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 :)

Ah love how your are so positive and optimistic! A lovely person to have round whilst going on this journey. I promise to update you as soon as I have any news. X

@danielasummer OMGGGGGGG CONGRATULATIONS!! I’m so happy for you! Can’t believe it’s finally your turn! Wishing you a very healthy and happy pregnancy! You have been a gem!! You really deserve it X

Morning ladies. Just to let you know I did a Superdrug test this morning with FMU and got a BFN. I’m fine about it, just more concerned why my period may be so late. 😥

Hey @fayy123 how are you doing? 💜

It is amazing @danielasummer, can you believe when you started this thread that by the end of it you'd be pregnant?. Of we went back to page one though and said 'ok, just another 900 posts and you'll be pregnant' we may have screamed 😅 several times! And not in a good way.

But in hindsight it's amazing really, you started this thread a fair time ago, but it doesn't seem that long in the scheme of things, and you've become pregnant by the end of it. It's such an inspiring thread for people to read and come across now and in the years to come. You struggled and your journey wasn't easy, but you got there and you did it with such class 🌈💜

@Littlepeas2 oh no, that totally sucks, sorry lovely. How late are you now?

@HE88 remember that with a positive OPK you could ovulate 12-36 hours later (I'm pretty sure) so although it seems early, ovulation might be more like CD12/13? Do you temp? I found that with the CB digital, my temp would rise one or 2 days after I got a peak smiley.

@fayy123 thank you so much!! :) Fingers are crossed it's a sticky one. Just trying to stay calm and positive! Looking forward to seeing your BFP on this thread. Where are you in your cycle now? How are you doing?

@Littlepeas2 I'm really sorry to hear that. Did you definitely ovulate when you thought you did? It might be a case of later ovulation? That is happening to so many women at the moment because of CV stress. I'm really hoping that's the case. How many days late are you? x

@ChampooPapi no, I absolutely did not think that would be the case haha. Did you think the same? You have been so lovely and positive on this thread and have kept me going!! We have a fertility appointment booked at the end of the month for me to potentially have my tubes checked and start clomid - need to cancel that now! But now I have to keep myself in check. Are you opting for a private early scan? Window to the Womb are still open in my area but I'm not sure if I want to venture anywhere with all that's going on. Hoping that little pickle keeps growing so that I have no nasty surprises at the 12 week scan but I also know that I can deal with absolutely anything. I feel so strong today!

Have you told your girls? If so, what did they say?

You have been my rock (as have all of you lovely ladies). I would never have felt so supported and strong had I not had this thread. I am not going anywhere until everyone gets their BFPs on here.

Just for anyone reading, there are things I did differently this month (because I wanted to know when I saw others get their positives). I stopped taking the pre-pregnancy pills a few months ago, so this cycle I was just taking folic acid and vitamin D (1000iu). An hour's walk every day, organic fruit, veg, meat and eggs (have been doing this since November though - was pescatarian but started eating meat then). Oily fish twice a week. No refined sugars at all (no pasta, bread or cakes etc). Loads of nuts, seeds and dried fruit. Didn't paint my nails or use skincare products not deemed 'clean' (read the book 'It Starts with the Egg' by Rebecca Fett and was inspired). Sex every day of fertile window, sex from behind (meant to keep the sperm in apparently), legs in the air, and used preseed (inserted 15 minutes before). Clear Blue dual hormone digital OPKS and BBT temp (have for years). All of this could be absolute woo-woo and not have had any effect at all, but by this cycle I was honestly willing to try anything and everything.

Wishing you all a ridiculous amount of baby dust..keep this thread updated :)

Absolutely not going for any private scans @danielasummer. Im waiting it out until 12 weeks. I don't want any unnecessary contact with anyone during this time and going to a scan place where there could be nurses who may be also working in hospitals, or who obviously are having to travel and come into close contact daily with many people is a complete no for me.

I understand people are very anxious especially on first pregnancies, wanting the father present, so I do understand the desire. But from what I've seen here those scans bring relief for all of five minutes then the worry returns anyway.

Easy for me to say I know as I'm on pregnancy number 4, with 2 children as a consequence, but my mother was a nurse (she actually knew that Nigerian doctor who died recently of covid) and she warns heavily against going to those scan places unless you've had fertility treatment or your mental health is so severely affected ect.

I'm staying well away from everywhere and everyone for the next 6 weeks, and beyond quite frankly 😄

I'm also starting to feel the quease, 6 weeks two days here so as predicted by week 7 untill 10 i will begin my ritual of absolute torment on the sofa 🤢

There better be a real baby this time!

