April 2021 TTC - let's chat :)

@tothemoonandback21 I just mentioned this to @Timeandtidal, with peak OPK it doesn’t mean you are ovulating that day, it means you will ovulate in the next 24-36 hours, so unless you BBT as well you just have to assume your ovulation is the day after or 2 days after peak! With DPO I count after the day of ovulation. So for me I ovulated on Friday 9th April and got my BFP on Thursday 22nd so 13dpo 😊 do you know how long your luteal phase usually is? You can sometimes work out your days from that!

I do think it’s best waiting near the time of expected period to test. I know it’s hard but it takes out all this guess work and early disappointment 😔

Thanks @Tryingandhopeful ! Another BFN for me today 😔 but AF not due til Friday so at least not too long to wait for an answer either way.

2 silly questions I've just thought of...for those of you who use OPKs, do you take your peak day to be ovulation day or the day after? I've been counting my DPO to include the day I got my solid smiley but now wondering if I've counted one too many. Also, (even more silly now I think of it) 'DPO' doesn't include the day of ovulation does it?! If I've got both these things wrong then I'm actually only 8DPO today 🙈 You'd think I'd know these things by now!!

@tothemoonandback21 thank you so much 😊 I couldn't quite believe it either, was expecting a big flashing 'not pregnant' so it was definitely a shock lol I was much the same before using OPKs in that my app was telling me I was ovulating about 3 days earlier than I was. This was the first month I used OPKs and BBT and it's obviously worked, basically before I'd just been winging it with my app lol. I also used the Femometer LH strips to detect my peak, but would not recommend the HCG strips as they were all stark white for me

@Timeandtidal you should have caught the egg with only DTD 24 hours after peak! The peak is only saying you’re about to ovulate in next 24 hours and once the egg is released it’s viable for 12-24 hours so you were within the time frame!! I have everything crossed for you 🤞🏻 You don’t have to do SMEP, that plan just increases likelihood of there being enough sperm during your FW to increase chances of conceiving! For this cycle we only DTD 3 days before my peak and then day of O! It only takes one sperm 😉 how many dpo are you now? With OPKs I used the femometer ones from Amazon and used the app which you use to take a picture of the stick and it tells you the percentage in peak levels! I didn’t need to use the app on my peak day as the test line was super pink and the control line wasn’t a bright as previous ones! I would recommend those ones if you’re wanting cheaper OPKs! I would hold off buying anymore though until you know you’re definitely out from this cycle 🤞🏻😊

@tothemoonandback21 good luck if you’re testing this morning!!! ❤️

Aw thanks so much @Rudyroo @Mumofboys20122017 @Tryingandhopeful , trying to stay positive in the face of my negative! I'm terrible for just counting myself out immediately at the first BFN...not feeling any symptoms of pregnancy or of impending AF so I can't even symptom-spot either way! Onto tomorrow anyway, I'm glad to be testing now at least.

@Dreamer30 massive congratulations, what a lovely surprise for you!! I remember this happening to me with DD1 and how shocked I felt when I spotted the 1-2 weeks message on the CB digital I had half-heartedly taken after days of negative ICs...hope you're celebrating tonight 😄

@Timeandtidal I like the CB OPKs, expensive but straightforward and take the guessing out of it. I didn't know how late I ovulated until I started using these, would definitely recommend. Now I just need to stop trying to use my leftover ones as HPTs as I'm probably going to need them next cycle 🙈🤦🏼‍♀️

Thank you everyone 💙 it hasn't quite sunk in yet!

I tested on CD 12,13&14 but I'm not sure if I just had a bad batch of tests or not. OD was 8th April so I just assumed I was out.

I only tested because I am 2 days late and the spotting was getting lighter not heavier, although it felt like AF. Good luck to you all 😊🥰

@Rudyroo I know it feels so frustrating. Hoping that next is your month. Hanging there ladies who are still going with TTC 🤞💜

@Tryingandhopeful massive congratulations!! So delighted for you.

You too @Dreamer30!! Brilliant news.

I'm now on CD22. I got peak OPK on CD17 but didn't manage much DTD after I got peak OPK. Just once 24 later so I'm not too hopeful this month.

Ov was so much later than I imagined. I think we had burned ourselves out DTD around day 14 when I assumed it would be. At least I tested and found out it was later so I know going forward.

Does anyone have are a recommendation for accurate and easy to use OPKs?

Also if I am using OPKs should we be following SMEP?

@Mumofboys20122017 @Tryingandhopeful ah thank you ladies, I just did an OPK out of desperation and it was negative too 😔 so I think I just have to accept I'm out this month. It's the third month we've been properly trying so I know in the grand scheme of things this is not long at all, but it still feels like a massive disappointment, especially when we have been doing all the right things and having all the sex! 😂 I know I'll be fine in a couple of days and I can start looking to the next cycle. I swear it's all the waiting around that makes this so hard!

