Anyone else starting their TTC journey in next few month?

[MrsMacG10]

I'm 35 and me and hubby will be starting to try in the next 2-3 months after our honeymoon.
Terrified as to if we are ready and also worried about my age 😬 anyone want to share their journey with me?xxx

50 x One Step Ovulation Strips 20miu/ml Test Kit Sensitive Fertility Predictor Testing Sticks (Wide Width) www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001G7STT0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_.nKbEb1JYZ1CC?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

These are the ones I use @Bims2019 (hope the link has worked!) there might be cheaper ones out there but feel like I’ve got to grips with using those ones so will probably stick with them for now!

Glad you’ve had a great trip @zinrepus and hope you have a smooth journey home. Fingers crossed your next cycle is back to normal after your travels.

Sorry you are feeling so sick already @SweetpeaOrMarigold hope your doctor can help.

Thanks @MrsB25 that's really helpful! I'm in two minds whether to order some for this month, or see how we get on without for the first month... For that price though can't really go wrong eh?

Hi everyone, joined the thread but haven’t posted much so far as have been waiting for my cycles to settle down. Currently suffering with my third post-natal period but this cycle was down to about 32 days (pre-baby was 28) compared with 42+ for the last 2. Still breastfeeding DS (9 months old) but hopefully now my cycles seem to be back to normal I’ll be able to start TTC in February! It’s strange to think that if I ‘catch’ first time again I could have another baby by next Christmas!

@Footymum81 definitely sounds like your cycle may have started to settle down, it's so hard not knowing. I also keep thinking whether I'll be pregnant or even (if we're very lucky) have a baby next Christmas 😬 we visited some of hubby's family yesterday and there were lots of children, made me broody which I've never really been until the last few months!

@MrsB25 I've ordered those sticks and they should arrive in the next fees days, just in time for fertile window! Thanks again for the tip 😊

How is everyone doing? I feel like I have no idea what day it is at the moment, but looking forward to new year. Does everyone have nice plans?

Hi @Footymum81 glad your cycles seem to be getting shorter!

@Bims2019 you’re very welcome! Glad I could help. It is very strange to think that we could have babies by next Christmas!!

I feel the same about the confusion about what day it is at the moment 😂 feeling really nice and relaxed though which is great! I’m CD14 today so should be ovulating in the next 2-3 days. DH is out today on a Christmas Day/night out with his friends..so imagine there won’t be any DTD today! We have no plans for New Years, just a quiet one for us! How about you?

@MrsB25 glad you're feeling relaxed, I've really enjoyed the break and not looking forward to going back to work tomorrow! We've been away with friends for New Year which has been lots of fun, drank far too much last night so may be doing dry January...

DTD not really happened for us much over the last few days following AF as we've been quite tired, but only on cd7 so plenty of time this cycle still. Am looking forward to being back at home

Happy New Year all, hope it's a lucky one for us!!

Hello all! Things have been bananas as of late, but we're back home and all is well (though feeling slightly sorry for myself today after a little too much merriment yesterday).

I've got some OPKs due to arrive soon (CD8 today) with ovulation predicted on CD17 or so. Loads of time for BDing. How was everyone's new years? Folks getting ready for another round of people anxiously weeing on things?

I’m doing dry January too @Bims2019, I guess it’s a good ready made excuse for if any of us get our BFP! Rubbish that you’re back at work tomorrow- the break has flown by hasn’t it! What do you do for your job?

Did you enjoy your trip @zinrepus, hope you aren’t feeling too jet lagged.
Haha the peeing on sticks started a few days ago for me!! The lines were quite dark on the two OPKs I did today so hoping for my peak tomorrow (cd17). We’ve done well at managing to DTD and it hasn’t felt like a chore...yet! I’m sure it will be harder to make time for it as regularly when back at work though.

Hi @zinrepus! I know how you feel, so tired this week due to slightly over indulging on the prosecco at new year Hope your journey back was okay! My OPKs arrived yesterday, haven't had a chance to use them yet but excited to get started with the anxious peeing on a stick 😂

@MrsB25 definitely a good excuse, but I do also feel better for it after just a couple of days! Think my body had just had enough of the booze and rich food 😆 I got some nice veg cook books for Christmas so going to try and do a few more healthy meals this month as well... That's the goal anyway!

