The Official TTC Thread!

[fisherofmengirly]

Hi everyone!!!

I did change my avatar, and it''s pretty Santa''s hat means CHRISTMAS is coming!!!

Yay!

And today my husband brought me breakfast in bed. He rocks!!!

***
Today''s temp was the same as yesterdays. Bleh. Not sure if I ovulated or not, but I''m thinking I did on CD 23. Otherwise, I''m not an ovulater this cycle, and that''s sad. So, yeah, I think I did on CD 23. I guess I''ll know when the cycle ends. If it''s 14 days past CD 23, then I''m right. If not, I''m wrong.

Here''s the chart. I still think if my temps weren''t so varied at the first part of the cycle, it would indicate ovulation. Or maybe if I didn''t have that dip on CD 26, I would have gotten crosshairs.

Really, I have no idea. I just like to analyze and I probably don''t have enough of an understanding of the whole process to be doing that too much yet.

 

[fisherofmengirly]

ChinaCat,

I''ve always heard that up to 6 weeks of pregnancy, you''re not sharing blood with the baby, so meds before then should be fine. I''m like you though, I don''t like the idea of chancing it.

 

[ChinaCat]

Thanks InLuv. Would definitely check with doctor, just curious if it was an issue later.

Forgot to say, Happiest Birthday wishes to Fisher and DRK!

Fisher- weren''t you really sick for awhile? I can''t imagine that wouldn''t screw with your chart. Try to relax and assume you O''d, just the chart is screwy this time, and hopefully you will get your answer soon enough. Hope this time flies by for you. And yay for breakfast in bed- what a sweet hubby!!!!

DD- thinking of you and your Grandpa.

 

[fisherofmengirly]

DD,

I missed the post about your grandpa and can''t find it!! I know when I was posting so often about my mother-in-law, you said you had an ill family member, too. I''ve been thinking and praying for that person, and I hope that your whole family is doing well. Share the spirit of happiness; it helps more than we can imagine!!

 

[Dreamer_D]

Thanks for your well-wishes about my grandfather China and Fisher, much appreciated.

Fisher I am sorry to say that I don''t think you ovulated... typically your post-O temps are in the mid 98s, and your temps are still down in the 97s. Sorry I can''t be more posiitive, but it just doesn''t match your usualy pattern...

 

[lovelylulu]

dreamer - thinking only good things for your grandpa.

 

[peonygirl]

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!!

We made a great spread for my family, who flew in from across the country. BTW, here is my current chart. I''m still befuddled.

 

[Pandora II]

Peony, are you charting CM and cervix position as well? That might give you more of a clue as to what is going on.

At the moment it looks anovulatory to me I''m afraid - unless you get a high temp tomorrow in which case you might have O''d 3 days ago.

 

[steph72276]

Hey, guys. Still visiting with the family, so the computer is limited, but just wanted to say thanks for all the kind words and CONGRATS to SABINE!!!

So, we told our parents in 2 different ways. We told the inlaws at dinner. Andrew did his prayer and then at the end added in "and thank you God for the new baby". It took them a minute for it to sink it, but then everyone was crying and hugging. It was awesome. Then we went over to my parents'' house and Andrew had on his big brother shirt and said, look at my new shirt. They read about half of it and said "really?????". They were in shock too, and so happy, so needless to say we have had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Hope everyone else had a great Thanksgiving and wishing luck to everyone that''s trying!

 

[littlelysser]

Hello ladies - Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving! Mine was quite nice - my folks came into town, so we had a nice small gathering. My mom did the cooking. Good stuffs.

On the TTC front, I'm not sure what's going on with me. I am either 11 or 13 DPO. Last month, my LP was either 11 or 12 days...AFF sort of came late evening on the 11th day...

I've had some spotting/tinged CM for the past three days, but still no period. No cramps either, really. I temped today for the first time since I got crosshairs and my temps are still high - but not as high as they were when I got my BFP. So, I have no clue what is going on. I guess I'll test tomorrow if my temps are still up and AFF still hasn't shown up. I will tell you that I absolutely, 100% do not feel prego at all. Not one bit. Maybe a bit weepy, but well, I'm kind of a nutter anyway...so who knows what that could be from.

