The Elderberry Pavlovas: sit on the sofa of hopefulness and make yourself a special omelette while prescribing the vomming cat to those that deserve it and observing the lunching of the tactless.

[barkingtreefrog]

It's time for some more grads!!

The smallprint - Berries have a strict entrance criteria (TTC #1, over 30, TTC for 3+months NO instadiffers, must have a special pot)

Morning berries, and welcome gill

Question for bbt charters, my temp has gone back below the line yesterday and today which is only 4 & 5 dpo, I though this didn't happen until AF was on her way but I'm not due for another 10 days.
Anyone else had this?

Morning all

blind the pouffe of poss is no place for me at cd2. You hang on in there a bit and I'll jump on in a week or so.

tally good luck today re the job. Let us know what happens. You're right in sticking up for yourself when they are pushing you around.

bunny it's 12months for me too. Its so crap. Don't delay the meltdown, deny it! With cocktails.

Come on lucky June!

Morning berries!

Hi gil, welcome to the sofa..or the pouffe, depending on your mindset and CD!

bunny, thunder 12 months here too. And I know how you feel about the ex-due date anniversary thunder, every so often I remember that I should would have had a 2 month old by now. Hurts when I see people with babies around that age I know there's no point dwelling on what could have been but sometimes it's impossible not to.

scone no idea about temps I'm afraid, but one of the experts will be along shortly I'm sure!

tally sounds like they're treating you badly - hope you manage to get something sorted! Sock it to em!

More essay. Had to cancel my place on a conference I was really looking forward to, and let my friend down because I have to write bloody essays instead of giving her a lift. Feel bad and wish I could organise my life a bit better but there just never seems to be any time. And then I feel even worse in case stress/bad work hour patterns is contributing to stopping us getting diffed.

morning berries, sorry for those berries that AF has hunted down , it all seems so bloody unfair when there are bumps everywhere. I've started choosing to believe that they all tried for months/years in a bid to not feel so envious, but really most of the time I just want them to get out of my eyesight! Barking you have my sympathies re: your neighbors. At least you know your block is child-friendly, I guess...

Welcome Gillster, nice to have a new berry around! Good on you for snagging a toy boy Will keep my fx for you that info re: your polyp removal comes soon. If it's not too nosy, when did your GP initiate all your tests? I'm 38 and mine seems in no hurry to move things forward, she wants me to get to the 14 month mark. Not sure if this is normal, or if she thinks all we need is time...?

Barking I like your positivity; might need to borrow some in the coming days.

DH's "shag til we die" plan is still on; today is CD17 and we've DTD all but the first two days after AF left. Some days it's fun and others it's demoralizing. Here's where the universe is playing mindgames...for the first time ever since tracking ov, I've not gotten a Peak reading on CBFM, just Highs for about 8 days now. IC OPK strips have always been hard for me to read, but for a couple of days last week they were dark, but not as dark as control line, so...?? My cycles are extreeemely regular and I don't know if this is an anovulatory cycle (which would be disgustingly ironic), or if I'm just going to ovulate really late. Any ideas?

My period last month was really light, which I put down to it being the first time I"d used a Mooncup (not so uncommon from what I've read). I've taken several pg tests and all were neg. I can't see how it'd be possible, but if I am, I'm kind of concerned bc I had xrays a few days into this cycle.

Hi Sid, good effort on the shag marathon! I have no clue about the ovulation thing I'm afraid, but hope it's not anovulatory. If your cycles are regular it seems unlikely, maybe it's more an issue with the sticks than your cycle? Hope so and that the bonkathon has got you diffed! What Xray did you have? and did you tell the radiologist you were ttc? I can't imagine it would do too much harm at such an early stage in the cycle, I think the radiation is more an issue is more when cells are dividing rapidly once the egg's been fertilised, not before.

Also (I'm just nosy) why would a mooncup make your period lighter??

Barking sorry that you're literally surrounded. Hope you don't feel too ganged up on.

Just been out with the badly trained dog and a new frisbee for some fresh air/exercise, turns out she's scared of frisbees and ran away and hid for half an hour. Only slightly embarrassing in front of all the well behaved dogs in the park!

