Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

Trying for second baby long time, anyone else in the same boat?

181 replies

Anies · 16/03/2008 21:30

Hi,
we have been trying for our second bay for over a year and a half, once again great disappointment tonight...Wondering, is there anyone else in the same situation who would like to share this? I am currently having acupuncture and herbs, they are making me feel much better in myself, also will have second NHS appointment with specialist on Tuesday to discuss options. Just thinking about embarking on assisted methods...Anyone else going through this? It canbe very lonely...

OP posts:
Anies · 24/03/2008 16:03

Is it the bank holiday weekend making ds playing up? I have found that during holidays, i.e. when we are all at home for long, he gets overexcited!!

Hi mrsfossil, sorry to hear about being in the same boat, but welcome here, I am thinking of iui and totally agree it gives you something to wait for insetad of af, it makes you feel you are doing something about it rather than feeling totally without any control over the situation. It is a mystery though, isn't it, when there is nothing apparently wrong...

Grey ankle boots bought, they are sooo beautiful, I have lovingly put them in my wardrobe, they are so high (break neck comes to mind...) and so inappropriate for work (never go out), that I don't know if I will ever wear them...Still, they are so beautiful...

OP posts:
mistlethrush · 23/03/2008 21:02

After ds's behaviour this morning, I'm not sure whether we can cope with a second! Not that there is any chance of that this month again anyway!

mrsfossil · 23/03/2008 13:29

Hello, So i'm not on my own then. ds arrived after ttc for 3 months then after a couple of years we decided to try for another. Its been almost 4 years!!! We have both had tests and i've had a laporoscopy and pelvic scans. Docs can't find anything wrong. Also tried hynotherapy and reflexology. After my sister announcsed she is expecting her 3rd baby in 4 years. We have decided to try fertility treatment and now waiting for an appointment for iui. (gives me something else to wait for instead of my af)

imgens · 22/03/2008 15:54

Hi anies - get the boots, just think of how many pairs you could buy with all the money you have probably saved by not buying alcohol etc!

Merindol - I checked my dates and my AF is also due tuesday. I have been having strange twinges and stomach cramps for the last couple of days so my easter weekend is going to be spent running to the loo knicker checking in between each easter egg!!

I have to say that I cannot go back to the restrictive lifestyle I had last year. Although I am still going to tackle the weight loss issue I have decided to live life and if that means having a glass of wine with the girls then so be it.

iwillbepositive - Judging by the numerous black coffees, long hot baths and no vitamins I've had this month I better be in with a chance! I don't smoke but do you think a pack of 20 would significantly increase my chances? [grin}

My CD21 result came back 'satisfactory' I had ovulated so its DH's turn next. We have discussed this alot lately and I am trying hard to adopt his 'if it happens it happens' approach.

How long that will last given my sisters numerous attempts today to get me to touch her bump, who knows!

Anies · 22/03/2008 15:37

Hello all,

internet was down for a couple of days, so just got back on this thead! First of all, the 'big fat needles' was a matter of speech (I should have put an emoticon there...), of course he puts very fine ones, and yes, it hurts when they go in, but nothing too horrific. I was just not prepared for it, I thought that I wouldn't feel a thing, but you do. Still a very committed advocate of acupunture, I had a session this week and it was wonderful, very soothing and replenishing. Honestly, if nothing else happens, I will at least be able to say that I feel so much better in myself, full of energy and a sense of well being. Sorry, I sound hippy too, but it is how I feel with this.

Zita West was expensive, you can find all the prices online, she has a website. But very good, very down to earth, warm and knowledgeable.

I agree with whoever talked about the sicrifices- for the past year and a half I have been living my life as if I am pregnant, i.e. no alcohol, not able to have x-rays or any work done at the dentist's, trying to dye my hair for the past 6 months now and always think twice about it 'just in case'. Maddening!

Easter will be full of chocolate, and not much else due to this terrible weather. Oh...and the lovely pair of grey ankle boots that I have fallen in love with...Should I get them...can I afford them...?

