TTC #1 no previous pregnancies cycle #6 - looking for others in the same boat!

[MocktailMe]

Hi all.

As per the title, TTC first baby, I've never had a confirmed pregnancy before. I'm 31, bf is 27.

Been trying to conceive 9 months, but due to PCOS only 6 cycles.

This year I've lost weight, and my cycles since January have varied from 28 days to 38 days. Had PCOS confirmed, and currently waiting for an appointment with gynaecologist to see if I need further assistance. Appointment is taking its sweet time so for now doing it the old fashioned way still with plenty of hope (at least some days, not so much others!!!).

I'm currently on cycle day number 28, negative tests, no signs of a period in sight, CM up to my eyeballs and a whole heap of doubt over when ovulation occured!!

If you are :

TTC #1
A woman who has never been pregnant
Pissing on sticks at an ALARMING rate
Potentially with PCOS but healthy ovaries welcome 😁

Then PLEASE join my thread, so in need of buddies in a similar boat! ⛵

No offence to those TTC #2 or more, genuinley ❤️ just hoping to speak to people who also have no idea what pregnancy would feel like, and who also maybe have the fear they CANNOT ever get pregnant ❤️

we’re trying to do the same… just crossing fingers that we’ve done enough as we didn’t for a few days after AF - now at least once a day or every other until ovulation passes. It’s hard work 🤣🤣🤣 xx

Did home insemination this AM as we are on opposite work schedules today.

If today is ovulation as the OPK indicated yesterday, then we have hit O, O-1 and O-3 and also O-5, I've been told sperm can live for several days so hopefully one of these swimmers makes it! We will also try a final time tomorrow morning.

The disappointment if this month doesn't work is going to be hard to take.

Bit late to it but huge congrats @ToomanyBFNs ! Lovely news to see and it gives me hope! How are things going?

@MocktailMe my fingers are crossed for you, it sounds like you've covered all bases this month 🤞🏼

As always I've been quiet on here during the tww as it helps me not overthink things too much. AF has arrived so I'm out this month and on to cycle 8. Had painful cramps that woke me in the middle of the night last week at about 10dpo and when AF didn't turn up I got my hopes up that it could be implantation cramping but of course not, must have just been AF getting ready 🙄

At least my hertility tests won't go to waste and I might get some answers this month as I'll be sending my bloods off in a few days!

Hey @Tater05 I'm really sorry to hear you got your period but definitely a positive to have your hertility test to do now - I think it's really important to always have a bit of a plan in place for your next steps - it certainly keeps me sane. Very cruel to have those cramps and have your hopes raised :(

Thanks so much for your positive vibes for me. We did try again today so I've got 0-5, O-3, O-1, O and O+1. If we don't catch this month it won't be for lack of trying!!

I've had slight cramps and sore boobs today which is quite standard for post ovulation for me, so I'm really hoping I did actually ovulate. I'll keep using OPKS for a few more days, incase I had the surge but didn't actually ovulate. I really am sick of TTC now and so is my BF so we are giving it all we have got. It makes me feel sad as he wants to be a dad so much and if I didn't have PCOS I'm sure after a year with another woman he would have a baby by now.

@MocktailMe I have to say I find it easier when I know we've done everything we can and have dtd on all the right days. Either luck just hasn't been on our side so far or there's something stopping us from conceiving but at least we've tried our best 😅

Do you track your temperature too? That would confirm ovulation, but it can be hard to get accurate readings if you don't always get up at the same time every day to get the reading.

Don't think like that, he wants to be a parent with you and it still takes plenty of couples a year or more even without PCOS so it's not even necessarily true! You will get your baby even if it takes a little longer, but it will be so worth it.

I know what you mean though, I'm a few months behind you on the ttc journey and I'm starting to get really sick of it. If someone could just tell me how long it's going to take I wouldn't mind so much, it's the not knowing that gets me down.

@Tater05 thank you that's kind and just what I needed to hear.

I relate to everything you are saying so much! It's really not as bad if I know we did our part - it's when I realise I miss timed it that I really kick myself.

I don't temp, as I work shifts and so my waking up time differs so much. I think the only way I could do it would be to buy one of those bracelets, which I am considering but I also sleep with an electric blanket and I think that would throw it out of whack!

I also would love to know the ending of my story 😅 if I knew I had to keep trying every month in order to get pregnant by, say next October, I could do it. I wouldn't love waiting but it would be fine because it would be certain to have the right ending.

