Anyone else in the early stages of their TTC journey for baby #1?

[Ivylilac]

Hi everyone,

We’re early into our TTC journey and are currently on cycle number 2 for our first baby. I’ve also never been pregnant before.

I’m currently on day 14 of my cycle but my cycles are around 25-27 days on average, so my Flo app predicted I’d ovulate on day 12 based off symptoms of ovulation from previous months which have been quite consistent. We dtd on day 7,8,10 and 11 and haven’t been able to do it again since due to clashing work schedules, mega long days and then being exhausted in our free time as a result, so I have no idea if we’ve done enough this cycle.

Either way, it would be nice to chat to others in the same boat who are also only just starting their TTC journey! :) I told myself this cycle I wouldn’t count down the days or symptom spot like I did last cycle, but it’s hard not to already!

@SilverDrive thank you ❤️ I feel very conflicted to be honest. Part of me feels like I shouldn’t really feel sad or anything because 2 months of trying is nothing in the grand scheme of things, but I think what makes it hard is that so many people I know have got pregnant on the first or second attempt of trying, which I think going into this made me a bit naive about how long it can actually take. I know one couple for example who decided one day they wanted a second child, so tried for one month and were successful, without any planning, tracking etc and the same thing happened to a close friend with her first, so I guess it makes you think this must be so easy then if everyone around me is getting pregnant this quickly!

I need to remember though that stats show it takes like 6 months to a year, so it’ll be fine. I’m just impatient I guess haha.

@Ivylilac that’s completely valid and expected to feel that way. You’re allowed to be sad and disappointed because it didn’t happen this month. Like you say though, I think we just have to remember that it isn’t always quick, doesn’t mean it won’t happen though 🫶🏻
You’ll have learnt something this cycle that you can take into next cycle and hopefully increase your chances.

I think the issue is that people always talk about the positives of TTC and how quick is was etc., you don’t often hear people talk honestly about the wait and the disappointment/feelings that come with that.

I would be feeling exactly the same as you. Give yourself some time to be disappointed and then try and look forward to the next cycle. ❤️

@SilverDrive definitely, I think moving forward I’m going to try and properly track ovulation this month and switch lubes as well to a more sperm friendly one. I’ve also jotted down literally every symptom I’ve experienced this cycle, so that next cycle I won’t keep trying to remember if this happened before and get my hopes up as a result.

That’s so true actually, you’re right. And I guess also lots of people don’t start broadcasting it when they begin their TTC journey, so when it’s announced you just assume it’s happened quickly if they don’t say otherwise.

Thank you! Sending you lots of baby dust for this cycle ❤️

How’s everyone getting on? Sorry to hear you got a negative @Ivylilac. But it’s still so early days and agree with @SilverDrive it’s a process and you learn more as you go along.

Im due to ovulate in the next couple of days (I’ll be testing to keep an eye on it) so lots of sex haha and then the TWW. Hopefully it’ll be easier than last month as I was seriously symptom spotting. I’m quite busy this month which I hope will help.

@Wiennetta thank you, still no sign of my period at the moment, but we’ll see. I’m not getting my hopes up with having two negative tests, so it’s probably just late.

Exciting! You’ll have to keep us updated. If you do symptom spot, make sure you write it down, because if you’re not successful this month it’ll help for next month to look back and realise similar things happened at that time before, which makes it easier to not get lost in it all. I’ve done that this cycle, so that next cycle I won’t keep driving myself insane wondering if I had this last cycle! Sending you lots of baby dust though 😘

Morning all, how are you all getting on?

I had the most horrendous cramps yesterday. Never had them like that before. Literally came and went within the space of 5/10mins and just on one side, but really really deep!
I was mid way through quite an intense workout and just had to stop! I’m not going to lie, they really worried me and made me think they couldn’t have been a good sign.
I’m only 4/5dpo (since positive OPK) so I also think they were too early for anything positive.
They’ve also made me question my exercise, which I’m really mad at myself for! I love working out, and I don’t want to be scared to.

My CB tracker now says AF is due on 17/04, PreMom says 13/04 and Garmin says 16/04. So with my cycle being out this month, I’m not really sure what to expect.

I originally said I was going to wait until 15/04 to test but I’ve a fitness completion on Sunday (13/04) so I think I might try an ER on Saturday/Sunday. I think I just need to put my mind at ease for the comp so I can be aware of how much I can push myself.

I hate all this so much!! Driving myself crazy waiting!!

@SilverDrive morning! My period just arrived a minute ago, so I’m definitely onto cycle 3 now! Feeling ok about it now though, it is what it is.

