Preparing to TTC in 2023

@Hopefulhoney6 thank you sooo much for all that information, that is super helpful and informative! I am feeling positive about it and excited to see what happens moving forward 🤞

@TrudyProud you’re so right - not out til AF arrives and it’s definitely possible I tested too early. I think I will stop testing now and just wait and see if AF arrives.

@Summer022 it's not over till AF arrives! With DD I only tested on AF DD at 14DPO so maybe you just tested early.

Also my Fitbit had my expect ovulation day 4-5 days earlier than it actually was (thankfully I used CB OPK when TTC).

Everyone else, where are you buying internet cheapies from? For DD I was militant but this time around I'd like to be a tad less so

@Summer022 oh and what I meant to say is every day or every other day is fine - it’s what you prefer. My DH gets stressed if we do every day, so just do every other!!

@Summer022 I read a book called Impatient Womens Guide to getting Pregnant which explains everything. But it’s a myth that DTD every day needs time for sperm to recover (unless you have low sperm count which you don’t know without a test - My DH has done a test and all fine), but statistically every other day is pretty much the same.
I got pregnant on cycle 5 with a negative 10dpo and a positive 12dpo so you’ve still got hope (I then had a MC unfortunately). However, you never know exactly when you ovulate (unless you do BBT and it drops) so I would always keep DTD until you are sure you have ovulated.
A positive test shows a surge in LH so that you are just about to ovulate… it wouldn’t be positive after you ovulate. The egg can only be fertilised for 12-24 hours after you ovulate, so it’s better to be DTD in the five days before ovulation so that sperm is waiting around to catch the egg when it comes. DTD within 12 hours of a positive OPK.
Don't get disheartened if it doesn’t work 1st, 2nd or even cycles after that. Each month you’re resetting the clock and there’s only a 30%ish (age dependent) chance the sperm and egg will meet, implant etc so it does sometimes take patience. Good luck!

Hi ladies, loving reading through the positive and supportive messages and feeling hopeful for cycle #2. AF is due in around 6 days and I did a test first thing this morning at 10dpo which was a BFN. Felt disappointed but picked myself up and ready for cycle #2. I just wondered if anybody had any advice, is it better to dtd every day or every other day? This cycle we did it every day and I’m wondering whether it needed to be less frequent so my partner has time to recover lol. Also, if anybody knows, with the opks, if I get a positive ovulation strip, does this mean I am due to ovulate soon or will have already ovulated? Just trying to get my head around it all x

Hi all!

This is my first post and hoping it’s not to late to join this group, but just read through all the posts and this looks like a lovely group to be part of as we all go on the TTC journey together!

Im 28 and have just got married so we are going to start TTC this year! Originally we were planning on starting on our honeymoon in March but we are going to Thailand and I’ve just properly researched into Zika ( TTC when booking wasn’t on our mind) so think we are going to start in June after the recommend 3 month wait. Was quite disappointed about having to wait a little bit longer and we are going to speak to a health care professional but I think waiting is probably the best option.

Have already started taking folic acid/ vitamin s and trying to stay healthy.

looking forward to chatting

@ViewFromTheAfternoon definitely come off the pill and then maybe just be casual until you have a regular cycle. It took me 10 months to ovulate after coming off the pill!

@ViewFromTheAfternoon I felt the same, then I was so disappointed when we didn't conceive on month 1. Also, @Hopefulhoney6 is right - there's lots of time to prepare (& save / do all the things you wanted to do) as it's more like 10 months ha ha. X

@supernova1234 I had similar with the internet cheapies and just never got a dark enough line, but started using the CB digital and seem to get on better with those. They seem to match up with what I see in terms of CM, so reckon it's worth the extra money. So personally I'd take that CB result as you being in your fertile window

@123ROLO yes this is a good point.. and I know I'm ready and WANT a baby, it's all I've thought about for the past 2 and a half years and been wishing time away. Now that it's here and I know my life as if know it will change forever once I have a baby I'm suddenly extremely scared.

@Hopefulhoney6 good idea about wellwoman! I didn't know that, thank you. I think that's what I'll do

I might actually just come off the pill and see what happens.. instead of actively trying and tracking. That seems a lot less daunting

@ViewFromTheAfternoon to easy yourself in, why don’t you take Wellwoman. It has enough folic acid in but is just a womens health vitamin, so might not feel so “scary”.

a friend once told me…. Once you get pregnant you have 9 months to get used to the idea. You don’t have a child straight away and she thinks that’s an important period.

I’ve been TTC seven months with one MC and I have had ups and downs of “is this right”, even scared when I saw the positive test, but it’s fine to have mixed emotions x

@ViewFromTheAfternoon

I really don't know if this is good advice. But part of my thinking, and why it keeps crossing my mind to try before my wedding even though I don't want to be pregnant till after my wedding, is that if there Is any difficulty conceiving, or it takes ages, you'll be disappointed you didn't start sooner.

