Um hello, newbie, ttc, needing a place to talk to people :)

[Fruityb]

I've been reading the site for ages but decided to sign up as need an outlet and place to talk as ttc is quite secret and it's not something I have loads of people I could talk about it with. Plus I'm quite shy and my ovaries aren't something to bring up at social gatherings!
I'm 31, came off pill in October and me and boyfriend have been ttc since. I didn't know how long it would take to get back to normal as had been on pill for eleven years. Turns out it took four weeks, and am now on third AF since coming off, so annoyingly normal in one way! I'm getting my head round all this tracking stuff but don't want it all to get clinical with the fella as it takes the fun away!
So just wanted to say hi and hopefully share in people's stories. It's not all as straightforward as I always thought, and I'm always the one that would start panicking something was wrong with me. I'm pleased I found somewhere I can just write it down if nothing else.
So, hi, and hopefully can take some good advice away.

Hello - I'm a complete newbie too, been ttc since January (early days, I know), folic acid a go-go (when I remember - already a terrible mother ) Very chuffed for all those just pregnant I've been reading about, it's amazing news.

I'm 34. I'm healthy. I'm super lucky, with regular-as-clockwork periods and no history of problems. I used to be pretty fat but I lost 4 stone 5 years ago and have kept it off, so I don't think it will be a factor. I wanted it to be fun and "see what happens", and deliberately got my fiance into that mindset because he can be too much about planning, plus almost all of my friends have had problems (whole spectrum - suffice to say, I'm basically assuming something awful will happen). I wanted it to be as stress free as possible...

Can you guess where this is going?

I'm a crazy person. Can't stop thinking about it. Gah.

Thanks lolly, I'm hoping since my periods are regular that it'll go in my favour. Can pcos disappear? I was told I had it about 6 years ago when I was 24, but since coming off the pill it's all surprisingly normal!

Hi laurita another newbie, yay! I think everyone gets a bit obsessive when ttc, I'm fully expecting myself to! Ha :-)

Welcome Laurita, we are about the same as I have been trying since Jan. I haven't been taking folic acid, Is that a must?

Yoni I don't have a clue whatsoever about pcos but know many people who have conceived with it. Not sure if the cysts go away. Maybe worth a trip to the docs to get checked out. Xx

Hey to the newbies :) I didn't think I'd need opks this month because my symptoms were the same as last month and then time just kept ticking on and now I'm hoping it's too late! Might use them next month though. But also might not as planning on just dtd all month!

Yes Lolly, folic acid is an absolute must. It's the first thing all the doctors asked me. Apparently it helps to prevent spinal defects.

Yes lolly, take them whilst ttc and first 3 months of pg too. Welcome back helen. Glad to hear u had fun. Fx af shows up so u can get back to enjoying it! :-) got lots of outings/events coming up n ppl already questioning me not drinking (said im on antibiotics) this is not gonna b easy!!!!

Is there the right amount of folic acid in those pregnacare tablets? I started taking them and stopped but will if they have what I need in them. Thanks ladies. X

Hi all, thanks for the welcome! Lolly I did a bit of research on this - I generally distrust vitamin supplements, but my doctor and sensible friends said folic acid is a must. They all have folic acid, but things like pregnacare have lots of other things in there too. I don't think they would hurt, but personally I don't think they do much either - and all the medical advice I've seen just says folic acid. I take the sanatogen ones that just have folic acid - slightly cheaper! Am sure you can get even cheaper non-branded ones, I'm just lazy and stick them on the sainsbury's order. Speaking of which, must take them!

While typing this, a Clearblue test advert came on - that one with the 2 women obviously dubbed. Just me, or is it very weird? I mean, which of your friends are you telling you're 2 weeks pregnant based on a home test? Is that not a bit early? Or maybe they're lesbians? Would be nice if they were, but suspect they're probably not intentionally going for that.

Haha Laurita that made me lol!! My hubby hates that advert so much. It really grates on him. As if it would ever happen like that.

Good advice on the folic acid. Think I am being a bit naive but there are so many people who just fall pregnant that weren't trying and everything is fine. I suppose if it reduces the risk it's a good idea.

I hope I get a smiley face on my opk tomorrow for our cheeky night away. Even if I don't it will be nice just to have time to ourselves. We have made a no-technology rule. How sad but we are always attached to a phone or tablet. Can't wait. Where are you in your cycle Laurita?

I know lots of people who had surprise pregnancies (usually second babies...) and they were okay too - half of me takes it because it seems sensible, half of me takes it because it feels like one thing I can control in this big messy thing that seems so totally out of control...

ooh, fingers crossed for you - are you off somewhere nice? What do you use to know you're ovulating?

Well, my period is due on 15th March, and according to the little chart I had my fertile period ended on 2nd March. However just tried the mumsnet chart thingy and am now horribly confused about luteal phases etc. Am generally struggling to get my head around it tbh, so anything you can suggest to help would be good! Maybe I just need to pay a bit more attention to what's going on with it all for a few weeks.

