All ttc or expecting their BFPs welcome. Fingers crossed for a fantastically fertile February!

[MrsF2510]

For those who have jumped off the January bus. May need assistance for the wonderfully organised ladies who are so brilliant at keeping the stats up to date!

So to start the engine MrsF2510 ttc #1 cycle 2 BFP due 1st Feb x

Welcome Kate!

barmybunting-it's tough starting a new teaching job let alone one across the 'border'! What kind of school are you in, key stage, subject etc. anything we can do to help? Two more days till the weekend

Hi. A few people are low today. Some gentle thoughts at you. I might have poas earlier than i was letting myself (negative). But. That is the first time I have ever seen an 'evap' line (suggestion of grey where it should be pink dammit).
Now I'm off again to a whole thought of symptom spotting. Calming then bed so i can poas all the sooner

Kitty Thank you for asking. I'm in Y4 at a community primary school, it seems to follow the normal National Curriculum as opposed to what I can make out from acadamies etc following. But I say that very loosely as I haven't taught in England before and it isn't make much sense to me yet! I've taught Primary 4 & Primary 6 over the last few years in Scotland (Y3 and Y5) so the stage is familiar with me but I can't get my head around these levels and APP systems used in England.

Half of my problem is probably that I feel like a right idiot asking about these things when I've been teaching for about 5 years, it feels like such basic stuff but I'm not familiar with it so have to ask about everything. My stage partner is also an NQT who is struggling so I am trying to avoid adding more stress there but that's not helping.

I don't really know what I'm trying to understand really! I think I probably need to get my head around the planning first, teach it then worry about the assessment and levelling later rather than do it all at once but that feels so wrong!

Welcome to the up/down world of TTC Kate. Hope you have a swift journey on the buses. Good bunch of ladies here to keep your spirits high!

Sorry everyone is feeling a bit down today. Hopefully everyone will be feeling a bit better in a day or two! I'm currently sat about to watch Big Brother with a fat glass of Sauvingnon!

hello all! CD 15 here and making a conscious effort with DTD this month. think I had a dodgy batch of opks as it goes blurry n never fills the test screen so not sure . trying t do it lots t cover bases. it's getting mighty mechanical though!

good luck t everyone n sorry for anyone arriving at the AF station. fingers crossed for us all! x

Evening all. Another addition to the bus if you'll have me. Had a big break after a change in circumstances so I'm considering this cycle 1 again.

All important details:

TTC #1 Cycle 1 BFP 25th Feb (Haven't finished current AF yet but I'm determined not to have another for a while :D )

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone :-) Good to see you join along with me Squeamish, looks like we will be near enough POAS buddies. I'm currently on the sofa with a hot water bottle and Nashville with an AF face on but excited about the upcoming month (along with TTC, also have a minor event of getting married in a couple of weeks!)

Exciting times for you then Kate! Good luck!

Barmy I can't really help much but wanted to say hold on in there!
I've had a crap day at work and in my 3rd year of teaching in EYFS!

barmy sorry to hear it's not gone well. I'm in my first year of primary after teaching secondary for 5 years. Struggling to get my head round it too!

When uh said you'd hoped to be doing supply before mat leave, do you just mean not working whilst pg/having new baby? I thought you couldn't get any mat leave of on supply (which is basically the only reason I'm still in a perm job - I'd rather do supply)

*you

*if

Sorry - long day!

Hi kate! Is Nashville back on?!

It's coming on very soon I think - watching TiVod ones.
I love how teachers always gather around the internet - I'm secondary, in 4th year.
Found an amazing job advertised actually - step up, more pay yet I'm definitely qualified for it. Problem is, would have to halt maternity that of course may not even happen yet. Have had to decide whether to go for the job or continue to TTC as planned. So hard to make a decision when both job and TTC are worlds of uncertainty.
What would you have done?

Think of the maternity pay you'd get if you were on the higher pay!

Seriously, though... If TTC is your priority then maybe stick with your current job if it is familiar... I've recently moved and feel like the stress and upheaval of it all may hinder TTC.

On the other hand, it could take ages to get pg and you might wish you'd gone for the job!

