Newbies: anyone else just starting TTC#1 ?

[Joey0805]

Well that's it. After 13 years of being on the pill I am now not. For various reasons I didn't come off a few months ago to allow my cycle to get back to "normal" (who knows what that is when I was on the pill twice as long as I had periods naturally) so I have no idea how long it'll take me to ovulate. Anyone else in the same boat? Having spent my whole adult life assuming I'd get pregnant just by looking at a boy without BC I am now realising it might actually take months or even years to conceive. Plus I'm not talking about this with friends; they either got pregnant vv quickly or are no where near that stage. So, would be great to hear from a few of you in the same boat...

Best get DTD Joey - wouldn't want to miss an opportunity!

Any more news Ainat and pinkie?

I'm a bit at the moment. AF not due until Friday, but yesterday and this morning I've had spotting. Yesterday I was convinced it was implantation bleeding. I was ridiculously excited (but also realised that I was counting chickens and needed a slap). This morning there's more spotting, enough to warrant using my mooncup, and I reckon AF is on her way.

I know it's not over until the fat witch sings, but my cycles can be irregular and it is within normal parameters. I just hope it starts full on asap, so I can properly move on to cycle 2.

Joey that sounds like it could be promising. :) I'll have my fingers crossed for you for a peak in the next few days and then a BFP!

TheProof I'll keep my hopes up for you that it is implantation bleeding, but if it's AF as you say you can move on properly to cycle 2.

I POAS again, but still a BFN. No surprise there really... Now on CD42... I think the spotting was just a little spotting unfortunately. We are DTD fairly frequently, every few days or so. But add in that both hubby and I are feeling under the weather it's not looking so good at the min.

Hi
Yes AF showed up Saturday morning. I am happy it came and was 30 days. Just wait now to see when it stops then on countdown to fertile phase...again. commencing cycle 2. At least I know my body is working :)

Pinkie that is great, so nice to start cycle 2 knowing where you are...

Ainat - any news with you?

Is anyone else using the CBFM? This is my 1st cycle with it...

I have one under my desk at work. It's going to stay there for now. I borrowed it from my friend who used it for one cycle and got pregnant after 8 months of trying to calculate with apps and calendars. She is now on mat leave with 5 weeks to go

I am getting so confused with all of this!! Only on cycle 2 after coming off pill in mid aug... App said I should have ovulated that weekend there but no signs at all?? Anyone else having this issue? Hope some of you lovely ladies are getting some good news!!

Think you are all right about those diets, healthy eating and veggies it is!! ????

Xx

Good stuff pinkie at least you know where you stand.

No experience with CBFM, I'm afraid. And I haven't taken the pill in years, sorry, guys!

Well, the spotting has stopped (I think), which is very odd. I really don't think I've had anything like this before. I'm going to wait until Wednesday (2 days before AF due, 12/13 DPO) and test then with FMU if AF hasn't properly arrived. I've got a FRER, so it should be accurate then, right? I fear tomorrow will be a very long day!

So, day 1 of my first cycle of trying! Squeeeeeeeeeeak!

Well AF arrived today a few days early, so I'm on to cycle 2.

I've ordered some OPKs and Concieve Plus off Amazon. My cycles can be a bit unpredictable, so hopefully the OPKs will help us make sure we DTD at the right time and I didn't get much CM last cycle, so the lube should help with that.

Good luck Mary are you taking any particular approach or just having lots of sex?!

Proof - sorry to hear that... I am taking EPO this month too (to increase CM). Only until ovulation but some of the other ladies have found it helps a lot... I've only been taking it for a couple of days though!

Shellbell - until your cycles are regular the app is guessing ovulation based on averages so don't pay too much attention to it yet (as in, pay more attention to the physical signs). I'm in the same boat - it's definitely helpful but last month I was due, according to app, to ovulate 9 days before I actually did (I know when it was as I was using OPKs). It thinks this month it shd be happening now but nothing to suggest that with the old OPKs yet. So basically we're just DTD a lot because we don know what's going on yet!!

If in doubt DTD!

I'm glad AF arrived early rather than late. The waiting was doing my head in. I also feel good to have got the first cycle under my belt now. I feel less like a clueless newbie. I kind of know what to expect and how I'm likely to feel throughout the cycle, so I might be able to cope with it better this time. Although with OPKs thrown into the mix, who knows?!

Proof, I've got the cheap ovulation sticks from amazon (are those OPK's?), so we'll just have lots of sex around the time I think/they tell me I'm ovulating.. seems a good place to start!

My periods are very regular so I'm hoping it won't be too difficult to pin point when I am actually ovulating. I do have PCOS though so fingers crossed that won't make things difficult.

It sounds like a good plan, Mary! (Yes OPKs = ovulation predictor kits - those ov sticks)

My OPKs just arrived today - I was pretty excited!

Ahhh was wondering what the K stood for!! I got some cheapy pregnancy tests at the same time as those.. nothing like being prepared!!

hello! I am also trying TTC for the first time! I was on implanon, but had that taken out about 8 months ago, have been waiting to try until my periods were in some kind of regular patten and me and husband were in some permanent employment. Its very exciting! would love to have a positive first time, but tying to remember it can take a year! I am 29 and my partner is 46.

