The First Time Frolickers! More stories of TTC#1. All welcome!

[ImmaterialGirl]

A new thread for the First Time Frolickers and anyone else who wants to join in.

If you have been lurking for a while then now is the time to join!

Onwards for more BFP's!!

Sorry I've been in hiding ladies. Life has been a little on the hectic side, but I'm hitting a nice slow couple of weeks.

First, I want to say a huge congrats to Sevans and EmsieRo*! I'm very happy for (and envious of) you both. Hopefully more of us will be joining you soon.

Also, I want to say a big fat "welcome to the CA bar" to KKas! Every November, when results come out, I get all nostalgic about the year I took it. I don't know if everyone on here knows, but it is known to be the most difficult of the US bar exams! I'm pretty sure that I'm still scarred from when I took it. Every time I even think of moving, I quickly change my mind because I never want to take another bar exam. I have a feeling the baby-making will be much easier with that weight off your shoulders.

For now, I'm off to drink more grapefruit juice and do some house cleaning. I'm not due to O for over a week, but I'm hoping it
might happen a little early since I've been taking loads of vit B this month. Hopefully it doesn't push it back.

Ok, I'm off to start my cleaning. Good luck to those testing. I would put money on there being more BFP's very soon!

hello all, sorry for the radio silence, many congratulations to those with recent BFPs. Am in the midst of a very big case which is going to run for the next couple of months. full days in court followed by at least six hours of post court work every evening - probably not the most positive environment in which to conceive a baby but there isn't anything i can do about it at this point. we are going to bash on with ttc and hope for the best but i will be amazed if we manage it with this much stress and overwork. DH is as busy at work as i am. we definitely didn't have enough sex last month - blaming it on the job as usual - so this month we are going to have to fit in a few more strategically timed efforts. my major concern at the moment is that if i did get pregnant (which would be amazing) i would get morning sickness whilst the case is still running and throw up in court!! i spoke to my GP who was very snooty and rude about "career women" trying to fit in a baby - i was severely tempted to tell him to f*ck off, as my plan is to scale back my very much worked for career substantially as soon as a baby arrives, but he said that feeling sick is far more common than actually vomiting is, and that you can safely take drugs like cyclizine which will stop you actually puking. then i asked my doctor sister if there were any drugs you can safely take for morning sickness, to which her sarcastic response was "yeah - thalidomide". very reassuring. anyway, that's enough rambling on from me for now. keeping my fingers crossed for everyone gettin BFPs this month.

Hi everybody.

Weirdly, AF didn't arrive yesterday. I know it would have been quite early if it had done but I've never had such bad cramps before without having been just about to start/having just started my period. So now I don't really know what's going on... Anyway, no point dwelling. Maybe they were ovulation cramps and I'm on a long cycle! No way of knowing! Not really even any CM to go on!

Okay, I have another question! Seems like a few of you are career women - Kkas, Aly and Addie - you're all lawyers? Calyx - you're a physiotherapist? Dunno what the rest of you do..? But what do you think you'll all do about maternity leave? I know you've said you think you'll scale back on your workload, Addie, once your baby's born, but what about everyone else? How long do you think you'll take off? Is there anybody who thinks they'll go the old fashioned route and give up work altogether after having their baby? Anyone whose DH plans on staying at home? Do you think becoming a mum will be a huge adjustment for you in terms of your careers?

Addie - I think your GP sounds like an idiot, by the way... Hopefully you'll be ale to transfer to someone else when you get your BFP?

Sunday's List:

