CD3 TTC

[Nova324]

Hi Everyone
so as you can tell AF arrived this month which means back onto TTC. Im on cycle day 3 so just thought i'd see if anyone else was on the same timeline as me so we can talk about stuff through out the month. I don't really have anyone to talk about all this with as I don't want all my family knowing we are TTC and also my DP gets really weirded out by all the ins and outs of it all.. anybody elses like that?
Just some background. I came off the pill after 10 years in April so this is my 3rd cycle.. as far as TTC goes haven't been trying trying but this month I've decided we're really going for it poor DP has no idea

Hi @Nova324 I'll join you! My journey so far sounds similar to yours. I came off the pill in March after around 10 years. I'm also on cycle 3. Periods have been a bit slow to get back up and running. I'm on cd15 but didn't ovulate until cd30 last cycle, so may well ovulate around the same time as you!

Luckily my OH takes a reasonable interest in my cycle and is keen to em, take part, if you know what I mean! I don't want to put too much pressure on him though, so far we've been fairly chilled out. I think a lot of guys struggle at times with the pressure to perform so may be your OH prefers not to know what's happening!

Do you have a plan of attack for this month?

@Skyla01 is this your first aswell? yeah everything is so confusing when you come off the pill, don't know whats happening where!! haha my OH is interested in the DTD but doesn't like it when i mention ovulating or anything like that.. i think it makes it a wee bit weird for him and I understand like.. they are guys they just don't get it, it's not their fault lol.
plan of action this month is just more DTD and i'm going to try and use the OPKs to track this month.. see if I can work out when I ovulate. I tried a few last month but didn't do it as much as I should have so seen nothing.. and obvs missed it, well if i did ovulate at all anyway. what about you?

Yes this is number 1 for us too. I'm feeling optimistic this cycle, I think I have a better idea of what's going on so hopefully things will be clearer. Last month I struggled to know when ovulation happened. This cycle I am trying clearblue digital advanced opk. First time using opk. These ones are expensive but hopefully clear & easy to use. Doubt I'll splash out on them for more than a cycle or two due to cost. What opk do you use? Testing every day is best, but not always easy to remember. I keep the cb box next to the loo to remind me!

Yeah I'm not sure when I ovulate but hopefully I can work it out this month. Tbh I'm just using cheapies, I got some in pound land and some online so I'm stocked up and have them beside the loo also. The CB ones just seem too expensive for me. I just dont know when to take them cause I try to drink 2 litres of water at work so dont know if that effects the reading all the time but heard fmu isnt good for them either

I’m similar times to you all as well, and baby no.1. Cycle #6!
I’ve had two early loses and both times I got pg I tried to use ovulation sticks but due to shift work could never come to doing them enough so only ever once saw what I thought was a positive and still got pg twice DTD at least every other day in the lead up to CD14 and about a week after!
@nova324 I find the cheapies work well but can be annoying sometimes to guess if the line is as dark as the other line!
@Skyla01 the first couple of months TTC DP really felt the pressure and it was stressful for us around OV but now have got to the point where we are trying to just enjoy it 😂
I OV on my birthday this month and on my holiday next month so I’m optimistic the next few months are going to bring good things!! X

Hi @amiejb25 thanks for joining and sharing
Sorry for your losses that sucks! seems like you've got your method down tho and your gonna have a lot of fun this month and next good luck and fingers crossed for you!

yeah I dont want to put any pressure on the OH so just gonna keep all the wee details to myself this month and let him just chill about DTD haha. Im trying not to pressure myself either.. just trying to take it as it goes.. it'll happen when it happens but other days I'm less patient lol. if I'm honest we really havent DTD enough for anything to have happened the last couple of months so thats the business we really need to get down to

So Im now on CD8.

AF just decided to leave CD7..although yesterday it was v v light - more like spotting but still counting as a day, so now onto the next stage. gonna wait a few days and then start testing with the OPKs. OH is gone for a few days & back on Sunday so the timing should work out hopefully.. fingers crossed!

@Nova324 are your cycles regular? Sounds like good timing to get DTD on Sunday once your oh is back. I think regular DTD this cycle is the way forward for you. When will you start opk?

@skyla01 I think they are kinda regular. It's hard to tell cause I've only had 3 since stopping the pill but they've all been between 30-34 days so ima say yes. I started using the opks yesterday. I know its early but thought I'd just try them to get used to it. According to my app its gonna be around next sunday that I have my fertile window/ovulating so hoping the opks will help me see if that's right. OH is also away next week thurs-mon so might be a bit tight going but will just try and DTD everyday when hes back. How are you getting on with everything?

Sorry have had a week of night shifts! I’m due to ovulate around Thursday on my birthday and have a week off work 👀 feel like this could be my month! Not going to bother with OPKs this month I don’t think I want to enjoy my week off without POAS stress! Do any of you get OV symptoms? X

@aimejb25 happy birthday for this week and fingers crossed for you! Yeah I think your better just enjoying yourself on your time off and not adding anymore stress to yourself! Tbh I dont think so.. I keep reading and people get like sore boobs and can feel like cramps etc but I dont think I get any of that! What about you?

Exactly, I’m going into this cycle with a clear head enjoying it and not testing early! Although I did just do an OPK as I get these random little sharp twinges sometimes when I’m due to ovulate and it was near positive so 🤞🏼How often do you aim to DTD around ovulation? Or do you just go with the flow? X

I'm using cb opk but haven't had static smiley yet, just 7 days of flashing smiley so far. Think we'll DTD every other day and hope for the best! I have long cycles so we'll keep at it for a bit longer.

