PMA Grads Thread :-)

[Dollydaydream2829]

Hey ladies,
We've finally made it to the other side and are journeying through the unknown territory of pregnancy! Here to share our stories, our worries and keep that all important PMA!
This is a thread for our PMA TTC Grads and for any women expecting their babies and feel like injecting a bit of positivity into their pregnancy journeys and the gang!
Feel free to join and introduce yourselves below :-)

Bella, got the opposite problem, had diarrhoea most of today and had it on and off in first tri. Was the same with DS. Not sure what is worse, constipation or diarrhoea. Maybe I'll get the former later on and find out! Hopefully you'll be able to get things going - not sure whether upping fibre, fluid and activity cuts it for pregnancy constipation or not, but fingers crossed you find something to do the trick x

Hi all!

Happy birthday for tomorrow @Soph!

@Dolly I'm 5 foot and 1/2 and inch it's almost like we're the same person! I have definitely popped in the past week too! I previously had like a line / crease across my tummy at belly button level but that has now evened out and my belly is properly rounded! I put pair of work trousers on that i wore to my 12 week scan and there was at least an inch and a half gap between the button and the buttonhole! 😂

@baking home your ds settles:)

Anyone using stretch mark cream? I got the palmers stuff though I'm not sure it'll make any difference!

@bella I flit between constipation and diarrhoea - 3/4 days of each. I'll take constipation any day haha!

@Amanda that's so sad for that girl :( Just try to keep positive, keep doing those affirmations and just believe that it will all be ok - because it will xo

I kno I need to get my PMA head back on. Only 7 days until my scan ha ha.

Aww happy birthday @Sophsta hope you have a lovely day.

Currently clockwatching at work ha ha. Roll on Thursday morning for some days off.

@Roseandbee are you having an early scan? Sorry can't remember if u said or not.

@Dollydaydream2829 how you doing on the nightshifts being pregnant? U ok?

Xx

Thanks @Moo31 currently reading them the now 👍❤️

Happy birthday Sophsta - enjoy your day!

Thanks Moo, DS was up and down every hours just about, but here's to a better day :) Last time round I used Bio Oil cream, as Home Bargains had it on a good price. Didn't have a single stretch mark, but then I didn't have much of a bump, so that might have been why rather than the cream.

morning all

Happy Birthday @Sophsta hope you have a fabby day 🎂 🎁

my toilet issue resolved itself this morning. WOW! i am usually very regular however hadn't been since Sunday. anyway, it appears i'm flitting between the two now too ladies 🙈

i am an obsessive moisturiser anyway so ill try anything for stretch marks. i'm currently using the spray on e45 moisturiser which seems to go a long way. i literally cover myself from head to toe every single morning after a shower (it's interesting to say the least trying to get tights on whilst legs are tacky). i use hand cream constantly and of course have a day face cream and a night face cream! i wonder where my obsession started?! hmmm i do wonder about myself at times! #slipperysucker

HUMP DAY, woo hoo. cannot wait for the weekend due to the good weather forecast. we still haven't uncovered our garden furniture! our nice days have been during the week OR of course it's been the weekend and nice but my hayfever was too bad to be out. still can't understand why there is no safe remedy for preggers sufferers! i do the honey thing but it's not working this year!

@bakingmad83 hope you get to catch up on your sleep at some point. i often marvel at how little sleep women can function on (iv never been 1 that can) so i'm in for a reality check aren't i x

@BellaMoon sorry for late reply. I work in Manchester a 5 min walk from arena. It really affected me,my hormones and everything. Not stopped crying. I had a friend at that concert,thank goodness he's alive. I'm on my way to Manchester terrified at the heightened threat level.

Anyway,PMA... my booking appt was full of questions about my health,family and partners health. I gave a wee sample and they couldn't get any blood out of me, nearly fainted. EDD still Xmas day until scan. Going back in 2 weeks to give blood
I nearly fainted and was in there about 50 mins with my 2yo. Luckily he was a star. I had no one to look after him so kept him entertained with books and Cbeebies app and snacks.

They weighed me and gave me my pack of bumpf. I'm so excited.

