The Elderberry Sausage Wangers (thread 5) and the hunt for immaculate conception - a frightfully good thread for the over-30s TTC their first baby.

[Bunnygirlie]

Our new home, hope we will all be very unhappy here and leave soon ;-)

Good morning! (Just about!)

Bunny, 33, married, TTC since June 2012, first for both of us, AF nearly here!
Pipbin, 37, TTC since May 2011, on the waiting list for IVF
navis176, 35, cycle 5 since mmc, af due 14 March
Happylass, 35 cycle 7 AF due 17th March
Twinklestar2, 34, ttc since August 2011, BFP due 22 March
Barkingtreefrog, 33, ttc since January 2012
Soph 33, married, TTC #1 since Jul 11, think AF due 27th
Fairydogmother - 33, TTC from January 2013. I'll know by this Friday if its a bfp!
Boodle, 30, Cycle 19, awaiting FS referral and AF due 15th March

Backtracking a little bit here, but oh my god, Pip! Your poor friend having a former student turn up whilst you are completely in the nip AND labouring! That's actually made me break out in a cold sweat at the mere thought! I need to get pregnant and have babies quickly, before any of my ex pupils are old enough for that!

Makes mental note to avoid MPW's restaurant or to turn up with a bit of plastic that I can surreptitiously sneak into my meal in the hope of a freebie .

Sorry about AF, Bunny, I recall the 9 month one being a particular stinker for the very reason you describe.

Soph, going against the grain here, but I wouldn't bother redecorating if I were you. Let's face it, law of the sod isn't actually going to make a difference (take it from someone who is ALWAYS stocking up for AF in that very hope !)and if you don't need the room for any other purpose you might as well just keep it ready and waiting.

Pants! Again with Thunderbuns! I dawdled so long over that post it should have been 'good afternoon' in the end anyway!

Bunny, 33, married, TTC since June 2012, first for both of us, AF nearly here!
Pipbin, 37, TTC since May 2011, on the waiting list for IVF
navis176, 35, cycle 5 since mmc, af due 14 March
Boodle, 30, Cycle 19, awaiting FS referral and AF due 15th March
Happylass, 35 cycle 7 AF due 17th March
Twinklestar2, 34, ttc since August 2011, BFP due 22 March
Thunderbuns, 34, cycle 3 since mmc, af due 23rd March
Barkingtreefrog, 33, ttc since January 2012
Soph 33, married, TTC #1 since Jul 11, think AF due 27th
Fairydogmother - 33, TTC from January 2013. I'll know by this Friday if its a bfp!

In the beginning Mumsnet created the TTC forum and saw that is was good. But many of the threads were full of women complaining that they had not been blessed with their 4th baby. And Lo many women who were evil and greedy for having delayed having babies so they could live fabulous lives and have holidays (and nothing to be with being financially stable and being with the right partner) and they were made sad by the women who already had babies.
And they went into the wilderness and walked for 40 days and 40 nights until they came to the promised land of elderberries and sausages. And they saw that it was good.

And Lo those women did pee upon the stick of OPK and saw that there were two lines and held it to the light and did say unto their fellow elderberries 'tell me oh wise women, is the test line darker than the control line?' And the wise women said that it was and they must make haste to their bed and the elderberries did call unto their husbands and ask for him to lay with her and he said, 'but I have been busy at work and I'm too tired.' And there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth.

And the elderberries did go to the wise GP and speak to him but he didn't understand but sent the woman to have tests on the wrong day. And the woman did say unto her husband 'you must spill your seed into this pot and a man will look at it and see if it is good' and the man said that he was too busy and tired. And there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth.

And the woman looked at her fellow women and they all doth say 'but I laid with a man but once and I have had many babies' and another said 'I think thou doth triest too much. If thou stop trying it will happen'. And the women were evil and they thought not for the feelings of the elderberries and they doth call upon their friends to bring them gifts as they were very pleased with themselves for having a baby and could not understand why the elderberries find it so difficult.

And lo the elderberry did find herself reading the scripture of the internet and did do everything asked of her by the soothsayers therein. She did eat manuka honey, she did pee on sticks, she did put a pillow under her bottom, she did not partake of the caffeine or the alcohol, she did put the legs into the air after she had lain with her husband but each month she was visited by an evil spirit. And there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Our peestick
Who art in the bathroom cupboard
Clearblue is thy name,
Thy peeing on done,
Thy one line only come,
This month as every other,
Give us every other day strength to DTD
Forgive us complaining
As we forgive those who give us advice,
And lead us not to read the internet
And deliver us of a baby (eventually)
For thine is the CBFM
The opk and the conceive plus,
Until we get two lines
Amen.

and again! That's story number 2 in the 'Elderberry and Sausage Pavlova's Big Book of Bedtime Stories'

That's brilliant Pipbin :).

Tears rolling down my face- absolute genius pip. Someone give this woman a crown...

