First time TTC - second cycle

[Sarah1253]

I was wondering if anyone else is in the same position as me?
I’m 29, it’s my first time ttc and we started trying last month. I quickly become obsessed with symptom spotting and testing like a maniac but other than taking folic acid and using the clue app to track fertile window and ovulation we didn’t do anything extra.
It’s now my second month ttc and I want to give it a better shot this month! Today is my first day in my fertile window, I’ve got pre-seed lube, I’ve cut coffee down to 1-2 cups a day, I’m making a conscious effort to eat healthily and I’ve ordered vitamin d for me and wellman for Hubby.

I would love to speak to anyone else at the same point as me, or hear any tips and tricks for getting that beautiful BFP!!

Sarah x

Hi @LeopardLover, its nothing to be embarrassed about I have only started tracking what my body is doing this month too, and boy! Its a learning curve! I had never even given a second thought to the consitancy of my CM before, but now i'm leaning about the position of curvix!

This is my first mont since finishing the pill so my body is a little all over the place, i'm hoping it is a little easier to read net month. I'm still using condoms but hope to start properly trying n Aug/Sept. A conception before Xmas would be a dream

ha glad i'm in same boat as you @LeopardLover and @Kay00 with only just started tracking what the body is doing! really is a learning curve! Hubby was surprised to see the detail the app goes into haha.
i have just bought some decaf coffee...it's a declaration of intent at least. Need to cut down! least the warm weather helps as less inclined to just make a cuppa during the afternoon....then again, can't beat an iced coffee!

Hi ladies, hope you don't mind if I join! Laurenemma13 - I can totally relate. My company is undergoing a restructure announced on Monday. We started 'throwing caution to the wind' in February, but looking back I didn't track anything and I missed the most fertile days. In my second month TTC and it has taken over my life! Symptom spotting and taking tests early, I know I need to stop. I'm 26 and trying for baby #1. We've been together for 12 years and should have been getting married this year but covid has put a stop to that. Now with this news about work, I have no idea what to do. I'm desperate to keep trying but until I know my job is safe, I shouldn't sorry to bring any negativity here - truly hoping for a BFP for everyone trying x

@Laurenemma13 and @OliR93 I can relate too. I’m on furlough and have been since April. I’m also in a badly hit sector that will take a while to recover. Thankfully my company is making positive noises and no mention of redundancies yet so I’m keeping fingers crossed but of course worried. We’re carrying on TTC for now. We put it off last year when I got a new job and then again at the beginning of this year because MIL got very ill. It feels like we’ve been on the brink of trying for so long and there’s always something in the way. So probably not entirely sensible but I’m taking the approach that whatever happens we’ll figure out a way to make it work 🙈 scary though as I earn a lot more than DH

@leftitlate37 @LeopardLover thanks so much, it's been a tough few days as weve had quite a bit of bad news all on the same day but at least we found out then than later in the month. Im already on folic acid (5mg as I'm also epileptic) and tracking also. I've got myself that book 'the impatient woman's guide to getting pregnant' and just keep telling myself that hopefully itll be next month and really it's only 2 weeks weve missed 🙈 Anything really to distract from it. Just hoping next month it's not postponed again but I know it's right to wait just now just in case anything happens x
@OliR93 it's so difficult isnt it! Same here, weve been together 12 years and hoping to try for #1. We had planned on starting last year and then things went up in the air with my job, I ended up getting a new job and waited til i had settled there as well. I probably would have thrown caution to the wind but my DH is so cautious and I know he's right, even if I wont tell him lol x
Its so hard to not feel down though when ypure so ready for it and then something comes along and delays it x

@Laurenemma13 @leftitlate37 It's so hard when you're sensible, isn't it? 😅 We've never felt ready until this year (together 16 years), but then Coronavirus hit and we were buying a house. Now my company is making redundancies but I'm 34 and so for once in my life, I'm throwing caution into the wind! It could take years, so I'm just going for it...

But I will say I've been prepping my body since January! So there are things that can be done while you wait. 😊

I'm in a really similar boat to you! 28 and on our second cycle TTC baby #1. I was already taking vitamin D but I've started taking folic acid too. I'm a bit wary of taking too many supplements so I'm just going off what the NHS has recommended for now. I'm just tracking using apps at the moment (Clue and Flo) but my cycles are really irregular so our main strategy is just to DTD every other day a week or so either side of when I'm estimated to ovulate. I've held off using thermometers and OPKs so far but I think I'll start temping next month if we're unsuccessful this cycle.

hahah @Laurenemma13 defo dont tell hubby he is right ;) at the same time though, dont u find there is always something that happens, and is it ever a good time? so yeah @LeopardLover I think you are right, go for it!! i met my hubby relatively late and then felt therewas a whole bunch of stuff we wanted to do first, but i'm 37 now and like u say it could take years so best go for it! we did the opposite of what most ppl do, rather than getting married and having a kid, we got married and got a puppy instead!
sorry for the others of you with tricky work situations, it must just add so much more stress :( hope u all get some positive news tho. blooming covid has a lot to answer for eh. Maybe if we all get BFPs then something good can come from 2020!!

...oh and hi @JanQi!

