Share your advice for TTC!

[MAY324]

We are starting TTC next month after our wedding. What advice do you wish you knew when you started trying? I’ve been trying to use ovulation test all year and have never got on with them (never had a positive test!) and been taking prenatal vitamins. But any other advice would be amazing 😊

What ovulation tests have you been using? And why have you struggled?

That would be my first tip. I ovulate on day 21 and therefore having sex around thr average CD10-14 would have been completely useless for me, and without ovulation testing I wouldn't have had any idea that I am a late ovulater.

I’ve used the Premom easy at home ones. I just never get a positive one! I’ve had a slight rise on day 16/17 most months and my cycle is normally bang on 31 days so I must be ovulating at some point 🙈 I’ve just never had a blazing line.

Hi 🤍 I'd say be prepared for it not to happen first time. Total emotional roller coaster. Sending you all the baby dust xxx

@MAY324 I would try the clearblue 2 hormone test if you can afford it, for 1 or 2 cycles. They are expensive but they are good for newbies to ovulation and very much spell it out for you. Good luck!

Are the clear blue ones the ones with the smiley faces? I think we will definitely look at them.
i think I’m prepared it won’t be straight away! Thanks though, crazy how we spend so long trying not to get pregnant isn’t it!

Yes. If you can afford it get the ones which give you a "flashing smiley" during your fertility rise, and a "solid smiley" at peak fertility. It helps you understand your cycles if you really aren't sure about them yet.

I use the cheap Opk strips and don’t ever get an official ‘positive’ but the line gets darker to a peak and coincides with other signs of ovulation. I think some people just have more dilute levels in their urine. I never got a positive Opk then this month started testing 3 x a day and using the Premom app and reassuringly saw a peak which has helped a lot to reassure me that I am ovulating after all!

I think the dilute urine thing is definitely an issue! I drink loads of water. I’ve noticed darker lines during the heatwave haha! I’ll get some better quality ones when we’re trying. Thank you 😊

Honestly, I'd say relax! It took 6 months from me coming off the pill to fall, I then miscarried before I was 11 weeks, I then started to track temperatures and ovulation test etc etc and nothing for 6 months, we were really busy moving house one month, tracking went out the window, and now I'm just over 12 weeks pregnant!

@MAY324 don't let me put a negative spin on it though, some people do first time! I re read my message and don't want to sound like I'm being negative. This has been our first month TTC with a BFN, I'm ordering the clear blue fertility tests for this month because I'm not convinced my tracking is 100% accurate.

@Matildahoney I'm sorry for your loss thanks for sharing with us all and congratulations on your pregnancy 🥺🎈 🌈

Ah don’t worry! I’m really prepared for it to take a while but my fiancée thinks I’ll be pregnant the second we start trying 😂
congratulations on your rainbow baby!

Thank you @MAY324 @Ihatewashingdishes good luck. Honestly I know it's so easy to say relax about it, and I definitely didn't, especially as everyone tells you you'll fall quickly after a MC etc etc, but it goes to show the month we weren't focused on it, it happened!
My friend has fallen pregnant both times first time off trying, so it can happen! You may be lucky. Good luck on your journeys.
Oh and I only used cheapie ovulation tests, if you're not getting a positive on it try testing from the day your period finishes, turns out I ovulate before day 13 of a 31 day cycle!

@MAY324 😂 why do men always say that!

Have enough sex. Sounds obvious bt p

Oops

Sounds obvious and it does only take once to conceive but loads of people don’t do it often enough to maximise their chances.

I never used OPKs but found temping amazingly helpful. The book Taking charge of your fertility is excellent.

Hi @MAY324 I’d recommend CoQ10 for egg quality and vitamin D alongside Proceive supplements. I took a cough medicine with Guaifenesin in as it thins the cervical
muscas, 4 days before Ovulation and then during, stopping after ovulation. I used the Fertilily Cup with Pre-seed. Tested for ovulation twice a day with the easy@home strips and bought a second hand Clearblue Fertility Monitor from Ebay so I could ensure my peak. Doing this I got pregnant 5 times last year (all early MC as I had recurrent miscarriages) I did the same in January (alongside prescribed aspirin and progesterone) and am now 23 weeks with a little boy. Wishing you all best and hope to see you return with a bfp ✨🤞🏼

Hi! @Amyjones86 had you been trying long or did you do all those things from the very beginning? Congrats on your pregnancy 🤍🎈 lovely news x

Hi @Ihatewashingdishes I tried for 4 years with my first son and had to have a laparoscopy. For this one I started taking supplements etc in September 2021 and started TTC in Dec 2021 using this method and got pregnant for the first time in Jan 2022. So a bit different to my first son, but then 4 further losses. Wishing you all the best.

How are you all getting on girls! This is our 2nd month TTC and first month using the clear blue ovulation tests. Got a flashing smiley this morning... Wonder how many days until my static then it's time for the 2ww. 🤞🏻

Just an update to say I got a positive 10dpo 🥹🥹 praying and hoping everything goes well 🤞🏻

Have sex every second day. Bum in the air if you must. No need to do anything spectacular at this stage.

Same here. Use them as a guide but don’t obsess too much. Just DTD 2-3 days throughout month, and set your expectations that up to a year is common. Don’t let it become a stressor in your new marriage, especially for the first year!