Anyone else trying to get pregnant and want to talk about it?

bayleaf, well I suppose regular cycles mean I don't have too much waiting and wondering every month, but as far as achieving pregnancy goes they seem about as useful as a chocolate fireguard! How are things with you? Are you having or planning any treatment - you mentioned you'd had clomid in the past - was dd conceived with help?

Aloha, I think I read that study - it was on normally fertile couples IIRC - I think when you've been trying for a while it can be helpful to feel that you've eliminated problems of timing at least. I have to say that no matter how much I try to forget about it, I still find myself wondering every month whether we did it too early or too late (don't think I can face www's approach to overcoming that issue ) So are you trying again too??

Yup Lil. We definitely would like a third (and DH is muttering about four!).

The advice re ovulation predictor kids came from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists who did a study - they didn't help and they are so expensive!

There has been quite a lot of evidence that ovulation predictor kits have no effect on conception rates. There is also increasing evidence that the 'window' for conception is far wider than was previously thought. The recommendations are that sex 2x per week (yes, I know!) throughout the month is the best was to ensure you 'hit' the right time for conception. I know I used the odd ovulation predictor kit, and according to them it seemed I was never ovulating. Still got p/g though!

Elliot - I can't imagine that a persona would be worth the money if you are thinking of ivf ( need to save all your money!) as it takes a while for it to work optimally as it need to build up a pctue of your cycle anyhow. You're lucky to have a regular cycle - tho I also know exactly what you mean about really wanting to know EXACTLY when it is in order to be sure you don't miss the 'best' day if you know you're not particularly fertile and need to maximise your chances in any way you can.
Marina how long did it take to get pregnant with ds1? It's an interesting idea about the feeding - it is basically the main reason I gave up feeding at 6 months as I wanted another one far more than my desire to keep feeding - with hindsight I could have carried on!

Bells, conceiving again? does that mean you're going for number 3 (or have I miscounted)? I'm thinking about it, but hubby is hoping its just the hormones still and I won't go thru with it again.I keep being told how difficult 3 is - and any hopeful thoughts of private education go out f the window.

Oh how I wish someone could provide a definitive answer that that question Marina. I don't want to stop breastfeeding my 12 month old (currently morning and night) but worry that if I don't I will lessen my chances of conceiving again.

thanks for that Marina. Still not sure whether to invest in one. We had planned to start ivf after christmas, so only one more ovulation before then (that sounds scary...). My cycle is really regular so I tend to think that as long as I'm hitting the crucial week I shouldn't worry too much,after all my problems must be more fundamental than simple mistiming, but on the other hand sometimes I think it would be helpful to pinpoint ovulation more accurately, so that at least I have the peace of mind that I've done all I can naturally (especially since bms is somewhat less frequent since the arrival of ds!)

I think its possible that bf might had interfered with conception - at least, if you think about it that way, it only took 4 months to conceive Tom which sounds much more encouraging than 2 years!! (Is that counting more or less from ds1s birth?)

Elliott, it's currently £64.95 for a starter pack (Persona plus the first lot of test sticks). Each month after that you need £9.95 worth of sticks. So that is why Cam's offer was so amazingly kind.
What I like about it is that because you are testing at intervals stipulated by the gadget throughout the month, you don't have that scary, intense urge to go bananas with ovulation sticks. So I'd say that I definitely find Persona a more relaxed method. And it does work out cheaper quite soon. It worked well for us both times - a result within 6 months.
BUT second time round I was still feeding once a day for over a year (stopped at Christmas, got pregnant at Easter with Tom) so did not use the Persona for much of the two years it took to conceive him. I now wonder whether even a quick, one-a-day feed has subtle effects on your fertility - I was having normal periods, ovulation symptoms etc.

How much is persona? Wish I'd known about it before I spent all that dosh on ovulation predictor tests!! Not sure whether it would be wise to go down that route this time though, I'm trying to keep things relatively low key and not hope for anything.

Marina, thinking of you and hoping you have positive news before long.

