AF arrived today - Testing mid June

[SaraVB]

Hi all, Just got AF today after 1st cycle of TTC. AF was late this month so I really got my hopes up only for a BFN and a big disappointment yesterday evening when AF showed up so I'd really enjoy some company this time around.

I've decided to start using opks this month to get a better estimate of ovulation as I have longer cycles approx 32-35 days so I bought some cheapies for now. Anyone have any useful tips on how best to go about using them?

I'm very sorry to hear about your BFN! And I totally understand your disappointment. It's funny, I always had extremely regular cycles but started being late off-and-on after starting the TTC journey. Our bodies like to play nasty tricks on us...

I'm just a few days off (AF due Wed, BFN yesterday, 29-30 day cycles) and more than happy to have some company too! This was our 10th cycle so it is getting more and more frustrating every time, but I look forward to AF making an appearance at this point, so we can try again.

I started using cheapie OPKs this cycle. It was quite clear for me to tell when it went positive, but my only tip would be to keep them throughout the cycle as it's easier to compare them rather than looking at them separately.

Fingers crossed that this is our month, and I hope you're feeling better today.

Thanks for the message, it actually really helped. I don't think my partner understands the pressure of it all especially since we only started TTC recently. But feeling much better now aside from bad cramps... just looking forward to AF being over and being able to try again. I was never really late before this either.. i think the stress and anxiety of it all can't help much as well.

Once the opk is positive then that means you're ovulating shortly after right?

Keeping my fingers crossed for you all the same and if it turns out as you suspect here's hoping that next month is our month...

@SaraVB totally echo what you say about the OH not getting how much pressure it is. It gets quite all consuming and frankly a bit much at times. I'm a little later than you and @beachbum85, I'm 1DPO and on cycle 3 of TTC our first. We were successful in Cycle 2 but had a MC, so back to it now.

I'm in awe of some of the women on this forum and how organised they are with their OPKs. I personally use CB digitals and find them super easy.

Good luck this cycle, both of you :-)

@jazzibelle I'm so sorry about your MC, but glad to hear you're back to TTC and my fingers are crossed for you too!

@SaraVB thank you! I also echo how stressful and all-consuming it can be and how it's hard to get DP to understand. He is very carying and motivated to make it happen, but for months I felt like he wasn't paying attention to the details at all. He's much better now but he still struggles with understanding the anxiety of the TWW or taking a test, although he's always ready to give comforting cuddles, so I'm definitely not complaining

I used CB digitals sometimes in the past and I agree that they are so much easier. I tried the cheapie ones this time to see if they match up (and they did) and I also felt like I didn't mind testing more often (CB can get expensive). Yes, once it's positive you're likely to ovulate 24-48h after, I believe.

@beachbum85 thanks, hoping this month we're successful again and it's a sticky one!

@jazzibelle really sorry to hear about your MC. I hope this is your lucky month!

Thanks both for the advice.. I'll try out these cheapie ones for now and if I find them too irritating to use then I'll use go with the CB.

@beachbum85 My DP's also very caring and sweet but he wanted to go with the flow and see what happens. At first he was also against using opks because he didn't want to feel like we had to DTD. I think now he's starting to realise that I find the whole process stressful regardless, so planning a bit actually helps. Have to say I was really proud of myself for waiting until I was 2 days late to test but wanted to strangle him when I told him I'd done the test he said oh already.. you weren't that late were you? hahaha

I guess it's just so different for them that we must seem a bit mad hehe our 2 days late feels like 2 weeks, but for them it's nothing! Maybe we just have to resign ourselves to that, and be thankful we have MN to know we're really not crazy after all

I was initially thinking like your DP in that I preferred not to use OPKs as it does make it feel a bit more 'forced', but eventually I got curious and now I feel like having a plan helps, you're right. At least I don't get to the end of the cycle thinking I might have missed a month's opportunity...

Yes exactly I agreed at first.. but then I still had the predicted ovulation date on my app so just made myself even crazier wondering whether it was accurate or not!

Coming to the end of it finally! hoping to start TTC again soon!

How are you doing @beachbum85 @jazzibelle?

That's good! Finally the fun can start again

I'm still waiting for AF... I can feel it coming, so any moment now...

Hi everyone!

Just thought I'd pop in and see how you're doing... must be somewhere in the TWW now as well?

I took some time of MN after AF last month, but AF is due again next week and I can't help but think about TTC most of the time... so might as well be on here

Baby dust all around!