First time TTC - join me on this journey

[nishp13]

Hi all, this is my first time TTC and would be grateful for anyone else who wants to join this journey with me until I get a BFP.

I have been using the Period Diary app to track my ovulation/fertility dates. I have a period that lasts 6 days and usually my cycle is approx 27days. According to the app my ovulation date was yesterday (13th Feb). We have tried twice before this date.

Wondering if there are any others which have had successful pregnancies using solely apps? Or if they have any tips on identifying ovulation?

Would love to share the highs and lows with you lovely people on this journey x

I'll try anything, Gsnow. Sent emails to a couple of acupuncturists in London. But have you seen the prices per session!? And then I checked my fertility clinic, London City Clinic (when I was considering to go solo in 2014), and they have their own acupuncturist and the prices are much better. Will be callin them tomorrow. I'm a woman on a mission....

I'd say London prices are prob a bit higher, but it did seem expensive! No idea how many sessions you'd have to have.
I was very frustrated last cycle, just have to relax more and feel positive!

Hi all thought i'd take the plunge, jump on and join if that's ok?

First post and no clue if i'm doing this right... or where this post will end up.. hopefully in the right place!

Been lurking on and off for a month, still trying to work out the lingo etc but would love to join you all as first time TTCers!

I'm 31, TTC#1, cycle 1.. AF due (I think) in 3 days (feels pleased to have used some basic lingo)
Came off the pill after 14 years (yikes!) in March so cycle is still a mystery to me...

Feeling daunted/excited/terrified/excited!

Gsnow - I received a couple of replies regarding acupuncture and the prices floored me down! these are from London, mind. So I got in touch with a clinic in Faversham, Kent and awaiting to make an appointment. Let you know how I'm getting on.

Def let me know how you get on Russkispy, hope it goes well!

Welcome marmitetoast! I also was on pill for 10+ years! Still working my cycle out, upend recommendation of a lot of ladies here I've been using different apps to record info etc. using the M calendar and I Ovia apps both at the moment.

Thanks MrsGsnow!
All feeling very real today after getting on here and also buying folic acid tablets on the way home from work, eek!
That was one question I was going to ask actually, what apps anyone uses to help get a grip of their cycles! Do you recommend Ovia/M Calendar? Don't want anything too complicated!
I've only had one "real" period so far. Cycle was 37 days so not too bad! We'll see what happens this month..! It's funny, I was so pleased/impressed when I got my first period, sort of amazed that my body had remembered what to do after 14 years!! How have you found your cycles since coming off after 10+ years?

It's such an exciting journey to be starting! I remember going and buying my multivitamins for the first time and then decaffinated tea bags, it felt like an exciting secret knowing I was ttc! I'd imagine it feels way more exciting when you actually get a BFP!

Ovia definitely seems good, It seems to be able to change and adapt its predictions for ovulation etc based on the data you record, which was what I needed with very long irregular cycles now. I am using a lot of OPKs though too now to try and find out when or if I am ovulating!

Great, I'm going to download Ovia! :-)
Just need to delete some stuff to make room on my phone! (too many photos of food and the cats as usual...)

I've also downloaded the ovia app so will see how it does me this month. I was on and off the pill for about 10 years, with a stint on the implant in between. Came off the pill at the start of April and have had a normal 28 day cycle so hoping that's right as its what I'm basing everything around this month! It's hard not to become a bit obsessed about things when ttc!

I know what you mean Lorena, I've gone from vaguely thinking about it on and off for a wee while to becoming rapidly obsessed in the last few days! DH surprisingly seems to be quite enjoying this so far, but he has been ready to start ttc for many months before me so I think he's just pleased atm! I'm sure he'll soon start to get bored of me going on about stuff! That's great that you had a 28 day cycle after coming off, fingers crossed you get the same this month!

I downloaded Ovia this morning and put in the dates of my last 2 periods (although the first of these was a withdrawal bleed rather than "real" period). It's predicting AF on Thursday, although I think what would be a shorter cycle than the last one which was 37 days. I am starting to feel a bit "periody" though.. I can see ovia shows when periods are and when fertile window is although as far as I can see it doesn't have a predicted actual ovulation date on the calendar? Although maybe I still need to play around with it a bit more and see how it works, or maybe it needs more data from me first!?

It doesn't give a specific ovulation day but just highlights your fertile window. I'm still using the M Calendar app as well and it gives a predicted day for ovulation, however as of yet I haven't got a positive OPK on any of these days ( but that's prob more to do with me than a problem with the apps)
I've been reading about the SMEP plan ( sperm mets egg plan) and think I'm going to try it out. Anyone else doing this?

Hello girls! Wow what a busy weekend I've had sorry I've not been on here to chat.

Well AF arrived today 😢 finally on cd 33!! after 5 days of test taking and getting bfn's every time.
I'm feeling really really disappointed, we tried so hard this month. Taking vitamins, dtd every day during my fertile week etc. It will be month 5 when we try again. After 6 im going to the docs for sure. I was so worried about not being able to conceive after being on the pill since I was 18, im now 34 and looks like my concerns were real. Hubby doesn't really understand he's just turned 30 and has no idea....

