Preconception planners - still planning

[Bells3032]

Hi all. thought i'd make a new thread as the old one getting close to a thousand. Don't forget to rejoin!!

@CookieMonster3001 🤞🤞🤞🤞

@CookieMonster3001 good luck tomorrow morning and hope you have an amazing time in the cotswolds :) xxx

@CookieMonster3001 Good luck I’m sending you all my positivity!

@Curiosity101 Literally everything You said is what my husband has said - he’s an August baby and it was rubbish for him. I turned 18 3 months before him and he hated it, never mind the rest of our friendship group also being before him. He felt like he missed out.

Hi everyone, sorry I haven’t been on here for a few weeks. Life has been crazy! Thanks for all the congratulations on our new house, we’ve also got a buyer for ours so hoping to be in by Christmas! I’ll have a proper catch-up this weekend on everyone’s news as trip to Newcastle cancelled (thanks Boris!) @sunflowersaremyfav93 just seen something on a recent message, hope everything is ok with you?

Anyway, my BIG news is that I got my BFP today!! We were super lucky and caught first cycle, although now I’m praying it sticks as it’s still super early. I’ve attached both tests I did and I did them with afternoon urine 9 DPO so I was surprised at the strength of the line on the FRER! I think maybe I implanted early because I had awful cramps at the weekend which would have been 6-7 DPO which is the earliest you can implant apparently. Anyway, I thought I would share all the things I did in the months and days leading up, just in case it helps anyone to get their BFP 😊

• Started taking folic acid and calcium with vit D supplements 3 months before.
• Switched to full fat Greek yog instead of low fat / zero fat as I read full fat dairy can boost fertility. I didn’t have it every day but probably around 3 or 4 times a week.
• Ate more oily fish such as salmon and mackerel (twice a week) and took a fish oil supplement on days I didn’t eat any fish - just make sure it doesn’t have any cod liver oil in.
• Ate more leafy green veg such as spinach and kale.
• Cut out white bread as much as possible and had wholemeal instead, also tried to eat more whole grains such as brown rice and quinoa (I couldn’t switch to wholewheat pasta though, I love white pasta too much!)
• I tracked my cycles using the Clue app but didn’t temp, just went on cervical mucus and then I used OPKs for one cycle to check I was ovulating when I thought I was.
• I didn’t use OPKs the cycle we started TTC because it was our anniversary weekend away and I just wanted to enjoy it. I think that helped me feel more relaxed, but it also helped that we were on a romantic getaway as that tends to equal more BD’ing! So I would encourage you, if you can get away even just for one night in your fertile time it might help put some romance into TTC 😉
• We BD’d every day in my fertile window except one (CD9 & CD11-15) and I had EWCM on CDs 9 & 11, I was following the tip from TIWGTGP to do it whenever you see egg white!
• We had morning sex 2 or 3 of the days as I’d read that morning sex is more likely to catch the egg, and we did a mixture of missionary and doggy (sorry for TMI but I know there’s always the positions debate!) and yes, I did put a pillow under my bum afterwards and stayed lying down for 10 mins 😂

I think that’s everything! Can’t wait to catch up on everything that’s been going on with you ladies, and I’m crossing my fingers for you all that your BFPs appear as quickly as possible 😊

Hi everyone, hope I can join. I'm an endometriosis sufferer age 35, had my second endo surgery last year, will be trying TTC in a few weeks maybe. I'm so nervous as endo gives me horrible daily symptoms, I'm chronically ill with it so I don't know if I can even handle pregnancy symptoms, I've had so much pain and sickness in the past ten years. I have chronic fatigue and scared of whether I can be a good mother with limited mobility etc. I'm worried about my age too, birth defects. But I've been taking folic and vit d for over three months now so it's almost time (I'm having house renovations in a couple of weeks so waiting til after!)

I asked my GP if I should try and get a flu jab before trying but she said that was my decision! What do you guys think?

I am on 20mg citalopram for anxiety and depression, tried for a few months to wean off/cut down or switch drugs but my body was having none of it and GP would rather I felt relatively stable.

