9DPO Symptom Spotting

[unCliche]

Hey @ButterscotchBabe! Continuing our chat here 😁

I loooove that your temps did exactly what mine did too. So good that AF hasn't arrived at CD26!! Happy for you! When your temps increased last month, was it is to a gradual high or did it jump up again and then AF started? Because if this pattern is new, it could mean good news!

Ours definitely look like the beginning of a triphasic chart. My temps last month started dropping at 7DPO, so it still being high at 9DPO is such an achievement for me and no sign of AF either although my vulva feels AF'y in a weird way. My pulse and breathing rate have also continued to shoot up!! If temps don't tell you AF is coming, pulse rate defo will because it always starts falling a few days before AF for me.

I do suspect chemical but no BFP so can't confirm and nothing else changed that cycle so I can't explain it. Hormones were defo the reason I never took the pill, it plays such a big part in changing your reproductive cycle that of course it would have an affect on cycles after you come off them! 45 day cycles sound like a nightmare - especially when TTC too.

I do have a FRER! I'm always so scared to use it though. I always use rubbish ICs which probably aren't the best thing but I will use my FRER with you!

I like predicting what my temps will do with DH. What do you think will happen tomorrow? I think both our temps will go up again 😆

Good to see your temp at over 36.7! Haha I don't think you ever really gave up control 😂😂. Yes you don't need to stress anymore! I hope having these tests has reassured you that nothing is wrong and it will happen soon!

That's funny the sore boobs started right on schedule! Oh no that's frustrating with the test, maybe they could send you something to print off? I don't have any symptoms, CM has been a bit less today but no spotting, so hopefully I'll at least make it to 10DPO.

Yeh I'll do an IC with fmu tomorrow, if I see something then I'll do a FRER but otherwise I'll do the FRER on Wednesday if af doesn't arrive. Have you thought about when you might test?

Aww I understand how you feel with the lack of motivation, it definitely gets more difficult the longer this pandemic goes on ☹️. If it wasn't for sewing I would be seriously bored and unmotivated. You could think of designing some nice outfits to wear in the summer, restrictions will probably have lifted somewhat by then. Or make some comfy lounge clothes!

I made my own pattern yesterday, I'm attempting to make a blouse and copied the size sleeves off a top I already have. I sewed the tops of both sides together, then sewed the sleeves on but found it very difficult to line them up because of the curve.

Oh no were your family members okay? Sounds like you could have had it, although the virus is mutating and there are now several different strains around, so there's still a chance you could catch it again.

Yes it's very sad that the hospitals are almost at breaking point, does make me worry about TTC, I'm not confident I'll get very good treatment if I got pregnant. If you're able to go private then that would be better but they don't deal with emergencies, so for anything urgent you'll have to use the NHS.

That's great your Auntie used to be a midwife, she'll ensure you're looked after properly. Yes I've read lots of stories where the woman's wishes were not respected or she wasn't listened to and that will only get worse during covid.

I had a quick search and the normal level for under 30 is 2.91 so 40.5 is crazy! Did the consultant comment on it being very high? Well having lots of eggs can only be a good thing 😊.

Haha yes, we've probably written enough words to write a book 😂.

Hahaha I didn't did I! 😂 Control is good. I like control! I was convinced giving DH full access would work, but I clearly forgot who I am. Maybe next month you can let your DP handle your temps and OPKs 😂😂 See how you handle things. I've just made myself an alcoholic cocktail! Good thing my temps don't get too affected with small amounts of alcohol! When in your cycle do you usually stop drinking?

Having a predictable cycle can only be a good thing I suppose. My boobs usually start getting sore the night of 5DPO and then by 6DPO they're properly sore! At least I can always confirm ovulation that way and it also means I got my ovulation day correct 😄

They're sending me a whole new progesterone test??? All I needed was a label... 😅😂

Amazing to hear that you haven't started spotting so your LP will be AT LEAST 10 days 🤞This is the most normal cycle I've had in a long while. No cramping, no phantom symptoms. It's great! It means I can't drive myself crazy symptom spotting! This might be our most boring cycle yet 😂 We didn't do our random symptom generator this cycle. What do you reckon this cycle still has in store for us?

Let me know how you get on with the IC! Do you think if you get pregnant you'll just know? Like your mothers intuition will kick in or something? Some people say they knew the moment sperm met egg 😂This is the cycle where I just KNOW I'm NOT pregnant. What a waste of a month... 😅 I'll probably wait for AF and not waste tests. So 14DPO it is.

I think being in lockdown is draining. Thankfully I have a DH that I can tolerate and get along with but I just feel so directionless. And imagine if I didn't have DH... I'd either be alone or back home with my parents. Where would you be if your were alone?

That's so awesome!! Yess! Check you out fashion designer 😁 We'd have to collaborate one day 😉 Let's see how your sleeves turned out.

Yeah some were quite ill but everyone's better now thankfully. If this virus keep mutating and becomes resistant to the vaccine, we'll be right back at square one. I wonder when/if this will end 😪

It is scary having to entrust your life to someone who's probably worked off their feet. All we can do is hope and pray that nothing goes wrong. Check out the prices for a private maternity care in London!😔 I'm not sure what I was expecting, but definitely not that! I better start saving! I think I'd do the NHS scans and checkups and pay for labour only... If that's possible 🤷‍♀️

I think there are two AMH values; one that's ng/ml and the other pmol/L. I think mine is probably pmol/L although they will be sending everything in writing so I can check and confirm then. But nice to know I'm optimally fertile and don't have PCOS. He didn't comment but I could tell by his face that he thought I was silly 😂😂😂

Can you tell I'm so hyped to not be infertile! I was so convinced I was! I even told the consultant that DH is in the obese category 😂😂 And yet my boy's swimmers prevail. Yay!

Had a light bit of spotting this morning, when I wiped there was a very slight brown tinge to the paper, so I think af is gonna arrive tomorrow. Every month this happens and I think oooh it could be implantation bleeding but it never is, just means af is on the way. Pretty disappointing because if af comes tomorrow that will mean I've only had a 9 day LP which isn't good enough. Still did an IC which was obviously BFN.

