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 😆

10 day LP is still something, 25 days is my usual cycle length so minus my two weird cycles, not sure if anything changed. I'd have to see if I ov earlier this cycle. Definitely slept a little better although I did wake up briefly a few times. How was your sleep? Did you manage to get a temp reading? Hope everything is still high!

Yeah I take Vit C & D and magnesium, zinc and a B-Complex too so between the five of them, they've pretty much worked to eliminate my cramps which means AF will always be a surprise now 😱 Not sure I want any unwelcome surprises 😂

Already had a commiseration drink last night and if you get your BFP I'll probably have a celebratory drink for you 😁

Af arrived this morning 😭 no spotting, just straight into full af. Which in a way is kinda better, if I'd starting spotting first I'd be obsessing over implantation bleeding! So my cycle increased from 26 to 28 days and my luteal phase increased from 8 to 11 days. So I'm pleased with that.

Glad you slept a bit better 🙂, my sleep was okay thanks but my thermometer is definitely broken so have had to order another one (3rd one in less than 2 months!).

Here's hoping this cycle will be the one! It would be lovely to get a BFP for Christmas! This whole 3 households max per Xmas bubble has caused a nightmare in my family as we're quite spread out. Have you managed to make arrangements?

Oh poo, that sucks! Sorry AF showed up! I think this warrants another commiseration drink. But amazing jump in LP. I'm really impressed with that increase. 11 days is enough of an LP for conception so let's hope this cycle is the one!

My hope is that I can maintain a 25/26 day cycle but ovulate earlier like CD12/CD13. Actually I was quite surprised to find out I Ov'd around CD14, that's the most normal thing about my cycle 😂

I've always wondered if you implant early, like 6DPO, whether a short LP would matter. Obviously low/a fall in progesterone isn't ideal and can cause chemical pregnancies but wouldn't pregnancy kickstart more progesterone into production?

What sort of thermometer do you use? Are they the special pregnancy ones that come with an app and everything? Not that special pregnancy thermometers are any different to regular thermometers 😂 Femometer is one I know people use, you could consider that?

Hehe yeah, Christmas is the next BFP goal. My next AF is due around 18 Dec so I'll have a good week before Christmas to digest the news. Also no more symptom spotting for me this cycle (yeah right) as nothing is consistent anymore!

I haven't really discussed Xmas with this new 3 household bubble rules. Regardless, DH and I were going to go to my parents. We usually have a huge get together with the whole extended family, but nothing has been said about it this year so not sure what's happening yet. I'll leave it to the real adults to make that decision. What do you think you're going to do about Xmas? Or what do you usually do?

I just want the world back to normal so we can finally have a honeymoon! Did you manage to get any holidays in this year?

Definitely up for a commiseration drink! After ginger cake and ice cream! Yes 11 days LP is great, would be nice if ovulation came a little earlier this time.

Yes a short cycle is better for TTC as you get more chances but only if the ovulation happens early enough. Your 10 day LP is just long enough but hopefully you'll get an extra day or 2 this time. I'm not really sure whether implanting early would improve chances with a shorter LP, I guess we'll never really know.

What CD do you start OPKs? Last cycle was my first time so I started on CD9 but I think I'll start on CD11 this time.

I was using a Femometer thermometer, it's their cheaper, more basic version. I've now bought a more expensive one from Lloyds Pharmacy. This one better work else I'm gonna have to give up taking BBT, can't keep buying more thermometers 😂.

My next AF is due around 22/23rd Dec, so cutting it very close to Xmas! That's nice yours is a few days earlier, if you got BFP would you tell family or keep it a secret until you're further along?

I agree with the no more symptom spotting, last night I was having mild cramps but they felt different, so I was getting convinced I must be pregnant. Little did I know af was just around the corner! 😂😭 That said, I'm sure we'll find it hard not to when the TWW comes around!

I really don't know what to do about Xmas this year, no-one wants to make a decision! My DP and I were going to spend it with my family but there's too many different households, so somehow we're gonna have to split up.

How come you haven't had a honeymoon? Did you get married during or just before lockdown? We were booked to go skiing in March but that got cancelled thanks to covid!

Yes please to cake and ice cream! Gonna bake a cake for my birthday but I'm liking the sound of ice cream on the side 🍰yum!

10 days is less than ideal but definitely enough. I think a short LP is mostly caused by progesterone deficiency so hopefully the vitamins are helping with the progesterone side of things, although, looking at our temps, they stayed high for quite a while so I think that's a really good sign for us, but what do I know 🤷‍♀️

The first cycle I started OPKs at CD6, then second I started at CD6 again but checked every two days until I started getting darker lines but I agree that starting a bit later would be better and waste less OPKs. I've just ordered some more as well as some ICs and I feel sad that I've had to. I just can't imagine what it must be like for those who have been trying for years. The thought of it breaks my heart. Also the amount of money they must be spending 💔Will you be replenishing stock this month? (Gosh it sounds so methodical 😪)

Perhaps a wearable thermometer would be better? They're quite expensive but I got mine from eBay second hand for half the price. They're priced so high for what they are because they know women will buy them and them capitalising on people's misfortune is so distasteful and I would never pay full price for such. But the convenience of it helps a lot.

