SMEP - feel free to join! :)

[danielasummer]

Hi everyone, just making this thread as it seems a few of us will be trying SMEP to TTC! Adding these lovely ladies in from another thread but I hope everyone feels free to join! All welcome :)

@Devgirl31 @fayy123 @NCON @MrsKJW19

Some stats about me:

TTC #1
27 years old, DH is 28 years old
Missed miscarriage in October 2019 at 7+2 weeks
Still in that cycle (no AF yet)
Long and irregular cycles, some anovulatory
Suspected low progesterone/hypothyroidism (I think this based on symptoms, not diagnosed yet!)

Hope we can all provide support for each other in this crazy TTC journey.

Feel free to introduce yourselves :)

This is why I find OPKS so stressful! And I’ve only used them for half a cycle!! I think you should just keep DTD as much as you can literally! OPKS are too stressful! I can’t wait for this AF to finish already! Urghhhhh don’t wanna think about trying again but trying to stay positive ☹️

@fayy123 very stressful! Will keep using OPKs until my temps have risen I think. And will keep BD every day just in case. Ovulation has never come this early for me (the earliest was CD25 in over 3 years!) so this is a bit of a shock! Glad I was using the strips!

Try to stay positive. On average it does take a year and you'll be upset with yourself if you spent the whole year worrying (easier said than done and I don't even take this advice myself, but I'm just wanting to help) :) x

Havent been on here for a while! Have a question for you ladies- started bleeding yesterday but only light but I'd say more than just 'spotting' do I count this as CD1 or should it be 1st day of heavy flow? X

@fayy123 Everything @danielasummer just said basically

But I'll add a virtual hug. Sometimes it totally sucks thinking about it so much doesn't it. I find opks too stressful as well so I agree with you putting those away for the time being.

It take enough head space from us, quite frankly if using opks lets trying to conceive steal more, it's not worth using them

It's different if you actually need to or enjoy tracking but if not get rid I reckon

@Loubell19 id say CD1 as im the same and heavy on CD2 x

Does anyone get ovulation pain? I havent had a positive today but i keep getting a sharp pain on my left side 😫

This is exactly what happened to me last month.. was getting ovulation pain and still wasn’t getting any positives so I got fed up and stopped testing and just DTD! Just go with youR bodily signs. What OPKS are you using and what CD you on?

I was supposed to be having a break during AF but I am still googling stuff ready for next month/clutching at straws.. why do we do this to ourselves?!!

AF started saturday morning, had pains and was medium but was bright red. Next day barely anything on tampon (sorry TMI), nothing overnight and now barely anything but still red in colour when there is something. Normally AF is heavy, 5 days and a lot overnight especially first 3 nights. But I know it isn't implantation bleeding as it would be quite late, and would not be red. :(

@ChampooPapi @fayy123 I'm trying to remind myself that not everyone gets a positive OPK but does still ovulate, which is taking the pressure off of the sticks. The only way to know of ovulation for sure is to measure BBT and see a rise or to have an ultrasound, so if I start getting too annoyed with the OPKs I will ditch them and just DTD as much as possible.

@Shazzzzz no I don't get ovulation pain. Wish I did though! Do you normally get it?

@Bunny2006 bless you.. I honestly think that even if we try to tell ourselves that we are having a break, we are always semi-consciously thinking about TTC as we want it so much. Don't put pressure on yourself to not think about it, if that makes sense. How are you doing? Next cycle is a new one. 2020 will bring positive things to us all, I'm sure!

@Loubell19 hi, I'd count it as CD1. How are you doing?

@sojo44 @Diamond94 @lunamoon1 @Lucy5546 how are you all ladies?

@LosingtheTTCplot hi, how are you doing and did you take some more HPTs?

@TunnocksTcake hi lovely, how are you doing? Just checking in! x

@danielasummer yes absolutely, they are not always going to be correct or even work for you, especially after the miscarriage I honestly think ovulation could be hard to track still so keep that sex on tap girl and we can only hope and 🙏 for you.

Surly if it's not our months January we will catch, stats are in our favor so either way not long and sure we'll be throwing up from sniffing our own perfume before long 🤰🤢

Oh and Merry Christmas to all 🥳😅🥂

It is literally like 'fuck Christmas, what point in my cycle am I and when's my god dam baby going to arrive!'

The obsession with it all will definitely go down in my life as a whole new level of understanding and empathy to all woman out there.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas today.

Those of us just starting this journey, those of us about to start, those of us grieving our lost baby(ies), those of us struggling with not being in control and leaping into the 'unknown' when it comes to fertility..I'm sending you all SO much love, a handhold, a hug, a baileys (if you're not already pregnant of course!!) and some festive cheer.

As @ChampooPapi said I'm finding it a little hard this year..literally just care about when I ovulate, not that bothered about today 😂 but I attended midnight mass last night for the first time in years and feel a sense of peace and hope today. I hope you all do too. Baby dust, positivity and lots of strength to all of you xxx

Merry Christmas and happy Boxing Day 🎄

Oh gosh those OPKs sound super confusing @danielasummer ! Defo BD just in case! I'm on CD12 today. If my cycles stay the same length as the last two then 25% done 😂😂 ffs! I just want to OV and see if all the BD worked.

