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 😆

Oh wow haha, I might have to start reading some blogs and watching videos! I have loads of questions but being a complete beginner I don't really know where to start. I would like to make clothes but it took me hours last night to work out how to thread the sewing machine and start sewing something. This will make you laugh... I've attached my first sewing item, you'll notice on the second pic I sewed the bottom of the top! I was paying so much attention to carefully sewing that I didn't realise I'd gone down the side and across the bottom 😂😂. Then I did it again and sewed the arm holes closed 😂🤦.

How long have you been sewing for? I'm guessing it must be a long time!

I'm looking forward to Mother's Days, I wonder if our partners would get us a Mother's Day card/present when pregnant? I guess it would depend how far along we were.

I don't think you need to worry about your temp, it's normal for it to fluctuate during the follicular phase, it stays more stable in the luteal phase 🙂.

Last cycle is the first time I started doing OPKs so I haven't got anything to compare with. I've read on here some ladies don't get much warning at all, whereas I had 2 days of peak so that's handy. Yes it's possible you missed the higher peak, once you see it get up to around 90% test 2 or 3 times a day and hopefully you'll catch it this time.

I like most alcohol 😂 my current favourite is prosecco but I also quite like cocktails 😊.

That's great your sister is studying to be a doctor, we desperately need more doctors and nurses. I really hope working conditions improve for NHS staff, they're overworked and underpaid ☹️.

Have you experienced anymore trouble with your chest/heart rate? Mine was uncomfortable the other day and felt tight but luckily the medication I have was quick to relieve it.

Haha I don't think a woman would ever get her age wrong!

Haha omg! That's still awesome! It's good to start from somewhere. And I've had accidents like that where I've stitched holes closed. But from what I can see, your stitching is really straight! Get yourself a good seam ripper because there hasn't been a project where I haven't needed one! I have so many tips I can share with you but I think that'll have to be a whole other post 😆 But please please please get dedicated fabric shears that you use for fabric and only fabric.

I've always had a sewing machine but never took sewing seriously until after I graduated and that's when I started sewing clothes. Then I started creating tutorials on YouTube but after a few years, I quit sewing and YouTube altogether because it became really stressful and so I haven't sewn anything in a very long time. I'd love to get back to it but not sure what's stopping me.

Mothers day!!! Yessss! That would be so nice! It would be so strange seeing yourself as a mother but it would be the loveliest thing in the world! I really can't wait now!! Do you think your DP would shower you with gifts in pregnancy?

Are my temps... hovering?

I think I'll start testing with OPKs two times a day from today. I don't want to miss it! I'd love to see a huge surge! When I get a positive OPK, I'll have to DTD three days in a row, skip the fourth day, and then DTD once more for luck on the fifth day and then SMEP would be over! It hasn't been too bad tbh! But I suppose it would be harder when you have other commitments, like young kids to look after.

Is your CM starting to look more fertile? I felt my cervix this morning and it is open and ready to receive. Hopefully I get a peak OPK today, but it'll most likely be tomorrow or the day after!

I have never been able to stand the taste of Prosecco or any champagne 🥴 Maybe my tastebuds will change so much during pregnancy that somehow I'll start liking wine - my DH would be pleased. What's one thing you wouldn't want to go off of during pregnancy?

I really wonder if my sister would work for the NHS. She might just go private, and tbh I wouldn't blame her. But the NHS really does need all the help it can get! I have a colposcopy appointment on Monday because I have abnormal cervical cells and the NHS staff have been so helpful!

My mini heart attack was the reason this thread started! Feels like I should pay homage to it. But I've been fine since then. Oh, that doesn't sound great. Did the tightness just come out of nowhere? Sucks you haven't been able to get a proper diagnosis but at least you can take something for it. Do you think you'll try to investigate the issue further to get a proper cure?

Ok I couldn't help myself! I really miss sewing and your excitement has really stirred something in me. I feel like the universe has been pushing me to do this. In the last month I've been given free clothes labels with my logo on, a free lutterloh system and received an email about collaborating with Singer!
Then you! My apparent life twin starts learning to sew. Maybe it is time I got back to my sewing machine.

I have this gorgeous fabric that I got from China. Its so gothic and I love it. I have a septum peircing (amongst others) and was thinking about leaning into the whole gothic look for my comeback. It'll be different but I think the sewing community needs a little shake up. Plus I don't look like someone you'd expect to be gothic (I'm not) so it'll be so fun!

Something really exciting happened this evening, I had some EWCM! On my previous cycles I haven't seen this until CD14, I'm on CD11 so I reckon ovulation is gonna be earlier this cycle 😁. I did an OPK which was negative (low percentage) but I would expect that at this time.

