First time TTC - help please!! Any one else TTC for their first time?

[BeeR2009]

Hi everyone,

Me and my husband have made the decision to try for a baby - we had a talk last month after I thought I might be pregnant (we weren't actively trying) and after 12 years together feel that now is the right time.

I'm feeling really excited and a little nervous - I know it may take a while and I just want to be as prepared as possible and be doing as many of the right things as I can.

What do people recommend for trying to get pregnant? Is anyone else in the same boat and would like to keep in touch/progress?

I'm due to finish AF in around 2 days and due to ovulate around 28th according to my tracker app - I've got folic acid and vitamin D arriving tomorrow that I can start taking, what else can I be doing to prepare as much as possible? I know it sounds silly, but do we just start 'trying' as soon as my period is over?

Look forward to speaking to you all soon!

Thanks,

Bee x

Hi all,
Lovely to hear about your backgrounds! It's nice to make a bit of a connection but it can be so hard to keep up with everything on here!

I'm 36 so starting my TTC journey a bit late. I live in London in the UK and have lived here my entire life.
We're a bit late to the TTC party because we were never really in a rush to start a family. We both have good careers and we wanted to see alot of the world first and visit places that you would struggle to take a young child to comfortably.
We've done alot of that now but turning 36 made me have an absolute meltdown 😂
All of my friends and family have children and I have never really felt broody but suddenly I realised that if we leave it much longer it will be too late.
Plus early menopause runs in the family.
So, yeah, here we go 😂

@BeeR2009 so sorry to hear about having to cancel your wedding. It seems to be happening alot but, at least you know you're more likely to have everyone there for your big day!

@MintGreenLife crossing fingers for your wedding too!

Hi ladies,
Do you mind if I join too please?
I came off the pill at the end of March and the next day started on seven seas trying to conceive tablets. I have been using Flo but didn't use it as much until AF arrived yesterday (little bit gutted but only the second month so know it wasn't likely. Having been on the pill for 11 years and one where you don't tend to have periods I was surprised that my cycle seems to have synced so quickly to 28 days)
Originally planned to start trying in September but as Covid has cancelled all our plans we didn't want to put it off for another year.
Just turned 31, TTC baby number 1 and hoping for as many tips as possible! Xxx

Hi all, great to hear your backgrounds.

@MintGreenLife, I can’t imagine how you are feeling but you have been so positive to look forward to another chapter in your life, so that’s great.

I’m 31. My partner and I have just bought a house together (we lived somewhere else before which I had owned before I met him and so this place is finally home). It is the most child friendly area! It’s walking distance to a couple of good primary schools, near a few parks, near his parents etc so basically we feel really settled and ready to start a family.

Tom and I aren’t married but we met a little later in life (I know I’m not old but I was 29 at the time). When you’re that little bit older, things go pretty fast! We established ourselves in our careers already and already knew what we both wanted in life before we met. Less than two years later, we are picking baby names and looking at nursery decor!

@Peach1204 welcome!

I totally know what you mean about Covid putting things into perspective. I felt like delaying trying til around the same time as you. But I feel like when you’re ready, you’re ready. And reading a lot of posts on here, to fall pregnant within the first month would be extremely lucky!

Hey @Peach1204 :) I came off the pill recently too - in April. I had my withdrawal bleed a few days later and then that first cycle without the pill was 30 days. I'm on CD10 now so hoping I'm nor far off ovulation.

That's great you're straight back to a regular cycle. I really hope mine is the same. Like you I'm 31 and just trying to do our best with major life plans being cancelled this year. It's a strange time isn't it, but hopefully something positive will come from all of this.

What are you doing at the moment? OPKs, tracking your temperature etc? I've started using OPKs this cycle and am hoping to spot my surge soon. I read a really good book too which I found really helpful and informative - 'The impatient woman's guide to getting pregnant' xx

Thanks so much @LennyAndToots that's really sweet of you.

Sounds like you're set up really well to become parents :) our house actually backs onto a primary school. We bought it about a year and a half ago and I remember joking that when we have kids I can just pop them over the fence

You've probably already mentioned, but where are you at on your TTC journey? Are you using OPKs or anything else? xx

@LennyAndToots I think I could always find a reason for putting it off like money, wanting to go on more holidays but this situation has changed my priorities. We got married at the end of 2018 and on the day I was being asked about a baby and have put people off by saying I want to go to Canada and that trip hasn't happened. If it was it would delay another couple of years and I do worry about delaying it that long in case we have problems. Hopefully we don't have to wait too long for a BFP! Xxx

@MintGreenLife thank you I'm using Flo tracker app and the seven seas tablets but that is it. How about you? I've heard a lot about the ovulation tests but haven't looked into them myself. What do you think? I haven't looked into the temperature taking either. All thoughts welcome.

