Preparing to TTC in 2022

[WingingIt09]

DH has agreed to starting to TTC baby #3 in April/May. We already have a 2 daughters (age 4 and 2). I'm so excited to start trying! I think it's going to be a long wait until we can start actively trying!

Starting to think about things to do to help prepare my body. I'm currently on the progesterone only pill so thinking of when to stop it. I have 5 days left in this packet and then one packet left after that in my current prescription. Don't know whether to stop when I finishes this packet or at the end of Jan after my next packet. Any experiences of how long it takes cycle to regulate after the pill?

I need to try and eat healthier as I've been so bad recently with Christmas but I'm a healthy weight so not too worried there. Also ordered some TTC vitamins which I remember from previous pregnancies is good to take 3 months before TTC.

Anything else I could do? Is there anyone else who will be starting to try later in the year and so excited that you're already on here 🙈?

If you want to check that you are definitely ovulating BBT (Basal Body Temperature) is the way to go and only costs the amount of a thermometer. It is a bit faffy although you get used to it.

@Vasectomyreversalhopeful I’ve heard a lot about the BBT - something I will definitely look into once my cycles have regulated.

I used it last time OCM and it was reassuring to know I was definitely ovulating.

@Sassy144 that was my thoughts. I will leave the ovulation tests for now.

@Vasectomyreversalhopeful I tried BBT before when TTC my second but found that it was all over the place as I often forgot to check my temp before moving or had been up in the night with my eldest 😂 think I'd have even less luck now with 2 kids to wake me 😂

@WingingIt09 how are you feeling since coming off the pill? I know it's only been a few days but curious if you've had any effects from stopping. x

How does bbt work and what thermometer is best? I'm tempted to give anything a go at this point.

I’ve heard about the bbt bracelets you wear at night to do it for you, this is the only way I’d be able to track bbt personally.

@ShaneTheThird our temperature is low during the first half of our cycles and then rises sharply after ovulation and stays high for the rest of our cycle until it drops again when af arrives (if it does). So this way you can pinpoint the day ovulation happened, though you can only see that after its happened, once your temps have been high for 3 days. For it to be accurate, you have to take your temp at around the same time every morning, before you have sat up or moved around.

You will need a BBT thermometer, which shows two decimal places, i.e 36.66 celcius compared to just 36.6 celcius on a normal thermometer.

There are apps that help you chart this, I use Natural Cycles which came with a thermometer. I've attached my graph for this cycle so you can see.

I'd be interested to know which apps people are using? I used natural cycles to track when I conceived my daughter but it's expensive. Ive just switched to Flo to try it out. Any other recommendations?

Can I jump in 😀
Have 2 girls already, 5 and 2 (both June babies) and planning to try for our third in a few months. I finished my pill on new years day so just waiting to see what happens now and then will be using ovulation sticks to track my cycles for a couple of months. We have a holiday in May which I'd rather not be pregnant for (isn't the end of the world if it happens though) so won't be actively trying until then!
Hopefully lots of us will be seeing positive tests in the not so distant future 😬🤞

@hevann no side effects really, I feel a bit crampy but that's not unusual for the end of a cycle - think withdrawal bleed probably on its way.

@Dreamingof3 Welcome we're in a very similar situation! I have 2 girls (4 and 2), came off my pill 2nd Jan and we also have a holiday in May I don't really want to be pregnant for 😂 we plan on starting. TTC either just before the holiday or straight after depending on how my cycles fall.

@bighev I used fertility friend but just the free version, I don't subscribe to the membership bit. I've always found that is enough info for me the last 2 times I TTC

Nice to have someone in the same boat! I'm hoping my cycle fits in nicely to fall pregnant on my holiday 😅 its our first and most likely last one without kids! We also have my brothers wedding in Cyprus in September, so ideally I'd be in the second trimester for that.
I'm such a planner and quite impatient so I have a folder on my phone of screenshot of everything from pregnancy announcement ideas to prams!

I've seen lots about BBT but I don't think it would work for me as I'm up in the might quite often and would most likely forget anyway 😅

@Dreamingof3 holiday without kids sounds lovely! Ours is a family one to Disneyland Paris to make the most of term time holiday prices whilst we can as my eldest starts school in September.

