TTC 8 months in, still early days but starting to feel more and more every time AF arrives

[30somethingyorkie]

Thought I'd start this post as hoping there are some lovely ladies in a similar boat to me.

DH and I are now 8 months in TTC and no luck. We both really want it to happen though he does have a son already so not always as emotional about AFs arrival every month as I am.

I know it's early days still and some have to go a lot longer but I'm now starting to get to the worried/upset stage. Get pangs of sadness when I see a baby bump or something pregnancy related in the shops, on TV or online.

Would love to hear and support others who are in the same boat as me

Hey girls!

Hope you’re all ok?

@Juno231 it’s such a strange feeling isn’t it!! I always knew it could take a little while, but I just never expected to be approaching the one year mark! 😔 I hate the TWW! I haven’t used OPKs this month, but I think I’m around 2 days off ov. Noticed EWCM this morning ✨

@SparkyLauz Yes I did have all positive results!! I’m just being irrational I think and assuming it’ll mean it’s unexplained infertility 😔😂 I know I’m half being silly but I got myself in a horrible frame of mind!! How are you? Xx

@MJM1608 ahhhh I bet it drags but how amazing. It’s crazy to think there’s a little baby growing every single day 🥰😍 hope your scan comes round quickly and you don’t get any horrible symptoms in the meantime! Thank you lovely ✨ avoided the opks this month, and I think I’m about 2 days off! Fingers crossed 🤍 we’d love a winter baby anyway so I feel more relaxed about this month now.

@30somethingyorkie thank you lovely ☺️✨ trying to feel more positive!! It really is so frustrating. I keep seeing announcements and my SIL is now trying and I can see that coming anyday so I think that got me down! Oh my DSS mother is not motherly at allll!! And that really doesn’t help 😔

@Lovebug06 didn’t explain that wrong at all lovely. I feel this SO much!!! I love him very very much, and he’s a lovely little boy. But I really want to have that connection with DH to have our own, and for someone to love me back as much as DSS loves DH. He always wants to sit with him, cuddle him etc, which is lovely to see but I want that 😔 and for us to have that together. How are you feeling other than that? Where are you in your cycle? So sorry if I missed that xx

@sparkylauz I don't really spot before at all, I think once I did a couple of months ago as I was confused😂. The last couple of months I've had a bit of spotting a few days after it finished, not sure if that's normal.
Mine are usually 28 days but I've had 26 days a couple of times. And this month I ovulated very early which happened once before so my cycle will be short. I'm waiting for AF now but as I don't do opks anymore I can't say exactly but I think it's maybe tommorow I'm due.
I came off at the start of the year it was end of jan/early Feb (not sure of exact date as I didn't track properly at the start) and I'm at the end of cycle 10. I was on the pill around 14 years. But then people fall pregnant on the pill, by missing on, or when they come off it straight away!
@Izzie94 yes that's it! AF is due around now. Probably tommorow I think. So when it comes and I feel crap, seeing how much dh and the sdc love each other is so hard as I want it so much. But then they also give me cuddles and take my mind off it so its also great that they'll be here

@izzie94 Its hard when you get into that mind set isnt it. With all the hormones flying around too you can be ok one minute and the next minute totally losing it thinking this is never going to happen! I caved and bought some more OPKs today after saying I wont use them anymore I know pretty much when I ovulate after tracking it but want to keep seeing that smiley face and then the TWO lines you get when you remove the test from the machine haha 😁

@Lovebug06 i've allllways spotted before and after so its really normal for me. That's why I always get into a limbo every month as to whether its AF or IB, nightmare! I really can't understand how people have managed to get pregnant whilst being on the pill!! Its crazy isn't it. I was on it for 12 years and never once had a PG scare. Also, I'm annoyed for not educating myself earlier as really wouldn't have needed to be on the pill all that time I could have just avoided FW and used protection for one week of the month for those many years!

