Anyone here TTC?

[SchnitzelVonCrummsTum]

I'm hoping to start TTC baby #4 in August. Is there an existing larger families TTC thread / group, or does anyone else fancy joining me? The groups in the Conception topic don't really seem like a good fit ...

I'm 34
3 children (4, 7 & 8)
3 miscarriages before child #1

It looks very nearly positive so you probably just missed the peak, it probably would have been positive at a different time yesterday. Mine was positive on Friday and then when I tested yesterday there was only a very faint line, so definitely negative.
I would go by cm anyway.

We DTD every second night leading up to ov too but I think we are done now we really probably should do once more tonight but I don't think the swimmers that are left (if any) are of much use anyway 😂 I know absolutely nothing about male fertility or how often sperm are produced. We spend so long focusing on and obsessing on our own bodies!

Looks like we are on the 2ww together anyway
I have 5 IC strip tests. I think I'll start from 10dpo. I think my first positive on those before was 11dpo

I thought for a minute that was a pregnancy test My digital ovulation monitor must be super dusty in the cupboard and what a waste money It was. I always promised myself not to obsess with ttc but never managed not to

Thanks Annabelle4. I'm 35 soon to be 36. The thing is both my dp and I think that the age gap is just going to get a bit bigger than we would like so we don't have much time to think it over.
My pro side is purely based on having another little baby so not sure if it's the right frame of mind to decide in as thinking about sleepless nights and more chaos does scare the he'll out of me and thinking dp is possibly not feeling the baby wine as much as I do so it is literally a daily yes and no opinion swapping around

Welcome to the thread @Mumof3cheeky, as you make your decision. I know what you mean about time feeling pressing. OBEM makes everyone I know feel broody - I wonder how many babies it is responsible for, nationally? ;)

@Annabelle4 - it sounds like you've got your bases covered conception-wise, and it's fine to stop. Heroic effort all round; just thinking about fertile week is making me feel tired at the moment. Hurrah for being in the 2WW (which obviously goes much slower than any normal fortnight) :) Re: chances per month, with good timing your odds are actually higher than 15% (I can link the info about this if you want to read more ... it reassured me!)

@Everythingnow - that's a great looking test. With positive yesterday, and that test today, sounds like ovulation is either imminent or has happened - with every other day it seems like you have it covered.

As for me, AF arrived last night! I've never been so pleased to see her. We are GO for TTC this month xxxx

Apologies if I missed anyone, visitors have just arrived ...

Hi girls I'm 34 & dp is 40. We have a ds 12, dd 9 & dd4. We've spent the last 2 yrs struggling to decide weather or not to have a 4th child and we've finally decided to go for it as we're not getting any younger lol. I have an appointment to get my coil removed on Wed so won't be officially trying until September.

Last time I got my coil removed in may and was pregnant by the end of June so hoping for the same this time round.

This will definitely be the last child for us so excited and nervous at the same time. Does anyone else feel like 4 kids seems like alot?

Great news about AF @schnitzelvoncrummstum! Exciting times

Welcome @poptart4, I get what you mean about 4 seeming a lot, i think we all have worries. Mine are around the age gaps but I think I'd regret more not trying.

@annabelle4 I really don't want to test early but I know I have zero will power. Also we will be on holidays until 19th so would be tricky to test while away. Do I buy some cheapies and take them with me or not?? I think it's pretty unlikely to fall first month, it took 5months with dd2, but the other two I wasn't ttc. Certainly dd3 was a one time wonder.... but you still hope that you might get lucky.

@mumof3cheeky, wouldn't that be a fab bfp pic!

Hi girls, so I've told a couple of close family members that we are planning a 4th child. Big mistake

Alot of sarky comments and eye rolling. Why do people feel the need to tell you how to live your life? As it is no one else looks after my first 3 dc, no one else pays for my first 3 dc. Myself and my partner do it all ourselves so if we have a 4th it's not gonna make any difference to anyone but us! So mind your business!

I wouldn't mind but one guy has 4 kids himself. When I pointed this out he said "yeah, but mine weren't planned"..... Seriously...

Lesson learned, I'm saying nothing else to anyone else until I'm pregnant.

Poptart4, that is awful but exactly why I wouldn't tell anybody that we are ttc.
At least when/if you're announcing a pregnancy, there's an actual baby so they won't feel the need to give you their opinion and unless they're total arses, they should congratulate you.