Your temps are looking good, they're more stable than mine 😂 although I think anything under 36.4 is fine at this stage.

I hope DP would shower me with gifts but he's not really the type, I tend to get him more gifts! Does your DH get you surprise gifts?

How were your OPK readings today? I reckon we'll get positives (high percentages) around CD13/CD14. I hadn't thought about how difficult it would be to do all this planning and monitoring TTC with a young child. I kinda assumed once it's happened the first time it will be easy next time. I think the hardest part with it being the first, is we've never been pregnant before, so there's always that niggly doubt about can we actually get pregnant. Second time around they'll probably be less worrying!

Some proseccos and champagnes aren't very nice, they can be quite dry, I prefer the sweeter ones. You have to try a few until you find one that's good!

I'm struggling to think of what I wouldn't want to go off of during pregnancy, because thinking of all the things I like, if I went off them then I wouldn't miss them. I guess chocolate would be a good thing to go off, as it's no good for the skin! How about you?

Oh no, good luck with your appointment on Monday, I hope they don't find anything sinister. I'm guessing you recently had a smear? That's funny because I also had one a few weeks ago but it's come back all clear.

Glad to hear your heart isn't causing you any more trouble. Haha yes I'm glad you asked the question on here! I've already been to the doctor 3 times, they've done tests and can't find a cause. So I probably won't go back again now that I've got medication that helps, although it would be nice to know the actual cause.

Wow that's funny, it seems you were meant to return to sewing! Collaborating with Singer sounds pretty cool, although would you have time on top of your job?

That fabric is cool, is it velvet? My DP is into the gothic/metal look but I'm quite a girly girl, he's often trying to get me to buy sexy rock chic dresses 😂. I'm onto my second project! So I bought a few sewing patterns (I never realised taking up sewing would be so expensive!), I got one of them as a download, the others are coming on paper. So I've cut out the shape, now I just need to sew it together! I'll post a pic of the finished piece.

What is a seam ripper? I've heard of an overlocker sewing machine which I think neatens seams, it looks like you have one? I did buy some proper fabric scissors from a specialist fabric/sewing shop 😊.

I've only really used the basic straight stitch so far but I've noticed in most my clothes, there seems to be an invisible stitch used, which isn't visible on the outside. What kind of stitch is this? My sewing machine has quite a range of stitches so I'm hoping there's a better one for clothes than the basic one. I also have a Brother sewing machine!

Aw yay! That's amazing news! I never knew another woman's juicy bits could be so exciting haha! 😂 I really hope you do ovulate earlier! It would be amazing if it went down to CD14 for you. I'm hoping to ovulate then too since it won't be tomorrow as my OPKs are still very negative as well.

I'd say your chart looks more normal than mine! But I guess it's not about how weird looking it is, more about the fact that you can see a clear temp shift and since we both tend to ovulate I suppose both our charts are pretty awesome!

My DH is so soppy! I don't really care for gifts but he always buys me flowers and they just sit there and die. It's so lovely and I don't want him to stop, but flowers die! I'd rather he bought me flower seeds so that I could grow and nurture my own plants. During spring/summer, I grew tomatoes, peppers, strawberries and chillis, then I replanted the seeds from the veg and now I'm growing my grandveggies and I love watching them grow! My little baby seedlings are my joy! Have you ever grown your own fruit or veg? They taste so good and I often use my chillis in my cooking.

Exactly! It's the not-knowing that's so scary. And sometimes, it isn't even an individual problem. It could just be a couple being randomly genetically incompatible with each other. There's just so much to it that's out of our control and I hate not knowing what's happening inside of me. But then when you start TTC for your 2nd or 3rd and you're a little bit older, than you'll start worrying about your biological clock. I think the whole baby making thing is just worrisome and the worry never stops. I just want to be pregnant so I can worry about something real instead!

I'm the same as you. I'm not that into many foods that I'd miss anything in particular. But since I eat a lot of carbs, I'd like to still enjoy them 😆

Yeah, this is the second year my smear test has come back HPV positive and last year I had a colposcopy, which was fine, but I had to get checked again this year, so this is my second colposcopy now. I just hope it doesn't affect TTC.

I hope you can one day get an answer for why you get the palpitations. Maybe once you're pregnant you can go back to the doctors as they'll want to protect you and the baby, so they may take it more seriously and do all they can to help you.

I think the collaboration would just be a few articles on my blog about their products and that usually means freebies! I do love a good freebie and if they could send a sewing machine my way, I wouldn't say no 😄

The fabric isn't velvet, I'm not sure what it is. It feels like more like a weird kind of silk - I can't really describe it. I did get a proper Chinese fabric while there. It's lovely but I don't know what to do with it! Forget about buying a sexy rock chic dress - make one!

