Any buddies trying SMEP for the first time this cycle?

[HopeWish]

Hello all!

I am 26, and trying for my first baby. I'm currently on CD4 of Cycle 3. After two cycles of only DTD a few times in fertile window and no result, DH and I are going to give the Sperm Meets Egg Plan a go this cycle.

For those who don't know, the plan goes like this:

-> From CD 8 DTD every other day until a positive OPK.

-> Start testing with OPKs daily from CD 10 (but I will be using earlier as O'd on CD11 last month!)

-> From positive OPK DTD on the day of the + OPK and two days after, then miss a day and DTD again the next day.

We will also be using pre-seed for the first time this month.

Is there anybody else who is doing SMEP this month? Or anybody who has tried it before successfully or unsuccessfully?

After the disappointment of AF arriving early, I'm excited to start a new cycle.

@bulliedintonamechange oh congratulations! Thanks so much for sharing, love hearing success stories 😄

@bulliedintonamechange that brilliant I've heard such good things about this plan it
Makes me feel more hopeful !

@cherrychatter I call it the passion killer , I've used it a couple times and hasn't really
Made a difference (I'm still here) so I think perhaps it does work but hasn't for me ! X

@cherrychatter 2-3 days is normal I think. It should be bright red, no brown (not even at the end). Any brown is blood from months before apparently.
I fell in the first 2 months with both. So this time is very different. Not sure if its age (I'm 38) or scar tissue from last pregnancies. Or just lack of energy! Who knows! But managing to keep quite positive. And enjoying finding out so much more about my body than before.
Is anybody doing other things like tempting, acupuncture or massage? Tried all at various points, and seeing amazing progress and understanding of what's going on. But also still here!
I'm really bad at reading OPKs so find that bit quite frustrating.

@SmileyT very important jobs keeping everything going round! Yes I can imagine three days in a row when you're on shifts is hard. Just do what you can I guess?!

@Seafrontsky it's strange how our bodies work. Admittedly I've learnt so much in the past 9 months that I'd never thought about! Glad you're managing to keep as positive about it as you can.

I'm just starting temping this cycle and need to do a little more reading on it. Have heard acupuncture is great but I've a bit of a needle phobia so it's a no for me for now.

I've not much experience on reading the lines on OPK's just use the clearblue fertility monitor which does it for you!

Evening again 😊

@bulliedintonamechange congratulations! thank you so much for sharing. Hope everything is going well for you.

Hi to @Seafrontsky and @SmileyT, thank you for sharing your journeys, it’s felt a lonely road for me so far but the more ‘real’ stories I read the more I’m feeling positive. @Seafrontsky have you tried one of the apps that reads OPK’s for you? I’ve never had an obvious positive but I’ve learned what my peak seems to look like, and it matches with the Clearblue monitor so either my surge is really short or the cheapies aren’t the best!

@cherrychatter sounds like we’ve switched places... I’m originally from that way but been up here a long time now. And I think we can agree that since we’re all similarly obsessed with tracking/temping/nutrition (as I’m sat here eating ice cream - full fat dairy is good tho right?!) that it’s completely normal and our DP’s just don’t realise 😂

CD 8 and OH is on another night shift so we made our start a little early 😬 we’re fortunate that lockdown is actually helping - I’d normally be on shifts too tho a different job to him and we sometimes go several days without seeing each other. I totally understand how difficult it can be to time things, especially when you’d rather not make it need a booking system 😂

Hope everyone’s had a good weekend 🙂

@Seafrontsky yes we will do what we can, luckily he kinda works four on four off so if it falls on CD13 as I'm expecting he is home for those days so we'll be a go 🥳

@cherrychatter 6 weeks ago I didn't even know what BBT, coq10, opks or even ttc was but like you say if we are all doing it, it must be normal 🤗 Luckily my OH completely humours me, although he may get sick of me showing him my lh tests and temp chart every day if this takes a year 😂

@GiraffeInScarf yay I'm also CD8 so we are cycle buddies, how long are your normal cycles? My OH is also on a night shift tonight so as soon as he woke up this afternoon after a night shift last night I jumped on him. My OH was actually whinging that it was only every other day but not sure he'll feel that way at the end of the month 🙈

@SmileyT well that would be handy and tie in pretty nicely. Where are you on cycle?

