Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

Original poster

waiting to TTC January- anyone else?

167 replies

withsexypantsandasausagedog · 18/10/2018 21:59

Hi everyone!I thought I would see if anyone else is in the same boat as me!

I am currently on my last pill packet, with the view to use condoms until January (planning in some time for my cycles to settle, though no idea how long that will actually take!)

We are going to 'see what happens' in January, as I don't want to start out too obsessed (though that is likely to escalate!), then if nothing happens within a few months we could start tracking.

I want to sort my diet/ exercise regime out before January really as I have been quite lazy recently! I have been taking folic acid and vit d for about a month now as I read that it is good to build up the supply in your eggs or something? This could be total rubbish though..

Is anyone else waiting until the New Year to TTC? What are your plans re tracking etc.? I am a bit clueless as about that!

OP posts:
IsTheRainEverComingBack · 19/10/2018 15:54

Me! I came here to make this post! Waiting until January but it’s hard to wait.

We’ve been using Natural Cycles for 6 months since taking Mirena out, so have a good sense of my cycle now, and planning on switching it from ‘prevent a pregnancy’ to ‘plan a pregnancy’ in Jan. I really like NC and would recommend, temperature taking is also the best way to track ovulation. We’re going to try like mad for about 4 months, if it doesn’t happen in that time we’ll stop for a bit as getting married in 2020 and don’t want to be pregnant for wedding.

Folic acid is essential to prevent various birth defects, nothing to do with eggs. I’ve started taking conception/pregnancy vitamins too and DP is starting as well, zinc is good for sperm count.

Shefliesonherownwings · 19/10/2018 17:20

Hi, we are also planning to 'see what happens' from January. We have a week away booked for tje last week in December and have said after that we'll give it a go. I've come off the pill and started just noting my period in terms of how many days it lasts and cycle days. Started also making a note of types of discharge but other than that I have no clue about what I should be tracking and how. Am wondering if I should be taking some vitamins too now or wait until January?? I'm excited to see what happens but really nervous at the same time.

becca3210 · 19/10/2018 18:43

I came off the pill in September. I have started tracking cycles and am going to start TTC in December. Am waiting as have a holiday booked end of May and so want to make sure that even if it happens quickly I wouldn't be due for at least a couple of months after.

I think it is a good idea to do the vitamins - I have started taking them too. I got 3 packs of the seven seas pre-conception ones from amazon which were a good price (seem legit..! :)

I have started tracking cycle using the fertility friend app though am not temperature tracking. I think I have the potential to definitely get a bit obsessive about it so may hold off on that unless we don't have any luck the first few months. Had first proper period this month so hoping that's a good sign. Look up about Cervical mucus (lovely I know..) as that helps to show you when you are ovulating so a good thing to keep note of.

Good luck ladies for the next few months. Exciting times!

PyjamasForever · 19/10/2018 18:56

I'm having my coil removed after Christmas and will start TTC straight after that. Very excited and already taking folic acid and vit D. We already have a 2yr old, so trying to time things with his free hours starting at nursery.

pretendingtowork1 · 19/10/2018 18:57

There's no medical reason to come off the pill 3m before you ttc.

IsTheRainEverComingBack · 20/10/2018 08:48

Welcome all! Glad to have buddies to wait with.

pretendingtowork1 maybe not, but if the pill effects your cycle (as it did for me) it can be helpful to come off it in advance to let your cycle settling before trying to track it

MushroomMushroom · 20/10/2018 13:34

Hi girls, I'm waiting until January too as that's when I'd qualify for enhanced maternity leave from work. The wait is sooooo hard, I just want to start now!
But until January I'm planning on working on my health (exercising regularly and eating well, getting good sleep and taking time to relax - my job is rather stressful so relaxing is difficult and I don't want the stress to hinder our chances of Ttc.
I've started taking prenatal vitamins, decided to go with natural ones so they contain Folate instead of lab produced folic acid....but it's all the same really I'm sure, just a personal preference.
My Fertility Friend app is predicting that i will ovulate on jan 11th.
So nice to have a group of fellow waiters on here! Xxx

IsTheRainEverComingBack · 20/10/2018 19:06

Welcome Mushroom!

IsTheRainEverComingBack · 20/10/2018 19:08

My natural cycles is saying Jan 11th as well, but my cycle is only 24-26 days so I expect that’ll change by the time we get there. Hoping the short cycle doesn’t cause problems for me, apparently it can mean less time for the egg to mature so less likely to be viable Confused

MushroomMushroom · 20/10/2018 19:45

*waves hello!

I think I'm going to start seriously tracking my cycles from day one of my next cycle then, come January's cycle I'll be able to see if anything is different (mainly temp wise) when waiting to test at the end of the month.

I'd really recommend downloading Fertility Friend, it's such a good app. It's not as flashy as Ovia or Flow and the interface isn't as pretty but it's a bit more sciencey (is that a word?) and you can overlay your charts from previous months which can predict if you have conceived by your temperature staying high after ovulation I think (that's what I can gather so far). Who thought it would be so technical getting pregnant!

My cycles are around 30 days. I'm 35...how about everyone else?

pomfloraalexander · 20/10/2018 20:12

Hello! We're also waiting until January time to TTC no. 2. I'm 31 and have a dc who is 22 months.