Oh man, the break went SO fast! Very hard to drag myself out of bed yesterday morning (and today haha), but actually it was so quiet in the office it wasn't too bad. Managed to get a few things done without being hassled, which makes a nice change 🙂 I work in HR for a charity, it's challenging but I like it most of the time! I'm also only on a contract which has been one of the reasons why we've held off TTC for a while, but there's been very few perm HR roles coming up recently so I could be waiting a long time. How about you? Are you back yet or enjoying a few more days?

I’m a teacher so not back in work until Monday, got some work to do over the next few days though to prepare (always leave it until the end of the holidays then wish I had done it sooner!). At least you only have to get through today then get to enjoy the weekend!!

Where are you both up to in your cycles now? I got my positive OPK yesterday so think I will be ovulating today. Going to try and DTD once more this afternoon then it will be time to wait and see! I think DH loved the idea of so much sex but is now exhausted and ready for a break 😂

@MrsB25 I was knackered after 2 days! A 5 day week is going to be a bit of a shock next week, but it will be nice to have more people back as well. Hope you've enjoyed the extra few days off and not had too much prep to do! Do you teach primary or secondary? I'm like you, usually leave everything til the last minute but you couldn't have done work over Christmas.

I'm on CD11 and have started testing on my OPKs as they arrived on Friday. I got a negative this morning, but think I might have done it too early as it was first sample of the day. Am I right in thinking it should be tested later on? Will try again this afternoon I think! Not expecting to ovulate for a few more days anyway as my cycles seem to have been a bit longer lately. Good luck with the BD, I know it sounds good in theory but I'm sure he'll get used to it! 😂

My tests are due to arrive today (always strange expecting a Sunday amazon delivery), we'll see how that goes. DH and I are doing a flexible variation of Husband's Favourite (every other day) but we were travelling yesterday so missed it.

And on the bright side, we're FINALLY done with our holiday travels. Wrapped everything up with a wedding in Brum on Friday. And I am ready to be home, maybe even excited for some working at home solitude! 😮

Along with the BD party in the new year, we're finally getting back to a gym routine, which I am quite excited for. The holidays got my sleep all kinds of out of whack, so some routine will be hugely welcome.

@Bims2019 I teach primary, 4 and 5 year olds this year so they are super sweet but pretty exhausting too!
Yeah I think with the OPKs it is best to wait until the afternoon, pretty sure I read that it is best to test from 2pm onwards. I usually try at about 5pm when I get home from work. Whilst we were off though I managed to test twice a day around what I was expecting to be my ovulation day. It can change really quickly- mine went from negative at 2pm to a strong positive by 6oclock.

@zinrepus I bet you are glad to be back home! Travelling is great but so tiring. I also need to get back in the gym, I’ve slacked off so much since the summer time. I know what you mean about sleep routine- the alarm tomorrow morning is going to be a huge shock to the system!

Man, yesterday back at work was rooooough. How is everyone's proper reintegration going?

I'm on CD14, with ovulation anticipated on the 10th, so I've started using the OPKs. Don't think I have the hang of them yet, but I think I need to go through the whole surge cycle to really know what I'm looking for.

Hope you're all doing well!

Really struggling being back at work! Can’t wait for the weekend. The morale at work is really low generally at the moment, so everyone is fed up which isn’t helping!

I definitely got the hang of OPKs after the first cycle of using them @zinrepus they are a bit of a minefield at first!

Not much to report from me, I’ve been getting some twinges/pains in my left side on and off the past few days but trying not to think too much into it! Also ordered some pregnancy tests just in case which felt very strange!

One more cycle to go here before we start trying. Just booked our summer holiday (DD15 sits her GCSEs this year so we can go away outside of school holidays for the first time in years) for the first week in July so don’t want to be more than 6 months gone by then. This cycle is definitely feeling like I’m back to normal so 🤞🏼I’ll be expecting by then...