Drink a couple of cups of tea a day, haven't drunk coffee or alcohol in years so no preparation there!

@Lollipop87 OH MY WORD I AM SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!!!!

I'm all good, I have a septate uterus so having to have scans for that, hopefully I can get it fixed though. Risk of recurrent miscarriage is much higher xxx

@Lollipop87 congratulations on your BFP! Thats amazing news!!! How are you feeling?

Did a cheapie this morning and a BFN as predicted. 11DPO so I guess I am not out until AF shows up but not holding out much hope.

Also @sunflowersaremyfav93 so glad you have an appointment so soon!! Means less waiting around. Hope it all goes well xx

@Lollipop87 Ooohhhh huge congrats! I’m so happy for you!! I bet you’re just on cloud nine :)

Just to weigh in on the August debate... I am not only an August baby but I was born prematurely at the VERY end of the month. I never ever felt that I missed out. Academically I was just fine, and I never found friendships a problem (indeed many of my friends were even in the year above!). So by all means plan to avoid it if you want, but don’t assume it’ll be a problem for your little one if they’re born in Aug.

@minipilling I totally hear you. I also live with endo and have wondered a lot of those things myself! Fatigue is the worst, right? Feel free to message me if you want a chat x

@CookieMonster3001 Sorry about your BFN x

Thanks everyone!! I’m over the moon, but at the same time it hasn’t quite sunk in yet and I’m also terrified of having an early loss as I’m 33 and I know the risk is a bit higher in your 30s. I keep talking to the tiny embryo telling it to hold on tight 😂

@minipilling welcome, crossing my fingers for you. Endo sounds horrific, my cousin has it and it took ages for her to get diagnosed. On the flu jab, you can have a free one once you’re pregnant so it might be worth waiting unless you feel like you’re more at risk.

@sunflowersaremyfav93 ah yes I remember now, hope your appointment goes well and that you’ll be all on track for TTC (is it still Feb you’re aiming for?)

@CookieMonster3001 you’re not out until the fat AF sings! I’m feeling ok thanks, my DH was convinced I was pregnant 2 days before we even tested because I’ve been so up and down with my moods and I’m usually on a pretty even keel. I’ve also been having cramps and bloating which I never normally get even before AF. I thought I was going crazy symptom spotting, but turns out there was a reason! Crossing my fingers for your BFP soon 😊

@BeeBuzzz thank you and hi! I was on the original thread since the summer but have taken some time out the last month or so. My birthday is the end of July and I’ve always enjoyed being a summer baby, yes some of your friends are on holiday so can’t come to your birthday party and yes they turn 18 before you but you’ll always be younger than them which my school friends are now jealous of. So it works both ways!

My due date is 4th July which is funny because our kitten we got last month was born on 4th July, DH’s is 7th and mine 26th so looks like we’re destined to have a family birthday month!

@Lollipop87 Omgosh! Hugee congratulations how do you feel? Did you have any sysmptoms? Omgosh so excited for you :) BFP number 3 thank you for all the tips will defo be trying all of the above for next cycle :) bless you I feel you about the fear so lovely that you are already talking to little one :) wishing you the best pregnancy journey :) please keep us updated :)

@minipilling welcome :) so sorry to hear you have had such a hard time with endometriosis. Really hoping your ttc journey goes well :)

@CookieMonster3001 ah sorry to hear about this mornings bfn. Not out just yet though keeping all crossed for you! Really hope you have a lovely time away still :) how are you feeling? X

@BeeBuzzz thanks for your august baby feedback :) I would love an august baby although it’s slipping out of reach :) to be honest friends have said to me plan as much as you like but when it happens you won’t even care about these things where you are so happy :)

@Lollipop87 Yay! Congratulations! So excited for you . That's so sweet that you're already talking to your little bean. I also hope it's a sticky one and stays put. There's no reason to believe that it wont.

@minipilling Welcome to the group!

@CookieMonster3001 Sorry to see a BFN :( If your ovulation dates are correct then you're definitely not out, but I'd feel the same as you if I saw that at 11DPO.