Sorry that's no help at all x

Both of those things are exactly what I've been thinking about! Problem is, moving might mean I'm not entitled to maternity for a year. I think TTC is my priority for now. Fingers crossed it works out!

Hi all. Just a reminder of who I am.
TTC #3. Cycle 6 after MMC in July. Also miscarried in April last year. BFP/AF due any day now (I think 30th, so tomorrow). I'm 39 years old. Feeling a bit miserable as get the feeling I've got PMT today... am so tense and snapping at DH and generally anxious and realise it's because I hate this time. Hoping against hope that am PG whilst dreading the arrival of AF.
Anyway, just venting really. Good luck to you all. I'll keep you posted but I'm not going to POAS until after weekend if AF doesn't arrive.

Take care all.

kate you could check with your union about maternity pay. I've read that you can carry your experience across LEAs so in just moved bit will be entitled to mat pay.

I'd still be inclined to stay put while ttc though.

Fx for you!

*I've

Morning!

Feeling a lot more cheerful after some sleep, thank goodness for sleep! It may also have something to do with the fact I'm not working today... Although I've started on new job, I'm only in a few days a week until half term when I start full time.

Thanks everyone. I think that's the thing with teaching. On a brilliant day, you feel on top of the world, a rubbish day always makes me feel like I don't know what I'm doing and that I'm a useless teacher. It's an up and down job I guess . it has to start making more sense soon I hope!

missmrs yes, by mat leave I mean I would be choosing when to stop work and would get mat allowance or stat mat pay depending on the timing. Anything else (ie occupational mat pay) will be irrelevant for me for the next two years as we will have to move again in Dec either further south or for a 3 year stint in America, so I won't have the option to build up enough time in a job to get occupational mat pay unless we delayed ttc for a few years or I stayed in Scotland and dh 'weekly commuted' by flying home every few weekends, but again, that would mean little chance of getting preg so pointless in my eyes. I'm not sure how it works with supply in England. You do build up eligibility for stat mat pay or mat allowance provided you meet the criteria, but I don't think you'd be eligible for occupational mat pay unless directly employed by the LEA to do supply.

Is there anywhere in England where the LEA manages supply? It all seems to be via agencies from what I can work out. In Scotland you are employed by the council for supply, they manage it all and pay you, thus you would build up eligibility for proper mat leave/pay there as a supply teacher.

Kate I would check out the mat pay situation to help decide about the job.

I think it depended on the job as to what I'd do. Is it going to be longer hours, more stressful? ie. would you struggle to do it whilst pregnant? If not, and you want the job and intend to return to it when mat leave is finished, personally I would apply. I think you need to carry on life as you normally would when ttc as otherwise it can take over, and if it takes longer than you hoped, you may regret not applying. Hopefully you will be pregnant in a few weeks so that won't apply though .

Morning all! Nice to see some familiar names! I've been rudely kicked off the Jan bus :( wicked witch got me right at the end!

This month will be trying OPKs, NUDP, reflexology, soft cups, pressed, more vitamins and new positions!!

Hope all are well good luck for Feb any news hints and tips throw them my way I'm up for trying anything new!!

Morning ladies

I'm coming to join you all

Hi barmy!

I'm secondary so won't be able to help directly but I do understand the randomness of levelling. It is actually going to be scrapped (at least sub levels definitely are) soon, so don't try to stress too much. You do have the excuse of teaching before in Scotland so shouldn't feel embarrassed asking for a second opinion to check you are on the right lines. Depends on your colleagues though

Teaching does have it's 'full on' days which make TTC even crazier-total sympathies! My line manager is due to go on paternity leave any day now and there is only really two of us in the dept (you can't count the SLT member really can you !?) so when he goes, it will be just me-hope my stress levels don't go through the ceiling!

Use us to talk about your day and we will help you get through it. Hope you have a better day today

I will have been in the job two years this Easter. I must admit that I have held off TTC until now as I couldn't bring myself to do it starting a new job. I know it's allowed though so you should really do what is right for you, Kate. It can't hurt applying can it?

So I buckled and used an ic this morning...bfn :(

barmy I think there are LEA 'supply pools' - try googling for that in your area.

Littlemiss good plan! I'm following the same guidelines. Don't forget the manuka honey!