SMEP-ing our way to a BFP 🍁🍂🐿️🍂🍁 Part 2

[NSx]

Made a new thread as the old one was full

@NSx @allgoodthings84 @NatGee Sorry I have only just seen your messages. Hope all the babies are ok and looking forward to Christmas 🎄 🎅
Still feeling like I have a newborn here as little man is only nearly10 1/2 lb at 17weeks.

@allgoodthings84 congratulations on the baby girl. I hope you don't mind be bumping this but I saw from other threads that you had spotting around 9-10 DPO for 3-4 days before period starts. I have one child who I was lucky to conceive easily but am struggling to conceive a second. I have similar symptoms to you: everything seems to be normal al until about 10 DPO then I get spotting for 3 days (a couple of months it has been 7 days), then period starts. This has been happening since I stopped taking desogestrel progesterone only pill in November (which I was taking as contraception when I was BF my first). I never had the issue before when I came off the combined pill. I have had scans and these show nothing wrong physically. I think it's a hormonal imbalance - I have been using the Mira hormone tracker which shows my progesterone starts to drop when I get the spotting. I have some questions:

Did your spotting issue start after you stopped hormonal contraception?

How long did you have the problem for?

Did the doctors ever work out what was wrong?

Did they prescribe progesterone for the spotting?

@HPrior I’m sorry you have the spotting too 😔. Progesterone does naturally start to drop after the mid way point of LP for everyone if you’re not pregnant which is why they recommend the day 21 tests to be done half way through your LP not necessarily day 21 so it may not be a progesterone issue. I had day 21 tests done twice and my results were over 50 at 6dpo (my mid way point) both times so suggests it wasn’t a progesterone issue with me. My GP had no problem letting me have the day 21 tests to check my progesterone levels though so it is well worth you asking if you can have them done.

The spotting wasn’t anything to do with contraception as I hadn’t been on the pill since before I got pregnant with my now 9 year old. We used condoms. I don’t like how hormonal contraception makes me feel
so I don’t use it. How long ago did you come off your contraception as it could very well be why you spot as it can mess with periods for awhile after?

I can’t remember when spotting started for me if I’m honest. It was before I started ttc my second for sure and my periods have always been horrible so probably for many many years. I didn’t pay attention when I wasn’t ttc and my first born wasn’t planned so I wasn’t thinking about it. Now nearly a year after my second being born some months I spot and some I don’t for awhile after I didn’t spot at all but it seems my body is going back to my normal 😔

I never found out why I spot. It didn’t stop me conceiving in the end so I let it drop. I wasn’t prescribed progesterone when ttc as nhs don’t tend to prescribe progesterone unless you have had previous losses and then have a bleed after 6 weeks. You can definitely get it if you go privately though.

I would start with requesting a day 21 progesterone test but book it for half way through your LP and take it from there. I had full bloods done as other things can affect periods and spotting too but nothing came up on mine. Good luck 😊 I know how horrible it is worrying something could be wrong

Thank you for replying. It sounds like your issue was a bit different from mine in that case. I've never had irregular periods of any issues with my periods/ cycle until now. I stopped the pill at the end of November so I have been off it for 7.5 months. I am convinced that is what has caused the spotting and the shorter luteal phases. I can't be sure the spotting issue is the reason I have not been able to conceive obviously as I am 37. I have been referred for a day 21 progesterone test but at the moment I can't book it because of the NHS cyber attack which has affected a lot of care in London. I don't think my progesterone will show as low on day 21 anyway as it doesn't on my Mira tests. I'm so angry at myself for going on a new type of pill after I had my first baby. So many friends warned me about the pill affecting their fertility but I never believed them because the official advice all says your cycles return to normal in 2-3 months and when I stopped the combined pill my cycles returned to normal the next month. Now it has happened to me and I'm kicking myself not to have listened. The hospitals really push you to go on the pill after birth though - the midwives were literally handing out packets of desogestrel in the maternity ward when I had my first baby.

Ressurrecting this thread because, as silly as that might sound, I thought of you ladies on and off since Mina was born
How have you ladies, and your bubs been? @NSx @HoneyPea @allgoodthings84

Hi @NatGee how’s it going? My little one is 2 in August, it has gone so quickly! She’s going to start pre school at the end of August so she can get more chance to be around children her own age as I’m at work all week and my mum doesn’t take her to baby groups as doesn’t feel comfortable and my eldest is 10 now. It’s mad that I can apply for her primary school place next year!

That's right, our little smep babies are nearly 2! Mina stays with us most of the time and is an absolute chatterbox. I'm loving watching her grow
We fell pregnant again earlier this year but lost that and are now getting ready to start again soon. I feel another smep round coming my way ! Would love a sibling for our little girl xx

@NatGeeLovely to hear from you and exciting/nervous news that you are getting ready to try again soon. @allgoodthings84My little man will be 2 in August as well. We are having a bit of a tough time with him at the moment as he has been diagnosed with Ketotic Hypoglycemia and we are waiting for test results to see if he has an underlying condition causing it or not.

Hi ladies - sorry just seen this reply - I rarely come on here.
All is well over here, my little one will be 2 in November, time really flies! 😭💗
it’s so lovely to hear everyone is doing well ✨
@HoneyPea i hope everything turns out well for your little one, I don’t really understand what that condition is but I can imagine it’s a bit of a stressful time for you!
@allgoodthings84 my little one has been at nursery since she was 11m - she absolutely loves it and is thriving 😊 your one will do the same!
@NatGee I am so sorry for your loss, I wish u all the luck with your new pregnancy journey 🤍 I am actually currently 8 weeks pregnant as we speak. Feeling absolutely horrendous 😭😭😭😭 the first trimester truly sucks!
lovely to hear from you all 😊

@HoneyPea I had to google that, really sorry to hear youre not having the easiest of times. It appears that it goes away by the time they reach six but its completely logical to try and resolve it as soon as you can. How long until you get the test results?
@NSx congratulations on your pregnancy, I am so pleased for you, after the time hard time we had to conceive whilst smepping :D the first few weeks are tough but they go by quickly. Are you hoping for a girl or a boy this time round?

@NatGee aw thank you. It came as a bit of a shock as we weren’t actively trying but also not using protection we were kind of just leaving it to fate and seeing what happened, sounds so cliche because people always tell you it happens when you don’t try/least expect it and that’s literally how it happened we dtd only once that week 😂😂😂😂. A lot less stressful than the first time round I must admit. Honestly I am not bothered, my partner would love a boy, I would be happy with either, as another girl would be absolutely lovely too 😊💗💗 … I am just hoping everything is ok and we have a healthy little one ☺️ going for my first private scan on Sunday & then have my booking bloods etc on 03/07 - but again, thank you 🥺🥺 xx