I never really feel premenstrual, just headachy, felt sick (even wanted to throw up in Sainsburys on Friday), still feel a bit sick now, however, I have put it down to the fact that being so late has made all symptoms exaggerated - unless (in dream world with you Lulu41) I am still pg but having a period as well!!! And, I also thought that a cheapo test was wrong, but sadly Clearblue also showed a -. The brain sometimes is a terrible thing!!

Oops should have read hasnt not has!!!

If my period has started by Wednesday I am going to do another one - maybe the cheap Tesco test was inaccurate - yeah I know I can only dream eh!!!!!

I too convinced myself I was pregnant by Saturday ie. really sore nipples quite tired and never normally get these symptoms unless pregnant - of course the test was negative I did cry quite alot obviouvsly very pre-menstrual not had my period yet and quite bizarrely am hoping for a miracle has anybody else had negative test results when they should have read positive!!!

Well, tested Friday, got a -ve, and then on day 47 (Sat), period began, so very disappointed, and more annoyed that body was showing many signs of pg and was so late on usual cycle. Now will be more difficult to pinpoint 'peak' time but can look forward to lots of bding and the new year, when a test will hopefully show a +. Good luck to everyone and I feel for those all disappointed this month

Bayleaf, glad to hear my deep suspicion of £5 per widdle sticks, and preference for Persona have received expert endorsement!
Paula1, thanks for the kind words. I have my ups and downs (a trip to France this weekend with dh and ds finally gave me back some faith in the future, whether it is with one child or two). But checking out the boards and especially seeing that most of the time, things are going well for other Mumsnetters, also cheers me up a lot. Glad you are keeping well and hope you are still on course to get the birth you want.

Good luck Marina, I hope that things work out for you 'on your own' as it were, without the added stress of having to see consultants etc. I've been thinking about you a lot, but trying to keep to the sidelines as my baby is due around the same time that yours was, you seem to be doing absolutely brilliantly to me, I've seen your posts all over the boards giving good advice everywhere.

I have to admit that I've never been very happy with them - they seem to have given bizarre results - apparently positive ones ages before my body indicated it was ovulating and positive results that carried on for days when I'm sure it sould only give a positive reading for a couple of days. One internet supplier even sent me a whole new batch when I complained that they weren't working properly...I have to say that I'd use pesona every time if your cycle is 34 days or shorter

Paula1, that made me smile - those things are the devil's invention, aren't they. I am only using them for the first time this month (after Persona met with tragic and messy accident, Persona 2 is waiting in the wings) and I cannot work out for the life of me how to be sure the second line is the same shade as the first. They really are baffling. One seemed to give a positive result under the halogen bathroom light but a very weedy negative in the bedroom. I THINK I got a positive result the other night but with none of the normal symptoms I tend to get when ovulating.
I am giving myself three months of weeing on sticks and then I am off to the GPs to demand blood tests. I have been promised fast-track access to my consultant - but I would not recommend losing a baby at 21 weeks as a way of achieving this.

Monkey, it doesn't sound trivial at all. I'm so sorry for you. I know what it's like when you're waiting and you can't think of anything else. I find myself constantly analysing how I feel and looking for symptoms. And convincing myself one way, and then the other. To have this going on for weeks and weeks is just awful.

Trying, day 1 is the first day of your period. You should ovulate approx. 14 days before your next period starts (i.e. about on day 14 for a 28 day cycle). I think it's best if the sperms are swimming about in you before you ovulate, rather than just starting their swim (IYSWIM) (that's a coincidental acroymn) on the night of day 14.

Marina, are you using those ovulator predictor kits? I used 2 whole kits and they never showed that I had ovulated the month that I got pregnant. I'm not sure that they're awfully reliable

Congrats Musica - now I'm feeling jealous (in a nice way!) so I know I have a heady dose of broodiness hanging around my person

Monkey - You can try the essential oil clary sage to bring on a period. NEVER EVER use this if you think you are pregnant though as it can bring on bleeding.
I was 12 days late before I finally came on. So was my friend - we put it down to hanging around a pregnant woman who was due this week. It made us both late I'm sure. You haven't been spending time with one woman pregnant or not for the past month or two, have you monkey? Your cycles will be getting in sync if that's the case - happens every time if I have spent loads of time with one female. Nature is a wondrous thing sometimes...