Otherwise we had a wonderful (ordinary and chill) Christmas and I loved it 💖 up at 8am today with a a coffee in bed while DH is watching Harry Potter downstairs playing a computer game.

@danielasummer merry Christmas to you too 💜

Af due today so 🤞it doesn't show. May test tomorrow as I do feel a bit odd, but then again I am an odd person generally 😅

Plus a hangover probably doesn't help with heartburn and queesyness right? 🙄

Merry Christmas and boxing day all.

I've just came across this post and I've tried the SMEP this cycle. I got my positive opk on Sunday so dtd then, Monday and Tuesday missed yesterday and will dtd again today like the plan suggests. What I want to know is after dtd today do you not do it again until you are due to test? Sorry if that seems like a very silly question but like I said this is my 1st cycle trying.
Thanks all

Thanks @Shazzzzz and @danielasummer ! I'm doing good feeling positive for the new year. How are you doing?

Not going to put too much pressure on things this month I dont think as if we get pregnant the cycle after this we will be entitled to a better maternity pay. Going to continue temping and tracking CM but might skip out the opks this month- find them annoying testing every day for a week!

Good luck @ChampooPapi hope AF doesnt arrive for you!

@HE88 I think you're supposed to do it at least once between that and the next CD8 to keep the sperm fresh as it's better for them to keep renewing 🤷‍♀️

@Loubell19 thank you, that makes sense. X

Merry Christmas everyone!! Hope everyone had a good day yesterday

i have been really ill with the flu and a sinus infection since christmas eve so havent had the energy to DTD, feeling a little better today after a trip to docs and some antibiotics but still no positive OPK so i am just gonna give up with them now they are driving me daft x

@Loubell19 here's hoping! Its very likely to come along a few days late though so really think I shouldn't get any hope up for a while yet. What CD are you on? Are you gearing up for Mass baby dancing or total relaxed approach this coming month?

I'm currently in bed , done with Christmas now, in a good way but it's bloody exhausting 🛌 🙏

Reporting for duty 🖖

Af arrived this morning so Cd1. At least will ring in the new year not on my period so will be able to start things up again before my partner returns for work.

But yes, bloody sucks doesn't it

Hope everyone is doing ok.

I'm feeling fairly positive, going to try and stick to SMEP this time!! CD8 is Saturday for me and if I remember correctly that's when to start. Although DP will be away from 30th - 2nd Jan but it's only a few days and I usually ovulate late, CD16-18.

How is everyone doing?

CD13 here. Definitely getting small cramps so hoping that's my body gearing up for OV soon.🤞 Time will tell but all the right signs are there.

How's everyone doing the TWW and alcohol (especially with the holiday lull and NYE looming)? Tee total, minimising it's just drinking as normal till they get the double lines?

@champoopapi so glad you had a lovely chilled Christmas, gutted to hear that AF came for you though. I'm trying to think of a new cycle as a new chance although that can be tough especially when we are so wanting to be pg, I know. As always, I'm thinking of you and sending so much positivity and baby dust your way. Do you have any plans for NY?

@HE88 hi and welcome. No question is a silly one! I personally would still DTD, only because I don't just want sex to be a baby-making mission and I'd be worried that it would become one if we didn't DTD in my non-fertile period..if that makes sense? When are you due to test and what DPO are you now?

@Loubell19 I'm doing ok thanks, trying to be positive really! I think I will also ditch OPKs next cycle as I've had a surge twice this cycle with no temp rise so really they haven't told me much! Are you using the sticks of CB digital? If no luck in the next few cycles, may switch to CB digital if I hear good things/experiences.

@Shazzzzz so sorry to hear you're ill! How are you feeling now? Has the medication kicked in? OPKs driving me daft too.. I think I'm broken!

@Bunny2006 Glad you're feeling positive, I think that's half the battle isn't it? Good luck for SMEP this cycle. Are you using OPKs this cycle?

@sojo44 hello, did you ov? Fingers crossed for you! I'm tee-total anyway so no different for me. Will cut out soft cheese though in the TWW which will be a killer but worth it!

@fayy123 hello, just wondering how you're getting on?

I'm on CD23 and have some very light bleeding today when I wipe (sorry if too much TMI!). I wonder if this is ovulatory bleeding? I don't recall it happening before but I may be wrong. I haven't ovulated yet, confirmed by no temp rise, and I am due to ovulate so we are DTD anyway. Also had a few days of positive OPKs this cycle so no bloody clue as to what's going on! Starting to doubt myself and everything around TTC because I just don't have the 'normal' pattern that everyone else seems to have but trying so hard to stay positive.

I was talking to my mother-in-law about what happened to me as she has also experienced miscarriages and TTC journey. She recommended writing in a book of intentions every morning, stating what I want from the universe and what I'm grateful for - it sounds woo woo but at this point I'm willing to try it. She also recommended listening to someone called Esther Hicks on Youtube who believes in asking the universe for what you want (I think) so I will give that a try tonight. All of this SMEP malarkey is great but I think I need something to calm my mind and be at peace with what I have right now. Sometimes wanting something so badly is all-consuming and at the moment my head isn't in a healthy place! Hopefully will start to feel more positive when I have ovulated :)