@GiraffeInScarf hi! Lovely weekend thanks painting the hallway what did you get up to? Yes it can be lonely, but sorry to hear you've felt that way. How long has it been for you? Lockdown is definitely working for us too, much nicer to see each other more rather than schedule in BD. Hopefully with all the lockdown BD this will be our month!
Good tip on the app for reading OPKs. Any recommendations? Will give that a go.

@cherrychatter aren't our bodies amazing! It's all so interesting. I've been tempting for about 6 months, it's been really useful for acupuncturist to regulate my cycle. Maybe share your charts on here if you have any questions? Needs to be taken before you get up or speak first thing, and you need to have had a good 3 hrs sleep. I found doing one each side of under the tongue right to the back gave most even results but they can vary. But giving it a break for a bit, partly because batteries have run out and I cant traipse around the shops right now! Acupuncture would be no good if you have a fear of needles no! Been great for me as I has csection scarring that was making everything numb. Feels so much better now.

Hi @Seafrontsky I'm CD9 today and in that hopeful stage of TTC 😂 where are you in your cycle? I saw from your earlier post that this is number 3, are you home with your two at the moment? I'm trying to stay really positive this month as went into a bit of a rabbit hole last month straight after MC 🙁

@SmileyT you're a few days ahead of me, I'm on day 5. Getting ready for all the action!
I dont doubt last month was tough for you, how awful. Just try to be kind to yourself. Shout if I can help at all.
Yes 2 at home. They are 7 and almost 4 so it's full on right now, but trying to enjoy it because it such crazy times!

Ahh @Seafrontsky such fun ages 🤗

Bit of a stupid question for the group... I'm trying to do SMEP pretty much to the letter this month but I just wanted to double check that there was no issue with having sex on the days in between? Im guessing the answer is the more times the better but just checking whether I need to reign OH in a bit 🙈

@SmileyT as far as I can see there is no problem with dtd more often. People have differing opinions about whether it is better to dtd every day vs every other day but most of what I have read says that every day is actually slightly better than EOD.

CD 13 for me today and so far managed dtd on CD 7, 9 and 11. No peak OPK yet but did have some EWCM this morning so hoping ovulation is imminent!
Do you think I should get DTD for the 3 days now due to EWCM or wait for +OPK? Don't want to tire either of us out and dont think we could cope with more than 3 days in a row!

oops I am CD 12 not 13! So easy to lose track!

Hi @HopeWish I don't feel like an expert about this but last night I read if you are doing this plan and you don't get a positive OPK stick to every other day until AF. Hope that helps.

@SmileyT I think it's more about not wearing yourselves out for ovulation! But if you both have the stamina and feel up for it that should be ok?

@HopeWish do you normally ovulate day 14? How long is your cycle? I think keep going every other day till you see a positive OPK? EWCM can go on for a few days I think? Absolutely no expert at all though!

Hi ladies,
I also don't think it does any harm to DTD more often if you have the stamina!! The plan does say every other day until +OPK but I don't see that it would have a detrimental effect!
There seems to be conflicting views on whether having sex every day reduces spent count or not but I think it's more a matter of option.
If you fancy it, go for it!
How many OPK's are you doing each day @HopeWish ? Maybe try an AM & PM if you think you're close then you won't miss a day?

@HopeWish @Seafrontsky @cherrychatter
Thanks for your responses I had the same view, I am CD10 today but DP fancied it yesterday and was just trying to work out if that would 'ruin our chances'. Definitely not going to be everyday throughout cycle at all but also trying to ensure DP doesn't think I'm only using him for his swimmers 😂

Hope everyone is having a good day and feeling positive ❤️

My first message for a while! Been a pretty tough week as my dad has just had a heart attack (only 60!) so trying to keep on track with with SMEPing has been hard.

I've never used the cheapie OPKs before and am worried I'm not doing them right. When do you guys find best to take them? Do you get results like mine attached and then all of a sudden it just goes super dark?

