TTC baby no.1- totally have this sussed right?.. wrong!

[Lellis92]

Hi everyone, totally new to this but feeling a bit confused and hoping to find some people in the same boat!
Aged 28, current mama to only fur babies 🐶🐶TTC baby no.1

So we are due to get married in May and have been holding out for a year til an acceptable time to start trying for a baby as we are both desperate, held off til now as we thought on off chance it happened first time I wouldn’t be too far gone by the wedding... have been using OPK for the last 6 months and an app to try and get an idea of my cycle, average 30 days with positive ovulation tests so far always on days 14 or 15 .. totally Sussed my cycle right?? WRONG!
First month of trying currently on day 16 and no positive ovulation tests .... whats going on?!
Worried I’m not ovulating or something’s gone wrong somewhere - anyone had similar experiences or in the same boat starting the journey?
Get involved please 😘

[Balbaby]

Hi @Lellis92, thats a shame..sorry to hear that! Although at least now you can start afresh and have the symptoms under your belt to know if anything changes this month.

[Lellis92]

@Balbaby good luck!!! AF came for me in the end but I spotted heavy and brown for a few days well before it came I was so confused!
But brushing back off now ready to start trying again- another month just have to stay positive! Xx

[Balbaby]

Hi ladies, how is everyone doing? Im now 8 DPO and still waiting :) Hope everyone is getting on ok?

[Wearyandfeelingold]

@Lellis92, @Balbaby and @MummyMooCow....definitely a lot to take in....least we can get help and advice on here!!

[Lellis92]

@Wearyandfeelingold no probs I’m no expert but I enjoy using them, I actually use the clear blue ones that are pink in colour that detect your two most fertile days (opposed to the 4) but same concept you need to buy the sticks again but amazon is usually a pretty good price for them!

@MummyMooCow hi! We literally do sound very similar haha! Yeah we tried before and it was really hard I’m only on month one now due AF on Sunday so we will see but I’m not holding out much hope now! We aimed to dtd every other day too and then I do the ovulation tests just for peace of mind - and then we make sure to do it that day and 2 following 😊 what part of your cycle are you in now?

I had more dark brown discharge again today same as yesterday morning time! Have no idea what it is!! Not due for another 4 days yet x

[Balbaby]

@Wearyandfeelingold This is where is becomes pricey because you cant buy the strips separately, they only come with the digital test. You can use the digital test again once your two days of static smileys have gone, but only if you have strips left. Otherwise you need to buy the whole pack again. I think you can buy packs with more than 10 strips though, so that way you one pack should last more than one cycle if you need it to.

[MummyMooCow]

You sound like me. I'm 27, recently married and TTC baby number 1. Only got 3 fur babies lol 😂
It's stressful isn't it, all the planning and effort just to get another negative 🙁
We just do the deed every other day when it's not the time of the month and hope for the best because my ovulation is all over the place.

[Wearyandfeelingold]

Thank you @Lellis92 and @Balbaby for all your help and advice. I will definitely get a CB OPK and start using....random question..it says it comes with 10 strips...once you use those 10 do you have to buy a new reader or can you buy more strips for the reader? Sorry for the questions!! Thank you.

[Lellis92]

@Nmew how exciting!
Ah really? Well I’ve had spotting since 5dpo on and off and cramps and backache almost everyday! But will probs end up being nothing now...
I was going to test tomorrow at 12dpo but I think I’m going to try and hold out til Sunday now when I’m due! I’ve waited this long so thinking a couple more days won’t hurt 🙈

[Nmew]

@Balbaby According the online due date calculators, it'll be early October.

The only symptom I currently have is very sore nipples and sensitive boobs lol some random cramps but nothing that feels that out of the ordinary. If I hadnt tested I wouldve sworn I wasnt pregnant and AF was just on the way lol

Sorry for tempting you @Lellis92 I applaud your will power! how long do you plan to wait to test?

[Lellis92]

@Foreverblowingbubbles18 ooh good luck! You never know though I mean when we think about it it’s super early to get symptoms isn’t it! If mine aren’t pregnancy symptoms I’m definitely going to need to go to the doctors as I’ve had so many things I’ve never had before but trying to stay level headed as it’s only the first month! X

[Foreverblowingbubbles18]

@Lellis92 @Balbaby yes am in my TWW, though I don't have any symptoms whatsoever whereas I did last time round so am not confident xx

[Lellis92]

@Balbaby thanks haha! I nearly cracked today but really want to wait as long as I can so I’m more likely to get a positive if i am- worries if I test now it’ll be negative and il get caught up and end up doing loads!

