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

Sorry about AF turning up, @MrsB25. It's okay to be sad, look after yourself and have a glass of wine or two this weekend

Agree it will be more difficult than I first thought, it's hard to concentrate on anything else sometimes! Luckily I've been told I should find out about my contract within the next week. Don't know about all of you but I'm so done with miserable January and ready for the weekend! It actually looks quite nice on Sunday so we might go for a nice long walk. I'd also quite like to go to the cinema, but we'll see. Does anyone have any fun plans to look forward to? Happy Friday!

Happy Friday indeed! There's a craft & flea market in town tomorrow, plus some nice weather, so we'll be off enjoying that, then seeing some pals on Sunday evening for dinner.

Trying to keep myself busy in the TWW. I've been deep diving into some good knowledge building to return to weight training because the more I dive into birthing stuff the more having useful muscles seems to be important (apparently ).

Trying to not lean into symptom spotting, but it's difficult. Especially when DH has a cold, so I can't check if what smells rank to me smells to any normal human. Ah well...

I agree, definitely have a glass of something nice @MrsB25, you've got to have something to look forward to in light of a BFN.

@Bims2019 Yes, contract anticipation will definitely tick the box of keeping you pre-occupied...not in the most fun way, but let's be real: anything will do!

Thanks everyone! Feeling better now and hopeful for the next cycle. I agree about being done with January, can’t wait for spring to arrive! Although it is a lovely day here today.

Glad you should hear about your contract soon @Bims2019 and hopefully that will make things clearer for you.

Hope that things smelling rank is a symptom for you @zinrepus, when is AF due?

Having a fairly quiet weekend, nice lazy lie in this morning and been to the gym. Got a girls night in with a few friends tonight. Have a good one everyone!

I'm back again, I had a MC over New Year so I'm back in the ttc gang, its so different though because I've no idea if I've ovulated or even if I will, no idea when AF would be due either. Have lots of symptoms like December when I got my bfp Christmas eve. Just waiting and waaaaiiiiting

I'm so sorry to hear @SweetpeaOrMarigold that must have been a bit of a roller coaster. I hope things go in a positive direction moving forward.

@MrsB25 AF is due between the 22nd and 24th. I'm trying really hard to not symptom spot again because I got pretty in my head about stuff last time. That girls night sounds lovely.

Hi @SweetpeaOrMarigold, so sorry about your MC. Must be difficult not knowing where you're up to now, hoping for better things for you going forward :)

@zinrepus amazing how quickly the TWW comes round again, fingers crossed for you with those symptoms! How was the market? Very impressed with your research and looking ahead, the thought of birth terrifies me a bit so I'm not looking into that yet 😂 I can see why training up those muscles would come in handy 😉 what kind of weight training do you do? I do a body pump class once a week which I love, but not sure it's enough!

@MrsB25 glad you're feeling better, and hope you had a nice relaxing weekend 🙂 I keep reminding myself to enjoy quiet days off because sooner or later they hopefully won't be like that any more 🙈 when is your next fertile window?

I had a nice weekend, lovely walk in the sunshine on Saturday and a meal out. Though AF decided to show up yesterday, making my last cycle the shortest yet at 24 days. Flo now thinks I ovulated around 4th Jan, which was just after I started using the OPKs for over a week trying to get a surge 🤦🏼‍♀️ I mean really. Never mind, at least I can start afresh with a new cycle now, hopefully with more OPK success!

Have good Mondays all x

The craft fair was slightly unimpressive, but was only £2 to get in and got us across town and out of the house, so we'll call it a win.

@Bims2019 check out Spinning Babies. It's focus is much more down the road stuff, but it gives you a sense. More reason to do your lunges, squats, kegels, and your general lower body stretches and the like.

That's frustrating with the variable cycle. Last month I felt like it was a cycle wasted but I try to remind myself it's more data and more data is more better. 😜

Muggins here did some early testing and it came up negative (because duh) but I just had some pale spotting. I keep feeling like it's not my month then my body's like "FOOLED YOU KEEPING YOU ON EDGE!!!" 😑

@zinrepus our bodies love to do that don’t they! How many days post ovulation were you when you tested? Fingers crossed it was just too soon!

Frustrating that you missed your surge because of the short cycle @Bims2019 at least you know that you may need to start OPKs earlier this time!

So sorry to hear about your miscarriage @SweetpeaOrMarigold hope you are doing ok

I’m currently on cycle day 6, normally ovulate on day 18ish so still a while until my fertile window. I don’t like ovulating so late as it always feels like ages between AF ending and actually being able to TTC! Going to try and DTD more regularly throughout the month this time though as you never know whether dates can change.