@Laurenemma13 and @LeopardLover - I'm thinking exactly the same thing. I'm part way through my fertile window for this month - no smiley face on OPK yet but I expect it'll be tomorrow/Friday. AF due on the 9th July. Last month was my first TWW and I Googled every potential symptom! Hoping to be more patient this time round. I keep thinking how lovely it'll be to tell my OH and our families the news, and I get so wrapped up in planning. We haven't told anyone we're trying as I don't want any added pressure and it's nice to be a surprise. I'm swaying towards just going for it - we've put it off for 2 years for various reasons (house related, my mum wasn't well then my OH had to change jobs at short notice). They say there isn't a right time, I genuinely felt the last couple of months were - but clearly there isn't because anything can change overnight! I just can't bear the thought of having no job whilst pregnant, but I also hate the idea of waiting to try again if I go elsewhere as need to be there at least 6 months ideally.. Throwing caution to the wind it is! x

oooo @OliR93 just saw your post, think due AF same day-ish! been using boots OPKs whch dont have anything as exciting as a smiley face, just a line! nothing on mine yet either...5 days of testing, 2 left...looks like i might be shopping again on saturday!! also, i'd say go for it - throw caution to the wind! quite clearly life can throw us some massive curve balls and u never know what might change?!

Hey all (and special shout out to those throwing caution to the wind),

Bit of excitement over here as I received first flashing smiley this morning at CD10. 😉 Despite the heat my BBT dropped overnight and Femometer also thinks I have high fertility, so that's something.

@Kay00 I wish we were taught these things in school! 😅

Hi ladies,
I'm after a bit of advice. So this cycle (2nd) is the first cycle I've got a positive OPK (today). I'll obviously test again later and tomorrow and continue testing until it goes negative again. But which day would you usually start your TWW after getting a positive OPK?
I've tried googling but it's just giving me info on how to spot ovulation symptoms etc
Just a bit confused

ooo nice one @LeopardLover thats good news! mmmmm im like CD15 and nothing on mine :s u know when u think hmmm are these working?! then saw someone on here saying they get diff results when theyve tried morning and night, and by the next morning an evening positive had gone?! so hoping not missed anything!
hey @Nazz10 - ive got absolutely no idea actually so will follow the thread n see what ppl say! first cycle i've tested!

@Nazz10 Morning! Oh good question. I track my BBT, so last month I notice a dip pre-ovulation and then my temperature rose afterwards - so I knew I'd ovulated! This is my first month using OPKs. I think with the traditional one as soon as it's positive your most fertile days are that day and the day after. When CB digital OPK gives you a static smiley it's the same, you know you have 48 hours of peak fertility.

@leftitlate37 Thank you! Day 2 of a flashing smiley here! I remember reading someone used the CB digital OPK and discovered they ovulated on CD22, not CD14! Which is why they missed their window previously. Maybe you're a little later? 😊

@Nazz10 I always ovulate on the day I get my first peak OPK (my temp shoots up the next day to confirm it). But it can be up to 48 hours so potentially the day day of, the day after or the one after that. You would need to track your bbt to confirm ovulation If you want to know exactly what day it was and that it definitely happened - an OPK only indicates your body is prepping for it, not that it definitely will (which is why I use both methods at the same time). Also I believe you go from your first peak OPK if you get them over multiple days

@LuckyFlash thank you for your help!! I haven't been tracking BBT unfortunately. My peak was yesterday evening according to Premom and my OPK was still positive this morning but the control line wasn't as dark as yesterday's (still the same as test line though).
So should I just go off yesterday's date for the TWW?
If not successful this cycle then will try BBT next cycle in addition to OPKs

@Sarah1253 @OliR93 @Collie94 @LeopardLover @leftitlate37 @LuckyFlash @Sdoo4
Just wanted to check in and see how you're all doing? 😊
Weve finally started trying so on our first month and super excited!

@Laurenemma13 Oh how exciting! What cycle day are you? This is my third cycle (second month using OPKs) and I'm in my TWW! 😊

@LeopardLover only on day 7 of cycle. My problem is OH keeps saying hes sure it'll happen this month and I'm trying to tell him that it probably wont!
Oh how exciting! How are you finding it? Hopefully you'll see that BFP this month then!!

@Laurenemma13 Well don't rule it out! It can happen. 😊 Just make sure you're timing is spot on 😉

I think the first 2 cycles I was a bit obsessive, I'm much more chill now! Think I've educated myself enough for now haha. I'm currently 8DPO. No symptoms but that's pretty standard I think! Also, my Clear Blue OPK pack has lasted 2 cycles and would probably see me through another so that was good value for money!

hey @Laurenemma13- nice to hear from you and yipppeee for starting trying! fingers crossed for you! as @LeopardLover says dont rule it out, it can happen :) I like OH optimism!! Similar to @leopardLover here, 2nd proper month trying, using OPKs and in TWW. not sure DTD at the right times at all this month so holding out zero hope - things just got in the way. not sure what to do with the OPKs and u r meant to get 2 days of a line on the ones i'm using, but i only got one day :s ?! fingers crossed for some BFPs this month!!

@LeopardLover fingers crossed! Weve taken the doctors advice and trying every 2nd day. Last month I knew straight away when I was ovulating so hopefully will be the same this month!
Fingers crossed! Its so difficult to not obsess over it all 🙈

@leftitlate37 good to hear from you! Yeah, good optimism at least lol! Were trying every 2nd day throughout so needless to say hes thrilled anyway 😂
Decided we'd just try and see how we got on without using opks this month but it's hard! Last month I knew straight away I was ovulating so we'll see this month! Fingers crossed for some BFPs this month

Hi ladies,
Can I join your chat... I have just had bfn so will be going in to second month of ttc once again finally comes.. have been lh testing bbt so will see. I knew first minth was unlikely but still a disappointing feeling.. it’s hard knowing not to stress about it as it affects you but when you want something so bad how do you not stress??