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.

I don’t find being ill too bad but DH is fab and just takes over and sends me to bed. If we are both ill we all pile into one bed and DS watches stuff endlessly.

Can I join please? I'm 34 yo and was trying to conceive since aug 2022. Now we are on the break as I was diagnosed with subclinical hypothyroidism and waiting for my appointment with endocrinologist to hopefully put me on meds 🙏

Welcome Ojejuka! What symptoms did you have for the hypothyroidism? I have just made an appointment as I suspect I may have an issue with my thyroid. I have been tired for as long as I can remember and am constantly cold. I have started taking my BBT and it has gone as low as 35.4 degrees which is supposedly a sign. I have an appointment on the 10th Jan.

Thank you 😘
It's subclinical hypothyroidism so in theory I should not have any but I noticed loosing hair, gaining weight and feeling cold all the time so yeah better to check that
And also better to highlight to your GP importance of thyroid in trying for a baby process. My GP said TSH above 5 is great but then i quoted NHS website which recommends TSH below 2.5 so he sent me for additional tests and now referred to endocrinologists (fact that I started crying during the appointment probably also helped 😅)

Thanks Ojejku. I will make sure to have researched well before my appointment on the 10th

No problem!
And you can tell him to check also tpo (normally GP request only TSH and T4 while TPO level can suggest autoimmune disease like Hashimoto)
I had only TSH and T4 at first and then he sent me for another blood test to check TPO

@Hopingforno2in2023 I don’t have a proper pic of it as I don’t keep them to stop from obsessing I have attached a screenshot from another forum I posted so the quality isn’t great 😂

@Ellbell1234 symptoms well funnily I don’t have the cramps I normally get a couple of days before AF. I do have sore boobs to touch and today I have ended up napping already for a couple of hours very unlike me but may be nothing still time for AF to show!

Pregnant!

@marleyandme 27, No.1
@babybrainfart 33, No.3

TTC

@Weefreetiffany No.2
@WanOvaryKenobi 30, No.1
@louloulollipop 31, No.1
@Tophy124 30, No. 2
@Foreverhope82 40, No.1
@Mushroo 31, No.1
@GlosGal 32. No. 1
@Firsttimetrying2022 No. 1
@PeopleAreToads 28, No. 1
@Summer022 25, No. 1
@JRabbitx
@Floralsandsmiles 35
@CRbear 32. No. 1
@Hopefulhoney6 34, No. 1
@AROSE9 25, No. 1
@Ella31
@CGallo95 27, No. 1
@Notyetamother 29, No. 1
@Babydustthisyear 32. No. 1
@madeofcodes No. 1
@SJ2 32, No. 1
@Almondbut 31, No.1
@bethhop85 37, No.1
@TrudyProud 36, No.2
@Mummymidwife33 38, No.3
@Ellbell1234
@Chooba 36, No.1
@twinklebutt 34, No.2

February

@winterbabyrose 27, No.2
@LovelyBitOfSquirrelll 33, No.3
@Lilothblos 30, No.1

March

@happyfeet5 No.1
@pmore23 28, No.2
@LongDistanceLife 33, No.3
@Hopingforno2in2023 34, No. 2
@Mumof1hopingfor2nd 32, No. 2

April

@Leopardlover 37, No. 2
@SweetLion 30, No. 1
@WolfMother326 38. No. 2
@kiwifruit1234 34, No. 1
@CatLadyH 31, No. 1
@BatildaB 38,

June

@ViewFromTheAfternoon 29, No.1
@Sallythesloth3 29, No.2

July

@ShelleyPercy 34, No.1

August

@LibbyL92 30, No.1
@Imjustaherb No.1
@TheUndoing 30, N0. 1

September

@DanisEndo 27, No.1

October

@123ROLO 29, No.1

Unknown

@Newchapter23 32, No. 1
@TRFran 31, No. 2
@AlwaysWorriedAboutEverything

Sorry another update because i missed a couple

Pregnant!