Oh that's really close to Christmas! It's exciting but scary at the same time. Because you definitely want a little Christmas miracle, but at the same time, any disappointment could ruin a day that's suppose to be wonderful. But regardless of BFP or not, I definitely won't be telling anyone until the 12 week scan. My family are very involved and I think I'd appreciate a little privacy before the drama starts. How about you? You'd have to tell your dad anyway because of the holiday but will you tell the rest?

I think when we tell ourselves we're ready to conceive our bodies activate the symptom randomiser and each cycle we get something new to obsess about.

Ah, sounds complicated. Have you ever had to spend Xmas apart? Maybe spend Xmas with one set of family and New Year's with the other?

Yup, we got married in March, the weekend before lockdown, so our whole married life has been in lockdown! Haha. Good thing we hadn't booked anything yet though. Skiing would have been great, where were you going to go?

Have you found that your other half isn't as emotionally affected by TTC as you are? My DH is absolutely keen for a baby but just doesn't seem fazed when CD1 comes right back around and he just doesn't get how the disappointment feels.

How do I always find a way to write essays!

Ooh what kind of cake are you going to bake? Last weekend I made a chocolate extravaganza cake for a zoom bake off! It looked nice but was very sickly 😂.

Haha I already replenished stock before af arrived, I guess I must have instinctively knew it wasn't my month! Which OPKs do you use? First time I bought easy@home ones and I liked using them, the next pack are Femometer ones but they're thinner so they're not as easy to read. Yes I never imagined TTC would become so costly! Fingers crossed it won't be much longer for us 🤞.

What brand is your thermometer? Hopefully this next one I've bought will work but if I continue to have issues I may consider a wearable one. Would also be nice not having to have an early alarm every day!

Yeh it's better if you can avoid telling anyone before 12 weeks. Once you announce the pregnancy everyone will be wanting to give you their 'advice' lol. It doesn't matter now about the holiday because if I got pregnant this cycle, then I would be 6 months at the time of holiday. So I've deemed that to be okay, although I'm sure I'll regret it at the time 😂.

'When ready to conceive our bodies activate the symptom randomiser' 😂😂 that's so funny! But so true 😭😭. I wonder what we'll get this cycle?!

I won't be apart from DP at Christmas but we'll have to decide whether to spend it with my Dad or with my Mum and brothers. Yeh tis complicated, there's lots of family politics going on lol.

Oh wow that's lucky you managed to get married just before lockdown but also unlucky you've spent it all in lockdown! Have you planned where you're gonna go on your honeymoon? We were gonna go skiing in Andorra, I've never been there before but DP loves it.

Yes DP definitely isn't as obessed about constant monitoring of bodily functions 😂. He has a much more relaxed view of it all. He's convinced it will happen but I worry it might not and we may need IVF.

A golden vanilla sponge cake, but maybe I should be more adventurous and try a chocolate cake?? You must send me the recipe for your chocolate extravaganza, sounds extravagant! Who won your bake off??

I just bought the cheap One Step OPKs on amazon. Don't know if they make much difference from the branded ones, but they seem to align to CM and temp rises. What are the easy@home ones like? I've just started using the premom app for OPKs and never even considered buying their own brand OPK strips!

I use an Ava fertility bracelet. It comes with an app which apparently can predict your fertile window as it's happening, but I don't really care for it and just put all my temps into FF. I think it's such bliss waking up any time you want and knowing your temps are already taken care of. Plus you can also see what your RHR is doing and I think combined with temps, it tells you a lot.

Also, what is your chart like now during AF? Last cycle my temps dropped gradually from CD1 to CD9 before rising again and I think that's happening again this cycle. I'm on CD4 and temps are still above last cycles cover line. Everything is always so gradual and I thought it was all meant to be sudden drops and rises??

Six months seems fine to be honest, and it's still perfectly safe to fly then. And you'll have a good excuse to lay around on the beach doing nothing all day! Ugh, I know for a fact that everyone will be in my business - in a good and loving way - and my DH, ugh, he's going to be treating me like such a precious ornament and naturally I'm going to rebel against that - I sense an impending battle of wills. How do you reckon your DP will be while you're pregnant??

So, in terms of the random symptom generator, I think this cycle I will get a metallic taste in my mouth and you will get a super sensitive nose that can smell things a mile away. I think they're pretty random symptoms and are enough to throw us 😂

Do both your mum and dad want you round theirs for Christmas? Who will be the least alone? Maybe since your mum has time with your other siblings you can be with your dad. But then again, like you said, family politics...

