Struggling to conceive No.2 after getting pregnant easily first time round

[Metalhead]

Still here, still struggling on, still hoping to get there in the end. Come on ladies, we'll all get our BFPs in 2015 (if not before)!

Well wouldn't that be nice?

I shall be indulging in some Eurovision cocktails, as I can...

Whereas I just spent this afternoon in the sun drinking lovely things at a beer festival where mine and a friends four year old entertained themselves while we got nicely tiddly. Remind me, why do I want to get pregnant and do that whole dependent crying baby again?!

Go Little! Sounds lovely! Yep, got to look at the positives of our situations (even if they do only revolve around alcohol consumption!)

An older friend of mine posted on fb about having to play taxi to their teenage son last night - not sure how I'll cope in those years! Unless I just make dh do it

Don't knock alcohol consumption and a decent night's sleep!

The maca does seem to be helping on the sleep front (and, er, sex drive).

Hallo friendies! As promised just popping back in to say hi. I said I would join in properly if this cycle is also a fail.
Well, I'm 6dpo and a big temp drop this morning. It was a really crappy night's sleep though thanks to DC being sickly so I'm blaming that rather than the more obvious explanation which is that af is, in her usual short as shit fashion, on her way again after another 5day lp. Regardless of the progesterone.
So who knows. I may see you all tomorrow properly for cycle 7. sighs

my temp three hours later was a whole degree higher anyway

Have a good one today!

Crashing the party as we're a couple of months into trying for #2 after easily landing #1... not long trying yet, I know, but may need the chat!

waves hi!

Ahh sorry auto! But you're not out yet so stay positive - you might get a nice surprise!

Hi Em! It's still hard whether it's cycle 2 or 20 so please join us!

As for me, I don't even think I'm ovulating since my lap in April. Will be having serious words with the consultant next week and actually considering ditching the supplements and trying an eu naturel cycle. (Although if the maca works for you this cycle burning I'll be stocking up on that!)

I am not expecting any amazing results Brindler, I am just trying to make sure that if one of DH's boys ever makes it through I'm as ready as I can be.

Had a very busy and unusually productive long weekend, and am hoping the bad couple of nights sleep I've had is because of all the junk food I've eaten, not because the maca isn't the miracle sleeping cure I've been hoping for!

Welcome (back) one and all!

Hi ladies,

I posted a while back on this thread. I'm 9 months in TTC and got my period today. I know in the grand scheme of things 9 months isn't ridiculously long, but it seems like an eternity, especially as number 1 was conceived straight away after my coil was removed (6 years ago)

I've been the dr's for blood tests, as i've actually not used any protection for a lot longer than 9 months. Blood tests came back fine and he said i'm not displaying any physical symptoms that would lead him to believe I have PCOS. My DP wants to buy one of those kits from Boots that tells you if you have a low sperm count. Anyone's other half used these?

I need hints and tips. What the hell do I do? How do I maximise my chances? It is simply a case of having sex 3-4 times a week and hoping for the best, rather than cramming it all into the week I POAS?

Hi village
Sorry to hear of the long journey. It's rubbish isn't it.
I think any gynae worth their salt will say every other day throughout the whole month. Seriously through, who the hell can manage that unless they are 20?
I have very little advice if your cycles are regular and normal. My issue as far as I can tell is LP length, so I'm having to try to sort that out.
I think the sperm thing is worth it. I get the idea from my reading that if a woman appears from all observations to be fertile and regular and have been timing sex well, that it is more often than not the man who is the spanner in the works. Remember that a lot can change for a man in six years, whether just age, changes in diet or health, in exercise or seemingly innocuous injury. Some men age prematurely in the reproductive department just like some women do. So I think that at this stage it is definitely worth maybe self testing or asking the gp to refer your dh to the fertility clinic tbh I think it is rather shoddy that they haven't suggested it could be him already at this stage, taking that you seem to be okay according to them.
Other than that to maximize your chances maybe rewind six years and have twins instead? not helpful

Hi village,

I'd say if your results have come back fine the next step should be to check your dp. Can you not request this from your gp to save on the expense of buying a home kit?

That was the next stage for us in any case and then after that a referral to a fertility clinic where I was given an internal ultrasound and then a lap and dye and hysteroscopy. Get as much done on the nhs as you can I'd say!

Just all so frustrating isn't it!

Although to give everyone hope my sister gave birth to a little girl today after over 4 years of ttc no 2 and being told she would never be able to have another one!

Hi Village, just to add to the consensus, definitely get your DH tested, and by a professional, not least because they'll help you to interpret the results and give advice on next steps.

