Missing days on the SMEP plan

[WicketBasket]

Hi everyone!

Just wanted to know if anyone could share any experiences with the SMEP plan and how strict you need to be with it?

I got my peak OPK on saturday and managed to BD Friday, Saturday and Sunday but the plan says to BD at least three days after the peak.
I didn't manage the Monday due to shift work and being super tired

Anyone know if this is enough or what my chances would be? Would love to hear from anyone with a similar story or any personal experience

Thank you lovelies xxx

Any thoughts? :)

Sorry to bump but anyone? Xx

It's really just down to luck. Monday might have increased your chances a little more but sperm can live a few days after ejaculation hence DTD every couple of days before you ovulate as well. Fingers crossed for you!

I think you are well covered 🤞🏻😊

Thank you @ContadoraExplorer! Yeah I was trying to DTD on Monday but it just didn’t work out.

Thanks so much @xoJellyBean! I really hope so! I’m such a stress head which I’m sure is not helping anything but I’ve started getting hung up on little details like this and overthinking them

I think you’re well covered OP! ☺️

Although we loosely followed smep last month, DTD day before positive OPK (by luck really!) positive OPK, and day after. Then we missed the next day because we were just so tired and hate forced DTD! 😂 and we didn’t fall, so maybe we missed the jackpot 😩 but it really is down to luck I think. Some people DTD. 1 day and get a BFP!! Fingers crossed for you xx

You're well covered! Smep never worked for me tbh, just felt too stressful!

Thanks @Izzie94! I think you’re right, it is all about luck but I’ve just started focusing on the littlest things and blowing them out of proportion! It’s not very healthy

@wanderlnst I’ve been trying SMEP on and off for a few months now, because like you, I find it hard to sustain and DH absolutely hates it! But then every other month or so I give it another go because I start feeling like I’m not doing enough if that makes sense? Which I know is very silly! xxx

Just wanted to pop in and ask if you have read the book? It's free to download and is really short (always good in my opinion!). It gives quite a few tips on which days to skip if you can't do every day.

I just downloaded it via Amazon to my phone

X

@WicketBasket don't worry, we are all the same!! How long have you been ttc? Xx

@WicketBasket absolutely agree we’re definitely all the same I have months where I am totally obsessed and other months I’m chilled. But I’m now 15 cycles into my journey and I’m going through the fuck sake can’t be bothered phase 😂😂 then it gets to my FW and I can’t help but do OPKS! Mainly as I like to know when AF will be.

How long have you been ttc? X

@Janefx40 ooh no I haven’t read the book but will give it a go! I’m so on and off with the plan but it’ll be nice to dig into it a bit more! Thank you

Oh a long time now @xoJellyBean- roughly 2 years! Awaiting follow up from Gynae to see where I’m at going forwards. It’s a long and punishing road really and sometimes I just think I can’t be bothered anymore and then other times I spend days worrying over whether I should have added extra days onto the SMEP plan what about you? How long have you been involved in the madness?

This sounds like me to a T @Izzie94! I blow hot and cold with this whole TTC business, and I’ve been trying for 2 years now roughly! I do get more and more disheartened with each cycle and my mood is so variable with it so sometimes I end up clinging to tiny little details like I have on this thread, just to focus myself in a weird way. What about you, where are you at in the journey?

Oops sorry @Izzie94 just re-read your post and have realised you’d already answered my question! Sorry, brain freeze Have you had any initial investigations etc done, now that you’re 15 months in? Sending you lots of good thoughts my lovely xxx

@WicketBasket oh wow!! And when did you decide to see someone about it? I came off my pill end of 2018 🥲

@WicketBasket oh me too!!! I’m having a bit of a down month this month, but I think it’s because my SIL is going to announce she’s pregnant any day 😩 hurts so much when it’s close to home. Have you had your initial test done? Assuming everything was ok? / can you be referred to a fertility clinic? It’s so tough isn’t it. I thought 6 months max and I’d be pregnant LOL naive ole me.

I’m 26, DH 32, he has a DS who’s 10 so we did assume it would happen quickly. 😔 I’ve had blood test which were all fine, and we paid privately and I had a scan, and apparently I am as fertile as I should be!! The only thing we haven’t had done is AMH test and sperm tests. The doctor says they won’t fund us due to DSS. But I’m going to get DH to call the docs next cycle if we’re not lucky and see if they will do a sperm test 🤞🏼Xxx

@xoJellyBean I’ve had all the initial investigations and actually had some surgery for endo but then got stuck because of the pandemic so am not awaiting my follow up with gynae. I think it’s the waiting that is the worst, I have nowhere to channel my anxiety

Oh @Izzie94 bless you! I know exactly how you feel because my sister in law announced her pregnancy in September last year, having got married in august!! She caught on the first try and was very smug about it. She hasn’t been very sensitive at all, constantly messaging me with questions about pregnancy and childbirth and tbh I find it really difficult to engage. Does that make me a horrible person?

Yes!! I was going to say definitely ask for the sperm analysis at least! I was waiting for ages for my DH to get checked and so we went private for the sperm analysis! Test on one day with results literally the next day, so it’s a good thing to think about if you have upcoming doctors appointments that would need all the tests for! At least everything looks good on your end as well, that’s great!

Where are you in your cycle at the minute? I just find the TWW so stressful! Xxx

@WicketBasket what dpo are you now? I have had peak OPKs since Wednesday and it's freaking me out... I'm exhausted 🤣

Hahahah oh @xoJellyBean I completely get the feeling exhausted! Do you normally have a longer peak? I guess you’ve gotta keep going and cover yourself as much as possible so best stay busy

I’m 5dpo according to my Premom app! I got my peak on Saturday so I think guessing I ovulated on Sunday. Although I’m not feeling too hopeful tbh because I’ve had dull aches in my lower abdomen all morning which I start getting around 6DPO and are normally a sign AF is gearing up to bother me again