I have 2 more months worth of seven seas tablets then maybe thinking of changing to a his and hers vitamin pill. I might just be being impatient though! Xxx

Haha and I thought my 5 minute walk to the school was convenient - you’ve beat me to it @MintGreenLife!

It is my first month TTC. Downloading the Clue app and Fertility Friend is about as sophisticated I have been at tracking. From reading all of the comments, I think I should start using OPKs next cycle - missed out on this one - and now I’m doubting myself that my tracking wasn’t really that great on an app!

@Peach1204

I've only just gotten started with OPKs - I started testing after AF finished and am yet to see any kind of surge, but not due to ovulate for another 5 days. I guess they are helpful if you're not sure of your cycle like me, because of coming off the pill, or if you have irregular cycles :) I thought about temping too, but decided I might be over complicating things for my first cycle TTC. I'm tracking CM and doing OPKs at the mo, and expect that's quite enough for now ha.

I actually bought some Seven Seas but read a few reviews saying they messed with their cycle. I thought I best wait and check my cycle has become regular before introducing anything like that. I took one and then changed my mind ha. Been taking folic acid and vitamin D for about a month though x

Hi @MintGreenLife, Is the Vitamin D just stand-alone Vitamin D tablets? No particular brand? I’m just taking folic acid at the moment. X

@LennyAndToots it'll be so convenient to be honest I don't think we will be in this house long enough to get the benefit as my fiancé wants to move to the countryside asap...but we shall see.

TBH if you are doing the deed every other day at least you'll catch your peak regardless of whether you are tracking or not. We are DTD every other day and then plan to up it to everyday during fertile window, which you can only really be sure of is the right time by using OPKS, temping, looking at CM etc, but to be honest from what I've read doing it every day doesn't necessarily increase your changes any more than doing it every other day. Apparently highest chance of conceiving is the two days before ovulation, so if you're doing it every other day then you'll either catch two days before and day of, or three days before and day before, so gives you a pretty good chance :)

I'd say just do what feels right to you. I think mostly I'm using OPKs and tracking CM more so that I can get used to what my cycle is doing, as I was on the pill for 13 years before so hadn't had a natural cycle in so long x

@LennyAndToots yep I picked up my last lot in Lidl I think, and the previous lot I ordered from Amazon - vit D I've actually been taking since Jan for other reasons, and was pleased to see that it's one of supplements recommended for fertility along with folic acid :)

@MintGreenLife I had a look at a few different ones and swayed to these as heard pregnecare messed up people's cycles. What I might do is finish these packets then move onto folic acid and vitamin D which I guess do the same job but is 2 tablets instead of one. I didn't realise there were so many different things you could monitor when TTC! I might invest in OPKs just in case the app is getting it wrong.

I've heard people mention the TWW (two week window) before taking a test - in my head I was just thinking to take a test if AF is late. Never had in my head to take one before then. Anyone have any thoughts on this? Xxx

Hi ladies,

So good to see a fresh thread, hoping I can join you girls! Like most of you said, it gets a bit tricky on posts that women have started together for you to join in!

So I'm 31, I live in the Midlands and am supposed to be getting married on 31/08/20...looking highly unlikely! We were planning on TTC after the wedding but as it likely isn't happening we're starting now.
So I went a little obsessive from the off so here's where I currently am...

I came off the progesterone only pill on 26/04, I had a withdrawal bleed for three days within a few days, and then ovulated on 12/05 (opk was positive, had bbt temperature dip/spike and I had cramps for 3-4 hours during the afternoon. So I'm now 9dpo, I had cramping that came on in the afternoon on 7dpo until last night before bed. Woke up this morning and cramping has gone, no other symptoms. It's only our first month but I have the upmost respect for women who try for months/years, this two week wait is excruciating!!

Hopefully this thread brings us all baby dust and bfps sooner rather than later!!

Sorry for the essay!!

@Peach1204 I think I'll stick with Vitamin D and folic acid for now, but may try Seven Seas in the future :) it could be worth using them for one cycle just to see if when you actually ovulate and your fertile window aligns with your app?

I've just ordered my first bunch of pregnancy tests to be ready for the end of my cycle. I've been reading into this quite a bit and generally you should wait until the first day of your missed period I think. The book I read said testing earlier could result in negatives when you are actually pregnant, so saves unnecessary upset and disappointment. It seems lots of women test earlier, but I think I'll try my absolute best to wait until the day AF is due xx

@Rocky89 my wedding is booked for exactly a week after yours! I'm glad you've said this as lots of my friends keep saying 'surely it'll go ahead' and 'I'm keeping my fingers crossed' which is lovely, but I just can't see how it could go ahead, especially not in a normal way anyway. I feel better for accepting it most likely won't happen and planning to TTC instead.

