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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.

Original poster

Any older mums ttc (late 30s)?

359 replies

sideways · 27/02/2006 15:57

I was just wondering how many of the ttc people were in their late 30s or 40s.

I am 38 and started ttc this year. It would be nice if we could support each other.

OP posts:
nellie245 · 01/03/2006 14:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Auntymandy · 01/03/2006 14:16

I am 40 got ds 3 and ds 17months, plus older ones. Had no probs!

Nicola63 · 01/03/2006 14:24

I'm 42, no children, not actively ttc at the moment as I have just sadly had a m/c (my second one), but once all the investigations results are in, and I have had a hysteroscopy to clear some adhesions in my uterus, I will be ttc again.

I only started ttc last year for the first time in my life, after 25 years on the pill. I've had problems but am determined to keep trying at the moment.

Original poster
sideways · 01/03/2006 14:32

hi everyone, glad (if you see what I mean) that I'm not the only one.

Nellie - of course you count Smile

Nicola - that must be hard for you, best of luck.

I hope we can all support each other here. I don't know why I assumed I would just get pregnant immediately like last time, but I was very disappointed it didn't happen. I think I need to get realistic.

The problem is that I think it can become very easy to get a bit obsessed by it all and stress doesn't help. At the moment, I am trying to improve my diet, not drink as much and do a bit of exercise and trying to get dp to do the same. I really wish I had started ttc this time last year, but there's nothing I can do to change that.

OP posts:
Smole · 01/03/2006 15:22

Hi I'm 37 - no children. Been trying for 2 years. Have had 2 complete m/c's and 1 missed m/c. Still trying!

MillaH · 01/03/2006 15:54

I am 37 and have a 4 year old, a 2 year old and a six week old. I had no trouble conceiving them except the first one, he took over a year. I would like to try for another in the next couple of months even though that might mean having four under six!

dizzy36 · 02/03/2006 16:12

hi everyone, hope its ok for me to butt in. was reading messages and made me feel more hopeful (which is the idea I know)

I'm 37, ttc for 3 years with m.c 2 years ago so been trying since then. have 1 ds (6)

very reassurring to see other late 30's mums. At 37 have been thinking am too old.

I'd like to ask have any of you had your follicle stimulating hormone tested on day 2 or 3 and if so has it been slightly elevated or normal (less than 10)?. Mine was elevated last year (14.5) and I was told my ovarian reserve was low. last month was 12.2 so coming down (been doing acupuncutre and EPO). I've been given the impression that I won't be one of these women that can have a baby as I get nearer 40 which is quite a scary thought (the no baby not the reaching 40!).

anyone with any thoughts on this?

trace2 · 02/03/2006 16:57

hi dizzy my day 3 bllod test was fine, but day 21, had a few show no ovulation, just waiting to see gyno for it

ShouldKnowByFriday · 02/03/2006 20:58

PosyParker, I had 2 follicles on one ovary on a Day 3 scan. I asked how many they like to see and she said 4 or 5 and if they see 7 or 8 they then start worrying about PCOS. Having said that 4-5 is the optimum number of follicles, the Dr did reassure me that just because there were 2 it doesn't mean that I can't achieve a healthy pregnancy and not to worry. Hope that answers your question.

Hi again Dizzy. My FSH was 7.2 which I was told was good because it was under 10 and not just 9 but 7.2. It seems that your accupuncture and EPO - what is that? - are working to bring your levels down.

I am 41.5, have two children, one a surprise, the other planned and in the 2nd month of ttc, had early miscarriage in Nov 04 and have been ttc'ing since April 2004. Am not giving up!!

Nicola63 · 03/03/2006 08:33

Hi SKBF, nice to see there are others over 40 here, who are not giving up. I have two lovely stepdaughters (but they live on another continent) but no chldren of my own, so hoping so much that this late effort will be rewarded (2 m/c's so far). Best of luck to you.

ShouldKnowByFriday · 03/03/2006 12:25

Hi Nikola, best of luck to you too! Here's hoping...

Original poster
sideways · 03/03/2006 18:06

ShouldKnowBy Friday - any news???

OP posts:
ShouldKnowByFriday · 03/03/2006 20:12

Sideways, I am on day 18 of a 32-34 day cycle so just getting on with things and trying not to think about it although its difficult as I seem to be constantly on the conception thread. I took Clomid for the first time - have I written that already on this thread, can't remember - and didn't have any headaches or mood swings - maybe later? - but what I did have was a sensation in my right side of something happening at 10m on Tuesday and I had the follicle releasing jab at 12 noon on Monday. Have tender breasts and a bit bloated but I think these are associated with clomid. Have a 2 week wait. Thank you for asking.

