TTC Feb 2025

[sjwx]

Hi everyone, I'm on CD 7 (I think.. last month was a very weird cycle for me) and going to start ovulation testing with the easy @ home strips and use the app they have.

I've used the clear blue smiley face tests the past 3 cycles but wanted to try something different this month.. but I'm worried I'm going to read them wrong as the clear blue ones were very straightforward!

If anyone has used these strips, what time of day did you test? I've read not to use the FMU so plan to test at 6pm (due to work) until I get a line and then try and test at 12pm too..

And did you not drink/wee for 2 hours before doing the test? With clear blue I left it 4 hours but struggled!

Would be great to chat to anyone who's also hoping this will be the month🤞🏼

That reassuring to hear 🥰 thank you! Oh I hope so. Yes DH just popped to the shop for a CB digital. I'm a bit scared to take it 😵‍💫

That sounds like a lovely relaxing weekend ❤️

Ah I'm sorry it's a negative @ToysRus56 - I know it's upsetting, but allow yourself to feel all you need to feel. I've not used OPKs before, but maybe someone else who has might be able to help? Do you have an app that you upload OPKs to?

@Mummy2RJ id say that looks promising!
@ToysRus56 we're the same, this was our 5th cycle and I felt gutted, I think the closer it gets to 6 months of trying the worse it seems, even though I know people try for so much longer it still feels like forever.

@Taysonic I had a lovely relaxed weekend too and a couple of glasses of wine, I feel like it's refreshed me for this next cycle

Just wondering what apps and strips and things people use? People seem to use premom a lot?

Hi all just wondering if anyone can see my second line , I lost my little boy at 16.5 weeks in July last year and not a whiff of a line since used all but two of this pack last month with no indents or false lines , I didn't track ovulation but going by ewcm I'm 9/10 dpo due on Sunday, any reality checks are more then welcome

I can definitely see a line. I'm not as expert as others are on here on knowing what an 'evap' line looks like or anything like that, but I can absolutely see something. Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

Thank for your response I rushed to the shop for a branded one and this is the result 😬😭😍 all the emotions right now

Oh bless you! Congratulations. I can ABSOLUTELY appreciate you may have a whole range of emotions going on. Let yourself feel ALL you need to feel. I'm a big believer in embracing your emotions as you need to.

@Fingerscrossed2025 congratulations - wishing you a sticky bean! I think I also have the start of my BFP today and am feeling overwhelmed. I had a CP end of last year which hit me disproportionately hard, so I can't imagine how you must be feeling. I won't tell DH for a few days so feeling very alone right now!

Thank you , so sorry to hear your loss aswel , I had counciling right up until last week , ooh how nerve-wracking excitement all the emotions in the world are you going to test again tomorrow or Thursday ? I had all the signs of af apart from last night my mouth filled with so much saliva all night which was a sign with my dd, my fingers are crossed for your strong positive very soon

@Fingerscrossed2025 ooh interesting - I have some heartburn and tingly boobs, lower back ache and slight cramps. Will test tomorrow again I think xx

@LuckyDuck93 @Mama09876 @Taysonic Hey guys, sorry i was gone. Needed to clear my mind and start fresh. Did loads of normal life stuff that makes me happy. Loads of wee dates & just making memory kinda stuff. How are we all doing? I’m on cd7. Where are you all?

Think there's a few of us the same - AF turns up, there's not much you can do proactively, just got to take that time to refresh and get ready to go again.

Time goes fast though - just checked and I'm already CD06. Those days have swung by quick. The four of us are all fairly close together, right?

I've just ordered a thermometer for BBT too. Will try and make a concerted effort to stick to it, as I like the clarity it gives others on here. Might not be able to use it usefully this month as I guess you need a bit of a data build up to notice patterns etc. but in for a penny...

Fully embracing SMEP this month. Partner is super keen and excited and put emojis in our shared calendar. Ha ha.

Trying so hard not to symptom spot because actually really don’t think this is our month but… 8dpo and backache and I’m just torturing myself

It’s nice that there’s some of us so close together with near exact same cd 😌 it’s really helpful and supportive. What is SMEP? I’ve not even ventured into the bbt area, i know i’d be rubbish at doing it for a start plus i wouldn’t know what to buy and i’ve zero clue as to when it should go up & down or what that would mean. I might give it a go down the line but i’m still trying the strips and using the Premom app for now. I know we all say we’re not testing early but i am literally not doing a test this time before at least 12dpo (that’s my congratulations you’ve held out this far date lol)

@PoppyGirl222 @LuckyDuck93 @Taysonic
Morning ladies!
how you all feeling? I’ve been unbelievably stressed the past 6 months with work and I really don’t think it’s helped the whole trying for a baby at all. But thankfully that’s calmed down in work now so I’m going to take the approach you have @PoppyGirl222 and need to clear my head and get back looking after myself!
I’m due to ovulate on Monday but my other half is away from today till Sunday with work so honestly I’m not going to think about it this month. If we have sex on Sunday night then great but if I don’t catch ovulation I’m not putting any pressure on it.
I might even take a few months off till April/May so I can get past the months of having a Xmas baby 😂

I just feel a bit mentally drained mostly with work to be honest but TTC isn’t helping either. Think I need some months to get back in a healthy state of mind.
but then there is a part of me that feels I can’t really afford to ‘take a month off’ with our ages etc 🙈 I’m just all very conflicted at the moment.