Phew just needed to vent . Plenty of wine this weekend I think 😉

Aw, I'm sorry to hear that sparksalot!! I understand how disappointing it is when AF arrives! I've convinced myself last 3 cycles that I was pregnant then AF arrives and I'm gutted.
My Hubby doesn't quite understand my disappointment, he just says we can have fun by keeping trying! ( although actually it's getting less and less fun the more dtd has to be scheduled! )

Thanks, it's good to know we're not on our own! It's not like I can openly discuss it with anyone really. I assumed i would get pg straight away after the chemical last month but hey ho it wasnt to be.
The husbster said to me "plenty more where that came from" when I told him af was here and how we'd tried so hard 😂 but yeah its getting like a military operation in our house!

Hi everyone, can I join? DH and I have decided to start ttc for our first baby on my next cycle which will be in June. My cycles seem to be long short long short since I came off the pill in October so af will be somewhen between 28th May and 7th June, in theory should be the shorter one but we will see! Then after that we will see what happens without bc for a few months before actively ttc. I'm super excited and scared all in one go! Having spent our lives trying NOT to get pregnant for so long the idea of trying to is really weird... Looking forward to having people to share it with though!

Ah I see, thanks MrsG. Maybe I'll have a look at M Calendar too. It all helps to start get an idea I guess! Have also seen people talking about Fertility Friend - anyone here use it?

Hi CinnamonTwist, me and my DH have also just started ttc too. This cycle we stopped preventing, and next cycle we will be actively trying! Eep! I've only been off the pill since start of March though so still no idea on my cycles! I am exactly the same as you - it's all new and i'm scared but also super excited!

Sorry to hear about the AF arrival Sparksalot, that sucks :(

Marmite and Lorena- sorry to butt in but I would recommend Clue alongside Ovia FF. I've been using it for ages now and although it doesn't give the detailed analysis it is really user friendly and will predict your OV date. I've included a picture! I really like it and have found it to be very accurate but I like Ovia for the detailed insights so I use both. Just thought it might be useful to say! Xx

Hi SophieBear, feel free to butt in and thanks! That looks pretty good from what I can see on screen. User friendly is a big plus in my book I can't be doing with anything too faffy! There seems to be so many apps available it's hard to know which ones are best! Clue was one I hadn't actually heard of but I will check it out thank you

Hey all. Welcome marmite!
AF arrived for me today. Although quite relieved as that was cycle 1 so it was 31 days, it's good to know. I came off the pill after 10 years so I was worried about everything going back to normal. My friend came off 6 months ago and still hasn't had AF.
Anyway, here's to cycle 2. Sparks gutted AF came for you too - next one is going to be ours hopefully!

Hi guys
Well Mrs Gsnow I've been reading up on the SMEP plan and looks like a something we could definitely do. Going to give it a bash next cycle. Thanks for mentioning it and fingers crossed!

I'm already failing at my attempts at SMEP! Hub works nights sometimes and it's pretty hard fitting in dtd at times!

That sounds frustrating MrsGsnow! Do you have any time overlapping before his shift?!
I'd never heard of SMEP but just googled it! I have learnt so much in the last week from being on here!!

Eva30 - hi! 31 days is really good for cycle 1 after 10 years on the pill! I know what you mean about worrying if things would go back to normal. I was sadly impressed that my body had remembered what to do after 14 years on the pill! My first 'natural' cycle was 37 days... I'm currently on month 2 and at 30 days today... had feelings of AF coming since Monday night but nothing yet... getting frustrated! Had hoped cycle would be shorter this time as was thinking it may have taken longer the first month off the pill... I'm hoping it's not going to be 37 days everytime!?

Hi all! I was amazed too I did a 28 day my first cycle was v impressed!
Marmite I'm keeping everything crossed for you af doesn't come 😊
I've just bought some raspberry leaf tea hoping it will help. I read that it can help to increase estrogen levels which helps thicken the lining. I'm worried I have a really thin uterine lining as my periods only last 3 days very light plus its mostly brown sorry tmi! I'm thinking that's why I had a chemical pregnancy it had nothing to grab hold of...

Thanks Sparks! Although I think I would kinda flip out if it had happened so quickly, didn't time when we dtd or anything, just stopped preventing! Was planning on doing it 'properly' with timings etc next cycle! Raspberry leaf tea sounds interesting, and it at least sounds quite tasty too!! I heard the average period lasted 4 days so 3 days doesn't sound too bad? I'd been prepared for my first non-pill period to be horrifically heavy based on what some friends had told me, but it was just the same as normal last time... Although maybe that takes a while to kick in!

Oh that sounds interesting about the raspberry leaf tea! I also have very short AF and was a bit concerned so will maybe look into this! Mine can be as short as 2 days! Which always gets my hopes up that it's implant bleeding!