Happy belated Bdays to DrK, In-Luv and Fisher!

Oh, and belated congrats to Steph.

Festy - Hope you are having a nice time in Arizona! Your chart looks phenom! I hope you get a BFP soon!

Fisher - I'm sorry about not O'ing. That just stinks. Sigh. I am sending many O vibes your way!

Peony - Good to see you around. I agree with Pandora, it doesn't look like you've O'd to me, but what I don't know can fill a canyon! O vibes your way!!!

Lulu - I'm sorry that I can't provide any information regarding your chart. But based on what you posted a couple days ago, it doesn't look like you O'd. Maybe your body geared up to O and changed its mind? Possibly? Have you had an subsequent rise in temps?

BB, In-Luv - How are you guys doing? Anyone else testing sort of soonish?

Amber - Hope the gangrene has cleared up some!

DD - Wishing you peace and strength as you deal with your grandfather. I'm sorry.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 11/25/2008 11:33:33 PM
Author: Festy
Hey guys, just popping in quickly before heading off to bed. Thanks for all the info on sushi. I did end up partaking and enjoying every minute of it!

Sabine, thanks for posting your chart and describing your symptoms. Bummer that there is no more testing for you...I can see how that would be a bit of a let down.

Robbie, thanks for the social history! I''m so glad for the two of you.

I had a big temp spike this morning but DH has convinced me not to take a test...I''m glad he did. Plus, no sore boobs for me. If they were sore I''d probably run out to the drugstore! Well, maybe one is a little bit sore.

I''ve missed a bunch of people! I hope you''re all doing well. If my temps are still high tomorrow I may test but I probably won''t be able to get back on line until Thanksgiving or thereabouts. Happy turkey day everyone!

CD?/11 DPO

Festy, update needed asap!

 

[Dreamer_D]

Hey Lysser will you post your chart for this month? I know you didn''t temp post-O but I would love to see it anyways...

 

[peonygirl]

Hey Pandora! Temp went down today, unfortunately. I was checking CM for a while, but there doesn''t seem to be any additive value for me as it tends to be hard to interpret--yet ultimately match my other signs,--so I haven''t done it this month. I''m just ready to get my period and start a new cycle! Thanks for your feedback.

 

[littlelysser]

Hey guys - quick update. Temps took a nosedive, so I''m out for this month. Sigh.

I am afraid I''m going to end up one of the women who got KTFU quickly, miscarried and then never got prego again. Supposedly the three months post mc are supposed to be very fertile. Apparently not. Great.

Hope everyone else is having a good day.

 

[Festy]

Hi guys, I won''t keep you in suspsense...I''m out. Sorry to get your hopes up! Took a test on DPO 12 and got a BFN in the bathroom at a Burger King somewhere between Phoenix and Prescott, AZ. The funny part of the story was trying to find a pregnancy test in the Walgreens in Sun City - a huge retirement community! Not a lot of fertility-related products there! That gave DH and me a good laugh. The temp spike was a serious fakeout. I felt bad for DH - he shed a few tears at some cowboy cafe/roadhouse place where I broke the news to him. I really wanted to take a test before we saw his mom. I knew if she saw me not drinking she''d get her hopes up. Here''s my chart...I expect AF today.

In other frustrating news, I''m sorry about these confusing charts! Fisher, Peony, I feel for you and share your frustration, although it is of a different sort for sure.

LL - I''m sorry this wasn''t your cycle.

InLuv - how do things look for you?

 

[buttercup80]

Hello all! This is my first post here, but I know some of you from BWW. . .

Originally, DH and I were going to wait a little while before TTC, but. . . we feel ready so we are TTC in a sort of laid back kind of way for now - meaning no charting, none of that, but no BC either. I made an appointment with a gyno next week - I have never been (I know, bad) so I thought it would be a good idea to get checked out. I quit drinking coffee as a weight loss measure a while ago (because I like it with milk and sugar) so I''m just going to continue forgoing the caffeine and I''m going to ask the doctor to recommend a vitamin... anything else I/we should be doing?