ShouldKnowByFriday · 03/03/2006 20:14

10m should read 10pm.

jabberwocky · 05/03/2006 12:34

Hi everyone, I'm 40, will be 41 this month. We just started ttc in Feb and af is due on Thursday. We have one ds (2.6) who was conceived in the second month of trying. I was fairly obsessed last time, much more so this time as I feel that time is running out (worried that it already has). This time I bought a 3 pack of those very early tests and have already used 2! Blush Obviously BFN so far. I've been mostly lurking on the Feb thread just because I am feeling so anxious that I can't seem to post about it very much.

Original poster
sideways · 05/03/2006 13:08

Hi jabberwocky, fingers crossed for Thursday. I am also getting pretty stressed about it but trying to to be! I am determined not to buy any ovulation kits yet, as that will make me worse.

I was lying in bed last night worrying about the age gap and the fact that 4 years is too long for them to bond. For some reason that's really getting to me.

OP posts:
jabberwocky · 05/03/2006 14:03

If it makes you feel any better, there are 12 years between me and my brother and we are so close we could be twins! And it has always been like that. There are two years between that brother and my other one and they have never been particularly close. So, I wouldn't worry about it too much.

Thanks for starting this thread, btw. It may be just what I needed.

Nicola63 · 05/03/2006 14:16

Had my FSH tested, it was 3.5 which was good news. There is no doubt I am still ovulating, my periods are regular as clockwork, good follicles seen on ultrasound, and I have been pregnant twice in the last year, just miscarried though (awaiting results of tests to try and find out why). The age factor has obviously made the whole thing very stressful as I don't know how many more chances I will have, there is no doubt I am running out of time and it is frightening me, I lie awake worrying about it. (Was never bfore in a life situation conducive to ttc, in first marriage, which lasted 17 years, it was really not an option for many reasons. Now married to a darling man, younger than me, and want SO MUCH to have a baby with him).

By the way, there is a 19 year difference between me and my younger brother! (My mother had me at 19 and him at 38)!!

stingray · 05/03/2006 16:19

I have three children of 19 11 and 7,i am 42,43 in april and have been ttc since sep 04.I have had 2 miscarriages one at 7weeks and another at 9.5 weeks ,both were missed miscarriages.It came as a huge shock after having 3 children with no problems at all.I understand totally what other people are saying about getting obsessed ,I feel time slipping away from me and nothing I do can change the fact that we all have a finite number of years to get pregnant,and at my age those years are fast running out.I am the eldest of four sisters,my youngest sister is 21 years younger than me so I know it can be done.my husband is 9 years younger than me and we have a daughter of 7 together,he has wanted another child for years and Ikept putting it off,if only we listened to all the stories about doing it sooner rather than later.I try to stay positive and healthy,but Ido get moments when I wonder if all this heartache is worth it.I feel like I have started on a road thatI CANNOT TURN BACK ON.I feel that if I dont continue, the loss of my two little babies will have been for nothing.I feel that I am caught up in something out of my control.I remember giving birth to my children, and the utter and complete wonder and love I felt, and I cant accept that my chance is over to experience it all again. how is it possible to feel such an ache,such a longing, for two babies that Inever knew or held in my arms.

Nicola63 · 05/03/2006 18:50

Best of luck to you stngray. I too will turn 43 this year (can't believe I could ever get that old, still think of myself as young, but there you are!) and am so longing for a baby with my younger hubby (he has two children of his own, I have none).

motherinferior · 05/03/2006 18:52

Good luck. I had DD1 at 37 (wasn't ttc Blush) and DD2 at 40.

batmum · 05/03/2006 19:29

Im 42, one ds aged 5 complete surprise as told since age of 23 i'd never conceive due to tube adhesions. Too knackered and depressed to try for no.2 till ds was 3, but by then hormones on the blink, and consulted doc re. natural progesterone, he said hormones not menopausal Smile so heartened by people like Jo Brand (2 after the age of 42 was it?) I am ttc, but trying not to get uptight. My son was conceived after a laparoscopy sounded the death knell for natural conception and I just gave up!!

jabberwocky · 05/03/2006 21:13

I totally sympathize with being too tired and depressed to ttc soon after. I had originally thought we should start ttc again when ds was one year but it just wasn't possible for me mentally or emotionally.

Cristina7 · 07/03/2006 19:40

Just to wish everyone here good luck. I may be joining you at some stage in the future (still awaiting first AF after DD 12 months ago). I also have a DS aged 6. The age difference is not a problem at all. I've turned 40 last month.

Dizzy - I think I've read that FSH levels readings can fluctuate a bit up and down (even in the same lab) and that you should always consider the highest value recorded, even if subsequently it goes down. I don't mean to worry you but thought I'd pass on this info.

jabberwocky · 10/03/2006 14:34

BFN yesterday, af arrived today Sad