Anyone about to start/just started TTC number 2?

[mrsm22]

Hi ladies, I am 31 and have one DS already. After my DS I went back on the pill but have decided to stop the pill and start TTC baby number 2 and wondered if anyone was also just about to start trying or just started and we could follow each other and share as we go along. I literally have stopped my pill last week for the 7 day break, and am meant to start taking it again tomorrow but obviously won't be, so I am very literally just starting to try for number two but am very excited! That's why I thought it might be nice to go through it with other people who are also trying. I have heard some people say that after your first baby you are more fertile but I am not sure so I am really not sure how long it will take this time. Does it usually not take as long second time round? It has taken a lot for me to decide for definite that I'd like another as I had an awful time in labour with forceps and 3rd degree tears etc which really scared me and must admit I'm terrified of another scary birth experience.

Ooh, utopian there's one I can actually answer despite being a newbie.

2ww = two week wait (between ovulation and af)
Af = Aunt Flo. Horribly twee term for menstruation.

I'm at all of you low caff, no alcohol types. I can't get through the day without a morning Costa and being drip fed tea. Should probably cut down now or colleagues will definitely spot if I get pg!

lucyjojo how long have you been trying? I think at the moment I feel more impatient than demoralised but can imagine that changing quickly if it takes a long time to happen.

And yes, I am a midwives water too, I think I prefer one born though. But it does make me even more broody lol!

Hi lucyjojo, I too have been feeling quite down these last few days and almost ready to throw in the towel, which I know is ridiculous seeing as this is only cycle 3 for us. But despite my best efforts not to symptom spot, I now seem to have become obsessed with opks... I think it's because work is a bit slow at the moment and so I've got too much time on my hands to brood over things! Also my body seems determined to torture me as I've had lots of cramping, bloating and backache pretty much constantly for the last two weeks. I used to get a day or two of cramps around ovulation, but now it just seems to be getting more and more and I know that it's definitely too early for pg symptoms.

I also find the whole having to dtd every other day quite a chore if I'm honest; both DH and I are usually once a week people, and even he doesn't seem overly ecstatic at doing it more often! I think if we manage to get pregnant we won't go near each other for at least a month!

I'm also one for watching birthing programmes, though I don't why, I always end up crying as it brings back so many bad memories and feeling from DD's birth.

I'm another no caffeine one, though I gave it up 5 years ago due to health problems. I also don't really drink alcohol, I think it tastes bad! I will have the occasional glass of wine though to prepare to dtd, again. I also find the regular dtd quite a chore, as did DH last time. However he's keen just now as he's not had any for the last year or so!

I love watching birthing and baby/children programmes. I love everything to do with kids, from 3 day nanny to 16 kids and counting and one born every minute. I've not seen any if midwives though - I never watch tv directly, just iplayer etc so never know what's actually on tv.

I think we're in our 2ww, but I'm not sure really. We're still dtd eod for now just incase. I'm actually feeling rather relaxed about it all so far, I'm sure that'll change soon though.

As for gender preference, I'd love to have a DD. I always said I never wanted one, as I'm a tomboy with 4 little brothers, so find boys easier to understand. However when pg with DS DH admitted to wanting a girl, and it got me thinking. Once I thought about it all, I realised I wanted a girl too. I love my DS though, and also think it would be great for him to have a brother. I think 2 of the same will get on better and play together more.

Metalhead, I cry at the birth programmes for the same reason. I need to contact the hospital to arrange a debrief as nobody has told me why / how things went wrong and why I needed an EMCS. I think I'll start to get over it a bit then.

I'm on CD28 today. No sign of AF or pregnancy. :-(

I'd had a positive test by this time with DD and I've never been very patient. I'm thinking I might be out this cycle and wondering how the hell we will keep up EOD DTD for a prolonged period if it takes a good few months. :-/

Oh, and as for feeling demoralised it's totally natural. We all spend so much of our lives thinking getting of is easy and will happen if you so much as look at a boy without a condom on! Suddenly we're having to work at it and it's just not fair.