Brilliant Pip

That's fabulous! X

Pip you have made my day!! Abso-fucking-lutely brilliant! Amen

Bunny, 33, married, TTC since June 2012, first for both of us, AF nearly here!
Pipbin, 37, TTC since May 2011, on the waiting list for IVF
navis176, 35, cycle 5 since mmc, af due 14 March
Boodle, 30, Cycle 19, awaiting FS referral and AF due 15th March
Happylass, 35 cycle 7 AF due 17th March
Twinklestar2, 34, ttc since August 2011, BFP due 22 March
Thunderbuns, 34, cycle 3 since mmc, af due 23rd March
Barkingtreefrog, 33, ttc since January 2012
Soph 33, married, TTC #1 since Jul 11, think AF due 27th
Fairydogmother - 33, TTC from January 2013. I'll know by this Friday if its a bfp!
Merkin, 31, cycle 8, AF due between 19 and 21 Mar

Barking, sorry, I'm rewinding back to the last thread - did you say you had around an 8 day luteal phase? Just wondering if I have another member in the ridiculously short luteal phase club? (Wow, and what a club that is - I'm fighting people off at the door... !)

Boodle, yes indeed you do. In fact the only reason I landed here at all was due to me googling short luteal phase and finding the Short Luteal Phase Gang on here. www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/1179056-The-Short-Luteal-Phase-Gang?pg=10 So I posted on that thread a week ago and tumbleweed everyone ignored me so I see what you mean about fighting people off at the door!

I was actually being hopelessly optimistic. I'd pretty much convinced myself I was pg last week and the BFN was quite plainly wrong had to be explained away somehow, so I decided it was logical to believe that due to my ridiculously short LP maybe I wouldn't get a BFP until 2 weeks after conception, and turned to google to verify this for me. It sort of did agree with me, but unfortunately I also found out that it might be harder to get pg as the egg doesn't have time to 'stick' before the womb lining falls away for AF and washes the egg out with it. How Bloomin Marvelous. So in my trying not to stress about ttc head I have short LP to add to the irregular periods and possible symptoms of PCOS. And am fully expecting all concerns to be dismissed by the GP tomorrow when I pick up my test results.....

Hmm. Hadn't realised there was a certain way to insert a link, so trying again. Please ignore me, nothing interesting to see here...
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/1179056-The-Short-Luteal-Phase-Gang?pg=10

I've come across that Short Luteal Phase Gang thread in my googling adventures too. Never bothered to post on it as I could see it was quite an old thread. I think it gets resurrected every so often by people stumbling across it in the same way that you did; I don't think it counts as a tumbleweeding if there was no one there anyway - don't take it personally!

My short luteal phase is driving me up the wall! I am always between 7 and 9 days and as you said, it just seems so unlikely that an egg could implant and last in such a short space of time. I've stopped reading up on it now as it was just making me too sad. Last time I saw my doctor, I brought up the issue and she completely dismissed me; just said she'd do my fertility referral, which is one thing I suppose.

I'm going back to the doctors tomorrow as I'm really not feeling well still. I still think I need my thyroid looking at more closely; unsurprisingly, short luteal phase is associated with that too.

I hope you get the news that you want to hear tomorrow - FX for you.

Didn't somebody mention taking certain vitamins or something to extend the luteal phase? Sure I have read it somewhere.
Anyone fancy enlightening me with their knowledge of PCOS? Am self diagnosing wondering if I could be suffering? Would the pill stop the symptoms hence only noticing since coming off it?

Don't know a lot about PCOS, I'm afraid, Merkin, although a quick google suggests pill may mask some of the symptoms. What are your reasons for suspecting PCOS?

Vit B6 is often discussed as something that can help with luteal phase. Did bugger all for me though, and I've had plenty of time to try different combinations/strengths/types of b vits. The main other thing I've heard suggested is progesterone cream, which I haven't tried (although I'm quietly waiting to see what Mother's experiences are this month...)!

I took B vits to try and stop spotting as I did get spotting from 4 dpo onwards. I found that I needed to take Multi B Vits 100mg from Holland a Barratts. It did seem to make a difference. The only problem with it was that as you pee out what you don't need it makes your pee bright yellow and smelly.

Thank you your kind words about the gospel according to St Elderberry.

Adding myself to the list....

Bunny, 33, married, TTC since June 2012, first for both of us, AF nearly here!
Pipbin, 37, TTC since May 2011, on the waiting list for IVF
navis176, 35, cycle 5 since mmc, af due 14 March
Happylass, 35 cycle 7 AF due 17th March
Twinklestar2, 34, ttc since August 2011, BFP due 22 March
Barkingtreefrog, 33, ttc since January 2012
Soph 33, married, TTC #1 since Jul 11, think AF due 27th
Fairydogmother - 33, TTC from January 2013. I'll know by this Friday if its a bfp!
ILoveMyCats - 31(nearly 32), ttc#1 since September 2012, cycle 3 due to crazy long cycles

Some have said that Vit D affects the LP as well, but I spent lots of last summer in 30C+ sunshine and my LP was still a consistent 8 days. I've been taking B vitamins for energy for ages, and now taking the pregnacare multivitimins thing so I doubt vitamins would make any difference to me.

