TTC Cycle 12 - SMEP

[LSL0708]

Hi
I’m totally new to this but hoping to speak with people in a similar situation. I had the implant removed beginning of June 2019 and have had regular 28/29 day cycles since. But, 11 cycles in and no BFP Just read up on SMEP (Sperm Meets Egg Plan) and thought I’d give it a go this month. Is anyone else trying/tried this?

Hi there!

Also pretty new to this (I've been on here a week or so), 10 cycles in, no BFP and I've always had regular cycles, so very similar! We're trying SMEP for the first time this month - I'm currently around 9dpo and should test on Monday, but I have my usual pre-AF symptoms so I'm not getting too excited

Where in your cycle are you? X

Morning @beachbum85 x
I only joined yesterday, but had read quite a few threads and thought it would be great to talk to people in similar situations. I've only told my Mum and one friend (who is now pregnant) we are trying, so feel like I need a bit of support from somewhere.
How did you find SMEP? Had you been testing for ovulation before that?
I'm only on day 6 so haven't actually started trying the plan yet.
I have my fingers crossed for you on Monday. Hopefully this is your month xx

Hi both, I tried SMEP last month - first proper month/cycle I think after coming off pill in January. Comforting knowing I’m covering every base. It is exhausting be warned!! Sad AF arrived yesterday but longer cycle (25days) so hopefully I’m sorting out now. Excited for a new cycle day 1 and more anticipation. Think now first month is out I might calm down. Knew I wouldn’t be as lucky as last time realistically but still had that little bit of hope!

Let’s go for it!

Hi @Excitablemuch
Not good news about AF arriving. But pleased you're feeling positive about the new cycle. I think I'm getting more anxious as each cycle passes with no BFP
Oh no! I was worried about it being exhausting and feeling a bit mechanical. But I feel like I have to give it a shot.
How did you find the ovulation tests? I've not used them yet, but heard they can be hard to read?
Fingers crossed this is our month x

Hi @Excitablemuch sorry to hear AF is here but glad your cycle is getting better and you're excited for next round! Hope it'll be the one

I totally agree: it's exhausting and mechanical - I surely didn't enjoy that part of it and I don't think my OH did either - but it's comforting knowing you're doing all you can. Although I'm trying to be realistic, I do have some extra hope this month after trying something new... I sometimes tracked ovulation before, but not every month, and we had never tried DTD 3 days in a row.

@LSL0708 good luck starting the plan in a couple of days! The planner in me actually enjoyed organizing it all
I felt OK with the ovulation strips - first time I used those rather than the digital tests but I could see a clear difference on the day I got 2 positive tests. I know I ovulate early, so I started testing CD8 and got the positive CD10.

Fingers tightly crossed xx

Thanks @beachbum85. I'll let you know how I find it. Haha. I did get excited at the prospect of making a colourful calendar.
Fingers crossed I manage with the strips ok. I've read you can get positive tests for a few days, so I'm unsure when to know I should DTD 3 days in a row?
Stay hopeful. It's good to be positive! Let us know how testing on Monday goes. Fingers crossed xx

Hi just popped on to offer a little hope, me and DP did SMEP last cycle and I'm now 5w2d pregnant so in my case it worked, hope it works for you guys x

Congratulations @Maidmummy that is amazing news! Thanks for sharing!

Thanks @LSL0708, I'll try
In my case it was pretty clear - 2 tests, same day. I attached a pic but please ignore the terrible sticky tape and general state of that collection of OPKs (my calendar looked better than that ). I'm not sure what you should do if you get positive tests for multiple days, I guess keep DTD even if it's more than 3 days in a row?

That's fab news @Maidmummy Congratulations Thanks for sharing x

Thanks @beachbum85. From that it is clear to see. Hopefully mine goes the same way. Great idea to keep them too. I hadn't thought of that! Maybe that would be the best option... that will be exhausting Haha.

I used cheap OPKs and combined them with clear blue last month. Tested at 12pm and 4pm with cheap ones from day 7 (I had no idea when I would ovulate as first cycle). They didn't seem to get darker at all and then I got some EWCM and one that looked a little darker at that point I switched to the Clear Blue (first thing in the morning)- tested CD 12 and 13 and nothing then on CD 14 I got a smiley. Only got it on one day but CD 13 OPK was pretty dark in the afternoon so may have got one in the evening that day too?!

Feel a bit more confident this month as have an idea of timings. Will still cheapy from CD 7/8 and then once looks a bit darker or have EWCM will do Clear Blue. 2 days of EWCM before smiley this month. Recorded all on my app as well.

Have been looking at the advanced monitor thing but not sure I can justify £200! DH would do his nut!

We ended up 4 days in a row as we got smiley on day and had DTD the night before. Was very mechanical and the last one after missing a day was a REAL effort! We were both looking forward to a rest but had a good laugh about how ridiculous it was :-) think I like it better than just blindly every other day for the whole cycle though. Have a rest to look forward too

Thanks @Excitablemuch. I've only got the cheapys so hopefully I can make sense of them. If not, I'll get some Clear Blue for next cycle.
£200 is pricey. Especially when you're only on your second cycle. It's so hard not to get wrapped up in it though. People say don't think about it and it will happen... it's impossible not to think about it!
Which app are you using? I've had Flo since we started trying. I used it a lot at the beginning, but haven't so much the last few cycles.
Day 8 for me on Saturday so the fun begins then. I get what you mean about every other day. That's what I've been more or less sticking to, but it hasn't done the trick yet, so hoping this may do it.
Has anyone used pressed? I read about it in a chat on here. I've ordered some from Amazon so I have that to use alongside SMEP.
Also, what are everyone's thoughts on other things they suggest help; such as not drinking alcohol, no hot baths etc? Has anyone tried this?x

Yeah I think I'll hold off on the big purchase for a while at least.