Good luck to those of you who are trying this month... can’t wait to join you!

@zinrepus I'm on cd15 too, according to Flo I was due to ovulate yesterday but no hint of a positive at all on the OPKs so I don't think that's right! I'm still getting the hang of them too, trying to test twice a day but it's difficult with work etc.

@MrsB25 I've started testing when I get home from work, but as I'm also trying to drink more water I'm a bit worried it will always be a bit too diluted... Never mind, will persevere! How exciting about the pregnancy tests, are you officially in the TWW now? I have my fingers crossed for you! I impulsively bought some pregnancy tests from boots a few weeks ago, just in case 😂

I'm with you both about work, doing a full week is really tough! Hubby and I haven't DTD this week as been too tired, if we want to have a chance this month then we need to find the energy from somewhere 😂 I'm hoping I'll ovulate over the weekend when we feel a bit more relaxed!

@Footymum81 it's nice that you have the holiday to look forward to, are you going anywhere nice? We've booked a short break away in March, I need to have things to look forward to or January gets me down too much! It will be great if you can join us with trying next month!

Only two days until the weekend, we can do it!!

@Bims2019 Yeah I have a few tracking apps competing with each other...I'd been using Clue for years, so then inputted about a year or two of data into both Flo and Ovia (and Fertility Friend, but I've bailed on that one). FF and Flo both had the same date in there, which seemed like the average that came up with most online calculators, so I went with that, but Ovia (which I downloaded a few days after my alleged ovulation) ended up showing an ovulation date a few days later. Once I got Clue behaving itself again, Ovia matched my Clue date. For whatever it's worth. Flo said I ovulated yesterday, Clue and Ovia both say I'm due to ovulate on the 10th. Do with that what you will.

We've DTD 3 times thus far in my window, hoping to get one more in tonight or tomorrow. And maybe a few days later just in case. DH has been fighting a nasty cold, so it's been hit and miss with him.

I'm not having best of luck with the OPKs. The other day I had them show as negative with fainter-than-control lines, but yesterday they showed nothing except the control. No idea what that means. I should be using them more regularly, that much is clear.

How's everyone else getting on?

@Bims2019 it is really hard testing twice a day with work! I was the same with water, I tend to try and drink plenty before and during lunch then not so much between 1.30-5pm before testing. I definitely seem to get my surge later in the day as my positives have always been at around 6-6.30 so I think once you’ve been using them a few months you will get into a pattern...or hopefully you’ll get your BFP straight away then it won’t matter!

Yes I either ovulated last Thursday or Friday so I’m around 1 week in! As I ovulate a bit later in my cycle my ‘two week’ wait will be more of a ‘12 day’ wait so my period should be due Tues or Weds I think.

@zinrepus my OPKs seem to fluctuate from day to day as well, they don’t seem to follow a pattern of getting progressively darker. I’ve gone from no line to a positive in one day as well so hopefully a positive will pop up soon for you! Sounds like you are covered with plenty of DTD as well.

@Footymum81 where are you going for your hols? Very jealous of a term time holiday, as teachers that’s a distant memory for us! We are going away at the start of June but also started looking for a short break in the Easter holidays too- January blues definitely make me want to book loads of trips!

@Bims2019 @MrsB25 we’re off to Sunny Beach, Bulgaria! Very excited.
We also have a Butlins mini-break in February half term to look forward to.

Just waiting to see how this cycle falls to decide exactly when to start trying. Think they’re getting progressively shorter as they return to normal as I definitely feel like this is my fertile week... which might mean we have to hold off for another month :(

Last time out I didn’t need to use OPKs or anything as we fell pregnant with our little man on our honeymoon. We just did ‘SMEP’ which was nice and easy given the circumstances - not so easy this time being at home and having a baby as well as the teenager to plan around!

How exciting @Footymum81 love having a holiday to look forward to! Since my last post we’ve booked 4 days away in the Easter holidays too so really excited for that!
Glad your cycles seem to be getting shorter! It definitely must be so much harder to make the time for DTD with children! I’m already thinking we will struggle next month with being at work and being tired in the evenings, got really lucky this cycle with my fertile week falling in the holidays.

