Preparing and TTC in 2023 - Thread 2

[DanisEndo]

Thread no 2 as thread 1 was so close to getting full!

As a reminder this is a positive support thread for anyone preparing and planning to start TTC in 2023 💖

If you join start by introducing yourself with your age. what no. you're trying for and when you plan on starting plus any goals you might have before then! for example:

@DanisEndo
Age 27
TTC No.1
Starting Sep 23
I want to:

• loose some weight (would like to get down to a healthy BMI by exercising and doing all home cooking, nothing to major or restrictive)
• do some decorating around the house
• get married (1st September woooo!)
• change job / company

I have endometriosis and PCOS, 2 surgeries down and hoping I'll still be all clear by the time we get to trying.

Theres a long list of us now so bare with me updating it as we go 😅

Good luck everyone!!!

@CinderRosie yeah I’m not going to be fully confident in it until I’m a couple of weeks down! But happy to finally have a bfp!

@CinderRosie good luck for when you start trying! 😊
Just wanted to say, unfortunately even if you do wait until af is due or after, you can still pick up a chemical... I was testing positive (clear pink lines) until 5 days after AF was due... but I absolutely do recommend holding out to test if you can! I said I'd wait until I was late this month, but already decided I'm testing early at 10dpo again 🙈😂😂x

@HannahLouD I’m sure when it comes to the time I’ll probably be caving with FRERs 👀😂

@HannahLouD I totally understand that!! I didn't really get excited until 20 weeks last time, but I'm hoping to enjoy things a bit more this time.

Oh bless you, I'm totally sure he understands!! You've been through a lot. Has he been really supportive? 💜

Such a good idea doing it vaginally, I might do the same!

@CinderRosie I'm definitely planning to wait until after AF is due as I did the time I fell pregnant with #1 (after disappointment) but who knows haha. And very true re what HannahLou said, it's a waiting game after that. I'm hoping to book another 8 week scan in when the time comes. And probably a NIPT later down the line as I just like to know everything!

@LeopardLover glad you're feeling more chilled out about things this time... I'd like to think I will be but I know I won't 😅😂

Yes, my partner is supportive, but like a lot of guys (from what I've gathered) doesn't really get this whole ttc malarky like us girls do! He knows I temp (as the beeps sometimes wake him up 🙈) and he knows I do "something" to know when we should dtd, but I don't think he realises how much time and effort and absolutely obsession that goes into it on my side 🙄😂🤦🏻‍♀️

Absolutely recommend temping vaginally! I'll defo be doing it that way again going forward!

How are you doing?

Any updates from anyone this morning? Anymore bfps?? 😊

@TTCTeacher that definitely looks positive to me! How exciting! Fingers crossed for you.

@HannahLouD thats interesting about temping vaginally giving a smoother chart- mine are so rocky! Do you just use a normal thermometer? I also had no idea a chemical could show up so late- doesn’t make me feel so bad about testing early then. Would be awful either way.

After my vent a few days ago, I felt a lot better and think I accepted this was not the cycle. I checked what I’d changed since last month. The only thing was that I swapped out all my individual supplements and started pre conception vitamins. I checked where the dose on the pregnacare was lower that my original pills and started taking the original in addition where it was. Then I just hunkered down to wait for my period assuming this would be an anovulatory cycle. We didn’t have sex for a few days, until yesterday morning when we just fancied it. I did a LH test after out of habit rather then because I thought it would be useful and there was a blazing positive - t/c 3 which I’ve never even seen before! So bloody well relaxing was the right advice after all. And maybe making sure I was getting mega doses of magnesium, zinc and coq10! Who knows. But I’m grateful. We’ve used PreSeed one more time since and hopefully sex the day before ovulation and on the day will be enough!

Will be a 50 day cycle all told. We will be mid cruise with my entire family when it’s time to test so that could be interesting! Should make the TWW go faster at least.

Checking in and hope you’re all doing well! CD3 and decide to try OPKs this cycle.

Can anyone give me a dummy’s guide? I’m going to start using them around CD12 (normally ovulate around CD17).

Do I use them once a day? I’ve seen some people say twice. Also is it morning wee or should I use any?

I was thinking of everyday at around 11am, is that right?

Also are there any apps people recommend? I’ve downloaded Premom so far.

Thank you!

@Mushroo - sounds like a good start date! Though for the first cycle it could be worth doing even earlier to see how it progresses? Learn about yourself. I use the app Premom to store pictures of them all. I’ve always used my FMU but apparently afternoons are better. When I get my first reading over 1 I test morning and afternoon until it starts coming down again. But everyone’s different - you may have to experiment a bit!

Thank you! I’ve ordered a massive pack to settle in for the long haul so can pee with abandon! I might start a bit earlier then like you say to get a feel of it all

Hey all! Hope you don't mind me jumping on this thread..

I am getting married in July and me and partner are eager to start TTC for baby #1 as soon as possible, trying to hold off until at least June before we start trying as I want to enjoy my hen and wedding! But as we all know as soon as you start thinking about these things, it's seems to be all I can think about! But we are really trying to patient and wait until closer to the wedding.

I just wanted to jump on as I've loved reading everyone stories and tips etc.! Does anyone have any advice for the few months leading up to start TTC? Anything I should definitely be doing to prepare?

