Want to ask some of you successful ladies what helped get your BFPs (temps/OPKs/saliva)

[frustratedpants]

Hi ladies,

Can I gatecrash from TTC to ask you lovely ladies what you think helped you get your BFPs?

Did you chart Basel temp? Look for saliva ferning? OPKs? Or the JS method?

Can someone explain the temp charting one to me please?

Tbh & I'm not being funny, the month we concieved after loosely "trying but not trying" we just dtd lots & lots that month every day from cd6-cd24(sometimes twice a day) Crazy I know but I seriously was a woman possessed, we got our bfp 2 weeks later... not sure if it made a difference but I was taking prenatals since october xx

I have no idea what OPK or JS is! I had a pretty regular cycle so I used the clear blue ovulation sticks (didn't use them every day started on about day 6 till I got a smily) Plus I took pregnacare conception plus vitamins. I stopped drinking for a few months and DH cut down (a lot). I didn't have the time or patience to chart temp so not advice on that one, sorry.

I used OPKs as my cycle was quite irregular (varied from 32 to 40 days) and "every other day" wasn't an option for us due to long hours etc. I have PCOS and OPKs reportedly often don't work for people with PCOS (too many positives) but they did seem to for me.

I couldn't be bothered with charting, you may be best off asking in Conception about those as I know there are many devotees.

However, just getting the timing right wasn't enough for us. After about 9 months of TTCing I had blood tests which detected underactive thyroid. I was put on thyroxine. 2 months later (month 11 of TTCing) had a BFP and am now 21 weeks pg.

I also took conception vitamins, we both cut down on caffeine and alcohol (but didn't cut out), we used preseed and I had acupuncture. Any of these may well have helped. But personally I think it was the thyroxine that did the trick.

Best of luck, I know how frustrating it is.

I'm guessing JS = Just Shagging?

You're speaking a foreign language. I had unprotected sex (with my husband) whilst getting on with my life. It took a while the first time round (over a year) but I just couldn't face having something so unpredictable taking over my life. It took a while (15 months), and I was just starting to consider ovulation tests when I found out I was pregnant.

How long have you been at it?

Sorry that sounds a bit arsey reading back, I was actually typing the foreign language bit smiling. What I actually mean by my post is, in my experience just go with the flow if it's early days, if not then lots of other lovely ladies will be able to advise.

Although I do seem to get pregnant every time I sign up for a half marathon.

I tried and failed with opks (I used super cheapies so maybe that's why) we DTD every other day or every few days at least, used preseed, I did temp chart but got preg that first month of doing it so never really got a chance to use it - except to know that we had probably DTD at the right time (have you used fertility friend? I found it useful to make sense of temping!).... I would say, that in hindsight, I wish I'd just relaxed and enjoyed making a baby with the man i love instead of constantly stressing about it! (we had a mmc and I got a bit obsessed with getting one to stick!) although i do know that it's very easy for me to say that now we're on the other side of it (I'm 28 weeks)..... I wish you lots of luck for a sticky one very soon

at i had unprotected sex

Only been trying for 3 cycles. so I know it's not long. but your answers have actually been useful.
plan of action is- take appropriate vitamins, shag lots, and not to pressure myself.

See if I'd relaxed and not thought about it too much, I think I still wouldn't be pregnant now. I needed to get blood tests done to find out my thyroid issue.

However, 3 cycles would be a bit early for further tests best of luck.

minipie I think I may be ruled out of further tests as already have 2dds, I am just being greedy want another. Although is good that some planning (and subsequent tests) picked up your thyroid problem.
i got a lot bit obsessive with TTC 1st, (about 14mths TTC there) and a well timed accident had sex once conception, with the 2nd, so looking for some middle ground. And seeing what has worked for others.

I am not sure what all those abbreviations stand for. We dtd (twice) when I ovulated. I am lucky enough to know when I ovulate as I can feel it.

I think what helped me conceive in the first month of trying was that I was on no artificial contraception for 10 years. I came off the pill at around 23 and I have always had a regular 25 day cycle.

ahopskipandafurryone the signing up for a half marathon thing worked for me too! Signed up for Liverpool half 2011 & 2012 and ended up pregnant and pulling out of both races (sadly MMC in 2011 but currently 30 weeks pregnant this year).

I did the pee on a stick ovulation thingies and only bonking on presumed fertile days and we ended up stressed and miserable. Both times I got pregnant it was just from having unprotected sex every other day all month. First time after 10 months of trying (but first month of that method), 2nd times the first month of trying.

So I swear by that uncomplicated strategy!

Hi just wanted to wish you goodluck!

I also have 2dd and am pg with our 3rd (14.5 weeks). I wanted to be pg with my third just as much as I wanted our 1st and, like you, wanted to be pg NOW!!

Although we were very lucky to fall pg the first cycle trying each time, it actually took us 5 months (3 cycles as had 2 mc) to fall pg with this one. Anyway all worth it now, fingers crossed.

I can tell when I'm ovulating as have ov pain and very obvious cm and just made sure we dtd every 2 days at that point. What age are you? We had our first at 22 (yes I know it was young!) and are now 31. 3 cycles is still very early - easy for me to say I know. Best of luck!!! x

You could try using:

• Pre-Seed lubricant... sperm friendly and comes with special applicator to put it up "there" before you DTD. Note that normal lubricants and saliva cause sperm to deteriorate

• Instead SoftCups... originally designed as an alternative to tampons (to catch menstrual flow) a lot of people swear by them to assist conception. You just put one in after you DTD and it stops leakage and keeps sperm close to the cervix.

Both available on Amazon.