I've got the PTracker app - it's ok but I have heard good things about flo so might look at that as well. Haven't used preseed but have seen quite a bit about it. Might have a look at ordering some.
I'm not drinking alcohol and have cut all fizzy drinks (aspartame meant to not be good), I've also cut my coffees down to one caffeine and the rest decaf (depressing) treated myself to a Diet Coke and two coffees today as AF here! I've been trying to workout most days and watch the calories as well. Got about 10lbs I should shift so am using this next month to focus on being as healthy as possible!

It's all consuming.... I need to be at work more it would take my mind off it!!

I haven't used Preseed either but it seems like a lot of women on here think it's great - might need to give it a try next time round but I've been avoiding it so far as it seems like it's one more thing that adds to making DTD a bit of a chore...

I haven't done too much apart from taking Seven Seas and EPO. I don't have hot baths or drink coffee anyway, but I still have a glass of alcohol every now and again (not as often as before but maybe a couple of glasses of wine a week). I feel like being on lockdown has helped be a bit healthier
I'm also working out regularly but nothing crazy.

I guess the only real change is that I'm trying to lie down with my hips up for about 15min after DTD. I feel a bit ridiculous but some people swear it makes all the difference, so I thought it'd be worth a try

Yeah, I've cut down on things, but haven't cut anything out completely. Oh the whole lying with your hips up... you do feel ridiculous don't you?! I've done it a few times but not every time after DTD.
It is so consuming. But I don't think there's a way to stop feeling like that. You can't just switch off from it.
Is it testing day tomorrow @beachbum85? If so, I'm sending lots of luck your way. Let us know how you get on x

Thank you so much @LSL0708!
Unfortunately it's a BFN for me at 13dpo Not surprising but disappointing just the same. So, onto cycle 11 for us and we've just been talking about maybe getting a couple's MOT to figure out if something's wrong before I hit 35...

I'm hoping that the next few days will be a less all-consuming, at least, but I'll be keeping my fingers tightly crossed for you ladies, and looking forward to your updates!

Sorry to hear that @beachbum85
Onwards and upwards.

Have been trying to focus on looking at statistics around age and they are positive I might just have to wait a bit. Also everyone I see pregnant over 35 is filling me with hope! Pre seed arrived yesterday so we'll see what all the fuss is about this month! Hoping for a slightly longer literal phase as my body gets used to no contraceptive.

@Excitablemuch thank you very much
Wasn't feeling too great earlier (also because I had forgotten it's mother's day where we're from today, and all my social media is plastered with that, rightly so) but I'm keeping my chin up and I think I might look at some statistics and success stories too!

Good luck with your LP and let us know how it goes with the Preseed

Hi everyone I am doing smep plan this month too.
I was a day late so dtd cd9,11,13,15. I got peak lh tests on cd14 and 15 so think I ovulated yesterday so going to DTD again today.

Aw, sorry to hear that @beachbum85. Think positively for this new cycle!

I'm hoping to see the GP after this cycle, if this isn't our lucky one. But I don't know how far we'll get with what's going on in the world right now. Just crossing my fingers this is the one for us!

I think it's hard as you see lots of people falling pregnant and assume they have fallen no problem but you don't know what they've gone through, how long it's taken etc. I try to look at it in the sense that my chance increases with every cycle. But it is hard not to feel down and worried.

I have preseed too @Excitablemuch I'm thinking of waiting until my +OPK to use it. Kind of dreading it to be honest. It seems a bit of a pain. But it's worth a shot. Let me know your thoughts.

Hi @Hopefulmummie. How are you finding SMEP so far?

x

@LSL0708 it's been different lol definitely a lot of work especially as DH broke a bone in his leg half way through 🙈 but we still.managed to DTD twice since.
Just hope it pays off.

How have you found it?

Oh god. That doesn't sound good. Haha. Hope he's ok. Fingers crossed it's worth the hard work.
I'm actually only on day 9. So not into it properly yet. I'll let you know how I'm getting on when I'm a few days in. I've not used the tests before so I'm more worried about getting those right xx

That was my first time using the tests too I used the femometer app and it helped read them for me

Hey!

How is everyone getting on?

I'm currently on day 12 and managing ok so far. 3 days of OPKs and 3 negatives. But I wasn't expecting a positive this early in my cycle, so no worries yet. Thinking of starting 2 tests a day from day 14 maybe? What have you guys done?

X

Only on cd 8 so have done my OPK yesterday and today. Starting the DTD marathon tonight. Think I am going to save the pre seed for when I get near ovulation. Cheap OPKs once a day until day 10 and then twice with a CB digital if I get tetchy! Last month I got a slightly darker one and then next morning static smiley.

Last month was day 13/14 the only 10 day LP so hoping for either longer cycle or earlier ovulation this month. Will use the pre seed when I get near ovulation I think. Last month my EWCM started about day 12 so looking out for that as well.

Feeling a bit nervous actually - weirdly. But also excited that I could be pregnant before the end of the month!!

Yeah I think I'm going to keep the preseed for when I test positive. I'm not looking forward to it if I'm honest!

I only have the cheapies. Starting to wish I'd bought a few CB now. But we'll see how it goes. I can get some CB for next month if I struggle with these.

I always focus DTD around day 14 with having a 28/29 day cycle. But I've started using my app again this month and it says day 17. So I may have been missing it in previous cycles. Hopefully testing and taking more notice of CM will help.

Fingers crossed you get a longer LP or cycle this month

xx