The Turkey Baster Gang (gobble gobble)

@eloiseislost omg beautiful! And lovely view you have from your office there.

@Birchybirch congratulations on your referral, that’s really great news. It must feel so positive to be making progress.

Period DD for me here 😬. Nothing so far 🤞🏻, but I know there’s a lonnnng way to go. Weird thing is I’ve been having this really painful stitch-like cramp just on one side (left) since last night. At first I thought it must be period cramps, but it’s only on one side. Anyone else had this? Also a bit gassy/ constipated (sorry tmi!) so I guess it could be that...? It’s freaking me out, as quite painful.

I’m with @Oilyoilyoilgob and @Birchybirch in that I can no longer keep up with this thread 😂

But just wanted to say that I love how almost all of us are in tww and will be testing similar time - it seems like cycles can sync up even over mumsnet 😂😂

I’m 6dpo today - I’ve been doing really well up until now to distract myself and keep my mind off ttc this cycle but the last two days have finally been much quieter at work and so it’s easier to focus back on it now. Decided not to test unless I miss my period (it’s due on the 27th) - let’s see if I keep my word!

@eloiseislost gorgeous! Definitely a sign

I just saw this from the window in my office. I am going to take it as a sign of hope and better days to come! 🌈 🌈

@Birchybirch that’s so positive you’ve spoken to doc and they’ve put your referral in hope you get contacted by clinic quickly.
And best of luck for this cycle!

I went with a slower syringe speed today and will do that going forward! Hope it makes the difference!

That is definitely a positive of covid- not having to do embarrassing appointments face to face. Got to try and find the silver linings where we can eh??

*test on New Year’s Eve that should say!

Thanks @Oilyoilyoilgob and great news about your chart indicating ovulation! I am jealous you’re 8dpo- I would love to fast forward the 2ww a bit as only 1dpo here. But I guess if I did that I would miss Xmas (or what’s left of it anyway!). We just did our final SI for this cycle and I am keeping everything crossed we get lucky this cycle. That would be the best Xmas gift. My period is due on New Year’s Day so think I’m gonna year on New Year’s Eve so if it’s negative I can think it’s a new year and a fresh start tomorrow rather than beginning a whole new year on a BFN. Feel like that
Would set an unlucky tone for 2021- stupidly superstitious I know!

Gratitude for 3 things sounds brilliant! I might try that to boost positivity over next few months. Know what you mean about irrational jealousy. My SIL is 3 months pregnant or nearly and she made a totally inoccuous comment in family group chat after tier 4 news was announced and said- well it seems like a great Christmas to be pregnant as I’m not going to miss out on much now.
In my head I was like oh fuck off preggers mcsmuggy. Which is really mean and unfair of me! She doesn’t know at all we’ve been trying.
I do think those types of feelings are totally normal and understandable even if we feel like crazy ladys for feeling them!

Morning all! Ha, its amazing how many messages there are to catch up on when you miss a few days!

Keeping everything crossed for those of you in the tww right now!

Re the "squirting speed" yes, I too thought you had to do it quickly to mimic ejaculation, but recently read that slower is better, so I've changed that up this week (I should be ovulating on the next day or two).

I had my docs appointment yesterday. As I'm 36 and been trying almost 6 months, I thought it best to get booked in. I asked about whether bloods/scans were the next step, or a referral straight to a fertility clinic.... At 1st he said the fertility clinic will only really want to know once we've been trying a year...but then I mentioned how we SI every day during my peak. He then decided the SI was reason enough to put is straight through for a referral. Apparently I should get the letter in a few weeks (will possibly give it a month before chasing up).

I presume iui or ivf will be offered to me eventually at the clinic, although we are going to continue to SI as normal until that time comes.

