Does casual TTC actually happen?!

[SolitaA]

We decided to start trying so have stopped using contraception after my last period. Which was 2 weeks ago. We've decided to just have sex 2-3 days a week and not test until like June. Not even sure if I'm ovulating since coming off contraception though according to Dr I should be as usual. I don't want to start getting obsessed with Opks and 2ww stuff which I know enivitably I will. Especially if by July I've not had a period or a positive test. Is it possible to try without getting obsessed? I've had kids before, took me ages to conceive my first. Had been referred for clomid to kick-start ovulation but then literally a month before I went I struck lucky. 2nd child happened on first cycle much sooner than expected as we thought it would be similar experience to first. 2nd child almost 4 now and going for round 3. Again I'm concerned that it will be like with DD1. Does chilled out trying actually happen/work or should we take bets on how long it takes me to invest in some opks 😂

Yes we decided to 'think' about a second. I cant off pill and 4 weeks later tested positive! Took us 9 months of opk and obsession to get dd1, ds2 was actually a but if an accident!

Amazing love this.

It did for us. We decide to ‘see what happens’, and found out I was pregnant 4 1/2 weeks after we’d first had unprotected sex. However I hadn’t been on birth control, so my cycle didn’t need time to regulate.

Yea, that's how we conceived DD. I hit 36, came off the pill to 'see if it happened'. I had a vague awareness of when I was ovulating (just due to general symptoms).

It happened quickly, we were very lucky (it is pure blind luck).

I've conceived once through contraception failure, once after two months of not using contraception and leaving it to fate, and once after a drunken 'should we try for another? Ok' conversation on DD1s first birthday. So it can happen.
Down to luck really.
Good luck to you.

Yay. Its nice to hear some positivity. I think because I didn't ovulate for so long before dc1 it makes me have a worry in the back of my head but I know it will drive me crazy if I start testing. Trying to be chilled anyway. Let's see what happens. Thanks all!

I said I wouldn't go down the OPK route , but after a long time of no luck I gave in and got them. Next I tried smep , then I had a loss and gave up trying, I got pregnant the next month, now 30 weeks.

Yep. It happened very quickly, both times, within six weeks of coming off the pill. I think people don't talk about it, mostly because it was quick! If you don't need to put the conscious effort in, you focus on other things.

Good luck. I don't pretend it was anything except that (obs. having sex is required!).

In feb this year we just decided to give ttc a go , had no idea if I was ovulating or anything and next month I got a positive 😂😂 it was a pure fluke and we didnt test until I was a week late because we didnt believe it. I'm 12 weeks now.

Hey,

Try taking some folic acid supplements (seven seas ttc) £4.50 and just have fun trying. You’ll get a positive test before you even know it.

Good luck xx

You can get 180 folic acid tablets in Asda for £1!

Yes, it works for the majority, I’d suggest, OP. Especially pre-internet. I’ve never taken an ovulation test and I don’t know anyone who has in real life.

Yes with all 3 of mine.

Yes, both my pregnancies. Came off contraception, pregnant within two months each time without trying. Scary in some ways!

That's what I did for all three of mine. In fact it's exactly what we all did before OPKs and the term 2ww were invented.

We didn't test until we were at least a week late either. Early tests weren't available and the pregnancy tests that we had were much too expensive to take on a whim.

I'll probably get a flaming but I'm sure that OPKs and early testing just make women more anxious when they are trying to conceive. I'm glad they weren't available back in the day, I probably wouldn't have been able to resist them.

I was pregnant 2 weeks after I had the conversation "shall we have a second". Must have got pregnant the first night we didn't use condoms. I had only weaned my eldest 2 weeks prior to that.

Many get pregnant by accident!

I don't think they had invented ovulation strips then and pregnancy tests weren't as sensitive. Just enjoy trying

@dramaalpaca that's a great point. Maybe it's because you only ever hear the negative side of people spending a long time trying especially on forums. And that's the exact reason I don't want to get sucked into using opks and becoming obsessed and anxious about everything. Thanks to everyone who has posted.

First DC took 18 months, no OPK or method of any kind, just no contraception. Didnt test until I was 6 weeks pregnant because I have an irregular cycle and had given up hoping. Current pregnancy was first month of not bothering to use contraception. It was a brilliant surprise!

Yup, it does - like @DramaAlpaca I do think too many people, women over 30 especially, 'over-problematise' conception and go straight into all sorts of monitoring and checking and stress when there is really no need to do anything other than just have sex unless you know of an existing barrier to conceiving or until it's been 6 months+

I never had a regular cycle, especially after coming off pill so I can't remember exactly where I was when I tested. I guess was about 6 weeks with 1st DC, mostly curiosity, I was very 'symptom' free. We think she was actually conceived on literally our first attempt (my mum 'warned' me she got pg very easily). Second time around it took about 4-5 months, my periods never got regular in that time, and I tested (on Christmas day!) because I had been feeling utterly exhausted for over a week.

Of course it happens - all the time.

I only know 1 couple irl that did the whole tracking thing TTC. Most were a vague 'shall we?' conversation and carrying on normal bedroom habits, just ditching the contraception.