I've thought more about the short LP being related to ovulation and I think I understand it now. So the ovary makes several follicles each with an immature egg, the most mature egg then becomes the dominant follicle. Once the dominant follicle has released the egg, that follicle then becomes the corpus luteum. The corpus luteum is what produces the progesterone. So it makes sense that if there's an issue with ovulation, then progesterone levels won't be high enough. So hopefully this means I might not need IVF and maybe the issue could be fixed with a fertility drug like clomid or something. That would be a lot easier and cheaper!

Haha no way, I'm not handing over control to DP, I wouldn't be able to cope with that 😂😂.

Oooh what cocktail did you make? Alcohol tends to affect my temps if I drink 4+ units, 3 or less and it's okay. I don't really stop drinking 😂 lol that sounds really bad 😂😂, what I mean is I don't have a specific time period when I stop. I generally just drink at weekends with maybe a couple of drinks during the week. Although since the new year I have drank less.

Yes having a predictable cycle is much better than an unpredictable one! How long do your sore boobs normally last? Until af arrives?

Ah that's annoying, so does that mean you'll have to wait until next cycle now to do the progesterone test?

I think most people don't know they're pregnant until they test, those that say they knew at conception or had mother's intuition probably had the odd symptom during the TWW and thought 'ooh I could be pregnant' (like we all do), then when their test was positive, they say 'oh I knew all along I was pregnant'. What they don't tell you is all the times they thought they were pregnant, then turned out not to be 😂.

I feel really sorry for people living on their own, lockdowns must be really difficult for them. Difficult to know what I'd be doing if I was on my own, I'd probably have a small flat to myself.

Haha yes collaborating would be cool! One of the sleeves is wonky so I need to redo it but I'll take a pic later 🙂.

Yeh it does feel like this pandemic is never ending. I imagine it will be like flu, in that it never really goes but people have to get yearly vaccinations.

Omg that's so expensive, I'll have to use the NHS as that would take out too big a chunk of our house deposit. Fingers crossed covid will have calmed down by the time we give birth!

Ah I see, well good to know you've got lots of eggs left 😊. Do you know if the polycystic ovary ovulates the same as the other one?

Haha see you had nothing to worry about 🙂, hopefully we'll be spending this Christmas as households of 3 😊.

Oh poo... I was hoping you still had some days before AF would start! A 9 day LP isn't great and you've had it a few times now so you might need to start considering next actions. Maybe talking to a doctor or looking into new supplements. There's a natural herbal version of clomid (does quick google) I think it's called Black Cohosh but they also mentioned Vitex (Agnus Castus) in that article, which I'm currently taking. I can't say how successful it is yet as I'm only taking half of the recommended 1000mg so might take longer to work.

Still, let's try to think positive. The spotting could be IB and the BFN could still be too early. But I'm sorry you feel disappointed. If AF does arrive, you'll have a buddy to go through it all, all over again! I'm right here with you 💪

Well, that does make sense. Do you think maybe the follicle doesn't grow big/strong enough and so the corpus luteum is quite weak and doesn't produce enough progesterone? I think the fact that we're ovulating is half the battle. If our ovulation game is weak, then yes, that's definitely fixable!

It is important to understand that not all ovulation is created equally. “Successful” ovulation is when an egg is released and the corpus luteum emits enough progesterone to support a fertilized embryo. Suboptimal, or “weak”, ovulation is when an egg is released, but the corpus luteum isn’t producing a healthy level of progesterone. This means that even if an egg is released and is fertilized, the uterine lining may not be sufficiently prepared to receive that embryo. Having suboptimal ovulation can make it difficult to successfully conceive.

I made a Negroni - yum! Gin, Vermouth and Campari in equal ratios. Pure alcohol but very good!🍸 What's your chosen poison?
I don't think it's bad you don't stop drinking. There's no point not living your life because of a possible pregnancy. Whatever happens, before the placenta is formed, the baby will be fine.

Yeah my boobs hurt about one or two days into AF before the pain goes away. They're excruciating right now. So annoying!!

Yup, today probably would have been a good day to do the progesterone test as well and tbh, I might as well go ahead and draw blood then wait for the label to arrive before sending it off. But I'm not sure if the blood will expire 🤷‍♀️ If that makes sense. Better to send off as fresh blood as possible.

That being said, my temps look ok so far but I don't think I'll be happy until I have a good length LP without all the spotting. So I probably will do the progesterone test next cycle anyway.

Haha yeah! I think you're right! Every cycle I always think "this is it!" and I probably would be like "yup, I know from the very moment" if I did conceive 😂 How many symptoms that mean nothing have you started to ignore? Defo sore boobs, acne and twinges for me.

I'm not sure about having an ovary that's polycystic. I think the polycystic'ness changes from month to month. So I probably ovulate from both normally. Or maybe not normally enough, if my progesterone is low. I was actually googling to see if any of the other follicles help with progesterone production but it seems it's only the corpus luteum that does. My corpus luteum feels abandoned 😔

Christmas as a family of three would be magical! I can never picture what my child could look like but I think they'd be wonderful. 💕

Soy Isoflavones is the clomid alternative I was looking for!

Here's a pic of the top, it's not stitched together yet and I haven't had a chance to redo the sleeves as had a hectic day! You can't tell in the pic but one of the sleeves is too far down the back, the ends don't meet together.

I contacted the fertility clinic and submitted a self referral form, someone will get in touch with me to arrange an appointment. However the waiting list is now 4-8 weeks. Unfortunately as they're NHS staff they're impacted by Covid but it's the only clinic anywhere near us.

Thank you for the suggestions of clomid alternatives 🙂. I think I might wait and see what the clinic prescribe, as they'll be able to monitor any changes from the drugs. If I start taking stuff now, then it may affect future test results.

Aww thanks, I wonder how long we'll be on this journey for! Although you still could be pregnant!

Yes that definately sounds like what's going on with the ovulation, I hope so because that's easily fixable! Can the clinic you went to prescribe clomid? Although I don't know if you'll need it as your temps are looking really good! Hopefully you'll get a few extra days this cycle.