I really wanted us to go to Japan for our honeymoon. I've been to China before and that was a lovely experience but Japan would have been my first choice place to visit in Asia! We may have to have a honeymoon with a kid in tow now... Just had a quick look at Andorra on Google and it looks gorgeous! All those mountains! I'm a sucker for mountains, so beautiful. It looks perfect for skiing! I really hope you get to go.

Why are men like this?? My DH knows for fact that it'll happen but just like you, I'm also very convinced that we will struggle. I think IVF is an extreme outcome and we need to remember the fact that we're ovulating basically every cycle means everything is mostly as it should be and our LPs are pretty alright now with potential to get longer too.

This month I'm going to do the SMEP method. I've even ordered some preseed, which I don't think I need as I'm very juicy, but I don't think it'll hurt either. I'm not sure my timing was very good last cycle. I DTD two days before Ov and none the day before, the day of or the day after. But many people get pregnant with 5 day old sperm!

😅

I followed a basic chocolate cake recipe off BBC Goodfood and then looked up chocolate extravaganza cakes on Google images and copied one of those. I'll attach a pic. It was really easy, although if I made it again I would definitely use less buttercream as it was quite sickly!

I think the easy@home ones are fairly cheap too, I'll definitely get them again after I've got through the Femometer pack. I use the Femometer app to read them which I find really helpful, I'll attach an image in another message, the max is 3 per post! I've seen other people's pictures of the pre mom app and personally I think the Femometer app is better, maybe you could try both see which you prefer?

The Ava Fertility bracelet does sound good! It's okay whilst in lockdown but what would you say if anyone asked you what the bracelet is for? Just thinking it's not something you can easily hide.

Last cycle my temp did the same as yours, it remained high when af started and then slowly came down. Oddly it went up this morning but I did get up very early morning and go to the loo which might have thrown it off. I imagine we'll keep seeing it drop over the next few days. Yes loads of people say temp drops before period starts because it's the drop in progesterone that causes af to start 😕. So don't know why it drops afterwards for us!

Haha I'm looking forward to getting DP to do all the jobs 😂. I know my Mum is going to be nosey, I don't think my Dad or brothers would take too much interest until the child is born. You should make the most of your DHs help, as he can't say no whilst your pregnant 😊.

Ooh that will be interesting to see if you're right on the random symptoms! Metallic taste and increased smell sensitivity are def pregnancy symptoms but our bodies do like to play tricks!

Both my Mum and Dad would be happy to have us but I would really like to see my brother's so it's a difficult choice! Well at least I don't have to make it yet.

Ooh wow Japan would be amazing, that would be a real life experience, although I imagine China was as well! Do you speak any Chinese or Japanese? DP and I are engaged, we planned to get married this year but covid stopped that. So it's quite likely we'll also have to take a baby on our honeymoon. Wasn't really how I planned things to be!

Good luck with the SMEP plan! I have preseed, just a warning, it's quite watery, not thick like normal lube. So you have to be quite quick when applying 😂. I don't use the applicator, I just put it on DP as lube. Two days before ovulation is absolutely fine! Even with all the monitoring we can never know exactly when ovulation occurs, so we can only try and do our best 🙂.

Pics were too big, couldn't upload with previous post

Oh God. I can imagine how chocolatey that cake would have been and it looks soo good! I can see me having so much fun making something like this with my kids! You'll have to recreate this when your child is old enough to get involved. They'll love it! They probably won't be able to keep their little hands off the chocolate fingers or malteasers 😂

Is the Femometer app free? I had a look and I think I needed a membership or something to be able to log OPKs. Maybe I'm thinking of another app so I'll have another look. I bought 75 OPKs so it'll take me a while before I need to restock again but if no luck with a BFP, I'll check out the easy@home ones.

With the bracelet, you only wear it to bed. Imagine wearing it out and about, haha! I'd have no idea how to answer questions about it and other ladies may recognise it and know what it's for... awkward.

I've heard slow temp rises are normal after ov, but slow temp drops?? I can't seem to find any information about it on the internet. All I can assume is, if a slow rise is normal, then a slow drop must be too. I've also read some people's body temperature can be slow to react to progesterone, so you can ovulate and not get a temp rise for a few days, so I guess the opposite could be true. We can have a drop in progesterone, which starts AF but not have our temps reflect it straight away. But why so sloooooow....

Thanks for the chart. I think a 0.3 temp drop is quite a drop! I'm going down 0.05 per day. Yours is probably what I'd expect with AF.

How far away do you live from your mum? I'm an hour and a half drive away so I won't be expecting her to show up at my door everyday. Phew! I'd love his help while pregnant. I just wouldn't want him telling me I can't build the decking in our garden (which is exactly what I'll be doing regardless of how pregnant I am). But useful men is definitely something to look forward to. Imagine having the strangest of cravings and having your DP go out into the middle of the night to hunt it down, ha!

