Morning all, am working from home today, so have a chance to check in.
Thanks for link to programme Rose (and thanks to your mum!).
I did acupuncture for 3 or 4 months at the end of last year/beginning of this one. It obviously didn't help me get pregnant, but it did really help me regulate my temperatures, and I also found it really helpful having somebody to talk to about TTC and also general life stresses, and then she does something afterwards based on what you've said, so it feels really cathartic. Plus you get a lovely floaty feeling, and it makes you feel very calm. I'm starting again, and had my first session last week. Missed my session this week, but am booked in for next week. It IS really expensive, but once I've had it weekly for a bit, I'll probably go to fornightly again, plus, she gives me a slight discount, as I said I was worrying about money. So I pay £40 a session instead of £50. It's a lot, but I budget it in.
I'm currently on CD 20, and officially "due", I've had some spotting yesterday and this morning, so pretty sure AF is on her way. I'm slightly disappointed, but trying to put that aside and focus on a fresh month, especially as this month seemed pretty unlikely due to early ovulation.
Fot those of you suffering with stress, I highly recommend meditation - I use the Headspace App, and feel about 150% better since I've started doing it twice daily. I mean, I feel properly much less anxious, more calm, less stressed. It really is amazing!!
Annabelle I get a sense you are a bit of a hippy/alternative gal at heart like me. I would highly recommend Emma Cannon's books. They give you really good, practical advice on diet, supplements, temperament and how that can effect TTC, mindfulness. They're kind of like a holistic guide to TTC. Anyway, I really like them, and am hoping having followed her advice last month will put me in a better space for the months to come, and am hoping for a longer cycle next cycle.
I have a question - I know people on here have been TTC for varying amounts of time, sounds like from 2 years plus. What I'm interested to know is: do you all feel that every month you tried your best, but didn't achieve pregnancy, or do you feel, like me, that actually about half that time was either, bad timing, not even able to have sex during fertile window due to travel (for example), I also had a few months of "that's it, I'm taking a break! And sort of "giving up" for a couple of months, and not doing it at the right time... Or months I've written off, due to stress.
I say this, because I still feel hopeful because we will be able to achieve pregnancy, as I feel there have been so many wasted months, one way or another that I feel that if I just calm down, eat well, look after myself, de-stress and try not to obsess. It could happen... I also have a strong urge for it to happen naturally - I totally support those of you that want to do IVF, and I admire you hugely, but I feel I just won't be able to cope with the stress. But lots of my family (who I have told) are losing patience with me, and don't understand why we've not gone down a very medical route... Don't get me wrong, I've had my bloods, and they were all fine, and I had an ultrasound, which was apparently normal, but the docs said we needed a SA before they would do any more investigations on me, and DH was reluctant! Anyway, he's about to get that done in the next few days, and then I will talk to the doc and get more investigations, but I wonder whether any of you can identify with my feeling of "we've just not quite had the right circumstances yet"... I also have my age to consider, as I am 40 in March next year, and doc says they won't do any investigations after I turn 40. Eek! Also, how did I get to 40?? It just doesn't seem possibe! But that, my friends, is another thread!!