CD11 test below at midday

Hi @LottieX

Yes thats what I did last month. used them AM and PM and got results like yours most days then had a peak for 2 days then went back to like yours. Some people get a "gradient" getting gradually darker up to peak. I have found that they get slightly darker near peak but still suddenly jump to dark when on surge.

To the questions from others about my cycle length - I don't really know. Had implant out in Feb and had withdrawal bleed then 35ish days before my first period. Last cycle was 21 days though (ovulated day 11). Don't know when to expect ovulation this cycle. Currently CD13 and feeling anxious that havent had +OPK yet - though I know I am at the start of normal fertile window.

Have managed DTD CD 7, 9, 11 and 13 so far although starting to flag a bit and joping for +opk soon so I dont get tired out before the 3 days! Not sure I will do the last day of SMEP...

@LottieX sorry about your dad hope he recovers soon. Yeah mine have been about the same as yours and I'm CD11, last month I didn't track the first half of the month but was pretty faint until one day it was high, next morning it was peak, following evening it had dropped to high and then went back to a faint line again. I don't think you are doing anything wrong x

@LottieX so sorry to hear about your dad, is he recovering ok?
Yes that seems about right from me too. I think someone suggested testing morning and evening close to ovulation which seems a good idea as it's easy to miss. Good luck!

Sorry to hear about your dad @LottieX can't contribute much on the OPK's as I use a different kind but starting on your kind in a few days but my understanding was exactly what the others have said.

@HopeWish maybe your cycles are still working themselves out. I don't normally get my peak until CD18 earliest, sometimes it's CD25. Currently on CD7 so starting properly tomorrow.

Afternoon ladies 🙂 I’m back, DP had a rare couple of days off so we had a ‘holiday at home’ trying to break the Groundhog Day that is lockdown. CD 12 now and SMEP going to plan so far, the Clear Blue monitor gave me a ‘high’ today, exactly the same as the last 2 months. I’m nothing if not predictable it seems 😂 Now I’m not sure whether we should do our 3 consecutive days from now tho, if I ovulate on Saturday 🤔 any thoughts?

@Seafrontsky lovely to have a cycle buddy! How’s it going for you? After the pill I’ve settled into 30 days every time, ovulating day 14. It’s so regular it’s almost making me paranoid... just shows we’ll always find a way to make ourselves worried tho!

@SmileyT I use the femometer app, I have the thermometer so use it for BBT but was late realising that it read OPK’s too. I find having a number on it makes it easier to gauge how they’re coming along and a bit less guess work. And I don’t think there’s ever anything bad about DTD more often if you’re in the mood! I reckon many people try too much then run out of energy (and romance!) by the time it matters most.

@LottieX sorry to hear about your Dad, I hope that he’s making a good recovery now x. My cheapies look like yours, definitely don’t use FMU for them. For me they seem to go strongest around 2-6pm but the amount I’ve drunk seems to affect them a lot. I try to wait at least 4 hrs and drink less through the day, just catch up either side. My lines fade in from a couple of days before, today’s was a bit weaker than your pic.

@HopeWish sounds like you’re doing great! I know what you mean getting worried if it’ll come but sounds like your body is gearing up, EWCM is as good a sign as any that the positive OPK’s are on their way. Do you know how many days you normally get? Felt weird adding notes about it to an app at first but several months down the line I’m finding it helpful to look back.

@cherrychatter you must be feeling good to be starting properly now 🙂 fingers crossed, and hopefully not too long a cycle! At least the beginning bit is quite relaxed, I think SMEP takes some stress out of trying to do ‘enough’ and less worrying that you’re missing the best days.

Hope everyone is feeling good, loved reading how we’re all moving along 😊

@giraffeinscarf

I only got a peak on opks last month (which was on CD10 and 11), the month before I tested from start to end of cycle and no peak, but it was just after I had implant out so body may have been getting used to it!

CD14 today for me and no peak. OPKs have been the same for about 6 days now. Have got a bit more CM today so hoping ovulation is on the way. Ovia thinks I will ovulate tomorrow but I don't really trust apps to predict!