[Balbaby]

@Lellis92 you are being very disciplined I must say!

[Lellis92]

Yes good luck! There is so much to take in -but we are all in the same boat and there’s lots of support around!
I’m dieing to test it’s killing me 🙈!

[Balbaby]

@Wearyandfeelingold thank you same to you! I got mine from amazon but I've seen them in Superdrug and other supermarkets too for the same price :)

[Wearyandfeelingold]

Thank you @balbaby....there definitely is a lot of information to get your head around and I am trying to not get too caught up in it all and just be relaxed...but then I keep thinking about it, so not sure that is working! Lol!

I will probably get the Clearblue Ovulation kit if you think it is good...did you buy online or where is the best place? I have no idea if dtd every other day is the way to go...again I am just reading and taking advice, but will give it a try this month and see what happens. I hope everything goes well for you @balbaby...so much information to take in!!

[Balbaby]

@Wearyandfeelingold Me too, I'm always reading through for advice and reassurance :) Its a lot to get your head around isn't it!

From what I know (although Im no expert) the clearblue digital test is unlike other OPKs because it measures two types of hormone to flag ovulation. It says it measures your 4 most fertile days, which is the two days before ovulation and then the day of ovulation and 24 hours after.

You usually start it from cycle day 5 - 20 depending on the length of your normal cycles. I didn't know so I started on day 7, although they do have a calculator on their website to recommend what day you start. It then measures the levels of hormones and gives you either a circle symbol which means low fertility, or a flashing smiley which means high fertility - the flashing smiley normally lasts for 2 days before you ovulate although I have read on some forums that the flashing smiley can last up to about a week it depends on different people's hormone levels. Then 24 hours before you are meant to ovulate when the hormones peak, the smiley goes static and stays like that for 2 days. You then stop using the tests until the next month again (well hopefully you wont need to the next month :) )

I've read dtd every other day is better too - I think its good to do every other day in the build up to ovulation and then a couple of days in a row when you see your peak result - but I am literally going by what I've read not my own experience.

[Wearyandfeelingold]

Hi @balbaby and @Lellis92, thank you for the welcome! This is all new to me so I thought this would be a good place to get some advice. How does the clearblue ovulation test work...do you test every day or just certain days? I have been on Folic Acid + Vitamin D for the past few months and have just tried to be quite laid back about everything but now I am thinking that I definitely maybe need to monitor things a bit more to make sure we are dtd at the right time. Lol! Though I read somewhere were they suggest every two days can increase your chances too rather than just around ovulation time....

Glad to hear that you don't think we have left things too late...hope it all goes ok....

[Lellis92]

@Nmew wow congratulations! So exciting for you - I’m still going to try and hold out a few days longer although seeing your test has really made me want to test right now!!!

@Wearyandfeelingold of course!
Ah I work as a nanny and almost all of the families I have worked for the parents have been mid- late thirties having their babies definitely not too late!
I agree on the clear blue OPK they really help me, I also have an app called Flo that I then log all of my symptoms/period dates/ ovulation tests in etc so it’s all in one place!

[Balbaby]

Hi @Wearyandfeelingold I didnt find the apps that useful to start off with but that was mainly because I had no idea of my natural cycles so they didnt really have any historic data to predict from. If you know your cycle dates and they tend to be regular than I think the apps should work well. The cheapy OPK sticks from amazon are ok, but a few of us have said how you end up convincing yourself of the change in colour... its not very black and white.

I would recommend the clearblue digital ovulation tests, but you have to start them at a certain point in your cycle (their website recommends when based on your usual cycle length).

I dont think late 30s is too late at all, I know plenty of people who have conceived in that time!

[Balbaby]

Thats handy being off :) Haha how lovely for you both! See there is some positives in testing early... I know its a risk but at least this way you have put yourself out your misery much earlier and you can now start celebrating. You've saved yourself another few days of wondering.

You will have to keep us updated still with your progress/symptoms etc. When are you thinking you will be due?

[Nmew]

No thankfully I’m off work today, thank goodness because I’m all over the place now haha DH is excited he’s been talking all about bay names and how long we have to wait to tel people. I’ll have to get booked in to the docs and see what they say!

[Balbaby]

Wow @Nmew congratulations! Your right theres no denying that one :) How exciting!!! Are you at work now? If so its must be such a struggle trying to act normal! What did dh say?

[Nmew]

Well ladies I held for 5 hours and tested on a first response early and I can’t really deny that line. I’m shaking in pure shock!