Sky27 TTC#1 cycle 3 UCL 24? CD87
chico193 TTC#1 cycle 4 UCL36 CD65
Homebound TTC#1 cycle 3 UCL 30-32 CD53
Muser TTC#1 cycle 1 UCL? CD49
Stellybelly TTC#1 cycle 1 UCL? CD49
Hamsterlover TTC#1 cycle 1 UCL34 CD42
Zippys TTC#1 cycle 6 UCL28-39? CD33
CJ2007 TTC#1 cycle 5 UCL26/7 CD32
NovemberAli TTC#1 Cycle 1 UCL 30? CD30
kkas TTC#1 Cycle 4 UCL?? CD29
pixiestix TTC#1 cycle 5 UCL28 CD29
claireinthecommunity TTC#1 (taking a short break from ttc) cycle 6 UCL29-31 CD24
WhiteRoses TTC#1 Cycle 2 UCL23-49 CD22
YorkshireTeaDrinker TTC#1 Cycle 13 UCL 30 CD19
Kaloki TTC#1 cycle 1 UCL 28 CD19
honeymoo TTC#1 cycle? UCL? CD16
aly323 TTC#1 cycle 4 UCL 30-? CD12
addie81 TTC#1 Cycle 2 UCL 27 CD12
Calyx TTC#1 cycle 6 UCL 25-26 CD10
bunnygirl80 TTC#1 cycle 2 UCL 29 CD10
chalky3 TTC#1 cycle 4 UCL40 CD8
vix206 TTC#1 cycle 2 UCL 27 CD7
Ozziegirly TTC#1 cycle UCL 27 CD6
blueberry noo TTC#1 cycle 2 UCL 31-32 CD 4
Confuseddoiordonti TTC#1 Cycle 1 UCL 27-28
CD?

Graduates:
Trying4Baby1 BFP 21Aug
Kaystar BFP 27Aug
Pepperonipizza BFP 12Sep
Fulhamgirl BFP 18Sep
Ladyemmalou83 BFP 13Oct
bluesnowfalcon BFP 14 Oct
Spirael BFP 7 Nov
Curlycasper BFP 11 Nov
TishTosh21 BFP ???
Sevans BFP 15 Nov
EmsieRo BFP 16 Nov

Need to change mine. It appears my cycle is a little **ed.

So it's now
TTC#1 cycle 2 UCL ? CD1

Hi all,

Just catching up after a few days of busy-ness (work and DIY). Congratulations on the exam result Kkas. Hopefully you'll be able to get down to TTC in earnest without the worry of exams looming.

In answer to your question Whiteroses I'm hoping to take a full year of maternity leave and probably go back to work 4 days a week (I might struggle to get permission to go even more part time and I don't think we could afford for me to work less than that). My mum lives fairly close by and would help out a lot with childcare. If that wasn't the case I might have a different opinion. I'd rather earn less and have more time with my child, rather than pay a stranger to look after them. But I've no qualms at all about leaving my child with my Mum.

However, I'm trying to not get too far ahead of myself when it comes to planning what I'd do. We need to conceive first, and that is proving pretty tricky!! However, I believe I ovulated at the expected time this month and whilst we missed BDing on the day itself (DH is working v long hours at the mo and was asleep by 8.00pm - I hadn't the heart to wake him up and insist he perform ) we had managed it the day before, so I'm hoping that might be enough.

I wish I could just quit work and be a stay at home mom. I'm going to do all I can to take at least four months off, and if we can swing it, I'll do six. We're saving up now. DH is an EMT, so he'll try to switch to two 24 hour shifts a week so that he can be home as much as possible. If need be, he'll go part-time. Also, his mother and father (who live in the Czech Republic) have said that they will fly over and stay for as long as we want. I think they're talking years. I might actually be ok with that for the help. This would be great since we don't have any family here. My mother passed away and I'm not close with my father.

My job won't do part-time. However, I may try to go for a lower stress position once I have a baby. Problem is, like Addie, I don't know how I'll ever get pregnant with job stresses the way they are. I managed to get this month cleared up (if I O on time), but next month, I'll be handling a murder trial. I have a feeling that stress might cause some O problems!! I also worry about how being pregnant might affect my ability to do my job. I hear that it's hard to concentrate, you forget things, etc

Sometimes I think I just want to get pregnant so that I have a great excuse to put my career on the back burner. I know I really want a baby for many, many other, better reasons, but I'm just saying... mommy track sounds pretty good to me.