If I've called it correctly and those are the symptoms we get this month, I'm playing the lottery. It would be awesome to get our BFPs at the same time. We'll be at the same stage of pregnancy at the same time together. Hopefully this is our month and a Christmas miracle is right around the corner.

Aw, when was the last time you saw your brothers? Are they much younger?

Nope don't speak either language. I travelled to China for work, which was amazing. Spent some time in Hong Kong too. Japan would be life changing. I love anime and still attend comic con, and the Japanese are amazing at that.

Oh nooo! I hate hearing about couples who couldn't get married this year. It's so sad. When were you meant to tie the knot? Maybe we can try for baby no.2 on our honeymoons as DTD is what they're all about 😁 although I'm not sure how many years age gap I want between my kids yet. If it takes ages to conceive, then I won't take any chances - I'll start straight away. Have you got a new date for the wedding? And also, congratulations!

Thanks! Seems like all the DTD that SMEP requires is going to be so exhausting, but we'll be strong, we'll get through it. There just better be a baby at the end of it! Do you have anything new that you're going to try this cycle?

This (first chart) would have been the PERFECT chart for a 14 day LP, with temps gradually dropping down before AF arrives. It's like a longer version of my cycle before (second chart). Only difference is AF started (at CD26) on a high temp and has now only reached the cover line on CD5 of my new cycle (I removed AF from the first chart to show a continuation with last cycle). I wonder if this cycle will be longer then... I also wonder what it means for my progesterone??

Haha I imagine baking with children would be lovely but in reality they'd probably be lots of mess and lots of dodgy looking cakes 😂.

Yep the Femometer app is free, you can upgrade but it's free to use it to read the OPKs. Haha 75 will keep you going for a while, hopefully you won't need to buy anymore!

Ah now I understand about the bracelet, that makes much more sense just wearing it to bed 😂😂.

Yes it seems our bodies temperatures just react a bit slower to progesterone, I'm sure it's normal, most people's cycles aren't textbook. Another change I've noticed, is my period was a medium flow today when I would normally expect it to be light by CD4. I think this means I've produced a richer womb lining which would make sense with the higher progesterone and extended luteal phase. How is your af going?

I live quite close to my Mum but we've had a difficult year (more family politics!). My eldest brother and I finally came to an agreement last night, the two youngest brothers will go to Dad's and me and DP will go to Mums with the two older brothers (I have 4 and they're all younger than me). So I'm relieved that's finally sorted 🙂. Have your family concluded Xmas arrangements or is that still open?

I know it's jumping the gun a bit (or a lot) but have you thought about a birth plan or what you would want to happen?

We were planning on booking in October but Covid happened right before our second meeting with the venue, so luckily we hadn't paid a deposit. I know a lot of couples have lost so much money from venues refusing to refund them. No new date yet, kinda depends when I get pregnant! Haha yes good idea to try for no.2 on honeymoon! Ideally I'd like a 2 year gap but knowing that it can take quite a while to conceive, I probably wouldn't take any contraception after the 1st birth. Have you thought about how many you would like?

Your latest chart (Oct 30th) looks better and more 'typical', your temps indicate that your hormones are more in line with what they should be. It will be really interesting to compare in a month's time!

Hehe, I can't wait for those dodgy looking cakes. Not that the cake I baked last night looked any better... Decided to just stick with a golden vanilla sponge then covered it in store-bought salted caramel butter cream.

Your cycles sound pretty perfect now! All that's left is for a little fertilised egg to snuggle into that super rich lining. Fingers crossed this is your month! How long did it take you to get to this point? I think it's easier for you to rectify your LP because the pill was the cause, but for me, I've always had short cycles so not sure things will get better than a 10 day LP.

My AF ended two days ago (CD4) and today we begin DTD so I'll be trying out that Pre-Seed - I'll let you know how I find it.

Wow so many brothers! How did it feel growing up surrounded by boys? Glad you have Christmas plans sorted now. No one has yet to mention anything about Christmas so I'll probably have to broach the subject very soon with my family.

Haha nope, haven't thought about a birth plan but I do think about maternity leave. But now that you've mentioned it, I've only ever imagined me giving birth the bog standard way - legs apart on a hospital bed.

This whole COVID thing is a mess for the wedding industry. There's literally been no consideration for those getting married and wedding vendors are doing all they can to stay afloat, and since everything is so up in the air, I guess it makes sense why they're not refunding. I feel so sad for all those couples whose lives have been left in limbo! Hopefully by the time you get married, things will be back to normal.

DH and I want two kids and I would love an accidental third (but getting accidentally pregnant just doesn't sound as easy as it did when we were teenagers), or an adopted third.