Oooh I don't think I've had Negroni before! I like lots of drinks 😂😂 generally prosecco and black russian are my favourite 😋. In the TWW I often find myself worrying about things I've done that could have prevented a potential pregnancy, I found this article which explains what can/cannot affect implantation, made me feel better!

www.avawomen.com/avaworld/avoid-during-implantation/

Yeh I agree, best to do the test with fresh blood! It probably does expire somewhat 😂

What's the longest LP you've had so far since TTC? Mine was 11 but all the others have been around 8/9 days.

Haha same! Every cycle I'll get some little inkling that will make me think 'ooh that's different, this must be it!'. I'm now going to ignore cramps, twinges, pregnancy dreams, creamy CM and spotting because none of them have resulted in a BFP!

Polycystic'ness 😂😂, well I think as the consultant wasn't concerned about it and thinks you'll conceive by Easter, then it's probably not an issue 🙂.

Have you tried any of those 'what will my baby look like?' apps or websites? There a bit silly really but can be fun! Some kids look exactly like one parent, others are a mix of both and some look nothing like either parents! Genes can skip generations so it's impossible to predict what our children will look like. I do love imagining it though!

Oooo lovely fabric. I can't really see the sleeves but it looks like a top! Keep at it, you'll be a pro soon enough 😁

Ah! So you really do think AF will show up? Well at least you're getting the ball rolling and you probably have another 1 - 2 cycles before getting seen to so let's hope you're pregnant by then so you can save some money! What checks are you thinking of getting done and what does your DP think?

Yeah, it's definitely better to see a specialist than self-medicate and then at least you can get the real thing and have someone working with you to get your hormones to where they need to be. I think it's hard to tell if my cycle is improving because I never used to spot but now I do - Maybe it just means my progesterone is falling a lot less suddenly than before. My longest LP so far has been 12 days (last cycle) so it would be perfect to get that again but without the spotting!

Haha I don't think I'm pregnant. I haven't really felt much this cycle and my temps aren't giving anything away. Implantation may not have even happened yet! And that goes for you too!! Your spotting really could mean nothing. I'm staying hopeful for you! How shocked will you be if you are??

I'm sure my clinic can prescribe anything as they specifically focus on fertility. The consultant said we need to have a plan in place. So after easter, we'll probably go back and do further tests - like checking fallopian tubes and whatnot.

Oh that's interesting! I've never had a Black Russian before. I've just searched and it's coffee flavoured so I probably won't like it. I don't think something you do that's part of everyday life can stop implantation - or else no one would get pregnant! A lot of people do much worse and still manage to have a baby! And I was thinking, the whole stress thing too, people who have been in the very sad and unfortunate position of conceiving through sexual assault have done so despite the horrible amount of stress they must have gone through. If there's nothing wrong with us or our other halves then the best thing we can be is patient (but easier said than done of course!)

Imagine the cycle you get cramps, twinges, pregnancy dreams, creamy CM and spotting and you end up pregnant. Life will really be taking the piss at that point! 😂

Yeah, he was rather confident that we'd conceive. I wish I had his optimism!

Oooo I'd have to do one for me and DH although it would probably get it all wrong and the kid would look like neither of us! I think it's even more impossible to predict with biracial kids. I always forget they'll be biracial! Do your theoretical kids look cute at least??

Yeh the sleeves are quite short!

Spotting has stayed very light all day, so tomorrow will be the decider! I'll do a FRER in the morning unless af becomes obvious. I'm hoping just by telling them what's been happening that they'll be prescribe something. As I'll be a paying patient I think I should be able to choose what investigations/treatment I have, whereas NHS patients would have to go with what they recommend. I think DP would be probably prefer to wait longer but he knows I don't want to wait.

12 days is great, if you get that again then I think you're definitely safe!

Extremely shocked lol, I'm absolutely expecting af to start tomorrow, spotting has always led to af so far. If not feeling much is different then maybe that's a sign??

Yeh it's vodka, kahula and for those who don't like it strong you can add coke. So you don't like coffee? We have a good coffee machine at home but I stopped drinking coffee a few months ago because of the chest problems, I found it made symptoms worse.

Yeh that's true, I hadn't thought about those you got pregnant through sexual assault. The eggs and sperm are pretty resilient!

I went on one of those websites that merges two pics, not sure I'm happy with the outcome 😂😂, why don't you try it, see what it comes out with??

Wooo! Does your spotting usually get progressively heavy? If so, then you may be still in for a chance if it's been staying really light so far! Let's hope tomorrow brings a BFP instead 🤞🤞 You may end up experiencing that extremely shocked reaction 😁

Literally when TTC, absolutely anything can be a sign. I even remember noting I had a pain in my calf and assumed that could be a sign! I've just eaten a whole load of spicy food and my stomach is going to pay for it tomorrow and I'll probably end up thinking that's a sign too! I've never felt more insane 😂 What's been the strangest "symptom" you've had?

Nope, don't like coffee. Never have and never will! DH drinks so many cups a day that I've told him to switch to decaf so it doesn't affect his sperm quality! Are there any drinks/foods you can't stand?

I don't know whose babies are worse, mine or yours! 😂😂😂😂😂 They're not even a little bit cute! Omg 😂😂😂 I think we need to try another generator because this is a mess! 😂

Let me know how you get on tomorrow with POAS! 🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞

Full blown af is here so I didn't bother doing a FRER 😭. It's been 6 cycles now and my LP hasn't improved, so I don't think I'm gonna be able to get pregnant without help. Just a shame that help is 4-8 weeks away.

Yeh the TWW does drive you crazy and thinking anything slightly different must be a sign! I can't think of anything strange that has happened, all the symptoms I've had are now on the list to ignore! Have you experienced anything different this cycle?

8DPO, not long now until you'll find out! Hopefully your temp is still looking good.

That's probably a good thing you don't like coffee as caffeine isn't good for you. Yeh that would be good if he could switch at least some of them to decaf, it's not good for his heart either to drink too much caffeine.

There aren't any drinks I particularly dislike but food wise I hate sardines/pilchards, this is because my Mum made us eat this tinned fish as kids and it was horrible 🤮🤮. I also dislike Weetabix and porridge, as they have the same texture and colour as sick 😂. Are you a picky eater or do you like most foods?

