First month TTC

[Pixiedust018]

Hi ladies,

I’m new to this and would really appreciate your help. This is my first month TTC. I’m currently on CD4 so still middle of my period. Just wondering what helped you all conceive in your first month of trying and any tips you have. I have clearblue OPK ready and have been tracking my cycles for a which vary from 27-34 day cycles with 2 random 45 day cycles one of them being my last cycle.

Anyone else TTC this month?

Thanks in advance x

@Annabelle0852 morning cycle sister!

Nothing to report here, only slightly sore boobs but that's only because I'm prodding them every hour thinking "are they sore yet?" Haha. This first cycle is the worst...

We've got a skip being delivered today though so plenty of DIY over the weekend. Like you, I'm on a mission to try and keep busy!

@RadDarwazeh morning! It's pretty chilly isn't it!

My app gave me a fertile window of 7 days which felt about right with what my body was saying and the opk (although the opk went straight from nothing to peak so who knows).

The app says I have 5 fertile days leading up to ov, the ov day itself and one day after. Not sure of this is the same for everyone though...

Are you using anything to track? x

@FieldView I'm using the Ovia app. Wondering if I should use an ovulation kit in conjunction to know exactly when I'm ovulating. Which opk do you use? I know they can be quite pricey eek!

@RadDarwazeh I use Clue and Flo.

Clue gave me 4 x days before, day of OV then 1 day after so total 6 fertile days.

Flo gave me 7 fertile days (5 before OV).

I used IC for OPKs off Amazon and like @FieldView they went from nothing to peak.

@FieldView I try not to use my boobs as a sympton as some cycles they hurt and some they don't anyway! I have noticed they're fuller than usual (that would usually come right before AF) but I think it's too early to count it as a symptom. Had some mega bloating, too. But OH and I are on a kick to eat healthier after Christmas gorge fest so reckon it's probably related to that more than anything!

Do you take any vitamins? I started taking pregnacare TTC ones this cycle but been reading they can mess some people's cycles up so a bit worried.

Morning everyone :) nearly froze to death last night, had to have duvet AND blanket AND cat on me.
Both apps are giving me a 7 day window. It sounds like they're often wrong so opk are a good idea. A few of us have gone with the 50 packs of strips of amazon, mine was £10 on a lightning deal but I've got a long wait before I can start using them

@PineappleSun thank you for the info and to @Annabelle0852

Silly question now sorry. When are you supposed to start using the ovulation tracking strips? Like at what point in relation to AF? I'm gonna look on Amazon for some, that's not a bad price hopefully I can get a good deal

@RadDarwazeh there are no silly questions, we're all on the first go at this. I read its a good idea to start them a few days after AF and basically just do one every day until you see a peak. I started them on CD 6 (AF is 4 days long) and saw what I thought was peak on CD 9 but I ran out of strips having only bought a 5 pack in a fit of excitement in wilko.

I think the general rule of thumb is start on CD10 but on the ones I bought on Amazon they had a table and based on your cycle length it tells you when to start.

@Annabelle0852 that makes more sense, there are also lots of ovulation calculators online (Inc mumsnet) to give you a good idea of a sensible test window.

Thank your girls :) that's really helpful

@RadDarwazeh I used the CB digital OPK this month and have another up my sleeve for next cycle. They are indeed pretty pricey though! I think I got them on offer from Amazon and they were £20 each. I figured I can stretch to £20 a month for the first few months, but after that I may go to ICs instead.

At least with them being on the more expensive side I was quite frugal!

I agree that the general of thumb is to start testing on CD10, although there are various tables online to advise which day to start testing on depending on the length of your cycle. Good luck!

@shannonl26 - I lasted around 3 weeks of being chill and now it's all i can think about! Going to try and get some ovulation sticks today and see if i can start tracking things through them. But in all honesty, I still don't feel like i have a clue how any of it works!

@RadDarwazeh - It's hard isn't it! All my friends are having children around me and i'm so happy for them but there's always that twinge of jealousy that they got their BFP! Sending lots of good vibes everyones way. It's a relief to be able to talk about things openly here!