@SparkyLauz oh absolutely!! I think the sudden wave of people on social media announcing pregnancies makes me just wish it was me 😩 although you never know the story behind them do you. I wish more people were open about ttc! Hahaha I LOVE the clear blue ones, I find them much easier. I do have some but didn’t use them this month as DH has his tooth out yesterday and I think ov would have been yesterday / today! So we haven’t been able to DTD as much as usual, but if that hasn’t worked before then I’m not overly fussed 🙄😅 kind of writing myself off this month, which is nice because I’m not arsed about the TWW for once!!! 🤣

How’s everyone else getting on? We all seem to be at different points in our cycle, and I’m really forgetful 😂 hope there’s some more BFPs to come?! I’m trying to think positive that if it hasn’t happened by Xmas I’ll be super positive for 2021, it’ll be a better year for scans, I can consume copious amounts of wine and pate!!! Lol! January will mark an official year for us, so it’s gotta happen soon right!? 😅 happy hump day! Got to love a Wednesday xxx

Well girls I suggest you all get the NHS tests done sooner rather than later - my gp put a referal through for me to go to a fertility clinic and the assessment appointment has been set for 17th of May lol. Might have to go private at this rate 🙊

Hi lovely ladies! Just checking in ☺️ I was 5 weeks yesterday & still waiting another 2 weeks for my first scan (7 weeks)... OMG time doesn’t move!!! Glasgow are going back into lockdown so all plans at the weekend are cancelled for 3 weeks, the wait is painful 😂😭 still not many symptoms.. boobs are more sensitive, waves of nausea (esp when I’m driving)... that’s really it! I’m counting my blessings as I’m sure they will hit me like a tonne of bricks soon!

@Izzie94 - you never know for this month!! When you relax more with TTC that’s when the miracles happen!! (It used to annoy me so much when people said relax but it did actually work for us 😂). I hope you get your positive soon - a year is tough!! Are you in the TWW now? If we hadn’t fallen pregnant soon our fertility doc recommended a “dye test” where they flush your tubes and clear the path... he said the success within 6 months is high. Would that be something for you to look in to? It cost around £500 at our clinic (bloody expensive I know!!). Glad you’re staying positive hun 💜✨PS totally agree about more women sharing their TTC stories, all you see is the perfect motherhood on social media, but would love to know more about the struggles of trying... I’m going to do a post about this, I feel so strongly & was totally blindsided by it!!

@Lovebug06 has your AF come now or are you still waiting? Hope there’s still some hope for you this month🤞🏼❤️ We need some Christmas miracles!

@Juno231 Aww gosh that’s a long wait, deffo good to get your name down now!! What’s the first step of the assessment? Our fertility assessments for both of us were £550 if this helps. The process took 2 months which is fairly quick (had a CP during that which delayed things). Hope you’re hanging in there ok ☺️🙏🏻✨

@SparkyLauz glad your cycles are getting longer!! I guess it’s good that you are still regular & can track your AF/ov every month 🙏🏻 Are you doing anything differently this month or just sticking to what you know? ☺️ I loved using the clear blue advanced ovulation kits - deffo worked for me! xxxx

@Juno231 for May!!! Oh my goodness me. BUT, least you have a date 🤍✨ hopefully this will help you just take a step back for a little while and you never know what can happen in those 6 months 👶🏽😍 does it feel a bit of relief to have a date? Unfortunately the NHS won’t do anything else for me and DH due to him already have a child (did not think this through when falling in love with him... HA kidding 🤣) so private is next steps for us, which we’re going to have further testing in the new year! X

@MJM1608 omg only 5 weeks? That’s even going slow for me!!! Feels like you told us like a month ago now at least 😂 omg I saw that today!! Can’t be dealing with these lockdowns anymore 😩 I have a feeling it’ll continue right up until Christmas and we’ll be allowed to mix with some households over the Xmas period! Will DH be able to go to the private scan with you? I know they’re a lot more chilled than the NHS with partners - really makes me mad that!

Glad you’re not feeling too many symptoms yet, fingers crossed it stays that way for you 😍 hahaha I know right it would be blood typical wouldn’t it after not “trying” and after 11 months of being obsessed 🙄 I’m trying to limit my mumsnet time because im crazy and think it’s going to stop me falling as I’m constantly reading stuff LOL (I’m mad I think). I’m am lovely, I didn’t do OPKS but I’m CD20, and usually ovulate CD18 ☺️ We’re definitely doing that in the new year for sure, we’ve been saving to move, BUT we always knew we may need to dip into it at some point I’m just grateful we have savings and can afford it without thinking twice!

