Cycle Day 1 - SMEP method?

[MummyStevensToBe]

Hi Mummies-to-be! Is anyone at a similar stage in their cycle and going to try the SMEP method this time? Would love to share the highs and lows of the journey together!

This is our second cycle, TTC baby #1, but first cycle I’m pretty sure we DTD around the wrong time / missed my ovulation day. Thought SMEP could give us a better chance!

@Firsttimetrier I’m testing at 9 DPO I think but I may try and wait until 10- so that’s either Wednesday or Thursday!

Well done ladies (and husbands/partners)! We've got this 💪 sounds like everyone has been very busy! Not long to wait until we find out whether it's worked 🤞

8th day of flashing smilies for me 🙈 I feel so bad for DH - keep telling him we should DTD just in case my peak is around the corner!

According to my BBT app, ovulation is likely to be Saturday (CD18 - no idea why I had flashing smilies so early) so I'll be a few days behind you guys.

Keep going 💪

I'm still waiting for my peak 😢 I just did a cheap Boots ovulation test strip and it wasn't even close to being positive (even though CB has been flashing for over a week!!) - is it possible I've accidentally missed my peak?! BBT hasn't spiked yet though, so maybe it's just being slow.

I don't know why I'm putting so much pressure on myself- it's so early on in our TTC journey, but it's so hard having such a small window of opportunity! I feel like if we missed our chance this month, it's soooo long until our next chance!

How is everyone else doing? How are the TWW going? X

@MummyStevensToBe how frustrating for you! I don’t really like these clearblue tests. From what I’ve read they give a plain circle on the first day of testing then seems to be a flashing smiley on the days immediately after. Maybe just use the cheap ones until the line starts getting a bit darker? On the cheap ovulation sticks does your line progressively get darker over time like mine do?
If I’m not successful this month I don’t really know how to go about next month. I had my clearblue peak a couple of days before the cheap strips were positive, then 3 days of positives on those but my flo app predicted ovulation a lot later so in total we DTD about 9 days in a row. And it probably still won’t have worked. This is only the second month but it’s completely drained me tbh, I feel so obsessive and anxious about not getting pregnant.

@mummystevenstobe Gah, it is incredibly frustrating, isn't it?
I never got an obvious LH peak this month but think I probably ovulated 3 or 4 days ago. 3 days earlier than usual so we hadn't DTD much before. Hoping we've done enough!

@moonshine160 sounds like you've got it covered! We're only on month 4 but I'm already over analysing everything. Thankfully my sisters are over on holiday next week so I'm hoping that will be a welcome distraction from the TWW.

Thanks @ExPatHereForAChat I’m over analysing everything too, it’s seems to be all I think about. I’m trying to go about life as normal and plan Christmas outings etc and just assume I’m not going to be pregnant. Like you I am also 3/4 DPO, not actually quite sure how many days! My OPKs were positive for 3 days and my BBT chart makes no sense whatsoever

This whole process is really stressful and it’s so much easier to say, but try not to put too much pressure on yourself!

Are you getting any signs of EWCM? If so, I would go by that?

I think I’m in my TWW now as ovulation was supposedly yesterday according to Flo. I got the strangest bright red spotting late last night that I’ve never had before, so I think it was ovulation bleeding?! 😬

I guess we just wait and see on the 21st when I’ll be 11DPO! Then I’ll probably test every day until AF is due.

That sounds really encouraging @Firsttimetrier! I had it Tuesday morning, or Monday - can’t quite remember!
Im apparently 2dpo today, my last ewcm was Tuesday, so think it’s about right.

@MummyStevensToBe 😆 I think our other halves need medals this month! Keep going with your tests, that sounds rather odd (but I’ve not used opk for long). I did easy @ home alongside clear blue and definitely much preferred them.

Here’s hoping I can avoid symptom spotting for 8 more days 😆😆😆😆

@mrsS21 I had a slight twinge earlier and my first thought was to symptom spot 😂 not even one whole day post ovulation so I really need to calm down! 😂🤦🏽‍♀️

@Firsttimetrier it makes us all crazy, this is literally me! I’m 4 DPO and w bit calmer this time, but last month I was imagining all sorts at this point!

Day one of the TWW be like…

@Firsttimetrier 😂😂 so true!!

