Has anyone taken 12+ months to conceive with no known fertility issues?

[KerryW87]

Hi,

I'm just looking for some positive stories because I'm really struggling at the moment.

We're now in the TWW on cycle 13 after sadly losing our wee boy halfway through pregnancy last summer. He was born in July and we started trying immediately after.

Ive had day 21 bloods done and they've come back fine. Partner had an SA and apparently all good apart from a viscosity issue? They've said they don't consider it a big problem so that's good.

I'm obviously very grateful we don't have any known issues but then it also just feels so upsetting that it just isn't happening? We're healthy people, we don't smoke, in a healthy weight range, I use OPKs, Preseed, and Ive tried every single old wives' tale in the book 😂 but it just isn't working.

Was this the case for anyone else and they just fell pregnant naturally after the 12 month mark? Thanks so much in advance 💕

I'm sorry for your loss OP. I had a couple of chemical pregnancies within the first year of TTC, then a miscarriage after a bit more than a year. Almost immediately after the miscarriage I fell pregnant again and our son is now 5. We were just about the start investigations when I found out I was pregnant with him, so didn't actually find out if there was anything wrong, but probably not as we had no complications with the pregnancy
Good luck, I know how upsetting it is, but I don't think it's massively unusual to take more than 12 months TTC so keep trying!

It took me 3 years to get pregnant with my first, then second happened as soon as we started trying!

@ejhhhhh Aw thank you, and I'm so sorry to hear of your losses too ❤️ That must've been so difficult.

I'm so glad you did go on to have a healthy pregnancy and your wee boy! :) It only took us 5 months to conceive our son last year so it's just shocked us that it's taking so long this time around when we're doing everything "right" as it were.

Thank you very much, really appreciate your message! You're right, just got to keep trying 🤞 xx

@Quietcrown 3 years? God, that must've been so difficult, hats off to you for keeping on trying. Did you have any fertility testing during that time? We're awaiting a referral now that it's been over a year but could take a while with the COVID backlog!

I'm so glad it was a lot quicker for you the second time around! ❤️

Yeah we had tests which showed no issues, and we were on the waiting list for IVF when I finally got pregnant.

It is very frustrating and I used to get quite angry about it, but I know a lot of people who have been the same and they got there. It does just seem to take a long time for some of us!

Not myself but my brother in law and his wife; both perfectly healthy, no known issues (had tests). They took 2 years to conceive their first child, and 18 months to conceive their second.

Cliché but we are all unique and some couples will take longer to get there. It's been said lots of times, but often when we stop stressing and overthinking... it happens.

Good luck with your journey and stay positive!

18 months to conceive naturally, we had test results showing no known issues.

@AgrippinaT Thank you so much for this, hearing this is very reassuring! You're right, so hard at times but suppose you've just got to keep trying and stay positive! Thanks :)

@elenacampana That must've been such a wait but so happy it worked for you! Thanks for replying ❤️

I am so sorry you lost your baby last year.

I have known people who have tried to conceive for over a year and then it happens (some have gone on to have three, one after the other!). Our bodies and minds often work together for our own good. You have needed time to process your loss.

If you've been given the all clear by medics, try to relax and think of other things. I know everybody will have been telling you that and it becomes a bore!

I hope you will have a baby soon.

Yes, fell pregnant with #1 on the 3rd cycle but now been trying for 11 months for #2 and it's not happened for us, although I've had one miscarriage but that was before we were actually trying. AF is here so it'll be cycle 12 now.
Don't know why it's so much harder this time.

Me. Took 2.5 years to get pregnant with our first. Diagnosed with unexplained infertility. I got pregnant with our son the cycle before our first round of ivf.

Our daughter only took 6 months to conceive

Yes, us, we were ‘in our prime’ according to good ol’ internet but took 13 months with tracking everything and taking supplements.

I was nothing short of awful, I really few for you/anyone else who goes through it.

Eventually the month I changed jobs from a hyper stressful one to a relaxed one we finally had our BFP. Stress, for me at least, was a huge factor and whilst there is no way of knowing for sure if it did make a difference or not we conceived DS2 whilst I was off on mat leave, again, not in a stressful situation at all

FTEngineer, that is an encouraging post.

@Plumtree391 Thank you so much, what a kind message. I was having a really down day today and this has really helped, thank you! 💕 I hope you're well too :) x

@FTEngineerM Oh god, this is exactly what I needed to hear, thank you!

Since losing our boy I feel we've been desperately trying to get back what we had, even though deep down I know that while a healthy wee baby would be the most wonderful gift to us it won't "fix" everything and we'll always grieve our son. I've just thrown myself into it full force and just assumed if I did everything perfectly and by the book it would happen quickly.

Your message has really helped to put my mind at ease today so thank you so much for sharing your experience with all of this! 💕💕

Hi @KerryW87,

I just wanted to say hi, because your post is so similar to what we are experiencing.

We lost out little boy last September. He was our first. He was premature but unfortunately didn't make it.

We have been trying since January and nothing. I've tried every wives tale and every supplement. Like you, we really want a bundle of joy, knowing it won't fix everything, and we will always grieve our baby boy.

I've had the day 3 and 21 bloods done and AMH. All more or less normal. Going for a SA and ultrasound tomorrow, so fingers crossed. We have an appointment then on Wednesday with a fertility specialist.

I was 35 in July, so I just want to be sure that there's nothing wrong.

Separately, I know @FTEngineerM mentioned it, but when i started acupuncture a couple of months ago, the acupuncturist gave me a stern talking to about stress and the impact if has on TTC. She really encouraged me to start meditation, etc. Which I did. Nothing yet, but I do feel better in myself.

Sorry, this is probably a long post, just thought I'd share. Sending love xx

@Mikkelsmum

Hi! Sorry, I didn't get a notification for this and so I only saw this by chance!

God, our situations are so similar. I'm so sorry for the loss of your wee boy ❤️❤️ It's something no one can really prepare you for. I hope you're doing ok.

I'm glad you have an appointment with the specialist tomorrow, I hope it goes well! In our case, my partner's SA results came back within a week so I hope that'll be the same for you! What is the ultrasound for, if you don't mind me asking?

We're awaiting an appointment but we've been told it could take some time...not ideal when all you do is count and track days 😂 But so are thousands of other women so just keeping fingers crossed we'll get an appointment soon.

I think I'll look into this for next cycle - do you have to go to an acupuncturist that specialises in fertility or just general acupuncture?

So glad you messaged, feel free to message any time or even PM me and I'll send over my number if you ever need an ear xx

I got pregnant with dc1 and 2 after 3 months of trying. Dc3 it took 14 months of trying and dc4 took 1 month. No rhyme or reason to why dc3 took so long as nothing we did was any different.

@Phillipa12 This is really reassuring to hear, thanks for sharing :) I can only hope this is also the case for us and our time will be soon then 🤞 xx

@KerryW87 - PM sent, hope you get it!