Awesome! You're moving quite fast with your sewing projects! I'm a pattern drafter so I make my own patterns. I love the design element and experimenting with different shapes so all the clothes I make are my own design. But using pre-made patterns are a good way to get started! I really hope you enjoy making the top. Do you know how you're going to finish the neckline? I'd suggest bias binding or creating a facing. If you buy pre-made bias binding in black (instead of making your own) it'll be much easier. I've made my own before and I don't like doing it.

I've added a pic of my seam rippers. They basically help pull out stitches. They're really good for mistakes.

Cont...

Glad you bought fabric scissors, now make sure your DP never uses them for anything at all! I like to use a cutting mat and rotary blade. It's much quicker than scissors but I think you don't need to invest in one just yet. Sewing can get expensive, I have so many fabrics and thread and tools and bits and bobs but I love it.
I think I'm too scared of failure so I never try but I really want to get back to it.

So the stitch you described is a blind stitch. On more fancier clothing, this is usually done by hand and I do advise that you do it by hand. The sewing machine can do it but you need a special foot for it and it can be a bit tricky. On my machine, the blind stitch is number 11 and 12. Sometimes you can use a hemming tape which basically sticks the upturned fabric down so you don't have to stitch it and that's another way to get a stitch-less hem (although I've never done it)

You'll only ever need the straight stitch for most projects but the zig zag switch is useful to stop fabric edges from fraying - especially if you don't have an overlocker (I'm rubbish with the overlocker) and also for stretchy fabrics. You'll probably also use the buttonhole stitch for obvious reasons. Everything else is unnecessary.

I've attached some images of a faux leather skirt I designed, drafted and made. I did use my overlocker as well as a stitched hem and some top stitching.

Also, I forgot to say round of applause for keeping the dots on your top centred. I love symmetry and pattern matching between seams 👏👏👏 You can always tell if someone is wearing a quality garment if the pockets follow the pattern on the shirt, or if the pattern on sleeves are a continuation of the pattern on the top. You don't get that with fast fashion sometimes.

I had loads of EWCM this morning! Haven't done a OPK yet but will do one soon. Let me know how your OPK is today, you should get a positive soon!

Haha yes cut flowers are really difficult to keep alive for very long, potted flowers would be better although we got some a few months ago and 2 out of 3 died! Thats awesome you grew some fruit and veg, I always try and buy organic but it gets expensive and you can't get any better than homegrown! I haven't grown my own, always wanted to but waiting for DP to build a raised veg bed (only been waiting a few years 😂).

At least we've started trying at 28 & 29 so we have time on our side, women's fertility is high until 35, so that gives us plenty of time to have 2 kids, even if assistance was needed.

Last year my smear came back HPV positive but no abnormal cells, this year luckily it came back HPV negative. You could ask them if the colposcopy will affect TTC? So you'll be on CD14 tomorrow? At that point the sperm and egg would still be in your fallopian tube, near the ovary, so hopefully the procedure won't affect fertilisation.

Ooh freebies sound good, especially if it doesn't take too much work on your part 😊.

How much of the Chinese fabric do you have? Struggling to think of what you could make with it and when it would be appropriate to where it. Possibly a mini or mid length skirt to wear with a plain top. Haha I can't even make a T-shirt at the moment but hopefully I'll be able to make a dress one day!

That's awesome you make you're own patterns! I did try that with my first top but it was too tight around the boobs 😂. This T-shirt pattern I'm doing now is too baggy so I might try and tighten it.

I'm glad you asked about the neck as I'm stuck on that bit! I don't understand the instructions 😕 what is a bias binding? I can't get the neck bit to fold down so don't how I'm gonna sew it.

I'm also making a mess of the bottom hem, it was perfectly rounded when I cut it but it was impossible to fold it up and keep the rounded shape. I think it's because you're trying to fold a larger bit of fabric into a smaller area.

Ah I do have seam rippers! They were recommended to me in the fabric shop but I didn't know what they were called. They have come in handy!

I think I do have the blind stitch on my machine but I must have used the wrong foot as it didn't come out like your middle pic.

That's cool you made your own faux leather skirt, was that material difficult to work with? I definitely think you should get back into sewing, you could make yourself a new wardrobe! That's what I'm hoping to do 😂.

Haha it was actually DP that suggested I line up the dots, to start with I thought he was interfering but turns out he was right 😂.

Internet signal is being rubbish, it wouldn't allow me to send all 3 pics together!

Heey! My OPK today is still very negative. Tested twice and it hasn't gotten darker, in fact, I think it got lighter! So I'm thinking I'll probably ov on CD15 or CD16 - annoying! How did yours turn out? My CM doesn't seem as fertile as it usually does too. Feels creamy/sticky. I don't know. I don't want to stress about it.

