Our first month ttc our first

congratulations @rosieb060!!
Have I missed any other BFP's? Thinking of you all often xx

@rosiej95 @CLP86 thank you!!

@meganlea I'd been using natural cycles but HATED it. It got all my dates wrong and then changed them afterward. If we'd been relying on their predictions, we'd have missed the window totally. I also found it very stressful to keep BBT every morning.

This month was I think cycle number 4. We probably had a chemical in cycle 1, but I didn't test so it was just a bunch of weird symptoms and then a very very heavy & slightly late period.

This cycle we.... just decided to enjoy each other, to be honest! Which probably isn't particularly helpful, but is true. No measuring, no testing, no tracking. We Relaxed and DTD when either of us wanted to. Took baths, cuddled loads, and just generally chilled out with it all. We DTD a lot this month, including a lot around the week it was most likely to be the best time - but just because we wanted to and it felt good All this stuff can feel really stressful and we didn't enjoy that.

We tend to cuddle loads afterwards for a good 20m or so. I don't know if that helps but it feels really good!

I'm only on month 1 and driving myself nuts second guessing ovulation signs... How do people do this on a long term basis?

I said that I wouldn't but I've just ordered the clear blue digital ovulation test (the purple one) - I'll start after AF as no idea what's happening this month. I'm hoping it'll calm my inner control freak down a bit!

How is everyone else doing? Is anyone else using clear blue?

Congratulations @rosieb060 a wonderful Christmas present!

@rosieb060 omgggg I also had a feeling especially when you said your muscles felt tired! Congratulations to you and your partner that is incredible news!! :) Just in time for a Christmas surprise for the families!

Now you must share all your secrets from this cycle!! Haha. Did you do anything differently? How long have you been trying/how many cycles in is this? What kind of tracking, if any?

Yaaaaay @rosieb060 so so happy for you!! Congratulations 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

@rosiej95 it just doesn't feel quite real to be honest!!

We felt like we'd been trying for ages and so it just felt like- oh, it won't be this month, it's just a late period!

We're going to test again on Friday just to double check

Ahhh @rosieb060 I’m so pleased for you!! I had a real good feeling about it after you posted the other day, so glad you tested earlier and get two have two extra days in your BFP bubble 🥰 congrats!!

We tested. We were going to leave it til Friday but did it today (16DPO).

PFP!!

@meganlea yes to that machine, you'd be a rich lady if you could invent it! 😂 TAKE MY MONEY!

@rosiej95 i think the apps work it out ovulation based on 14 days before your next predicted period. My 3 apps (yes, hugely excessive and actually confusing) all have different ovulation dates each month so 🤯

@Amy259 hoping Saturday is a BFP!! Sending positivity your way doll.

@rosieb060 you're incredible for waiting! Got such a good feeling for you, please let us know!

@meganlea that machine would be bloody marvellous!

@rosiej95 your app might be right then, if you have been inputting data! It’s maybe not guessing, but can actually predict

@Amy259 it's because it's the big decider isn't it, is it, isn't it, I just think it's dead weird that one week you're not pregnant and then one day you just are! I hope in the future they bring out little xray machines so immediately after DTD you can go to the machine like has it worked? Oh no, okay, we'll try again next month! Then no waiting around.......if only eh!!

@rosiej95 yeah I don't think I'd be able to withhold the news from anyone I'd want to shout it from the rooftops!!

Don't you think sex ed was a bit sh*t anyway in the UK? I barely learnt anything about my own body, all I remember was seeing videos about how men change, their erections and how to put a condom on...everything I have learnt about women is self taught thanks to google!

@rosiej95 how long are your cycles? If you don’t add any data to it (like OPKs or temps) the app will just guess your ov day by going 14 days back from the date of your expected next period. So assuming you’ve been tracking your periods, the most common length of luteal phase (days after ovulation but before period) is 14 days so it’ll just predict ovulation day as 14 days before your next predicted period. Does that make sense?