Thanks!

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 11/29/2008 11:14:55 AM
Author: littlelysser
Hey guys - quick update. Temps took a nosedive, so I''m out for this month. Sigh.

I am afraid I''m going to end up one of the women who got KTFU quickly, miscarried and then never got prego again. Supposedly the three months post mc are supposed to be very fertile. Apparently not. Great.

Hope everyone else is having a good day.

LL I think that is a wives tale/myth, so I wouldn''t take it to heart. It took one of my friend''s about 5 months post-mc to get preggo, and another 2 months... I think it is just like TTC at any time! Chin up sister!

 

[peonygirl]

Buttercup, welcome to the group!! Starting a prenatal vitamin is great (the extra folic acid needs to be in your system for 3-6 months in order to help prevent neural tube defects), and you might want to try DHA/fish oil too (great for the baby's developing brain and your health too!). Also, I would start exercising moderately if you don't already do that. Your DH's health matters too, of course!

LL, I'm sorry that you're having a rough time. One of my friends (who is 8 months pregnant!) revealed to me that she had an early miscarriage and then despaired about getting pregnant again because after the miscarriage she stopped ovulating consistently. Well, with time (and Clomid), she obviously did get pregnant again! I'm pulling for you!

Festy, I'm sorry about your BFN.

 

[sunkist]

Peony, in what form do you take dha/fishoil? Pill or liquid?

Hi Buttercup! Yay for TTC

Hubby and I are just starting too. I like Peony''s suggestion of starting an exercise routine if you don''t already have one. I''d been wanting to start one before getting pregnant and finally did start 2 months ago. I feel great already and can''t wait to see how it helps with a pregnancy/birth. That is, provided I keep it up the whole time.

Good luck to you and your hubby!

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 11/29/2008 5:44:27 PM
Author: sunkist
Peony, in what form do you take dha/fishoil? Pill or liquid?


Hi Buttercup! Yay for TTC

Hubby and I are just starting too. I like Peony's suggestion of starting an exercise routine if you don't already have one. I'd been wanting to start one before getting pregnant and finally did start 2 months ago. I feel great already and can't wait to see how it helps with a pregnancy/birth. That is, provided I keep it up the whole time.

Good luck to you and your hubby!

I'm not Peony but they sell DHA under the brand name "Lipil" specifically for preggo women from safe sources, it's in a yellow box usually near the prenatals. That is what my OB has me on.

 

[InLuv101]

Hey everybody!!

I hope you all had great Thanksgivings with tons of food and fun!

Festy -- I''m soooo sorry for your BFN. I was so sure you would have good news this cycle. I know it''s always hard for me when I can tell that my DH is sad by a BFN, but good to know that he wants this as bad as I do.

LL -- Sorry that your temps went down

Buttercup -- Welcome to the TTC journey! Everyone else has already given you great advice. My only tip is listen to and do whatever DD says!

Peony -- Sorry you still dont have any clarity as far as your cycle goes.

As for me...its 10 DPO. Still no temping for me. Waiting till 14DPO to test if AFF doesn''t show. Having some weird prickly feelings in my boobs. Don''t quite know what to make of it. Fingers crossed for this cycle.

 

[peonygirl]

Sunkist, I use a pill form from the brand Nature Made. It's available at most drugstores. I picked it because there was a recent reputable study of brands, and this one has undetectable levels of mercury. Sorry, but I don't have a link to the study! My DH has been taking it along with me, and his blood pressure is way down. It's great for cardiovascular health too.

Edited to add: here are some other good brands I wrote down when I was researching the topic: Omega Brite, Nordic Ultimate, Sundown, Kirkland, and CVS.

 

[sunkist]

Thanks NF and Peony! I''ll keep my eye out for those brands.