@Pixiedust018 - I thought it was just me! It's been absolutely freezing!
My OH and I are both WFH and he has set up a bloody heater in his 'Office' alright for some lol.

As i mentioned above, i don't really have a clue what's going on with cycles etc, i had some spotting yesterday/this morning and i added it into my app and it's started off another cycle, saying my last cycle was 12 days! :( The last 'cycle' was started on the app by spotting a couple of weeks ago. Starting to get really stressed out with it all!

Sending positive vibes to all!

Afternoon you lovely bunch!!
I’ve managed to get myself a bit confused!
I’ve been using my opk’s for 3 days now, and the app is telling me I am now at my ‘peak’ which is great! But I think I’ve been so wrapped up in using them for the first time I’m not actually sure what the peak even means.
Does this means I am ovulating literally now? Or does it just mean I will be ovulating soon. We’ve been DTD every other day so I think we’ve covered it but not sure when I should start counting days post ovulation? Will tomorrow be 1DPO?
I keep getting myself so excited that it might happen this month, I need to calm down but I just can’t help it. Hope everyone is having a good day!

@Eaststreet I am under the impression that the LH surge (what the OPK is measuring) is 24-48 hours before you ovulate. If you keep an eye for ovulation symptoms now, after that you'll be DPO. Although if its true that sperm survives up to 5 days after DTD you should have it well covered. Exciting indeed

This is my first proper cycle after coming off the pill (I had a weird 2 periods in 2 weeks when I first did) and I'm now 10 DPO with a negative test.

Last time I came off the pill I got pregnant first time round but I can't remember which DPO it was I got the BFP so now I'm fretting.

Good luck OP and everyone else! If I get AF next week I'll be a few cycle days behind you all.

It's so hard waiting!

@Delilah221 I had this when first updating my app while my cycle was settling down coming off the pill in October 2020. Keep updating the app don't worry it may keep changing day to day.

@LAgeDeRaisin I hate this waiting around. 11 days till AF and taking a test

@RadDarwazeh glad to hear it’s not just me. Speaking to everyone on here has reassured me!
I’ve updated it daily so will just have to deal with all the changes on there 🙄

Thought I was onto a winner, as I had some spotting yesterday, a week before I expected a period and I was crazy sick. Nauseous, headache that wouldn't go away, cramps...I was convinced I was pregnant. Turns out it was the period. I think.
Oh well, at least I have had my first one since stopping the pill very quickly. No waiting around. I can start using OPKs in a week and take it from there. So stressful waiting tho.
Would be silly of me to expect it to happen straight away, but can't help getting carried away

@Taliasometimes I'm in the exactly same boat. Had highs on my OPKS but no peak so thought I was on to a winner. AF arrived 2 days ago, 2 weeks after withdrawal bleed from the pill. No idea what will happen with OV this month!

@Rmd123 yes we are in the exact same place! Fingers crossed this first proper AF sorts us out and it's plain sailing from here

Sorry ladies wow what a busy day at work!! First one back after a few days off, always a killer

Nothing to report here, not entirely sure where I’m at in my cycle as two different apps predicting two different things, had a peak on an opk night before last so dtd the night before & last night, not seeing DH tonight so time will tell if it was enough! I am seeing him tomorrow however I think that would be too late? No idea how it works if I’m being brutally honest. Practice makes perfect

Hope we’ve all had lovely days & all is going well.

Here's a question for you lovely lot, if one of us does end up with a BPF this month, how do you kick off all the pre natal care, is it as simple as making a GP appointment?

@PineappleSun No clue, I was wondering this too! I'm assuming it's just contact GP and wait. Not sure how much there'll actually be especially with COVID right now...

Wow, I've been off for a couple of days and loads of new ladies joining, yaaaay!

@Pixiedust018 how are you getting on??? Have you been testing? I'm CD52 so getting very frustrated!! Where is bloomin' AF?!?

Does anyone have a date they're gonna do a pregnancy test yet? I'm gonna do it on 19th. On day of AF.

Assuming if there's a bfp I'll just contact GP and take their advice. Maybe joing a pregnancy chat on Mumsnet too.

Any advice on which test I should buy? Fingers crossed xx