The work issue is an interesting one.
I am a barrister, which means self employed and no maternity pay, but also flexible about when and where i do my work unless i have a court committment. my plan would be to take six months off completely, and then go back. i would love to take a year off but this would be too expensive i fear, and i would lose the practice i have worked so hard to build up. when i went back I would try and keep my diary free of court commitments two days a week, although i would not always be able to do this. my plan would be three days of childcare a week, probably comprising two days at a nursery and one day with my mum. we couldn't afford for me to give up working altogether, and i wouldn't want to, but it would be very unfair on a baby for me to keep up my current pace. my husband is a partner in a law, firm so also works a lot, but is sufficiently senior to be a bit flexible, so if i had to go in for court on one of my two days off, he should be able to work from home for part of that day and be with the baby. i don't think there is any perfect solution to the work/family question for women of our generation, and i also don't think there is such a thing as having it all. it will be rubbish for my career to have a baby but its a sacrafice i am happy to make!

updating the list for kaloki don't dispair - i had a really short cycle last month too and this month it seems to have returned more or less to normal. treat yourself this evening with something nice and look at it this way - soon you can get back to bding

thanks for all the congrats guys. i still really can't believe it, as aly said, it was a very hard test and i am still recovering from the trauma of it! but am just glad the hard work paid off and we can really get down to the TTC

i still do not know what we will do about going back to work. i will def take at least 6 months off, and hopefully can extend it to 1 year depending on how much we have saved up. my dh would love to go part time too, so we might both go down to 4 day weeks, which would mean 3 days of baby care. dh's mum lives nearby and currently does not have a job, so hopefully she would help out. if not, we'll have to use a nursery i suppose. i'm like many on here, in that i don't think there is a perfect solution for all families, and know it will be very difficult, but the sacrifices will def be worth it of course we have to get pg first!!! one step at a time....

still no sign of AF. if not here by tomorrow am, will POAS

Sky27 TTC#1 cycle 3 UCL 24? CD87
chico193 TTC#1 cycle 4 UCL36 CD65
Homebound TTC#1 cycle 3 UCL 30-32 CD53
Muser TTC#1 cycle 1 UCL? CD49
Stellybelly TTC#1 cycle 1 UCL? CD49
Hamsterlover TTC#1 cycle 1 UCL34 CD42
Zippys TTC#1 cycle 6 UCL28-39? CD33
CJ2007 TTC#1 cycle 5 UCL26/7 CD32
NovemberAli TTC#1 Cycle 1 UCL 30? CD30
kkas TTC#1 Cycle 4 UCL?? CD29
pixiestix TTC#1 cycle 5 UCL28 CD29
claireinthecommunity TTC#1 (taking a short break from ttc) cycle 6 UCL29-31 CD24
WhiteRoses TTC#1 Cycle 2 UCL23-49 CD22
YorkshireTeaDrinker TTC#1 Cycle 13 UCL 30 CD19
honeymoo TTC#1 cycle? UCL? CD16
aly323 TTC#1 cycle 4 UCL 30-? CD12
addie81 TTC#1 Cycle 2 UCL 27 CD12
Calyx TTC#1 cycle 6 UCL 25-26 CD10
bunnygirl80 TTC#1 cycle 2 UCL 29 CD10
chalky3 TTC#1 cycle 4 UCL40 CD8
vix206 TTC#1 cycle 2 UCL 27 CD7
Ozziegirly TTC#1 cycle UCL 27 CD6
blueberry noo TTC#1 cycle 2 UCL 31-32 CD 4
Kaloki TTC#1 cycle 2 UCL ? CD1
Confuseddoiordonti TTC#1 Cycle 1 UCL 27-28
CD?

Graduates:
Trying4Baby1 BFP 21Aug
Kaystar BFP 27Aug
Pepperonipizza BFP 12Sep
Fulhamgirl BFP 18Sep
Ladyemmalou83 BFP 13Oct
bluesnowfalcon BFP 14 Oct
Spirael BFP 7 Nov
Curlycasper BFP 11 Nov
TishTosh21 BFP ???
Sevans BFP 15 Nov
EmsieRo BFP 16 Nov

"updating the list for kaloki don't dispair - i had a really short cycle last month too and this month it seems to have returned more or less to normal"

Thankyou, that's actually really reassuring to hear

kkas that is wonderful news about the bar exam - massive congratulations!

No other news from me. Off on hols on saturday for a week, right in the middle of my cycle, but hopefully next month will be a bit more hopeful.