Hope you keep well during lockdown, not how you plan a first pregnancy but least you’re keeping safe 🥰 x x x

Ahhhh, randomly had so much EWCM today - more than I’ve noticed before! (I thought maybe it because I started vitamin D yesterday lol) so did a cheap OPK as usually use clear blue and these ones as and when, annnnnd got a really good positive! Ahhhh! Looks like I’m about to ovulate, and will DTD the next few days ✨ I know yous probably don’t really care but I got excited and needed to share this somewhere 🤣 don’t tell me why I get excited about positive opks!!! Looks like my AF will be delayed a few days as usually a positive in CD18. Maybe this is my body’s way of waiting for DH to recover from his tooth removal 😂

Hope you’re all ok! Nearly the weekend x

@Izzie94 ah congrats on the peak! Get DTD! Please keep me in the loop on what the next steps are for you as per the private investigations? I feel woefully uninformed. The GP called my May appointment an assessment and googling it it sounds like it's an assessment of infertility - but then I'm worried once they've assessed me (and potentially done an HSG?) they'll just put me on an IVF waiting list which could then take up to a year after my May appointment? Sounds so silly. If all I'm missing is an HSG to determine whether or not further help is needed then I'd be happy to just get that sorted privately and maybe do a few rounds of IUIs first before progressing to IVF - but I think the NHS prohibits you from using their infertility services once you've started privately...

@MJM1608 on that note - what did your fertility assessments cover? I've already had day 3, day 21, ultra sound and SA done. Can't wait to hear back from your scan btw! Must be so exciting :) Will you be doing a Christmas reveal at all?

@Izzie94 haha I KNOW GIRL!! I feel like I’ve known for months and it’s not even been two weeks!!! Time is passing slooOoOow!! Fingers crossed we can see more family at Xmas 🤞🏼DH is not allowed to the NHS scan 😔 but he is allowed to private scans, and we will probably have 2 of them before the NHS one (at 13 weeks). Such a weird time to be pregnant, I don’t even feel pregnant my symptoms are zero today 😂 can’t complain though, I’m sure it will be horrific in no time!! Mumsnet can deffo send your mind into over drive!! How you feeling? Did you manage to DTD lots this week without that pesky tooth getting in the way? 🤪 really really hope you’ve been lucky this month, you deserve it so much for your positivity alone - to me and everyone in this thread!! ✨💜 hope you find a lovely new place in the new year too!!

@Juno231 sorry it’s such a long / slow process but hopefully you conceive naturally before needing any treatment!! 🤞🏼🤞🏼 We had the semen analysis, ovarian assessment (vaginal scan of ovaries & follicles, AHM blood level taken) & a consultation with the dr to discuss our results. Sounds like you’ve had a lot done already? Do you know your AHM blood level?

It’s so exciting!! There’s not a minute that goes by that I don’t think about being pregnant ☺️ It’s just nerve wracking that you don’t know if things are progressing until the first scan but I really have a good feeling that all will be well 🤞🏼 Can’t think negatively or you’d drive yourself crazy! 12 days until the scan (hurry up!!) & I will post a photo here 🥰 we are telling our parents & sister/brother at Xmas then just wait until the NHS scan (12th jan) to tell everyone else, want to tell all my friends in person! Thanks for the support - so lucky to have found this thread!! ✨ xxxx

@MJM1608 thank you that's super helpful! I did my AMH test privately in June 2019 and it was only at 15.2 back then (with below 15 being low fertility /egg reserves I think). So not ideal. I've reordered the test to see if it's gotten much worse and if it has I'll def just go down the private route and not waste any more time.

@MJM1608 btw your Christmas reveal sounds amazing!

Hi everyone sorry I went missing for a few days,

My AF did come on weds as I thought, however I've had an awful bug so although I obviously thought no! When I see it, I felt so ill that I couldn't really think about it, so I haven't been upset and that's a good thing.
Worst bit was that the night before and that morning I felt really sick, and that made me think it could be, my dh told me couple days after he was thought so too, he even wanted me to test to make sure 😂. I had a period so I knew but I did it to show him and bfn of course. Bit cruel of my body to give me the sickness just before AF comes hey! So I'm now cd5 of cycle 11.

