First timers, TTC. Safe space for brain dumps...

[TinyDancer91]

Hi everyone!

This thread may or may not contain questions, I've mainly started it to be my brain dump safe space but in an excited way, not a bad way...

Me (30) and my SO (34) have decided to take the leap and start TTC! We have both wanted children for a while but just knew the timing wasn't right for either of us until now. For me, any time I see a baby or even baby clothes recently my heart aches for it to be my turn. I've never really had that strong feeling before.

The reason behind this 'safe space' is that we have agreed not to tell anyone we are TTC. We just want to avoid any pressure or disappointment if things don't go to plan, etc.

For context, I am the youngest of 5, the only girl the only one of my siblings without children.
SO is the oldest of 2, his brother has a child who lives with BM away from here so isn't really seen much by grandparents.

Both families are great and would only want the best for us but I personally don't want to feel any sort or pressure at all (intended or not) from either side.

So, we start our journey, we are on cycle 1 SWI, not expecting anything to happen this cycle and trying not to turn in to a crazy lady about TTC

If anyone else needs a brain dump safe space, feel free to join me here x

Hi everyone, really hope you don’t mind me gatecrashing your thread.
im currently in my 2ww 7dpo, first cycle so have been doing a lot of trawling these threads, although this will be me ttc no 4 so I really do feel as though I’m gatecrashing. My dc are 17,14, and 12 though so it’s been a while since ttc for me.

anyway, not being able to sleep I’ve just spent a fair bit of my night reading this, and really I just came here because I want to give @TinyDancer91 and @Zubi massive virtual hugs, along with anyone else ttc.
reading this all in one go, and seeing your optimism in month 1 is really pulling at my heartstrings knowing that you’re now mentally exhausted, it must be really difficult, especially knowing you’re so young and still in your very fertile years, I’m also 31 btw.

Have you thought of trying the SMEP? Along with using some preseed to help along those swimmers. You probably know all this anyway so forgive me if you think I’m being rude, but emotions really can manifest in us physically, I would hate to think all the disappointment is messing with your hormones, as you could have a LH surge, only for your hormones to prevent the release of an egg, and then your body is trying again later, ultimately, delaying o which is resulting in AF arriving later.
our bodies are quite strange in that o can be attempted and delayed more than once in a cycle. I do get it’s hard to not be so emotionally invested though, especially when you so desperately want it.
also, have you checked in with your gp to make sure you definitely are ovulating? A simple blood test can tell you, and perhaps gp could possibly prescribe some clomid to try and help.
you probably know all this through relentless googling I expect, and please tell me to do one if you think I’m being rude.
I really just wanted to give you a bit of reassurance and a massive hug.

sending lots of baby dust to you all xxx

@Mannymoomin welcome! The more the merrier here! Thank you for your kind words and advice, I'm more than happy to listen to any advice!!

I think next month I'm not going to use OPKs as I've read that they can increase stress levels and could do with stressing a little less! Me & DP have decided to ride out the 12 months before seeing a dr.

We're both believers in the universe having a plan for everyone and that the wait will just make it more special and amazing when it does happen 😊

@Mannymoomin, what made you decide to have #4 after 12 years? (Please tell me to do one if I've overstepped asking!!) do your other 3 know? X

@TinyDancer91 well ds1 was the result of being abused, so I hid my pregnancy and kept it a secret until almost 8months.
Met my dp (now dh) when ds was 6 months old and eventually thought sod it, I’ve already got one, may as well give him his siblings.
so the others arrived, and I always said I’m done having kids so I can enjoy everything I missed out, but the reality is, the 3 I have got, was not really by choice, the universe just made them happen.
bet you wish you hadn’t asked now 😂 funny because I’ve spent the last 10 or so years advocating to the kids not to talk to strangers on the internet, yet here I am, throwing it all out there 😂
saying that in real life no one but my dh and my mum know the truth so it’s been nice to get it off my chest.
DC don’t know we’re ttc no 4, and I reckon it’ll be staying way. I can’t even imagine the conversation with 3 cocky pubescent teenagers 😂

I would definitely ditch the opks if you can, just have fun BD for a short while and see what happens xxx

@Mannymoomin wow, thanks for sharing, sorry about the way ds1 was brought into the world but happy for you that your DH accepted him as a part of being with you!

Yes, I can imagine what 3 lovely teens will be like 😂 I don't envy you having to tell them when #4 is conceived!!

It's good to get things out there sometimes, if you need to let anything else out, we're here for that. X

@TinyDancer91 yea it’s rubbish, but we all carry a bit of crap with us don’t we. I wouldn’t change any of my not so little darlings but I can’t help but think it’ll be nice to have one more.
especially since life is so much more settled now.
ill be testing on Friday, although it’s hard to resist the urge to POAS haha

@Mannymoomin we definitely all have our own little stories, that's for sure!

I'm the baby of 5 siblings (4 older brothers) and loved being in a big sibling group when I was younger... still do now actually!

That being said, we have agreed to just 2 kiddos (unless Mother Nature has any other ideas, there is a history of multiple births in my family!) 😂

I'm feeling a bit more positive today and trying to adopt the 'whatever happens, happens' way of thinking. Let's see how that goes!!

Hello all, hope I can join in on this thread- seems a lovely little place to be!

Im 28, and on cycle two. This will be both our first baby! Me and my boyfriend decided three months ago we were ready to TTC and the first month we absolutely messed timing up (AF arrived three days after), i downloaded ‘Flo’ and went off the ovulation date recommendations on there, i was certain June would be the month!
Unfortunately AF arrived on 30th June and i was absolutely devastated!