I am also such a planner, my ideal is a mid/end Feb due date as I have an assessment at work in early May and that way that's done before I'm pregnant, my holiday is out the way and also baby is here and I'm recovered enough to travel 2 hours to attend a good friends wedding end of March 2023 and some time to loose a bit if the baby weight before my brothers wedding at the end of May 2023 😂 I can't see my timing being quite that lucky though!

I have got a BBT thermometer from last time so might give it a go after my period arrives but with 2 children to wake me at various points I'll probably not manage it successfully!

Can I join? Looking to start TTC in May, it'll be our first and I'll be 33. I've been on the implant for nearly 7 years and the pill before that so kinda nervous to see what life is like off hormones! Any advice on when to get it taken out? I feel like I should get it out ASAP to let my cycle settle, husband is nervous that we'll end up pregnant too early (I have a work contract I need to finish before any potential due date!)

@Amber17 welcome! I would consider taking out implant soon to regulate your body without it..
You never know could be quick, usually though you don't need to tell work you are pregnant until at 15 weeks before due date but you may want to let them earlier because of pregnancy appointments..

I am nearing 33 too and just feel like there can always be a reason to put off ttc and timing can't always be perfect..

Welcome @Amber17 in sort of a similar situation to me except this will be my third/dp’s first.
I absolutely cannot get pregnant before mid March otherwise no mat pay and I’m the main earner.
I would recommend getting the implant taken out and be aware there can be a waiting time for an appointment for that. Would you reliably use condoms and is it totally crucial to not conceive before then?
When I stopped the pill it took over 3 months to get a period.

I’m kind of chuckling at us all trying to time things, I’ve thought about that but at my age and with my age gaps I’m just going to start when we can.
Ideally I’d give January due date a miss - to recover from Xmas and already have a lot of birthdays. Same with September and October lots of birthdays and the academic cut of potentially means an extra year of full time nursery fees!

@HippeePrincess yes I'm chuckling at us all too, even as I write my 'ideal' so aware the chances of that are slim 😂🙈 wish it could be that simple as deciding when you want a baby, sex 9 months before and voila pregnant as planned with the ideal due date and age gaps etc. 😂😂

@hevann after saying no side effects earlier.. my boobs are soooo painful this evening! Getting tingly pains up and down the sides... so weird. Never had this other than when pregnant and I'm 99.9% sure I'm not so putting it down to coming off the pill 🤷‍♀️

@HippeePrincess I also don't think January due would be ideal but then also think you can't plan exactly a perfect month to be pregnant when ttc so in the end if we do ttc in April and that is our lucky month then I would prefer that to waiting 12 month plus for a positive test..

@Jennifer89 I'd always thought it'd be my 30s before I got round to having kids, but the bit between 29 and 33 has gone very quickly! As you say it always feels like theres reason to put it off.

@HippeePrincess Doesn't look like there's any issues with appointments in my area - had a look online and the local sexual health clinic can do it tomorrow... Might hold on for a few more weeks. Like you I'd be in an awkward situation about pay.

@HippeePrincess I was just saying this to my partner, I love to plan and be organised but have so little control over this 🤣

I know it can take a while, particularly after stopping contraception so I was tempted to just start right away but knowing my luck we'd fall pregnant first try 🤣 I'm not sure my brother would take too kindly to me backing out of his wedding due to being too pregnant!
I think I'd quite like a Feb due date. We just absolutely cannot go over into June 2023 as both my girls are June and my 2 neices and sister in law too 😅

@Dreamingof3 we're avoiding September/October for the same reason your avoiding June 😂 Currently have both DDs, two nieces, MiL and my sister in that time. Need to space baby #3 out a bit 😂😂

@WingingIt09 honestly think my mum would disown me if I dared have another June baby 🤣
After 2 summer babies id also quite like a winter one to bundle up in cute blankets 😍 and other half insists we need a boy...it won't happen 😅

Last time I wanted to avoid a summer baby and a Christmas baby. As I am now older (33 so not ancient but not 26 anymore) and we are also having to do the reversal I will be thrilled whatever. We are only waiting until April as the reversal is expensive and DH is due a bonus in March.

We rang the clinic yesterday to request the 14th April. Hoping they call back today to confirm.