Annnnd I'm out for the month. Spotting turned into AF and I'm ordering a thermometer so I can add temping to my data sets.

How is everyone else getting on?

Sorry to hear that AF arrived @zinrepus look after yourself, enjoy some drinks and onwards and upwards to the next cycle! I’m doing ok- still feel like it is taking forever to get to my next fertile window! I’m on CD8 today so still a while to go for me. Feels like there is nothing productive I can do in this time in terms of TTC!

Sorry about AF @zinrepus, you're right it's almost like our bodies know what we want to see/feel and toy with us just enough so we get our hopes up! Arrrrgh. Absolutely - more data can only be a good thing, and I've heard that once you get your head around temping it can be really useful. Think I'm going to try and get the hang of OPKs before going down that route as well... So I'll probably order a thermometer next week 😂

Thanks for the tip on spinning babies, I'll take a look! I do like a good squat (haha 🤪), lunges and abs not so much but sounds like they would help. I used to go to a body balance class (mix of Pilates and yoga) which was fantastic for stretching, but there isn't one at my gym... Might have to hunt one out elsewhere. Anyway, look after yourself and enjoy some chocolate/wine/whatever helps!

@MrsB25 I understand your frustrations, a couple of weeks suddenly feels like a really long time when you start keeping track of your cycles! I would go for the regular DTD throughout the month rather than just concentrating on your fertile window, you never know! When will you start using your OPKs this month?

I'm okay, had a bit of a crappy week at work but AF is nearly gone. Flo predicts I'm due to ovulate on 31st Jan (cd13), so I guess I should start testing from the weekend? Or is that too early?!

Yeah we are going to try to do every other day/every third day but it’s not got off to a very good start as we’ve both been knackered this week! 😂 need to try and make more effort over the weekend.

We will probably be ovulating at the same time @Bims2019 as I’m due to ovulate on the 31st too! I think I will start using the OPKs from about day 12 so 5 days before I’m due to ovulate, just in case it’s early for some reason! It might be helpful for you to do it from the weekend whilst you’re still getting used to them and seeing if you can spot any patterns?

Hi everyone! AF arrived today so I’m officially on cycle 1 day 1 of TTC!
We’re going to try SMEP as it worked for us last time, so DTD every other day from about CD10 with an extra one on ovulation day, then the day after, then a much deserved rest!!
Last time I had all the classic signs although I held off from testing until AF was due. Implantation bleeding at 8DPO (just a smidge on wiping) and the whole not feeling quite ‘right’ leading up to test day.

The in laws have descended for the weekend... Two hours early!! Ffs. There goes any chance of sexy times for the next few days 😂😑

Bring it on @MrsB25! That's not too far away and you can start OPKing soon, I will take your advice and test from tomorrow I think. Don't want to miss the surge again. Might be difficult this weekend with people around but I'm determined to know what's going on lol. I really feel you with the feeling knackered thing, we usually DTD more at the weekend when we've had a chance to lie in. Hope you have a nice relaxing weekend to get you both in the mood!

@Footymum81 amazing! SMEP sounds intensive but it's great that it worked for you before. Do you mind me asking how long you were trying for last time? Fingers crossed for your first month!

@Bims2019 He actually came from our first month of trying, we were lucky that fertile week fell on our honeymoon so plenty of opportunities to DTD. No idea whether it’ll happen that quickly this time round though. I know I’ll be looking for the same signs again this time around.
Good luck with the in-laws!

How is everyone doing? Hope you had a nice weekend with the in laws @Bims2019 and that you’ve managed to fit in some sexy time now they’ve gone 😂

Congratulations on being officially in your first cycle now @Footymum81 good luck with SMEP!

I’m Day 16 today, hoping to get a positive OPK either today or tomorrow. Coming down with a bad cold though so not sure if that will change anything with ovulation. Managed to DTD every other day over the weekend and so far this week so feel like we should be covered so far!

I was out of town this week for work Tuesday through last night, was too tired to DTD though. Luckily, my cycle is a bit long, so I'm not predicted to ovulate until Feb 4-8 ish. So hoping DH and I can get in a few sessions this weekend, is always easier then, to sort of kick start us into next weekend.

We've had some poor luck and kind of tail off BDing around ovulation instead of going ham...I may be realising my monthly migraines may be an ovulation indicator, which is both helpful and a pain the bum conception-wise. And the following month I'll be just returning from another work trip for my fertile window.

