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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

Trying to Conceive Thread . . . .3!!

461 replies

Mum2Ela · 23/01/2004 14:30

Right oh.

I thought the TTC Thread no. 2 was getting a bit depressing and we all need cheering up with extra sprinkles of babydust, so I thought I would start a new thread.

I also have a motive - having looked back at the last 4 ttc threads I have noticed (being the sad person I am) that the thread originators all became pg during the life of the thread.

So . .

Here's me:

24 years old, DD 16 months, ttc since September.

Anyone joining me on this nw, happy thread?

OP posts:
ChaCha · 16/02/2004 19:05

Twiglett, no not usually conscious of CM but after reading about it realised i didnt seem to have any. Have noticed it before though.
Yes, your right i am on tamoxifen. I always write "clomid like medication", as people dont really identify it. Will have a look at the book you mentioned, thanks!

Big Bird - I am CD14 today. Your CD15 right? Fingers crossed. x

bunny2 · 16/02/2004 20:15

Hi Quacks and eveyone else. I am going to use Fertility Friend this cycle, I agree, maybe they are more likely to make sense of it all for me. Got af today, CD 26, so shall start on the clomid tomorrow. I have spent another fortune in Boots - extra vit C (supposed to help clomid work), Starflower oil and omega 3 fish oils. I am becoming a vitamin junkie.

Quackers · 16/02/2004 21:21

Bunny, well that cycle was over quickly! I did have a look at some charts for you on FF. There are some very unusual ones! Very reassuring! Good luck this cycle then with Clomid!
ChaCha, I never used to have any (conciously anyway). I took oil of evening primorose though the month I conceived so maybe it does help!!!

jellycat · 16/02/2004 21:53

Hi bunny, sorry it didn't work out for you this month. You must have had quite a short luteal phase this month because I think you ovulated after me (and I am now 12 dpo I think). Can you tell me something about the vitamins please? Are the starflower and fish oils supposed to aid conception? (starflower I guess may be something to do with increasing CM). Good luck for next month anyway.

bunny2 · 16/02/2004 23:37

I think my cycle was 26 days with a luteal phase of 9 days. Tis a bit short isnt it?

JC, here is a quick run-down of the supplements I am taking:

  1. Pregnacare multivits including folic acid.
  2. Vit C 1000 iu a day (apparently makes clomid more effective if taken at the same time).
  3. Evening Primrose Oil (not StarFlower, sorry). This helps mucus production as clomid can thicken mucus. It also helps regulate hormones so might be helpful if my progesterone is low/luteal phase short.
  4. Fish oils for Omega 3 Good for general health and fertility as well as lessening chances of mc.
  5. Vitamin E 200 iu a day. Good for blood clotting disorders (havent been diagnosed with one but you nver know...).

I have done lots of reading and the above are all supplements which might help me. They might make no difference but I dont think any of them can do any harm. I have read great things about Omega 3 for fertility and prevention of miscarriage, ditto Evening Primrose Oil. I can let you know the authors/books if you want to read up on it.

jellycat · 17/02/2004 08:49

bunny, thanks for all that info. I didn't know about the evidence that fish oils and Evening Primrose Oil can help prevent miscarriage. I'd be interested in the references for these please. Do you have to start taking them before conception to get the benefit?

WRT your luteal phase, it's worth keeping an eye on. Is this the first month you've used OPKs and temping and therefore been able to pinpoint ov?

I woke in the night with a tummy ache and thought AF had arrived but nothing yet. But as I said I don't expect AF till tomorrow (that would be 14 days from ov). I know my luteal phase is usually 14 days from the cycles when I have ov pains (probably only about 1 cycle in 4 that I actually have pains which is why I bought Persona as I thought maybe I wasn't ovulating the other months).

Quackers · 17/02/2004 09:06

Hi Bunny, you must be rattlting! You know loads about supplements!
Yes 9 days is a little short but that's if you had ovulated. I beleive if you haven't ov'd then the luteal phase is naturally shorter. My good freind ovulates from only one ovary and the months she ov's her cycle is about 27-28 days and luteal of about 12-13 days. The months her non working ovary tries to ov her cycle is more like 23-25 days and a luteal of around 9-10 days. Just keep an eye and temp and see what happens this month.
Jellycat, how have you found persona?

jellycat · 17/02/2004 09:24

Quacks, Persona - well, so far, so good. Only the first month of trying with it though. It was a relief to get a clear result with it after my lack of success with Clearblue OPKs. I usually have a regular 28/29 day cycle and I know it really well but over the last few months it suddenly switched to being 31/32 days (which has been quite annoying since we've been ttc!). I think that we've missed the boat' some months because of this (I know you're supposed to be at it' all month but it gets a bit much after a while, especially when you have a toddler wearing you out all day). Hence the reason for buying Persona. However, this month it looks like it will be back to 29 days and I hope it stays regular otherwise Persona is less likely to work isn't it.

Thought when I first read the instructions `I'll never be able to drive this thing' but actually have found it quite easy.

BigBird · 17/02/2004 09:38

chacha - i'm cd 14 today only - so 1 day behind you ! DH is away from today though so hopefully I ovulated already. Temps are a bit all over the place this mth. Should know in a day or two.

Good luck next cycle Bunny.
Interested to hear about all your tablets, esp the omega 3 fish oils ... I was thinking of starting them but wasn't sure if I should or not. I currently only take pregnacare. But, when I did take Starflower oil a few mths back to increase CM, I thought you were only supposed to take it for the first half of your cycle. Is it the same for EPO ?