I think i need to start whacking on the bio oil. I got no marks last time when I used it but I'm preparing to be bigger this time.

I'm 9 weeks,anyone's nausea starting to ease
Got terrible bowel movements

That's terrible phase (hugs) it makes it all the more shocking and real when it's so close to home. I'm very glad your friend is ok. My best friend used to work in the arena but that was many years ago. What part of Manchester are you? have you looked in to see if your eligible for one2one midwives, they come to your home for appointments, so might be easier for you. They cover a lot of the northwest.

I'm using/going to be using the Lidl cien stretch mark oil

Amanda I may do my scan roughly the same time as you, 5 weeks 4 days today, trying to do it at around the 7 week mark. I'm going the docs on Friday, going to mention I've been mostly having left sided pain, although I'm not too worried because it's not severe but I guess there is a possibility they might send me for a scan

Hi ladies! Have been lurking on the ttc PMA thread and just wondered if you recent grads had any tips/advice on ttc?

I've been off the pill for several months and cycles have settled at 32 days. Period seems shorter and lighter than before going on the pill but gp thinks this is ok as long as it's regular! But of course I'm convinced I have some lining issue or something that'll prevent conception!

I'm almost 33, DH is 37 and we are ttc#1.

I have no idea where to start so bought myself clearblue dual hormone ovulation test to use this month but I wondered if you lovelies had any other tips to impart on a newbie?

OMF ladies... i stood up too quickly in work earlier and boss gave me a ticking off cos i hadn't eaten sooo made me... wait for it... a digestive biscuit covered in nutella!!! i did protect and tried to eat an apple but he insisted! LOOK

hi @SquintySquirrel 🙋🏼 i would totally recommend the SMEP plan, track your OV which you're already doing, some pressed/conception lube and finally, some conception vitamins for you and your DH.

have you heard of the SMEP plan? don't wanna explain too much if you already know. if not let me know and i can explain further.

my periods were much lighter after the pill too so i wouldn't be too concerned about that if the doc isn't.

oh and lastly, keep your PMA sky high if you can, i think that defo helps 😘

Thanks bella!

I have my PMA head firmly on! No I haven't heard of SMEP - if you can share any tips from it I'd be delighted to hear them!

My friend gave me an unopened tube of preseed that she didn't need (super fertile!) and so I have that but it expires soon so I think I'll order a fresh tube!

Can I ask how long you were ttc? I need to get conception vitamins for me and DH - I've read some conflicting info on which brand is best - does it make any difference?

spermmeetseggplan.com give that a wee read. it's basically having sex on particular days during ovulation. i did this exactly for the cycle i got my BFP 😊 i think everyone on here pretty much followed it to some degree!

i got his & her conception vitamins from boots. i think tesco do a good range too. tbh i think all the ingredients are the same so don't always go for the big health store brands!

i also used boots fertility lube as it was easily accessible rather than ordering online (not to mention the boots reward points lol).

there are other things like raspberry leaf tea (sent my cycle haywire but others swear by it) and pineapple which strengthens the uterus (or other lady bits) to promote implantation but someone else would need to give you the deets on them as i didn't pay much attention to the finer details of these.

my ttc journey was rather short at 3 cycles (i'm still in denial it's actually happened tbh). when did you come off the pill? x

Thanks for the link Bella! I've had a quick look and as I'm on CD9 I'll need to start DTD although with a slightly longer cycle I'm assuming my ovulation day will be later than the average but hopefully my OPKs keep me right!

So were you following SMEP for all three ttc cycles? My DH works shifts so some weeks we don't DTD nearly enough! Hence why I'm starting this journey trying to use all the available tools to maximise our chances!

I came off the pill about 8 months ago - we were using condoms for the last few weeks have stopped using them and now commence the ttc journey! Its so exciting and nerve wracking! You must be so delighted and I've read the previous threads and you're all so lovely and supportive to eachother!

