TTC - helppppp

[Delilah7]

Hi guys. I'm 22 and TTC.

I came off my pill for my 7 day break on Thursday 3rd May and haven't gone back on it. I had missed a few days before I stopped it and I came on earlier than expected and shorter! I am on my ovulation days now and am obviously having unprotected sex. But wondered if you get cramps with ovulation? I am having what I would call ' period cramps now' aswell as very tired, bad back and occasionally getting a blood taste in my mouth.
Also any advice for someone who is TTC, I haven't had a withdrawal bleed so wondering can I actually get pregnant without having this? Thanks!

When did you have your last bleed? If it was after any missed pill then that will have been your withdrawal bleed. Yes, you can get ovulation cramps. The symptoms you’re having are just hormone related as your progesterone rises gradually as you prepare to ovulate.

Hi @Bubblegum89 thanks for replying.
Yes so I missed three pills before I was meant to stop for my normal period and then bleed on Saturday instead of the Monday ( which is when my normal one is ).
Okay so nothing to worry about then... any tips with ovulating and trying to conceive? I'm ovulation apparently now till Saturday... x

@Bubblegum89 sorry for poor spelling spell check isn't always great! Hahaha. X

No problem. And you’re not ovulating today through to Saturday, it’s your fertile week which is different. It just means that your body is gearing up to ovulate and it’s best to start having sex now as sperm can survive for up to 5 days in the Fallopian tubes and so can be there to meet the egg when it’s released. Once your egg is released, it only hangs around for about 12 hours, 24 maximum.

There is only one thing that can help you conceive (assuming you have no fertility issues) and that’s having sex at the right time. You can’t get pregnant before or after you ovulate. It’s best to get some opks, you use them during your fertile week to check for an LH surge (the hormone that is responsible for releasing an egg) You use them like a pregnancy test, dip them into a container of urine and a second line will appear. That line needs to be as dark or darker than the other line for it to be positive and once it’s positive, that’s when you’re having your surge and ovulation usually occurs around 12-24 hours later but it can be up to 48 hours which is why it’s best to have sex either every day or every other day so you don’t miss it.

You can also temp with a basal body thermometer but I don’t do that purely because you have to be quite disciplined with it and my routine doesn’t allow for it. It’s the best way to check for ovulation though as opks don’t work for everyone and you can also get positive opks but not actually be ovulating but temping can show if you actually ovulated.

The last thing I would advise you of going forward is don’t get into the habit of symptom spotting. It’s difficult especially when you’re starting out and you’re getting all these weird symptoms but the symptoms you get in your tww aren’t pregnancy related. You don’t get “true” pregnancy symptoms until about 4-5 weeks pregnant when the placenta takes over.

Oh and don’t test before a missed period, it’s not worth it! After almost two years of ttc and many many negative tests, I can honestly say that’s the worst part of ttc. Plus it’s such a waste of money.

Good luck!

@Bubblegum89 wow thanks for all of that, very interesting and educational. So I'm fertile during this week then if that's what you're saying so when can I work out this month when is the best days to try? It's so confusing when you're just starting out. So many things to considering and take in!