@Dreamer30 huge congratulations to you! 💛

Thank you @Tryingandhopeful 😊 I may have had a dodgey batch! There were mixed reviews on amazon, some said fantastic and others said they still never got a bfp after one on a clearblue for example, or that they eventually got it a week after a missed period lol.
Glad you're seeing some progression 😊

@Dreamer30 or I had a particularly good pack 😂

@Rudyroo I’m so sorry to hear about the BFN this morning 😔😔 I know you did so well to wait until this morning to test!! Sending you lots of hugs today and hope you’ve managed to do something nice for yourself!! I know I didn’t get my BFP on the FRER at 13/14dpo, but got positives on the others!! Like the others have said you’re not completely out until AF shows so 🤞🏻🤞🏻 she stays away!!

@tothemoonandback21 I agree with @Mumofboys20122017 you’re definitely still in with a chance with only being 9dpo!! So praying you get your BFP later this week 🙏🏻

Lots of baby dust to you guys 💕💕

@Dreamer30 Congratulations ❤️ That’s wonderful news!! I used the femometer tests too!! My HCG ones showed a faint line and the frer didn’t 🙈 I’ve been using the rest of those sticks up (think I got 20 in with my pack of Opks) and they’ve been getting darker for me every day since Thursday (day of my missed period) so maybe you just had a particularly bad pack!!

@Mumofboys20122017 thanks so much 😊 just a wee note for anyone using the femometer hcg tests, don't! I got 10 tests along with the LH tests and the reviews are so bad. I didn't even get a hint of a line on them. Wish I'd read the reviews first

Girls I'd stopped posting as I was getting negatives on cheapies and I felt like my period was coming.
I'm 2 days late, have had brown spotting, sore boobs and nausea and I've just got this! 😁 I'm actually shaking. I can't believe it! I had no cheapies left so used an opk which was positive, so went and got a clearblue.
My mind is racing! DP was speechless 🤣 but happy

@tuxedocat I had bad cramps on Thursday early morning (during the night) so since that's been 3 days I thought that would have been enough time for anything to show up on a frer? I would love you to be right but I'm not holding out too much hope! My cycles are quite long - usually 33/34 days, so now the agonising wait for AF 🙄 x

@tothemoonandback21 thank you for your lovely msg. Its crappy isn't it. 9DPO you're still in with a good chance! Everything 🤞🏼 for you x

@Rudyroo so sorry to hear this, sending you some BFN solidarity from my test this morning too (9DPO). You're not out yet if AF still hasn't made an appearance, will keep hoping for you. Look after yourself today xx

@Rudyroo bad cramps could be implantation, and then it might be a few more days until it starts to show? You’re not out yet!

Hi ladies. BFN this morning on a FRER at 14DPO. I'm absolutely gutted, now I'm wondering what the hell those bad cramps were a few days ago if it wasn't pregnancy related?! I'm feeling really down in the dumps now 😔 why is this so hard!!

Hope you have all had a nice weekend and enjoyed some sunshine.

@Tryingandhopeful aw totally understand the urge to keep on with the POAS...such an exciting but nerve-wracking time. If it gives you some reassurance, why not! Thanks for the encouragement re 9DPO, I reeeally hope so....how many hours til the morning now...?! 😬🙈

@tothemoonandback21 it hasn’t sunk in quite yet!! Just poas every day at minute just to watch the line get darker 🙈 don’t think I will stop until that’s line is as dark as it can be 😂 aww with my DS I got a positive on CB early test at 9dpo so it’s possible!! Fingers crossed for u tomorrow 🤞🏻

@Milly238 thank you ❤️❤️ Sorry to hear about AF!!! Boo to that witch!!! I was going to say we tried conceive plus lubricant for the first time this cycle so not sure if that helped but might be worth trying 🤷🏼‍♀️ I read lots of good reviews about it so thought I would give it a go as there was no harm in trying, anything to increase the chances!! Just hoping you haven’t got too long to wait for FW in this cycle!! x

@Tryingandhopeful YAY!! Congratulations lovely!!! I’m so pleased for you what amazing news and how fab to see it on a digital! ❤️❤️❤️

Hope everyone is doing well! Sorry for being quiet - work has been manic this week! AF started the other day boo but also I’m happy it’s a new cycle and we can just try again very soon ☺️ Planning on trying out some new things like SMEP so fx !

@Rudyroo thank you! I'm now 8DPO, CD26. You are doing soo well waiting until tomorrow to test!! Huge amounts of luck to you for the morning, hope you have lots to distract yourself with today. My DDs are nearly 4 and nearly 2 so already have my hands pretty full! x

@Tryingandhopeful thanks and congratulations!! Has it sunk in yet??! I had another flashing smiley on the OPK this morning, I've read that flashing is when it picks up oestrogen so fingers crossed that means something. Testing tomorrow, will be a bit early at 9DPO but am armed with my CB early detection test (bought from Amazon @Puppymamababymama !)
and a lot of hope... x

Thank you everyone 🥰 you’re all so lovely!!

@Puppymamababymama I got mine in Sainsbury’s! They currently have half price on the single early tests!

@tothemoonandback21 welcome to the thread 😊 I agree that does sound promising!! Especially the coffee sign and OPKs!! When are you going to test test?

@Rudyroo aww I completely get it!! Sending all my positive vibes to you lovely 🙏🏻🥰 Hoping you get your BFP tomorrow x