😂😂😂 Our hypothetical babies are funny! Yes there's probably a better one somewhere else! I hope so anyway and that's not what our children will look like! 😂😂

Oh nooo! Are you for real?? I wasn't expecting that for you! I'm so sorry! That's such a real shame. I'm sad for you! 😞 If you're feeling down, I hope you feel better soon. Help is just around the corner. I know 4 to 8 weeks seems like ages away but it may come round quicker than you think. Maybe try and call in and ask if there are any last minute cancelations and if they can put you forward if there are.

Nope, this cycle has been pretty chill. Probably because sperm never had a real chance to meet egg. My boobs hurt like a bitch but nothing new there. I've been a bit constipated actually but could be that I'm not eating enough fibre or drinking enough water. I'm just burning from the inside out with all the spice I ate last night. 🔥 My whole insides were on fire through the night so I slept badly. I expected it so I have no right to complain 😁 What's the spiciest thing you've ever eaten? 🌶

My temps still look ok. It may have already reached its peak so all I'm really expecting now is for it to start coming down 📉. My new progesterone kit arrives today so I'm not sure if I should just test today or wait until next cycle. My progesterone has probably started falling already right?? Have your temps started dropping?

Does your DP drink a lot of coffee? I like herbal teas a lot. I have a few teapots with strainers inside and really enjoy infusing my own tea leaves. ☕️ Do you drink much tea? I'm finding I really like grape juice too! It's so sweet but yum! I guess it's my alternative to wine 🍷 You should try some.

Haha, that's like my DH with eggs. He was fed it so much as a child that now he can't stand it 😂 I like all the foods you mentioned but I am still quite picky generally. I don't like mushrooms the most! 🍄 It's the texture that doesn't do it for me 🤮 I'm definitely not keen on trying anything new either 😆

Things with the house are progressing! 🏡 We may be moving in before March! The searches have started and will be completed by 28th Jan. After that, it's just the contracts left! We'll need to hand in our notice at our current place as it's a 2 month notice period. I'm not sure when the best time to do it is! I was thinking end of this week?

Don't ask why I'm using so many emojis...

Also, I forgot to mention I'm not checking CM. I wanted to give myself one less thing to stress over!

Yep afraid so ☹️ temp went down a bit this morning but normally it comes down over the first few days of af. I knew it as soon as I saw spotting, that always means af starts the following day. I'm waiting for the appointment clerk to contact me with a date but not expecting anything to happen quickly with the NHS.

The sperm did have a chance! You DTD on day of ovulation and 3 days before ovulation, so there definitely is a chance 🙂. Oh no haha I'm surprised those spices haven't made you go to the toilet 😂. Did you have a really hot curry? I avoid spicy food because I can't handle it, it hurts too much! I think the spiciest thing I've ever tried was probably an Indian curry or maybe wasabi peas, they were a shock 😂 they looked so innocent 😂😂.

Your temps are looking great, nearly at 36.8! I would think your progesterone levels are probably better than mine. With your temp being high they probably haven't started falling yet but difficult to know. Hopefully af will stay away for you for at least a couple more days.

DP drinks 2 coffee's most days but I'm trying to get him to cut it down to 1! My fault as I bought him a coffee machine 😂. I don't really drink many teas or juices, I just drink water. The best water I've had is when skiing, bottled straight from the mountains. Do you like water or do you need something flavoured?

Haha I like mushrooms! But I'm also not keen on trying new things. It's annoying when we go out to eat because DP always says "why don't you try something different, you always have the same things" but at least then I know I won't be disappointed! Do you miss going out to pubs and restaurants?

Yay that's exciting! Do you think you'll have a cross over period where you have both places? Or will you move out on the last day of your tenancy? If you wanted to have more time and do a slower move you could hand in your notice at the end of Jan, that way you've got the place until end of March, so you can go back and do any cleaning or take your time moving everything over.

That's strong willed of you to not check CM, I wouldn't be able to not look, I need to know what's going on! Not that checking CM actually told me anything...

What a nightmare of a cycle. I had so much hope for you! 😫 I'm sorry again! It sucks. Could you consider a clinic that's a little further out? Mine was a 30 minute drive away in a different town. If you're willing to drive, maybe you can find one that isn't so busy and get an appointment for literally next week. I think you'll have a better chance of availability at independent clinics.

DH still has low sperm count. Although it's not the worst possible number, it's still on the low side so I'd feel more confident if we'd DTD more 😟 So give me a few day! I'll be joining you with AF 😃

Oh I've been to the toilet and that was hot too🔥🌶 But it wasn't as (TMI) runny as I expected 😂😂 No it wasn't a curry. It was spicy beef, spicy fish and spicy rice. The whole meal was spicy! But so gooood!! Finished my leftovers for lunch today so I expect to burn up until tomorrow. Haha awww! I would have loved to recommend you lots of spicy foods. Maybe even send you one of my many chilli plants.

The progesterone kit they sent me has x2 labels so I was thinking about doing one test today and the other next cycle. Or both tests next cycle, but one on 6dpo and the other on 8dpo. Not sure which will capture my levels best. What would you do?

Maybe you can buy your DP decaf coffee pods for the machine?
I like water. Tap water doesn't bother me. I just don't like the flavour of sparkling water so I mix it with squash. Woooow mountain water 🏔 it sounds so pure. What did it taste like? Like it had lots of minerals?

We're exactly the same way! I always stick to what I know! And DH loves to try everything! I am a home body but I did go out now again before lockdown and thinking about it, I do miss restaurants. I miss the hustle and bustle. I also miss seeing other people. How are you coping with it all?

Yeah I think it would be smart to have 2 - 4 weeks overlap where we can take our time to move everything out and clean the whole house out. I think we'll wait for the survey report to see what it says. If the house is fine, we'll go ahead and hand in our notice. It's probably worth also reaching out to moving companies and finding out their availability. If their crazy busy then maybe we'll hold off for a bit.

I've started thinking about how I'd decorate my baby's room. I really envision putting up lots of cute stickers and decals all over the walls like in these images. I wouldn't want to find out the sex until birth so I'd keep it cute and neutral. Have you thought about the decor you'd want?