Having been to one of the top IVF clinics and one of the top urologists in London (we had very severe male factor problems), I can tell you that the advice, for most people, is to DTD every couple of days throughout most of your cycle, rather than once/twice every day. The reason for this is it gives time for the sperm count to replenish. However, for certain male factor problems (eg DNA fragmentation) they advise to do it every day as the sperm need to be as fresh as possible.

Just to add that I have also not taken any form of artificial contraception, pill etc, since age 22.

It took us almost a year and I got pregnant the month I started charting, having just been having lots of sex before that. I don't know whether we were missing the best days beforehand or if it was just coincidence, but by that point it helped to feel that we were doing something about it and not just getting upset at each period. I didn't expect it to take that long and didn't know that it can be entirely normal and I think the whole 'you must use a condom or you will get pregnant' speech that was drummed into me by my mother when I was a teenager meant that I kind of presumed we'd do it once and that would be it!

frustrated having prior children would rule you out of IVF but not out of having tests. It's quite possible for someone to have previous children but then something change which stops them getting pg later on (eg thyroid, infection, hormonal changes). Doctors will test for these things even if there are previous DC. Bit early in your case though as I say.

Saliva microscope- broke and never really figured it out. Waste of money.
CBFM- really worked for me but £££
Cheap Amazon OPK's- you can get loads cheap and I tested 2x a day along with CBFM.
Clear Blue OPK (ones with smiley faces) - give you a clear answer but ££. Once I was confident with the IC I stopped using them.
Preseed/ConceivePlus- used full applicator every time we dtd the two times I got pregnant (first was mc). Noticed I didn't have much of my own CM.
Both times I got pregnant we only dtd 4 times including my first high on CBFM and the two days I had + OPK's as I did not have the energy to dtd all month.
Acupuncture- a few sessions after mc
Biocare prenatal and VegEPA fish oil

We had sex every other day for a month. before that we did 'just shagging' as and when.

Started the day AF left, and did day on day off until I got BFP (at next expected af day)

Temping, OPKs and charting to ensure I was ovulating. I was. We shagged with intent to avoid pg on that first month, for timing reasons.

Second month, I kept up the charting, OPKs etc., and we dtd every day on CD10-16ish (I was sick on either side of that anyway, so that's how it would have panned out in any case). I also took pure guaifenesin three times a day during that time, and elevated my pelvis after sex.

We were pregnant on the first month trying.

We had a LOT of sex. This is my fourth pregnancy (2mcs) and I have got pregnant on the second cycle the first three times and the first cycle this time. Just lots and lots of shagging and then sticking my bum on a pillow for ten minutes afterwards seemed to work for us. Not so good at staying pregnant unfortunately.

WTAF is saliva ferning???

Hiya, I may have been freakishly lucky but was really worried that being 35 and with thyroid probs we'd be in for the long haul, and lots of friends were struggling and warning me not to wait.

Following years of wanting to avoid pregnancy id forgotten the biology of actually getting pregnant so had to look it up (!) We had a go one cycle based on what id worked out and my friends advice of ' every other day' (fertility docs advice) And then realised i could find the ovulation window tricky as my cycle was 25/26 days (I thought). I (embarrassingly) got an app to have a look at both it and my cycles and then found my cycle did vary occasionally when put in data from previous year. the app worked out the average length and est ov date too.

Then I had a funny cycle which may have been pregnancy (36 days) or weird cycle but we were too early then too good to test so I decided I needed more info 'just incase' and started taking temps and also an opk.( all a bit scientific but I worried about going through the 2 years of attempting my close friend had) The temps I found could be entered into the app and created a ready made graph.

That month worked - basically we bd'd according to the predicted time on the app (a bit before and after) and I recorded temps - also tried that lubricant too. The opk was rubbish, it stated it should be quite dark, only one day was a little smidge darker than the rest and looking back that was the day before I ovulated according to temps and the app. But i thought I hadn't ovulated that month till the temps stayed high and we got bfp!

So what actually worked was bd almost every other day during the 'fertile' period - and possibly the Lubricant? - the temps would have told me ovulation info for future times definitely! Several friends who have/are trying haven't known about/tried the lubricant.

It felt a little clinical I have to say and i'll never know if would have happened without but definately knowing my cycle much better helped.23 weeks now. It turns out my thyroid levels had been very good for some time before which helped (had a rocky ride since) and I did take pregnacare for 3 months before which is one of the few with iodine in to support my thyroid. A consultant recently recommended that for people with thyroid probs to support conception, but 3 good daily servings of dairy can provide enough too. (yoghurt best)

All the best!

pontouf saliva ferning involves licking a microscope slide and peering at it (down a little microscope), during ovulation the pattern it makes looks like a fern leaf pattern (plant)

Sorry epic retell, started writing ages ago and had a nap! Thyroid stuff is bane of life so apologies for banging on!

To second minipie (waves!) It's worth asking re the thyroid test if you continue with no success after trying other things - its possible to be subclinical (body working hard to make the thyroid stimulating hormone tsh to keep the thyroid making the metabolism hormone thyroxine (t4) going, so limited or no symptoms) top end tsh is around 4 or 4.5 - this might be deemed acceptable by some doctors, deemed borderline problematic (and so treat) by others. If 5 it would be slightly treated. for people who are treated for thyroid they try to get the tsh down to below 2, as low as 0.5 even. But only really a cause for concern if no success ttc long term. During pregnancy everyones thyroid function changes and the thyroid actually grows a little (egyptians used a cord round the neck as a pregnancy/ chastity measurement test) Thyroids can be mildly changed long term after the usual post baby wobble all women have. Or pop at any time! (mine did aged 20)

Huge debates currently about routine screening for thyroid probs but not looking likely, however a relatively cheap and easy test to do if you are wondering and get no success after doing all of the above suggestions!!!

That's a weird mixture of gross and lovely! Every day's a school day eh?