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🤞🏼

I’m keeping everything crossed! I’ve been having on an off cramping since 8 DPO but I had the exact same with my first. You’re not out yet! Honestly we DTD on the Friday once this cycle then I got my peak LH on Sunday and ovulated on Tuesday (BBT confirmed) so you’re really not out yet!

Are you still temping? That’s the only thing that made me test! I was shocked at how much it spiked and thought shall I just test 🤭

@Taysonic thank you! I’m absolutely made up. Christmas is going to be even better this year.

I totally understand the early testing ladies! I tested in the day my period was late with my first so I do get it and I’m shocked myself with the lines I got at 11DPO I know it’s not the case for some and some only show once the period is missed.

still got everything crossed! 🤞🏻

@Mama09876 yes still temping, it's still up, but then quite often is until the day before AF.
I remember you mentioning HR before, did your HR go up again?

@Taysonic hope your cycle settles down soon, at least with BBT & OPK you should get home sort of idea!

@LuckyDuck93 you know I wasn’t actually checking, I forgot all about it. But just had a look now and it has increased!

25th March would of been the date I ovulated then the 13 days after

@Mama09876 amazing news!!! 👏 👏 how are you feeling?? Big congratulations, Christmas will have a whole new meaning 🥰

Copenhagen was lovely! Exactly what was needed, we ate loads drank a little and just chilled. Was in bed by 10pm the first night 😅 ready to start it all again 🤦‍♀️🤣 although we're camping with our toddler in our small canpervan this weekend so unsure how we'll manage that in such a confined space 🙈🙈

@LivingonaPrayerandGin that sounds like a challenge 😅 glad you enjoyed your weekend away!
@Mama09876 that's interesting, i've been looking at mine but no difference really, feel like AF is on the way but who knows, did wake up at 3am debating just doing a test 😆

Sounds like a great time was had in Copenhagen @LivingonaPrayerandGin and I'm sure the campervan experience will be JUST as lovely in a different sort of way! Hopefully the weather stays bright and warm and you can spend as much time outside as possible.

How you doing @LuckyDuck93? Still managing to hold out on testing? Keeping my fingers crossed for you!

And how are you feeling @Mama09876?! Hopefully it's beginning to sink in and you're feeling okay. Always weird during these first few weeks isn't it? You're almost hoping for sickness and other symptoms to feel reassured that everything is going alright!

I'm just SO eager to know when I'm likely to ovulate... and in the meantime, I guess just enjoying a bit of BD'ing practice. It was my partner's birthday yesterday so we had a really lovely evening as a family. Fingers crossed his birthday wish comes true. 👶

@LivingonaPrayerandGin Glad you had such a lovely time & getting away this weekend sounds lush as well! Challenging to dtd 😂 but I’m sure you’ll make it work!

@LuckyDuck93 to be honest I’d say mine looks no different apart from maybe the previous 3 days. The rest id say would be normal rhr. It’s actually nose dived and dropped massively since Saturday so hopefully that’s not a bad sign! Although did do another test today and still said pregnant 🤞🏻
Are you around 11/12 DPO? I think I remember you saying you’re due Friday. Have you caved and took a test?

@Taysonic i have to say I’m feeling a bit more anxious this time round, just because I know so many more people who are now speaking more openly around miscarriages that you realise how common it is and worrying but just trying to stay as positive as possible.
That’s completely right you’re just praying everything is ok and moving along as it should. I’m feeling all good at the moment no sickness, feel a little icky sometimes. I’m not sure if it’s cause with a toddler I don’t have to time to rest like I did pregnant with her 😂 the only thing I’d say is I am drained constantly. Wake up feeling tired and can easily go to bed by 8pm.
I’ve got everything crossed for you this month! Maybe just randomly BD’ing over the month might take some planning/stress away and hopefully catch ovulation! 🤞🏻

@Mama09876 i actually didn’t cave, I’m quite proud 😂yes due Friday, I think that’s why it’s so hard not to test because I know I could so easily find out. Temp still high, usually drops 1-2 days before so I think tomorrow will show one way or another.
Although I’ve got pretty bad cramps tonight, trying not to think too much in to it!
Hope you’re feeling ok, I know what you mean about people being more open about miscarriages these days, which is great but also it’s always in the back of your mind!

@Taysonic fingers crossed you catch ovulation soon!

@LuckyDuck93 Well done for holding out! I do think the closer to leave it till you’re AF there’s no ‘is there/isn’t there’ a line. I would never normally test as early as I did but was just so threw off my by temp going up rather down! It’s really good your temp is still high! 🤞🏻 but I do understand it can drop the day before I’ve had that in the past.
I’ve got everything crossed for you! Keep us posted tomorrow.

So, it’s dropped, but only by 0.1, I think I’m probably out this month, but you never know!

Hello friends. Day 21 over here. Familiar cramps which I usually get around this point 😔 this is our sixth cycle. Good luck everyone xxx

Hey! I’ve never tested BBT before. How does it work? Do you test first thing in morning just once a day? xx

Hi @mummm2 yeah I test first thing every morning I leave my thermometer on top of my alarm so I don't forget, I use natural cycles/premom apps which then use bbt to confirm ovulation

@LuckyDuck93thankyou. I may try this cycle see how I get on! X

I don't want to give you false hope or anything but... I had a very small dip last month which I obviously took as a sign AF was coming and... we all know what happened there. All I'm saying is don't count yourself out until it falls to your normal baseline or under.