When I was TTC for DS is took ages, so I started condolence prizes for myself. I'd buy nice food, something frivolous (clothes, magazines etc), plus wine, then force DH to watch a rom com with me. I almost looked forward to AF, almost.

Hungry I had a debrief too after the birth, and although it was useful in that it reassured me I couldn't have done anything differently to prevent the outcome and that it wasn't "my fault", I can't say that it did much to alleviate the trauma (as you can clearly tell by the fact that it still upsets me 3 years later...). So I'd just say don't get your hopes up too much that it will put all your demons to rest.

Stacks I like the idea of consolation prizes - will start to make a list of things I've put off buying immediately!

I usually go out and buy a bottle of red wine and some nice chocolate (although I eat that all the time!) when AF shows up, and try not to drink all the bottle at once! BetterNotBitter, I feel awful saying this when so many try for so long, if this month is unsuccessful we will be onto our 4 month of trying. It happened the first month with my little girl, so I kind of feel there must be something wrong if it's not happened immediately again! Ridiculous I know!! I am also obsessed with symptom spotting Metalhead but I'm struggling to tell the difference between AF symptoms and early pregnancy symptoms! I keep wondering if my boobs actually DO hurt or if its just wishful thinking! I have decided to just DTD 3 times a week or so, I can't keep up with every day or eod, even DH is getting fed up!! I don't watch tv either Stacks just catch up, so there's always the danger of missing a new series of one born! You should try the midwives on bbc iplayer though.
Sorry to those of you who had bad experiences, hopefully the next time around will be more positive for you.

So what was everyone's first symptoms last time? What are you looking out for? Mine was a metallic taste in mymouth.

Don't think there's any chance this month though

So what was everyone's first symptoms last time? What are you looking out for? Mine was a metallic taste in mymouth.

Don't think there's any chance this month though

I'm looking out for a cold, raging thirst at night and being hot in bed. Also - may be TMI for this thread as I've not seen it discussed - a lack of CM after OV.

Sadly I've had most of those this cycle and I'm really not sure I'm pregnant, so clearly they were coincidence rather than symptoms!

Good evening all! Sorry I haven't been on for a couple of days. I'm sorry to hear that some of is are feeling a bit down with the whole waiting thing! I do have some news for you all ( I'm not pregnant) but this evening I have got AF. I'm really pleased about it, which might seem weird but I came off the pill only 4 weeks and 2 days ago and have been waiting to get a natural period. When I came off the pill to try for my DS, it was months before I got AF and after the first period I then conceived. I'm just hopeful that this must mean the pill is out of my system and I must have ovulated. I was scared this was going to be months and months til I started ovulating. So will have to see what this period is like, how long it lasts and how painful etc as it's totally different on the pill.
ATruth - my first symptoms...well I was 7 weeks already when I found out I was pregnant and I just felt tired all the time and DH said my boobs looked pregnant. I also had a show. What about you?

Yay, mrs. I know what you mean as you can start from here with a clean slate, can't you? It really helps to have a defined beginning, even if the ideal situation would have been pregnancy.

I should get AF in the next few days. We can be almost cycle buddies. :-)

Hi Hungry- like the sound of that , yes let's be cycle buddies! If your AF is due in just a couple of days, is it possible you might already be pregnant? How have you been feeling?

I suppose I could be, but I doubt we've managed it first cycle.

I don't feel anything overly, though I've had AF style cramping and achey ovaries for about a fortnight.

It's very bad having lots of ICs in the house. I keep POAS with no positive result. Boo!