I tested this morning and got a BFN which wasn’t too surprising as I’m only either 9 or 10 days past ovulation. Curiosity got the better of me a little bit, and also thought it would be nice to get a BFP at the weekend rather than in a morning when rushing around getting ready for work! Will hold off now though until Wednesday when AF is due.

How is everyone doing? Any luck with the OPKs @zinrepus and @Bims2019

@Footymum81 that sounds fab! Bulgaria keeps popping up on miscellaneous lists for underrated holiday escapes!

I missed whatever surge may have happened. These OPKs are tricky little guys, I'll be setting myself timers next month.

Unfortunately, I had a migraine on predicted ovulation DAY (CD17), so we only DTD two days before (CD15). These dates could be wrong, as I didn't see the LH surge, so who knows.

I know that could technically enough to possibly stick, but The Impatient Woman's Guide points out that while SOME sperm live up to 5 days, the AVERAGE sperm only live up to a day and a half. While I will be testing later this month (please believe), but I am not quite as confident as I was earlier in the month.

Anywho, into the TWW. We were super productive over the weekend, building a desk for my home office and installing a new TV (DH has been moaning about one for ages and we figured before children it's much easier to excuse a purchase like that on a whim).

We'll keep fingers crossed for you @MrsB25. Any luck with your tests over the weekend @Bims2019?

Thanks @zinrepus I’ve started getting some cramps this afternoon and feel like I generally do before AF arrives so think that’s me out for this month 😞. Hope the TWW goes fast for you and that you managed to get lucky even though you think you missed ov day

I found testing twice a day helped me identify my surge, mine always seems to be later on in the day so think I would have kept missing it if I had just done once a day.

Hi all!

I'm not doing very well with OPKs either @zinrepus. I had a hint of a second line about a week ago but nothing since then, so reckon I've also missed the surge whenever it was. Unless I'm due to ovulate late of course, how long should I be testing for? I'm currently on cd20, Flo says I ovulated back on cd13 and Clue (which I've now downloaded as well) says it was yesterday... I don't know as my cycles have been a bit up and down since I came off the pill then it's a bit of a guessing game right now. Good luck for the TWW! Two times could be all you needed, let us know how you get on 🤞

@MrsB25 I can see why you do the OPKs twice a day! I definitely would if not for work. I did two a day at the weekend, one mid afternoon and one evening, but thinking maybe I need to try earlier on in the day. Perhaps next cycle. I'm going through OPKs at an alarming rate, the 50 aren't going to last long 😂 how exciting that you've had your first TWW! Sorry about the bfn though, fingers crossed that AF stays away 🤞 you never know.

@Footymum81 the holiday sounds great! So important to have fun things to look forward to. I already can't wait until March, think we should be away in my fertile window as well so quite well timed haha. How did you find the SMEP?

Hubby is definitely keen for us to keep it relaxed, what will be will be etc. But it's so hard taking that approach when you know more about your cycle I think. We've also taken a bit of a step back this month despite knowing that we both really want to go for it, which has bummed me out a bit. I'm hopefully going to find out what's happening with my job soon (I'm on a fixed term contract currently ending in March), so he wants to wait until we know... But to be honest the wait is killing me! And I don't think it will make a difference, if it's extended then I may end up with some kind of maternity package but if it's not then I'll need to find another job. And then I don't want to be waiting until I qualify for mat pay somewhere else, so either way we'll probably still be TTC. Why is it never straightforward?! Sorry for the moan, just a bit down this week. Hope you're all okay!

AF arrived this morning for me after a couple of days in limbo so I’m officially out of the running for this month. Feel a little bit sad but trying to not let it bother me too much.

I agree with the relaxed approach being difficult @Bims2019 I’m not very good at just relaxing and letting things happen, I like to be in control and working towards something so I do think this process will be difficult! No problem for the moan- it’s nice to be able to vent here to people in a similar situation!