Top tips for ttc number one

[Frenchfry2]

Hi, I’m new to Mumsnet and recently started ttc number one. Even though I’ve got really limited experience of ttc, I’ve been surprised at how much I’ve been swept up in research, forums, apps, testing advice and it’s a little overwhelming. I’m in my 30s and don’t really have anyone around me that j could talk to this about. So while I’m still at the excited stage I was wondering- for those of you who have been through ttc for a while, is there any top tips you’ve learned or advice you would have liked to have known for yourself when you were starting out? I’m not looking to pry obviously, just curious (and awfully shocked at how well acquainted I’ve become with my pee habits from going OPK tests. Just me?!) 😊 x

My main advice would be to DTD every other day throughout your cycle if possible. But that's cause I never used OPKs. If you use OPKs I'd probably do every other day in the run up to expected ovulation, then a day or two after. But I'd also keep testing with OPKs to ensure that the peak you saw was definitely your peak.

Other than that it's things like making sure you have hobbies and that you keep yourself busy otherwise TTC can really take over.

Spend lots of time with your partner, enjoy the childfree time while you can.

Sleep in, and really really appreciate a solid night's sleep. I have an almost 1 year old who is a good sleeper. I have slept for a solid 8 hours precisely once in the past year.

Hi @Curiosity101, thanks so much for your reply.

What you’ve suggested is really helpful- it’s so easy to be swept up in things rather than actually enjoying day to day life while child free! I have everything crossed for you that sometime soon you’ll get another solid 8 hours sleep- maybe slightly optimistic, but it’s good to live in hope

Did you make any lifestyle changes while trying? I drink A LOT of caffeine (shift work joys), and I’m trying to cut down which I know will benefit me regardless! I’m not a big alcohol drinker so that’s not too bad for me!

Everyone said to me ro appreciate sleep. But all my baby ever did was sleep! I could've written a novel before he started walking.

He slept 8 hours from birth, 12 hours from 6 weeks.

I almost held my legs in the air OP when TTC

Thanks @Frenchfry2.

Don't get me wrong, my LO has slept 11-12 hours a night since early on and I absolutely love him to bits for that. But he'll wake up in the middle of the night, snuffle a bit and then fall back to sleep. I used to be a heavy sleeper but now the tiniest little noise on the monitor wakes me up. It's also basically like having an alarm clock permanently set to 6am. The alarm clock doesn't care if it's Sunday or if you've decided to stay up late/have a couple of drinks 😄

I don't think I had any lifestyle changes. I drank more alcohol than usual as it was just after Christmas/New Year when I conceived. And I'd never been big on caffeine, just one coffee first thing. I pretty much just came off of birth control and DTD every other day throughout my cycle. It's fortunate I did really as all the apps predicted ovulation 8-10 days earlier than I actually ovulated and at the time I had no idea what it felt like to ovulate.

Just have sex every other day from when your period ends until after mid-cycle. Don't bother with BBT or OPK. I stressed majorly for several months, with Preseed and acupuncture and all sorts. The month I jacked it all in and just had sex, we conceived DD.

Hey everyone,

This has been super useful for me too! I've come off the pill at the start of the month and now waiting for AF to arrive, hopefully next week, before properly TTC (although we haven't exactly been careful this month!) I've been measuring my cycle on an app, but as it's my first normal one in 13 years(!) who knows what's right and wrong?!

Completely agree though @Frenchfry2, reading all the advice, forums, apps etc etc can be really overwhelming! Especially when I don't have anyone else I can really talk to about it, apart from my OH!

Any tips/tricks/general advice would be so so useful! :)

@RBCoxie I was on the combined pill for 14 years so I totally get where you're coming from. My first cycle after my normal withdrawal bleed was 35/36 days long , my second cycle was probably closer to 33 days but is also when I fell pregnant. I had no idea what ovulation felt like for me, how long my cycle would be etc.

Every app suggested I would ovulate around CD 14-16, but working the dates backwards I ovulated roughly around CD21. So unless you're doing additional tracking then I'd definitely take the apps with a pinch of salt.

I'd also assume that it's going to take you 6-12 months to conceive. We had assumed it would take that long for us and were surprised scrape our jaws off the floor surprised when we saw the result.

Ah that's really interesting! Half my battle is getting to grips with a new routine - I'm so used to having AF like clockwork and being able to predict it. Being able to manage my own expectations and know that a longer cycle may be totally fine too, is really useful.

I'm not doing any additional tracking at the mo, thought I'd wait until after AF but the more I'm reading about the apps, the more I'm hearing that other forms of tracking are better.

I can only imagine how shocked you must have been to fall pregnant in your 2nd cycle! I think I'd drain the local Boots of pregnancy tests if that was me!! Such amazing news though!

Have as much patience as you can! Just before I started ttc a friend said to me, "It took me two years to conceive my daughter, totally normal fertility. Don't put so much pressure on yourself." I responded with,
"Two years? No, I can't wait that long!"

I am due to give birth in September and I had this conversation 26 months ago now. Took me 8 months to conceive (normal), sadly had a mmc and then took another 8 months to conceive. Ttc can be so overwhelming and consuming, enjoy the journey for a while before trying and testing everything. I tried absolutely EVERYTHING and nothing worked specifically, it's timing and luck.

OPK's 100% , was only successful after using them! Good luck x

Thanks everyone! Honestly this is all so helpful. I feel like I’ve been in my own world with it all, which isn’t really me. Planning on DTD every day, enjoying my sleep and having some patience! It’s absolutely incredible that we spend so much of life being careful with contraception- now I’m DTD as much as possible, researching vitamins and trying not to pee on myself doing OPK strips 😂

trying not to pee on myself doing OPK strips 😂

That reminds me. Hairspray lids make good catchers. Or even the disposable plastic half pint cups, just stash it somewhere in between uses and make sure you rinse it well so previous samples don't mess with future tests. 👍

@Curiosity101 that’s the kind of wisdom I need 😂 I’ve saved a lid from a can of dry shampoo to use! No more trying to perfect my aim!
It’s these little things that you don’t realise before you start ttc- a whole new world!

😆 it's good for once you're pregnant too cause you'll have to produce a sample at each midwife check up.