 

[fisherofmengirly]

Welcome Buttercup (cute wedding shot!!),

Getting on a prenatal is a great idea. They say the longer you take one prior to becoming pregnant, the better. Any over the counter (that has the alloted amounts--check the label) should be fine, if it''s of quality. I''m on nature''s own.

***
Festy,

Sorry about that negative test. I hate those stupid things!

***
LL,

Grr on nosediving temps. I''m sorry. Onward and upward, my friend.

***

InLuv,

Good for you waiting it out. I try to be that strong, too. But sometimes it''s hard. Hoping all good things to come!!!

***
As for me, CD 34. On my birthday (CD 30), the fertile CM came back (although I''m not charting it on FF) and then yesterday and Friday I had nosedives and today my temp shot up to either 97.89 or 98.01, depending on the temp you go with.

So, here I am hopeful that I ovulated this time. Haha. This makes the 4th time I''ve thought that on this crazy cycle.

Early yesterday morning I was feeling slight, tiny cramps and I thought it was the onset of the period, but now I wonder if maybe it was ovulation. No clue, never felt any sign of ovulation before.

Anyway, off to church, but that''s my news.

Hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving (and for our non-United States residents, a wonderful weekend)! I spent a lot of time with Paul''s mom and discovered a new love: painting. I am going to make a little Christmas village for Paul (one each year or so at Christmas). I''ll try to post my first, the Stone Mill. I was really surprised with how cute it turned out. Paul''s mom is an incredible painter and she gave me hints and tips, but I did it all myself. Haha. Paul still doesn''t believe me because "it''s really awesome looking." I guess he thought it would look like crapola. (So did I, honestly.)

 

[drk]

Fisher - so sorry things are still dragging on after such a nice cycle length last time. Hope you get some obvious signs of O having happened soon!

Lysser - sorry to hear you''re out for the month. I hear you on the fear. That was almost worse for me than the miscarriage the first time around. Which was bad enough on its own, but the fear that it had taken us over 2 years and lots of meds and tests to get pregnant even once, and now we''d never manage it again was horrible. After the second loss, I''ve gotten even more paranoid that I have bad autoimmune or infection problems that are causing recurrent miscarriages. Well, I''d say the positive is that your chart looks fantastic, and given how quickly you and DH got KTFU the first time, I''m almost certain it''s just a matter of being patient through a couple more cycles. You have a great LP, fantastic temp rise, nothing that would make me thing there''s anything wrong with your cycle. Just hang in there!

Kate

 

[Sabine]

Awe, Lysser, I''m so sorry about AFF. I know this is going to sound crazy since it''s not really based on anything, but I''m sure everyone''s bodies take different amounts of time to totally rebound after a m/c, and for some reason it seems to me like your body is still recovering. It might take some patience and time, but I''m SURE it will happen again for you.

Dr. K, I''m keeping you in my thoughts as well. You have been through so much, and it''s time for you to have a baby already!

Festy, sorry about the BFN. It''s so funny that you had to find a test and take it on the road, and your dh''s reaction was so sweet/sad. Hopefully it will be next month for you!

Fisher, it sounds to me like you may have FINALLY O''d this month! Did you get in some good bding the past few days???

Welcome Buttercup! It''s great that you want to take a laid back approach to ttc, but I will warn that reading this thread can lead to serious baby brain which makes crazies like me obsess! I didn''t even make it through one month without starting to temp!

Inluv, keeping my fingers crossed for you! Do you know how long your lp usually is???

Hope you all don''t mind me continuing to hang around here even though I''m pregnant, I just can''t wait to hear about all your success stories too!

 

[fisherofmengirly]

Drk,

You know, when I start to feel all this pity for myself that I''ve not become pregnant yet, I think about others like you and some others who have been on this thread for much longer than I have, and I feel like a brat. I mean, you''ve been through so much. It''s truly my wish that you will not only become pregnant soon, but also continue to carry the baby full-term, then raise up a healthy child. I wish this same thing for Ebree and Amber and Blushing, who I know have been going through the drama of a broken heart with the end and beginning of each new cycle, for far too long (I think, anyway).