As for the working question, I'm a lawyer too. I hope to take off around 9 months and then go back part time, 3-4 days a week.

I could take longer as DH has a well paid job, but I like my job and have worked hard to get where I am (Senior Associate). Plus the money is a factor.

Good luck with anyone testing/shagging over the next couple of weeks. I'll probably be off the site for the next couple of weeks as my parents arrive in Oz so I am going to be out and about.

Hello, sorry for the lack of posting I have been so busy with work at the moment. I only came on to have a quick read but actually miss you lot so much I have decided to put aside afew mins to post, but please excuse the quick typing.

Well as you may have seen from the list below I am on Day 1 again!! I still feel sick so think I may have to go to the docs as it not down to being pregnant!! I am now on cycle 7 and getting quite upset by how long it is taking, but hopefully with Christmas coming up I should be able to take my mind off it a little and you never know. If no luck this month then I am going to use a clear blue monitor I think in the new year.

Congratulations to kkas I know how hard it is to study and work at the same time so huge congrats

With regards to work I am a partner in an accountancy firm and have worked really hard to get here. But I have worked this hard so early so I can have children. I have tailored my whole career around having children by the type of firm I work in and the type of work I have specialised in. I have always known that children are the no 1 thing in my life work has to fit around that, yet I am also very career minded. But to answer your question I want to go back part time, maybe three days a week after 9 months off, if that doesnt fit in with my current role I can go self employed and then work it around me. I am also lucky we dont need my wage (it is nice but we dont need it) so if I wanted to stop work my dp would not have any issues with it.

Anyway must get back to work, good luck to anyone testing x

Todays list
Sky27 TTC#1 cycle 3 UCL 24? CD88
chico193 TTC#1 cycle 4 UCL36 CD66
Homebound TTC#1 cycle 3 UCL 30-32 CD54
Muser TTC#1 cycle 1 UCL? CD50
Stellybelly TTC#1 cycle 1 UCL? CD50
Hamsterlover TTC#1 cycle 1 UCL34 CD43
CJ2007 TTC#1 cycle 5 UCL26/7 CD33
NovemberAli TTC#1 Cycle 1 UCL 30? CD31
kkas TTC#1 Cycle 4 UCL?? CD30
pixiestix TTC#1 cycle 5 UCL28 CD30
claireinthecommunity TTC#1 (taking a short break from ttc) cycle 6 UCL29-31 CD25
WhiteRoses TTC#1 Cycle 2 UCL23-49 CD23
YorkshireTeaDrinker TTC#1 Cycle 13 UCL 30 CD20
honeymoo TTC#1 cycle? UCL? CD17
aly323 TTC#1 cycle 4 UCL 30-? CD13
addie81 TTC#1 Cycle 2 UCL 27 CD13
Calyx TTC#1 cycle 6 UCL 25-26 CD11
bunnygirl80 TTC#1 cycle 2 UCL 29 CD11
chalky3 TTC#1 cycle 4 UCL40 CD9
vix206 TTC#1 cycle 2 UCL 27 CD8
Ozziegirly TTC#1 cycle UCL 27 CD7
blueberry noo TTC#1 cycle 2 UCL 31-32 CD 5
Kaloki TTC#1 cycle 2 UCL ? CD2
Zippys TTC#1 cycle 7 UCL34 CD1
Confuseddoiordonti TTC#1 Cycle 1 UCL 27-28
CD?

Graduates:
Trying4Baby1 BFP 21Aug
Kaystar BFP 27Aug
Pepperonipizza BFP 12Sep
Fulhamgirl BFP 18Sep
Ladyemmalou83 BFP 13Oct
bluesnowfalcon BFP 14 Oct
Spirael BFP 7 Nov
Curlycasper BFP 11 Nov
TishTosh21 BFP ???
Sevans BFP 15 Nov
EmsieRo BFP 16 Nov

Hi everyone,

Well, I took a test this morning and it was a BFN. I'm trying not to feel too disappointed. AF would have been due today if I'm on a short cycle, so I guess it's good that she's not made an appearance yet! If I'm on an average cycle, today should be 13DPO. The tests only start working from 11DPO so I'm still potentially quite early. And if I'm on a long cycle, I'm extremely early, because then I'm not even due to ovulate until Thursday! Just wish I had some way of knowing what's what. I think what I'll do now though is leave testing again until Friday (assuming no AF before then!) Friday seems like a good day because it's when average-cycle-AF would be due, but is also my day off, so if I were to get a BFP (how good would that be?!) I'd be free to make an appointment to see the doctor that same day.