The next closest would be Bristol but that's a 2 hour drive (there and back) so would be difficult with us both working full time, I'll have to just wait, fingers crossed it's 4 weeks and not 8.

If you get a BFN I would recommend for your next cycle DTD every other day during your fertile period, with a low sperm count it's safer to do it every other day so that you don't deplete the sperm too early.

😂😂 Oh no, hope it wasn't too painful! Aww thanks it would be lovely to have one of your chilli plants but it would just be for decoration, it would not get eaten in this house, we're both wimps with chilli 😂😂.

Hmmm do you know what level of progesterone you should have at what days per ovulation? I'm just wondering whether it would be better to do it now at 8DPO and again next month at 8DPO, then you could compare cycles?

I've not seen decaf options but I'm sure I can get them online. It's difficult to describe what the water tasted like but to give you an idea of how good it was... I used to only drink water with blackberry cordial, I used to hate the taste of plain water, then when we went skiing, I filled up a bottle from a tap in our chalet and it was amazing, so crisp, cold and refreshing. I liked the water so much that when we returned from holiday I no longer needed cordial, I was happy to drink water on its own. Even though it wasn't the same water, it converted my taste buds!

I'm coping okay but miss going out, I do love going to the pub and the occasional clubbing! Just feel quite old sat at home, seeing no-one, doing nothing and knowing I turn 30 this year! Although I did get ID'd the other day in Tesco which made me feel better 😂😂.

Fingers crossed the survey report comes back okay! I doubt removal companies will be that busy, most people aren't going anywhere at the moment, so hopefully you'll get a good price!

Aww those pics look so cute! Yeh I'd like something like that, especially the ones with the tree and blossom. I definitely would find out the sex, so I'd either do the room pink or blue. I'm surprised you wouldn't want to know, because you quite like being in control I would have thought you'd want to know the sex!

It's my Mum's birthday next week and as a birthday present I offered to make her a top or dress. She responded and said "I could do with a soft, thin fabric top which ties at the waist, long sleeves, bat wing if possible as prefer loose fitting under the arms. Colour wise, perhaps white or lilac." 😱😱😱 She knows I've only just started learning to sew...

You might remember I said a little while ago I bought some stretch fabric, well that fabric I have is lilac. So just by a fluke I think I have the right fabric for what she wants. So she's dressed up my 13 year old brother in the top she wants (the black one) and sent me a pic (attached). I have no idea how I'm gonna make this 🤦, I wish she'd picked something slightly easier... I'm gonna have to quickly learn how to work with stretch material!

Ok 2 hour round trip is a bit far! So yeah, the best thing to do is wait 😅But would a weekend appointment convince you to make the journey?

Every other day would probably be our best bet. I'll have him still take vitamins to help increase his numbers but I guess, going forward, I'll assume that his count is still low and DTD accordingly.

Hehe! I'd like to say that the chilli plants are attractive, but there's really nothing special about them so they won't make very good decoration either! Sorry! 😂But tomato plants I do have! I wonder how postable they are! Probably not very 😂😂

I think I'm way past the progesterone testing window. So it would have to be next month or next month + the month after. I haven't been able to find much info on BBT chart and progesterone levels apart from short LPs. I want to see low progesterone charts to compare!

After ovulation, progesterone is produced increasingly from the corpus luteum and the progesterone levels gradually rise from a baseline of 1.5 to 3 ng/mL by the first day after ovulation. Levels then continue to rise until it reaches a peak 7 days after ovulation reaching levels of approximately 10-20 ng/mL

Mine will probably be like just enough, like about 8.5ng/mL.

Woooow that mountain water must have been miraculous for them to change your taste buds because UK tap water isn't the nicest tasting. Any chance I can order a bottled version to experience this magic??
Yes, DH buys his decaf pods online.

I stopped liking clubbing at like 23. I just felt so old! Like being amongst 18 year olds behaving like babies. I couldn't. So I preferred going to bars instead. I only really went to pubs for pub quizzes 🤓Oh nooooo! The big THREE-OH! Are you excited to enter your third decade?

I've never been particular about the sex of my child so it hasn't really crossed my mind. And there's not much control I can have over it anyway so knowing or not knowing won't change anything. Do you have a sex preference for your first born? Have you heard about the theory that female sperms live longer and male sperm are faster? I reckon if I got pregnant this cycle, it could go either way. Maybe they'll be some CD12 sperm left and they'll mostly be girls or the fast, ovulation day sperm could get there first and I'll have a boy!

Haha omg! Good luck making that!! Would you try to find a pattern for it? Omg I can't believe she put your brother in her clothes! 😂😂poor kid! And he didn't bother to put up a fight?? 😂😂

You won't believe what happened earlier, we drove out for a lunchtime walk and along the country lanes a massive tractor sped past and so to quickly avoid it DP had to drive the car into the hedge and we got stuck in a ditch! Luckily about an hour later a tow truck happened to pass us and managed to get us out! Car seems okay but DP got covered in mud 😂.

How are you feeling today? Temp still high?

Any private clinics in Bristol would be more expensive than the NHS one here, so I'll just wait but I did order some Vitamin B complex tablets to try in the meantime!

Haha yes unfortunately the tomato plant would probably end up a squished gooey red mess 😂😂.

That's handy you've found those progesterone levels, so now you have some numbers you can compare with once you do your test. Although shame you've gotta wait until next month now.

Haha we have a water filter so it's not straight from the tap but that probably doesn't change the taste much. It also depends on the water in your area, we have very soft water here so it's a bit nicer. DP corrected me, it wasn't bottled water I drank at the ski resort, it was tap water but because the chalets are in the mountains, the water comes straight from them. So to try some you'd have to go skiing!

Haha yeh before covid we didn't go clubbing very often but we know the places that the 18 year olds go so we avoid them, other clubs cater more for 25+ so we tend to go there. Where's the first place you think you'll go once restrictions are lifted?

No not excited to be turning 30, especially as my last year in my 20s has been robbed from me thanks to covid. Hopefully this will largely be over by next November so you can make the most of yours!

