Trying to Conceive 2016 onwards Chat Thread

mollybird

Hey Ladies,
Thought i would start up a fresh thread for the TTC group. One of the ladies mentioned it and thought it was a great idea. I am just freshly starting TTC for the first time this month and im very exctied. Here is hoping we have many BFP's and hope we can keep up the support for each other.

Wishing everyone the best of luck and sprinkling lots of "BABYDUST" to ye all

Mod Note:

This thread is intended for posters who are intending to embark on trying for their babies for the first time.

If you have been trying for over a year without success, or find yourself facing assisted conception treatment, you may find the Long Termers TTC thread more suitable instead.

.

applesock

We have started trying this year aswel We started christmas morning:D ! AF arrived the 1st day of 2016! It was late - but we are moving houses so reckon it was stress, as I'm quiet regular. . But looking forward to the next couple of months to see where it leads us.

Toots

Myself and the hubby have started trying at the start of December. I was on a lot of medications for the last couple of years which have absolutely destroyed my cycle; last year I had 2 periods in the whole year. Both lasted a month each and I had to get more medication to stop the bleeding. Really hoping we manage to at least get pregnant this year.

geez

We are also trying to conceive this year. Very excited. I had surgery last June where they found endometriosis so I do not know if we will be able to conceive naturally but will give it our best shot!

Meubles

Hi all! This is our 4th month ttc! I was on mirena for 4 years so it took 2 months for af to return so feel like we're just getting going now! I starting temping also just before Christmas as I was unsure when exactly I'm ovulating so fingers crossed we get lucky this month! Good luck to you all!!

Toots

Has anyone else tried a Ferning Microscope? I got one but finding it a bit confusing TBH. I thought it'd be a clever way to try and avoid peeing in a cup every day, but alas I think I'll be using the ovulation strips instead.

xalot

Count me in.
Have irregular cycles and have been charting for the past six months to see if there is any structure to them and there actually is!

Officially started trying last month and was (quite arrogantly) expecting a BFP on Xmas day which didn't happen. I got pregnant straight away last time so thought it would be same again. Hopefully we wont be waiting long for good news!

Exciting times ahead....don't forget to start taking your folic acid!

Toots

xalot wrote: »

I got pregnant straight away last time so thought it would be same again.

That happened me with my son - we weren't exactly 'trying' but we did the no pants dance mid cycle and bam! Positive pregnancy test on the day my period was due (I knew something was off)

This time I'm 5 years older and have had a lot of health problems in the last couple of years, plus the meds I was on made my weight balloon, so I'm terrified my reproductive system is destroyed and it'll make it difficult. There's no way we'd ever be able to afford IVF if it came down to that.

xalot

Toots wrote: »

This time I'm 5 years older and have had a lot of health problems in the last couple of years, plus the meds I was on made my weight balloon, so I'm terrified my reproductive system is destroyed and it'll make it difficult. There's no way we'd ever be able to afford IVF if it came down to that.

Sorry to hear that but there's no point stressing yourself out until you have reason to. Enjoy 'the no pants dancing' and hopefully it'll all come together.

Typer Monkey

Hi everyone..I'm actually 35 weeks pregnant with my 2nd but just wanted to recommend the clearblue digital dual hormone ovulation tests. I concieved the 2nd month using them but that pregnancy ended in a miscarraige at 10 weeks but after one period I concieved straight away again using the clear blue tests. I'd a 32 day average cycle but I wasn't ovulating until day 18 or 19 so without the tests we would've been having sex at the wrong times.

I know they're expensive if the conceiving drags on for a while but they're definitely great for pinpointing fertile periods.

Good luck on your journies!

LegacyUser

I know its probably a bit silly but I want to be unreg for this, not many people know that we are trying now and at the moment I just want to keep it that way!

Delighted this thread started, while other threads re good I find it hard to read about people going through IVF and other treatments as I am just not at that stage yet and want to talk about topics that the more advanced people are way past already!