It's normal for it to take up to a year even without any known fertility issues. Two of my best friends have been trying for over 2 years now and it consumes them.

Sorry that's very doom and gloomy. You must be ready, or else you wouldn't have got to the stage of going for supplements.

It's natural to be worried. But, I can guarantee once you actually get into the full ttc mindset it'll be exciting more so than nerve wracking.

Me and my oh joke that it's hard to take each other seriously when we discuss ttc plans as it feels like we are 'playing grownups,' 😂. We don't necessarily feel ready yet, but both feel that when it happens, we will make ourselves ready if that makes sense.

Went to the supermarket today to get a few bits and almost picked up some folic acid and it terrified me and I got cold feet. It suddenly felt very real to be taking an actual step towards TTC and have it be close enough for me to take vitamins. It really hit me in that moment and now Im really scared. How do I stop myself from keep putting it off? Because I know when the first month of TTC comes I will come up with an excuse to delay it. But I know that I'll always feel like that, I'll always be scared. Diving head first into the unknown, throwing your life into the chaos of parenthood, it's absolutely terrifying how do I get over it and just do it!

@Mushroo @happyfeet5

Same thoughts, twins would be hard work but solve a lot of the logistical issues in the longer run e.g how to time children/mat leave/work etc

So it basically just comes down to stimulating your ovaries to hyper ovulate, some women do this naturally and randomly one month will release 2 eggs rather than 1. But there are potential ways you can encourage hyper ovulation.

Soy isoflavones - I would do a lot of research into this one if considering using it, as if not taken correctly or on wrong days it can affect your cycle. Soy isoflavones are often dubbed natures clomiphene. If taken on the first few days of your cycle, it is said to encourage follicle/egg development and therefore increase your chances of releasing 2, if taken later in your menstrual cycle (never more than 5 days at a time) it is meant to help bring ovulation forward and help the egg mature.

Dong Qui and Vitex (Chaste tree) - Has a similar effect, it helps balance hormones and blocks prolactin which causes failure to ovulate.

Primrose oil is also said to have a similar effect.

The cassava and white yams are thought to increase hyper ovulation.

You can buy cassava route as a supplement, there's actually one called "cassava twins" on amazon - though I have yet to read up on that!

A diet high in Soy and Dairy is meant to help increase chances of twins.

I would not do all of these!! But some are easy, e.g eating yams and more dairy.

I would be tempted to take a couple of supplements, but I will read more into them before I commit as I wouldn't want to risk playing with natural order of things too much.

@TrudyProud thank you, will look if I have one nearby!

@LeopardLover it very well could be! Never had that with my girl I don’t think so who knows 🙈 I got a v v v v v faint line on a first reponse today even my bf could see it and his eyesight is shit haha so I’ll try again in a few days and see, not getting my hopes up though 😊xx

Sorry don’t think my pic uploaded. This is my most recent evap/indent line :(

I’d like to say this looks positive! But same as you I’ve had soooo many evap lines!! This one being one 😭 I’ve gave up that much with tests I genuinely just go off a missed period now I’ve been let down that many times. Good luck tho and keep us updated xxxxx

@Mushroo @123ROLO don't know where you live but any west African or Caribbean food store would sell yams.

Personal preference from growing up eating yams would be the puna yam - it's tastier and is native to west Africa ( highest proportion of naturally conceived twins worldwide).

@123ROLO please do share! I think I’d like twins as well. It also would take away the indecisiveness over one vs two.

No doubt the first few years would be awful, but one pregnancy, one mat leave, two the same age really appeals!

Like you say, all this stuff just increases ovulation so can’t hurt!

@123ROLO oooh, do share. I’d love twins! One pregnancy, both your babies. I’m sure it’s extremely hard work but would mean no negotiating age gaps and like I say, one round of pregnancy and birth

I see a line @Foreverhope82

Are you getting the Yams just for general health/ fertility. Or you curious about increasing chances of twins too?

I'd probably have to order online.

I've had a quiet day at work so doing some reading, there's a few theories of things that can help (basically anything that encourages releasing more than one egg).

I'm tempted to give them a go, the way I see it, if it works then great! If it doesn't, I would just be over the moon to be pregnant so doesn't matter either way, it wouldn't even cross my mind to be disappointed it wasn't twins.

No point in 'trying for twins' as it's a bit of a pipe dream, but no harm in taking small harmless steps to increase the odds.

@happyfeet5 oh definitely, my DH thought it was hilarious 😂

@Foreverhope82 i can definitely see a line and I never can on here. Fingers crossed!

@Foreverhope82 very faint but definitely positive! Tomorrow test with FMU. Fingers crossed for you !