Hi can I join? Been ttc 6 months now - using opk but my dh works shifts which can be frustrating when trying to dtd accordingly! Af is due tomorrow so of course my mind is imagining lots of pregnancy symptoms in hope. Negative first response yesterday :(

Nice to read posts from others in same situation - tww no fun!

Laurita I know exactly what you mean about feeling in control! I hate having no say in what happens :)

Yay, lots of us all here in the same boat! Urgh, the control thing is the worst, especially because I'm a teensy bit controlling in the rest of my life. I have also managed to create a rod for my own back in getting DH so relaxed about it-means he's all "let's dtd when we want to, no stress", while I'm now "NOW NOW NOW I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE TIRED/BUSY/WORKING/ACTUALLY ASLEEP".

Keep us posted on developments (so to speak)!

Ha ha! That made me laugh as totally know what you mean - I'm trying not to put pressure on him so he doesn't feel like a sperm donor, whilst subtly engineering his shifts for the right day. It's difficult though because each month he thinks it's fine that it hasn't happened because it means more fun for him. Men! Been taking folic acid since before we started ttc - doc said it's good to build it up in preparation.

Af due today but I might resist temptation and not test until Monday...

Ps I don't like pregnacare - the yellow pee freaked me out!

I poas day before af due as was going away n wanted to know before to see if I could drink or not. It was bfn. Half a bottle of wine and 3 days later when af was late it was bfp so could be worth waiting until af is late.......

Yellow pee??? Ew. Yeah not doing that. I don't like their advertising, feels manipulative.

Yup, got the whole externally casual about sex, internally scheming thing down. He's currently sleeping off a boy's night hangover next to me, am about to wake him up "accidentally".

I am sure I will eat these words, but I'm trying not to do any tests unless/until I'm actually late..:we'll see how long that lasts!

oooooooh that's just made perfect sense to me. I started taking pregnacare a while ago but stopped because I think they were upsetting my stomach. Then I have recently decided to take them on alternative days with just normal folic acid and I have noticed my wee had gone a weird yellow colour. Totally didn't link the two together at all! Thanks for that!!

Misskgb- definitely wouldn't worry about that at all. My friend got absolutely smashed and ate everything you shouldn't eat when pregnant the night before she got her BFP. And her baby is perfectly healthy now!!

:) glad to have been of help! Don't feel so useless now!

Misskgb thanks! That gives me hope. No sign of af yet so waiting game begins...

Ps halfway into bottle of wine now, definitely going to carry on as normal until I know otherwise

Yellow pee from the pregnacare is from the vitamin b, your body can only hold so much and seeing as it's water soluble it comes out in your pee. Neon pee is fun ;)

Still waiting on my af, I'm ridiculously bitchy and bloated so I'm sure it's not far away!

I am lolling here, so funny I was wondering why my pee started going neon. It's the pregnacare I started taking again. I make a conscious effort to drink lots so don't normally have yellow pee from being dehydrated lol.

Had a lovely evening away with hubby, had lots of fun, relaxed and ate lots of great food. Also got my smiley face on opk this afternoon so it's going to be a busy few days lol tmi I know lol. then it's the horror that's the tww, busy couple of weeks at work so hopefully will take mind off it (yeh right).

Laurita we were up in the Lake District which was lovely. Oh and to answer you question I have used clear blue digital for the first time ever. I was using an app on my iPhone which was completely wrong. It said I should have ovulated now and I am at the end of my fertile period which in fact I am just about to ovulate :-S. They are £20 for 10 from amazon but apparently really reliable. I do not have any pg tests as only going to buy them when I am late. I am going to stick to this rule.

X

Lolly that's exactly the same as I did - I realised using clear blue opk that the app (and other opks) were coming out with different results. I've given up on them now and just trying to do what the doctor said and dtd every 2 days - my husband is delighted!

1 day over, trying to keep mind busy but failing so far (obviously as I'm on here!)

Good luck all!

Good luck, lalanic! And lolly sounds like you had a really nice night, and lots more to come

Good tips on clear blue. Think I will pay lots of attention to body & cycle this month (have never ever done this, had no idea when to expect period until I started tracking that last year), then consider clear blue.

Hi everyone, its nice to speak to everyone who is in the same boat!

I came off my pill in November and have actually only just had my first period, yeah I know! Shows how much that tiny little thing messes up your body. The last 4 months have been horrible and I was really starting to wonder what was wrong with me! Blood tests came back saying I was normal but yet no pregnancy and no period.

Anyway now all is back to normal (I hope!) and looking forward to normality again and hopefully getting pregnant! Just wanted to share my story with anyone that is worried about their abnormal periods (or lack off!) after coming off the pill. Good luck all that are TTC! x

Hi Kiki, that's useful for me to hear. I came off in October and have had two periods since. Cycles have been 55 days, 29 days, currently on 52 days. Hope your body goes back to normal after this AF!x