Hi ladies how are we all?

@ToomanyBFNs @KTB34 how are you both getting on?

@TiredBoredGay how is the IVF going, what stage are you at?

@CharLdn @D23 @CosmoMango @LuckyFinch @Waitingformiracle @Familyfirst12 @lavafield @Tater05 what stage are we all at currently?

I'm 5DPO after a string of beautifully timed attempts over ovulation and praying for good news this month finally.

Would love to hear from you all!

Hi @MocktailMe

Keeping my fingers crossed for you - hopefully given your good timing this month then this will be the one!

Also thanks @Tater05 - so sorry your AF arrived. Hopefully this next month is the one for you.

I’m doing ok! I’m 5 weeks today. I’m definitely pretty anxious - like reading into every little thing that happens in my body but just really trying to remind myself that the evidence is I’m pregnant and staying positive. I’ve had a few symptoms - bloating, fatigue and some nausea (but quite light and not all the time). I definitely thought once I’d got pregnant I’d calm down - turns out that’s not the case. Although I’m super grateful that I’m in this position and the anxiety isn’t as bad as the months of it not happening.

Thanks for checking in and really hope you guys get your BFPs soon.

Hi @MocktailMe nice to hear from you! I am 11 DPO today with a BFN. I’m disappointed of course but feeling accepting of the fact that it’s not going to be a quick fix and will take time. We’ve got some appointments coming up to fix my husbands varicocele and also my hycosy so feeling hopeful! Glad to hear you got your timing so well, that sounds really promising! 5 / 6 DPO is always the most frustrating part of the TWW for me because you are so close yet so far. I hope it’s not going too slowly for you. I’ll have my fingers and toes crossed for you!

@ToomanyBFNs glad to hear your doing well with the pregnancy symptoms but sorry to hear of your anxiety. I do hope as you get further in this will lessen - you'll be having your first scan mid December time which is something really lovely to look forward to! And will hopefully ease your anxiety once you've had it.

@Waitingformiracle so sorry to hear it's BFN again this month BUT the massive plus is it's very nearly hycosy time. If this month isn't a BFP for me I'll be right behind you with my HSG so please do share how it goes! I've got every faith that once you've both had your procedures the 2 lines will be right round the corner.

Agreed, 5DPO is a very tricky place to be! Too early to test, too early for symptoms, but also too late to do any more trying!

This one particularly feels as though it is crawling along. I'll be testing from 8DPO which I always do, and I really think if this one is BFN I'll be gutted.

Hey @MocktailMe thanks for checking in - I’m day one of my period :(

but overall ok I’ve started strength training 3 times a week which I’m enjoying and will hopefully help my slightly low TSH levels.

Onto the next month!

how are you doing @MocktailMe ?

Hey @CharLdn sorry to hear another unsuccessful cycle. Your new fitness regime sounds great though - and exercise certainly can't hurt your efforts! I'm not one for workouts myself much, but do make a concerted effort to get out walking in nature every day and this time of year is perfect for just that so I'm happy!

I'm doing okay but I'm worried that the only reason is because I've absolutely convinced myself that this time I will be pregnant. I keep catching myself thinking about all the things I'll do on my maternity leave with the baby... I know!!! I'm crazy!!!!

I don't have any symptoms that have set this off. I think I just feel it would only be fair now after a year's waiting. Not that that actually matters 😅

Need the next week to go by nice and quickly so that I can either be delighted at my new found sixth sense, or bump back to reality!

@MocktailMe everything crossed for you! And I think it’s good to have optimism among the difficult times so really hope it is your month!!!

I’m about to spend a month in Australia and I have a weird superstition that because my partners Australian we’ll conceive there - I sound bonkers I realise!

@CharLdn if you're bonkers at least we both are 😅

Not sure that revisiting homeland exactly will matter, however, I constantly read anecdotes about people taking nice relaxing holidays and catching pregnant. Probably due to more opportunities for sex across different times logically, but I would say it certainly can't hurt. Frankly, even if it doesn't, I think a BFN on the sunny coast would feel a lot better than a cold bathroom in Scotland 😅

I've done a bit of digging today and looked back at my last cycle history and charts etc. This month is cycle 7 where I have actually had sex in what turned out to be my fertile period. Earliest cycles I stopped using OPKS as soon as I got first peak, and missed it, or was just unlucky with being a few days out. Actually makes me feel loads better to know this is really cycle 7 of ACTUALLY TTC.