You could grow your veg in pots for now? That's what I did. I would love a dedicated home for them so once we've moved into whichever place we buy I'd love a raised bed for the veg and I'll plant some sunflowers, lavender and bee friendly flowers in the front garden too.

I hope to be done with all my pregnancies by 35. But let's see how long it'll actually take for me to get pregnant at 28 😅 If all goes well, next Christmas we'll both be spending it as a family of three! Matching PJs for mummy, daddy and baby.

Bias binding is a strip of fabric that you use to neaten edges, like necklines. I usually use it for curves myself because hemming them can be a nightmare - as you have found out. In your case, lots of pins and an iron will be your best friends. Try and check out some YouTube tutorials. When I was learning, 'Professor Pincushion' on YouTube really helped me.

My middle pic is from using the overlocker but without one, you can use a zig-zag stitch on your edges. The blind stitch is for those invisible stitches that you mentioned previously.

Yes, if you make a mistake on leather you can't hide it. You can't use pins on it either so it was an interesting experience but I managed to create exactly what I had in my head. I've just ordered a new table for sewing so I'll probably start again in the new week!! I'll let you know how I get on 💃

Haha your DP should get into fashion design!

Your top looks great! Don't forget to press your seams! I've actually created a tutorial for similar. Maybe you can following it for the neckline. Although it's been sped through. Should I share it with you? You'll soon know my identity!!

I haven't been able to sleep! I'm so anxious and my mind just won't settle. I think I'd rather have one less thing on my plate so I'm going to stop temping. I wasn't able to get a reading today as I need to have had at least 4 hours sleep. And thinking about all the sleep I'm not getting and how it will affect my temps is causing me more stress 😭 all I wanted to do was cry when my Ava said "insufficient nightly data" so I think it's best I stop now.

My OPK was 29% today so it's gone up a little but still low. Last cycle it went up to 35% before coming down to 15% and then the next day I got my peak. So don't worry about it getting lighter, it doesn't mean that ovulation is further away. Hopefully you'll get your peak tomorrow. I haven't seen anymore EWCM, seems to be more watery now. No cycle is ever going to be perfect, aslong as it's roughly going in the right direction then you can relax.

I also struggled to sleep last night, think I nodded off around 2am and woke at 7am, so I've noted my temp. I think the minimum you need is 3 hours, pretty sure I read that on the fertility friend app. Do you think you were anxious about your appointment today or just TTC in general? I hope the appointment has gone okay, did you ask whether it would affect conception?

Are you going to stop temping for the remainder of your cycle? There is a risk that could cause more stress as you won't know when you've ovulated. Don't worry about not getting a reading today, your OPK was negative yesterday so you couldn't have ovulated yet.

Yes we could look into getting some veg pots, might see what the garden centre have next time we go there. Sunflowers are lovely, they can grow huge and bees love them.

In a perfect world I'd like to have 3 before 35 and then no more but we'll see what happens. Aww that sounds so nice spending next Xmas as a family of 3 in matching PJs. I bet there's some really cute baby Xmas outfits you can get, I can imagine I'll end up buying loads of baby clothes, or possibly making!

I might unpick the hem and try again with lots of pins! Thanks I'll have a look on YouTube. Ooh the leather does sound difficult, I'll stay away from that fabric for a while but it's great you managed to make what you wanted.

A new sewing table, that's exciting! I don't have much room here so I have to improvise with the kitchen table, kitchen work tops and the bed 😂. Dining table is currently being used as a desk!

You could share it in a private message so there's no link to you on this chat. But only if you feel comfortable, it's okay if you don't want to 🙂.

How did the house viewing go?

My OPK is still pretty low. Not really sure when to expect a positive. I think maybe I've delayed ovulation with all the stressing? I don't stress like normal people so I never know I'm stressed until it really builds up. Now I just feel exhausted and a bit deflated. From you past OPK pattern when do you think you'll ovulate this cycle?

It sucks when sleep sucks, sorry you couldn't get a lot of it. I sympathise 😔 appointment was stressful, I ended up a bit late because I couldn't find anywhere to park. Then they did a cervical biopsy on me, so my cervix is a bit sore and I'm not allowed to DTD so might have to syringe up my DH's genetic material while I'm ovulating - whenever that'll be 😅 I didn't ask about whether it would affect conception but I did mention we were TTC 🤷‍♀️

I don't even think I can pinpoint what I'm stressing about. I guess I was nervous about the house (which we have offered on. Hopefully we get it). Maybe I'm nervous about my fertility too, I don't know. I'm usually quite good at sleeping through my anxiety so I think maybe it's excitement, hence why my thoughts never settle. I'll see how I feel tonight then consider temping.

