TTC Thread #2

[Daffodil21]

Continuing the original thread:

First time TTC - help please!! Any one else TTC for their first time? www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/3914013-first-time-ttc-help-please-any-one-else-ttc-for-their-first-time

Tagging those in my tag list - sorry if I've left anyone out or tagged people who don't want to be tagged!

@AlisonLew15 @Bam27 @CEW19 @Dreaming101 @HJen22 @LennyAndToots @M4v3r1ck @Mrskcam @Rocky89 @SVC11
@TerryRose

And of course, our graduates:
@Peach1204 @Poppyismyfavourite @Summertime1992 I'm sure everyone here would love to hear how you're getting on!

Hi @LennyAndToots I'm feeling pretty much the same. I realised I was getting a bit carried away with things and getting too upset about something that isn't really a problem right now.

So I decided that this month I'm going to try to relax and try not to overthink everything.

I have a couple of trips planned in the next few weeks too but not going to put anything on hold. I'm just thinking if it happens it happens and I'll just deal with it then!

@LennyAndToots Mine are always horrible. As if it isn't disappointing enough when AF shows up!!

@SaraVB nice to know we are both taking a relaxed approach. Yeah I suppose we can't put everything on hold.

I feel like if Covid hadn't have happened, we wouldn't be thinking about delays as trips etc would have happened and baby making would have been the main focus!

But if it is the main focus then it brings you down too... as it can be a long journey.

@LennyAndToots @SaraVB I’m the same as you both.. getting way to stressed/focussed on TTC when in reality it’s only been since March. I assumed it would be easy to conceive..
I have however booked in for blood tests in July as I’ve been two months now without AF but BFN’s!

@Dreaming101 oh no that must be hard, as you would be getting hopes up I suppose. Good you are acting on it though!

I'm also in the chilling the f* out boat! Just hoping that lasts in the TWW - easy to say now 😂

@Daffodil21 Yes I know what you mean, I said the same thing last month but I'm feeling a bit differently this time. And honestly just going to give myself a break. If I want a coffee or a glass of wine I'm not going to beat myself up about it. No more crazy online research and I'm only really following this thread.

I've had a lot of stress with work and just life, actually. As I'm sure we all have. I've gone to my GP and I am having cognitive behavioural therapy. My issue at the moment is perspective. Everything just blows up and I can't handle things.

Even though people may say you have to be stable to have a baby (I am), I actually think that a child will bring some perspective when I love this little person. And realise my little person is more important than anything.

Anyway, my own stress and the stress that being disappointed and tracking etc (although the fertile window does need to be tracked) was doing me no favours!

Maybe this new TTC thread will be a chilled one and we won't be stressing in the TWW? Let's try and tell ourselves that haha! Even if in reality that doesn't actually happen!

@LennyAndToots it’s a weird one I keep hoping the tests are wrong even though I know that they aren’t. I’ve done about 10 in the last 8 weeks..

Just did today’s OPK and my LH level has shot up... it was gradually going up but today a jump from 0.6 to 1.2 🙏🏼

@LennyAndToots sorry to hear that. Extra stress will just put extra pressure on you and make things even more difficult, so I'm glad you're getting the help you need. If you're happy to dtd frequently for longer, and you don't mind not knowing exactly when AF is due, then actually not knowing your fertile window doesn't actually really matter.

@Dreaming101 that sounds so frustrating, but the OPK sounds promising! Hope you manage to get your blood tests soon. I'm waiting on blood tests too but doesn't look like that's going to happen anytime soon. Not to worried though as I had them done when we were living in England, so it's just a formality now we've moved to Scotland - the seem to wang go re-do everything!

Hi everyone. I'm new to the TTC journey as well. I have a question about digital OPKs, more specifically the one that shows a smiley face - which OPK is it? And how does it work? I assume it's expensive, so do you have to keep buying new OPKs? Is it like the digital pregnancy test? Is it worth it basically is what I'm asking!

@Daffodil21 that’s good that they are on the ball and wanting to re do all the tests!