@MocktailMe - I totally get that I’ve looked back through my cycles and I can probably only be sure for the last 3-4.

The way I’m viewing it is we’re increasing the probability each time till we get there 🤞

Hi lovely ladies 🧡 good to hear from everyone.
@MocktailMe really hope that this month is your month! You covered it all nicely this month and that should bring huge comfort.
I can totally relate on actually timing it well.
I can say that in our five months trying only two early months were spot on so far, and that was before I started taking vitamins which I hope have improved my egg quality by now.
I am now on CD11 and started LH testing as the peak can be anywhere from CD12 to more usual CD16-17, to as late as CD21-23 occasionally.
Started DTD often early on. I will also start using pre-seed closer to the peak time, and I started squeezing that grapefruit juice 😅, which I think is already increasing my CM a bit. I hope these efforts work because occasionally we may go 3-4 days without DTD and my hope is there will be plenty of fertile CM in there for the sperms to hang out a bit longer ?!
@CharLdn a month in Australia sounds fantastic, I do hope you conceive there. Are you going to be working from there or relaxing?
Believe it or not, several ladies I know conceived the moment they stopped working and were travelling, enjoying life, sleeping a lot, stressing less.
My work is very demanding but I do not stress over it, so hope that helps too!
I also try to visualise as much as possible, and to kind of "make room" for a baby in my life / house, if that makes sense.

Thanks @MocktailMe I will be sure to keep you posted on the Hycosy. I need to call the clinic on the first day of my cycle to see if they have had any cancellations, so with a little bit of luck I could be getting mine next week! You must be approaching 8DPO now which I know is when you will start testing so please keep us posted! Will have all my fingers crossed for you.

@CharLdn that is great about the training. I've really been hoping to start up an exercise plan again, I was strength training 3 times a week when I got pregnant and kept it up for the few months that I was pregnant but since my loss I haven't gone back. I think it's a great thing to do though and will only stand to you when you do fall pregnant! Hopefully Australia will be your lucky charm!

Thanks @lavafield and @Waitingformiracle Australia is 2 weeks work and 2 weeks off although I work for myself so I’ll still be on emails.

It drives me mad when people say stress less and it will happen but I’m hoping a change of scene will help - although we’re potentially going to be staying at my in laws for sex week so… we’ll have to be stealth?!

question - are you guys having sex every day during ovulation?!!

we haven’t been but I’m not sure if we should? Every other day is just more realistic?!

@CharLdn we are not having sex every day, just every second day. Sometimes if I catch my peak I might try two days in a row but honestly we find it all a bit exhausting 😅 for what it's worth, the cycle I got pregnant with the baby I lost we only had sex twice during my fertile window about 3 days apart

@CharLdn this cycle we did day before day of and day after ovulation plus another time 3 days before and 5 days before. That's the best we have ever done though.

I've tested at 8DPO today and negative. That's okay though. I prefer to test daily as after this morning's I know I still have a very very good chance, the chances have just dropped slightly.

If it's negative again tomorrow it just means its again a bit less likely. Quite a bit less likely on 10DPO, a negative by 11DPO and I'll have braced myself that it's not my month, a negative on 12DPO and that will simply confirm it is not my month.

For me, this feels easier; a few days to adjust expectations and time to accept it's not my month. I can't imagine waiting til 12DPO full of hope and expectations only for it all to be gone in 3 short minutes and the bubble be burst.

Morning all.

I’m sorry for the radio silence.

We were very much in our baby bubble however this was very much short lived as we found out yesterday the baby no longer had a heartbeat 😓 we are beyond heartbroken.

@KTB34 I am so so very sorry for your loss. I hope you are being taken good care of. It's a terribly difficult thing to go through. I can promise you that in time it does get a bit easier, but until then just let yourself feel it all and make sure you are prioritising yourself. Sending big hugs ❤️‍🩹

@KTB34 so sorry to hear that, please look after yourself

I'm 5 and a bit weeks pregnant now. Shitting it for my scan in 2 weeks as I'm worried something will be wrong :(

Oh @KTB34 I am devastated for you. Life can be so so cruel.

Take all the time you need to honour your grief - you've been through something really hard physically and mentally. You're in my thoughts and im so so sorry this has happened to you.

@CosmoMango in sure two weeks feels like a lifetime at this point. Try to remember, today you are pregnant. Worrying won't change anything or make it any easier If you have bad news so try to take it easy and keep calm if you can.