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

I've been testing at 11am and 6pm, trying to not drink much in the two hours before. I have a 750ml bottle that I usually empty a few times a day, so I've been cutting back, which I know I really shouldn't be doing. 🤷‍♀️ And even after that, a fair few have been WAY too diluted so it doesn't feel quite as reliable.

I'm due to ovulate any day now. Flo said Sunday gone (I mostly ignore Flo), Clue said Tuesday gone, Ovia thinks tomorrow or Saturday. No peak OPKs yet, but I have a migraine today, which I'm thinking is linked (something something oestrogen drop) but don't know on which side.

I've bought a thermometer for temping should things not stick this month. Been doing a much better job of DTD (3x since the 1st and again tomorrow should all go well).

It's all so weird, you spend so much time focusing on such specific things that usually go unnoticed. 😂

How is everyone doing? Did you have any luck with the OPKs in the end?

Thanks for asking @MrsB25. No, no luck. Closest I got was this level. Again, it may be a hydration issue and DTD five times in the range of fertile periods proposed by all three apps. 🤷‍♀️

Bright side is by the time I've given up OPKs I'm now 3-9 DPO (I feel like it's more like 3-5 but still). So the TWW gets a lot shorter.

I'm starting temping now for if/when things don't stick. I'm going back to drinking all the water! 🥤🥤🥤

How's everyone else getting on?

Well our attempt at SMEP started well, tailed off a bit in the middle but finished with a bang! Now into the tww and will be testing without much hope on the 22nd if AF doesn’t arrive. Think we missed ovulation day as I had lots of ewcm on Thursday morning but we didn’t DTD until Friday.

Ahh that is frustrating @zinrepus at least you still hopefully managed to DTD at the right times! Hopefully temping works out better for you if you need it. When is AF due for you?

Glad you managed to mostly keep up with SMEP @Footymum81 we ended up pretty much following it this cycle. Hopefully Friday was ok for catching ov.

I am CD29 today, I think 9DPO. My cycle varies in length by a couple of days but based on ovulating a bit later this cycle I think AF is due Saturday. If I haven’t felt any cramps I might test on Friday morning to see if I can get a valentines BFP! Trying not to hold out too much hope though.

Just popping on quickly to say good luck if you test this morning @MrsB25! And also to everyone else in the TWW, I'm hoping it's your month 🤞

AF is due for me any day now, Flo and ovia say tomorrow but Clue thinks Monday. I do kind of feel like she's on her way but either way it's a longer cycle than last time already as I'm on cd27!

Finally found out about my contract but if anything it's left me more uncertain than before. It's only been extended by 3 months, which takes me up to the end of June. So I'm going to seriously start looking for another job, I need a bit more security and have no idea of this role will ever be offered on a perm basis. So we've got some decisions to make! Am seeing a close friend at the weekend who's due in April, and I know that's going to make me extra broody 🙈

Thanks @Bims2019 AF due today so I did test this morning but it was a BFN. Still only 11DPO though so know it could just be too early. Will have to wait and see if she arrives. Hope AF doesn’t arrive for you!

That sounds really stressful about your contract. Do you think it will be fairly easy to find another job in your industry or are they hard to come by?

Guess what showed up this morning 😂🤦🏼‍♀️ AF is here! A 26 day cycle, which is pretty good for me seeing as they've ranged from 24 days to 34 days since I came off the pill.

@MrsB25 sorry about the bfn, I hope it's just a little bit early still for you! When will you retest if AF doesn't show?

Yeah it's not great. Not sure if it's just the time of year or what, but there's a lot of temp HR jobs out there and not many perm. There's also a huge variety in roles that have the same job title, some very transactional and others more advisory like what I do at the moment. But I'm not sure if I want the same, as it's really challenging. Basically I don't have a clue what I want to do lol. Will have a look at some jobs this weekend. We're going to visit friends though which should be fun!

Anyone have fun plans for Valentine's day or the weekend?

I have had incredible achy boobs in a way that doesn't match with my usual PMS symptoms. I also have had a few other symptoms which have made me confused.