Today's a big day anyway! Pixie and Kkas - you're both testing too? Anyone else? And of course it's Fulham's first scan! Very exciting! Can't wait to hear how all of you get on!

Kaloki - sorry to hear about AF. Hope you did do something nice last night to make yourself feel better, like Kkas suggested!

Yorkshire - that's dead handy, having your mum so close to you. I think I think pretty much like you do, that I'd rather make sacrifices in terms of income, than have a stranger look after my baby. Glad to hear that you feel you're in with a chance this month too. When will you start testing? About another week?

Gosh, Aly, your in-laws sound so supportive! Lucky you! It'll be nice for your baby to have your DH at home a lot too. My dad worked away at sea when I was growing up and I loved it when he was home on leave. Some of my friends barely saw their dads because they weren't home until nearly bedtime each night.

Addie - I guess that's the thing, just weighing it all up. But the way I look on it, time's bound to fly by and before we know it, our "babies" will be wanting to be off, spending time with their friends, not sitting at home with us. And at that point, we'll have all the time in the world for our careers. Meantime, it's just a case of finding a balance that we're happy with, isn't it?

Kkas - again, you're lucky to be near family. To be honest, I don't think I could be contemplating doing this if we didn't have family nearby! I think I'm going to need all the help I can get!

Emsie - again, you sound like you have it pretty sorted. Eight weeks doesn't sound long, mind you! But I guess that depends how physical your job is too..?

Ozzie - yeh, it must be really hard to be facing giving up something you have worked so hard for... Still, lots of benefits! Anyway, hope you enjoy your holiday and your time with your family. Sounds like it's happening at once with you!

Monday's List:

Sky27 TTC#1 cycle 3 UCL 24? CD88
chico193 TTC#1 cycle 4 UCL36 CD66
Homebound TTC#1 cycle 3 UCL 30-32 CD54
Muser TTC#1 cycle 1 UCL? CD50
Stellybelly TTC#1 cycle 1 UCL? CD50
Hamsterlover TTC#1 cycle 1 UCL34 CD43
Zippys TTC#1 cycle 6 UCL28-39? CD34
CJ2007 TTC#1 cycle 5 UCL26/7 CD33
NovemberAli TTC#1 Cycle 1 UCL 30? CD31
kkas TTC#1 Cycle 4 UCL?? CD30
pixiestix TTC#1 cycle 5 UCL28 CD30
claireinthecommunity TTC#1 (taking a short break from ttc) cycle 6 UCL29-31 CD25
WhiteRoses TTC#1 Cycle 2 UCL23-49 CD23
YorkshireTeaDrinker TTC#1 Cycle 13 UCL 30 CD20
honeymoo TTC#1 cycle? UCL? CD17
aly323 TTC#1 cycle 4 UCL 30-? CD13
addie81 TTC#1 Cycle 2 UCL 27 CD13
Calyx TTC#1 cycle 6 UCL 25-26 CD11
bunnygirl80 TTC#1 cycle 2 UCL 29 CD11
chalky3 TTC#1 cycle 4 UCL40 CD9
vix206 TTC#1 cycle 2 UCL 27 CD8
Ozziegirly TTC#1 cycle UCL 27 CD7
blueberry noo TTC#1 cycle 2 UCL 31-32 CD 5
Kaloki TTC#1 cycle 2 UCL ? CD2
Confuseddoiordonti TTC#1 Cycle 1 UCL 27-28
CD?