I normally am such a lurker on forum boards! feels nice to contribute to one!

Welcome Chubbocat!! Smart move getting your cycle back to normal before TTC, I will be fully recommending that to all my friends from now on. I have literally no idea what is going on with me, I am either CD 12 or CD 40 right now!

Hi everyone.

Sorry I've not really updated this week - though to be fair nothing to update on! CD 48 now and no signs of anything! OPKs are all negative whenever I take them (granted I've not been using them daily...) and POAS this morning just to make sure - BFN as I expected. I'm getting more and more impatient by the day.

I guess it doesn't help that I've been extra stressed this week - I'm a teacher and my school had the dreaded Ofsted call this week! As well as a serious lack of sleep I've been living off junk food this week. I need to get myself back on track. Starting with a meeting with my mentor at the gym in the morning.

Hope someone has some good news soon to cheer us all up a bit. :)

Hey! My OH and I have decided to TTC for the first time! I've been on the pill for 7 years and then had the Mirena coil fitted this year. I'm making the appointment tomorrow to get it removed! We're getting married in July 2016 so have given ourselves until July 2015 and if no sign of pregnancy by then, I'll be back on BC until after the wedding.

I've been so broody for years so I'm hoping that 9 months will be long enough to conceive. It's reassuring knowing that other people are in the same boat! We aren't telling anyone anything yet but I'm so excited that had to say something to someone!

Good luck to everyone else TTC :)

Ainat you have my heartfelt sympathies. I am a former teacher, so I know the horrors of Ofsted. At least they have been and gone now and you can get on with life again. I hope the school's result was OK, so there's not increased pressure for the rest of the year. Is it worth a trip to the doctor about AWOL AF?

Welcome chubbocat and dilly!

I'm now on CD6 - boring! AF has buggered off, getting psyched up for a DTD-athon over the next couple of weeks. I might try cracking out the OPKs later to have a practice (I bought a bumper pack of 50!).

Any other news, ladies?

Just reading through these posts I can tell that I'm going to be POAS and doing OPKs constantly! Even though both my OH and I have said that we don't want to be like that! He said 'get the coil taken out and then we'll just forget about it and see what happens'.

He said this last night and since then I've been googling TTC and pre pregnancy diets and supplements etc. it's going to be a long 9 months!

Hi ladies!

I'm brand new here, getting excited about the future!! While we're not currently ttc, we're trying to work out what our next step is, so would appreciate some opinions from others!

I've currently got the Implanon implant and it's due to be removed next month after 3 years. We had wanted to start ttc mid-late 2015 so I was going to get another implant put in because I liked the fact that they say it doesn't affect your cycles once it's out (rather than the pill which can linger) but is it worth having a new implant for just 6 months?! The more I read the more I'm concerned that it'll take longer than we expect to get pg so maybe we should just start ttc as soon as this implant is out...?!

I'm 30 and he is 28. We got pg accidentally a few years ago at which point in our lives we weren't ready for it, and I guess nature knew best because I miscarried at 11 weeks. I'm concerned also that that will have some detrimental effect on our ability to conceive??

We've got a few things happening in our lives the first half of the year with work schedules and we're doing some pretty major building work to our home (pre-nesting I guess you could call it!) plus we want one more baby-free holiday before we have a baby, but I think if we got pg straight away we could manage.

Basically if I go down the pill route, what are the sort of times people are experiencing in ttc vs implant? Anyone had an implant for just 6 months??

Flybynight - hmmm, really not sure about that; have you asked your doctor? I wish though, for what it's worth, I'd come off the pill a few months before TTC to allow my cycles to get back to normal and just used condoms. I have no idea if I'm on CD 16 or CD 45, if I'm ovulating, or really how to 'plan' because my body seems to be all over the place...

Hi Flybynight As far as the previous miscarriage goes, it actually puts you in a better position: you already know that you can conceive.

Most women return to a regular cycle by 9 months after being on hormonal birth control, and many within just a few months. However it usually does take a bit of time. If I were you I'd use condoms from when the implant is removed and take the time to get to know your cycle.

I must stress that it is just my opinion and I am not your doctor! Talking to your GP about it is probably the best course of action!

Hi all! I haven't posted for a few weeks as I have been away. So, my first AF off the pill arrived CD30 which I was really pleased about. Going to start tracking now and see what happens...

Flybynight I was going to reply with exactly the same response as TheProof. Speak to your doctor, but personally I'd use condoms to allow cycles to return to normal.

TheProof Thank you for your comments. I'm hoping the schools results are okay - we've not heard yet... As for AF being AWOL - I'm going to register at my local doctors in half term (next week). I moved house a few months ago and am still registered to my old doctors (about half hour drive away). Annoyingly the new doctors say I have to register by bringing in my form between certain hours (no idea why). On the plus side this doctors is open for longer and on weekends, so fingers crossed it makes actually getting an appointment not as difficult!