If you have a Range near you, they sell cheap plastic posts and they seem to do the job pretty well for my plants too.

I've often dreamt about making matching outfits for me and my little one! It would be so awesome if you did too. We could inspire one another. 3 before 35 is doable but I always think about my career and how I'd fit it all in while trying to progress at work! It's hard being a working woman. How soon after giving birth do you think you'll return to work? I'm thinking 6 months?? But I won't be able to decide until I actually experience motherhood I think.

Oh no! You need a proper sewing table. Somewhere special for your sewing machine to live 😁 I bought one of those foldable 6ft buffet tables. I already had one but we used it in the garden and when I brought it inside, it had woodlice and spiders and millipedes falling out of it😱! So I made DH buy me a new one because I was traumatised! It should arrive tomorrow.

I'd love to see the hem once you're done with it. After finishing this top, what will be your next project?

That house looks lovely! There's also room to extend in the future if you wanted (for those 3 babies 😊). Good luck, I really hope you get it!

I don't think stress would have delayed ovulation, I've read that only very severe stress such as death of a loved one, could cause ovulation to be delayed. Are there some things you can do to help the stress, such as having a hot bath, baking or yoga? Hopefully sewing once your table arrives!

Difficult to predict ovulation based on previous OPK but as I've seen EWCM earlier this month I'm really hoping I'll get a positive OPK tomorrow or Wednesday. As you're a day ahead of me I think you'll def get a positive OPK tomorrow or Wednesday, hopefully we'll get it on the same day!

Did they say how long you can't DTD for? I wonder if it's because you're sore or if there's another reason? Do you have a syringe if you need to do it that way?

Yes juggling babies and a career is not going to be easy! My workplace gives 18 weeks full pay and then it's statutory pay so I'm thinking about taking 6-9months maternity, we couldn't afford for me to take the whole year off. Then there's nursery costs, which aren't so bad if you've got one child but if you've got 2 or 3 under 5 it would be cheaper to quit work and stay at home. Lots of decisions!

Oh no 😱, that sounds horrible! Glad your DH bought you a new one!

Yep I'll def post a pic, I haven't done anymore on it yet. I've ordered some more patterns but these ones are arriving on paper, one of them is a dress so I could try that next?! Although after purchasing them I realised once they're cut to size I can't make any other sizes, whereas the PDF version which is cheaper, allows you to print it off as many times as you want. So I think I've made an error ordering the paper versions!

Thank you. It does have a lot of potential. It needs some work, but only cosmetic, which is fine because I'd paint over everything regardless. What would your dream home look like?

I think you and I will Ov at the same time. My OPK is apparently darker tonight (looks no different to me) so could mean I'll Ov tomorrow or the day after like you think! Let's hope we're cycle twins again!

OK I don't think I'm that stressed. But I haven't been tracking my cycles long enough to really know between which days I ovulate so this could be normal for me. As long as my LP is fine I don't mind. And sewing will only exercebate any stress I have 😂😂 my brain goes into overdrive thinking about how to create patterns and how to piece everything together 🧵I'll never sleep again! I need a less stressful hobby, do you do anything else in your spare time? I want to get back to working out but it's so cold and I've put fat back on but some good ol' weight training usually relaxes me.

They just said I can DTD once my cervix stops bleeding but it hasn't bled at all so I'm just waiting until it stops feeling sore. I'm going to pour DHs swimmers into my menstrual cup and stick it up me with a little preseed. If I get knocked up by a menstrual cup, I'll be so annoyed 😂 (but happy to be pregnant).

Oh don't get me started on nursery costs! I've seen some extortionate prices. Costing more than a university degree. Oh that's amazing! Our employers are pretty generous. I get 26 weeks full pay and then statutory. I have a friend who gets 2 weeks full pay, 6 weeks at 90% pay and then the rest statutory and I was shocked! She might have to go back to work a few months after giving birth. I mostly work from home, with or without covid, so I might be able to work part time from home after the 26 weeks.
I'm scared to get pregnant straight after my first in case they think I'm taking the piss 🙈

Paper patterns are generally the norm but I get your frustration. Are you thinking about sewing for your mum too? A dress would be lovely. They're my favourite thing to make 😊 I've never used a paper pattern before but how about you copy each size down on a sheet of people and gradually cut it smaller until you've copied your size and then you'll have all the sizes, I'm just theorising so it might not work!

Ooh looks like your LH is rising! It's very clever how the apps use the camera, sometimes I look at the stick and can't tell a difference but the app can. Although it's clear when it's positive!