I’ve heard cramps on one side can indicate fertilisation happening so hopefully that’s a positive sign, although cramps are awful so not great in the moment for you! I can totally relate to you about being nervous of your workout as I’m the same. You could always ask a personal trainer for some advice on what’s safe to do? As long as they’ve done the prenatal qualifications and stuff obviously!

Yeah I think doing a test before your comp is sensible, as it’ll put your mind at rest like you say.

I know, the waiting is awful! I’m now in the waiting stage for my period to end and then it’s waiting for ovulation, then waiting in the TWW. My life is one big waiting game at the moment 😂

Sorry to hear AF arrived @Ivylilac. But onwards and upwards to the next cycle!

How are you feeling @SilverDrive? Hope you’re ok. It’s so tough to know what you can and can’t do isn’t it.

I’ve had a positive ovulation test today so will be starting the TWW and back to symptom spotting 😅 I’m going to avoid any alcohol and just look after myself for the next two weeks and see how I go.

Morning.

@Ivylilac sorry AF arrived, although like you say, onto cycle 3. Are you going to use OPKs this month? How are you feeling?

@Wiennetta I’m okay thank you. This TWW is torture though. I’m 7/8dpo today.
I had very mild cramps yesterday - I only get cramps on the day of my period usually. And I also had indigestion last night, which I don’t usually suffer with. It made me feel very so slightly nauseous.
But then as I said to my husband, I don’t know if I’m imagining it all! You’re so aware of the smallest things, that normally just wouldn’t even register at all! It’s driving me mad!
Im definitely going to do an ER test on Saturday morning, which I know will still be very early and unlikely to show anything.

Im still continuing to temp and it’s still up, which I understand is completely normal for the luteal phase. Apparently it usually drops a day or so before AF arrives, so will see what my temp looks like over the next week or so. Problem is, I’m not actually sure when AF will arrive this month. If my luteal phase is exactly 14 days then it will likely be 16th. Premom is still estimating as 13th though.

How is everyone else getting on? @BeKeenPeachLemur how are you feeling?

Hello @SilverDrive im doing good thanks!! A bit nauseous and my boobs hurt but that’s about it really. My lines are now dye stealers which are great so going to have an early scan at 7 weeks 🤞 how are you doing?

@SilverDrive morning! I’m doing ok thank you, just eagerly awaiting my period to finish so we can get into my fertile window again. Yeah I think I definitely will, otherwise I feel like we just have no idea when I actually ovulate, although I’m not sure which ones are best to use as I keep reading pros and cons about all of them 🤔

The waiting is awful isn’t it. Like you say, you start to notice things in your body you wouldn’t even give a second thought about normally. Really hoping they’re all good signs for you and you get a BFP soon!! X

@BeKeenPeachLemur oh how lovely! When will your early scan be then? It’s great that you’re having one. Will be so reassuring whilst you await the usual 12 week scan. Amazing that you’re now having dye stealers! 🙌🏻 how exciting!!
You got your first positive on 10dpo didn’t you? I’m so nervous for testing this weekend. I know it’s only our first month, plus I’m 36 and had endometriosis, so I know the odds are stacked against us to some degree.

@Ivylilac I’ve used Early@home tests this month alongside the Premom app which scans the tests and gives you a score. I’ve found it to be really helpful and when I look at the tests alongside my temping and EWCM, I do think the OPKs were correct.
Thank you, hopefully cycle 2 will be the one for your BFP 🤞🏻

@SilverDrive I have booked one in for 30th April so I will be 7w3d so hopefully I can see something - I wish I could be scanned now cause I am just so anxious haha like - is this real???

Yes I did I got a vvvvfl at 10DPO which shocked me massively! That is exciting your going to test this weekend!! :) Sending you lots of baby dust! You never know what can happen, I honestly thought because I had never ever had a 'scare' and I had dodgy cells from a smear etc that I was convinced it would take me a very long time to conceive and it didn't which I am obviously so so grateful for!

@BeKeenPeachLemur keep us updated about your scan ☺️ so exciting for you!

@SilverDrive amazing, I’ll look into that too. I was originally looking at the clearblue digital ovulation kits, but I’ve heard mixed reviews from them, so I’m not sure whether to give them a go alongside another OPK to see if they match up at all? Last cycle I basically just went off my EWCM, which did stack up well against my predicted ovulation on my Flo app, so hopefully using all three methods will give me a lot more confidence in my actual ovulation date! By day 14 my EWCM seemed to have gone, so I definitely think I’m typically early with ovulation, somewhere between day 9-12.

@BeKeenPeachLemur only a few weeks to wait then! Look forward to hearing how it went and what you can see etc. How exciting!!

