about trying to distract yourself but know you are not alone.

@EltzBee - happy belated birthday! Interesting about Ibuprofen possibly affecting ovulation too, I pop them all the time best stock up on paracetamol instead I think. Glad to hear you're doing well :)
@MrsLBear - Interesting it was the preseed month that you conceived, I've heard that a lot actually. I use it and you're right, it's so unromantic haha

I've had the worst headache since last night so had to resort to ibuprofen when the paracetamol didn't work... for me, I would rather take it and not want to shove my head in the freezer going crazy with this ice pick hacking away at my head!
10DPO today and decided to hold off testing a few more days 1) because of @GemmaJen link in another thread on chance of getting positives and 2) I don't think I could handle either outcome right now. I just want to curl up 😩

@GemmaJen the TWW has sent me slightly mad too. I never forget to temp because as soon as I wake up, it's the first thing on my mind. I really wish I could be more chilled out about it, but I've just accepted I can't be. So if decide to randomly symptom spot, I allow myself a minute or two to ponder and then try and move on to doing something else. Luckily I've been really busy anyway so finding something else to do has not been an issue!

Urgh I'm super stressed this tww, trying everything I can think of to chill out. I feel like this isn't the month but everytime I get a positive sign I literally can't stop thinking about it! I feel like I'm losing the plot. My temps are looking good at 7dpo, just going up, I'm trying so hard not to get my hopes up, but my brain just won't turn off. Someone talk some sense in to me!

@MrsLBear you can take ibuprofen during AF, just not during the fertile week or the tww. It can affect ewcm or implantation by making it too dry "up in there".

Happy belated 30th @EltzBee!!! Hope you had a lovely day!!

Wow @MrsAW2018 sounds like you've done all you could this cycle!! Fx crossed for you!! I didn't always get ewcm and if I did it seemed at the wrong time or too early. So I used preseed this cycle and then got my BFP. So naturally I think it helped but scientifically it makes sense as it mimics ewcm! Not the most romantic thing having to baste yourself before DTD. And I'm certain the time we actually would have conceived I put it in like 4 hours before (I thought we would DTD and we didn't till later) and cos I put it so high not much really came out. I did lay vertically for 4 hours though pretending I needed a rest 😂 honestly the TTC journey is NOT glamorous by any stretch!

I also didn't know that about ibuprofen!! I popped them like sweets when af was visiting cos I always suffer so so badly. Must admit I didn't take them any other times though only paracetamol for my hangovers.