I really want a house with a large-ish garden and space to extend so we can build it how we want. We're considering buying in the West Midlands as it's too expensive in the South West. There are cheaper areas but not where we'd want to buy. We're not ready to buy yet, need at least another year of saving. Don't know how we're gonna pay for a wedding and a baby as well 😂.

Yep when we ovulate doesn't matter too much aslong as luteal phase is minimum 10 days. I'm sure we'll both get that again this month 😊.

Oh no, maybe only think about sewing during the day 😂. Are you into reading? I rarely read books but since this whole lockdown I've been reading the news a lot on my phone and I find it helps me fall asleep.

I guess sewing is my new hobby! Before lockdown DP and I used to socialize with friends quite a bit and we liked going on early morning walks in the woods before it got too dark. I'm annoyed because I've put on half a stone since March, it's difficult not to eat treats when trapped in the house all day!

Yes exercise is definitely good for sleeping and relaxing, do you have any weights to do exercises at home? Women's Health magazine online has loads of ideas for exercising at home.

Haha maybe the menstrual cup will do it 😂.

26 weeks full pay is pretty awesome! That's awful for your friend, I think statutory maternity pay should be higher, £600 a month would be a real struggle. Yes I've also thought my employer wouldn't be too happy if I got pregnant whilst on maternity leave 😂. I looked up on the gov website around maternity rules and you have to go back to work, even if just for a day, to be eligible for maternity leave again. So you can't roll one maternity leave onto the next. Ideally I'd like to get pregnant a year after having the first.

That's a really good idea, I'd have to get some large pieces of paper but it would mean I could keep different sizes. Yeh I was thinking if I wanted to make clothes for other people or if I changed size!

Is this what it feels like to have... slept? Went to bed at 10pm last night. Think I got about 10 hours of rest. It was needed. My DH dosed me with 'Kalms' tablets and sent me to bed. Did you get better sleep as well?

I thought I'd do an OPK with FMU just to check if anything was happening, but nope - negative (18%). I think this ov will be a late one because I still have EWCM and feel very wet inside, so I can't have missed it. I usually go creamy straight after ov. It may be the vitamins delaying things. Temps are going up too but I don't think I missed anything important yesterday anyway. How are your temps looking?

I agree, a big garden is a must! After experiencing lockdown in our garden, I only wonder how we would have survived without it. How was the first part of lockdown for you? The West Midlands would be cool! Places like Birmingham have a lot going for it. Is that where your DP is from? Or you just like it over there? DH and I were looking to buy in Banbury as well, and although quite cheap, it's a bit far from my family. I have a friend who lives in Bristol and also briefly considered moving there too but we really like where we currently are, so decided to stay. Sometimes, for me, comfort and familiarity trumps house price. My town is youthful, diverse and has things happening and I know our kids will feel comfortable here (they'll be biracial, so definitely need to take that into consideration). House prices do suck but I've read posts on here about people moving away to cheaper areas and hating it so I think there's much to consider. Although you might love it too!!

I think save hard for a house. I know a wedding is important, but after having a huge wedding (250-300 guests), I almost wish I had saved all the money instead. The favourite part of my wedding day was the ceremony and seeing DH. The reception was nice but I had a nightmare of a day (my makeup artist drove her car into a tree!) And everything was so delayed and nothing went to plan so in hindsight, nice and intimate would have been better. And kids don't have to be expensive. Even though we can afford to buy new, I'm planning on getting some things second hand - especially clothes, because they grow up so fast! And once all the furniture and major items are out of the way, you only need to consider food and nappies which won't break the bank (I think??)

I loooove reading. I only read fantasy books though! I'm such a nerd. I run a sci-fi and fantasy meetup group in my town and we have a good number of members. My book collection is huge and the difference between DH and I is that I've actually read ALL the books that I've bought whereas, he just keeps them there for decoration. I'd love a library in my home but don't think I can sacrifice a room just for books. Maybe one day when I buy my mansion 😁

You can still go on walks. I think walking for miles and miles can help with weight loss? I'm trying to encourage DH to start doing so because nothing else has worked for him and although It wouldn't be my chosen form of exercise, I think it's definitely the easiest one to do.

For the wedding and during lockdown, I did a lot of weight training and HIIT workouts in the garden. I bought like 20kg of weights and really toned up! Lost 11kg of weight and I was quite pleased with how my body was looking. I felt really strong and could do pushups, 100+ sit ups. It was great! I went from a size 10 to a size 8 and now I think I'm back to a size 10 because I'm so lazy! I would work out at home but no motivation 😆 Do you have a particular set of favourite exercises?