Hahaha @Firsttimetrier never have I felt a gif so much as that one 😆
I’ve had really heavy/sore boobs all day, and of course I immediately think I must be a medical miracle and my body knows I’m pregnant already!😆
My RHR has started to go back up today, my LH level has dropped right down… I’ve been on countdown to pregnancy site to see what the likelihood is of symptoms ar what point! Not getting carried away or fixated at all…

@Peonies94 how’s day 4 treating you? At least it’s not too far away. When are you thinking of testing? Still next Friday?

I had to Google SMEP, I don’t understand how it’s different to the advice you get on the CB OPK…?

@redxlondon SMEP is about timing of DTD and CB OPKs just help you identify when you ovulate.

SMEP recommend DTD every other day and then three days in a row when you have a high reading on an OPK. You then skip a day and hope you’ve done enough.

SMEP do recommend testing with OPKs from CD8 or 10 I think, so maybe that’s where their similar to CB OPKs?

Can I join in? I used the CB OPK and had an empty circle on CD10 and 11, flashing smilies CD12-15 and static smiley on CD16 and 17. On that basis I think I ovulated on CD17?

We DTD every other day from CD10, with the last time being CD17 so in theory, ovulation day.

We were planning to actively try in Jan but decided to "just see what happens" from now. Me being me, I need a plan, so I ended up getting the OPK and tracking.

@Moonshine160 I think you’re right - they’re not doing me any favours at the moment (although still patiently hoping for a static today 😂) I only used a cheap ovulation stick yesterday for the first time just to compare but next cycle I’ll switch to them I think! It definitely sounds like you covered all bases - 9 days in a row is SO impressive! It’s so hard to get obsessed isn’t it - but you’ve done all you can now 🤞

@ExPatHereForAChat it’s SO frustrating- I wish there was a 100% foolproof way of knowing! It only takes one well times shot though, so fingers crossed!

@Firsttimetrier I think the EWCM is just starting so time to up the ante! Eeek so excited that your TWW has started - although I know it’s a long one!! Roll on the 21st 🤞

@mrsS21 omg they totally need medals 😂😂 DH was exhausted yesterday - I said let’s just leave until today! I think easy@home sounds like a good plan. The sore boobs is interesting - you never know?! I’m going to be awful once I know I’ve ovulated, so don’t worry, I’m right there with you 😂

@EvelynSalt absolutely - welcome to the thread! :) it sounds like you’ve done a great job - what CD are you on now? I’m the same as you - love a plan! DH thinks I mad being so into it already 🙈

Also, is anyone else just so excited and trying not to get their hopes up?! My Ovia app said 'if you conceive this cycle your baby would be born between end of July and early august' and I was like ahhhh yay, a summer baby! Have to keep reminding myself it's not as simple as that 🙈

@MummyStevensToBe I'm on CD20 now, so still a while before I can test. Trying really hard not to get hopes up but, as you say, it's tough! I'm curious about early symptoms and probably need to try not to symptom spot.

@EvelynSalt let's hope it goes quickly! What day are you planning on testing? It's so hard and also super cruel because I feel like so many of the symptoms are the same as if AF is coming. Keep us posted with how you're getting on!

@MummyStevensToBe I used some calculator that predicted my due date as the 4th august which is my nephews birthday, which made me excited but then trying to stay chill.
DH and I have always said we’d like a late late July due date as that would mean he would have pat leave then the summer holidays as he’s a teacher. I’ve manifested it, so we shall see!

I’ve had cramping on and off but I know it’s absolutely nothing as I’m only 2DPO!

Couldn’t agree more @MummyStevensToBe it’s those moments where the app says ‘high chance if you dtd today’ and we hit a couple of those. It’s like “we’ve tried smep this time, so obviously it’s gonna happen”! I feel nervously excited for it, like it’s our month, but am terrified to get my hopes up and come crashing down in 9 days time x

I’m in the TWW too and this is the bit that I can’t stand. Some people start testing daily but I never dare test because I can’t stand the disappointment when it’s negative :(

Can totally understand that @Moonshine160 every negative is hard. I didn’t do any of this with our first, as we discovered we were expecting at 6 weeks. One super-strong BFP later to confirm.
This time, since having a few months where it felt exactly like first pregnancy, I’ve been bad for testing when I’ve felt some symptoms.

I think doing the opks has helped as I know where I am in my cycle - there’s no point testing when I know it’s so early.

I’ve got up this morning to serious nausea, 4dpo…