Preparing to TTC in 2023

Hi ladies! Can I join? I’m currently ttc baby no.1 (well 2 kind of), I’m 29. We started ttc last year, I got pregnant in may/June but unfortunately it ended in a missed miscarriage in august so have been ttc again since about September with no luck yet so. Hoping joining this will give me a bit of support it what can feel like quite an isolating time. Last month I went all out with ovulation tests and taking my BBT but I found it really draining and then had a weird long cycle (37 days long and didn’t ovulate until day 24!) so decided to take a more relaxed approach this month, currently in my TWW at the moment so fingers crossed. Sorry I’ve not read the thread from the start, but happy to be here :) X

Us women do put a lot of pressure on ourselves though. I had my 2nd child from my first month ttc. Now if it doesn’t happen again I will be gutted deep down x

Ah thank you all you’ve all been so kind! I might invest in the clear blue OPK’s as the one step are ok but not fool proof. It’s nice to see a group that’s so active 🤗✨ I’m just waiting for this period to go now. I genuinely thought I was pregnant last cycle, pink spotting, boobs sore, period 2 days late… but turned out to be just a bizarre period after being pretty regular. Thanks again for the help and warm welcome x

@Lindsey02 no harm! If I had the tests I’d be doing it every 5 mins 😂

I have 30-32 day cycle, im tempted to try an opk in case im already on a flashing smiley 🤦🏼‍♀️

@Lindsey02 ive been tracking my cycle for ages uses a mixture of temping and monitoring CM, but no ovulation sticks as trying not to do too much straightaway. I came off the pill about 18 months ago and my periods are fairly regular now so it’s been ok.

ill probably cave if it doesn’t happen straightway and be straight on the sticks!

@Lindsey02 cycles are usually 28 days, with ovulation around day 14/15. But I do often get quite a few days of high before peak on the OPKs so could ovulate over the weekend

@Summer022 im going to do my first opk tomorrow and hoping I’m still in the game 🤞 I think my age is against me though.
@Mushroo have you been tracking ovulation long?

@Lindsey02 me! Should ovulate this weekend I think (currently CD11 and normally ovulate around CD17) Although I have a big meeting at work on the 26th which may delay things for a bit…

But provisionally count me in!

Hey @Lindsey02 I am also on cycle day 11 and got a flashing smiley this morning on a clearblue OPK. My first time using the clearblue opk so still learning it all 🤣 Just waiting for that static smiley to know when my peak is but will be dtd in the meantime. We tried last month but no luck so fingers crossed this cycle 🤞

@PeopleAreToads sorry to hear about that! How long are your cycles normally?xx

@Lindsey02 I'm only CD7, but had a high on CB OPK this morning which is a bit early for me. Had a chemical last month though so wondering if that's sent things a bit wonky

Evening ladies anybody approaching their fertile window? It’s cd12 for me tomorrow :) last time I fell pregnant I dtd cd12 and cd14, this was 2 years ago. I’m going to start my ovulation tests tomorrow

@Mummymidwife33 Oh yay! That's such good news 😁 Not long until your period will be over and you can get to it.

@Wonkyjelly Welcome! 😊 I second the Clearblue OPKs. I use the digital one so it's nice and simple. I found temping really useful but I became a bit obsessive. Also not sure my toddler will let me test at the same time every morning as his sleep is so erratic - but it is really interesting! I probably won't temp this time round.

I have found that only the Clearblue advanced OPKs pick anything up for me but they worked a treat when I was TTC DS.

@Wonkyjelly - I would add to @TunnocksTCake that temping only tells you AFTER you have ovulated but I find it really has helped me know I ovulate day 18 of my 28 cycle. I use Fertility Friend app to log OPKs, EWCM and BBT and I find it the most accurate.
Expensive, but I find the clear blue OPKs are the best. But some people only have a shortish LH surge (I’ve heard people say they only catch it at a specific time of day and stuff!!) so once you get the peak once it’s fine if it goes back down. Clearblue actually only gives you only peak xx

@Wonkyjelly Welcome! Please don't be discouraged, trying for up to a year is seen as perfectly normal, but its great you want to be proactive.
One step are a good brand to use, and I wouldnt worry that peak only showed for a short period of time, thats totally normal! As long as you have dtd on the days around your peak reading you will have done all you can, you can ovulate from 12 - 36 hours after the peak reading but you want the sperm to all be there waiting before you ovuklate ideally.

temping can be quite stressful, so I personally would wait a while before starting that. Its main use is confirming ovulation has happened. You have to take your temperature with a BBT thermometer (has 2 decimal places) FIRST thing in the morning before you move around too much and record it at the same time daily, after you ovulate your temperature rises and if it stays high for 3 days that confirms ovulation.
Hope thats helpful, and good luck!

I have 32-34 day cyles and I don't get my positive OPK until day 21ish. It shoots up really quickly so don't lose hope. Keep testing!

Hey 👋🏻 Wondered if it’s ok to join? I’m on day 2 of my period and didn’t fall last month after our first month trying. I have 2 children already - both weren’t planned and a surprise. So this is my first time trying to plan a baby. I used the one step ovulation strips last month and they worked well but not very clear - seemed I peaked for 6 hours and then it faded again. Can anyone recommend an easy OPK? Or perhaps offer some advice with temping? Thank you 😊

So....we planned to wait 3 weeks post reversal until sex. We are currently day 10 and caved! All seemed in full working order. So exciting and I suppose this means we are absolutely TTC now. Not that today will do anything, I'm due on my period tomorrow! This will be the only period I'm desperate to arrive for the foreseeable.

@LeopardLover I hear you with the type A lol! So impatient I want it now!

Has anyone tried the pack of 7 boots own opk tests?

@Lindsey02 If you're keen to get pregnant ASAP I'd start with OPKs so you know when you ovulate 😊 but I take my hat off to those who can take a casual approach. I'm too much of a type A!

@AlbaGracie Some really great advice from @Hopefulhoney6 . Just wanted to say I've had friends who got pregnant relatively quickly after coming off the pill so don't be too disheartened. This whole TTC thing is so different for us all!

Hi @AlbaGracie! It took me 10 months after coming off the pill, but lots of friends got their cycles back quicker. It can take a few months for them to settle down though.
Which OPKs are you using? I had cheap ones from Premom and I found I never really got a strong line.
When I came off the pill I started doing BBT tracking so then I knew when I had ovulated for the first time after coming off (and AF arrived a couple of weeks later). I also started noticing EWCM more at that point.
Have you had an AF since the withdrawal bleed since the pill? If not, I would suggest ditching the OPKs and waiting until you have a proper AF which should suggest you have ovulated. And then TTC that month. I’m not saying don’t try at all now, but you may get disappointed if it takes a while to ovulate (and they usually date your pregnancy from first day of AF). Good luck! X
(oh and The Impatient Womens Guide to Getting Pregnant is a good book). And Fertility Friend I have found to be the best and most accurate app - esp with BBT.

Hi guys hope you don't mind me joining. I'm 32 and TTC #1. This is our first cycle. I stopped Microgynon after 12 years in December and using OPKs. I'm CD16 and still all negative, there is a faint line but hasn't been getting stronger since I started testing on CD10. 😔
I didn't realise it can take months to ovulate after being on the pill or I would have stopped sooner! Which someone has given me that advice before we started trying but never mind!
Looking forward to seeing all you BFPs in the months to come!