Hi squirrel 👋

Like bella - I did a number of things to increase my chances. I took a fairly laid back approach the first 3 cycles without success so then started to use the ovulation sticks to make sure I was ovulating. On my 6th (and successful) cycle, I did SMEP and also used Pre-seed. Whether it was coincidence or not, who knows.
Ttc is an exciting but stressful time and I remember the positive stories and the info in how they get their BFP helped massively, mostly for my PMA!
Any more questions, ask away!

aw thanks @SquintySquirrel it makes such a difference to have a wee group to confide in. some of the info we share we wouldn't dare tell anyone else. how weird haha

it was/is the most excited but also nerve wracking experience of my life. i only really followed SMEP during my successful cycle, first 1 we shagged like rabbits which i hear actually isn't good for the doreen's (sperm!). 2nd cycle i lost track of my peggy (egg) when tracking and had actually ovulated early so missed my chance. 3rd and final cycle i was on it like it was hot! i even spoke to my period to give her a good send off so she didn't come back (this is a level of psycho i know i reached haha)!

i think shift work must be hard. my DH is same hours as me BUT tiny bit of advice during SMEP is don't do what i did and click your fingers and say "right, come on, it's SMEP time" as it totally takes the fun out of it. my DH (who would normally shag a hole in a barbers floor (pre me obviously)) got so disinterested in sex that it was a drag. definitely try to keep the spark in SMEP! hahahaha x

Thanks Dolly and Bella!

I don't want to go full psycho just yet and I'm casually (!) collecting useful information however I can tell already I need to try not to become obsessed as some months with DH shift pattern I'm going to really struggle to follow SMEP to the letter and DTD three days in a row - I'll give it a good try tho and hopefully with my OPKs telling me when I'm Ov'ing I can catch the egg!

I love hearing your BFP success stories! I'm so happy for you all and really hope I can catch some of the good luck!

Laughed my socks off at your shagging a hole in the barbers floor Bella! 😂

Rose luckily I don't have to go into Manchester for the MW appts as I'm based in Stockport and we'll covered there.

Welcome SquintySquirrel I swore by Raspberry leaf tea but obly 3x day upto ovulation. Good luck

Xx

don't worry too much about following smep to the letter, i did but i think it's effective if you follow the gist of it @SquintySquirrel good luck. keep us posted!

ps i loved my dual OPKs. kinda miss them! xx

Hi @SquintySquirrel so lovely to have you here.

I think the CB ovulation kits are the best they are very easy to read etc. That's what I used. However my last cycle I kinda of chilled out a bit and that's when I got my BFP.

@BellaMoon has gave all the advice I would have too. Get an app to track your periods etc I used the OVIA one and I think it was good.

I would also say my last cycle there I really watched what I was eating and was running/gym 3-4 times a week. I fell pregnant in September last year (unfortunately had misscarridge) but I do remember being really into exercising because I was going on holiday so I think that makes a difference for me.

Xx

oh and eating healthily too, loads of fresh foods! i hardly eat anything processed (well i did until last 2 weeks where iv gone off everything fresh!) lol x

Hi squirrel , what Bella said really. I vaguely followed smep but didn't do the last day. I think the dtd before oving was actually a big help.

Thanks for the birthday wishes everyone! Students have been difficult today but always are at this time of year. Slightly worries as the present from the baby was brown discharge. This is after the rjniwsr bit of red in my knickers after my last horse ride. There was nothing when I wiped but still worrying. I'm now stopping riding and I know logically that nothing happened that would have meant risking the baby (It was only a gentle hack!) But am still a bit worried. Anyone up for talking me down?

Discharge has stopped at this moment. No pain and no more blood.

Hi @squirrel I echo what the others have said - smep (I followed it loosely), vitamins (we used Tesco his n hers), conceive plus and raspberry leaf tea (3 cups a day up to ov). We were trying since last Sept, tried all these things for the 1st time in Feb and it was the cycle I got my bfp! Good luck and hope you'll be a fellow grad soon! :)

That should say tiniest bit of red.

@rose you had bleeding with your ds if I remember rightly? @Soph I think I read that provided it's not accompanied by pain it's nothing to worry about. Also brown means old so it's maybe just been dislodged but been there since implantation. Have you dtd recently?