Again, I'm really happy that I reached out to the doc for help. It was a phone appointment, so there was no embarrassment of talking face to face with him x

@Lori23TTC That's exactly my experience with the soft discs! When I first looked at it I was like "No way this will fit!" but they truly live up to their name, they are so soft! 😁
I think with BBT no cycles are exactly alike, so as long as you see a shift, that means ovulation has happened. It usually takes me a couple of days to reach my luteal line, I don't see a sharp increase.
My temp went waaaaay up today so that's a relief! Still no crosshairs on FF but I definitely ovulated sometime in the last 3 days. And we did SI 3 times so it's good to know we did all we could. Fingers crossed for everyone, we are due some good news!! 🤞🏼

@Louisa199 You are right, even if the individual numbers are not 100% correct, as long as you see a rise and a fall, it's good enough, especially if you monitor other signs at the same time.

@eloiseislost many factors can affect the readings in premom app, I might be a lucky one that the app never gives me significantly wrong reading ever. Honestly, the LH progression is more important than the numbers.

@eloiseislost I’m similar my app is saying I ovulated 3 days ago. But my post ovulation temps haven’t been as high as normal so who knows. I think I have I’m just not sure what day. I think your body is just adjusting to what has happened, we won’t be doing anymore SI now either so fingers crossed for us all x

Just realised I’ve missed a whole page... just going to catch up on that too x

Hey I’m just catching up! It’s so nice a few of us are going into the tww together! I only got my soft discs last week, I did a practice with some pressed and was terrified of putting it fully in as I brought a menstral cup and even now I can’t get it in, the docs have said I’m small up there so I think I’ll just never be able to use a menstral cup but I’ve been presently surprised with the soft disc. I prop my bottom up in bed and hubby does it in a cup which we then just pour into the disc and I put it in while I’m lying down, it goes in easy and I just push it in enough that you just feel it pop behind your pubic bone (hard to explain) and then I take it out when I go for a wee as kinda pushing down a bit helps dislodge it and that’s it. I’m really hoping this works as as I’ve never been able to find my cervix I never know if I’m pointing the syringe in the right place so I feel this is good for me, I will continue to use them abd highly recommend. Our Xmas has been ruined too we are in tier 4 so just be me and the hubby xx

@Bizawit I know, I couldn't believe my eyes, that's the darkest test line I've seen! That's why I suspect the onset of the surge started the previous day, I just didn't catch it. That and/or probably the miscarriage has caused my hormones to be out of whack.
Anything from 1 and beyond is normal, so don't worry about it. Plus, I suspect the Premom app while does a good job generally on interpreting OPKs, the lighting, the camera you are using and how much dye is in each strip will all play a part in the numbers it will give you.

@MrsKin90 So sorry you are feeling bad today. Once again, I admire your sensibility! I always start testing at 10DPO! 🙊🙉🙈

@eloiseislost wow 2.64 ! Do the numbers mean anything? It’s my first month using Premom and my peak was only 1.6 🤔

@MrsKin90 sorry you’ve had a bad day 😔. Not the best my end either- hope it’s not PMT 😬. That’s brave of you to test on Christmas Day ☺️. I think I’m going to try to hold off on testing but may cave..

So I have a new symptom to add to the list 😂 - sore teeth and gums! I looked it up and apparently it’s a symptom of early pregnancy, although on the other hand so is everything else I look up! 🤣

@eloiseislost it sounds like you've got the right approach really. It's not fair to put that extra pressure on yourself so soon. I'm surprised it's given you crosshairs on CD17 rather than Cd15! Fingers crossed you've done more than enough.

@Makingnumber2 you'll soon learn what works best for you and what you're more comfortable doing 😊

I'm 8dpo and have had a bad day after a bad nights sleep.
I've had these weird bad stabbing pains in my lower back on one side all.day. and slight cramps, and a headache, and I feel sorry for myself as I feel generally achy all over!! 🥺
Nothing exciting to report! If I DO have anything exciting happen (a suddenly increase in resting heart rate is what I usually aim for), then I'm going to test on 12dpo which is Christmas day 😬 maybe a bad decision haha. So we'll see!!