I agree that it should be higher. I really salute single mothers who have to raise kids alone. With that amount of statutory pay, they wouldn't be able to take any time off! It's sad that we have to factor in our employment when making personal decisions about our bodies and men don't even have to consider any of this! I'd like a bit of an age gap but I might have to reconsider if it takes long to conceive.

I usually create my patterns on brown paper. You know the long rolls you use for wrapping? Like kraft rolls? So maybe copy the patterns onto them? Iron the paper flat first though because it's so annoying when it rolls up while using it.

Gosh I've written an essay! Think my brain is back to functioning after all the sleep I've gotten!

I got a peak on OPK this morning! Hopefully I'll get 200% later today, so ovulation will probably happen tonight or tomorrow. I'm really pleased because last cycle I didn't ovulate until CD17 so there's a clear improvement. Try doing another OPK this afternoon, you're not meant to test LH with first morning urine because apparently that hormone is always low when you first wake up.

My temp was higher this morning which follows the pattern of my previous cycles, my temp seems to jump up and down around ovulation, so I'm expecting it to be low tomorrow. I wonder if your temp is doing the same thing and you'll see a drop tomorrow.

That's great you had a better night's sleep, the Kalms tablets could possibly have caused the temp rise but I'm not sure how they work.

The first lockdown was awful as we had just moved into an unfurnished flat and couldn't buy furniture as the all the shops shut. Also the flat was on the 1st floor so there was no garden. We're in a house now so the lockdown in November was more comfortable!

I'm originally from East Midlands and DP from Devon, we were thinking on the west side of Birmingham so that it's near the city but not too polluted. It will also depend on what jobs we have at the time. Yes it's definitely nice living somewhere you are familiar with, I get stressed driving in new areas when I don't know where I'm going! I think if we moved up to Birmingham area we would rent first to see what areas we like. Some places are cheap for a reason!

Wow that was a huge wedding, I hope you still enjoyed the day even though things didn't go to plan! Was your make-up artist okay? Did you have to do your own make-up?

Yeh I think with babies it's mostly the initial costs of a car seat, pram, cot and equipment that are high, after that it shouldn't be too bad. Unless we have twins or triplets 😱!

Oooh what does a sci-fi and fantasy group do? I guess you'll have had to do those meetings online this year? Haha I'm more of a 'books for decoration' person 😂. Every so often I'll start dreaming of buying a mansion, then it normally leads to be buying a euro millions ticket 😂.

Well done on losing 11KG, that must have been hard work! Haha same with me, I was a size 10, got down to size 8 in March and now back to size 10! But I'm quite short (5.1ft) so I feel too big at size 10, would like to lose a few more pounds. I'm worried I'm gonna hate my body when pregnant! I currently have very little motivation to exercise, I think a lot of people feel the same. Being forced to spend such a long time at home with nothing really to look forward to, does drain your energy and motivation.

Ah yes I know the paper you mean, my DP is actually going to get some today for sending presents! I'm guessing you have to put a towel or something between the paper and iron??

Eeeeeee! You were right! We'll be ovulating at the same time!! 0DPO tomorrow for both of us 💃💃 I have so much EWCM but it's so weird and chunky but I think it could be because of the solution they put on my cervix yesterday. Either way, tonight, I inseminate! Are you going to DTD today and tomorrow?

I suspect I'll see a drop tomorrow so our temps would do something similar again. I'm so excited to see what happens this cycle. I'm not expecting much with the insemination but I really hope you get lucky!

Ah, you're right. I've never thought about medications affecting temps but then, it makes sense that it could! I'm so chirpy and annoying today and DH said he preferred me when I was tired 😂

That sounds horrible. Lockdown in a flat wouldn't be anyone's idea of fun. But sounds even worse being furniture-less! Did you eventually find some furniture to buy?

Oh me too 😪 I can get proper anxious from doing something wrong on unfamiliar roads and I start getting really shaky. But wherever you move to, you'll quickly get familiar with the roads anyway. Devon to the East Midlands is a bit of a journey, will you be driving to visit your DP's family or be getting the train?

I find it hard to think about my wedding day because if I think too much about it I'll get upset. It was a nice day though and the guests did enjoy themselves. Luckily the makeup artist wasn't hurt but her car was totalled. She managed to make it to do my makeup (bless her) but she was a lot little late.

Hehe would you be ok giving birth to multiples? I like the idea of having all my kids once and for all and not having subsequent pregnancies but I have no multiples in my family and neither does DH. Do you or your DP?

In my group, we do book clubs, go for cinema trips, go to comic con and have general get-togethers where we chill and play games. Nothing has happened since lockdown. We did start having Netflix parties online and the book club moved to zoom too but that's it.

