TTC what to buy?

[pizzaqueen]

Sadly I miscarried a much wanted second baby very recently. So I find myself back here on the conception boards.

We will take a short break from TTC as one of my main issues whilst MC was they couldn't date me because my cycle was still so irregular from coming off implaton. But keen to try again, thinking about it is helping me deal with what has just happened.

So I'm wondering what do I need to buy/do this time round? I know we could try au-natural which was how we conceived DS and the wee bean we have lost but keen to try anything to maximise our chances.

• vitamins, I know about folic acid but are there any others that are useful? And should my partner take any too?

• ovulation testing - they seem so expensive in Boots but i would really like to be able to date the pg next time, are their cheaper reliable versions available? Amazon?

• pregnancy tests - same as above, so expensive, I've heard you can order loads cheaply on amazon, what brand am I looking for?

Anything else? Thanks ladies and baby dust to everyone TTC.

You can get cheap ovulation sticks off of eBay. However you end up stressing more (I MC in between my two dc so understand). In the end, I cut down alcohol and tracked my cycle and worked out the two weeks during which ovulation was likely and we dtd every other day in that window. And bingo, fell pregnant with dd a few months later.

Folic acid is the only thing you need. IMHO all the other supplements are a money spinner for the drug companies. If you are eating healthily you will ave everything you need.

Bear in mind that any vitamins your husband takes now will not affect H&S sperm for 3 months - it takes that long to make sperm from start to finish.

I'm not a fan of ovulation sticks, they are not wholly reliable as they only measure LH which can surge several times through your cycle before you actually ovulate. They also won't be able to confirm that ovulation has taken place. You are probably better buying a basal body thermometer like these and charting your cycles to try and establish a pattern.

Good luck

We tried for no 2 for about a year+

I'd really recommend investing in the clearblue easy digital ovulation thing as it's a lot clearer than the cheap sticks (you can find them 2nd hand on eBay or sometime v reduced on amazon although sticks are expensive)

I used this as well as ttc multivitamins & healthy eating, v little alcohol-was overweight, (always am & have been) but think losing some helped.

I was desperate to get going quickly after I had wasted months after mc. I'm now due in 3 weeks so fingers crossed.

Good luck to you-you need to quantify if you can afford the clearblue thing or if you're brave, ask friends if they have one you can borrow!