And I continue to have no self control, so I did an early Internet cheapie yesterday and saw the faintest whisper of a line. After a day of sitting on that (and, let's be real, checking more sticks even though I know doubling time is 48 hours) I told DH last night. Today the faintest whisper is still in the "crazy" zone of "you can't call that a line", but is a bit darker. So I'll be monitoring that closely and holding my breath.

I can't tell folks in my real life of course, but it's nice to express the feelings somewhere... That way if things go pear shaped I can also have somewhere to express disappointment...

Wow how exciting @zinrepus fingers crossed the line gets darker!

I used another internet cheapie this morning and still no line, but still no AF either so who knows! I did go to boots this morning and have bought two first response early response tests... trying to wait to use it tomorrow but also trying to hold in my wee so that I could maybe try one this afternoon 🙈 this TTC thing makes us do some ridiculous things doesn’t it!

Sorry that AF arrived Bims, hope you were able to enjoy some valentines drinks! We didn’t do much to celebrate, DH cooked us a yummy meal and we just had a chilled night in. We are having friends round tonight so just spending the day cleaning, cooking and trying to distract myself from peeing on another stick 😂😂

My insanity lines were getting clearer so I tried a FRER today and got this! Excited but insanely nervous because I'm 3+6 which is stupid early... But also feeling pretty rough, so there's comfort in that. 🤷‍♀️

How is everyone else getting on? Have people enjoyed their various Valentines plans? We had a chippie supper and watched a trash movie, but takeaway and films is kind of our tradition! 😂

Wow huge congratulations @zinrepus I bet you are over the moon!! Sorry that you are feeling rough, but like you say at least it must be a bit comforting to feel like something is going on.

I also did a FRER this morning as AF was two days late but it was negative then she arrived this afternoon. Was really upset at first but I’m feeling better now, and hubby and I have started planning our summer holiday now we know that I won’t be too pregnant to travel in early August- got to look for the silver lining!

Congratulations @zinrepus hopefully it’ll be my turn next weekend! The line on the IC I took at 4+0 with my son was fainter and he’s now a gorgeous 25lb2 boob monster of nearly 11 months. Still feeds to sleep every night but I love it 🥰

Off to Butlins in the morning so will be nice and distracted until AF/BFP day on Saturday.

Commiserations @MrsB25 and @Bims2019 on the arrival of AF, hopefully your next cycle will be the one

Thank you everyone! I'm still excited but trying to keep my excitement in check. When it's not your month, you always have more data to process. I'll keep hanging out on here with you all (if you're okay with that). I am keen to see how everyone else gets on and don't want to disappear into the ether! ;-)

Definitely hang around here @zinrepus would love to keep up with how you’re getting on! Hopefully you’ve started some luck and we will all be not too far behind you with some more BFPs!

Congratulations @zinrepus! Of course you can stick around, how are you feeling now?

Good luck for Saturday @Footymum81! Hope you're having a nice time at Butlins

@MrsB25 sorry it wasn't your month, but holiday planning sounds just the thing to help. Always cheers me up! Where are you planning to go?

I've definitely got the February blues (if that's even a thing lol), and can't wait to get away for a few days in just under a month. We had a great time visiting some friends last weekend, their little boy is nearly 2 and it was so much fun playing with him. I know you don't get the full 'having a child' experience when you can give them back at the end of the day, but it still made me extra broody! 😂

Thanks everyone! Yeah, I'm doing okay. It's still early days (I'm only 4+3) and the symptoms are kind of varying. My main one has been achy boobs (that's more or less a euphemism) and feeling bloated. Last Saturday I was queasy all evening, but since then it's only really been when I've gotten hungry that the nausea kicks up. Of course, as soon as I type that I start feeling slightly unsettled, so there's that.

DH is in a bit of a weird place. I'm trying to help him understand reasonable expectations (miscarriage rates in early pregnancy and all that) so he keeps saying, "I mean, we're pregnant but we're not? How do I...." so I have to keep reminding him, we ARE pregnant, it's just I am trying to keep my hopes at a reasonable level considering I've never done this before and don't know how my body will handle it.