😂 Imagine if you ever won the lottery. Apart from a mansion what would be the first thing you buy? 😂

Thank you! I loved the exhilaration and the endorphins. I get why people get really gym-obsessed. I think it's important to remember that weight gain is good in pregnancy and even though we'll be bigger and rounder, it will be a good sign that the baby is growing so you needn't worry about self-image, although easier said than done because I'd probably feel horrible too! I'm waiting to put on all my pregnancy weight before I go back to my intense workouts (as if I'll even have time after I give birth...)

Oh that's lucky! I just iron straight onto the paper but with low heat - just enough to get it to straighten.

Yay!! That's great you got your peak too! Hopefully both our temps will drop tomorrow and rise on Thursday, then we'll have ovulation confirmed 😊. We'll def be DTD today, I've advised DP he is required 😂. I don't know if we'll do it tomorrow as well, I'm sure we'll have put enough up there 😂.

Will you be able to extract and insert some spermies?? 😂 Insemination should work the same way, healthy sperm know which direction to swim in! You'll have to be quick though because sperm don't survive long outside the body.

We moved into the flat on a Friday, ordered furniture on the Sunday to be delivered the following Thursday. Then on the Monday night Boris announced the lockdown and so the furniture company refused to deliver. We ended up waiting a month for our furniture. Luckily we had a bed but that was it!

We're looking at the West Midlands so that it's just straight down the M5. DP doesn't speak to his family but most of my family are in Devon. It's sad but his family are horrible, on the plus side it makes it easier at Christmas 😂.

Oh no, that's sad it's upsetting to think about your wedding day. I'm sure there were some really special moments, like the ones you mentioned with DH. Did you manage to get some beautiful photos?

Well I think I'd be guaranteed a ceasarean if I had multiples! I like the idea of only having to be pregnant once or twice. My grandmother's sister (on my Mum's side) had twins so it's a possibility but probably unlikely. The gene only runs on the female side as it's the woman's body that decides to release two or more eggs. The downside is getting really big and having loads of stretch marks 😕.

It's difficult to keep social things going over the internet as it's just not the same as meeting in person. Earlier in the year we did a zoom call with friends every week but that slowly fizzled out.

I think the first thing I would buy is a holiday! Somewhere amazing like the Maldives or Bora Bora. How about you??

I think with first babies women tend to be smaller because everything's tightly packed in. With subsequent pregnancies everything's already been pushed out so you show more 😂.

Woooo! Look at us peaking like bosses! How hopeful are you feeling this cycle?

I am officially inseminated! I have the cup inside me now to maximum my chances as we may have lost some sperm during transference from plastic cup to menstrual cup. DH said the whole process was weird so we'll be DTD properly from tomorrow. I think my cervix should be fine 🤷‍♀️

Does that mean you spent most of your days in the bedroom as the bed was the only furniture? I still remember when I first bought furniture with DH. We weren't married then and it felt like this huge commitment. I was so daunted by it. But I think making a baby is a bigger commitment so you probably never felt anything like I did 😂

That sucks. At least he has you and your family and you're making your own family together so he'll be surrounded by people who love him 💕

Yeah we did get lovely photos. It wasn't until months after that I actually felt that my photos were nice. I think I'll start to feel better about the day as time goes on. What sort of venue were you going to book for your wedding?

Oh it may be a small chance but it's still a chance! Carrying multiples will be so tasking on the body and I agree, stretch marks are something I'd like to avoid too. Unfortunately, we don't get to decide how many we have and how our body handles it 😅

A holiday would be amazing. Better yet, a honeymoon! I think, after my mansion, I'd be on my way to buy a car that's better than my little Renault Clio. Something that can accommodate all the twins I'll never have.

Ugh, the thought of everything just hanging loose. No thanks.

I tested this morning 🙈 only 10dpo but feel like i can see a line but also don’t know if my eyes are playing tricks on me what do u think?

Hi @Jordie24 if you make a new post for your question you'll get more answers 🙂

Oh thankyou I will do, just as a lot of people on here I thought someone might reply haha what do u think?

@unCliche I think I've missed the 200% as it seems to be going back down, must of happened last night! I've been having lots of pain and twinges on my lower right side so pretty sure I'm ovulating from the right ovary. Have you got any ovulation pain?

Haha well done, that must have been awkward but necessary! Are you still planning on DTD today? Hopefully your cervix isn't still sore?

Yes and we both had to work from home, neither of us were furloughed. So I was working on top of the bed and DP was sat in a garden deck chair in the living room. That was a long month...

Aww I'm sure your children will love looking at them 😊. I'm looking at hotels because I'd like the ceremony, reception and accommodation to be all in the same place, easier for us and guests! What type of venue did you have?

Oh yes of course, you still need to book a honeymoon! Will you do that soon or do you think you'll wait until after the 1st pregnancy?