Hope everyone else is getting on okay! I distinctly remember saying I wasn't going to be on here in my tww this time 😂 that went well.

@MrsKin90 What's really odd is that the evening (CD17) before the morning I got my peak (CD18) my OPK looked very close to positive, but Premom had it at 0.7. This wasn't a particularly concentrated sample as I had forgotten about it and didn't hold long. If I set this to positive, FF gives me solid crosshairs on CD17 which is normal for me, I ovulate shortly after my OPKs get darker and it's always in the evening when I get my first positive. Either way, no more SI for us this cycle, I feel like I'd be putting too much pressure on us and my body so shortly after the miscarriage. Whatever will be, will be. 🤷🏻‍♀️

@Makingnumber2 I was the same as you, I thought I had to do it quickly to simulate a normal ejaculation, but I read somewhere that the extra pressure can damage the sleek -some damage is always part of the deal when they come out during the ejaculation anyway. Also it creates splatter, whereas theoretically if you do it slowly, it just gently deposits them where they should be. Having said all that, try not to worry too much about it, like my DH says "the important thing is to get the sperm inside, it only takes one!" 🤣

@eloiseislost and @MrsKin90 thank you for your answers! And good to know TMI isn’t a thing on this thread got a feeling that will come in handy during this SI journey!
I think perhaps I’ve been depressing the syringe too fast to try and somehow emulate a real ejaculation. Geez there’s a sentence I never thought I would ever type!!

@eloiseislost it almost looks like you ovulated the day before your peak going by your BBT? I wonder if you'd get crosshairs if you took the opk away? Either that or your BBT might hope up tomorrow. Are you going to do SI until you're sure you've ovulated?

@Makingnumber2 what goes up must come down 😂 it's normal for it to leak out. Maybe make sure you're squeezing it very gentle and slowly rather than very quickly. And as said above, you can leave the syringe in for a few minutes - I don't do this as I find it makes it messier!

@Makingnumber2 No such thing as TMI here! 😁
What is advised is to keep the syringe in for 10-20 minutes after, while you are lying down. In any case though, swimmers are incredibly fast and they will reach the cervix very quickly. What leaks out is the seminal fluid and it's meant to do that, it's nothing to worry about.

I’ve got another quick question and apologies if it’s TMI. I’ve been using the curve ended syringes for SI over last few days and just done the final one for this cycle. It seems like as soon as the syringe is emptied and removed all of the fluid just leaks straight out of me... this is making me worry all of the SI we’ve done the last 3 days has been a bit futile... is this why people think the soft discs are better? I am staying with legs in air for about 20mim after each SI but if all the fluids leak out after 2 or 3 mins then it seems a bit silly to be lying on back for so long afterwards?

@Makingnumber2 Strictly speaking, there are only two ways to definitely confirm ovulation: progesterone blood tests and BBT. All the other signs can be strong indicators, but ultimately they happen when your body is gearing up to release an egg and rarely that doesn't happen for one reason or another.
I'll need to see how my BBT goes, I have a feeling I did ovulate but who knows? 🤷🏻‍♀️ In any case, we were only trying this cycle as a way to cope with the MC, I didn't have high hopes anyway!

@eloiseislost I will give it a go- it's good to know it goes in its own direction- I didn't realise it ran longer than the British one.

I'm so sorry about your MC.
That graph doesn't mean much to me as I don't track BBT (yet... I do have a 2 decimal places thermometer ready to go though)are you doing OPKs too? Which is most accurate indicator of Ov do you think?
I know with OPKs they only detect LH surge and actually an LH surge doesn't mean you actually ovulate (mind messer that one to me!)- but I so far have stuck to them and hoped the pains I get when I get a peak are a pretty certain indicator of Ovulation but who knows.

Hope you're not feeling too despondent about it if you think you definitely haven't ov-ed this month.