Also massive congrats to all those on your BFP's and also lots of baby dust to those actively trying at the moment! X

@CRbear thank you! I caved and did a digital this morning and it’s also positive so starting to get more excited!

@Mushroo I’d second testing a bit earlier with the OPKs than you think… I left it a few days later than last month to start testing because I was on a hen do, but tested the day I got home and was already getting a dark OPK! I ended up with my peak the following day, so could have easily missed it as I ovulated about a week earlier this cycle than last cycle!
Premom was the main app I used, alongside natural cycles, which I had been using as contraception before ttc.

Brill thank you!

10dpo... So terrified of another chemical...

Everything crossed for you @HannahLouD - though understand your fear.

not quite the same but I often think to myself that trying to stop myself being excited about something in case it doesn’t happen is silly. Am I really going to be less disappointed not to be pregnant if I am not excited beforehand? No! I’ll be just as disappointed but didn’t even get to enjoy it got a short time. So now I just enjoy the excitement and deal with the negative if and when it occurs.

@rosecbrm I'd suggest taking folic acid as I read that starting this 3 months before TTC is optimum.

@HannahLouD fingers crossed for you

I'm CD5 today and we are officially going to be TTC from my next cycle. I am SO nervous, I already have an 18yo DC so was a young mum and it's been ages since I've been in the baby days.

@CRbear @CinderRosie thank you! 😊 Fingers crossed it's a sticky one this time 🤞🙏

@HannahLouD Oh gosh, I am crossing EVERYTHING possible for you!! 🥹 Congratulations 🎊 it's so positive you've got a positive two months in a row now. Praying it's a sticky little one! X

everything crossed it’s a sticky one @HannahLouD

CD12 and still low OPK 0.3-0.4, usually get a positive CD11 or 12! OH is away until tomorrow night anyhow so not a bad thing but odd indeed

@HannahLouD congratulations! Crossing my fingers that we both have sticky little ones this month!

Hi all,

Unfortunately it's another chemical... There's no change at all in 48 hours 💔 I'm trying really hard not to blame myself but I'm finding it really difficult not to. Hadn't had a drop of alcohol for a month and the day before my bfp I go and blow it... I know nothing was connected or anything but I can't imagine basically poisoning my body could have done any good... I'm so not having any more in this ttc journey so I don't feel this horrible guilt again.

Onto our fourth month of trying, and hopefully next time I get my bfp it'll be third time lucky and will finally be a sticky one 🤞🙏😞
I really hope no one else has been through this or similar, but if they have and have any success stories after 2 losses (find it a bit difficult calling these losses as they were sooo early... Last one was only at 5 weeks so feel a bit like a fraud saying it) but please do let me know! I'm starting to worry now and give up hope... x

Lastly things I've learnt these past 3 months that may or may not be of help to anyone...

• Opk peaks - Having a "strong" peak opk means nothing... I had one that was basically only just as strong as the control line and got pregnant, I also had one much stronger than the control line and got pregnant.
• How "strong" the line is on the first bfp you get doesn't nessecarily mean anything. I got a vvfl at 10dpo last month which progressed really well for a few days. This month I got a fairly obviously line at 10dpo which hasn't progressed at all.
• Symptoms - they can be different everytime so don't rule yourself out if you don't feel the same as you did in a previous pregnancy.
• BBT charting - mine have looked very different for both chemical pregnancies and looked different the first month trying too (when I didn't fall) so don't pin everything on that! The only pattern I have seen is that I personally have a dip in temperature the day before ovulation. Never had an implantation dip or anything.
• Easy at home strips (opks) defo pick up a pregnancy! This has happened to me twice. Even this morning the test line is wayyy darker than the control line.
• The pregnancy test easy at home strips are really slow at progressing, but both times for me have still shown some minor progression even when having a cp. This is the same if using opks as well (I know you shouldn't!) This has happened to me both months.

Thank you so much again to everyone for your love and support! I really appriciate it!

Good luck and baby dust to everyone ❤️✨

Hi @HannahLouD - you know your own body, so don’t let me preach - but 48 hours with no change isn’t a definitive is it? The strength of the line can vary so much depending on how hydrated you were, how long since you’d last urinated, time of day! Is it too soon to give up hope?

thinking of you, hoping you’re wrong- in the nicest way possible!

@HannahLouD I second what @CRbear said, 48 hours without a massive change isn’t unheard of! I went from 9DPO - 13DPO before I really noticed a change this week! My fingers are crossed for you, and my thoughts are with you either way!

Hope you’re okay @HannahLouD - I’ve been thinking of you!

We go on a very boozy holiday with my family on Thursday. Period due Sunday. Torn between early testing so I know not to drink and just enjoying a few days atleast!

Hey @CRbear thank you for the message and sorry for not checking back in!
I think I'm in the clear for now at least... Got this yesterday! 🤞🤞
As you all know, I drank the day before my bfp 😭🤦🏻‍♀️🙈 I'd probably personally test before just in case! Only because I'd be worrying if I later found out I was pregnant... But so many people "drink til it's pink" and so many people don't find out until weeks later that their pregnant and all is ok... Do whatever feels best for you and enjoy!!! 😊
Wish I could take my own advice there... Hahaha x