How are you finding the mental toll? I'm trying to stay positive and trying to believe that it will happen for me very soon but seeing two lines on a HPT just seems like the impossible. I know I sound silly because this is only my third cycle, but I really do imagine getting to my 12th cycle and still seeing BFNs. I really want to give my body a chance to do its thing but at the same time, I want to see a specialist for that confirmation that everything is fine with DH and I.

TTC sucks!

Oooh salted caramel butter cream sounds lovely!

Haha they're not quite perfect, the follicular phase is still a bit longer than luteal phase, ideally could do with ovulation happening a couple of days earlier. This is now my 5th cycle, luteal phase didn't improve until 4th cycle when I started taking vitamin C. Keep up the vitamin C, I'm sure it will help your luteal phase. Or at least it might make your womb lining richer. 10 days is the minimum you need to achieve a pregnancy so it's great that you're now at that stage.

Good luck with the preseed, hopefully you'll find it okay to use. My periods are normally 6 days but get quite light on the 5th and 6th day.

I always wanted a sister but I do remember having good play fights with the boys and my Dad 😂. Do you have any brothers or sisters?

Haha I'm really worried about giving birth, I'm hoping for a caesarean. Trying to tell myself, don't worry about giving birth until you've managed to get pregnant!

Yes it was crazy that before this lockdown a 100 people could eat in a restaurant but not attend a wedding, seems very unfair. I hope those businesses have managed to survive because there's going to be a backlog of weddings in 2021 and 2022!

I feel the same as you, trying to stay positive but can't help but feel it's not going to happen 😕. This lockdown probably doesnt help because there's not much else to do other than thinking about TTC! I might get acupuncture if restrictions allow, I've seen some people say they got their BFP afterwards. Something to do with holistic healing! 🧘

It is still very early days but you could go for private tests if you wanted to check everythings okay? I would recommend leaving it a couple more months though.

Do you have any particular plan for DTD? My first cycle was a nightmare, we started DTD everyday from CD6 - it got so exhausting. This time, I think a little thought and structure would be better for me. I didn't end up using the pre-seed. I'm thinking it's still way too early in my cycle to get pregnant so didn't want to waste it.

How are your temps looking so far? Have you started using your new thermometer? Mine are still gradually dropping, like last cycle, but I think at CD7, my temps should be much lower but they're still kind of high.

I have two younger sisters. It would have been interesting to have a brother, I wonder how that would have changed the dynamics of the house and the family as my dad is the only man in the house 😂 poor guy. Maybe I'll have boys and that'll balance things out. Were your brothers ever really protective of you as their only sister?

Giving birth looks so scary! Things stretching and ripping. Two holes becoming one 🤢 haha but don't you think a Caesarean would be more painful?? I don't prefer either so let's see what the baby decides for me.

Oh yeah, there definitely will be a backlog of weddings! It's going to be a crazy few years for the industry. You might have to start thinking about dates now and accept that you could be pregnant on your wedding day 😆

Oooo holistic healing definitely sounds like something worth striving for. If you do try it out, let me know how you find it - I'd be up for giving it a go too.

I will be a bit silly to get checked so soon after starting to try. I'll see where I am after 6 months.

I'm a year older and feel like a grandma!

I don't really have a plan for DTD, before I got OPKs we DTD roughly every other day, when I thought I was fertile. Now I'll focus on DTD when I see the LH rise but it's always good to do it at other times in the cycle, to keep the sperm fresh 😉. Everyday from CD6 😲, lol yes that would be exhausting 😂. Do you find your DH is happy to do it whenever you want to in the fertile period?

I didn't take my temp this morning as I didn't sleep well, temps were high on Sat and Sun but I'm not sure how accurate the thermometer is. My new thermometer has arrived today so hopefully things will be looking normal again tomorrow. That's strange your temps are high too! Just checked my chart from last cycle, my lowest temp was on CD13, yours was CD9, so maybe it's normal for our temps to take a while to come down.

That's cool you have sisters, do you get on with them well? My brother's are all younger than me and are between the ages of 8-24, so they've never been protective of me, they probably see me as old 😂.

I think I'd prefer the stomach pain than pain 'down there' but we'll see what happens, gotta get pregnant first 😂.

Yes if I can't get pregnant soon then booking the wedding is gonna be tricky because I would ideally not want to be pregnant!

I'm a bit scared of needles but they are very fine with acupuncture, so yes will let you know how it goes if I do go ahead.

Did you have a nice birthday? Or as nice as it could be in lockdown...

The first cycle was a lot. I felt so bad, so I made him a card with a little huge pop-up sperm. But for the most part, he feels it is his duty and he will perform when needed. I never want him feeling like a sperm factory so we occasionally have non-baby-making sex. How is your DP coping with it?