From what you’re saying I’d guess your cycles have been around 27/28 days? So it’s just guessing you ovulate in the middle of that. Whereas mine are 34/35 days, so I ovulate on cycle day 20 (about two weeks before af day). But because luteal phases can vary, that’s why people use OPKs - because if you just assume you ovulate on day 14 but actually it’s say day 17, you couldve stopped dtd and miss it all together. But if you just dtd every 2-3 days between periods, you don’t really need to worry about getting ov exactly right - just don’t stop dtd after your app says you’ve ov because it’s probably not accurate!

Sorry for the long explanation! Hope it helps a bit though..?

@rosiej95 how are you doing??

@rosiej95 sorry, cross posted there!

I’m okay, losing my mind somewhat but I suppose that’s to be expected 😂 I think I’m 6dpo, going off when I normally ovulate. Think I’m going to test for the first time on Sat... I’ll be 10dpo and holding off for just 4 more mornings feels achievable at the moment!

Hi @meganlea! Yeah I’m really feeling the drag this week - possibly more so than any other tww except my very first and I don’t know why?! I was SO chilled the first 3 weeks of this cycle with no OPKs or temps, it was lovely, but this is torture. I almost wish I’d tracked so I knew what day I definitely ovulated, I think possibly just guessing my DPO could be making it worse because it’s causing me to try to symptom spot.
You’re right, 5 week cycles are the worst! Although when I wasn’t TTC, only having to put up with a period every 5 weeks was lovely. Grass is always greener 😂

Sounds like you’re so on it with making sure you’re feeling good - love that!!

@beckyBP haha! I'm glad your cramps have gone now and you're feeling a better. Ready to start your new cycle!!

@rosiej95 omg I wanted to be able to give everyone a little Christmas surprise too! mind, we'd be forced to tell everyone dead early because it'd be obvious when you're the only one not drinking so I guess there's pros and cons to not falling on before Xmas!
Also, I'm the same, when people ask about babies I'm like is my doggo not enough for you?! haha.

@rosieb060 omgg! I'm feeling impatient on your behalf, it's definitely looking good though!! I'm sure @maudesid had a similar feeling before her BFP? Fingers crossed, if you last until Friday, I will be mega impressed!! But like you say, it gives time for AF to show in the meantime if she was to. Fingers and toes crossed!

I'm only CD6 and it feels like it's dragging already, I'm trying not to think about it but it's impossible lol. Having a 5 week cycle too just makes everything fee like it's progressing in slow mo! @Amy259 I'm sure you know the feeling as you're the same. And now you're in your tww it'll go even slower ha!

Taking my pre conception folic acid, vitamin c and d tablets this month, been getting a 30-40 minute walk in every day, increasing my intake of fruit and veg, started temping yesterday and today and recording on premom, don't think I will use the OPKs until maybe CD12, sometimes my cycles are 5 weeks long but a few months ago it was 4 weeks (rare for me) so not sure whether to start a little earlier, I bought a pack of 100 so it's not like I'll run out.

Hope everyone's feeling okay and staying optimistic!!

@rosieb060 you are some woman!! I wish I had your patience - I’d be climbing the walls at this point. I’m already counting down to 11dpo so I can start testing 😂

I’m pretty sure low down light cramps is a good sign! Ive seen a fair few women say that and then I had them with my bfp, I would’ve described them more as flutters than cramps if I was to compare them to stronger af cramps? And a lot lower. But I suppose everyone is different!

I decided to wait in the end! Going to leave it til Friday if I can bear it (which would be 18DPO I think)

My husband likes to do the tests with me and I woke up at 6am this morning and just couldn't bear to wake him up. He was sleeping soundly.

So, Friday it is! Either AF will hold off and I'll do the test, or won't, and I won't have to do the test. I think the results show up a bit clearer the longer you leave it, so that feels good.

I keep getting weird feelings across my low tummy muscles at the front, like I've run too hard and made a single muscle very tired. But unlike exercise, 10 or 20 minutes later, the feeling goes away again. Feels weird but maybe that's what a late period does to you?!

@beckyBP thank you!

Amy259 I don't feel super different to be honest but I'm also trying really hard not to over think it.

I would just be so delighted if it was positive.

Xx

Oh wow @rosieb060 I would for sure test!! Xx