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Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

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Original poster

How long did it take to conceive your second child?

37 replies

Amtheyest17 · 08/02/2025 08:13

Hello,

Hoping to put my mind at rest - DC1 is almost 3 and we have been trying for number 2 for 4 months (I know this isn’t very long) and I am disheartened/worried already. I’m now 34!

DC1 was conceived first try without ovulation kits or anything. How long did it take for you to conceive your first vs your second? I have around 6 friends pregnant at the moment with their seconds and thirds and they all got pregnant first try again.

TYIA x

OP posts:

GnomeDePlume · 08/02/2025 08:20

Probably not helpful to you. Our first took 2 years, second took 2 weeks, 3rd took over (copper coil, she was born practically clutching the damn thing).

There is no rhyme or reason to it.

Hummusanddipdip · 08/02/2025 08:22

Second took almost 3 years.
But our first also took 3 years.

Enko · 08/02/2025 08:23

Between dd1 and dd2 was the only time I had no miscarriage and it didnt take long. We had been trying for 3 months and intended a break as we didn't want a January birthday. Dd2 had other plans. Very happy she did.

I had 4 full term pregnancies and 6 miscarriages. I understand your worry.

Stopthatplease · 08/02/2025 08:26

Ds took about just over a year. Ds was 15 months when the second was conceived.

PiastriThePastry · 08/02/2025 08:28

First was about 18 months, second was 2.5 years. I don’t think four months is worth getting stressed over just yet, don’t beat yourself up over something that you have no control over!

LouH1981 · 08/02/2025 08:35

Forever. Or at least it felt like it.
Got pregnant with DS within first month.
Started again when DS was two and a half. Miscarried when he was 3, finally fell pregnant again a year later and they have a (nearly) 5 year age gap.

Turned out ok though because DS was and still is mature enough to understand and empathise with her baby/toddler/preschool behaviour.

Although they are 5 and 10 now. She thinks anything he does is super cool and he gets all embarrassed.

4 months isn’t that long in the grand scheme of things although it will feel like it because you conceived so quickly first time round xx Good luck xx

Pineapplewaves · 08/02/2025 08:42

Six months without any ovulation testing/apps. Miscarriage at 11 weeks. Conceived again four months later after using Clear Blue Ovulation tests and an app. I also conceived DC 1 straight away and had assumed it would be the same with DC 2.

Squidtentacles · 08/02/2025 08:42

I'm also 34. My son (3 too!) was concieved first try. I was desperate for it to work ASAP so I did use ovulation tests straight away, so this may have helped. Second pregnancy (sadly I suffered a miscarriage, which was only 3 weeks ago!) I concieved on 3rd try, again using ovulation tests. I am eager to start trying again but currently still testing positive from the loss..
Good luck, I hope it happens soon!

pinkwillowtree · 08/02/2025 08:44

We were lucky and fell first month both times but I used ovulation kits!

Coconutter24 · 08/02/2025 08:45

1st 3 months and 2nd 6 months

In the nicest possible way I think the thing to do would be stop looking around at your pregnant friends and comparing times to get pregnant etc. If it’s going to happen it will happen when it happens

holjam · 08/02/2025 09:02

It took 18 months to conceive our first with 2 miscarriages to deal with also.
2nd was conceived after 2 months.

Lmnop22 · 08/02/2025 09:32

It took me 6 months to conceive my second and I tracked everything from the moment we started trying, try not to worry yet because I did and it was the first month I relaxed that she was conceived!

AudreyJL · 08/02/2025 11:39

We weren’t actively trying with my first when I fell pregnant and wasn’t using any ovulation testing. With my second (now), 5 months, the first month I barely tested and only DTD twice 😂 still early days into my pregnancy

Waitingfordoggo · 08/02/2025 11:49

I was very lucky. First one I conceived the first month of trying, the second took 3 months. I didn't use ovulation kits but found it easy to identify when I was ovulating by the EWCM. And I was young (20s) both times which certainly improved the odds I think.

swingandtrampoline · 08/02/2025 11:51

First month trying with both but I heard from a lot of friends and family who spent months and a couple of years for the second baby. One relative went privately ivf to conceive the second one as they tried for 5 years and nothing despite conceiving first one naturally without any issues. Don't compare your journey with anyone as everyone is different.

Blue2020 · 09/02/2025 10:17

Not including the very first pregnancy of mc.

First baby it took three months and I tracked months two and three with opk and bbt.

Second baby -currently pregnant- took three months and I’m fairly confident we missed the window in the first month due to illness, then tracked months two and three with opk and BBT.

I tracked just to make sure each cycle had the best chance and we didn’t miss it. With my first baby if I had not have tracked we wouldn’t have him because I ovulated 6 days later than usual.

Theresacatinmykitchenwhatamigonnado · 09/02/2025 10:21

5 years for my first, then 3 years for the second which ended in miscarriage, I never conceived again.

Blue2020 · 09/02/2025 10:21

As a pp said, a relative conceived their DS very quickly. Wanted a second and it was not happening after 12-18m so the went privately for ivf for their second. I see so much variation in how long the second was conceived compared to the first when I talked to friends and family. There is no pattern really. I believe I got lucky and opk tracking definitely helped with my first. My friend took 6 months (mc), 1 month and then 10 months and ended up with twins.

Beetrooty · 09/02/2025 10:23

2nd dc conceived very quickly- straightaway. 1st dc took about 6 months.

SaltyPig · 09/02/2025 10:27

Nine years.

Getuptherenow · 09/02/2025 16:29

6 years. We have a nine year gap because of it. No explanation as to why and no IVF or anything used. I was 34 having DD1 and 42 having DD2.

FoxBaseBeta · 09/02/2025 16:34

Just over a year for dc2, after getting pregnant first try with dc1. I was 33 with dc1 and 37 with dc2.

DiscoBaIIs · 09/02/2025 16:35

I got pregnant with my first, first time. My second took longer, but a) I was extended breastfeeding the first, so that likely hampered things, and b) I was a fair bit older (38/39). I got pregnant about three years after DC1 was born, but had a mc - got pregnant a month after that, so have a 4.6year gap between my two.
You are young and time is on your side - keep at it, and good luck.

user263758918 · 10/02/2025 05:02

First cycle for DD2.

But DD1 took several years and IVF.

stargirl1701 · 10/02/2025 05:03

All 4 pregnancies were in first month of unprotected sex. 2 DC.

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