Can you dtd too much....?!

[Firsttimer16]

We are a good few months in ttc #2.
Our tactic so far has been to dtd every day from about cd 10/11 until positive OPK then for a few days after. Then wait! Hasn’t been successful so far. I was wondering if it’s detrimental to dtd this much, as I’ve heard a lot of things like smep say every other day.
Is this just because it’s easier to fit in than every day? Or is it because it’s actually better for ttc?!
I would love not to do it every day but I get paranoid about missing an opportunity in case that was the one night which would’ve made the difference!
My googling has been inconclusive? Any wise dtd-ers out there got any advice!

Is your partner very young? If not you’re better to alternate days to give his sperm a chance to properly regenerate, otherwise you’re not sending in his best swimmers.

I think views on this are mixed. In our case, we eventually moved to every other day through the cycle and every day during the most fertile period - I'd be v cautious about stopping after positive OPK because we realised after tracking my cycles a while I got at least a few false positives.

I think every day was necessary for us to be honest. I think it probably depends a bit on sperm quality etc but if he's taking a multivitamin, cutting back on coffee/booze, I'd stick with every day but I'd add in every other day past when you think you've ovulated just to be sure.

This is just my personal experience but...

Dh and I ttc for about 18 months. We dtd pretty much every other day from cd 8 until just before af due. Nothing.

We decided to stop ttc at the beginning of the year (for various reasons) but didn’t start using contraception. The first month of stopping, we dtd once. Just once the whole month. And guess what, I’m now 18 weeks pg!

Also, the month we conceived ds (now almost 4) we only dtd twice.

Yeah me and my partner DTD every day or every other day and struggled. We dtd once at the beginning of May... Just once! Now I'm 9 weeks pregnant.

I've read loads of stuff lately including a study where the rate of pregnancy was not lower for couples having more frequent sex (daily). I see on here quite a bit people doing it only once or twice and getting pregnant but we are now going for every day in fertile window and every other otherwise.

Of the people who DTD just once, was it after you got a positive OPK or just when you felt it was around the right time? My OH is generally quite unenthusiastic about DTD so I'm trying to time things as much as poss...

For me it was well before what I thought was my fertile period (CD12 when I don't ovulate til CD17).

I agree that the clinical advice is every other day unless your both really young.

Every other day from CD10 - CD16. Worked both times for us.

It’s cycle 1 of trying for us, and my plan was to DTD every day of my fertile window. That plan has already gone to pot because we didn’t do it last night as we were both too exhausted! If no luck this month I think we’ll just go for every other day in future.

They say every other day as it takes 24-48 hours rest to produce higher quality sperm. However we went months tracking, trying, testing. Nothing. Then we stopped as was emotionally draining, I was away most of the month so we dtd maybe 4 times - I'm 8 weeks pregnant. Life works in weird ways. Good luck to you both x

DS took 18 months ttc we dtd CD8 (must've ovulated day or 2 after) and bfp!

Ttc#2 5 days out of 6 day fertile window BFN

Doing SMEP this month

My partner and I dtd every day for five days before ovulation. We're both young though, early 20s.

I just got my BFP today, so it clearly worked [grins]

Thanks @FuckmyUterus, that's interesting!

@Firsttimer16 ultimately there's an element of luck to it. If you find every day draining then I'd go for every other. When I first started trying I was advised every 2-3 days as most people find that manageable and it gives time for the sperm to regenerate as PP said. So basically don't wear yourself out is my advice!

With DS we decided to have a baby, had sex that night and got pregnant. Had no idea about opks or cm or anything. We hadn't had sex for at least a couple of weeks prior to that night either, though I can't say I know about DHs private time habits!

Trying for DC2 and only on month 4 but previous 3 months have been using opks, temping, tracking cm etc, dtd multiple times during fertile period and bfns everywhere.

Going for a more laidback approach this month and will do it when we feel like it.

Thanks for your messages everyone!! Seems like bit of a mixed bag. @8daysaweek I am the same as you - we conceived ds first month without having any clue about opk or ewcm or anything! Literally no idea how that happened - all luck must’ve been in line that month.
Also on month 4 now with doing OPK and lots of dtd. Did have one bfp but was cp and bfn a week later. The more I know the more confused I get!
Going to try smep this month - so every other day but every day with positive OPK. Worth a try!
How old is your ds @8daysaweek?

@Firsttimer16 I said I'd tried SMEP this month if no luck. I might still do it, but the 2ww kills me and I end up testing 9dpo and it's like 4-5 days of disappointment until AF shows. If I don't know when I ovulate I hopefully won't be focussing on the dpo and the big countdown.

He is 23 months :) what about yours?

@8daysaweek - God I know I was doing tests from about 4dpo last time - absolutely bonkers!! Good point re not knowing when you ovulate..am trying to be v fit and healthy this month as I’m still quite a bit heavier than before my first DS so am wondering if that’s not helping matters.
My ds is 18months so still quite little!

Yeah when I fell pregnant with DS I went to the gym every now and then and wasn't quite as chronically exhausted as I am now post-child and I wonder if that's having an effect! My plan was to start going back to the gym now. Might make me less stressed in general too which isn't a bad move! It's still early days for both of us of course, and I don't think the fact we got pregnant so quickly before helps the wait!

This was the month we got our BFP after 8-9 months trying.

Previously we were doing 2-4 days in a row following positive OPK.

We done 10 days in a row starting cycle day 10. Wasn't intentional as such but just felt right that month- Now 11 weeks pregnant so worked for us on this occasion.

I think it's very individual and can't see how if your both healthy that it will do any harm.

@patoenceofatoddler what app is that? It looks good! Good effort and congrats!!!

@Firsttimer16 it's just the freebie Ovia app.

If you input info daily ie cervical Mucous / ovulation Test results / when you have sex etc then it builds quite a nice graph.

I found it good enough to help me understand my cycle.