I would love to have girl first, I do want a boy as well but if I had a boy first, I would just worry that I might not be able to have a girl. Yes I have heard of that theory! Some people say it works for them, others say it doesn't. Yes in your case you'd have the female sperm there already waiting from CD12, so they should fertilise the egg first. If they didn't manage to then the male sperm from CD15 would have probably got up there before the egg dies. So if you did get pregnant, it would more likely be a girl, based on that theory.

I know 😂😂 I don't know why she didn't just put them on herself, I don't think my brother had much choice 😂😂. I've gone back and said I can't make what she's asking for, however I can make a T-shirt, blouse or tunic and she's come back and said " I like long sleeves, baggy under the arms and open at the waist to tie" - which is exactly what I just told her I couldn't make 😕. I'm gonna have to say to her, I can't make you what you want at the moment, maybe for Christmas or next birthday. Think I'm just gonna stick to making things for myself, much easier 😂😂.

Omg! Were you guys standing there trying to push it out for ages? In this weather?? I'm surprised no one stopped to help!! Good thing that tow truck went by. What would you have done?? Did you call any towing companies before the guy stopped to help you? Glad you both made it out safe though! Stuck in the mud in the current climate is not where anyone wants to be!

Ughhh! Remind me never to eat spice again. I've never reacted as bad as this to food before in my life. I was feeling very nauseous throughout the night and almost threw up a few times. Then around 3am last night my stomach got really sore and I had to go to the toilet. At this point I felt so sick that whatever was going to come out would probably come out from both ends - simultaneously! So I'm sat on the toilet 💩 trying to hold the vomit back. I empty the bathroom bin onto the floor because I am so close to throwing up but I manage to keep it in. I feel so horrible and unwell and I'm on the toilet for a long while before I finally start feeling better. Then I'm back in bed and I notice bubbling sort of under my ribs and it's continuous and I've been having it a lot today as well. It feels like bubbles of gas bubbling away. But I haven't been gassy and I feel fine today but maybe my body is still reeling from what happened last night 🤢 Horrible, horrible night!

I've also been having a tingly vagina. Like on the inside. But I had it at 4&5DPO as well so it probably means nothing. Boobs still hurt, which is nothing new. So I'm pretty much still symptomless.

My temps are still going up. It's exactly at the same 9dpo temperature as last cycles (36.81) so I'm thinking it'll probably follow a similar pattern where it'll go up tomorrow then start dropping down while AF starts. I just don't understand why it keeps going up and it's not zig-zagging around. Not sure what to make of it. Or what that means for my progesterone levels. How's your AF? Is it at least treating you right? 😁

Awesome! B100-Complex is what I've been taking too. This is my third cycle on it and I think it may have helped although I do have very little faith in my body's ability to be normal so I'm not sure 😣

Haha I don't think it would be wise to send a plant with fruit hanging off it! The postage costs would be higher since tomatoes are heavier than the plants themselves! I oftentimes had to tie branches to bamboo sticks to support them and stop them from snapping under their weight. I think, if you want to give it a go, now would be a great time to buy some seeds and start growing them indoors in time for spring!

I'm jealous of your soft water. The water in Sheffield is soft and so delicious! I do miss it. In Reading, it's hard so we have a filter too. DH doesn't want me to get kidney stones even though I've never had it before and know no one who has 🙄 Do you get limescale in your bathroom? We get terrible limescale here.
Skiing probably won't happen but maybe I will travel to which ever country just for the water!

I think the first place DH and I will go is to a restaurant. Just for a change of scenery. And then, maybe the cinema! It would be nice to see friends too, so could go out to a bar to grab a few drinks! I'd definitely host a large gathering as well! How about you??

Awww you're right! This is your last year in your 20s. That really sucks! You should find some way to celebrate 30. Even if we are still in lockdown. Do you think you've achieved everything you planned for your 20s? I'm not holding my breath for November. The way things are going, we'll probably all still be stuck at home. I just hope I have a baby by then so at least I feel like I've done something with the year!

Haha you are surrounded by boys so I suppose a girl makes sense for you! I don't mind either a boy or a girl. I imagine my girl being really cute and me doing her hair and I imagine my boy being kind and copying everything his dad does 😂 Maybe I will have a girl first based on the theory! Do you ever picture what your kids will be like as people?

😂😂😂 Your mum is brilliant bless her! Did she not realise she asked for the same thing again? Sewing for people is stressful! That's why I'd much rather be selfish and focus on me! 👗

Yeh we were there for quite a while trying to push it and drive it forwards or backwards out of the ditch! It was cold and started raining so we just sat in car not really knowing what to do. One person did stop to help but they weren't able to. We called a neighbour who was gonna send someone who might be able to help but whilst we were waiting a tow truck happened to drive by, very lucky!

Oh no you poor thing, that sounds awful! I wonder if there was something dodgy in the beef or fish as it seems strange that spice would make you so ill, especially as you're used to it. Sounds more like food poisoning. Is your DH okay? Did you take the day off work?

Your temp is doing great again! It being high can only be a good thing, you don't want it zig-zagging. What cycle day did it start coming down last time? My temp tends to only come down after af has started so I don't get a heads up. Haha af is alright, quite heavy, I got really worried whilst we were stuck out in the country lane because I didn't want my tampon to leak through!

I ordered this one but a pack of 30 as it was only £1, although I've since read reviews and apparently the tablets are massive 😬.

www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/holland-barrett-complete-b-vitamin-b-complex-caplets-60001250

Plants have a history of dying on me 😂 how easy are they to keep?

You don't want to get kidney stones, they're extremely painful so I would agree, best to filter your water. We don't get much limescale here thankfully 😊.

I'm looking forward to going to a restaurant again and catching up with friends in a pub. It would also be nice to go clothes or makeup shopping with no mask and actually be able to touch things without worry! You'll be in your new place by then so you'll have to have a house warming party! 🥳

Nope I haven't achieved what I had planned to before 30, which was to get married, have first child and buy first house! If I still haven't achieved those things in the next decade then something's gone very wrong 😂😂. Do you have any goals to achieve before you're 30? Other than having a baby 😉

Same, I can't wait to do my little girl's hair and dress her up in adorable outfits 😍😍! I have no idea what they will be like as people, me and my brother's are all very different and not like our parents, so I think it's impossible to know. I just hope they grow up to be respectful and have good morals and keep in touch with us when we're old! What do you think your kids will be like?

