First timers, TTC. Safe space for brain dumps...

Oh I have just started using those ones too @TinyDancer91. How are you finding them? My pattern was going well and then yesterday (CD9), the strength suddenly dipped. Probably started them too early so will persevere

I am due on this Friday unless our final months pull out method work. I am so excited about starting to try. It's all I can think of currently. I have some easy@home sticks on order from amazon. Wasn't sure if I was going to get some but why not give the first go a good try!! 😀

Has anyone heard of taking aspirin during 2ww to help with implantation?

Hi All,
Hope it's okay that I join in. I'm 29 and TTC with DH (also 29) for the first time. Came off the pill at the end of October and started trying right away. Hoping to get a BFP early in 2022.

@Florrie95 thank you I will look in to these. Was so disappointed with the expensive CB ovulation tests. Complete waste of money for me when the cheap ones from Amazon were much better. I have a CB pregnancy test leftover from last month when I naively thought I might get a BFP 😂 I will see how that goes but will get these for next month if I have to 🙂

@Pickles91 thank you! 😁

@rcal1988 they're by a brand called Wondfo, you can get them on Amazon. They're pretty cheap and you get quite a few. They're supposed to be as sensitive at picking up pregnancy as the Clearblue Early so may be worth giving them a go instead of buying the expensive ones, especially if you test early and a couple of times a day (guilty)

@Bluets ahhh yay! Same here, Maggie Nelson is a genius ❤️

@Florrie95 thanks for your reply. I can definitely see that line! Hoping it continues to get darker for you. Are those strips you have just like the OPK ones but for pregnancy? I don’t think I’ve seen them before. Do you mind me asking where you got them?

A tentative congrats @Florrie95. Can definitely see something! Hoping for a blazing positive FRER tomorrow 🤞🏼

Hi, @rcal1988 I started testing yesterday at 9DPO because I'm insane. I think 14DPO is a great day if you can wait that long. For me, 14DPO would be one day after my period was due so I think it all depends on your cycle and how impatient you are!

Here is my 10DPO test taken just now. Its significantly darker than one I took with FMU earlier. Cant tell if I'm just someone who has a higher concentration in the evening, or if because its so early and the hcg is just rising rapidly? Either way its still so early that I'm not allowing myself to be excited yet. AF not due for another 2 days so maybe after that. Think I'll use an FRER in the morning 🤞

Thanks guys @Pickles91 @Bluets. think I must just be having one of those days! It’s great having this thread to come on to though as even though I could talk to my OH, I feel they don’t understand as other women would. Will try and hold off until 14DPO but I know I have a test upstairs just waiting to be used 😂

@lakejupiter it is, yes, good spot! I love Maggie Nelson

It is really tough going through this @rcal1988 I think we all can empathise with that feeling. Some good stats and support on this thread, I hope the meh passes and the wait goes quickly for you.

I'm feeling a bit better today, at least this TTC thing has changed how I feel about getting my period - because I have very consistent and obvious PMS symptoms I know before it comes that I'm not pregnant, so now it feels like a reset rather than a burden. Here we go again, cycle 3 I'm coming for you!

I am envious of anyone who can just go with the flow on this journey @lakejupiter! Especially when you have a couple of extra obstacles in place. As you said, you’ve done everything you can. Just two weeks to go!

Thanks for the insight on your vax. The first two didn’t affect it, but I also wasn’t really paying attention to when in the cycle they were, so felt a bit clueless.

How’s everyone else feeling today?

@Pickles91 thank you! Found myself getting a bit sad about it because I read lots of stuff about going with the flow etc and obviously my situation means I have to plan and have limited amounts of "tries" per month. Reminding myself we are all different and that I did what I could this month ❤️ it's gonna be an emosh couple of weeks lol!

Hopefully your booster doesn't affect anything too much!! I got mine on CD26 of my prev cycle and my AF arrived on time a few days later and was normal, but I think it did delay my ovulation this cycle.

How frustrating @lakejupiter! It sounds like you’re covered though so have everything crossed for you. On other threads I’ve read, some lucky ladies only DTD once in FW and boom. Up the duff. So I’m hopeful for you. My booster is next week, around CD17 so hoping it’ll be late enough that it doesn’t affect anything, but who knows!

8DPO is still early @rcal1988, so please don’t get disheartened yet. I read somewhere that there’s only like a 25% of conceiving per month. Hopefully you are in the 25%, but if not, it’s totally normal. I am impatient and enjoy a glass of wine or two, so will likely test earlier than 14DPO, but it’s personal preference. What does your gut say?

@Bluets yes it's so annoying isn't it! Hard to moan without sounding like an anti-vaxxer but it was really hard to have my booster knowing it was gonna fuck with my first month of ttc.

Also - random q but is your username because of the Maggie Nelson book Bluets??

Hope you are all well ladies 🙂 just had to come on and vent to you guys. Now 8DPO but can’t say I have any symptoms out of the ordinary. It’s torturing and disheartening but I keep having to remember it’s so early on. I feel we covered all bases this month in terms of DTD and it was the first month I knew when I ovulated so I keep thinking if it hasn’t happened this month then why? Anyone else feeling a bit meh about the whole thing? Is it best to wait until 14DPO before testing?

@CrazyCatLady95 I hear you, solidarity! It's a difficult feeling to sit with.

@TinyDancer91 thank you for the welcome! Hope you feel better soon. Really challenging and feels pretty unfair to have to manage ill health with symptoms that then trigger our minds to read into things. Also not a fan of winter, I love the sun!

@lakejupiter that sounds really frustrating, so sorry to hear that. My booster hasn't seemed to have impacted my cycle but my second jab did, and anecdotally I've heard of lots of people who have had their cycles impacted. Like you I'm grateful to have access to this wonderful free vaccination but not so grateful for the spanner in the works

I'm on CD1, anyone else? I'm going to start using OPKs for the first time this cycle, gonna get real nerdy about this TTC business!

(For clarity - I am now CD17 and will ovulate I guess on CD18 so two days later than I usually do - wouldn't be as big a deal if we were able to DTD/inseminate again for good measure but I'm already home)

@TinyDancer91 how many dpo are you? Could be implantation pain but I can imagine every little twinge is hard to ignore! I hope your IBS gets better and that the bloating etc is a sign for a BFP not just an upset tum.

I'm a bit bummed this evening, just got back from the place my coparent lives after three days of inseminations. I had my probable ovulation date as CD16. I arrived on CD14 and we inseminated CD14, 15 and 16. On CD 15 and morning of CD 16 I had EWCM, ovulation pain and dark (but not completely positive) OPKs, so I assumed I would ovulate on CD 16 like I usually do. BUT....this afternoon and evening I have a static smiley on a clearblue test and two very clearly positive OPK strips and even more EWCM. So I thought I was 2dpo but I'm actually 0dpo? Or haven't even ovulated yet? Anyway.....it's fine, as the sperm can live for five days and will hopefully still be around to meet the egg when I ovulate tonight or tomorrow but it's frustrating to have my ovulation delayed for the first time in a year of tracking it the first month I'm TTC. I'm blaming it on my booster jab, which I was grateful to get but I have heard has an effect on cycles.

@Bluets I'm feeling the same, feel like everyone's getting engaged and getting pregnant BUT me 😞 the jealousy is real

Hello! Do you mind if I join?

Me (30) and DH (31) are on month one of properly TTC! Currently on CD8 and have started using OPKs, which I find fascinating. So excited to see what happens and have everything crossed for a thread full of BFPs 🤞🏼