Hi All. Village - we need hints and tips too! Whatever I've been doing obviously isn't working as we're almost at the 2 year ttc point now....sob! As with the others, my dh had his little swimmers tested when all my tests came back clear. His were slightly dubious in the morphology stakes, but we then got referred to a hospital fertility consultant who didn't think it was that bad. After a clear scan and HSG for me, she basically said it's likely a combination of my age (40), stress and dh's slightly dubious tadpoles will all be contributing a bit, but there's nothing else we can test or treat (at least on the NHS). I have to say I still can't believe that 3 years (well, 5 now) makes the difference between getting pregnant (three times) at the second try each time and not getting pregnant even a little bit in two years of trying. There's got to be more to it. But there you go.

Brindler - lovely news for your sister! Hopefully we'll all be celebrating similar news soon.

Thanks for the replies, ladies.

I'm still wondering though, if I was the problem, would the blood test definitely pick it up? It was just testing my hormones & something about rubella and he said it was all normal. I just keep thinking what if I have a blocked tube of scar tissue off my previous emergency section?

I think i'm going to be very tired in June i've pledged to DTD every two to three days starting the day after this period stops. We haven't been that frequent before. It's been a case of maybe once/twice a week, and then every day for four days in the middle of my cycle, so going to give this every other day business a go. Wish me luck

I'm thinking that might be our approach next month too, although I haven't told dh yet so I can still back out!

With your blood tests, did you have two -one near the start of your cycle and one at about day 21? If so, they tell you whether you're about to head into the menopause and whether you ovulated that cycle. But that's it. I was also worried about scarring from my c section and was referred to the hospital after my blood tests and dhs sperm test. That's when I had an ultrasound and an hsg. They send clear. Not sure if that helps you or not? It doesn't sound like your gp was referring you. Did they suggest any next steps?

Af. Boo. I'll drop back in again with my customary cycle fail name change.

Ahh sorry auto ??

LittlePoot no, just the 1 set of blood tests on day 21. That being said, AF came 4 days early so it couldn't have been day 21. Dr just seemed pretty certain all was fine with me. Don't know if I should go back and asked to be referred to the procedure you were reffered for? I pushed him to refer DP for a sperm count, he did in the end and told me DP can expect a letter. DP is mortified & wants to buy a DIY kit instead, but he'll do as he's told!

Regarding age being a factor, i'm 30, DP is 31. Could this play a part in it being trickier to conceive? I know we are still young, but biologically is the clock now starting to tick? I'd be shocked if it was.

Our close friends have just announced their 2nd pregnancy. We are of course delighted for them, but there was a real sadness in DP's eyes. He really wants a baby, maybe even slightly more than I do!

With the day 21 blood test, it only needs to be close to 21. It should have tested your progesterone levels and basically if they're higher than a certain threshold then you ovulated. So if you dr thinks you're fine then that would suggest your progesterone was good and high. The early cycle test looks at LH and FSH. These should both be low at the start of the cycle (if I remember correctly!) so if they're raised it can indicate problems like pcos and I think a certain level suggests menopause. Maybe the Dr didn't bother because you're way too young for menopause and showing no signs of pcos, but it's usually standard to test. I'd suggest pushing to be referred to the hospital. I had to push a bit on mine, but she went at read the guidelines and that's what they said.

As for me, my af due date seems to be solved given the crampy feeling I've woken up with. A few days early which is unusual for me but I've had pmt for a while fortnight so I actually wonder if I didn't ovulate at all this cycle. Might be time for me to try some soy. I keep wondering about getting my amh levels tested - I think it tells you your ovarian reserve. Anyone else tested it or know if it's worth it?

No, we're waiting until DH finishes a particularly busy/stressful period at work over the summer and then going for some more tests privately as we've been told that our initial tests are all the NHS will pay for. Presumably because the blood tests came back normal for me.

I'd lost track of where I was in my cycle (I'm still tracking but forgot to count the days!) and find myself unexpectedly in The Zone. Here we go again! I am (at this point) still hopeful that this will happen one day,but at some point we'll need to discuss how old we want to get before we stop.

Village, you're still young in terms of reproductivity! (is that even a word?). I was 33 and DH 30 when we conceived our first... but I put the speed of it happening down to my having been on the Pill for years and years, so when I finally came off it after our wedding, my body was all like 'woo hoo! I can do this!'.

So no, I wouldn't have said your age is the problem... but what do I know? Sadly, everyone's different

Hi all, I'm just popping in to let you know I had my 12 week scan today and all is well with mini-Metal! It's been a really tough first trimester as I was so anxious due to my previous mmc and the length of time it took us to conceive again, but I guess I'd better start believing that this is actually happening now... We're just waiting on the Downs screening result and then we'll tell DD, probably at the weekend. I hope she'll be pleased!

Good luck to you all, I'll still be lurking in the background ready to congratulate you when you all get your much deserved BFPs!

Fantastic news metal - must be such a relief for you! Fingers crossed we'll all get there in the end. x

Great news metal! I'm still lurking and keeping fingers crossed for all those with bfp and those still trying. I'm 22+2 already and all ok so far......