TTC #2

[ovumahead]

Hi all,

Having just frightened myself a tad by reading the thread about those struggling to conceive number 2, I was thinking of starting a thread for those of us just starting out on this journey. I'm really hoping we won't have trouble conceiving, but I'm a pessimist!

Does anyone want to hold my hand through this process (I'm hoping for a short time only!).

To give you a little more detail, I've got one ds who is 2.5, and we want to TTC #2 between now and December if possible. The reasons for such a short time frame are that I'm on a short contract with work, and I need to get pregnant in order to still qualify for maternity pay from them (I can do this if the due date is anywhere up to 11 weeks after finishing with them). Not very interesting really, but rather a lot of pressure. If we don't conceive within this time frame (which of course I'm feeling pessimistic about!) then we will have to wait another year. And I really don't want to do that!!!

So, come on, anyone else planning for #2 soon?

ovumahead- sorry to hear about your depression and cold. Both are miserable. I have suffered from depression off and on for years and what has helped me the most is exercise and proper nutrition. I try and walk 30 minutes 3 times a week, eat lots of fruits and veggies, and make sure I drink plenty of water. I know it sounds corny, but it has given me the most consistent results, and also will help while you are TTC. It may take a few weeks to see a difference and you may still need meds, but it won't hurt anything either. Hope you feel better soon

Thanks Magen. I do exercise regularly (apart from when I have a cold...) and eat a healthy vegetarian diet, which admittedly would be more healthy if it didn't contain chocolate and the occasional bag of crisps. I don't drink very often - probably once or twice a month. I'm overweight though, which is a pain. I'm sure that losing some weight would make me feel better both physically and mentally. Just don't seem to be able to get in to gear to lose the pounds!

Thanks for the well wishes.

Would be interested to see what your experiences of taking antidepressants is - I took some about 10 years ago, only for about 6 months, with good effects. Quite tempting to take some more!

Hello everyone. Had a bad couple of weeks with lots of stress so doesn't bode well for this month.

Could do with someone talking some sense into DP. He wants me to test but not due AF until 1 Dec . Impatient as I am I think its a waste of a test.

Ovum I would make an appointment and talk things through with your Dr and take it from there. You need to be as well in yourself as possible.

Welcome Magen

Hi everyone. Been very busy lately and still have at least a week until AF is due so more waiting. I would like to do a test as obviously i'm hopeful, but am figuring it could be a waste of money.
Xstitch: i am impressed that your DP is so keen for you to test; mine got a bit grumpy about the whole prospect this weekend because it's possible that we might switch working patterns if there was a secon DC in teh picture - ie: i might go PT again and he could go back to FT (seems we both want to be the part time worker )
Magen Welcome and good luck to you - you sound like you're well versed in the technicalities (just had to look up 'ferning' as i am obviously rather ignorent in these matters)
ovum really hope you feel better soon; keep positive if you can. It sounds like you're doing all the right kinds of things. I'm trying to get going atm with a home workout dvd, which is quite good fun. i'm overweight too so hopefully this may help out.

xstitch and LittleGB thanks for the welcome. I took a FR yesterday on day 4 of my 2ww. So silly! They are way too tempting to keep in the house.

ovum, I took Lexapro for a year when I first had depression about 10 years ago. It helped a great deal with my anxiety and insomnia. I tried it again after my daughter was born but didn't like the way it made me feel that time. But with the postpartum I was mainly sad and not anxious. I quit taking it and focused on nutrition and exercise, but it sounds like you already do that. I would talk to your doctor and way the pros and cons. If it doesn't help in a few weeks you can always stop taking them. I would also ask about getting your thyroid checked. Symptoms of an underactive thyroid include depression and difficulty loosing weight. I also think it can affect TTC...just a thought.

Hi everyone - sorry for silence, DH is back and we hirtled straight to Sheffield for a family do then I've been rehearsing one play 9am-5pm then another 6-11pm each night (I'm a theatre director)...day off today which is lush, before taking one show up to Leicester for a few days, my regional theatre debut!

welcome magen...I'm not exactly au fait with properly ttc but you sound very on the ball!

ovum have you ever done CBT? Just wondering if it's recurring depression it might be worth trying that - to be honest for it to be beneficial you need to do 6months-1year sessions but you can get initially 6 sessions on the NHS. I have consistent underlying depression but like you generally manage on the outside very well. About 8 years ago I was on a cocktail of drugs, moving form one to the other (my depression results in major self-destruction when it gets bad which meant me not taking meds then taking too many) but was on fluxotine then proxac...latter was good and I would go back on it when stuff got bad again in order to address things in therapy better.

