TTC #1 - a safe place for first timers 💖

[SFrancis1]

Hi everyone,

I thought I would make a thread for those who are trying to conceive their first child.

I love reading about everyone's journey, but sometimes I just need a space where I can talk to others who are dreaming of their first bundle of joy 💫

I am 31 and on cycle #8. My periods were classed as irregular but since having the coil removed, they seem to have settled and I now have 30-33 day cycles. I threw my OPKs in the bin this month, they were stressing me out and after DTD on my peaks but getting AF's just upset me even more. I am hoping to take a more relaxed approach from now on.

Sending love and hope to everyone on their unique journeys 💖

@Aimee1995 Welcome to the thread. Sorry to hear it took a while for your periods to return, but I am glad you are able to start your journey now.

After being 2 days late and me getting my hopes up, AF arrived today and I burst into tears. My partner held me in his arms and then went to buy some chocolate. Onto cycle #9 for me 😞 Feel a bit daft as I have never been able to narrow my next period to one date. It has always been around a given date, not sure why I took what the app said for granted. Does anyone take pregnancy tests before AF is due? I have been thinking about it but not sure if it will add even more pressure/stress.

@Cofefefe Welcome the thread. Glad you and your partner's results were positive. Good luck on your journey 💖

@SFrancis1 I’d like to say I test every cycle but this is my first one since having my coil removed. Tested this morning and had the shock of my life when it was BFP!!! 🙈💜

So sorry to hear about your AF this morning 😔 It sounds like you have a very wonderful DP indeed. Sending hugs and chocolatey wishes xxx

@BanjoVio congratulations 🎉 that is great news!!! 💖💖

Hi everyone! Hoping to join this lovely thread ❤️ Congrats to @BanjoVio on your bfp and lots of luck to everyone here. I am on cycle #4 ttc #1 I’m 37 and had the implant removed in February. Just started opks last cycle. Trying to relax, but not doing a very good job of it 😂 AF is on her way out and expecting to peak around 6 June if anyone is on similar timelines? Quite early on the journey compared to some here, but definitely finding this tough already. I always thought I was quite casual about wanting a baby until recently. Now I want it more than anything. Fingers crossed you all get your BFPs. 🤞

@Nina202 Welcome to the thread. I am no good at relaxing. It is definitely easier said than done. How do you try to relax? Any techniques?
I had convinced myself I didn't want children until I met my partner, now I can't wait to have them 😊 🤞

Thanks all 😊 I’ll get some ovulation tests for this cycle! How soon do you do a pregnancy test?

@SFrancis1 omg same! My partner is the first person I had ever really thought about having children with. My past relationships were all a bunch of absolute nightmares looking back! I’m trying to get back into yoga. A bit of exercise always takes me out of my head for a little while. Also A LOT of very trashy TV!

Ah 14dpo and BFN despite being convinced by some bizarre symptoms this month!

Onto another month😂 cycle 19 🤞

Hey all, can I join 🙂 TTC baby 1!
I'm day 22 of my cycle and it's my 8th day of flashing smiley using the clear blue ovulation tests!
My partner went away on day 16 and won't be back for another week... So I've given up hope of conceiving this month :(
Besides the disappointment of not conceiving, I'm also gutted I'm ovulating so late, although this is only my third natural cycle after stopping Microgynon after ten years.
Feeling DEFLATED!!
Fingers crossed for June 🤞

Hi there! Thanks for creating this thread :) I am TTC since over a year now. Second cycle ended up in a chemical, and last summer I had an ectopic pregnancy, that ended up with the removal of my right tube. Since then, nothing. We went to do all the tests a couple of weeks ago, including a hsg. Everything seems fine. Motility of the sperm could be a bit better, but other than that, nothing out of the ordinary.
So, here we go again :) I can tell you, I had maybe all of the weird cycles. Lots of symptoms without a BFP. None at all with a BFP. Late AF with BFN. Convincing symptoms after AF with, of course, BFN.
Tried accupuncture which I liked, but got too time consuming and expensive. Used the clear blue fertility monitor which is great, but very expensive. Currently using the ava bracelet and opk.
Good luck to all of you! 🌻

Hi everyone
I've read through all the replies and so nice to find out others' experiences.

I'm on CD15, had a peak OPK last night plus ov pain and EWCM so DTD. Not sure we will be able to again today so I'm hoping that will give us an OK chance 🤞

Period due 15th June according to trackers. I'm going to try to avoid testing early and keep myself busy with other things as much as I can

@Bundaberg84 sorry to hear about your struggles. Interesting on the ava bracelet, I haven't heard anything about that so will have to have a look

@LilyDaniels that's annoying about your partner being away. Hope you get to understand your cycle better for next time at least. It took my cycles a long while to go back to normal after I came off hormonal contraception and got the copper coil - after being on the pill from age 16 to 28 it was weird to have different CM, ov pains, feeling really high sex drive around my fertile window etc. Took me a while to get my head round it.

@SFrancis1 my plan for relaxing is to run regularly in the mornings, do some house and garden projects, and delete some social media. I spend too much time online at the moment and all my feeds have babies in which isn't helping 😕😪
Hope you're felling OK now? And to answer your earlier Q, last month I managed to not test until the day my period was due (I think? Or the day after?). I always get spotting first and hadn't had any so thought I would test. It was a 32 day cycle though, just on the longer side for me - typical. I got the spotting about 2 hours after I tested.