@marleyandme 27, No.1
@babybrainfart 33, No.3

TTC

@Weefreetiffany No.2
@WanOvaryKenobi 30, No.1
@louloulollipop 31, No.1
@Tophy124 30, No. 2
@Foreverhope82 40, No.1
@Mushroo 31, No.1
@GlosGal 32. No. 1
@Firsttimetrying2022 No. 1
@PeopleAreToads 28, No. 1
@Summer022 25, No. 1
@JRabbitx
@Floralsandsmiles 35
@CRbear 32. No. 1
@Hopefulhoney6 34, No. 1
@AROSE9 25, No. 1
@Ella31
@CGallo95 27, No. 1
@Notyetamother 29, No. 1
@Babydustthisyear 32. No. 1
@madeofcodes No. 1
@SJ2 32, No. 1
@Almondbut 31, No.1
@bethhop85 37, No.1
@TrudyProud 36, No.2
@Mummymidwife33 38, No.3
@Ellbell1234
@Chooba 36, No.1
@twinklebutt 34, No.2

February

@winterbabyrose 27, No.2
@LovelyBitOfSquirrelll 33, No.3
@Lilothblos 30, No.1

March

@happyfeet5 No.1
@pmore23 28, No.2
@LongDistanceLife 33, No.3
@Hopingforno2in2023 34, No. 2
@Mumof1hopingfor2nd 32, No. 2

April

@Leopardlover 37, No. 2
@SweetLion 30, No. 1
@WolfMother326 38. No. 2
@kiwifruit1234 34, No. 1
@CatLadyH 31, No. 1
@BatildaB 38,

June

@ViewFromTheAfternoon 29, No.1
@Sallythesloth3 29, No.2

July

@ShelleyPercy 34, No.1

August

@LibbyL92 30, No.1
@Imjustaherb No.1
@TheUndoing 30, N0. 1

September

@DanisEndo 27, No.1

October

@123ROLO 29, No.1

Unknown

@Newchapter23 32, No. 1
@TRFran 31, No. 2
@AlwaysWorriedAboutEverything
@Ojejku 34

Congrats @babybrainfart !!!

For those of you that have already had bubbas, is it worth just having sex all the way through my cycle and not pay attention to ovulation suggestion on Flo app? I'm irregular period wise so I'm thinking it may not be accurate.
However been having sex nearly every day for the past week, and I love my finance but I don't know how long I can keep this up for. (I know every day is not needed), but I'm really hoping to not miss out on any chances.

Hope you're all well xx

Did you try ovulation tests? I can highly recommend clearblue
It shows when you have biggest chance to conceive
And re flo app - thanks to clearblue I discovered that I am ovulating on different days than flow app shows so it is easy to miss the window when you looking only at the app XX

Also in terms of age gaps @123ROLO
My sister and I were 4 years apart, used to fight like cat and dog and still struggle now.
My fiancés boys are also 4 years apart and fight a lot also. But saying that, I think siblings are gonna fight anyway IMO. I am very happy though that his oldest is 15, so by the time we have a BFP, he can possibly baby sit and is very excited to get involved and help with his baby sibling. Must say it's a plus of kids from previous relationship, as well as the actual kids themselves of course.

@Ojejku
Thank you! I'm hesitant as I don't want to pay out for them tbh!
If we get 6 months down the line with no BFP's I will probably start doing that though.

Yeah these are not cheap ☹️
there is another method to check your ovulation but it is less convenient - measuring your temperature everyday at the same time at the morning. If it drops it means your are about to ovulate

i use the natural cycles app to predict ovulation using bbt. It’s about £9 a month and £10 for the thermometer but I think it’s more accurate than flo. There’s also an option in the app to log tests if you choose to do them. Boots do cheap-ish ovulation tests. I think £5 for 5 or something like that and natural cycles will predict a few days you should take them

@Foreverhope82 no obvious line I can see on my phone but I see what you mean about something catching the eye! Hopefully it’s the start of something! How many days PO are you??

@Foreverhope82 I see what you mean, does definitely look like a shadow of something may be there. I am keeping everything crossed for wonderful news for you! ✨

@Ellbell1234 , great news on your fertility MOT! Can I ask where you went, how long it took to get an appointment and how much they charged? I’m really tempted to get checked privately as I have PCOS.