@ChampooPapi heyyy I’m good thanks, how you feeling? @danielasummer I’m so happy for you ladies honestly! I’m on CD 5! I did SMEP last month but didn’t work! So I think I’m gonna give your advice a try .. the sex everyday in my fertile window, since I ovulate so early( CD11/12) even though my period came I was well proud we managed SMEP because it’s failed in the past 😂🙈

@danielasummer yeah this is true, the cycle I fell pregnant I got my positive on cycle day 14 so I'm 2 days early this time round. Could just be my body adjusting after everything. I don't temp I don't really understand it if I'm honest. I'm just going to continue bd every other day and take my vitamin and see what happens. Hope you are feeling OK.
Also sending lots of baby dust to those still waiting on their bfp 🙏😘

Hey girls. So I have been thinking, @ChampooPapi do you remember me saying I had cramping and cm that was the same as EWCM? I’m wondering Now if that was late ovulation? That would make me due AF on Thursday. @danielasummer I could be just overthinking all of this but I really don’t like the uncertainty. Hope you are both keeping well!! 😘

Hi ladies!

Hope you don’t mind me joining - just spent the last 3 hours reading 900+ posts on this thread

I had my 12 week scan on the 19th of March and was told that the baby was measuring at 7 weeks & there was no heartbeat. I was absolutely distraught. My miscarriage started 8 days later and it was horrendous pain for a few hours and I passed the most parts. Bleeding slowed down over the next few days and for the last week I’ve been having the slightest spotting once every 2 days.

I reaaaaaaaaally wanna ttc soon but was wondering when would be a good time? Took a PG test on Friday and it was 2-3 weeks positive so I’m sure I still have some hormones left. I also took an opk test yesterday as I hadn’t spotted for 2 days and got a smiley face - only for me to start spotting again an hour later. Is this result due to the hcg Levels I probably still have? I have ewmc but it’s got the faintest streaks of blood. Sorry for the extreme tmi but I’m super confused! My epu have been a nightmare to get a hold of - I’ve called everyday for the last 2 weeks, left messages but no answer or call back. I’m really looking to start the SPEM ASAP and would love a little advice. This would have been my first child. TIA xx

@ChampooPapi I think I'm going to do the same after reading your message. I'll try not to let my anxiety get in the way like it did last time. At the end of the day, whatever will be will be, and if I find out shit news earlier or later it'll still be shit news. Fingers crossed all will be well though! I just don't have loads of symptoms like I did last time.. but I've heard that pregnancies differ. Trying to keep positive and think of the best, not the worst. How are you feeling today? Are you usually sick with the nausea and how is your back feeling?

@fayy123 thank you so much lovely :) yes try every day during the fertile window. We have done this most cycles (if not all) and it seemed to work this time. I think part of it is luck.

@HE88 I think BD every other day is a good idea, especially if you don't want to temp. When I went to the fertility clinic the doctor said to have sex every other day until my period arrives so that I know I'm covered, in case ovulation date changes at all from the norm (although I had no 'norm'). How are you doing? I think it does take time for our bodies to adjust x

@Littlepeas2 in Toni Weschler's book 'Taking Charge of Your Fertility' (which is amazing by the way and my fertility Bible!) she says that the LAST day of EWCM in your cycle is the day you ovulate as you can have EWCM multiple times in your cycle as your body tries to ovulate, but the last time is ovulation time. How did you think you'd tracked ovulation before that day? OPKs? And which OPKs? It could be that you ovulated later. I'm really hoping that's the case!!

@Niisa of course not, welcome! You've probably gotten to know us if you've read the whole thread - that's dedication! :) I'm really so so sorry to hear of your miscarriage.. I'm sure you'll have read that some of us (if not most) have also miscarried. I was told to wait to TTC until I had a negative pregnancy test (which for me was around 3 weeks after the miscarriage). I also think OPKs can pick up the HCG hormone and will come up positive still even if you're not yet ovulating.

It sounds like you've had such a rough time - I'm really sorry you've gone through this. I'm sorry I have no advice re spotting but keep trying the EPU and hopefully they will get back to you soon.

With SMEP, you have sex every other day from CD8 (I think) up until a positive OPK and then you have sex 3 days in a row, miss a day then have sex one more time. To be honest I only loosely follow this one cycle then decided to go my own way! I track my BBT so what I did was BD every other day from CD8/10, then have sex every day in my fertile window until 2 days after my temp had risen (so because I ovulate late I would have sex every day starting from CD17-ish which would sometimes be until CD33-ish. I hope this helps x

@danielasummer thank you for your response - yes I feel I know you all very well and even though I was not there through your journeys over the last 3 months, I felt everything with y’all - the joys at the BFPs and the disappointments at the BFNs and MCs
Will definitely keep trying the epu and give my body until I get my -ve PG test. Xxx

@Niisa that's the beauty of threads - I often look back and read the conversations that were had months ago! :)

I hope you get through to the EPU - keep us updated if you'd like. It's such a horribly emotional, painful experience and I hope you get the support you need. x

@danielasummer you are amazing! You respond to everyone so thoughtfully.