This 2 ww is dragging. 3 dpo 😑

That's awful @Poptart4, I'm sorry you had to face that reaction. It's your life, your family and you know what's best for your particular circumstances. Telling my family is what I'm most scared of too, particularly my parents. They only had one child (me) and I think they feel that 3 is more than enough. I'm going to have to imply that #4 (if it happens!) was an accident I think :( Anyhow, if it's not a slightly odd thing to wish someone, I hope that your coil removal goes smoothly tomorrow (they should make a greeting card for that )

@Annabelle4 - it's crazy how slowly the 2WW seems to pass, isn't it? I always think that the school holidays go quite slowly anyway - is this your experience too?

@Everythingnow - what have you decided re: taking tests with you? You could tuck some cheap ones in your suitcase to give yourself the option, and wouldn't have to use them unless you felt the urge. Sorry, I'm a bit of a POAS enabler. I will be at a conference in Italy when I'm due to test and will certainly be taking tests and sanitary stuff with me to cover both bases ...

As for me, AF almost over but only CD5 tomorrow, so a while yet to wait.

I had some blood tests done on Monday and persuaded the Dr to run my FSH and LH levels as she was taking blood on CD3 anyhow. FSH is 7.9 and LH is 6.8 so not too bad for my age but definitely a reminder that it's not good (for me) to wait much longer.

Annoyingly, I also came back as anaemic with low levels of white cells :( so taking iron supplements and hoping that the white cell results are just due to having caught another virus from the kids. Dr is re-testing the white cells on Thursday to confirm that the virus is the reason ... really hoping not anything more serious.

@poptart4 I've told my mum and sister and they've been lovely. I've wanted to tell friends but just worried about the reaction, not the having 4 but going back to babies after quite a bit of a break.

Schnitzel, I just don't know! I can be really rational right now and say I'll just have a nice holiday and see what happens when I get back...but.... I also know that I'll be searching around for chemists on the sly if I don't take them.. Ill order some cheapies.

Oh and good luck with the tests on Thursday schnitzel

Schnitzel, I have no idea what those results mean, but good to know that they're good results and should mean that you will conceive quickly? Is it something to do with ovarian reserve? Just another thing for me to google on the 2 ww 😂 I hope the other result will be ok, I'm sure it will. I think, but I'm not sure - it might have been some very minor infection somewhere in the body and will have passed. That happened to me before, I had bloods for something else and they showed an infection that I had no symptoms of, and it passed again.
Good luck anyway!

Sorry, but I'm laughing at you having to pretend that it's unplanned I did that for number 3! It was sort of true. We had been ttc for ages and ages, but no luck, so I stopped thinking about it and tracking it and had decided I was happy with 2. My periods were very irregular anyway so I didn't take any notice when I was late. I was feeling a bit funny one day and took a test and it was a strong positive - I was so upset because I had no idea how far along I was, and I had been doing everything you shouldn't (wine etc). I went for a private scan and luckily I was miraculously about 4 weeks when I had tested, so I had no need to worry about anything.
My family were lovely and supportive but I think that's because they thought it was unplanned. They have never even joked about or mentioned a 4th, and do pass comments about other people that 2 is enough.

EverythingNow, I'd definitely bring them with you. It would kill me not knowing. Hope you have an amazing holiday
How many dpo are you now exactly?

I think 3 or 4? I'm pretty sure I ov'd Saturday or Sunday (not wholly sure how it works with opks) as it looked like I'd just missed the surge Saturday.

I'm the same. Fingers crossed for both of us

@Everythingnow - sounds like a plan re: the cheap tests :) So you'll be about 5 or 6 dpo now (although if you ovulated on Sat - with surge on Fri - you'd be 7 now)? Not long to go. I meant to say before that i hope you have a lovely holiday...

@Annabelle4 - hope your 2WW not dragging too much. What else are you up to? Are the kids having a good holiday? Yes, the FSH is ovarian reserve. I'm hoping it means a quick conception but am steeling myself for a bit of a slog - i think it's self preservation not to want to hope too much! Luckily my next white cell test has come back better so it's exactly as you experience re: a virus I think.

CD7 now and period over so vaguely planning next week's action. Have decided not to go mad on supplements like evening primrose oil in case I mess up my usually well behaved cycle!

Ah thanks @Schnitzelvoncrummstum, all packed up (including my secret stash of cheapies) and ready to go in the morning! I'm glad to hear your results are better too. Do you plan on using opks next week?