I also clocked this really early, so today is actually the day of my predicted missed period, so I think he's still expecting AF to show up. I don't know. It's weird. Exciting, but weird. I'll feel less conflicted in a few weeks I think...or once we start telling folks.

Soooo....

Tested this morning with ‘3amU’ as baby woke up for a feed and there was no way I could settle without going. There was a whisper of a line on the IC test (DH could see it too) but I can’t see it now,

Cycles still aren’t 100% settled after the baby so I’m 12-14 DPO.

Oh my goodness, how (potentially) exciting @Footymum81! Any clearer today?

Hi @zinrepus hope you’re ok.

Since the ‘whisper’ I’ve had nothing, 3 most definite BFNs but still no AF! Boobs are really sore and I was a bit nauseous yesterday. So no idea what’s going on.

Since AF returned my cycles have been 52 days, 32; 28 and now this one is 33 and counting. Before having DS they were usually 28 days, so I thought they’d settled back down. I also had EWCM and OV twinges at the right part of my cycle for a 28 day one so who knows?

Oh how frustrating @Footymum81 it’s so horrible not knowing one way or the other.

Hope you are getting on ok @zinrepus how are you feeling? Any symptoms yet?

I'm doing okay and trying to not worry about a lack of symptoms... Every day mid afternoon I start worrying about not feeling worse, but then I poke my boobs (the joys of working at home) and remember they're incredibly painful right now... So a nice reminder that things are still moving along, even if I'm not feeling miserable yet. 😜

We told my folks on Sunday and a local couple who are more familiar with the healthcare landscape here. DH gets that we're pregnant, but my trepidation about potential miscarriage means he feels like we're "only kinda pregnant". 😂 Ah well, he'll get the hang of it soon enough.

@MrsB25 and @Bims2019, you're coming up on your next windows soon right?

@zinrepus hope you're getting along okay, it must be so weird when you can't tell anyone. And I also get why it's strange for your husband, you both want to be excited but I guess you know more about why there's a need to be a bit cautious. Saying that, I think you should still allow yourself to be excited 😊 I know I would be! Keep us updated with how you get on.

@Footymum81 hope you know one way or the other soon! When was AF due?

Exciting times for us, we have gone for it this cycle 🙈 decided we both wanted it and didn't want to wait for jobs to pan out. We will be okay either way, and I realise it may take a while anyway. According to my various apps I'm due to ovulate between tomorrow and Thursday, but pretty sure I have EWCM today. Also got high but not peak on my OPKs, so still not exactly sure when it's due but feel I've got a better handle on it this month, maybe 😂 We DTD yesterday and I'm hoping will do again either tonight or tomorrow. It's hard during the week because we get tired, but DH seems excited so we might make the extra effort...

Yeah I’m CD10 today so not due to ovulate for a little while with mine being later in the cycle, but I always worry that it’s going to suddenly be earlier one month and don’t want to miss it if it is! So we are going to try and do every other day from tonight onwards just in case. I agree @Bims2019 it is so hard during the week. DH is definitely on board and excited though so feel like I need to psych myself up a bit more 🙈

Glad you are doing well @zinrepus were your parents super excited? It must be a strange time of being excited but not wanting to get too carried away! I feel like I would be exactly the same.

@MrsB25 when do you tend to ovulate, is it usually quite late? Sorry if you've said before. I seem to have settled into a slightly shorter cycle for now, hoping it will last as feel I'm finally tracking things better. Are you still using the OPKs? I guess there's no harm keeping an eye out earlier in your cycle just in case, but appreciate that's frustrating having to test for longer! Haha I love how up for DTD he suddenly is this week, not sure how long it will last 😂 like you I also sometimes need a bit of persuasion especially if tired, but I'm excited too. I'm don't think he fully understands the small fertile window yet but he's keen for it not to feel 'forced'. He also asked me "are you pregnant yet?" earlier, I had to say it was far too early to know 🤦🏽‍♀️

@zinrepus I know it's difficult but maybe enjoy the lack of symptoms for now, I'm sure they'll come! Lovely that your parents know too. Have you done anything more like booking in to see Dr etc? I am very clueless about what happens after the bfp 🙈