Preparing to TTC in 2023

[DanisEndo]

Hi,

I'm part of a lovely thread which was started in 2021 for those planning to start TTC in 2022 and it was such a supportive group! we've now seen lots of positives and given each other a lot of support and tips through ups and downs.

I'm now 'pausing' TTC until after my wedding in 2023 and thought it'd be nice to start up a similar thread to see if there is anyone else now prepping and getting excited for next year!

On the last thread everyone introduced themself by saying their age, what they're trying for and when they plan on starting - I'll then keep a list up to date and post so everyone can easily see others who are at the same stage as them!

I'll go first:

Age: 27
TTC no: 1
Starting: Sep 23

Between now and then I'm going to be taking folic acid, try and loose some lbs to get closer to a healthy BMI, save some money in a baby pot and enjoy some 'baby free' activities (i.e., wine, gin, sushi and surfing!). I have endometriosis and PCOS so going to try and get my periods more regular and pain management via diet.

So much to catch up on! Welcome to all the newcomers. @DanisEndo it's great to have you back and glad you enjoyed your break. 🌟

@Mushroo Being a night owl isn't a bad thing. This is my husband and it worked to our advantage. We have a non-sleeper but he goes to bed late and wakes up late. In the early days being a night owl helped with all the night feeds! You just adjust to coping on less sleep. It's amazing really.

Also, you don't really know when you'll conceive so something to consider before deciding to delay!

@Ellbell1234 I hope the fertility MOT provides some insight!

@Ella31 I'm so sorry for your loss and how insensitive others have been. So many careless comments! :( I consider myself an empathetic person and I struggle to understand those who aren't. I've seen so many pregnancy announcements over Christmas - it's really triggering to those TTC.

@123ROLO Age gap motivation - there's no wrong answer but doctors recommend waiting at least 12 months from giving birth to conceiving again (18 months for c-section due to scar) mostly because of increased risks to baby such as being premature or low birth rate. I know of a friend who conceived within a year and she was told by doctors she didn't give her body long enough to heal and had plenty of issues throughout pregnancy and birth (baby was born very premature). However, plenty of people have the opposite experience! Including my mother in law. I chose a longer gap because I had a physically traumatic birth and I wanted more one-to-one time with my toddler before #2 came along!

Hello, may I join?

34
Baby number 2 would be lovely.

Came off the pill August 22 to try, miscarried at 7 weeks November 22, currently have an 8 year old DD.
Period took nearly 7 weeks to return after miscarriage so now I've finally had one, unsure when I'll be ovulating this month as I only track through fitness app and its out of sync at the mo!

Hello, what a lovely thread, can I join please! Just posted elsewhere about my plans - I'm 38 and planning for April although am getting impatient and nervous.

On the other thread someone recommended the book 'it starts with the egg' which I read in one go this evening, so I've just ordered some painfully expensive prenatal vitamins and am excited about the idea that the eggs which are just getting starting to get themselves ready from now are the ones that'll be ready to be put to work in April.

I also did some googling from the twin chat upthread and am now going to add yams to my prepreparation diet, just in case there's anything in that and I can get two for the price of one! (I know twins are hard work and there are health risks, but I have always loved the idea of twins).

@twinklebutt Ah,really sorry to hear about your miscarriage 😔 Glad you've finally had your period back, hopefully you'll be back on track soon. Have you ever taken your BBT? Might help track ovulation. Or using an OPK.

@BatildaB We are similar in age and I've just ordered this book our of curiosity. Although I'm not sure I like the thought of expensive vitamins haha. My best friend had twins and honestly they've been a dream since they were born. Always slept well, never really struggled with sleep regression or teething. She makes it look all so easy compared to my hectic toddler haha. I'd still love twins too 😊

@LeopardLover Well I'll definitely get on the yams then, just in case there's anything in it! I did babysit my neighbour's twins through Covid and although I absolutely loved them they were pretty hard work and very competitive for attention. My ex's DS had been TTC for years before conceiving one child through IVF, then surprise twins showed up almost straightaway afterwards, that was quite a startlingly sudden instant family!

Just used an audible credit to get it starts with the egg :)

We definitely don’t want to increase chance of twins so no yams for me 😂

Hey all,

just wanted to pop back on here and update. I had a positive ovulation test sooner than was predicted on the 28th December and we are now into the two week wait. I have been logging it all on an app which says I’m now 6dpo (still trying to get used to it all)- it’s provoking some anxiety as I’m looking out for any small symptom but so far absolutely nothing. Is 6dpo very early to detect any kind of symptoms? I am hoping we timed it all correctly this month 🤞

6dpo is too early summer and not everyone gets symptoms before a BFP. The TWW is hard!

Hi summer022 I also ovulated on 28th December! This is our first month TTC baby no.2, I have a 6 year old girl but it’s my partners first baby.

I bought Clearblue digital OPK wasn’t going to use them this cycle but thought oh just try and to my surprise the day I did it it was a static smiley!! 😊 We dtd almost every day anyway but since coming off the coil 18th Nov I have had no change to CM. I had a period 14th December but my CM hasn’t changed much at all throughout my cycle so I don’t feel hopeful 😞 fell pregnant first time with my girl using the SMEP but this time I’m older so wouldn’t be surprised if it takes a while 😞

Hi Lisajorr22 wow that’s brilliant you managed to find your static smiley! Same for us, so we dtd pretty much every day from 27th to 31st with one day in-between where we had a break. This is our first cycle but have mentally prepared myself for it to take long time. My periods are pretty regular so hoping that will help but I just don’t know! Finding the TWW very stressful and trying to relax but it’s really hard. Sending so much baby dust your way ✨

Hi ladies! Loving all the words of support & all the baby dust 💕✨✨ I had my fertility MOT yesterday, everything looking very healthy & normal, partners sperm is very healthy! The Dr wants me to get a HSG straight after my next period to rule out blocked tubes before he starts planning to maybe put me on some medication to help me along. Has anyone had one of these? I filled out the form before my MOT which I admitted to catching chlamydia when I was 18, however it was treated in 2-3 weeks! This is the reason he is wanting to rule out the possible tube blockage :( . Who knew that was even a thing?!😩

Just thought I would pop in and catch up on all the thread a lot of new people and a lot going on lol I will absolutely need to pop on more often.

as for me 13DPO today TWW is almost over AF is due Friday. My temp has remained pretty stable and hasn’t dropped fully as it would before AF but there is time. I did a test yesterday evening and saw a shadow of something. Did another today and still something catches my eye so we will see in the next couple of days!