@BeeBuzzz You don't know how nice it is to hear the opinion of a person who was a premature August baby. This has been my number one worry for DS. He was born 30th August with a due date of 16th October. It's so hard to stop worrying about the knock-on effect it 'could' have. Although myself and DH will be careful never to suggest that there is a problem with an August birthday. We've even agreed that we won't tell him he was premature unless he asks, and he'll absolutely not be told anything about the pregnancy. Other than perhaps that it 'didn't quite go to plan' .

Oh my goodness so much to catch up

@mackjm20 hi much better now... after a week of suffering I got directed to the hospital urgent care where they were happy it was food poisoning but the nurse told me a trick - don't take anti diarrhea tablets! I got told to take co codamol - had the best nights sleep then! 😁

I'm currently in TWW - app says ovulation 17th based on temp, didn't get any peak LH tho? So I'm not super convinced

But feeling crampy today? So fingers crossed 🤞🤞😁

@gems05 so glad to hear you are feeling better :) eek exciting how are you finding the tww? Fingers crossed for you :) xxx

@mackjm20 I'm nervous but also kinda like I don't expect to be pregnant. Please don't assume the worst of me for saying this 🥺 it's just that it's been me and hubby for 12 years, we both kinda said we can't visualise me being pregnant... so it would be shocking to be expecting a baby (at any point from here on)

@gems05 Don't beat yourself up about it. It's completely normal to feel apprehensive about change, even if it's a change you want.

I would've probably described a similar feeling when we were TTC DS. Also, DH and I had been together for 12 years when we started TTC. I can't promise you it'll all be smooth sailing, but having DS was literally the best thing would have ever done. And he's definitely the reason we've decided on baby #2.

@gems05 I don’t think anyone would assume anything bad of You for saying that :) I think that’s totally normal :) similar with me and my dh 11 years and you get so used to it being the two of you don’t you :) would feel super strange for anything other than that so I completely get what you are saying :) definitely feeling very similar that’s for sure :) xxx

@mackjm20 and @Curiosity101 thank you 😊 In terms of symptoms, I had bad cramps for an evening which was really weird for me as I’ve been lucky enough not to suffer from pre-menstrual cramps. Then I felt really bloated the following day. I also had loads more CM than usual, it was actually really handy that I’d been tracking it the last few months as I was able to look back and spot that it didn’t match my usual pattern. Then when my emotions were all over the place and DH began to suspect I thought hmm maybe! We did the test together which was really nice (well I didn’t make him watch me pee but you know what I mean 😂). I’ll defo keep you updated 😊

@gems05 I was so impatient through the 2ww (although luckily mine was only a week and 2 days), I kept googling everything under the sun and couldn’t concentrate on work. So maybe your way of thinking is more helpful and then if you are it’ll be a nice bonus 😊 Excited for you and everyone else!

@Lollipop87 that’s quite a few signs :) I’ll defo look out for those:) aw that’s so nice that you did the test together :) xxx

Morning all ☺️ hope everyone is well today?

I thought you'd all appreciate my Boots order last night. 60days worth of Vitamin D and Folic acid, a double pack of FRERs to store away ready for January, and 90 days worth of prenatal vitamins to put away in the hopes our BFP doesn't take too long to get. 😆

@Curiosity101 Love this! I’m awaiting delivery of folic acid, vit d and ovulation/pregnancy tests.
Are you planning on TTC in January?

@Leah2501 😆 Assuming nothing changes then yes, January is when we'll start. How about you? (Apologies if you've already said, it's hard to keep track).

@Leah2501 you've just reminded me I've also got some ovulation tests en route. We're not planning to time DTD specifically around ovulation but I want to know where it is so I know when (how early 😆😅) I can test. 🤣

@Curiosity101 Coil is hopefully being removed next week. We’ll try to avoid conceiving next month and we’ll start trying from December. So if we conceive in December it will be a September baby. Husband doesn’t want August baby and that extra month allows a credit card to be completely paid off and ensure we have enough money to cover my maternity leave.