I didn’t track with OPK just CM. I have continued having CM since the day believed to be ovulation but just minimal. Then I had the day with the cramping followed by EWCM type which would have been what I thought was 9dpo but maybe it was ovulation. (In which case I’m out because we didn’t DTD in the days before)
However.. just to confuse the situation even more I have just had again what looks exactly like EWCM?! should I DTD just incase?

Omg I’m so sorry for my essays. You must dread seeing a notification from me 🤣

How are you? Is it starting to sink in yet? When do your dates make you due?! 🙊

@Littlepeas2 ahh bless you, thanks. I just do love this topic in general but I also feel like we’re all TTC friends and a support network for one another so I just like to chat to you as if we were discussing it in real life!

Ok if I were you I would start temping so you know for sure when you have ovulated and which DPO you are. If you don’t want to temp, I would BD every day from CD8 until you get your period (or until 14 days after you would expect your period if you are regular but things are going a bit haywire/longer, so BD all the way up to 14DPO if you haven’t come on your period) just to cover yourself. Honestly I’ve never been told to do this but I’m just thinking what I would do if I had regular cycles but they were going a bit random over this covid 19 business.

Are your cycles usually regular?

I’m good thanks, honestly this morning woken up to a little anxiety as I’m scared it’ll happen again and gutted I can’t have a scan before 12 weeks but trying to remain positive! Due 11th December, all being well 🤍 ❄️

Hey everyone, just checking in. I'm 10DPO but have had minimal brownish cm for the last few days. 8 & 9 DPO- only just before bedtime, only on wiping, and then this morning, so 10 DPO when wiping but a little more than the previous two days. I think I'm about to start my period because I just don't feel pregnant. I'm worried that my luteal phase isn't long enough to support pregnancy. Does anyone have experience of this? Or how to lengthen the luteal phase? After @danielasummer recommended It All Starts with the Egg, I've been following a lot of the recommendations from that.

@danielasummer still no luck with the epu rolls eyes took another pg test last night and an ovulation test - don’t even know why lol I think I’ve just become obsessed with testing as I want the all -ve! Both tests came back +ve (pg test stated 1-2 weeks). Hubby and I had BD’d last night as it’s been a while and I was just in the mood (tmi I know sorry) and it was very uncomfortable.

Took 2 different opk tests - 1 clear blue and one Boots brand, both showed -ve so I’m thinking I’ve finally overcome the miscarriage dances . I’ve ordered some more pg tests which arrive tomorrow so hoping that it will be -ve and will start testing for ovulation every other day as I don’t know what my cycle is like right now. Counting from the first day of my miscarriage I’m in CD12 so will test CD14. Hoping I do ovulate soon as I would loveeeeee to fall preggers this month!

*took the 2 different OPK tests today: results = negative

Opk was positive yesterday and the day before (I assume due to hormones from miscarriage)

@Pixielou16 hi, how are you doing today? Did AF arrive? I'm on another thread and someone has a luteal phase of 9 days and is pregnant (with previous children too) so there is hope. The book is great and if you join the Facebook page, there is lots of useful info on there and Rebecca Fett often replies to comments and questions x

@Niisa hello, I know, it's so easy to fall into the trap of testing loads. Can imagine it's much worse now too that we're at home all day! How are you doing today? What have your tests said today, if you've tested? Also did the EPU ring back? x

@danielasummer tell me about it! Haven’t taken the pg test yet but did the clearblue opk and it was positive - I’m so baffled! Haven’t tried the epu today as it was my Nieces birthday so we’re having a little party with the inhabitants of my household
Gonna take the pg test and the boots opk tonight and will probably put on a sexy number & BD as it’s CD13 aaaaand OPK was positive today (2 negatives yesterday). Will Deffo keep you posted xx

How are things going for you? And all the other lovely ladies here? xxx

@danielasummer unfortunately, as I suspected, AF got me this morning after a couple of crampy days. Starting to feel like it'll never happen for us. Trying to keep positive though, and OH tries to keep me positive but I felt so down about it all yesterday. Going to try to stick to a really healthy diet, already taking all the supplements recommended in the book, have cut out nail varnish and any beauty products with parabens in, don't use BPA containing products. Trying to maximise vitamin D levels by being in the garden a lot during this awful lockdown. At least this is a new cycle and we can get on with this next go around.

@danielasummer omg amazing news!!! So happy for you!! 🥰

Thank you @danielasummer ! I am still waiting for AF 🙄 I have had lots of watery/lotion CM the past 3 days so I’m hoping it’s a sign she’s on her way! (Who ever thought I’d be wishing her to come)

@Pixielou16 sorry to hear AF came. There’s so much going on in the world at the moment, I’m sure it can’t be helping with people TTC!

@Niisa keeping my fingers crossed you get your positive OPK!!

@ChampooPapi How are you?!