TTC Myths Exposed!

[CaveMum]

I've been hanging round on the Conception boards for quite a while now (far longer than I ever expected) and have noticed that the same myths/theories/whatever you want to call them, seem to keep cropping up.

As a nation we are useless at talking about fertility issues and as such these myths can perpetuate and end up being taken as fact, so I thought we ought to do a myth busting thread that might help some people better understand things and, hopefully, feel better about the whole process.

So here goes:

Very few women have a 28 day cycle. If your cycle is shorter or longer than this don't panic! It's just a number that Drs like to use.

Most women do not get pregnant straight away. It can take a perfectly healthy couple up to a year to conceive, so again, don'tpanic if it seems to be taking longer than you first expected.

In the same vein, most GPs won't investigate potential fertility issues until you have been trying for 1 year. They really won't be impressed if you make an appointment after only 2 months of trying!

There is very little point in POASing before at least 13dpo. HPTs are only up to 60% accurate before this date, so why waste the money and upset yourself with a potentially false result?

OPKs as HPTs are very unreliable. Just don't go there!

Feel free to add your own

Sorry large proportion not rage.

Ariel (Aries inspired MN name? If so: secret handshake!) and yeah I guess I am, in a fairly head in the sand kinda way. Though my old obsessing skills are surfacing, if a little rusty. TTCing what happens...

Alabama - possibly we are overanalysing it. But I think it's valuable to think about what is clearly, provably true about ttc and what is myth and personal experience. It's a very emotive time for lots of people - the more so the longer it goes on - and it doesn't help if people are misinformed or encouraged to think they might be pregnant when they aren't.

I don't think anyone's disputing individual experiences of early pregnancy symptoms - just that things vary from one woman to another and symptoms shouldn't ever be thought of as conclusive 'proof' that you're pregnant.

I didn't use FMU, I did the test in the evening. But that doesn't make any difference - it said on the packet quite clearly that the test could be done at any time of day, and surely if I was 14 or so days post ovulation, it would have picked up a positive result whenever I did it. It's supposed to be almost 100 percent accurate at that time. It wasn't as though I was testing mega early.

Before I did the test I would have bet my life savings on being pregnant. There was no doubt in my mind - I knew I was. And not in a wishful thinking kind of way either - I knew it and was bloody terrified! I'm a single mother and have no idea how I'd cope on my own with a new baby as well as the three children I've got. Not to mention what I'd tell friends and family!

To be honest I'm a bit upset. However much I would not have chosen to become pregnant deliberately, there was a part of me that wanted the baby as soon as I 'knew'. We're a loving family, I thought, we'll manage. Now I feel a fool. And as though my body and mind have betrayed me - does that sound ridiculous?

This has certainly been a very unusual cycle for me. I never suffer from PMS. I have often known nothing of my period coming until it's actually there IYSWIM. The most I ever get is a bit of cramping on the day it actually starts. This month I have been experiencing cramping and an imminent sense of it coming on and off for a week now. I woke in the night with cramping and that funny 'draggy' feeling last night. Still no bleeding though. This has only ever happened before when I have been pregnant. My nausea has massively dissipated today though - was sick as a dog yesterday and only a few very mild waves today.

I don't know what's going on

treats definetly agree with you.

Oh nice, thanks panda & ariel. I guess I asked for that. I hope mocking me has cheered you both up today.

thatlldo I know it says any time but the reality is your wee is more concentrated first thing in the morning because your body builds up the hormone in your wee overnight. Hence why I suggested you test with FMU.

How about- back on the original theme of the thread - you don't necessarily ovulate exactly halfway through your cycle like ovulation calculator would suggest. I ovulate much earlier than that most of the time according to OPKs/charting.

Calm down Abody. Didn't see the original mockee's post i.e. yours! Just agreed with the post above me. This is a tough enough game and over the last year or so my humour has darkened. Apologies if I offended you :)

PS Switty, yes tis I Aries!