It's maybe a stupid reason but our main reason for waiting is I'm worried about having a baby who is the youngest in the school year and that it is so young for them to be going to school. I know lots do fine but can't shake the anxiety about it. Figure I could do with losing some weight and getting healthier too and have started taking folic acid.

IsTheRainEverComingBack · 20/10/2018 20:24

Pomflora not stupid at all, it’s in my mind too have loads of family who teach infants, being younger in the year can definitely make a difference. Though DP is an August boy and he seems to have done alright in the end!

I’m really happy with natural cycles, so will keep using that. It’s very sensitive, the only medically certified app, and though it’s for contraception it can be used for TTC as well. Helps that it already has months of my data in too.

PyjamasForever · 20/10/2018 20:33

You all seem very organised with tracking cycles. I'm hoping to have my coil out after Christmas and will just hope for the best from then. Initially we were going to start trying after our wedding (next week), but work-wise things would be a lot easier if I waited a couple more months.

Hoping my periods will return once the coil is out. Haven't actually had a period since having my first child 2.5yrs ago because of breastfeeding and the coil.

IsTheRainEverComingBack · 20/10/2018 20:56

Pyjamas I’m only so on it because we’ve been using Natural Cycles for contraception for the last 6 months. I had a Mirena coil for nearly 3 years before that, and the pill for 10+ years before that. My body seemed to sort itself out within a month of my coil coming out so you should be fine. And enjoy your wedding Flowers

Tartanwallpaper · 20/10/2018 21:03

Hi, me and my DH are beginning to try from January. We are both 30 with a seven year old and a five year old. If I get pregnant I will be having an ELCS after an EMCS last time, which I am fine with but it has taken more thinking about. However we always knew we wanted more :)

Tartanwallpaper · 20/10/2018 21:05

Also I won't be tracking cycles or anything like that. I've never done it, I think I'd get over obsessed and stressed with it

MushroomMushroom · 20/10/2018 21:30

@pomfloraalexander I don't think waiting because of term dates is silly at all! It's actually a contributing factor to why we are waiting until January also. I have my birthday in late summer so was the youngest in my year and it did show, I was certainly behind my friends who are almost a whole year older than me. Don't get me wrong it makes no difference now but a primary I did struggle.
Technically we could start trying in December and I'd still qualify for enchanted mat leave at work but, because of the birthday thing we decided January in case we are very lucky and get pregnant first cycle

Manycatsandallthegin · 21/10/2018 08:52

Hi all, Im also waiting til January! Helpfully, im predicted to ovulate the week we’re on holiday so that will hopefully work out well haha.
Came off the pill last month (first cycle pill free) with a view to getting my cycles back to their natural state. Have started taking pregnacare vitamins but trying not to get obsessed with tracking/symptoms etc.
Really excited for 2019!

pretendingtowork1 · 21/10/2018 09:56

maybe not, but if the pill effects your cycle (as it did for me) it can be helpful to come off it in advance to let your cycle settling before trying to track it

this is a really common misconception. The pill doesn't affect your cycle once you're off it. If your periods are irregular off the pill, that's your normal cycle, it was just masked once taking the pill. There's really no need to track cycles before TTC or once you start - it can be useful if struggling TTC though.

Probably the most useful reason to wait til Jan is to avoid a summer baby! Worrying about cycles is really not an issue now that we have accurate dating scans.

good luck everyone!

PyjamasForever · 21/10/2018 10:10

It's very difficult not to get over excited, I keep making plans for this Christmas and then thinking "eeeek! Next Christmas we might have two children to think about!".

Waitingonasmiley42 · 21/10/2018 10:10

That's interesting @pretendingtowork1 are you a health care professional?

Hello everyone. We will be ttc number 3 after January. Breastfeeding number two and periods haven't returned yet. Haven't been using contraception since baby was born, so aware it could happen sooner. Guessing my periods will return when I go back to work but know it could take longer.

pretendingtowork1 · 21/10/2018 10:13

@Waitingonasmiley42 I'm a GP with a particular interest in contraception and women's health

DollyWilde · 21/10/2018 10:20

@pretendingtowork

Really disagree. I came off the pill in Jan and cycles were between 30 - 65 (!!) days until July, and have now settled into regular 33 days. I’m really pleased I came off a year ahead of trying as it definitely took half a year until cycles sorted themselves out (although I didn’t come off for that reason). I know some do fall pregnant in the first month after coming off (my mum did with me!) but we’re all different.

I’m half in! Have a final round job interview next week. If I get the job we’ll be waiting until July to start TTC but if I don’t get the job we’ll be starting in Jan Smile I’m sort of excited either way though so it’s a nice way to plan it!

DollyWilde · 21/10/2018 10:21

@pretendingtowork - cross post with your credentials! I guess I’m just a lot more unusual than I had thought then Wink

pretendingtowork1 · 21/10/2018 11:27

@DollyWilde no problem! It's not unusual for women off the pill to have a few months when cycles get less regular then they reset, for no obvious reason. I don't tend to get worried about irregular periods if not ttc until they're less than every 3m, or if wanting to ttc in the near future, or other symptoms.