@MJM1608 this month I'm not doing anything diff really. I've never actually told my DH that I use the OPKs he's typical bloke and doesn't understand it all. Anyway when I got a bit upset earlier this week I explained that its actually a really slim chance every month to get pregnant and he didn't know this. So we agreed to do it on more of the exact days this time which we hadn't done done before as I never wanted to put pressure on by telling him we HAVE to dtd haha.

I'm quite lucky that my TWW will be over before Xmas so its either enjoy Xmas knowing I'm finally pregnant or enjoy Xmas and have lots of drinks haha. Xx

@lovebug06 aaw sorry to hear your AF came too, and how incredibly mean of your body to play tricks on you like that!!

Just seen an announcement on my FB a girl I went to school with was expecting twin boys she only went for her 20 week scan 2 weeks ago and she's lost them this weekend 😢can't even imagine how she's feeling. There's a lot more risks involved with twins i guess xx

SparkyLauz You made me smile that your DH doesn’t know you’re doing OPKs! Glad that you’ll know either way before Christmas, although fingers crossed you’ll be on a drinking ban

Lovebug06 It’s rubbish how your body tricks you into having hope isn’t it? So many times I’ve had unusual symptoms before AF. I’m not far behind you in cycles, fingers crossed this is your last.

Juno231 Hope your results haven’t changed for the worse but don’t blame you for going down the private route if you need some help. I dread to think of the backlog from COVID. I’ve thought about getting the day 3 and day 21 bloods done privately as my cycle varies each month so impossible to book bloods for the right day and my GP surgery isn’t that flexible with specific dates.

How are you feeling MJM1608 ? Such a shame that your other half can’t come to the scan but glad they’re letting partners in to private scans.

Well done on catching your peak Izzie94 ! It is a buzz to know everything seems to be working as it should!

Where is everyone in their cycles now? I’m just out of my FW but didn’t manage to DTD until two days after a peak reading on clear blue. My lovely DGM died so just wasn’t in the mood. So fully expecting to be heading into cycle 10 in December. AF due 4th December.

I’m wondering whether to start thinking about having some investigations. Has been well over a year of trying now, although only 9 cycles of timing DTD around FW.

Hope you’re all ok 🤞

@sparkylauz yes it felt cruel! And oh that is terrible. I can't imagine the pain she must be in how awful.

@CausingChaos2 I feel like it will be next year at some point now. Sounds strange but I can't actually imagine it happening, actually getting a positive. Feels like a bit of a dream. But it would be so amazing. Good luck to you too. I think they say you can go to a gp after a year for checks, I'm not sure what they say about how many cycles though. I shall go soon too.

Sorry I’ve been a bit AWOL! I see so many posts on mumsnet with women having multiple miscarriages.. I know the chances are low but it gives me such anxiety! I will be much more comfortable and relaxed once I have my scan next Wed! ☺️

@Juno231 good to hear you have a plan in place! ☺️ Let us know how your 2nd test goes 🤞🏼 My blood level was 54 for reference, which they seemed happy with. Good luck!! ✨❤️ Will be lovely to tell our parents at Xmas (my parents are in the highlands so need to figure out how to tell them!). Praying the scans are all ok 🤞🏼☺️

@Lovebug06 sorry AF came, it’s so disappointing 😢 and really shit that you had a bug too! Hope you’re feeling better and fresh for a new month 🤞🏼✨ may it be a lucky one for you!!

@SparkyLauz men really don’t know how much goes in to TTC do they! That’s good you had a chat about it so he understands more. Get on that over FW 😉 amazing to have a care free Xmas then hopefully your BFP after the festive celebrations 🥳🤞🏼

@CausingChaos2 I’m good thanks for asking! Deffo feeling “off” & nausea comes and goes (which is horrific!). I’m assuming it’s going to get worse as I’m 6 weeks tomorrow, but can’t complain as I’m just lucky to be in this position🙏🏻❤️ Sorry that your DGM passed away 😢 family comes first! Hope you’re ok! Enjoy a boozy festive period & January is a new year ✨🥳 could still be a chance for december you never know!! xxxxx

@MJM1608 ah mine was 15 a year and a half ago so that's low enough to get rejected by a fair few fertility clinics!