I'm worried about PCOS probably irrationally so and due to too much googling as usual as I have irregular periods, I've had a cyst on my ovary in the past which ruptured, and I have really nasty acne that I believe to definitely be linked to my hormones given the pill Dianette (which they won't prescribe for me anymore anyway) is the only thing that keeps my skin clear. Antibiotics have never been effective, hence it being really nasty now I've had 14 months off the pill. Went to the dermatologist who basically asked me why I'd even bothered asking for a referral given I was ttc. But I'm rambling again.
I am most definitely not overweight though, so I don't tick that symptom box.

I'm driving myself crazy and I realise I probably sound like a lunatic, but I've got worse in the last 24 hours since my DP announced his sperm were all dancing beautifully and looking mighty fine thank you very much.

Is there any reason why the GP wouldn't refer me to the fertility clinic after 14 months of ttc and me being in my 30's? Does it make any difference whether the tests show something or nothing? I'm assuming the GP doesn't do anything (e.g. prescribe Clomid to try and bring O forward and extend the LP, that's what I'd really like to try in my wishful thinking land) other than just make a referral, or do some GP's actually try things before referral? Other than telling me to keep trying.....

I do need to put some weights in my pocket eat lots tomorrow in case she weighs me. Last time she said I was only just in the BMI bracket and if I was any lighter the lack of BFP would simply be put down to me not weighing enough and she couldn't refer me!! I'm heavier than I've ever been in my life and I'm a healthy size 8-10, so I don't agree with that!!

Amen pip preach it sister

the sermon at my church this morn was all about a barren lady from the old testament who was praying for a child. Her hubby had a second wife who had tons of kids, and she bullied the said barren lady for not having children. barren lady prays a lot, and eventually God gives her a baby. I now it sounds kind of bonkers but it made me blub. i guess i don't have it quite so tough (it's only been 11 mths and dh doesn't have any other wives....) Still, i hate that it's so hard and we have to go through this. thank goodness for this thread and you ladies.

Here's a question: If the law of Sod does work - I'm off on a skiing hol the week af/bfp is due- there will be lots of wine and hot tubs and skiing. i guess i will just make sure I test early and keep enjoying said wine and hot tubs and skiing til I get a bfp? what would you girls do?

Bunny, 33, married, TTC since June 2012, first for both of us, AF nearly here!
Pipbin, 37, TTC since May 2011, on the waiting list for IVF
Aquarius, 32, cycle 10/11, af due 8 March ish
navis176, 35, cycle 5 since mmc, af due 14 March
Boodle, 30, Cycle 19, awaiting FS referral and AF due 15th March
Happylass, 35 cycle 7 AF due 17th March
Twinklestar2, 34, ttc since August 2011, BFP due 22 March
Thunderbuns, 34, cycle 3 since mmc, af due 23rd March
Barkingtreefrog, 33, ttc since January 2012
Soph 33, married, TTC #1 since Jul 11, think AF due 27th
Fairydogmother - 33, TTC from January 2013. I'll know by this Friday if its a bfp!
Merkin, 31, cycle 8, AF due between 19 and 21 Mar

Aquarius, if I were off on that lovely sounding holiday, I would definitely be enjoying the wine, hot tub and skiing! That's my humble opinion!

Barking, my GP has said that Clomid is probably the first thing I should expect when I eventually get to the fertility specialist. The only things our GP has done for us are get blood work and SA done, and send me for ultrasound.

hi barking I would press your GP for answers on why they think your lack of bfp is down to your low BMI. I've been told low BMI can affect your periods and that I shouldn't lose any weight, but if you're having regular periods I can't see why it's an issue. sorry you're feeling so anxious - hope you can get some answers.

re: being referred after 14 months - my GP says to give it 18 months, but i think that's partly cos i'm coming off the Depo and my periods are a bit irregular.

aquarius - I wouldn't worry at all - I live in a ski resort so have a thoroughly head-in-sand attitude to skiing, hot tubs and wine - just get out there, relax and enjoy your holiday. I'm only going to start worrying, given my particular history, if I ever get beyond 7 weeks (well, with the skiing, will axe the wine and hot tubs before then just in case).

WOW pip one of the best posts ever!!!

Evening all! Just catching up with this afties posts.

Thanks ladies, AF is a pain (literally) but I knew it was def coming! CD1 so def ringing docs tomorrow to try and book in for Tues for first blood test, what is this one for again?

You're right, we haven't had a BFP in bloody ages, we must be due some soon!

I agree aquarius not sure what I would do without this thread

just read back - lol Pip