Hi Sid, yes it's good to snag a toy boy and he's usually got plenty of energy to DTD. Looking forward to his return on Saturday after being away for 3 weeks with work . In terms of going to the GP, I went at about the 10 month mark but told her we'd been trying for about 15 months. It wasn't entirely a lie as we hadn't used contraception for this amount of time but DH had been working away a lot so wasn't always around at the critical times. If you hadn't already seen your GP I'd have advised adding on a few months (advice given by one of my 38 year old friends). I think it really depends which postcode you live in as one friend in Liverpool got referred very quickly and was about to try IVF after 2 years of trying when she fell pregnant using clomid. Another friend in Hertfordshire really struggled to get seen quickly and would only have been offered IVF after 3 years! Both were 37/38. She went private in the end, paid for IVF and is now 13 weeks pregnant . How long have you been trying? Maybe worth pushing for some blood tests at least to start the ball rolling? I went to GP at start of Jan but blood tests take a couple of months, then sperm test takes a few weeks then it was a month before consultant appointment and still having final tests as a result of that. I think you've just got to be firm and insist on the blood tests as you can still be TTC when they go on. Since going to the GP initially I feel like things have gone fairly quickly but it's still nearly 5 months ago. Good luck!

LOL Boom my dog is sometimes the embarrassing antisocial weirdo at our park also! To be fair I can see your dog's point; having something fly at her face that she's supposed to catch with her mouth doesn't sound like my cup of tea either!!

I did tell the radiologist we were TTC & she said that as long as the pregnancy is 28days old or less, it wouldn't be an issue at all. My knees were what was done, so that helped also.

I've just checked & I think I have EWCM so maybe will get a peak tomorrow? I'm torn between wanting this cycle to work, and wanting to follow through with a cervical smear they've set for me next month, which will have to be canceled if I get pg. As I said recently, so sick of TTC and all the ramifications it seems to have on every single aspect of my life!!

Not sure if using a MC actually lessens the flow, or if perhaps the amount is the same but just can't be gauged properly if you're using tampons or pads. Mine usually lasts about 3 solid days with 2 of spotting after; this time it was 2 days at a push with a day or two of spotting - much more manageable and I found it very comfortable & easy to use. Well worth the 20 quid, especially if it can double as an omelette maker

Just lurking as usual & wanted to say yay for another mooncup convert! Be warned that my DP hates mine though esp when it's boiling in a pan in the kitchen so I try & do that when he's out!

Scone - are you sure you've ovulated already? Did FF give you crosshairs & did you have other signs such as positive OPK & EWCM? Are your cycles normally regular? You might have to wait till the end of the cycle to see the complete picture. There is also the holy grail of the "implantation dip" as your temp can drop as the egg implants but 4-5 dPO sounds a bit early. I got a slight dip (but not below coverline) to 36.49 at 7DPO before back up to hovering around the 36.6 mark for the next couple of days. Temp then shot up to 36.92 on 11DPO which was one of the main reasons I did an hpt that day. The rounding on your thermometer might also make the patterns hard to distinguish.

Sid I'm pretty much in the same boat. Been going for gold on the DTD front this month (though not doing quite as well as you!) but suspect I haven't OVd . Usually OV on cd11 and did get an almost positive OPK then along with some EWCM. Cd13 now though and no temp rise or OV pains to report. Have OVd on cd13 a few times in the past but never later. Would be bloody law of sod if this cycle was anovulatory after all the effort we've put in! Fx for both of us.

Thunder and Boom - getting to 12 months really is horrid! I never thought I'd get to this point, seems so unfair Have to get up at 6am tomorrow for flight home so thinking cocktails may have to be avoided tonight!

So Berries, as I head towards month 13, to temp or not to temp, that is the question!

I've got essay fatigue. Stopping for a and a and a chinwag!

Happy ewcm and a nearly positive OPK in conjunction with loads of rudies sounds good though. Fingers crossed!

Ah Bunny end of the holiday so soon!? I say one last Screaming Orgasm is the way forward in all senses

For the temping, do you find that it makes any difference to when you dtd? If so, I think it's worth doing. If you're like me and Mr Boom, we do the baby dance when we have the chance, and frankly it wouldn't make the slightest bit of difference if I knew if when I ovulated because the Law of Sod says that I'd be on a run of nights or something when it happened! But maybe that's my sourpuss view because I have withered non productive ovaries I don't want to find out that I'm really not ov'ing.

12 months is rubbish. Maybe we should have a 1 yr ttc party to cheer us up! We could have Clomid cupcakes, sage tea and play Pin the Sperm on the Egg!

Ps frog you have to BOIL your mooncup? Was almost about to say I'll give it a go...!

Only for about 10 min Boom & just the once a month! Not daily or anything...