@Ivylilac so I originally bought the Advanced ClearBlue digital and they’re not cheap! I think I paid about £45 for 30 tests.
I started using them as per the app and I got low fertility for 2 days (empty circle) then I got high fertility (flashing circle) from 23rd to 31st. The app told me to stop testing if you get 9 high days without a peak - which I did.
I was gutted - thought I’d missed my peak.
I’d read a little bit on here about the Premom app and the Easy@Home tests, which at £20 for 100 tests, were a lot cheaper, so I just decided to start using them each day from 31st. With the intention to learn about my cycle to be honest.

On 2nd April I got a peak Early@Home and so I used the ClesrBlue one to see if it also picked it up, which it did. Had I have listened to the app, I would have missed it.

I also think the Premom app is a lot better and more info etc. so would defo recommend over the clearblue.
Not an expert by any means, but happy to answer any questions you may have.

@SilverDrive yeah this is what puts me off as they’re so expensive and I’ve read a few reviews where people have said they missed their peak altogether with them, but then equally I’ve read others where people have said it worked perfectly first time, so it’s hard to tell.

That’s interesting with your experience that it was basically the app that let you down as opposed to the tests themselves, which is reassuring that the tests do actually work, as some of the reviews I’ve read said they don’t work at all. I might get both for this month and see which works best for me and then if I don’t get pregnant on cycle 3, then choose one or the other for cycle 4!

@SilverDrive @Ivylilac waiting and symptom spotting is the worst. I did that too much last month as I had some cramps and other weird symptoms during my TWW which turned out to be nothing. I think in reality I was just noticing all these normal things that happen. I’m now 2DPO so just starting a new TWW and need to remember not to get too focussed on it all!

Ive used the clear blue ovulation testing these past two cycles which I found easy to use and I think picked up ovulation - they corresponded with the dates the Clue app I use suggested. But they are expensive so next month I need to look into the alternatives.

@Wiennetta it’s the worst isn’t it! I was absolutely convinced I was pregnant on cycle 1 and was even planning how/when we were going to tell people and then got a BFN, so I’ve found it’s very easy to get swept up in it all. I’ve found jotting down every single symptom I’ve experienced helpful, so that when it happens again in this cycle I can refer back and not get my hopes up again. Like you say, a lot of these symptoms are just regular things happening in our bodies that we wouldn’t even notice if we weren’t TTC!

That’s reassuring that you found clearblue worked well. I’ve bought some and I’ll start testing on Sunday I think, which should be the day after my period ends and will be day 7 of my cycle, so I’m assuming that’s a good time to start?!

@Wiennetta it is crazy what it does to your mind!! It’s just so hard to switch off to it all. But I don’t like this version of myself!!

@Ivylilac If you download the app and put in your last few cycles, it will tell you when to start testing.
If you have the advanced tests it will show high fertility once your estrogen spikes and then after that it will be searching for the LH spike which will then show your Peak fertility.
What I found really interesting though is that once you have your high fertility flashing face, you could literally keep testing with water and it will continue to show high fertility. It will only stop flashing if it picks up the LH spike, or if you don’t use the test for 3 consecutive days.
I would also test twice per day once you get to your known 5 day window, if not, you may miss your peak and never get the static smily.
it depends on how quick your surge is.

Hi ladies, I’m starting to use CB advanced digital for the first time this month .. as well as the easy@home that ive used the past 3 cycles.
First CB today was circle, which I think means low fertility which ties in to the E@H ones only 0.35.
I only bought pack of 10 tests.. so will only be able to test for another 9 days anyway. Fingers crossed I get the peak by then and haven’t started too early 🤭
Can I ask what app you use pls for the CB? x

Hi @mummm2 what CD are you on?
I used the CB cycle tracker. You can add your CB results into and it calculates your cycle based on your historic data etc. much like every other app.

@SilverDrive that’s great advice thank you! I’ll download the app now and see what it says about when to start testing and keep you updated! :)

I’m only CD8 today. I’ve just put my last cycles into the Clearblue tracker app and it says I should start testing on Monday which will be CD11. Oops.. I may need to order more tests!

@Ivylilac I’ve been testing from day 10. The first cycle, day 10 came up as negative and then day 11 was the flashing smiley and day 12 the static.

This cycle I got a negative on day 10 and 11 then a static smiley on day 12.

So the two cycles I’ve tested so far have been a static smiley on the same cycle day.

I have a shorter - 26 day cycle so it would make sense that I ovulate around day 12/13.

If you can maybe it’s worth trying to figure out when you expect to ovulate and test a couple of days before that? You could do from day 8/9 this cycle to figure things out, but you can always start later next cycle to waste less tests.

@Wiennetta that’s interesting! So the second cycle you skipped the flashing smiley and went straight to peak!? Did you stop testing then after CD12?
My cycles vary by a couple of days between last 3 cycles 29 days, 27 days, 33 days.

I think il just break the bank and order more to get to known my Ov days more! x