Preconception planning - anyone want to join?

I def dont feel pregnant. I think I ovulated on 7th aug, so I'm 11 days past ovulation, 4 days before period is due. I wanted to do a surprise thing for my husband but just ran into the room and showed him🤣. That was a clear blue test, which are normally quite accurate, my sister said u cant really get a false negative. Have first response test actually coming in the post today, so must take one of them. Thinking il book in for early scan around 8 weeks. Still doesnt feel real even with the positive test.

Wow! Congratulations @KittyT30 how are you feeling?

Pregnant

Hi everyone, I gave in and done an early test. Thought I could see a very faint line on strips (thought i seeing things) then done clear blue and here is the result!!!

His name is Edison and here’s a photo, he’s soooo cute! @sunflowersaremyfav93 annoyingly we can’t yet because I have to have my second dose of MMR in September and then wait 4 weeks, so October it is!

@Lollipop87 we need pictures!!

@Lollipop87 So exciting about the kitten! Do you have a name for him?

@Lollipop87 So exciting about the kitten! Do you have a name for him?

@CookieMonster3001 fingers crossed about the lump, hopefully it’s nothing. I’ve done a LOT of reading about CM as I just track that and don’t use OPKs. I’m definitely starting to see a pattern now I’ve had a few cycles since coming off the pill - my cycles have settled into a nice regular 27 days for my last 2 cycles with EWCM from CD9 until around CD11 or 12. So I think I ovulate around CD12-13 which is apparently normal for a cycle that’s on the shorter side. I’ve got weird pain in my abdomen this evening so wondering if it’s ovulation pain as I’ve never had it before and I’m on CD12 today.

@queenatom sorry to hear about your hip/thrush but glad your ovulation is settling into a pattern.

Some good news that has been taking my mind off waiting to TTC is that we’ve finally found a kitten! Been looking for one for a while, but there have been less available due to lockdown. Went and met him this morning and we take him home on 26th September, so excited!! So at least I’ve got a holiday in September, then getting a kitten and then TTC in October - finally starting to not feel that far away! So ironic that DH got his way in the end as he always said he wanted to wait until we’ve been married a year and my fertile window is slap bang when he’s taking me away for our anniversary weekend! We had a night in a hotel last night as the kitten lives quite far away, and I said to him it’s so annoying knowing I’m fertile and having to use a condom - felt like a wasted opportunity! He doesn’t really see it like that but I know you ladies will understand.

Thanks @CookieMonster3001. Yes, the One Step ones! I’ve just had a look at the ones you recommended on Amazon, I like that they link to an app too. I’ll try and post a picture of the darkest test I’ve had so far, but I wouldn’t call it a positive. I did wonder if maybe my wee wasn’t concentrated enough as I drink/wee a lot (TMI, sorry!) but I’ve just done one having not been to the loo for about 2-3 hours and it’s weaker than the ones yesterday and at 11am today!

Fingers crossed for you for the lump, sorry you’ve had to wait for your consultation.

Think it’s a wise move to not google images of the CM! I’ve gone from textbook fertile (2-3 days ago) to cloudy today, so maybe I have already ovulated. Who knows!!

@CookieMonster3001 I have heard that you should be careful with evening primrose oil as it can mess with your cycle - maybe one to investigate further to see if it's right for you?

All signs suggest that I ovulated this weekend (CM, positive OPKs on Saturday morning and temp is now on the up) which is good - two cycles in a row where I've ovulated on CD14/15 so hopefully that means I'm fairly regular.

On the downside though, I seem to be physically disintegrating - been bothered for the past week or so with random aches and pains all down my left side, think a hip injury I had at the start of lockdown is playing up again and to top it all off looks like I'm on my second bout of thrush in 8 weeks 🙄 What a mess!

@mackjm20 if it makes you feel any better I just ate an entire pack of border biscuits lol

@MsQueenInTheNorth which OPKS are you using? Ive been using the one step ones and having similar issues. The lines never really get very dark and after a bit of googling this morning, it seems its quite a common issue with the one step ones and apparent the easy@home ones are a lot better, so might pick some up. This month I tested CD 8 - completely negative, not even a whisper of a line, CD 10 - still negative but a veryyy faint line, CD 11 (yesterday) - very dark line but not same as or darker than control so I classed this as a high result but not a peak result and then CD 12 (today) tested and the line is not as dark. I am starting to get some ovulation pains today, so I am classing the OPK on CD 11 as a positive and imagine I will ovulate between today and tomorrow. I've given myself 10 tests for this month, so going to keep testing as I have heard your LH can surge multiple times until you actually ovulate.

@Pebbleinthesand this must be so frustrating!! I hope that your cycles clear up soon and you have a better idea of whats happening.

@KittyT30 fingers crossed! let us know how it goes!

@Bells3032 hope the blood tests go well for your DH!

lump in nipple doesn't seem as hard today but feels a little bigger! Still another week before my telephone consultation which is annoying, but I am praying it goes away before then. Hoping its just a blocked duct or cyst or something that goes away on its own!

On another note, I cant remember who said they have done this, but I now have a countdown clock on my phone telling me how many days until our 1st month TTC! haha! 87 days sounds like a long time, but after I have ovulated this month, I only have to do it 2 more times before I try to fertilize it! That doesn't make it seem too bad, and I think we have decided that even though we were going to TTC in Nov, we are going to NTNP in October as a sort of first run.
I am also thinking of investing in some evening primrose oil, as I have noticed I don't get a huge amount of CM. Like I am supposed to be in a fertile patch right now, but mine looks almost cloudy and I don't think its supposed to...... too scared to google images of CM in case of TMI LOL.

