TTC in 30s

Hey ladies,

im 38 and just stopped the mini pill to try for baby number 4.
youd think I’d be a dab hand at all this baby making stuff, but truth be told, it’s been a long time! My kids are 17,15,13, and if I’m honest I caught really easily without trying when my body was young and fresh! However , with me being 38 now I can imagine I will hit some hurdles this time around, so I’m doing as much “ research” as I can now 🙈 oh how times change!

Hi all 👋

I've been TTC baby 2 since July 2023, I turned 35 in Feb 2024. I've had most of the tests offered and hubby had a SA and everything is normal.

Baby 1 was concieved at 31 on cycle 1. I was very fortunate on that front, though he had open heart surgery at 4m and a few other surgeries/procedures for other health issues. I suppose what I'm trying to say is that its easy to fall into the trap of comparing to ladies who fall pregnant quickly, but it doesn't necessarily go without other hardships and hopefully everyone will get there eventually with healthy bubbas🌺🌺 baby dust to all xxx

I'm a similar age and did eventually get there after about a year (during which I had a bereavement also) - I'm 12 weeks today with first ever pregnancy and it's all fine and healthy. My advice fwiw is -

• do a private blood test and sperm test (if NHS won't provide) now anyway to surface any immediate issues and for peace of mind. Hertility is popular for at home blood testing.

• use ovulation tests but don't live by them, they are v unreliable (my midwife said BBT is the only way to really know but huge faff imo), just keep DTD throughout broad fertile window. This is obv the most important thing. Just keep going. I think the advice is every other day (too much can reduce sperm quality) and then every day during fertile window. I also raised legs after DTD!

• everyone says "stress less" and it's SO annoying, especially after what you've been through, like no one deliberately gets stressed! I can only annoyingly say I did conceive when I was less stressed. I was clocking in and out of work on time and doing less overtime, had a less stressful work month, sleeping better, eating better, drinking moderately (although not totally dry as I was in earlier ttc periods). I do think this all helped hugely. If you can at least have a good sleeping and eating routine it may help.

• I did preconception vits also

Good luck xx

Ah im so sorry to hear that. Grief is one of the hardest things to bear.
Yes taking regular supplements well woman conception vitamins and cycles pretty regular now. Took awhile to get there after coming off of contraceptive pill. Been testing via ovulation test kit and I'm definitely ovulating.

Hi all
I'm 33 and trying to conceive for 1st time.
Been trying for over a year but been tough as lost my dad and gran in july and August last year which hasnt helped with stress. GP said if no progress in early September get in touch to do tests etc. So guess wait and see.
Any advice welcome.

Will be thinking about you @Mummysparrow I hope it all goes as smoothly as can be. Even though I waited a while for cycles to return after, the medical went really straight forward for me so I hope it does for you too.

I’ve not, no. I feel like I need a bit of a break from tracking & actively TTC I think. I’ve spent around 3+ months being pregnant & feeling ill with nothing to show for it along with the emotional turmoil 😩 Plus I’m still getting positive pregnancy tests. If still positive by end of the week I have to ring up EPU

@Mummysparrow ive never been in labour before, but the pain to me felt like what I imagine early labour would feel like. So if you’ve done that before & you’re in hospital with pain relief options I’m sure it will be fine ❤️ I hope it goes as well as it can do xx
I know I really struggled with waiting 8 weeks for a period. My cycles weren’t regular after either, but I think everyone is so different, there is no normal. Hopefully you won’t have to wait as long as I did

@m00ngirl thank you, I was feeling really positive with the pregnancy, thinking the first MC was a one off. So when I found out I was devastated. Still am. But learning to put one foot in front of the other again

@Mummysparrow I'm so so sorry to hear this and for what you're going through. I don't think there are any words really but I will be thinking of you and hope you have love and support around you to help you get through this.

Also @Figtree11 so sorry to hear of your loss. It must have been a terrible shock. I can see why you'd feel in such limbo.

I don't know why life puts us through these things, I only can have faith that the good things will come at the right time and everything else makes you stronger.

My thoughts with you both 🪷

I’m so sorry to hear this, it can’t be easy having yo
go through that. Take care and be kind to yourself.

I’m sorry @Mummysparrow that sounds awful.
I had medical with my first MC, although baby was measuring 8wks so smaller. It was difficult but it didn’t last too long & recovery was good. I hope it goes as well as it can for you. I’m guessing you’ll be in hospital for it? You should be able to get decent pain relief there compared to doing it at home.
With my first MC it took 8 weeks to get a period so expecting similar this time x

I’m so sorry to hear that 😔I’m also back on TTC soon. I got pregnant again following my first MC in November at beginning of March. Found out at my 12wk scan that the heart stopped 2 weeks before. I’m coming up to 3 weeks post surgery now. I’m in that limbo of waiting for my period, but being petrified of getting pregnant again & having a 3rd loss.

I really am so sorry you had bad news - it’s the worst feeling in the world. Sending you a hug x

Fingers crossed for you @Fairy0708 . At least you've done it before so you very likely can again! I also started getting weird mid cycle bleeding etc in my 30s.. think it's an age thing!

I'll join! Also TTC number 2 and moving I to cycle 9 😞 I had DC1 when I just turned 32 and he was convinced miraculously on cycle 1! I've just turned 35.

I had blood tests, AMH test and a scan, DH had SA and all seems ok.

My cycles also changed as soon as we TTC, i started spotting around CD25/26 when my cycles were usually 27-29 days. I had a random cycle where I had pink spotting around ovulation (never happend before in my life) and another cycle where AF stopped for a day in the middle and started again. I honestly believe it's all been down to the stress of TTC... Now I've tried to relax they seem to have settled.

Felt really positive this month, boobs big etc, but have just come on v painful (as usual) AF. So no Christmas/2024 baby for me. It's so exhausting.

I've got my first fertility appointment (just phone appointment!) in about 5 weeks. Everyone says you need to relax for it to happen but the harder it gets, the more worrying and stressful the whole situation is.

Nice to see so many of the 30s ladies here get their positives though.

@Mummysparrow WONDERFUL news, congrats!!! Good thing you had that glass of wine when you still could 😂 so lovely to expand your family - and just in time for Christmas. Great news ❤️❤️❤️

@Mummysparrow congratulations on your BFP!

I can't count it's actually 8dpo today..my husband said the same re twins 👀👀 will have to wait and see if this is a proper positive when I hopefully miss my period before I get my hopes up too much!

Thank you! I'm only 7dpo so literally 5 days before my period. I don't feel any different yet and I have nothing to compare it to either as I wasn't testing this early on last time. I'll do a few more of the strip tests ahead of my period and then if my period doesn't arrive commit to a clear blue. I've attached a crop shot of my test, and it looks positive to me and appeared ahead of the 3 minutes and then got a little darker so don't think it's an indent.