I will be keeping my eye on this thread so @Annabelle4 please keep updating! And I will too..if anything happens

So we are 7dpo EverythingNow?! How are you?
I genuinely had really awful af type cramps yesterday, which has never happened so early on the 2ww. Of course I've been wondering if it could have been implantation, even though 6dpo would be early, and I'm not even sure if you do feel it at all. Might have been a coincidence or obsessive symptom spotting.

So glad your blood test is ok again schnitzel. Are you ok to ttc this month so? I know you mentioned needing your wisdom teeth removed?
The kids are enjoying the holidays but they're beginning to drag a bit. I'm looking forward to the routine of school, but not the early mornings

How is everyone else? Thread has gone quiet.

@Annabelle4 I am having the same thoughts. Was loading the dishwasher this morning and a strong sharpish pain in the low down in the middle of my uterus. It lasted about 30seconds.

Given that I didn't notice anything in any of my pregnancies I think it's likely to be very wishful thinking in my case! I also have wet cm and tingling boobs!

When will you test?

@Everythingnow and @Annabelle4, not to give false encouragement but 6/7dpo is ideal time for implantation to be starting ... ;)

The school holidays are already feeling like they've been going on forever ... especially with the wet weather, we're running out of stuff to do! I'm trying to read drafts of MSc dissertations for my students whilst keeping kids occupied this weekend, although my parents are also here to help (DH is away running a fell race).

@EverythingNow, I had to laugh when you asked whether I'd use OPKs - not laughing at you, but at myself! I am a test addict. In fact, I may well share any hard to interpret tests on this thread so if anyone else likes to squint at lines then I would love company. I'm currently taking part in a trial of the ClearBlue app with ovulation predictor (measures oestrogen and LH to give a 'fertile window') but using it alongside my old faithful internet cheapies (onestep). So apologies in advance for test overload next week. Currently, at CD8, I am just willing time away til I can start...

@Everythingnow - yes, I think it's safe to go ahead with TTC this month. Wisdom teeth extraction is on the day of projected ovulation so hoping it won't mess anything up too much ...

Everythingnow, I'd love to say Thursday at 12dpo, but I probably won't be able to resist and will test on Tuesday evening at 10dpo (I weirdly get stronger lines in evenings rather than fmu).
What about you? When did you all get your positives with your others?
I've seen posters on the conception board getting them at 9 dpo

It won't be long before you can begin your testing Schnitzel, and unleash the POAS addict again!!
It felt so strange for me to use opk's this month as it was 4/5 years ago when I last used them for DS, and we've been soooo careful since he was born (that's how sure I was that we wouldn't have 4) that I don't think I've done a hpt since I've had him either.

Hope you're all enjoying the weekend

With dd1 I was late as I realised I hadn't had a period for a while.

DD2 I tested positive 5 days before my period was due.

DD3 I tested (albeit with a digi) the day before I was due and bfn then again the day after and got a bfp on the second digi in the pack.

So I'll probably test tomorrow as I have zero will power and lots of cheapies

Ha unsurprisingly bfn this morning, neither surprised or disappointed as I'm only 9dpo.

How's your willpower @Annabelle4?

Oh no 🙈 so much for will power! You're so right not to be disappointed though, 9 dpo would be very early for a positive.

I'm holding out but only because I have just 5 IC tests. I got a big bulk of opk's and 5 hpt's. So I think I'll use them from 10-14 dpo which is tomorrow.

Don't think I'll be too disappointed if negative the first month or two. I'm starting to wonder if a due date over Summer holidays would be better, so the kids would be off, for a few weeks at least. I will have 3 different morning drop offs and 3 completely different collection times too - that's the trouble with a big gap!
Bfp this month would mean end of April EDD, even though that would be lovely too.

Have you started testing schnitzel?

I almost told my sister last night. She has one, and doesn't think she will have any more, so I do feel a bit mad going for #4 when she tells me her reasons for sticking at 1 or 2 though. I know she'd be supportive and excited if I was to tell her that I'm pregnant though

I would add a photo of the boring (negative) opk from today but cannot work it out on the app! Anyone know how? Xx

I don't know, sorry.

I saw some on the conception board are getting faint bfp's at 9/10 dpo so I couldn't resist testing. BFN, obviously.... No matter how much I tilt it and hold it up to different lights and windows!!!

Will try tomorrow again.

Better luck for all of you testing 💐