@amiejb25 this is my first month using opk but can see how they can get annoying! Enjoy your week off!

Thank you! I haven’t used cb OPKs yet might give them a go next cycle if this cycle is unsuccessful! Both times I’ve been pregnant it’s through DTD every other day around the middle of the cycle no real planning! X

this is my first month using them properly (if i can stick at it lol) but i dont think ive ever noticed any twinges.. not sure if you should or not! or maybe I just mistake it for cramps/sore tummy or something.

sounds like just doing the deed often works well for you @amiejb25 and it sounds like its just the right time for your week off!! ;)

this month im supposed to be in the fertile window 28th-2nd and OH comes back on the 29th.. so im thinking it may have to be everyday that week to see if we can catch anything..

how long are your cycles usually @Skyla01

@Nova324 my last cycle was 44 days, 57 before that. Now on cycle 3 after coming off the pill. Ovulated on cd30 last month, currently cd23. I'll keep using cb until the sticks run out this cycle and see if I get a static. But DTD every other day for a few weeks mid cycle might be my plan going forward, maybe ditch opk next month not sure they help a lot.

Fingers crossed you catch ovulation. Is OH away regularly?

Yeah @skyla01 DTD every other day seems to be a good plan. Maybe your cycles will start getting shorter as you go. Did you use opks last month and that's how you know you ovulated cd30? Although it was a longer cycle at least you know when it happened.

You know what no, he's never away lol it just so happened this month he'll of had to go away twice! What are the odds haha he gets back tonight then away again in 3 days so I'm not sure DTD this week will help with TTC at all but sure it'll be fun

@Nova324 ah ok that makes things easier if he's not away a lot. I wonder how couples manage to conceive if one partner works away. It's hard enough when you're both in the same place! Last cycle I was away on a work trip during ov so bad timing.

No I haven't used opk before. I use a mixture of app and cm to basically guess when I'm most likely to ovulate. Once AF arrives I count back 14 days and see how accurate I was! Although I've heard the only way to tell for sure is to temp and see the temperature change after ovulation. Still waiting to see if I get a positive opk this month.

I know..its good thats hes not usually away just so happens the month i decide to do OPK hes away twice!

i suppose i never really thought about much before TTC but i used to think it was so easy or could happen any time but now im in it i realise its not so easy and quick!! so weird.

I dont think ill bother with temp it just seems like alot of work for that. @skyla01 what does the flashing smiley mean on the cb opk? is it close to getting a positive?

Yeah I keep getting this feeling like its not going to to happen. I know I'm only a few cycles in but just feels like it will take ages. I'll be so surprised when I finally get a bfp! I'm not going to temp either. Finding opk a little bit demoralizing as it is.

Yeah cb digital is meant to be flashing when it detects rising oestrogen, and static smiley with LH surge = peak fertility. Wonder if it's missed my LH surge but I'll keep testing and see.

I know same here! Feel like it'll take a good while! And then the longer it takes the longer it gives me to question it lol. I literally cant even imagine a bfp atm! It is so annoying, waiting for something to say yes when there is no guarantee it'll actually show up!

Dont know if it's just me but some days I'm like so excited for it all and then other days I'm like freaking out wondering should we do this? Am I ready to do this and everything to change.. but no one is ever 100% ready so i know that!

Sounds like you might ovulate a bit earlier this month? Maybe this cycle will be a bit shorter for you @skyla01

@Nova324 I think ttc is such a strange process emotionally- it makes you question so much! Sometimes I feel like I can't wait to be pregnant yet at the same time can't imagine it ever happening. Weird, just want this rollercoaster to end! Anyway, today I decided (a bit reluctantly) to keep telling myself a year to conceive is totally normal, so not to stress right now. Keep up cycle tracking and DTD to give the best chance each cycle but not to worry about it. And if a year comes and goes we can move on to the next step of going to the Dr and see what happens from there.

Hmm I'm on cd24, don't think I've ovulated yet. Last month ov was cd30. I keep hoping this cycle will be a bit shorter but running out of time! How are you getting on with opk?

@skyla01 it is a really weird process. when your not TTC you think i'll never obsess about it etc but when you start trying your brain just goes into overload!!

I know its hard to convince yourself a year is nothing really in comparison to other people but its your journey so any feelings about it all are totally valid. have you had any static smileys yet? even if your cycle dropped by a few days i'm sure it would help your worries about it. finger crossed you get an earlier ov day.

yeah ive been doing them everyday when i get home from work and they are all negative.. which i think they should be until maybe next week but since this is my first month trying them i dont know. they all seem quite light lines so im like.. is it even working. bit worried about drinking so much water at work tho as it might not be able to pick anything up then? but really trying to keep my water intake up!

@Nova324 got my static smiley yesterday! Decided to test in the afternoon as I'd had fertile cm again for a few days. So predicted ovulation today :) Did require quite a long pee-hold all afternoon at work. I would try not to drink too much be only to make holding pee easier! What cycle day are you on? And would persevere with them, and try and be patient (like I wasn't!). You might only get a colour change a few days before ov.

Ohh good luck @Skyla01 fingers crossed for you this month!

yeah im gonna try and keep going with them. think i am kind of expecting them to be negative til next week so not upset or anything but if i dont get positives next week when im 'predicted' to be ovulating ill be annoyed!!