Ladies who took 6+ months to conceive, talk to me!

[HopingForBabyM2021]

Currently going into month 6 of TTC. Like many others, I thought this would be an easy process. Had a chemical pregnancy month 2 which was sad. Nothing since.

Seems like everywhere you look, there are soooo many stories of women who get pregnant super quickly. Would be lovely to hear from those who took a little longer. So, how long did it take you? Did you do anything differently the month you conceived?

Thanks ladies xxx

DS2 took a lot longer than 6 months, which was a bit of a shock as DS1 clicked on our first time of trying.

I understood the emotional rollercoaster for the first time - and the sheer frustration of having no control over my own body.

I googled, and considered zinc and selenium tablets which someone recommended, but a nurse friend put me off them as too much selenium is toxic.

I tried to keep fit and eat lots of fruit n veg, and then I used ovulation sticks too. They helped hugely as I discovered that I ovulate on day 4 of my cycle which is very unusual. Got pregnant the first month after discovering that.

Hiya lovey,

We are on month 6 now with no luck what do ever .. we’re only 27 so I didn’t think we’d have any problems but we seems to be taking a while for us. I didn’t realise how hard this journey would be x

Took me 15 years with DS1. 2.5 years with 2nd (ectopic) 7 months further with DS2 due next month.

It was harder to think I wouldn't have a 2nd than to accept I might never have any 🤷🏻‍♀️

A year for us - first couple of months were just not using contraception and then got increasingly serious about tracking ovulation etc as time went on. The time we got lucky I spent a long time lying with my legs up against the wall after we DTD but who knows if the extra gravity helped any, probably coincidence!

Second time round pregnant on first very casual attempt so think it is just luck of the draw.

13 months for me. Didn’t really do anything different, some months tried OPKs but the month we conceived we didn’t - we were actually on holiday and didn’t even DTD every other day, maybe being more relaxed helped but could have just been a fluke.

I had a chemical then without even trying so really think it can just be luck of the draw if you’re both fit and healthy with no issues.

8 months for us and the month we fell I did shoulder stands after DTD! Not sure if it helped but it was the only thing I did differently that month, having tracked ovulation from the start.

Took me over a year with my first, it made me thoroughly miserable. I was 24 and there was no obvious reason, I thought it was my thyroid, which is often up and down, but GPs dismissed it
This time around it took me 4 cycles. I bought an Ava bracelet secondhand and it seemed to me that I ovulated late, if at all, so I took conceive plus ovulation support. Who knows if that was what made the difference though! For me TTC is one big exhausting mystery, there are just so many factors to consider.
Good luck with it, sending everyone trying all the luck and love in the world

@HopingForBabyM2021 first pregnancy took 8 months to conceive. I stupidly thought it'd be super quick and easy... I didn't do anything differently (and believe me I did/tried EVERYTHING) I just truly had given up. Unfortunately, I suffered a missed miscarriage. After my surgical management for it, it then took me another 8 months to conceive my now daughter.

A miscarriage of any kind resets the 12 month until investigations clock with the NHS, it isn't from when you very first ttc, 12 months begins again from the loss. I had a private fertility tests and the consultant told me I was wasting my money as I'd shown I could fall pregnant naturally, in fact, I had great fertility.

It truly just comes down to luck. Don't get me wrong, it was a long, very emotional journey for me, but I believe my daughter was waiting for the time for her and I'd go through it all again in a heartbeat to get her every time.

I cannot thank you all enough for replying. Hearing all of your stories makes me feel so much better! This is our first and I am really struggling with the fact we haven't yet conceived. I'm 28 so thought it would be quite straightforward! Since the CP my cycles have been all over the place and it's tough trying to stay positive when it's all I can think about. Genuinely, thank you all so much. You're all amazing ❤️

It took me a year to fall pregnant which was ectopic and had a tube removed. Two cycles after I got pregnant again and I'm now 35 weeks tomorrow.

I got an ava bracelet, had been doing a few months of acupuncture, had reflexology and a stomach massage, was taking myova insitol tablets, did it every day for a week over fertile window, used a ferti-Lily and something which I just feel did something was keeping my usually cold feet warm. Hot water bottle, socks, etc.

Before my ectopic I had made some very drastic changes to my diet such as cutting refined sugar and carbs and also cut out toxic cosmetics but the month I conceived the second time I was more relaxed with it - and being off work over Xmas probably helped!

Good luck, anything is possible x

@HopingForBabyM2021 took us 2 years plus. We finally have a DS who is 4 months. My husband has two children previous marriage. I tried everything - eating right, legs in the air, conceive plus, was on two different drugs to boost my eggs (I was ovulating well) had an laparoscopy my oven was clear.. husband had very high sperm count. Hospital couldn't find out why. We managed to save enough money for 1 round of IVF abs we fell pregnant.

A good friend of mine gave up. She'd had two cycles of IVF and needed a break, after I think two years of TTC. She was sitting through her bathroom and noticed a pregnancy test was just about to expire, so she did the test with no expectations.

He's now a gorgeous, enormous two year old. Nothing different (other than giving up hope, I suppose).

Two (previously overweight) friends conceived after losing weight, and one (very athletic) friend conceived after gaining weight.

One friend just kept trying for four years and then one month it happened. She has no idea why.

But the majority of friends who were trying for six months conceived within 12-18 months (without medical assistance).

I also want to add that in spite of the first friend's experience, I realise "stop trying or wanting so hard" isn't useful advice. It's just anecdotes.

I hope it goes well for you.

In the same position as you OP. We're now starting cycle 7 and I've booked in for private fertility tests. Like you, I'm 28 and thought this would be much more straight forward. I always hear 'it happened on our first go' but now I'm actually trying and speaking to friends with children, many of them took up to a year to conceive. I think people are quick to share their very quick successes but not their struggles. That's why I don't mind telling friends we're trying as I want to break down this taboo subject and raise awareness that it does actually take time.

Our fertility appointment is 28 September - includes semen analysis, AMH and 21 day bloods, then an internal scan on the day. It's more for my peace of mind than anything. If I know there's nothing clearly wrong I might relax a bit more. Knowing my luck I will get pregnant this month now I've made the appointment!

Happy to chat whenever seeing as we're in the same boat here 😊

Both mine took 2 years each. I tried

Weight loss and getting fitter
Agnus castus plus pregnancy vitamins
Evening primrose oil til ovulation
Ovulation microscope
Ovulation sticks
I got good at tracking my own body, looking for signs like CM

First pregnancy I got a cat the month I fell pregnant; se PND I just got a new job ... I think distraction helped lol

2.5 years after a vasectomy reversal when the surgeon proclaimed my (now) exh a super stud with huge numbers of very healthy sperm!!

I was 35 and it took us 8 months, I know it isn’t long In the scheme of things but I seemed to be surrounded by people who fell quickly. The “we just have to look at each other and we get pregnant” types used to drive me mad!
For me I think it just took my body a little while to settle after being on the pill for so long. I was tracking for all that time but didn’t get many positive ovulation tests at first.
I seemed to get better EWCM from taking oil of evening primrose so that may have helped too

It took us a year for DC2, which was a shock as DC1 wasn't planned and was conceived then one time we didn't use birth control so I didn't think it would take so long. We had made the decision to have it looked in to if nothing happened that month, and changed tactics from upping the number of times we had sex when ovulating to Having sex every other day. Luckily, that month we fell pregnant.

It was such a rollercoaster and thoughts of tests and symptoms etc really took over my mind. People say to relax about it, but it's really not that easy!

I hope you get your BFP soon OP