Just tried to do the AMH test but can’t get enough blood from my finger. Sending it off but suspect will be insufficient sample. So frustrating!

Ooh post a pic forever and we can see if we can see a line!

Aw I hope so for you! 🙏🏻 do you have any symptoms?

Having chlamydia in the past is a reason I'm looking to do a MOT, especially as I only found out about mine as I developed pelvic inflammatory disease. (I couldn't hsve had it long though as i got tested quite often as a student). They told me at the time it can lead to infertility. I literally haven't thought about it for 10 years until I've considered ttc and now worried it'll come back to haunt me!

I did some googling and mumsnet research and the only horror stories I've read is when it's been left untreated for years, so hopefully a few weeks / couple months isn't enough to cause long term damage

We're hoping for a 2-3 year age gap. Our reasonings are that it won't be long till the 30 hours childcare kicks in as our first already goes twice a week and it's pricy! We also want 3 children so this way it's not dragging on forever. We don't want any less time between as we want to concentrate on each baby and time goes quick enough as it is! Also I had a c section with my first and I'd love to try for a VBAC this time so I want my body to be back fighting fit before the stress of pregnancy again.

Just to add, I have 3 siblings. Shortest age gap is 18 months and biggest is 12 years between me and my youngest sibling and I get on best and played most with the youngest!

Hi again everyone! Wow this thread is moving quickly now. I haven't been on for a few weeks because I have been SO poorly. This is my third week of it now, I've been floored.

All I have been able to think is how would I cope being this poorly with a child to look after? Whenever my cat meowed at me when I woke up I just thought.. I really can't do this I can't get up to feed him. And that's just a cat! I don't know how I would cope with a baby/toddler. Those of you already with children how do you do this?!

Anyway I have a bit of a silly question.. can you take folic acid long term if you are still on the pill? I don't know why it would be an issue but I just have something in my mind thinking can I take the TTC amount of folic acid and other pre conception vitamins while still on the pill? I don't want to come off it yet but I do want to take all the vitamins for as long as possible

I'm due to ovulate this weekend. Umming and ahhing about whether or not to try. We had fully planned to but then a job opp came up with a big pay rise and much more generous mat policy. I want to wait and see what happens as I'll need to work a certain period of time to be eligible for the enhanced mat pay but DH wants to go ahead anyway. Agh!

@ViewFromTheAfternoon no idea re the vitamins but being poorly with a child is the absolute worst. It's hell. But you get on with it because you have to!

@Foreverhope82 oooooooh keeping fingers crossed for that shadow!!! 🤞🏻🤞🏻✨

age gap wise my OH said he’d like 2 years (that’s what is it between him and his older brother, also has a twin and they all get on great.) but I’m thinking that’d essentially mean getting pregnant really soon after returning from work maternity which I’m not keen on, I think I’d want to get my feet back under the table a bit before being off again. I think 3-4 years would be my ideal (I have a WIDE range with my siblings… 3 years to my brother who I get on great with but didn’t grow up with, 6 years with my sister who used to fight like cats and dogs but besties now, and 24(!!) years with my youngest sister who I think I’ll end up more of an auntie figure to sadly).

I always thought I wanted 2 but recently I’m leaning more to 3!

I need to get back on the folic acid soon to get in the habit, I know I have time but want to give myself every chance possible. (sorry PP I have no idea about taking on the pill but I can’t imagine it doing any damage ? #NotADoctor)

it’s so sweet seeing OH getting more and more broody by the day and so nice to be in it together at last 💕 so bizarre to think this time next year some of us will have our babies and some pregnant! I also keep looking round our new house and getting so emotional picturing a little’n here! Toys and nursery bits and cuddles on the sofa. hadn’t pictured being ill with a child but omg it does sound hellish 😂 worth it though!!

does anyone else have a “pre-baby bucket list” on the go?? Fun or practical things you want to do before our babies are earthside?

@DanisEndo yes we do! That's why we are waiting until summer because we just have a few bits we want to do beforehand. We have just started the house buying process but we are buying privately so hopefully won't take as long. Then it has always been both of our dream to go to California and we want to do that child free so hopefully in the spring/summer time we will get to go there. We aren't booking it yet until everything with the house is done and paid for.

Other than that we just want to enjoy our 'us' time as much as possible and don't take this time for granted or wish it away

Omg being ill and looking after a little one is the worst. Luckily for me DC is usually ill pretty much at the same time as me so happy to chill and nap and play video games. Unlimited screen time is generally my go to if I'm poorly. 😂Weirdly when DC was small I didn't get ill at all for the first 18 months. Not even a snotty nose, and I have always been quite a sickly person. Not sure what that was about but I was grateful!

If we do end up having a baby our age gap will be pretty big as DC is 6 now. I didn't want more kids for ages, and I have loved spending all this one on one time with my kid. It's only in the last couple of years I've started getting broody again. But now I'm massively broody and it's driving me loopy. Lol.

Oo crossing fingers for @Foreverhope82 ! 🤞