Hi @PoppyGirl222 - SMEP is the 'Sperm Meet Egg Plan' - a very short e-Book written by Deanna Roy. It has some useful information in it around fertility and recommends a structured DTD plan to maximise the chance of conception. I followed it the first time I got pregnant (cycle 1 - boom!). It essentially encourages you to ba-doink every other day from CD8, and then every day for three days once you get your ovulation test peak, miss a day, and then have another go on the next day for good measure.

I'm also fairly sure BBT will blow my mind, but I'm giving it a go. I've got the Easy@Home OPK kit, and there's a thermometer I found on Amazon that also auto syncs to the PreMom app so giving that a go. Worth a punt, hopefully.

And @Mama09876, ABSOLUTELY know the feeling. When I previously tried to get pregnant for a second, we tried for almost three years. I definitely went through phases of trying to identify what the issue was (I was VERY stressed at the time - my boy had started school and it threw up loads of undiagnosed SEN issues that completely caught us by surprise and he stayed on a part time timetable, juggling that with work and the pandemic was just a bit of a maelstrom) and I'd go through patches where I questioned if this was even something I wanted... But couldn't work out if I was just trying to protect myself from further disappointment.

It's a REAL mental challenge I think to get your head around. But, the fact that you're still here, checking this forum, says a lot about how much it all means to you. We can give you a big cuddle whenever you need one! And let's be honest, TTC puts a lot of pressure on sex. After a while, I think a bit of a reset to take the pressure off and just enjoy each other can be a good thing.

@Mama09876 @PoppyGirl222 @Taysonic hope you're all doing good!
Totally understand what you mean about a reset, strangely i've enjoyed the first few days of this cycle because it's been so nice not to think about ovulation or the tww, its like a nice little break for my brain.

I'm on CD6 today too and going to try SMEP like you @Taysonic, emojis in the shared calendar sounds like a really good idea, I get sick of OH asking if we should be DTD that day so then there's no question about it 😆So romantic!
I might have a look at that thermometer, using natural cycles atm alongside premom as I love the thermometer storing my temp if I go back to sleep before syncing, but if I can find one to sync with premom that would be better as i prefer the app.
Due to ovulate next friday and away next saturday with family but without hubby, so hoping ovulation isnt late!

@Taysonic you’ve summed it up completely how I feel. Stressed with work, putting myself through exams to progress with work but they’re not exactly easy as well (pretty much the equivalent of a degree level) on top of everything else it’s just got a bit much, I think I need to slow down and regroup and look after myself a bit.
i did have moment last year of wondering if I even wanted a 2nd but I know I really do, I think it was the thought of having a 2nd child whilst in the mist of a whirlwind of chaos!
So nice to have people who understand/been through it to talk to 🥰

I’m not going to do OPK sticks this cycle, I still take my BBT (when I remember 🙄) and just see what happens!

SMEP sounds like a good’n ladies! I have heard of it so be interesting to see if it works for you, got everything crossed! 🤞🏻

@Mama09876 sometimes I think that is the best way, no point in putting extra pressure on yourself when you're already stressed anyway!

@Mama09876 I’ve tried to step back a little bit too. I was getting far too stressed, still trying but trying not to obsess over it

Good morning ladies. I got my BFP on a digi... I truly had no expectations this cycle. Stopped tracking as much, accepted it wasn't going to happen and agreed with DH to break until summer. Not saying thats why this happened,but just sharing. Sending you all love and hoping this one sticks xx

@xTinkerbell i think I’m going to for a few months take some time to look after myself a bit more and slow down! Life always seems to be 100mph so I wanna slow down and just chill for a bit then see what happens.

@MakeMeJuno congratulations ✨

Awww congratulations @MakeMeJuno! Keeping all fingers crossed for you and here's to a straight forward, uncomplicated, glowing pregnancy.

@xTinkerbell and @Mama09876: hopefully taking the foot off the gas gives you both a bit of headspace. Always think recognising when you need to give yourself a break and knowing when to 'invest' in your own health and wellbeing is something we easily overlook.

@LuckyDuck93 Yay for SMEP! We jumped the gun a little bit and made the most of some childfree time yesterday to kick things off. But officially Day 8 today so... will probably enjoy ourselves this evening too.

I'm kicking things off today with a bang. Set up the PreMom app last night, did my first BBT this morning and will OPK this afternoon. Think I'm going to try and do afternoon testing around 2pm.

I have the 'luxury' I suppose of all the optimism and enthusiasm of newly trying. And the excitement of it being DP's first baby makes it even more so... but already, I'm not sure I can sustain this level of effort for long!

Congratulations, fingers crossed for a sticky bean x