OP posts:
merindol · 21/03/2008 19:07

Briefly emerging from my cloud of gloom (AF due on Tues, so I get to spend whole easter break chewed up over hoping could I be, might I be, etc etc. And when AF does arrive, which inevitably will, I'm off for the charming HSG which, forgive me for going on about this, am DREADING. There. feeling mighty sorry for self. Prob haven't eaten enough choc yet. Or is that verboten according to Zita West too?) - anyway, Iwillbepos, why does consultant think no point in giving you clomid? Can't you demand/piteously plead/take services elsewhere? I have shamelessly resorted to crying whenever I feel NHS operatives not being entirely cooperative. So much for empowered womanhood.
Of course, I am beginner at the whole reproductive medicine malarky, having only been referred for recurrent miscarriage last Dec, but surely they should give it a go?
Not that I'm advocating extreme mad carousing, but a friend who had first child by IVF and spent 5 yrs ttc during which she gave up smoking, drinking and anything remotely pleasurable, etc, just managed to concieve 'naturally' during a month when she reverted to smoking and got through pretty much a bottle of wine a night because her mad mother had moved in with her after her bath caved in (it's a long story). It does seem to be bloody sod's law that you try to do all the right things and it doesn't seem to make any difference...
I'd like to say that I was wholeheartedly delighted when this friend told me her great news but because I am now sour and shrivelled of soul I mainly just thought, it's NOT BLOODY FAIR.

iwillbepositive · 21/03/2008 14:22

Thanks msappropriate,
I had some urine tracking which showed that I ovulated in 2 consecutive months but I do wonder whether there are more anovulatory cycles than there seem. I would like to try Clomid but the specialist seems to think there is no point. Maybe I should re-visit that one.

Having listened to all the acupuncture chat, I think I should re-start it. I stopped because I was apparently all balanced up and frankly couldn't keep going for ever. But maybe now is the time to re-start. This has been an appallingly hormonal month and I feel physically and mentally all over the place. I am also sick of all the sacrifices - went out last night and didn't drink, have been avoiding hot baths after ovulation, no caffeine, remembering vitamins, drinking enough water, etc etc - all for sod all result as I can feel the game is up for this month. I do wonder whether a few weeks of mad carousing and abandoned behaviour would do the trick?!

Lol at pontipine cousin. 5 by the age of 25 is very good going. I would be happy with 2 by 40...

anniemac, I agree about smugly fertile schlebs. In fact everyone around me seems so disgustingly fertile - they are all oozing oestrogen and I am feeling more and more shrivelled by the day! I was standing in front of some hpts in the chemist the other day and some v young & evidently fertile 20 something was looking panic stricken in front of the same shelf. Seemed so bizarre that she clearly didn't want to be pg and prob was, whereas I .....

hattyyellow · 21/03/2008 09:41

Ah, that's interesting - I didn't realise they could do that!

msappropriate · 21/03/2008 09:34

ooh yes that would be a bit scary!

I had follicle monitoring the first time I took clomid to make sure there weren't too many. I think they adjust the dose.

hattyyellow · 21/03/2008 09:29

Hoping to have the tests done this month - worried I have lots of signs of PCOS. But having twins already I am worried about the risks of multiple births increasing from clomid/metformin! I love my girls hugely but I don't think we could actually afford two sets of twins!

msappropriate · 21/03/2008 09:25

I haven't read all of this thread but I was in a very similar position to many of you. I wondered if you have all had blood tests for at least 2 months to check you are actually ovulating? I had +ve opk tests and very regular periods but the 21 day test showed I didn't always ovulate. The opk test just check the hormone is released not the actual egg.

After some other tests to check there was nothing wrong inside I ended up on clomid and metformin which helped the 2nd time round.

hattyyellow · 21/03/2008 09:15

Waving to scaryhairy - hello!

Am really looking forward to my acupuncture now (well as much as you can look forward to something involving needles!).

I know what you mean scaryhairy, I don't feel my body and hormones have really settled down since my twins and my birth for them was pretty full on too ending up with a section under GA. I found the baby stage HARD, unsuprisingly with twins!

I dread the first 6 months of babydom, but hope it would be different with one rather than two. I loved my twins desperately when they were tiny, just as much as I do now, but it was such a struggle to look after them with no help, recovering from the section, living somewhere with DH's work where we didn't know anyone.

Physically it feels like my body has changed loads, I break out much more easily, I get eczma all over my hands when I'm stressed (must look up how to spell that!) and tummy aches from running around trying to do too much all the time with working and childcare (like many mums!)