@acaciabluebell the ones with the smiley face are Clearblue so quite costly. A lot of us are using the cheaper ones that show the two lines and you watch and wait for the one line to get darker. It helps to log these via a photo on an app. I use the Premom app as it charts the results for you. This is mine today so I can see the increase.. probably my peak.

Hi @acaciabluebell Yes, the digital ones are made by Clear Blue. I absolutely think they are worth the money if you're wanting to track. There are two types - the pink ones are cheaper and give you your two most fertile days (typically you will ovulate within the day after a smiley face - pic of the diagram in the leaflet attached).

The blue ones are more expensive but they tell you when your hormone levels are beginning to rise, so you know before you are about to ovulate (they tell you this with a flashing smiley face), then you should get a static smiley face close to ovulation, as the pinks ones. They will typically show you your 4 most fertile days (high = flashing, peak = static).

Both are available in packs of 10 or 20, and I think the best place to buy them is drfertility.co.uk. They are cheaper than amazon there.

If you go for the pink ones you can always test in the morning and the evening, so you don't miss the beginning of the peak. They really do take the guesswork out of how strong a line is, and you just pee on them like you would a pregnancy test. You use the same holder but you change the sticks after every use - hope that helps!

@Dreaming101 you clearly have more patience than me!!

Thanks so much @Daffodil21and @Dreaming101! I already have the cheaper strips which I bought off Amazon. I think it'll take some time getting used to figuring out the lines etc. I'll get the CB ones if I can't figure these ones out.

Wow this has moved on! Wishing you all luck for this month!

@LennyAndToots DH and I watched a documentary about conception / pregnancy last night and it mentioned that maternal stress and anxeity can result in things like low birth rate :S. I'm not super stressed but definitely have a low-level background worry because of everything going on... and ironically, am now also worrying about being too stressed...

@Daffodil21 Oo I didn’t know you can wee directly onto the clear blue ones.. the ones I’m using now you can wee directly on.

I use these ones (Easy@home) to monitor the levels and then when I see they’re rising use a pink clear blue xx

@Dreaming101 oh I didn't know there were cheaper ones you could also pee directly on too! This is my last time using OPKs (thank fuck) but I'll know if I ever decide to use them again - thanks! DH caught me walking from the bathroom this morning with the stick in my hand 😂 I needed the loo but I didn't want to get up quite then so I went back to bed and waited for the O there 😂

@LennyAndToots I can second that from @Poppyismyfavourite. I'm sure you will have seen my posts in the last thread about switching down to part time hours and conceiving the next month (now in a new job, working full time though!)

@Daffodil21 thanks for creating a new group and tagging.

I've been a bit quiet since AF arrived. Was so disappointed after chemical last month that I needed to take a step back. Was considering using ovulation tests this month but have decided I don't want to now. I don't want to put too much pressure on myself. Trying to take it easy this month and not think about it so much.

@Dreaming101 or anyone else using the cheaper opks with the line, do you mind posting a pic of the opk where you think you reached your peak? Just to have an idea of what to look out for. The instructions say that it should be darker than the test line but I'm wondering if that actually happens?

@Daffodil21 been there done that and also left it on the tissue on the bathroom windowsill once 😂

@saraVB photos for you xxx

Thanks @Dreaming101.. So I'd need to look out for something similar to the last one when I'm close to ovulating right?

@saravb yeh the line needs to be darker or the same as the control line (the one on the right) xx

@SaraVB with that app I use you can use and brand of tests, it’s a free app xxx

Hi all,

I was hoping I could join this thread, i’ve spent a bit of time reading through it all and you all seem really supportive. Congratulations to those of you that have had BFPs recently.

So i’m 31 and my OH (other half) is 39. I was on the depo injection for 8 years and recently changed to the pill in February this year - was starting to have issues with it. Recently been seen by a specialist and have found I have a tilted cervix - has anybody else had experience of this? Dr says it should be a problem but at the back of my mind I can’t help but worry.
Came off pill at the weekend (13 June), and have started taking Seven Seas Trying to Conceive. Currently on my withdrawal bleed, so hoping my cycle should come back after that and can get trying properly.
Just really looking for advice of what I should / should not be doing. I didn't realise there was so much to it before reading these posts!
Xx