Graduates:
Trying4Baby1 BFP 21Aug
Kaystar BFP 27Aug
Pepperonipizza BFP 12Sep
Fulhamgirl BFP 18Sep
Ladyemmalou83 BFP 13Oct
bluesnowfalcon BFP 14 Oct
Spirael BFP 7 Nov
Curlycasper BFP 11 Nov
TishTosh21 BFP ???
Sevans BFP 15 Nov
EmsieRo BFP 16 Nov

BFN for me too. Wasn't surprised though... really don't feel pg and temp has pretty much leveled off, so I think I'm just waiting for AF to come now. If I go by FF, it will probably be due on Thurs, so I will hold off testing again til Saturday if AF is not here by then.

Sorry, I'm so bad for that... I start a post, get distracted halfway through, come back to it and by the time I finally post it, someone else has posted too! I'm going to re-post Zippy's list again now though, so that it's under mine, where it should be.

Zippy - good to hear from you but sorry about AF. It must be very frustrating. But you just need to focus on the fact that a doctor won't even look at you till you've been trying for a year, so there's nothing to worry about yet. Hope your sickness clears up soon though...

Zippy, that's great the way you've been able to work things out around having children. It's a very fortunate position to be in, too, where you don't HAVE to work if you feel you don't want to.

Right, here's your list again - sorry about that!

Todays list
Sky27 TTC#1 cycle 3 UCL 24? CD88
chico193 TTC#1 cycle 4 UCL36 CD66
Homebound TTC#1 cycle 3 UCL 30-32 CD54
Muser TTC#1 cycle 1 UCL? CD50
Stellybelly TTC#1 cycle 1 UCL? CD50
Hamsterlover TTC#1 cycle 1 UCL34 CD43
CJ2007 TTC#1 cycle 5 UCL26/7 CD33
NovemberAli TTC#1 Cycle 1 UCL 30? CD31
kkas TTC#1 Cycle 4 UCL?? CD30
pixiestix TTC#1 cycle 5 UCL28 CD30
claireinthecommunity TTC#1 (taking a short break from ttc) cycle 6 UCL29-31 CD25
WhiteRoses TTC#1 Cycle 2 UCL23-49 CD23
YorkshireTeaDrinker TTC#1 Cycle 13 UCL 30 CD20
honeymoo TTC#1 cycle? UCL? CD17
aly323 TTC#1 cycle 4 UCL 30-? CD13
addie81 TTC#1 Cycle 2 UCL 27 CD13
Calyx TTC#1 cycle 6 UCL 25-26 CD11
bunnygirl80 TTC#1 cycle 2 UCL 29 CD11
chalky3 TTC#1 cycle 4 UCL40 CD9
vix206 TTC#1 cycle 2 UCL 27 CD8
Ozziegirly TTC#1 cycle UCL 27 CD7
blueberry noo TTC#1 cycle 2 UCL 31-32 CD 5
Kaloki TTC#1 cycle 2 UCL ? CD2
Zippys TTC#1 cycle 7 UCL34 CD1
Confuseddoiordonti TTC#1 Cycle 1 UCL 27-28
CD?

Graduates:
Trying4Baby1 BFP 21Aug
Kaystar BFP 27Aug
Pepperonipizza BFP 12Sep
Fulhamgirl BFP 18Sep
Ladyemmalou83 BFP 13Oct
bluesnowfalcon BFP 14 Oct
Spirael BFP 7 Nov
Curlycasper BFP 11 Nov
TishTosh21 BFP ???
Sevans BFP 15 Nov
EmsieRo BFP 16 Nov

Aww, Kkas... Was really hoping for you. Now we're just looking for Pixie... Wonder how her internet's doing?

That was very negative! No AF yet, there's still hope!

Sorry about your AFs Kaloki and Zippy.

WhiteRoses and kkas - It is very frustrating getting a BFN and not knowing whats going on, but Whiteroses you are right - "No AF yet, there's still hope! "

Ozzie - hope you enjoy your time with your parents.

I'm also self employed as addie. DH and I run our own business which has two different sides to it, music being one of them. I help out in the other side of the business but my main job is within the music (singing). Until recently both sides were around 50/50 in terms of what money they brought in, this year we've been marketing heavily a sub side of the other side of the business and we've landed a few contracts already, one of them an ongoing one which we're really pleased about.