@BanjoVio congrats on your BFP! How are you feeling?

@LucyLoopyLu the ava bracelet is basically a tool for bbt, but it measures the skin temperature over night. Not just that, it also measures heart rate, breathing rate and other signs that it will interpret and calculate your fertility window after one cycle. It is especially great if you wake up at different times, as bbt normally wants you to measure your temperature at the same time every day. That being said, I think it is a bit on the expensive side, so I bought a second hand bracelet on ebay.

Hi guys i need some advise. I’ve been feeling ‘unwell’ for a few weeks had cramps in my lower back and a stitch in my left hip. Two days late tested yesterday and negative, tested this morning and a faint line. Then got a clear blue and it was negative. The waiting game is making me go insane

^ I can see it! What is the sensibility compared to the clear blue one? And did the line show up within time frame? Does not look like a indent though. Looks solid!

@SFrancis1 hello!
this month I have just been taking plain folic acid to see if that helped my cycle length.... apparently not.
I am going to purchase the conceive plus fertility support for next month.
What are you taking?

@Nina202 Haha, sounds like our past relationships were the same - at least we have found the one now 😊Have you tried hot pod yoga? I love it, but I find the sessions can add up and become expensive.

@Infertilemillenial Sorry to hear about your BFN. I have read that you are not out until AF arrives, so my fingers are crossed for you.

@LilyDaniels Welcome to the thread. Give your body time, it still might be finding its rhythm after using contraception for 10 years. My periods used to be irregular especially whilst using different contraception methods for 14 years, but they are regular now. It took me a few months.

@Bundaberg84 Welcome to the thread. Sorry to hear you have had an unpleasant journey so far. The Ava bracelet sounds interesting, I have not come across that yet. Glad both your and your partner's fertility tests came back with positive news.

@LucyLoopyLu Do you track your CM? I have struggled with that. It then took me down the rabbit hole of google and sperm-friendly lubricants because I convinced myself my CM is not correct😂so I stopped thinking about it. Yes, my phone seems to have a good awareness of me TTC and seems to show all baby/pregnancy related articles or products. I have decided today that I am going to try the 'ignorance is bliss' approach and try to not think about TTC. Stop symptom spotting. Stop researching and definitely stop thinking of reasons why it has not happened yet. Hopefully, I will relax more and it will happen.

@RMS0209 My doctor told me to take folic acid because the baby will need that during the first trimester, so it is better to start it whilst ttc. On top of that, I take iron, magnesium and B6. Since taking the B6 I feel like my periods have become more regular - it may be a coincidence.

@SFrancis1 sounds like a good plan, I definitely don't think that stressing about things is helpful but it is hard to distract yourself from it. I don't really track CM throughout the cycle but I do tend to pay attention to EWCM and I put it in on my cycle tracker apps. I only usually get it 1 or 2 days per cycle so it's quite obvious. I don't think I will track my temp, I sleep really well but so deeply I am useless in the morning. I don't think I would have the brain power to remember it when I'd just woken up.

Keeping fingers crossed for you @Myrah22 hope you get some clear answers soon. Keep us posted

@SFrancis1 sadly there are a lot of awful men out there, but very happy that both of us for both of us that we found good ones in the end. I have tried hot pod yoga! It’s brilliant, but I’ve got so used to doing classes from home since lockdown. It’s just so much more convenient, but nothing beats a good teacher really, at home or in person.

@Bundaberg84 do you know how the ava bracelet compares to the Fitbit? I’ve been wondering how much I can count on the overnight temperature readings I get on there. I’ve been taking them with a pinch of salt so far!

I have been taking pregnacare for the past few months as a couple of friends recommended it. Anyone else? I’m curious about acupuncture too as another friend was having it and they picked up that she had a mild thyroid issue that wouldn’t necessarily show on a blood test. She fell pregnant a month after being told to eat 7 Brazil nuts a day! So specific but if it works, it works!

I'm trying for my first too, have been trying for 2 years now. Nice to meet you all. I'm lurking most of the days, but slowly I'm getting the courage to post here too. I wish good luck to all x

@Nina202 yes, I wear both. I have the Versa 3 model, and while the resting heart rate and hrv as well as the breathing rate are comparable, the skin temperature really isn't. There are big differences between the two of them. All in all, ava is more advanced when it comes to those parameters.

Im TTC#1. Came off the pill in late January, caught first cycle. However it’s just ended in a long winded miscarriage. So now back to cycle 1 again as of two days ago.

I don’t know if this will help anyone- Something I used last time instead of OPK for an indicator is cervical mucus. I had clear/watery cm on days 15-20, and none outside this time. I just used tissue paper when on the toilet and it was very noticeable. I googled it at the time and it indicated it’s fertile window but not prime, however I never had the other types of cm that I noticed.

Thanks @Bundaberg84 i may look into getting one!

Really sorry to hear about the miscarriage @Blue2020 that must have been so difficult going through that. Hope you’re okay mentally and glad you’re finally at a new cycle.

@gianaInfertilitySucks your journey sounds very tough. I am very new to posting too but is seems like a very nice bunch of people here. We’re all here to support you x