Tyer Monkey, had you tried temping and mucus tracking before using the ovulation predicter sticks? I have just started that and think I have ovulation pinpointed but could I be wrong? did you find you were wrong after trying those or did you go straight to the sticks?

sillysmiles

So, we technically started TTC last month, and period arrived Christmas eve :-(
I was diagnosed with PCOS in my early 20's, now mid 30's but have always had very regular cycles.

So, question about the ovulation tests - they are expensive for once off usage, is there a piece of kit that you can use routinely does anyone know?

Sherlof3

Typer Monkey wrote: »

Hi everyone..I'm actually 35 weeks pregnant with my 2nd but just wanted to recommend the clearblue digital dual hormone ovulation tests. I concieved the 2nd month using them but that pregnancy ended in a miscarraige at 10 weeks but after one period I concieved straight away again using the clear blue tests. I'd a 32 day average cycle but I wasn't ovulating until day 18 or 19 so without the tests we would've been having sex at the wrong times.

I know they're expensive if the conceiving drags on for a while but they're definitely great for pinpointing fertile periods.

Good luck on your journies!

Thanks for this info, I came off the pill when we got married in July but only making a concerted effort from December, my cycles are long and irregular, 38 - 41 days. I've been tracking the other symptoms, but can't get to grips with cervical checking (excuse the pun) and always forget to take a temperature so I'm wondering if I'm ovulating later than the apps are giving me the green light for!

Wotzit

I thought feck it - I can lurk no more!! We're only on our 3rd month TTC ... I'm 36 (37 next month) and he's 39

This whole thing has taken over my brain so much since we decided that we'd try, that it would be nice to have somewhere to chat to people in the same position..... ie I'm trying not to bring the crazy baby talk home all the time - there's only so much my partner will take!!!

It's so strange because I never thought I was the maternal type and now I've finally found the right person and we've decided to try - I don't even recognise myself anymore!! My thoughts are constantly on this journey we're (hopefully) about to go on.

I suppose I'd like to ask.... this is normal? right?!

Toots

sillysmiles wrote: »

So, question about the ovulation tests - they are expensive for once off usage, is there a piece of kit that you can use routinely does anyone know?

I got a bunch of cheapie ovulation tests from Ebay - there were 100 ovulation strips and 20 pregnancy strips and it was about £15, plus free shipping to UK (I used Parcel Motel) so all in all it was just over €20 for the lot, which wasn't bad.

Hopeful2016

Also newly TTC after a miscarriage last month at about 6 weeks on our first pregnancy. Currently patiently waiting for a positive on the OPK as I'm not sure when I will ovulate again after mc. Very nervous about trying again and still a bit teary but don't want to leave it too long either. Can only hope we're luckier next time if we get pregnant again.

Liam McPoyle

It seems to be all women posting here but my wife isn't a Boardsie so I'm posting for the two of us (though I havnt told her yet), hope that's OK.

We are TTC for our first. We had a 14 week miscarriage in September which was very traumatic for both of us emotionally and of course for her physically too.

Her obstetricion recommended we wait til around this time before trying again as the D & C was quite hard on her so he said she should allow time for her body to recuperate.

We have bought the ovulation kit mentioned above (Boots online seemed to be the best price we could find) so it will be all systems go in the next week to ten days.

I'm frickin terrified.

Roselm

Can anyone recommend a good app to track your cycle? We'll be TTC later in the year and want to find out what's going on in there before we do!!!

bee06

It will be good to hear the man's opinion Business Cat! I'm trying not to wreak my husband's head with everything.

We started trying in September. Starting using the cheap ovulation strip tests last month and was so relieved when I got my positive result because my cycles are all over the place. Finding the whole thing really stressful if I'm being honest. I'm a control freak so the fact that I can't even control my own body is really hard.

Roselm, I'm using Fertility Friend and I'm finding it good. I never realised there was so many things to track before I downloaded it!

Roselm

Hopeful2016 wrote: »

Also newly TTC after a miscarriage last month at about 6 weeks on our first pregnancy. Currently patiently waiting for a positive on the OPK as I'm not sure when I will ovulate again after mc. Very nervous about trying again and still a bit teary but don't want to leave it too long either. Can only hope we're luckier next time if we get pregnant again.