@mummm2 I was always a bit sceptical about BBTing and worried I'd not keep up with it but I have and it is REALLY insightful. Only problem is I've got a cold at the moment and really bunged up which I think is impacting on my temp if I take it under my tongue as normal as I guess I've been sleeping with my mouth open (partner has confirmed I'm definitely snoring!). Have been doing my armpit as an alternative until the cold clears up.

Only problem I find is that my thermometer takes quite a long time to take the temp, and I've definitely fallen back to sleep and back into a dream whilst it's doing it's thing. Which is weird!

@ToysRus56 Keeping fingers crossed for you. You're not out until you're out!

@LuckyDuck93 i was going to say the same as @Taysonic dont count yourself out yet! As it’s not below baseline I wouldn’t say you’re out.
I had a slight drop as well around 9dpo.

@mummm2 i do exactly the same as luckyduck. I’ve used Natural Cycles for years and years and just put it on top of my phone and when it goes off take my temp every morning. But if I’m ill etc I just skip that morning. It’s really helped me get pregnant/not get pregnant!

Oooh! I think I'm at the start of my LH peak. OPK definitely stronger just now after a week of very weak looking lines. Ahh, I'm all of a sudden so excited and pleased to know it's coming after not being sure how long it would take to get back into the normal cycle of things.

Thankfully, after a few weeks of no ba-doinking whilst I was bleeding, we'd been making up for lost time so have been having fairly regular fun over the last week, and now know to make the most of the upcoming few days. I know it's probably really unlikely to catch again so soon but want to more than ever now.

Thanks ladies I’ll let you know how I get on with BBT this month.

@Taysonic how exciting for you! Time to get busy!

My DH is so moody when I’m on so at least he’s cheered up abit now 🤣 anyone would think it was him going through it x

@Taysonic that's good news and good timing for you too!
Spotting started just now so think AF definitely on the way, we'd been holding off booking a xmas getaway so maybe that's a good excuse for me to get looking!

@LuckyDuck93 aww no! I really hope it’s not spotting. How was your temp this morning?

@Taysonic hope you’re making up for lost time!!

Definitely @Mama09876! I think my LH may have peaked last night because it already looks like it's starting to come back down. So will see what happens with an early evening test and keep enjoying ourselves.

Still keeping fingers crossed for you @LuckyDuck93.

@Mama09876 @Taysonic temp down this morning as AF arrived last night!
Im actually feeling ok today though, not sure if it’s the nice weather but I’m very much feeling “if it’s not our month it’s not our month” so I’m making the most of it 😅
On a positive note, AF is probably the most normal it’s been since I came off the pill, I usually have spotting for a while then a really light period, whereas this just arrived without too much spotting & definitely a more usual flow. Maybe all the vitamins are working their magic!

Loving the positivity @LuckyDuck93! Sorry AF arrived, but great that you're noticing some impact of all the vitamins. That all helps, eh! Get those Minstrels in!

I freaked myself out a bit last night I think. You know when lots of thoughts and things other people have said kind of rattle around in your brain and make you doubt yourself a little bit? Don't know if it's hormones or what, but I've been so emotional and just unsure of things.

That sounds really vague... So to pad it out a bit: a friend of mine was having a moan about how difficult she's finding juggling work and her young children, and just the pressure of being the highest earner and the 'default' parent. Her husband is WONDERFUL and lovely, but I absolutely can understand that weighing responsibility and how it can often feel inequal, even despite the best intentions of partners. Another friend is going through divorce and was picking apart her previous relationship and trying to figure out what went wrong. Today would have been my 10th wedding anniversary had I not gotten divorced. And I guess all of it just makes me second guess myself.

My partner is incredible and amazing, and I LOVE what we have. And I started to get panicky about adding in extra stress to our lives that might jeopardise that. He's very calm and so confident that we can face anything together and he can't imagine anything changing that, but I just have this niggly self-doubt that I'm sure I probably thought that with my ex-husband and so... what if I'm just being blindly naive and too optimistic?

Agghhhh... sorry... that was a massive offload and not sure what I'm hoping to achieve by sharing it all... it's just, swirling around. You know?

It does NOT help that I'm currently reading a fictional book about an older woman in a relationship with a younger man and I feel like it's not going to end well. (I'm 9 years older than my partner!).

@Taysonic oh no! I can see how easy it is to over think it though, funnily enough I was having similar thoughts yesterday, just thinking I absolutely LOVE the life we have and do I want that to change, I think that's probably why I've not been so sad this month.
I think it would be more strange if you didn't worry about that sort of thing though, especially as women we seem to take all the concerns on, whereas partners are often "oh itll be fine, we'll manage" which makes it all a bit harder!

I just checked back here in a bored moment and it’s nice to see some ladies have gotten lucky!
The reason I am commenting is because the last couple of comments definitely struck a chord with me - since the last failed attempt we started preventing again and I’ve actually felt way calmer, realising that the stress of having a baby probably put the nail in the coffin of my already failing first marriage, and just taking the time to enjoy what me and my partner have now. So all very valid thoughts. The only thing I would add is that it’s easy to forget that it does get easier as they get older!
Good luck all!