I think like you, there might be a bit of a block - especially as we are both self-employed which makes our finances unpredictable. Some months we've been doing it around the right time, but afterwards have been quite scared in case it's worked! We want it to work and to concieve, but it's still scary.

My mum and dad tried for 7 years before then having 5 of us. They had every test available then (in mid to late 70's) and nothing showed up. Then my mum had the first three of us in three and a half years! So I do wonder if there was something pyschological going on there too..

Sorry for me, me, me post - just wanted to say we all sound very similar in many ways!

ScaryHairy · 20/03/2008 21:17

Hi

I've been following this thread a bit and wanted to say hello. We've been trying for number 2 for 8 cycles - it took 7 to get our daughter, so it's not really surprising.

The reason I just wanted to pipe up is that I also have acupuncture. I don't think there is anything much wrong with me, and neither does my acupuncturist, but it is fair to say that after DD's rather traumatic birth I have felt, to some extent, frozen by the terror I felt at the time. My acupuncturist thinks that my stress from that might be what is preventing me from getting pregnant. I know it all sounds a bit hippy, but when she said it I had been wondering about the same thing myself. We've been talking about it lots and I am starting to feel loads better.

Just wanted to share that, because it's one hell of a psychological block, IMO. Do any of you feel you might be affected by the same sort of thing?

hattyyellow · 20/03/2008 15:22

Oh god, that is interesting about the psychological factors. Since having our twins 2 and a half years ago, we have lived overseas for a year, moved to yet another new area with DH's work last autumn, both started working freelance, had money worries, no family nearby who can help with toddler care...completly agree re worrying about how I'd actually cope with a baby whenever period has been late!

I didn't think I was stressed but I have developed excma (sp?) on my hands for the first time in the last few months! Hmmm...

Have booked acupuncture session for Wednesday . Think I might need it! Hoping for the fine needle variety rather than the thick ones!

anniemac · 20/03/2008 14:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

cedar12 · 20/03/2008 12:54

Blimey I cant keep up with this thread.
I hope everyone enjoys the easter break and has got the time off work. Horray me and dh have both got all 4 days off together.
Iwbp I do exactly the same thing madly try and work out age gaps of everyone kids. lol at the pontipine envy.
Pincushion enjoy all that chocolate, I will be joining you. I am having some reflexology tonight and I cant wait its so relaxing.
Anies i am very inpressed you have seen Zita west personally. Where does she have a clinic? Sorry being nosey again does it cost loads?
Enjoy all those easter eggs everyone

pincushion · 20/03/2008 10:42

Morning all, just back from a treatment. We had a long chat about my chances and I told him all about you lot - he thinks you should all have it (if not having it! well he would do at £45 a go....) anyway after 6 treatments although he feels that I am healthy and nothing negative going on -but i am still knackered, so am to look at my diet and try eating more protein - steaks etc- mm not my favourite. I had some painful ones today and some not - just depends.

Lilamummy - agree with you - however feel very doubtful i will be saying goodbye.

My mum keeps saying "whats for you wont go by you"" not helpful mother!

Whats everyone doing for easter? I shall mainly be eating chocolate!

Please can some one tell me about how you know you ahve ovulated (without temp of CF check?

mistlethrush · 20/03/2008 09:34

Imgens - check this site out - my practitioner is on it, and I certainly wouldn't go to anyone that wasn't:

www.rchm.co.uk/

Anies - 'big, fat needles' ????? My accupuncturist uses very fine needles so you rarely feel them go in, just the 'chi' sensation. Mine is doing a lot of work on 'liver' points at the moment, primarily related to sleep issues. It definitely works and I'm usually a lot better just after a treatment

I helped at the NCT nearly new sale recently. For ds, someone at the NCT coffee mornings was giving away snow suits and I was the only one with an appropriate age of child so we got them. She then had another and I returned them to her - I think I did mention that we were hoping for another at the time. However, I saw one of them on the sale rale at the sale. I had to prevent myself from getting it. It nearly made me cry. I can remember how useful it was for ds, and how I'd like to have another baby use it. But I didn't get it (in the hope that this will help), so, fingers crossed, I'll have to buy a new one instead.