Our plan is to scale down the music and build up the other side of the business, so that I can take as much time off as I need whilst PG and in the early years. We can take as many music bookings as I feel comfortable with (baby sitters pending) and I can have as much or as little involvement in the other side of the business as I would like. We just need to make sure we're earning a similar amount of money to stay afloat - like everyone else I suppose

I'm back, but with no good news, sorry.

CD3 for me

Haven't read any of the thread yet, so going to catch up with all your news before I post any more.

Hi Claire and Pixie. Aww, Pixie - I guess, yet again, there's always next month... When I think back to how careful we were with contraception in the past, it's almost funny! They drum it into you from such a young age that it's so easy to get pregnant... Yeh right!

Claire - that sounds like a pretty ideal situation to be in with work. So what sort of music are you into, if you don't mind me asking?

Oh pixie, sorry to hear that, I'll be back to TTC next month - let's hope we both get our BFPs And everyone else of course

I don't mind you asking at all WhiteRoses. DH and I go out as a music duo, DH plays the guitar and we both sing. We play at pubs/clubs/functions (wherever we get a booking) and we play right across the board, from rock n roll/country/disco/pop/mowtown/soul/rock/blues - whatever the situation and audience requires.

The duo's been going for 5 years now and I've gotten so much from it, my confidence has improved and it can be great fun and something that DH and I can do together, although, sometimes it can feel just like a job and we can't wait to finish and go home

I love the ability to dress up for work, I've got some lovely stage dresses which I would never normally get the chance to wear. You can also 'be someone else' for a few hours, which is a great escape - I don't want to loose that after having a baby, I think it will be important for me and DH to retain a small piece of us that was us pre baby. And it will earn us money, even if it's not as much as before due to working less.

And yes, I do feel that I'm (we're) in a good position (work wise and financially) to start a family. It's taken us a long time to get here though, we've been together almost 7 years and married for 3 1/2 and with me not getting any younger (I'm 33) I feel it's the right time - My health just needs to remain stable (fingers crossed) .

Afternoon all! Apologies for the few days of silence from me, my parents were visiting over the weekend which has kept me busy and away from my PC!

I'm currently around 5 1/2 weeks, Fulhamgirl. Still feeling fine, WhiteRoses, not much in the way of symptoms aside from my chest aching. However I think it's starting to catch up with me... I lost count of the number of times I needed the bathroom yesterday and I'm not sure whether or not I might feel a little sick this afternoon. Though that could be the Spatone I'm trying to drink!

I'm not sure whether or not I count as a career woman... It's not anywhere near as exciting as others here, but I work full time with data, chained to my desk with an unhealthy number of monitors. I'm intending to take my 6 months of maternity leave, then come back to work full time afterwards. Possibly working from home occasionally, if I can swing it.

Meanwhile DH (a trainee accountant) is planning on dropping down to part time to care for DC (and study), then we'll have to find a nursery / childminder for the rest of the time as we have no family nearby. We could manage on one salary (as long as it's mine!) but it would be tight.

Anyway... Sympathies to everyone that's had AF arrive. Hopefully some festive spirit will help with the attempts over the coming weeks and there'll be lots of exciting BFPs for Christmas.

Spirael, it's good to hear from you , hope the sick feeling doesn't come to much and your chest begins to ache less soon.

Like you, DH and I don't have any family close by, I've considered how this would affect us when a baby arrives and even though it's a little sad that our child(ren) won't have other family members in their life very often, we do have some close friends and neighbours who will be very much apart of their life.

Again on the plus side, other than actually gigging and being on site for a specific contracted time, which is usually no more than one day per job, all of our rehearsal time and computer work (which the other side of our business revolves around) is done from home - meaning DH will be around most days .

hello lovely ladies! Thought I'd follow spir back over to check up on you all.

Congrats on the exam kkas! I'm very impressed

Good luck for the scan ful. I'm having one on the 7th, at 7+5 weeks.

And massive good luck to the TTCing frolickers. sorry for those hit by AF, but there's still plenty of time for BFPs by Christmas. and if not, you can enjoy a good drink .

Lovely to hear from you Curly .

Looking forward to you coming back on after your scan and letting us know how it all went.

(I must of missed fulhams post regarding her scan, I hope it goes well too! ).