I've also got folks making arrangements for hen dos over the spring/summer. And I'm having a bit of a tricky time navigating planning. One of them is fine, as I don't know loads of the friends (and the few I know I'm not the hugest fan of), but DH will be travelling with me, so we'll have separate accommodation, so I have an "out" from the wee hour drinking... The other, the only plan thus far is cocktails.

It's just so tricky! In a perfect world, we'll be far enough along that it'll be fine to tell people and blah blah blah. But realistically, I know 6-12 months is standard and we're only 2-3 months in. Anyone else giving their social life a bit of a side-eye?

I feel exactly the same @zinrepus we have a weekend away booked in mid March with a very boozy group of friends! If I conceive between now and then it will definitely be too early to tell anyone so not sure what I will do! Also have lots of people wanting to make plans, I don’t want to have no social life, especially if it’s taking a while to conceive as I don’t want my life to be on hold. But it’s very difficult!

Good idea to try and get going this weekend with DTD! I was hoping for a peak on my OPK today as I’m Day 17 but still nothing- was thinking it would fall really well with the weekend!

Hope you all enjoy the weekend!

@zinrepus and @MrsB25 I’m quite lucky as I’ll be able to use still breastfeeding my little boy as an excuse for not drinking should anything come up. CD 11 here and we’ve managed to DTD Saturday and Today so SMEP has started well! Hopefully we can keep it up Soto speak 😂

I have a whole new appreciation for all the angsty posts about OPKs. These suckers are frustrating. I had a reasonably dark one the other day and it's been so much lighter since.

Ovulation is predicted for sometime today through Friday, depending on which app you believe (actually, starting Sunday, but Flo is the least reliable of the three I have going right now). DH and I have DTD every other day starting Friday gone, hopefully we can keep that pattern up for another few days.

How's everyone getting on?

They are frustrating at time I agree @zinrepus ! I found Flo to be the least accurate too, I like Ovia best but also use glow as it has a handy feature where you can photograph your OPKs and then compare the darkness of them all easily.

I finally got a positive OPK Sunday late afternoon. Had lots of ewcm yesterday so think I ovulated then (I’ve been drinking grapefruit juice the past few weeks as I read it increases your amount of CM and it’s definitely worked for me!). We had DTD every other day starting last Monday then have done every day Sunday, yesterday and tonight so hoping we have it covered.

Hope you’re doing ok keeping up with SMEP @Footymum81 , we’ve ended up pretty much following it but don’t know if I will be able to manage to convince DH to try once more on Thursday he’s moaning about how tiring it is 😂

Hi all!

Sorry have been MIA for the past couple of weeks, to be honest I've not had much of an update. Was using OPKs every day from about CD7 as pretty sure I ovulated quite early last month, but not even a hint of a second line at all. I've mostly only been able to test once a day except at weekends, so it may be that I've just missed the surges again as I did have a lot of EWCM over the weekend... But it's got me down a bit. Might give the OPKs a miss from now on as it's only making me anxious that I'm not ovulating at all!

Husband has been unwell recently and I'm still waiting to hear about my contract which is also a pain, but we are both really keen to crack on with TTC soon. According to Flo and Clue I'm now outside my fertile window for this month, I'm quite curious to see how long this cycle is going to be as it's been so up and down recently.

Anyway hope you're all good! Good luck with SMEP @Footymum81, and fingers crossed this is your cycle @MrsB25 and @zinrepus

OPKs are driving me bananas. Slight TMI tangent, but I'm having a rough time sorting out the balance between concentrating the urine and staying hydrated. Perhaps I should lean towards temping or other methods to track ovulation that allow me to drink all the water...

Nothing more productive to discuss, just a bit of moaning...

Yes @zinrepus! This has been bothering me too. I think mine might not be concentrated enough but I also don't want to drink less? I don't drink enough water as it is.

Maybe temping will be more reliable? Pain having to do it first thing though. Any thoughts on using clear blue OPKs rather than cheap ones?

I spent ages wondering this too! I got into a little routine eventually, I have a 1L water bottle which I drink a full bottle from waking up until lunch at 1. I then don’t drink very much between then and about half 4 when I try to OPK. If I’m doing an extra test I try to stop drinking at about 12 to test at about half 2 and that’s always seemed ok. I then try and drink plenty after I’ve tested!
It is a lot to think about though!

Sorry the OPKs didn’t really work out for you this month @Bims2019 I haven’t tried the clear blue ones but might be good to try for a month to reassure you that you are ovulating and to give you a good idea of when?

Where abouts in your cycle are you at the moment @zinrepus?