Azure · 17/02/2004 10:05

I've just had a really depressing thought. If I do manage to conceive within the next few months I will be 56 by the time no. 2 finishes school and 60 if s/he does a four-year course at university. I really enjoyed my childless late twenties and early thirties and so wouldn't have wanted to start any earlier, but this is just ridiculous. Hmmm, maybe I should just stick to one child after all.

bluestar · 17/02/2004 10:34

Congrats to recent graduaters! Seems we suddenly had a little flurry of them. Good luck.

BigBird, I'm also on CD14 and have just started temping/OPKing again for this month. Cycle last month was 40 days but hoping it will drop again to around 33 which is what is usually is. Ov'd CD26 last month which seems ages away if this is the case again.

Original poster
Mum2Ela · 17/02/2004 10:59

Hi everyone.

Haven't been here for a while and haven't yet had chance to catch up with all your news but hopefully will have chance to have a read later.

At mo, on CD 42 ( and I thought I was becoming more reguar) - 3 neg tests. Nevermind. Came home yesterday from a lovely long weekend in New York with DH and DD so that cheered me up.

Am trying to be a lot more positive about whole TTC thing and, well, when it happens it will happen. At least now if I get pregnant I won't need a double buggy as DD will be 2.5 years +.

Focus on the positive! Have completed a job application today for a job I wasn't sure if I was going to go for as ttc but hey, I could be here a while so why not! Am also going to apply for my masters degree and defer entry til Sept 05, so that gives me something else to aim for (and take my mind off ttc).

Hope everyone is well. Like I said, will try to catch up later.

x

OP posts:
BigBird · 17/02/2004 11:32

HI Mum2Ela - good to hear from you. Sounds like you are very +ve about this. Funny you should mentione the double-buggy thing - I was thinking exactly the same myself !

bluestar...fingers crossed.

Quackers · 17/02/2004 15:37

Jelly, I love Persona and my cycles got a little erratic after m/c's but it seemed to work fine TBH. I know what you mean with a toddler, it's so hard to have the energy by the time they're in bed!!!

Kay1 · 17/02/2004 20:15

Hi all.

mum2ela - sounds like you had good weekend and definately have very positive approach which i think is so important. Having had months of putting life on hold - inc. not planning holidays, turning down opportunities at work and courses etc (because i may be pg and not able to do it....) i am now a lot more pragmatic and just go for it anyway - helps me to much more balanced and not (quite) so obsessed!

Azure - Because i'm an 'oldie' too (38) i have wanted to get pg quick as i didn't really want to be retiring at the same time as my kids are at college, but again have now realised that it doesn't necessarily happen exactly as you plan/want - am still going for it anyway as i don't feel old and it's still ideally what i want. I suppose if i'm still ttc in a years time when i'fm facing 40 i might change my mind but who knows?

bunny2 · 17/02/2004 21:15

I'm 38 in April, determined not to give up yet!

No af after all, CD27. Also, reviewed how to put a cover line on a temping chart and it seems I put mine in the wrong place so temps havent dropped as much as I thought. I might even do a test tomorrow if no af.

Jellycat, here is some more info:

The body makes prostaglandins (hormone-regulating substances) from Omega 3 and Omega 6 so they are very important in conception and early pregnancy especially where hormone problems might be suspected. They also help some women who suffer recurrent miscarriage by helping to lessen blood-clotting disorders. they are also essential for the develop0ing brain and nervous system of the foetus. So, good all-round then! Cod liver oil should be avoided though, fish oils are fine, I think flax seed oil is very good (Udos oil?) as is linseed oil. It's best to go into a health food store for a chat (I came out very confused).

This info comes from 2 sources Marilyn Glenville "Natural Solutions to Infertility" and Patrick Holford "The Optimum Nutrition Bible". Cant vouch for it's accuracy but they are both well-known figures in comp. medicine. If you have more questions, fire away

bunny2 · 17/02/2004 22:07

Oooh-errr, just entered all my data on fertility friend and it appears I have only had one dip below the coverline since ov, that was on DPO7. Could it be an implantation dip??? Where are you all? I need someone to calm me down.

jellycat · 17/02/2004 22:12

Hello, I'm here, dh is out for the night so I'm glued to PC. Sounds very promising, so you just had a bit of spotting not af after all??

jellycat · 17/02/2004 22:16

Thanks for all the info BTW. I eat oily fish once a week anyway - I don't know if that's enough really but I suppose it might at least help. I've got some Eye-Q stuff for ds but he won't eat anything I put it in (well, I suppose vanilla and fish flavoured spaghetti bolognese wouldn't appeal to many people) so I could always guzzle some of that. The fishy burps would be a punishment to dh for leaving me alone tonight (he's on a company do).

ChaCha · 17/02/2004 23:44

Bunny, wow, so it may have been implantation spotting afterall. Well keep us all posted please!!

CD15 - am counting!

ChaCha · 17/02/2004 23:45

Haaaaaaa! Haaaaa!

Jellycat you had me in stitches...fishy burps!

he heee!

Azure · 18/02/2004 08:32

Oooh Bunny2 - fingers and toes crossed. What an up and down month it's been for you. Feel better about my age today - thanks for the reassurance fellow oldies!

Azure · 18/02/2004 08:34

I wonder what happened to Crossfingers?

harman · 18/02/2004 08:57

Message withdrawn

BigBird · 18/02/2004 09:40

fingers crossed bunny