@queenatom I got the fermometre ones to start tracking next months after the coil comes out (2 weeks tomorrow omg!!!). glad to know they're good.

@KittyT30 good luck with your first TWW!! fingers crossed for you.

DH is going for blood tests this week to see if his LH and FSH are up and if so then will have a SA maybe next week or the week. Was debating whether to wait til after the SA but I know it can take months for cycles to settle and don't want to wait and then my cycles still aren't regular (been on BC for about 15 years). so all a go go

Hi @Pebbleinthesand I was the same situation as u last month, came off birth control and had a very light bleed. Then another 5 weeks until I got a period. It's the wait and unknown which is so annoying.

This will be my first month TTC, had period on 26th july, tracked ovulation with strips and I think I ovulated around 7th/8th aug. Skin during this time was horrendous, prob due to hormones not knowing what was going on after being on the pill for a long time.
Due my period this weekend, trying my best to not take an early pregnancy test but it's so hard. If I am pregnant il be due early May. But I have a strong feeling I wont be.

Hi, hope everyone's alright. I've just been catching up on the thread after not really looking at it since getting home from my holiday last weekend (Post holiday washing has nearly done me in).

I've become a bit fed up with everything TTC related since I still have no idea what my cycle is doing. It's only been a month since I had my coil out but I expected to have a bit more of an idea as to what's happening by now. I had 1 day of bleeding at the beginning of August and now have no idea when to expect my period or when to test if it doesn't appear.

On the plus side me getting annoyed with it all has meant that I've not really thought too much about it for the last week. It's so frustrating because if it weren't for Covid, I wouldn't be in this situation right now as I was planning get my coil out at the beginning of June, if not earlier than that so by now I'd be int he same position as a lot of you and know what my cycles doing.

Hi everyone! Been absent for a little while as we’ve been away, hope everyone is OK!

I’ve been struggling a bit with the LH tests the last couple of months which is quite disappointing. I missed the surge completely last month even though I was testing every day (sometimes twice), I had lines that got darker but never as strong as the control line. Then this month I had a darker one at 11am yesterday (CD13) so tested again at 7pm and 11pm and still not a positive!

I’ll test again around 10am, but I’ll be pretty gutted if it’s still not positive or it’s lighter than the ones yesterday. Presumably if the lines get darker (the line was barely visible on days 10,11 and 12) then I am getting close to the surge so I must be ovulating? Getting a bit worried now!

Hi all hope everyone has had a lovely weekend. I have literally not stopped eating or drinking! Serious detox needed this week!

@butterfly5291glad the MRI went well and congrats on the sale of your house! That's a healthy profit

Started the OPKs again today for this month, and downloaded the premom app, and much prefer it to the fermometer one in terms of scanning your OPK in. My temp has been a bit erratic last couple of days too, but think that's because its been insanely hot!

@queenatom thank you have just ordered some :)

@mackjm20 I use the Femometer ones, think they’re all much the same though.

@butterfly5291 Glad the MRI results were all clear and good news on the house sale! Yes, I’m tracking BBT as well, hopefully will see a rise in the next few days although I think the heatwave has thrown my chart off a bit, it was higher than normal on the really hot nights.

@CookieMonster3001
I’m glad the smear went well- so sorry to hear she couldn’t just put your mind at rest! Oh gosh bless you I can only imagine how anxious you would feel. I really hope they manage to get you booked in ASAP so unfair to make you wait. I’m sure it will be fine but good to have that reassurance isn’t it! Sending love your way x

@queenatom you have convinced me! I’m going to order some what ones do you use? I think I’m going to be freaking out about this short luteal phase that I’ve just learnt is a thing otherwise lol! Hopefully I can match it up with my flow app :)

Knowledge is power is a much better way of looking at it! Thank you :)

@butterfly5291
Good news that the results are fine :) fingers crossed the hormones do prevent the headaches :) Amazing news on the house congrats! Hope tomorrow goes well :) xx

In my news after 2 of my girl group gave birth in June one of my other close friends has just told me she is pregnant :) I am so happy for her and excited! she was worried about telling me as she knows we delayed our plans due to covid which made me a little sad (at her not wanting to tell me) as everyone does it when it’s right for them it doesn’t make me any less happy for her :) anyway I am super excited for her and massively broody still :) x

Hey everyone,

I've not heard back from the Dr but he told the receptionist she could tell me my MRI results were fine and he'll call me to discuss by Monday. I was expecting it to be fine, just means I need to keep taking medication. Hopefully the change in hormones when I'm pregnant will stop the headaches.

In other news I got an offer on my house yesterday, and made a profit of £32k from what I paid less than 3 years ago so that's nice! We just need to find a house now.... going to see one tomorrow but if we don't love that then there's nothing else on the market at the moment....which is a bit stressful.

@queenatom what cycle day are you on? Do you track bbt too?
I'm on CD9 and trying the CB fertility monitor this month, it's been asking for tests past two mornings. I didn't ovulate till CD16 last month. I'm going to start doing cheap OPKs in a couple of days to see if they correlate with CB. BBT is only thing that does show if ovulation actually happened though.

@mackjm20 Definitely finding the OPKs helpful - funnily enough just taken one and nice solid second line there. Not 100% it's positive but it's certainly very close!

I know some people find having all the information a bit stressful but personally I'm finding it reassuring. It's good to see that my body is mostly doing what it should, and where it isn't yet (my short luteal phase last cycle, for example) at least I know to keep an eye on it and can also read around it for guidance. Knowledge is power!