Amazing you managed to catch your surge/ovulation first month. From what I can tell from CM (I wasn't using OPKs in the month I came off the pill) I ovulated on CD23 and then got AF a week later. A luteal phase that short wouldn't have been able to sustain a pregnancy anyway I don't think. I've read that can happen in the first cycle or two after coming off the pill, so hope it's a bit more normal this time round.

How long are you going to wait to test? Would be amazing if you caught first cycle.

Like you, basically as soon as we worked out the wedding probably wouldn't go ahead and decided to focus on TTC (only made that decision two weeks ago) I've been obsessed with learning as much as I can and doing all sorts of testing and charting ha. It takes my mind off the most-likely cancelled wedding though xx

MintGreenLife I TOTALLY get what you mean, it's annoying isn't it having people keep telling you it will be fine, I just don't see how it can be...I mean seating plans with 2metre social distancing, photos, ceremony etc...it's just not going to happen is it?! Like you I've started obsessing over this to ignore the wedding situation!

The biggest thing I've learnt is how much scare mongering there is in your teenage years, you're told you miss a pill or the condom splits and that's it you're going to get pregnant when actually it's an art form!
Like you I'm going to hold out until AF is due (27/05), as much as I want to know now, I think testing early is asking for disappointment personally even though some women do get positive results!
And if it's negative my reward is having a few gins haha.
I'd only got all prepared with bbt and opks as I'd read a lot about Cerazette that it can take time for you to start ovulating again after coming off it, but seems I'm ok on that front!

Yeah hopefully your cycle will be more settled! Where are you in your cycle now?

Hi @Rocky89 ! I'm with you - 31 from the midlands! Agree with the respect for those trying to a long time. I was disappointed yesterday when AF came so to have that disappointment each month is going to be tough and hopefully something we don't have to go through. Xxx

@MintGreenLife I'm with you on the testing side of things. My personal preference is after AF is late - might save money on lots of tests too although I think I'd probably do one at least for the first couple of days just to be sure! Xxx

@Peach1204 (yay it tagged you, couldn't tag mintgreenlife!)
Big up the Midlands!haha

Yes most definitely, sorry AF came knocking yesterday for you, but positive outlook, it's a new cycle and sprinkling baby dust this will be your month!xx

Can't tag you for some reason Rocky...

Urgh I know. Can you imagine not being able to hug your guests, and a socially distanced dance floor?! It would be such a weird vibe and not worth spending the money I don't think. Have you set a cut off date to make a decision about postponing? Don't think we will leave it any longer than 2 months before as otherwise it'll be a mad rush at the end and can't expect guests to all book flights and accommodation etc all of a sudden. I feel much better for accepting it's probably going to be cancelled, it took me months to get here though after a long while of feeling very anxious about it all. Our plan is to do a registry office wedding as soon as we can, and hopefully rebook for a similar time next year.

Oh gosh I know, so funny and doesn't prepare you well for the journey of TTC later in life. Oh are you tracking BBT then? That may be an indicator as to whether you're pregnant or not, as apparently your temp stays up. Maybe look into it? Haha that's the spirit, at least you can enjoy a gin if this month isn't your month.

I'm CD10 on second cycle after coming off the pill. Like you say I too read it can take a few months for your cycle to settle back down, so feel like tracking mine using OPKs was the way to go as if nothing else would like to know what's going on xx

@Rocky89 can tag you now...no idea why I couldn't. Anyway, new message for you above :)

@Rocky89 hahaha big it up!

Thank you lovely. One good thing is it synced with my other cycle after 11 years of the pill so I was happy with that and hoping that means I'm on a 28 day cycle.

Keeping everything crossed for you and chucking baby powder all over this thread! 😂 xxx

Hi
Can I jump in too? First time TTC this month, currently in the two week wait phase! Not expecting it to happen this time, I don’t want to make it to forced yet, just try let it happen if it happens! Sure I will change my mind in a few months if nothing happens!
How are you all coping with the thought of getting pregnant? I have been against having children, my niece is like my own, but me and DH felt it was either now or never and it feels right! But I am frightened, anxious and excited all at the same time!!

Hi @SK2970 😊

It's nice to have people who are in the early stages together.

In terms of how I'm feeling - I'm a worrier. Worried it won't happen, worried something will happen if it does, worried about getting it wrong and lessening chances. Try to push this to the back of my mind and just crack on! How about you?

Xxx