I have no idea 😂😂 but I've managed to postpone it until next year now!

I have major period anxiety so I would have started feeling paranoid about leaking if I was in your situation! But at least you had someone you could call to sort something out for you. Is the car small?

I agree, it is really strange that I reacted that way to spice but I don't think it was food poisoning either. DH is absolutely fine. I think because I ate spicy food two days in a row without giving my stomach time to recover, it just made me really ill. I slept in until 9:45am but I felt ok enough to work. Do you guys order food in frequently?

I thought zig-zagging was normal. I know a slow rise is normal too but rising steadily over 9 days can't be a good thing?? Last cycle my tests started dropping at 11dpo and I started spotting at 10dpo. Actually, DH and I DTD this evening and when I wiped the tissue may have looked a bit pink tinged but I can't be 100% sure as when I wiped again there was nothing there. And I checked my cervix and nothing there either.

Is your AF heavier than usual? I use a menstrual cup so I can't tell if mine is heavy or not but the length of mine has recently gotten shorter with more spotting.

These are the ones I take as there have 100mg of B6: www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/holland-barrett-mega-b-100-vitamin-b-complex-caplets-60000770?skuid=000772

The tablets are really, really huge! It can make it a bit hard to swallow. Same with the Vit C.💊

They're quite easy to grow! Just water and sunshine. Nothing more! And as they get older you can feed them plant food! Are there any other plants you think you'd like to grow? 🌱 I think one of the first things I do when we move into the new house is plant bee-friendly flowers in the front garden 🐝 And daffodils! I love daffodils! Favourite flower. What are yours?

A house warming party would be great! If you're ever in the area, you're always welcome to visit too! Have you ever been to Reading before?

Well I guess you can look at this way: Before 30, you went through a pandemic with good health, a job, a roof over your head, food in your belly and family and a man who love you! The baby, house and marriage will come 😊 Plus nowadays a lot of career women wait until their 30s before settling down so you're waaaaay ahead of many women in our generation! Hehe I have no other plans tbh! I really think all that is missing are the kids!!🤰🤱👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

I imagine having two biological kids plus an adopted third and at least one of them will be introverted. The rest will be very extroverted and hyperactive and funny and fun. It will be a loud house for sure! They'll be artistic is some way; art, music, writing, dance, craft, etc but also inquisitive about the world and about people. They'll be loving and kind, openminded and giving. Or at least that's the dream 😂😂

My grandma has been vaccinated! I spoke to her today and I'm happy to have heard that. How is your brother doing? Also any news on your job interview?

Yeh the car is a fairly small, it's a Peugeot 308, only took 2 mins to get it out once the right tools came along!

I think you're 10DPO today, how is your temp? Any spotting or more pink tinges? You still planning on waiting until 14DPO to test?

Hope you're feeling better now and the spices are out your system. We hardly ever get takeaway, if it was up to me we'd get it all the time but DP likes to eat healthily... boring! I love Domino's, fried chicken, chips and Chinese! How about you? What's your favourite takeaway?

Zig-zagging is normal but id much prefer a temp that went up and up! Maybe it shows your hormone balance is quite stable, which is a good thing.

My af was quite heavy the first couple of days but it's a bit less today, hopefully it will be over by next week!

I think tomato plants might be one of the easier veg to grow, so probably best to start with that one. I'm not sure about flowers, they're lovely to look at but I absolutely hate buzzing things, I get very nervous if there's a hornet or wasp nearby, I don't mind bees but they sound the same, so I'm constantly on edge if I'm near them! Do you have any phobias?

Aww thanks that would be nice, some of my colleagues work in our Reading office so I've been there before. I might get to go there again after covid but won't be for a while. Although that is dependent on me keeping my current job, the job advert is out and closes next Friday, so I've gotta put a lot of effort into making it a good application!

Thats very true, thank you for reminding me of the positives! The kids will come soon! Would 2 biological and 1 adopted be the ideal scenario for you? I think I would like 3 but I might change my mind after 2 😂😂. As you're very creative at least one of them will be, maybe all of them! When they're older you could teach them how to sew, get them to make clothes for you, free labour 😂😂.

That's great your Grandma has been vaccinated! Has she had both jabs or just the first one so far? Brother is doing okay, he's feeling better now but still tired. I hope he doesn't end up with long covid but only time will tell.

After telling my Mum I'd make her something next year instead, she came back and has asked if I can make a jacket. The pic she's sent doesn't look too difficult... I would probably use interfacing round the neck and down the front middle edges. The sleeves and bottom of it look like they've been sewn with invisible stitching, is that possible to do on a standard machine?

Ok that's good! If it was a huge SUV it would have probably taken a bit more time than that. I like that my car is small, it feels like the right size for me. When I was in the States for work in Dec 2019, I was confident I could drive this huge Grand Cherokee. Anyway... I didn't make it 1 meter out of the parking lot before I scratched up the whole side of the car and badly damaged both doors on a bollard that I didn't see because the car was so tall! Luckily the car was insured with my company but I was distraught!! 😂 Needless to say, I'm never driving a big car with the steering on the opposite side in a right-side-of-the-road country ever again!! Have you made any driving mistakes that still traumatise you?

Temp went up to its highest ever! 36.88! Still perplexed as to why but I think maybe the vitamins are actually working. It's been 3 months so maybe that's how long they take to fully work. No spotting yet but I'm not holding my breath. 📉📉📉 down, down, down for sure tomorrow. Once AF starts, you and I will be at least a week apart from each other! 😟

For most of last night and this morning I've been feeling quite nauseous. I'm not sure if I've fully recovered so I'm trying to eat foods that will be light on my stomach. I can't believe how ill I've made myself!! I might have to reconsider spice going forward. Do you have any food intolerances?

I agree! Boring!! Does that mean your DP does most of the cooking? We get take out quite a bit but we can get a bit lazy! 😂 It's always a range of cuisines but I like dominos too, Chinese, Thai and anything familiar.

There must be limits to how high the temps can go though!