Anies · 19/03/2008 22:37

Hi all,

cannot believe how busy our thread has become! On the one hand, it is not of course good that we are all caught up in this difficult limbo, but on the other hand it is very supportive to have this communication, good old internet!

I had an acupuncture session today, big fat needles stuck at the base of my very stiff and stressed out neck- lovely...And just to clarify: it does hurt! I could not believe it when I first went! I had reflexology in the past and I expected something similar. But no pampering it ain't! But don't let that put you off, remember, it is a medical intervention, it is not a beauty treatment. Mine today was so nice and I came back feeling positive and rested. It also feels like a safe haven going to him, very positive, caring person.

Merindol, I totally agree with this thought that if you just 'forget' it, then it will happen. It is all these 'magical' things that somehow happen to others- the weekend away, the holiday, all these things. Rubbish, I say, they only add up to the sense of frustration and failure. I do think that the psychological factor is important, but it is much more complex to control stress than just go off on holiday, or 'just relax'.

When we saw Zita West she asked us what had changed in our lives since we has ds- and we thought and said, well having him really and how exhausted we are and how life has changed dramatically! She told me that it was possible that my body was not ready when we first started trying, 18 months after giving birth.

Come to think of it, after giving birth I actually lost weight, lost appetite- I wasn't depressed, but I found it very difficult to adjust to life with a baby. My own family lives abroad, we had just moved house and I had been made redundant, this last one destroying a very good friendship. God, writing this makes me realise how hard it was on me.

And recently I have been realising that when we started trying, again I was under tremendous pressure at work, to the point that one month my AF was late for a week (and of course I thought that I was pregnant...). Not only that, but to be honest, I was- until very recently- panicking at the thought of how we are going to manage if we had another baby- my husband is freelance and his latest jobs have been away from home, so I have to do all the childcare, so I reached total burn out.

Phew...that was a load off my chest...but it is importnant I guess to think about the psychological factor, but in its complexity, not the simplistic, annoying advice you hear...

Well, Easter break from now on, off to sleep now and hopefully no messages posted at 2.00 tonight!!!

OP posts:
lilamummy · 19/03/2008 21:06

Hello,
Am cheered up every time I read, cos it's funny and cos it's all happening to me too.
Can we agree if any of us succeed in our mission, to say goodbye and good luck and we'll all know what that means? And if it's not too personal, tell us how you managed it?! And if you want to, sell on any equipment (clear blue extra sticks, Zeta West books, etc). Good idea?
Have just read about the side effects of Clomid. That's a bit scary.
www.babycentre.co.uk/preconception/fertilitytreatments/clomid/
Or is this what I need to get used to for any infertility treatment from now on...?

imgens · 19/03/2008 19:27

Crikey this post is moving super quick!

Hello to everyone. I did'nt get far with my accupuncture research as ended up making cakes with DH & DD.

There is a new chinese/herbal/ alternative place down the road so might go and see what they have to offer. Had'nt gone in before as found the 'INFERTILITY?' sign in the shop window very off putting but I'm starting to realise it is'nt just aimed at me personally!

I think my cousin is a Pontipine as she is about to have no.5. Yes thats right 5 & shes under 25!!!! I could'nt even manage 2 before i was 30

DH saw the gp today so he will be booking his SA shortly. I should phone up about my bt result but im too scared.

Cedar - re the clearing out, I will find out in the next week if my sis is having a girl and if so im sending DH into the loft so I have to face upto it. Billysitch - does sods law work if its what your wanting to happen?

anniemac · 19/03/2008 17:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

anniemac · 19/03/2008 17:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

iwillbepositive · 19/03/2008 16:01

Quick question to see if anyone is as obsessed as me! I have just realised that I have started to read every single article in newspapers/magazines scouring for references to more than one child! e.g. x celebrity has a daughter aged 3 (I am feeling perfectly ok at this stage) and a son aged 18 months (immediately plunged into depression). I even realised the other day that I was feeling envious of the bloody Pontipines from In the Night Garden, because they have hordes of kids.

When will this insanity end?!

billysitch · 19/03/2008 11:33

Hatty - scary huh, giving blood! Well I spose we should just be brave and do it. I have promised myself to try. Good luck with the pin artists.