Does anyone have recommendations of conception vitamins your DP / DH are using? My DH is 39 so I’m wondering if he can take some kind of “conception max” type thing like me! We can’t use the “his and hers” version of Pregnacare Conception as I am using the max version due to my age / PCOS so the “hers” tablets would be wasted.

Hi all, can I join in?

We are shortly going to be trying for our 2nd. We have a 4 year old already and we're lucky enough to conceive him within 9 weeks of coming off the pill.

I'm 35 now, 4 years older and 2 stone heavier now so not sure it will be so quick!

I've just finished my week break and would have usually started my next pack of pills yesterday so it's all very new and exciting lol

Hi all can’t believe all the messages I only was on here a few days ago! I wanted some advice as a woman turning into a mum. A worry of mine is being a mum kinda means the full child is on you more than your husband or partner. Now I’m not saying by any means my husband won’t be a good dad or do his part as I am going into this 50/50 but do you have a worry that at the end of the day it’s always down to mum? I.E if child is sick it’s down to mum with work, if we want to both go out it’s down to mum to sort etc im a natural planner and sort everything in the household bills etc and I worry with a baby if i will crumble. I hope this makes sense I am 100% over thinker it’s my way in life but I wanted to see if anyone else has these concerns. It’s so nice to put this on here and get peoples opinions

@Newchapter23 i think that’s a very natural worry, especially reading the threads on here! At the end of the day, you know your partner the best, and how they’ve stepped up so far.

Im fairly relaxed as DH probably does more household stuff atm. He does all the cooking, sorts taking the cats to the vets (I know cats are not the same as kids but it’s my only comparator!), we pay for a cleaner and both do laundry.

So based on that, I’m hoping DH will step up. Have you also looked at shared parental leave? I think DH having a month on his own will help with bonding and move away from me being the default.

I think it’s ok to play to natural strengths and just make sure you don’t get resentful. I’m more of the planner and do our holidays / finances. I’m happy to do that but would have a conversation if things weren’t working.

I will also have a hard line on me always taking time off. It’s somewhat easier as I’m the higher earner, but we’re very much planning to alternative sick days etc as needed.

This is all idealised though - he could be terrible (as could I!)

@Newchapter23 its definitely an adjustment from woman to mum. Your priorities shift a bit but it’s still
possible to be ‘you’.

We have quite a traditional division of labour in our home but it works for us. DH is the higher earner at the moment but only because he works more hours. I sort all housework/food shop/dinners but that doesn’t mean I do it all, either he notices something needs doing (washing up/hoovering etc) or if I ask DH to do something he does.

Childcare is evenly split when we are both home but I do the lions share as I work less. I usually take time off if DS is poorly but DH and I are both self employed and my work isn’t time sensitive whereas DH’s is so it makes more sense most of the time.

I think what I am saying is that you need to work out what works for your family and come up with an arrangement everyone is happy with.

I have an appointment to have my coil removed next week so hoping that goes okay.

Those of you who track BBT, what thermometer do you recommend? Also, what tracking apps are people using? I used a mixture of Flo and premom last time but unsure if there is something better??

We have been TTC for over a year and we went to a fertility specialist in the summer he told me first off ditch hevapps I was like what he said do you know when your ovulating I was like no he said so how do expect a computer to know I was like makes sense he told me to stop the ovulation strips too as they arent always accurate he said having sex 2-3 times a week is perfect more if you want too
I fell pregnant in the September unfortunately I miscarried in November but i got pregnant
He said best way to track ovulation is basal body temp but you have to do it same time every day before you get out of bed it will rise just before ovulation and keeping an eye on CM egg white consistency is the best 👌
But trying to not intently focus on it and enjoying intimacy is super important I wasn't taking pre natal vitamins I'm rectifying that now for me and my fiancé
X

Sorry that was a reply to @Notyetamother

Thank you! I think consistently DTD definitely the way we're gonna go. It's just the only way to be sure you're not missing a chance!

Re folic acid when on the pill- yes it's absolutely fine.