I've not taken anti-d's in a few years now but if the need arises I try to combat it with CBT instead. You know yourself best if this is something that's been going on for 10years or more. Though

Girl - I am currently having psychoanalytic psychotherapy, and have been since the start of this year. It's precisely this therapy that has made me admit that I am depressed, as most of the time I manage to cover it up and just get on with things. So any medication would be in addition to the therapy anyway. I do know a fair amount about all the different talking therapies, and whilst CBT is good in the short term and also a good way of beginning to learn about how your thoughts, behaviours and physical health influence your mood, longer lasting changes tend to come about through psychoanalysis. But it takes a long time, and it ain't free!!!

I'm still very ambivalent about taking any medication as I do feel that any change in mood would be fake, and therefore not helpful in the long term. I'm continuing to think about it...

Magen what does '2ww' mean?

2ww is 2 week wait from time of ovulation until AF arrives, or hopefully a BFP.

Well BFN this morning. Fingers crossed I just tested too early. Don't have PMT but don't feel pregnant either.

Sorry xstich, I had a BFN the other day too. Seeing that one line is always a bummer even if you don't think you are preg. But it's not over until AF arrives so I'll keep my fingers crossed for you too.

Sorry to hear about your BFNs. Let's hope the tests were too early...

So after my two week long cold, I had two days of feeling full of energy and well, then got stomach flu. Just my luck! AF due within next couple of days too, so I imagine a nice dose of PMT will help my recovery ... hmmm...

How's everyone else?

There is still hope if you get a BFN. I got one on Friday and today had a very bold BFP! Still in shock to say the least, hope the same happens for everyone else. I have had zero symptoms just couldn't hold out any longer.

Oh congrats Magen.

Woooo hooooooooooooo! Fantastic news!!!!!! How are you feeling? Happy, shocked? So pleased for you! Remind me how long you've been TTC?

Congrats to magen!

Thanks everyone. I don't feel any different, AF isn't even due until Saturday. It's still really early and I have mc before, but I am just living in the moment and letting nature take its course. This is only our second cycle TTC and it took 2 years with DD so we are in shock right now. Poor DH thought he would get more BD in, but we are excited, and just taking it one day at a time. Best of luck to everyone else. You really never can predict what cycle will be your luck one.

yay Magen - that's brilliant news! lots of stickiness to you.

Another BFN yesterday here as well, then pulled an almight all nighter last night still no AF (day 36 today) so now of course really worried I could be pregnant - although it would be a frigging miracle considering last month with DH away the whole time, am kind of hoping I'm not, was honestly not expecting it to happen this month, so have continued the way I normally do.

Boobs are bigger and really sore, but am fully aware of how my body plays tricks on me, but might test again tomorrow anyway

Still BFN here and still no AF but I am only on day 30.

when are/were you due xswitch

I was due on Wednesday but that's me started today :(

me yesterday too, day bloody 40, never get sore boobs before AF, had done SO well not getting excited (would have been bloody surprised considering the no DH for 3 weeks fiasco) but still gutted...onto the september bus we hop!

all very quiet....who's left on the thread? Have you made up your mind Ovumahead?

Period now finished, onto the next month, though after working out when the phantom baby would have been due have realised I'd have had to potentially turned down a really good job. And obviously my ridiculous night out didn't damage a foetus.

I'm clinging to every silver lining but basically still pissed off at my body for tricking me

I'm still here. Struggling to work out what my cycle is doing. DP working away doesn't help either :(.

sounds like we're going through all the same stuff

and I think DS is trying to drop his final nap, argh, no!!

Congrats Magen - it's good to hear someone had some good news! All quiet here, although i managed to have a 24 day cycle last month, which seemed pretty short (although i was never very good at keeping track of these things before). So now i am just keeping my fingers crossed for this time round, but don't know whether to expect another 24 day cycle, or what!

Anyway, trying to use Christmas planning to take my mind off things.