I'm now not sure if I have got AF or not. It wasn't until this evening after work when I went to collect my DS from my mum and dad's house as he goes there on a Friday while I'm working and when I went to the loo there was a bit of blood. Not loads , just a bit like the start of a period so I put on a pad (can't use anything else since having DS and sorry for TMI) and I just presumed this was my AF. Anyway nothing else since, no more bleeding and nothing really on the pad. What do we all think? Could this be the start of my first AF and maybe it will take through the night to start properly, or could this be a show ( implantation bleeding)? I had a show when I was pregnant with my DS although at the time I thought I had come on a period but then same thing, nothing through the night or the next morning. Didn't Donna have this too and she turned out to be pregnant? Am I getting my hopes up? There may well be more bleeding through the night so will let you know in the morning. I only came off the pill 4 weeks and 2 days ago so could I really be that lucky? Doubtful but we'll see. Anyway just wanted to share the update.

Fingers crossed for you mrsm22. My bodies been strange the last two days, I'm guessing it's still the pill changes making things happen? Although I came off nearly 3 months ago. As you know I had AF last week, well I've had period like cramps yday and today which had to take some paracetamol for today, cause it was really uncomfortable. I also have had a dodgy tummy, and I had quite a bit of CM yday, which looked like it had a browny colour to it, sorry for TMI! Surely I'm not ovulating yet as I thought it was at least 14 days after a period? Sorry for long post!

Ooh mrsm that all sounds a bit interesting and possibly exciting!! Yeh I think Donna had pretty much the same thing, have you POAS to see if anything happens? I know with my AF once I see it's arrived, it's definitely arrived and there's no doubt that it is my period, sorry if TMI! Maybe sleep on it, and POAS in the morning ( if you haven't already caved!). I don't think it's necessarily getting your hopes up, we all get our hopes up every month until AF arrives. Maybe this will be the lucky month for us all....my body has been doing some strange things too! I think my first symptoms were tiredness, and also a metallicy taste in the mouth.

Goodness...we could have a glut of pregnancies on our hands! I'll be here talking to myself!

KT, that does sound like OV, albeit a bit quick. Do you use OPKs?

Mid cycle bleeding can be hormonal, so maybe it is that? :-/

Mrsm - poas! Poas! You need to. For us

Kt -I used to think the same, but I almost definitely ovulate almost straight after af. Ds was conceived ob day 6 and now my cycles are less than 21 days so defo not 14 days till ov.

As long as your luteal phase is long enough to sustain pregnancy you can ovulate 'early' (comparatively).

21 days is a short cycle. At least if you have an unsuccessful cycle you're quickly onto the next one!

I'm already bored waiting for AF. I think I was gearing up to have 30-31 day cycles when I got pregnant with DD, but it hadn't yet regulated after coming off the pill, so I've no idea what's normal for me at all! CD 29 today.

Ok, now I'm out of my league. What is the luetal phase? Off to google...

The 21 day cycles worry me. I'm scared I may be perimenipausal (I think that's the term). I also only have one ovary and one tube (tmi?) So I need to accept that number 2 may not be as easy as number 1.

Lots of exciting developments on this thread! mrsm that sounds very interesting! Have you POAS ? FX for you.

LOL Atruth I spent a lot of time googling when I first joined MN conception boards. I was surprised at how clueless I still am was about my own body and it's actions. Still googling ttc stuff actually, most days!

Morning All, well no more bleeding over night and nothing this morning so I haven't got AF like I thought. I've done a pregnancy test this morning and got a BFN! I'm so disappointed I can't tell you! I was really hopeful and now I don't know what that small amount of bleeding was. Is this normal after stopping the pill for a month? Am I ever going to conceive? I said this to DH this morning and he said 'it's only been a month ' and thinks I'm stupid. Don't worry, Hungry- I won't be leaving you to talk to yourself. How's everyone else this morning? Sadly looks as if I'm still waiting for real AF. x

I read far too much last time so I knew what was (or wasn't) happening to me. Doesn't stop me symptom spotting like a loon though!

Mrs, maybe there's not enough hcg yet. Try again on Monday. I suppose it could be a pill-induced hormonal blip. These things are sent to try us. :-/

ATruth, how old are you? I worry about my body letting me down and hope I've not left it too late. Have your cycles been getting steadily shorter?

DD is getting more amusing and interacts more each day. It's so funny! Really want number 2!