Sucks to hear you're still not sleeping well. Why do you think it's happening? Really strange that our cycles are almost mirroring each other. My temps did drop today but they were at 36.2 and usually at 8DPO I'd expect them to be around the 35.9 mark. Not sure why it won't go lower as I'll be entering my fertile window soon - hopefully we'll see a much higher temp after Ov.

I'd say I get on most with my youngest sister. She and I have very similar personalities. My middle sister is more of a recluse and keeps everything to herself. She finds me and the youngest really weird and irritating. Haha! Oh you're brothers are that young! I'd love to see the 8 year old fight for your honour. So cute! But I'm guessing you are probably closer to your oldest brother although at 24, he'll still be in a very different stage of life to you.

Haha, yeah, with the way things are going, giving birth would be the easy part. Getting pregnant... not so much.

It was a nice birthday. DH arranged for my family to wish me on zoom. Loads of people talking over one another, but it was nice to see them either way 🥰

Been holding my pee in for four hours to do an OPK as that's what SMEP requires. Must now dash to the loo!

Aww that sperm card is so cute and thoughtful! I hope he liked it! Sperm factory 😂😂. Most the time DP is up for it but it's still early days, it must get really difficult for couples that have been trying for over a year.

I slept better last night, I think it was colder, I struggle to sleep when it's warm. DP probably had the heating on previously, as he doesn't like it cold in the bedroom. My temp was 36.26 today, so very close to yours! Mine doesn't normally go lower than that but you might get another drop before ovulation? Even if you don't, aslong as you get a big enough jump to detect ovulation that should be okay.

That's nice you get on well with your younger sister, I imagine she probably looks up to you for help and advice. I miss not having a close relationship with my brothers but it's difficult with them being boys and being a lot younger, they see the world quite differently to me!

That was sweet of your DH to arrange that for your birthday 🥳, you could go out for a 'substantial meal' tomorrow and have a delayed celebration 🥂.

Does the SMEP adapt to each person's cycle or it is a standard plan? Seems quite early to start doing OPKs on CD8?

DH thought I was taking the piss but I genuinely wanted to show my appreciation some way so now he has it on his bedside table to wake up to every morning 😂

We've also started opening the windows before going to sleep to cool the room down a little. I have an electric blanket that I always have on, I looooooove my warmth, so a cooler room doesn't bother me too much so that works for DH and I. Maybe gift your DP an electric blanket for his side of the bed?

My temps rose today to 36.25!!! Whhhhyy!! I guess this means I'm in my fertile window and it's only going up from here. I wonder if I'll see a much higher temp after Ov then. Maybe I'll Ov earlier too. I think I saw some EWCM yesterday and the day before that but it's so hard to tell. Excuse the TMI but it was super stretchy, quite slippery but more cloudy than clear. Not sure if that makes it sticky CM instead of EWCM. I can never properly characterise my CM. But if I'm seeing it early maybe Ov is imminent?? OPK was quite negative so I'm probably still a few days away anyway. Is it ok if I see your chart, mine always varies month to month.

You're just one day behind me right? CD8? We'll probably ov at different times so won't be the same DPO 🙁 But I hope I'm not too many days ahead of you, it would be cool if we could symptom spot together and test around the same time.

Yeah, I suppose she is trying to follow in my footsteps. She's studying engineering at Sheffield Uni - exactly the same as me, haha! I hope she likes Sheffield even though the student experience is non-existent thanks to COVID. If you end up having sons, maybe that will bring you closer to your brothers. They'll be the fun uncles and you'll be able to talk to them about all things boys.

I literally have not been following the lockdown rules and I seriously don't know when lockdown is over. Not too fussed about leaving the house anyway. I'm enjoying the warmth of my home and going out into the cold air isn't so appealing. Can you tell I like warmth?? But a meal in a warm restaurant would be nice too. Do you have any plans for exiting lockdown?

Yeah, for short cycles, you start DTD CD6 and OPKs CD8. For average cycles, you start DTD CD8 and OPKs CD10. And longer cycles start 2 days after that. With my short cycles, I thought the early version would be better.

Also, how we've managed to have a whole thread to ourselves is quite funny.

Haha I wonder if you'll get an egg card at some point?!

Oooh that's a good idea to get DP an electric blanket! Although he would probably still try and cuddle me for warmth 😂.

36.25 is still quite low, I see your temp started rising from CD10 last cycle, so maybe it's just your pattern? Unfortunately I have 3 days of missed temps due to thermometer breakdown.

I get confused when I see cloudy, thicker CM that is also stretchy because I don't know what to record it as! Normally I see this before the clear, slippery EWCM. So I think it's a sign ovulation is coming, probably in a few days time, maybe you'll ovulate earlier this cycle. I'm a day behind you and don't have any CM yet, really hoping I ovulate a little earlier.

Yes it seems like you're probably going to ovulate before me this time, hopefully not by much though!

