Newbie to the site and oldie TTC any advice?

[wallydog]

HI everyone, I have been reading lots of threads with great interest!

What a greast community this is helping each other with advice!

Well I am 39 and have being TTC since Aug 2010, and have had one period so far.

I have an irregular cyle from 33 - 38 days (last one)so am still trying to work out my ovulation dates! Will try the mucus thing and pain around that time!

Is anyone else in the same boat as me? Obvious questions are: does it take longer to concieve at this age? Any risks etc?

All your advice would be greatly recieved!
Look forward to chatting! x

Hi wallydog welcome to the forum. Not got time to chat just now but wanted to say hello!

Aww thanks Amanda!

Hi wallydog

I'm new to this site too and also an oldie! I conceived my DD at 38 (3 years ago) and it took 7 months. My pregnancy was fine and I didn't have any more problems than the mums I knew who were younger than me.

We started trying for #2 in August 2009. I got pregnant in January this year but m/c. We've been trying again since then and I'm now 41. I'm still hoping that it will happen soon.

Good luck! I know several women who became pregnant in their 40's and had no problems

Thanks TKPepperpot, sorry to hear your sad news - good luck with trying.

Is your cycle regular? Did you know when you were ovulating? I would really like to be pregnant by Christmas, which is only 5 months!
I need to listen to my body now, never really noticed the signs before as didn't have to!

I feel more confident knowing other women my age are getting pregnant successfully.

Good luck and thanks again! x

Oh yes that's what I was planning to do this evening, come back and say hello properly!

I can't really give you the benefit of my advice because I have never yet ttc, but I thoroughly recommend the site and you should definintely make yourself comfortable on MN!

What made you decide to take the plunge and ttc?

My cycle is pretty regular (27-28 days). I used an OPK which was pretty reliable for me although they don't work for everyone. I also charted my temps for a while but found that a bit confusing! I also found checking my CM a bit hit or miss as not sure how much I have to be honest.

Thinking of using the Clear Blue Fertility Monitor which several of the ladies here are using. It's expensive but if it's accurate, hopefully worth it x

Hello Amanda - I decided to TTC as I've always wanted children but my career kept gettin gin the way! Since I turned 39 I thought OMG 40 next year, may not have a lot of baby years left. So now I'm settled in my career and job, the time seems right!
Although DH and I are looking to emigrate next year hopefully too to Oz!x

You are so lucky TKPepperpot to be regular! It never bothered me before, but now it's really hard to work out when the right time is!
It would scare my husband off if I kept a chart! I have to do it sneakily, so not to put him under pressure! He's already saying I only want him for his sperm!
But I will consider the Clear Blue gadget if not pregnant by Christmas. x

Hi wallydog - a few similarities in your and my story... thought I would say hi.

I am 39 and trying for a baby (only for me it is my second), first is 15 months old. I feel pregnant really quickly last time (second month) and this time I am on my fifth month of trying. I used CB digital ovulation sticks at the moment, my ovulation seems to be regular, which sort of helps make me feel like it is just a matter of keeping at it. We do all we can, but it is just taking a bit longer this time. Hope it is quick for you.

I have a little handwritten chart, my husband knows, but I don't go on about it too much, although each month it seems to be more detailed :)

We plan to move to Oz in two years too :)

Fingers crossed for you

Thanks for your message patchworkquilt!
Wow the similarities are spooky (apart from not already having a child!

Where in Oz are you wanting to live? What do you do for a living? I'm a secondary teacher of Design Technology and Art. We are waiting for comfirmation from the State sponsorship before we can go ahead with the visa.

I've decided up until Christmas I'm not charting as it's too stressful at the moment! I'm going to concentrate on getting fit and healthy as I am overweight for my height! Although I did complete the Great North Run yesterday in 2hrs and 53 mins!

If anything happens by chance up until then, that's great but will start charting again after Christmas.