I'm also at 12 months TTC, we should have a party!!

frog I got positive opk's, a temp rise and cross hairs on ff. Too early for an implantation dip and I have had 2 days of low temps now. Will see what tomorrow brings but stupidly asked Dr Google and am now worried that low temps after ov are caused by not enough progesterone.....

12 months sucks, but wait til you hit 9 months after bfp 3 times with no baby I'm about to hit 12 months post bfp3 next month. right around the time I'm seeing the consultant.

sorry, that was hugely over negative and one-upmanship like. sorry.

on another note, I also almost thought about using a mooncup but also not too enamoured with having to boil it.

Oh tally hugs. Can't imagine how hard it must be to deal with three times over. A bit of negativity is only to be expected when life keeps throwing you lemons, you're usually so positive but sometimes the cracks are bound to show. Any time you want a moan about that bitch Mother Nature anything go ahead - I do it often enough and you lot are always here with and so must be your turn for some sympathy xxx

And yeah. Not really up for boiling my feminine hygiene products. You know DH would think it was a device for poaching eggs in or something (are we back to sperm omelettes..)?

really boom? sometimes I think all i do on here is moan. but you lot are lovely and help me lots xxxxx

Nooo not at all! Well, I suppose it's a meeting point for a good chunter so we all do it, but I always think you seem very upbeat compared to me huffing and puffing away x

Tally, you're not moaning, you're seeking support so that you can move forward the best you can

Tally - I feel like all I do is moan too! But that's what this group is for really, communal moaning and support so our OHs and chums in RL don't get too fed up!

Saw another 7 bumps today grrrrrr moan moan moan

Boom - think I will see what my doctor says, guess no point temping if bit OVing anyway! Had blood test (my third) last Monday so going to call docs weds and see if I can get in to discuss results and my next step

Forget omelettes, it's all about frogs poached sperm these days!!!

thunder by then I will be on the sofa of pity so you'll have the pouffe to yourself!

tally that's what we're here for babs xx

oops sorry hit Post too quickly!
FWIW I think anyone who's been through what you have has every right to whatever you need from the people around you to help you through. If you find even the tiniest bit of consolation or understanding from this thread, then I hope you post as much as you feel like!

Re: The Mooncup, yeah the idea of boiling it isn't great, but I think lots of people have bought a cheapie pot to do it in, so not like they give it a wipe afterwards and then boil the family's pasta dinner in it! ha ha. Personally I'd rather boil something 1x a month than constantly be cleaning myself for 5 days straight and deal with the hassle of toting around different sized tampons & pads, the angsty emarrassment of having to tell DH "hands off!" bc his hands are wandering too closely to a pad, etc. With summer coming up, the idea of something that's totally contained, leak-proof, and that doesn't require changing every 3-4 hours is a huge draw.

In recent years I've found tampons less and less comfortable, and bizarrely I didn't feel the MC at all apart from an initial awareness of it which wasn't painful or even uncomfortable, and didn't last. I changed it often but honestly could've gone a full 8 hours, so there never would've been the need to deal with it outside the house - and no leaks. None. I found the whole thing strangely fascinating and surprisingly neither touching it nor dealing with the boiling was enough to put me off - seriously, if you're the least bit intrigued, I'd suggest giving it a try! I want AF to stay away obv bc I want to be preg, but I have to say that dealing with the old hag is suddenly looking a lot less trying, now I have a MC. Ok soapbox speech over!

tally the whole point of this thread is so we have an outlet to moan as much as we want to at people who will understand!!!
I think we're all probably nicer to people in RL because we have a chance to rant in here .

I too feel like I do nothing but moan on here, but not this month, this month/cycle is POSITIVITY cycle!!!

And I am positive I will manage to continue to play on my phone in the bath and not drop it in the water...

scone I agree with ???? (forgotten who, damn app) you will struggle to see a pattern until you are temping to 2dp due to the margin of accuracy. Do not stress! Unless the same thing happens next cycle with the babymad thermometer in which case please wang me with a sausage and tell me to get stuffed .

Oh, and 12 months?! Pah! I see your 12 months and raise you another 6....

But I'm not complaining as it just means I'm further down the chain and closer to the holy grail!!

Woohoo!! Still working!!

Am I convincing anyone yet?

Sid I know I'm being dim, you mean you used it instead of a pad when you had MC? Sorry if I'm prying too much, tell me to shut up if you want! Maybe I'm just lucky and don't get heavy AF not that she shows up often anyway but tampons work fine for me and I don't know they're there. It's more the hippy-chick side of me that thinks I should do something a bit more eco-friendly! Maybe I'll think about giving them a go. I'll need another special pot then eh?