Oh wow engineering must be interesting and that's handy for her that you did it first, as I'm guessing she'll be asking you for help! My 18 year old brother is studying Sports Science and he too isn't getting the uni experience due to covid.

Lockdown ended today so if you're in Tier 2 you can go to a restaurant with people in your household, or meet up to 6 people outside. We're meeting family on Sunday at a pub/restaurant, luckily they've got heated outdoor seating!

Good luck with the SMEP I hope it works out for you 🤞😊.

I know haha, I wonder how many people have opened this thread expecting to talk about 9 DPO symptom spotting and then seen it's just us 😂

Hehe, I wonder what my card would say; "The regularity of your ovulation is outstanding."

That's cute, any excuse to be close to you! He can always spread himself across you and the blanket and get double the warmth. Mmmm double waaarmth 🥰.

My temp has continued to increase. 36.31 and looks like it will be a similar pattern to last cycles. I can only hope my temps don't stagnate because last cycles temps are the highest they've been. Luckily your thermometer broke down during the most unimportant bit of your cycle. And let's hope you ovulate earlier too for that good length LP!

Yesterday was a nightmare of a day. Suddenly felt very infertile and all I could do was cry. Then realised that tenants have to be given 6 months notice because of COVID and the house we're buying is tenanted and we're not sure if they've been given notice yet so we probably won't be able to move in by February! So looks like we'll be walking away from this house. This will be the 2nd house for us that would have fallen through. What a waste of time and money... Back to house hunting...
But maybe third house lucky and third cycle lucky, eh? Needless to say, my sleep was shit.

Engineering is ok. Been fortunate with my career and was able to get a job in what I studied after graduating. My sister did come to me with a technical question and I had no idea how to help her. Guess with age comes brain deterioration. If you don't mind me asking, what do you vaguely do for work? I feel so sad for 2020 undergrads. First year is suppose to be when all the fun happens but instead they're stuck indoors. How is your brother coping with it all?

I tried the pre-seed with the applicator thing, It was not bad. I felt like I had sperm swimming inside my uterus afterwards though 🤷‍♀️ Do you get weird sensations after DTD?

That's sounds like a nice way to end lockdown. I hope that the weather isn't too wet on Sunday!

Poor ladies, they probably see these big blocks of text and would rather not get involved 😂

😂😂 is he the creative type? Do you think he would make you a card? Although probably not about ovulation 😂.

My temp was 36.43 which I thought was quite high for CD9 but actually its in line with what happened last cycle so I think it's okay. Seems like your temp is also following a similar pattern to your previous cycle. Yes very lucky thermometer didn't break down near ovulation!

Had sticky CM today so ovulation is probably around a week away, really hoping it will be a day earlier this cycle. Last cycle it was CD17, so hoping for CD16. Was your CM still cloudy?

Oh no that's a real shame about the house, are you able to wait the 6 months? Just thinking if you pulled out and began the search again, it would probably take 6 months before you could move in somewhere else?

Sorry you were feeling so sad yesterday, try not to worry, it's very unlikely you are infertile, you're a spring chicken! (That's what my DP often says to me) 😂. I hope you've felt better today 🙂.

I work with environmental projects, currently projects that are improving water quality. It wasn't what I imagined my career would be in but it's where I've ended up 😂.

Yes uni is rubbish this year for the first timers, my brother decided to study at home so he hasn't been into uni at all. Turned out to be the safer and cheaper option. Although I do think he should attend uni next year else he'll be missing out on the social interaction.

😂😂 I haven't tried the applicator, I thought it would use it up quite quickly and it's pricey so we just use it as lube to make it last. Lol was that because the applicator made it too wet up there?! I don't normally feel much.

Yes fingers crossed for dry weather this weekend, it would be nice to venture outside the house 😂. Do you have any plans?

He's not even a little bit creative, or rather, let me say, artistic, but even if he was, I can't see what else he can commend me on - I can't really do much - I am only the vessel 😆

Nice, your temps are going up. I really was expecting BBT to follow a pattern where it drops at AF, sort of stays flat until Ov, then jumps us after Ov. But seems like ours is on a downward trajectory for a while before starting to rise during our fertile window.

Ov could come a day or two earlier, you never know. It's never really static but as long as your LP is still a good length then I think things will work out fine. My CM has been a mix of everything. It's starting to get watery, but still have some sticky bits in there and I've also started seeing proper EWCM, albeit a tiny amount, so I'm getting closer. Have you started DTD or you're waiting for a +ve OPK?

Just realised I did OPKs completely wrong last cycle. I thought the line would get progressively darker as I approached Ov. But I read up on it and LH is literally a surge (no wonder it's called that), so you could get a faint negative in the afternoon and a dark positive in the evening! Testing every other day was silly of me then... I'm not even sure I tested on CD13 last cycle. God knows when I Ov'd then because my temps aren't really clear. Silly me 😂 what does your OPK line strength look like through your cycle? Do you get a short surge?