The really great thing about this thread isn''t just in being able to vent, but also in seeing the success of others and being able to be encouraged by them. And I''m just waiting for the day when I get to rejoice with each of the frequenters to this thread (here for a month or two years).

I think that sometimes Paul is of the opinion that my visiting this thread leads to me being depressed when others become pregnant when we''re still not. I don''t know if it will become that way eventually or not, but now it''s like this awesome, exciting thing. And I do think it''s really as supportive place to be. And odd as it is, I feel like I have a friend who''s gotten pregnant each time I read those excited posts. It''s awesome. It provides hope.

We''ll all get our day. We will.

***
Speaking of that, Sabine, I''m glad you''re sticking around to hear good news. I hope you get a lot of it SOON, too. I read up on the Preggo thread for the same reason, wanting to know how my previously non-pregnant buddies are doing while pregnant. It''s fun and it''s good to read up and have an idea of what I''m getting myself into.

We have maintained the BD line since CD 14, with an off day here and there (I think three days in a row is about our normal during the BD phase). So, if I have in fact ovulated, we should be covered. If I haven''t ovulated, I would really like to just stop this cycle and start a new, more productive one. Time will tell.

Remember the question a while back about what''s more frustrating: the two week wait or the wait for ovulation? This cycle is my case in point--- two weeks waiting to pee on a stick is nothing compared to the anticipation of having confirmation that your body is doing what it''s supposed to do. Aye.

My birthday was a little hard for me, since I had it in my mind that I''d be able to take a test on that day and I obviously wasn''t able to. Paul was sweet to me, though, and that made it better. I didn''t get a glider because I really just want to try to wait until we''re pregnant before getting anything that big (hello--REMINDER that I''m not pregnant yet every time I go into the baby room), but I did get an envelope with money in it for the glider, when the time comes. That was really comforting, knowing that we''ll get there some day, just not on my birthday.

In other news, it may snow here tonight!!!

I keep looking out the window. No snow yet. But maybe I''ll get a happy surprise one of these times I peek out.

 

[peonygirl]

Fisher, I totally agree with everything that you wrote!!

As for me, I''m on day 37 with no sign of ovulation. We''ve been trying to BD every other day for the last 3 weeks just in case. My husband asks to look at my chart every few days, and I just feel like apologizing to him! He won''t hear of it though.

By the way, I would like to ask a charting expert why my positive OPKs tend to happen in the middle of my temp rise (vs. the start) and if it''s okay that I tend to have a very slow rise over 4-5 days, since most of you seem to have a big jump over just 1-2 days. I''m concerned that even if I have signs that I ovulated it''s not a "productive" ovulation because the hormoes are peaking that the wrong time. Is the TCOYF board the Ovusoft one? I think someone recommended that one. Also, I have a VIP membership at FF. Are there any people there I could ask? Thanks SO much!

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 11/30/2008 1:23:50 PM
Author: peonygirl
Fisher, I totally agree with everything that you wrote!!

As for me, I''m on day 37 with no sign of ovulation. We''ve been trying to BD every other day for the last 3 weeks just in case. My husband asks to look at my chart every few days, and I just feel like apologizing to him! He won''t hear of it though.

By the way, I would like to ask a charting expert why my positive OPKs tend to happen in the middle of my temp rise (vs. the start) and if it''s okay that I tend to have a very slow rise over 4-5 days, since most of you seem to have a big jump over just 1-2 days. I''m concerned that even if I have signs that I ovulated it''s not a ''productive'' ovulation because the hormoes are peaking that the wrong time. Is the TCOYF board the Ovusoft one? I think someone recommended that one. Also, I have a VIP membership at FF. Are there any people there I could ask? Thanks SO much!

The ovusoft board is THE place to go with these questions, and yes it is the one affiliated with TCOYF. You can post your charts, past and present, and get advice!

 

[fisherofmengirly]

From InLuv''s post: Buttercup -- Welcome to the TTC journey! Everyone else has already given you great advice. My only tip is listen to and do whatever DD says!

Haha. Another thing for you to point out to your hubby, DD.