Haha, see, I really like the idea of saving the bees but having them buzzing around me would give me a major heart attack! I freak out around wasps too but sometimes bees and wasps look alike so I'm probably just freaking out at everything yellow, black and buzzing. I generally don't like bugs but my biggest fear I'd say is infertility 😂😂😂 What's yours?

Oh that's good! Good luck with the application. You'll be fine! Have you prepared some answers in advance?

I think if I accidentally got pregnant with a third before we adopted, we'd reconsider the adoption. But yes, I'd love to adopt. Even helping just one person in the world goes a long way and I'd love to give a home to someone who doesn't have one. Haha best believe that I'll start having them doing manual labour from the age of 5! What would you do if you had twins twice and then suddenly had 4 kids??

I think my grandma has had one so far, which is something. Glad your brother is over the worst of it but long COVID is a major issue and so I hope he doesn't get it. I've read how bad it is - especially the damage that's done to the lungs. Terrible.

That jacket looks easy enough. Doesn't look like there's much to it. The fabric isn't heavy so your machine should cope ok with it. Use interfacing along the neckline and centre-front but line the whole thing on the inside. It would be neater that way.

The survey for the house came back fine. Every issue mentioned was minor, which is a relief. We've also received the draft contract for our house purchase so I can't imagine it taking any longer before we complete on the purchase!!

Wow your temp!! I would definitely have done a test by now, you're very strong not to, is that because you think you're not pregnant? I wonder if your nausea is related?!

Oh no!! Did your company charge you for the damage? I haven't done anything traumatic but I had a minor crash with a van not long after passing my test which shook me up for a bit. I pulled onto a roundabout when something was coming, completely my fault, I think I thought I could get over in time!

Yeh it's a shame our cycles are slowly getting further apart ☹️.

It could be because you're pregnant and not because of the spice?? I don't have any food intolerances but sugar often makes me gassy and bloated!

No I do all the cooking! But he moans if I make unhealthy meals or meals without veg 😂. Yet he's happy to scoff chocolate, pastries, cookies and scones for snacks! Who does most the cooking in your house?

Haha yeh I'd say in the longer term infertility is also a big fear, as is being alone but on a daily basis it's definitely wasp looking buzzing things that scare me!

I've completed the application and sent it to a more senior colleague to look over, hopefully they'll come back with some helpful advice as one of the capabilities I was not expecting! Deadline is next Friday so sifting will be the week after and interviews will prob be end of Jan 😬.

Hahaha DP and I often talk about all the jobs we'll get them doing, we'll have our own little army 😂😂. Well I guess not a lot you can do if that happens but wouldn't be ideal! Do you have twins in your family? My grandmother's sister had twins so it's possible but probably unlikely as it's not a close enough relation.

Yay!! That's so exciting! Not long now 😁😁. Have you decided when to book removals?

The only way I'd be pregnant is if God himself put a baby in me, and unless my name is Mary, I don't think that that has happened! 😂I don't want to think about testing too much or else I'll get really anxious and won't sleep for 48 hours straight this time 😂14DPO is still the plan as I'll be properly late then. So next Tuesday. Is AF still going on for you? What CD are you on?

No, I wasn't charged for the damage. Just got made fun of 😅they were relaxed about it and that's what insurance is for anyway! Oh roundabout accidents seem so scary. Some people literally fly around them. I had a woman do similar, where she pulled out whilst I was right in front of her! Luckily I was able to avoid her and honked my horn very displeasingly. I mostly hate cyclists on the road!!!!!! They're the worst!

I've enjoyed sharing my TWWs with you 😢A week is such a huge time difference! How will we symptom spot together!!

I'm the same way with sugar! I get so gassy, it's actually disgusting. I'm not a huge snacker so it's mostly controllable!

Haha! You should cook something ridiculously greasy and unhealthy and if he refuses to eat it, tell him to get in the kitchen and cook his own food 😂That being said, I did complain about DH's cooking today but I did eat it all!! The times I've refused to eat his concoctions, I've cooked my own food instead. I think I do the most cooking, but that's because I'm the least busy of the two of us.

Being alone is a legit fear, I completely get it. I think if I was single, that would be one of my fears too. I was reading a post on here today where a 38 year old woman was panicking because her life hadn't turned out how she's planned and she'd achieved nothing she wanted in terms of family, kids, home. I think it's scary! Especially with this very real biological clock that's ticking away!!

Oh well good luck!! Let me know how it goes. Hopefully they call you back for an interview shortly! Do you think a lot of people will apply for the role? Is it quite specialised?

Haha! I was such an obedient kid, doing everything my parents asked from such a young age. That's what I expect from my children (but we may accidentally end up spoiling the last born.) There are literally 0 twins in my family so no chance of that happening here. But genetics are a weird thing, so you may find that you'll be carrying twins very soon!

I emailed one removal company, just to check pricing and availability and they never got back to me. I'll have to enquire from another company!

I tried to come on Mumsnet last night but the page wouldn't load, it kept saying 'host error', did you get that?

So today is the decider, has your temp come down as predicted or has it stayed it high???

Don't be silly 😂 you have DTD enough to get pregnant! I'm on CD4 and af is light now 🙂. The TWW is based on our ovulation date, so as I tend to ovulate later than you, that might bring our cycles a couple of days closer, like it did this time.

I agree I hate cyclists on the road, they're a danger, forcing cars to go on the other side of the road to get round them. I think they should be banned from the road if there is a cycle path available.

Hahaha what's he cooked that you've refused to eat? Sometimes if there's not enough veg on the plate DP will go to the fridge and grab salad and then try to put it on my plate as well 😱.

Yeh it's unfair that women have a much earlier biological clock than men as it's puts us under a lot of pressure, especially if we want a career as well. Do you think you would go part-time when the kids are young?

Yes lots of people will apply for it as permanent jobs in this organisation are hard to get! It's a bit specialised but lots of people already working here would probably have the skills. Our manager is only keeping the advert live for a week, in the hope that not so many people see it. I haven't submitted my application yet but I'll let you know if I get an interview!

Haha my parents expected obedience from me aswell but less so with each child that came after! First borns definitely get it the hardest!

Ah that's frustrating, I used to work for Britannia removals, they have lots of branches so they've probably got one in your area, might be worth a try. Although I hope they weren't the ones that didn't come back to you 😂.