We've seen another house we're interested in buying. It has two cellars 😮 My DH sees himself as a bit of a "wine connoisseur" and we have literally (not even an exaggeration) hundreds of bottles stuffed into anywhere that'll fit them. I hate it - I'll be glad to never have to see them again (don't even like wine) so hiding them away in a wine cellar would be perfect! Tbh, we really don't want to wait 6 months, and this house is empty so we could be done in 3 and it needs less work too. We're viewing it on Monday. I'm really excited!

That's really awesome! DH also works in the environmental industry. His first job in the UK was with a water company and his second is with an environmental charity. Where did you hope your career would take you?

Smart thing to do, staying at home. Uni is so expensive and they still expect them to pay 9k fees to basically sit staring at a computer. I really hoped that they would riot 😂 oh well, maybe the next generation.

I have no idea. It feels like really minor cramps but I don't know if it's gas or if it's in my head. I googled it and it could also be a reaction to semen. Apparently semen contains prostaglandins which causes uterine contractions to help the sperm along and some women are sensitive to it. I think I'd rather pretend it's his sperm bumping into things while they lay in wait for my little ovum.

How old is your DP that he calls you a spring chicken 😂😂😂 I feel much better now thanks, but I'm preoccupied with the house situation so not thinking about it anymore

No plans for the weekend, but DH is having friends over so need to get the house tidy.

You're not only the vessel, our bodies do a lot more of the work than theirs, they just provide the sperm and job done (or not done in our case 😂).

My temp went down today, it tends to go up and down a bit during the follicular phase but stays under 36.4 until after ovulation. Everyone's is different but aslong as your temps are generally higher after ovulation then that's a good sign.

Oooh that's a positive sign on the CM, ovulation is getting closer! I haven't seen EWCM yet but we DTD this morning. We'll do it more once I get more fertile signs but it's good to keep a fresh supply of spermies coming, rather than abstaining until the fertile period.

I'll start doing OPKs tomorrow, are yours still showing negative? The LH surge can be sudden or gradual, luckily mine seems to be gradual so you can see it coming (I've attached a pic from mine last cycle). It's best to test once a day until you're close to ovulation (detected by CM) then test twice a day. That way you'll definitely catch it even if it's a sudden surge.

That's great news, good luck with the viewing, hopefully they'll be no nasty surprises. Haha I wouldn't mind a wine cellar! What alcohol do you prefer?

That's great your DH works in the environment sector, the environment really needs all the help it can get! I've always been quite interested in medicine and health so I imagined I'd get a job in healthcare, however I discovered I hated needles, so that was kinda the end of that 😂.

Yes I think the treatment of uni students has been awful, the universities only pushed them to leave home so they could take their money. They would have been better off staying at home this year.

Haha he's 35, although today he told someone he was 36, I had to remind him of his age 😂.

Yes it definitely helps to have something else to occupy your mind. I've recently bought a sewing machine and I'm a complete beginner so that's been keeping me busy!

Well, lucky you for having stumbled across a minor celebrity in the sewing community. I have tens of thousands of subscribers but won't give the figure as not to give myself away but if you ever stumble across my videos or blog and figure out who I am, do feel free to private message me and let me know!! Also, if you have any sewing questions, ask meee!

Maybe once I actually get pregnant I'll finally have a reason for him to make me a card. To be honest, I'd expect more than a card!

Ah your temp patterns seems pretty normal then - better than mine 😅. Yours goes up and down but sort of hovers around 36.35. I want mine to hover too!!

Yup, I read men should try to not go 10 days before emptying themselves out. During AF I made sure DH had some alone fun before we started DTD. Need those swimmers to be as healthy as possible! 😂

Yeah my OPKs are still showing negative. They haven't really gotten darker. Looking at yours, your surge went from 15% to 85% - I'd say that's a pretty big increase! But then I guess the 85% is a warning for the 200%! Is 200% usually normal for you? I've only gotten around 90% but then again, I didn't check half the days so maybe missed my 200%.

Thank you! Let's hope we get this house. I generally like spirits. Don't necessarily have a favourite but I'll drink a nice cocktail. How about you?

Haha aww! You don't have to work with needles in healthcare! It's never too late for a career change either! Maybe consider something that doesn't require you seeing needles. My middle sister is studying to be a doctor, I'm sure she'll have some suggestions.

University is just a business now. I absolutely loved the experience and I'm grateful for the friends I made and I'd recommend it on that basis but during COVID, it's just not worth it. It's only really needed to get your foot into the door for a job nowadays 🙁

Haha bless him! My DH is 31 and still thinks he's 30. He even argued with me about it until we did the maths! 😂While mine wants to be younger, yours wants to be older! Silly men 😂