According to Flo my cycles are between 25-27 days long, this month my cycle is expected to be 24 days for some strange reason! AF was super short and I only bled for three days, which I usually bleed for 5!

I have ordered easy@home ovulation tests and also have the clearblue tests sitting tight in the bathroom ready to be used. This will be the first month using ovulation tests.

I am super new to the whole process and we see both hoping this will be our month, the waiting really frustrates me so a nice happy little place to chat is just what I need! X

@LauraA31 welcome!

I started with Flo too now I use both Flo and pre-mom which you need for the easy@home OPKs.

Your journey sounds quite like ours, fingers crossed for you

Well dr Google tells me that oestrogen rises again mid way through LP so that’s told me haha. After already having 3 dc I’m still learning.

Thank you so much!

I have premom too! I have just checked the app and it told me to start ovulation testing from today and that my expected fertile window will be in three days. I didn’t check that app this morning but will do an ovulation test when i return home!

I know it won’t show much but can’t argue with the app haha! x

Hi everyone,

I'm just starting on my TCC journey and so I hope you don't mind me joining! I've read quite a bit of this thread and it's really interesting to see how long it took people to get their cycles back after coming off the pill. I was on the combined pill for 14 years, and I came off 11 June. I still haven't ovulated, or shown really any signs of there being anything different. I know it hasn't been long but I have started to get a bit worried/impatient. It's reassuring to see that it took a few of you on here about 2 months, so hopefully I might ovulate later this month or early next month. Fingers crossed!

Welcome @imy!

Hope your body doesn't take too long to get back to normal cycles.

Today's thought of the day - "must not test!" 😂

Only 7dpo so no chance of a bfp yet. Help a girl out, keep me sane until at lest Friday!! 🙏🏻

I’m only on cycle day 6 and my ovulation tests are starting to get darker- im already thinking if it’s too early to test and ovulation hasn’t even happened haha! 😂

Im going to be the most impatient person during the TWW!
Keeping everything crossed for you x

I have only a rough idea when I actually ovulated so I don't know how many dpo I am, but I'm at the point of wanting to test every morning until af either does or doesn't arrive 😂 must not waste tests! Team waiting it out here.

@Aardbeien & @LauraA31 glad I'm not alone 😂

Managed to resist the urge so far. Feeling very bloated & crampy again today (autocorrect change that to cranky, not sure if my phone is trying to tell me something 😂😂). Had a weird feeling in my stomach all week as well, like a sicky feeling, worse after I eat.

Part of me is hoping it's a sign but part of me is telling me it's not happening this month. Damn you brain!! Preparing myself for the bfn already...

Hi all, hope hope don't mind another newbie! I'm 28 and my husband and I have agreed to 'stop trying not to' have a baby! I had my copper coil out today and am excited and apprehensive to see what the near future will hold. Its really nice to have a supportive environment to chat through things with! 😊

Welcome @thecoconutcat!

I caved and tested this morning.... it was a BFN 😢 only 10 dpo so I know I'm not 100% out yet but not feeling very hopeful

Had a second look at it and now not sure if it's a VERY faint line.... honest opinions?! (This was taken this morning)

The pic isn't the best, it's more visible IRL... 🤞🏻

@TinyDancer91 looks like a faint positive to me, the line looks the right width too 🤞

Hi all I really hope you don’t mind me jumping in, I am 27 and first time TTC. We have been trying for about 6 months, but I would say only properly trying in the last 3. I think I may have had a BFP this morning, but I want to be sure before I tell my other half as we have had false starts before!

I have not been on the pill in 10 years, have regular periods but long cycles between 32 and 37 days. On average it’s about 35. I track my cycles on an app. From the app and online research I understand that on average most women have a 14 day luteal phase, right? So we have always been trying around CD 21 but weirdly I have never managed to get a positive OPK. I don’t track BBT.

This month I decided to start testing for ovulation early as I have a gazillion sticks and was starting to worry I just don’t ovulate. I started on CD 11 and watched the line get darker until I am pretty sure I had my first ever positive OPK. So we tried then but I was confused, did I ovulate early and I would have had a shorter cycle this month? Or do I just have a long luteal phase and that’s why I’ve never captured a positive OPK?

Anyway fast forward to today, CD 26. I have been feeling really hungry the last few days, waves of mild nausea and EWCM/slimy (sorry!). This morning I figured I would dip and OPK and an IC. Results below. What do we think? The pink one is the OPK.

Thanks to anyone who has got this far and any advice is hugely hugely appreciated!

I can see a faint line too!! Fingers crossed it progresses for you!!

Sorry should have added that my positive OPK after I started testing on CD 11 was on CD 14! So I think that would make me 10/11 DPO?

Welcome @Rosie2022!

Sorry it's taken me a little while to reply!

I use easy@home OPKs, not sure if the momed ones are the same but mine always have a line that gets really dark 24 hours before ovulation - you track them in an app and it calculates your LH level to find your peak.

It does look to me like you have a faint line on the boots test though! Any updates since?

I did another clear blue yesterday and got the same again so it's either 2 evaps in a row, my eyes playing tricks on me or (hopefully!) a VERY faint line. AF is due for me in the next few days, my cycles range from 25-29 days, but usually average out at 28, which will be Tuesday. I guess time will tell whether AF shows up or we get a BFP 🤞🏻🙏🏻

Baby dust to all!!