Good luck with TTC your second!
Did you do rigorous planning for your first? :)

I would be moving to Melbourne - even more strangely I work in graphic design :) Where are you planning to move?

Your baby making plan sounds like a good one to me, charting is a slippery slope in some ways. Although, in others reassuring.

We didn't chart or do anything with our first, just in the back of my mind I sort of roughly knew when I would be ovulating. Still there was lots of 'attempts' after a few drinks and no real focus on it at all. For me, that was easier, but then again it happened quickly so it would be.

Fantastic effort with the run, I have always wanted to get into running more, but I am soooo unfit and it isn't easy - running. So I take my hat off to you for doing that. Did you tap hands with Ant or Dec? :)

We are going down the state sponsored route, so we can only go to Northern Territory, probably Darwin! Ideally we would like to go to Geelong in Victoria as we have friends there! We also got married there! But with the elections the visa process is up in the air still! We would really like to bring up a child there!

Thanks (re run) I wasn't the most sporty person, but if you join a running club at beginners level, it's easy from there! If you find a really supportive club, it really boosts your confidence! What area are you in?
I didn't tap hands with the lads, but did with Sting last year! :0

I got pg at nearly 39 at a v unlikely time of the month and had a healthy pregnancy and noticed that at the bf group most new mums were late 30s early 40s so i hope it happens for you soon. I'm still broody on and off but have 3 sons and dh says that is plenty so I will content myself but given half a chance i'd ttc again!

Oohh interesting Maybee - what did you mean an unlikely time of the month?

I just did my daily OPK and got a smiley face. I had thought I would, as it is the same day every month, but I also feel quite crampy. First time I have felt that, during ovulation, as far as I can remember. Hope that means a hundred eggs were released to help make it easier for the little swimmers hehehe :)

Oooo good luck! I'm feeling really crampy too! Better get home soon!

Thanks Maybee, yeah ditto what did you mean an unlikely time of the month?

Day 4 of my cycle! First thing on a Monday morning to boot! One of the best things we did I must say. Have you read Toni Weschler's fertility awareness book? I read it recently as I would like to practice natural contraception although am not confident that it would work for me. I also conceived our first son on day 7 of my cycle(also a Monday morning). However it is a v interesting read and full of gems on ovulation.

Wow day 7? So did you ovulate really early then?

I just had a coffee with a girl and she told me she was ovulating now-ish (CD5 or 6)... how did this come up in a conversation - God only knows :) hahaha

Anyway, apparently she tells me age can have something to do with it - i.e. the older you get the early ovulation can be and the shorter your cycles. However, my ovo days are like clockwork CD14 every time and I am oooolllldddd-ish :) So who knows.

The thing is when we ttc our ds 2 it took a bit longer than I expected as I was targeting days 11-14 at first so I think I just ovulate early. As soon as we stopped consciously trying I got pg. I think you probably do ovulate earlier as you get older. It is all a bit mysterious and random. There is another school of thought that says women in late 30s + can go through a surge of last minute fertility.

:)

Bring on the surge on, I say :)

So, I am using ovo sticks, just in case my ovulation gets all fixed up too. Too anxious to leave it to chance, for me. How many days after OPK shows ovulation do you guys keep trying for?

Ooo sounds promising this month then as I BD on CD14! DH too tired at the moment and I'm on CD25, so unless I OV on CD14 think I've missed the baby boat this month! :(

Quick update - am on CD44 (6 days past last AF record) and am going to test in the morning! Will post result! Fingers crossed!

CD45 - tested this morning = BFN! Now 7 days over and no AF!

Well after a 66 day cycle I have now got my AF today! Boo!

Sorry to hear that wally. :( As for advice - the most sensible bit I can think of is get your head around the fact you may well have to dig in to your own pockets for IVF/ICSI and decide when you'll start that route.

No reason of course why you shouldn't conceive naturally - so many do! :)

Thanks Alpine - not even thinking about IVF yet as only been trying 3 months and only had two shots(pardon the pun!) at it so far!
How about you?