13DPO and bfn + my rhr is dropping so I assume AF will show tomorrow. On to cycle 12 😅. Always bugs me what a troll my chart is as it still looks fine.

@causingchaos2 ts quite funny really, he is so oblivious to everything. We had our 2nd (cotton) anniversary at the weekend and he bought me a t-shirt that I already had 😂 he pays no attention what so ever haha. I wouldn't mind being on a booze ban this Christmas as its not really going to be like a usual Christmas despite these 'rules' being relaxed.

So sorry to hear of your DGM passing, sending hugs your way xx

@Lovebug06 I'm the same as you i can't imagine it happening either. And there's a few other young newly married couples in my family, brother/brother in law/ cousins etc and I dont think any of them are TTC yet but I realllllly want to be the first! Sounds silly but we've been together 13 years and everyone expects it to be us who has the baby first so it would be disappointing if someone did it before us now lol.

@mjm1608 Let us know how the scan goes next week!! Glad that your partner is able to come with you to the private one xx

I'm on CD10 so my FW coming up now, im exhausted thinking about DTD over the next week 😂

Got my Smiley face this morning its quite a few days earlier than expected this month tbh so glad I tested early! Woo 😊😊 less waiting for me now xx

@SparkyLauz yay!!!! I LOVE a smiley face day 🥰 definitely prefer waiting less. Mine was later this month!

Sorry I’ve been quiet girls, had my SIL keep mentioning this month they’re trying and how she’s fallen with both her others first month so I’ve really really struggled. She also knows we’re trying so it was a kick in the teeth! We’ve been really really relaxed this month. Think we only DTD 3 times if that around my fertile week. Currently CD30, and I think going by my late ovulation It’ll be a 34 day cycle, ugh longgggg. Don’t feel any different though as usual haha. Hope you’re all ok ✨💘 x

@Izzie94 its nice to have a bit of a break from here sometimes as you can get too wrapped up in it, it seems a bit insensitive of your SIL talking like that, that would have upset me TBH. By bragging about her always falling 1st month then I doubt it will happen this quick for her this time😂 she will then understand what it's like to be in your shoes haha! Oooh you're not too far from testing now then, exciting! Xx

Hi All

I just wanted to come on and share my journey, I am 28 and had been TTC for a year and a half without any luck, these forums are what I searched when I was looking for answers and all I could find were mostly people like me asking questions or women who seemed like they were pregnant but never came back to share or give advice, so I would like to tell my story in the hope it helps someone else!

After TTC for well over a year we decided to give it a break as you know it was starting to be very upsetting. We left it a few months then I decided to buy ovulation sticks off Amazon, I got the little cheapies and then spent £45 on the clear blue ones.

I had started taking the cheapy ovulation sticks about after a day my period ended.. (my cycle 27 days) this was because I had heard that some women can ovulate early and in fact miss there ovulation period if they are going by the normal 14day guideline, anyhow, i actually started ovulating on day CD11 but it didn’t peak until CD14, I hear TTC the before CD14 because it’s better if the sperm is waiting for the egg. So we DTD on CD9, 11, 14,16. In the cheapy pack on Amazon you get some HCG strips also, I started testing on 7DPO for pregnancy, nothing out of the ordinary, sleeping fine, eating fine, boobs abit sore but I’m always like that before my period.. , so around 11 DPO, I could see a little faint line, I mean you would need to squint to see it, didn’t think much of it. 12 dpo I tested around 6:30 am, that faint line got a little darker, but this time it made me wonder, I tested again on 12DPO at 14:00 and there it was, not a bold line, but was clear to see. We then got a Clearblue digital and it confirmed 2 weeks pregnant. Me and my boyfriend are completely shocked and overjoyed! I don’t think the strips are a coincidence, I made sure I tested a few times a day and tested early to make sure I wasn’t missing it, after a year and a half and not trying the strips we feel like fools! But everything happens for a reason I suppose, but I want my information to help someone so that’s the reason I created an account and shared. If I knew how to add pics I would send my ovulation stick app on for everyone to see what they looked like but I don’t know how to attach pics but good luck to you all out there and il nosey in here every so often in case someone wants to ask me a question Xxxx