Best of luck to you and your oh

Toots

Another +1 for Fertility Friend. I was using it for my last cycle and just temping cos I was waiting for the ovulation strips to arrive. It was pretty spot on when it predicted I'd ovulated and also with my period. I was particularly impressed considering my last cycle was 101 days!! I'm not sure if it's still running but they had an offer on their FB page for 70% off the years subscription to the VIP version. I think I got it for around a tenner.

If your cycle is reasonably regular, Period Tracker is a good app. I've used that for years and it was very accurate before all the meds messed up my cycle.

Hopeful2016

Roselm wrote: »

Best of luck to you and your oh

Thank you! Fingers crossed for lots of good news to come on this thread

LegacyUser

I saw this thread from one of the other forums, and when I saw Typer Monkeys post, I thought I'd echo what was said.I am currently 29 weeks pregnant with number 2, btw.

My cycle varies from about 30-35 days, it can stretch to 40 days.Baby no.1 was conceived after 4 months of trying.After 2 months, I started using the Clearblue ovulation kits too.I'm a bit of a control freak and just couldn't figure out my most likely ovulation days, even with tracking
apps.I just wanted a fairly certain
indicator.Month 2 of using the kits, no.1 was
conceived, she's now 18 months old.

Second time round, we conceived after two
weeks of trying!The dates barely add up, but I
must have ovulated early or something.(and I
know this because we actually stopped trying
after two weeks, due to job interviews
etc....couldn't believe a positive result a few
weeks later!!!).I wasn't using the kits but really, it
proved to me that my cycle was a bit all over the
place.I would have started using them the next
month when we started trying again, otherwise.

They are expensive but so worth the money.I
went straight to them because I wanted to
pinpoint when I was ovulating and try then,and
then if it didn't work after six months or so, I was
prepared to go the doctor amd see if there was
a problem.It seemed like the most
straightforward thing to me to do.

Business Cat....I had a d&c after the birth of my
first (to remove some remaining tissue).I was
quietly told at the time by my mother that it can
make you extremely fertile and to be careful if
we were having sex straight after our first was
born.It appears she was right!Mind you, I
thought she meant for a coupl
of months afterwards, not 14months
afterwards.....So hopefully you will get lucky
soon and have a positive test and a great
pregnancy.

Best of luck to you all and hope you get the results you all want.

sillysmiles

Toots wrote: »

I got a bunch of cheapie ovulation tests from Ebay - there were 100 ovulation strips and 20 pregnancy strips and it was about £15, plus free shipping to UK (I used Parcel Motel) so all in all it was just over €20 for the lot, which wasn't bad.

Are they called One Step?
They are very cheap - so cheap that I'm questioning whether they would do the job, or whether it's a false economy

Neyite

sillysmiles wrote: »

Are they called One Step?
They are very cheap - so cheap that I'm questioning whether they would do the job, or whether it's a false economy

As a veteran of the cheapies, they are very reliable. In fact, I've even used them out of date for curiosity and they've given the correct result. You could always have a back up of dearer tests for a second opinion when you suspect that they might be wrong.

LegacyUser

Hi. Just my two cents... Still trying after nine months.

I initially started with the ovulation predictor tests but to be honest it completely got it wrong and I thought I was ovulating a lot later than I was. It doesn't pick up correctly for everyone. I don't think I had enough hormones for it to pick up.I have a very regular 26 day cycle.

I then tried temping and cervical mucus checking and recording via fertility friend. After cycle two I really understood what was going in and it was so cheap and easy. So If you do want to go down the ovulation checking route I would suggest tracking. I wish I started a lot earlier... Or I wish I listened more in biology!!

Toots

sillysmiles wrote: »

Are they called One Step?
They are very cheap - so cheap that I'm questioning whether they would do the job, or whether it's a false economy

Just checked and it's the One Step that I've got. I find them good, they've been getting progressively darker lines the last few days, and today some ferns started showing up on my ferning microscope, so I reckon I should ovulate soon enough (although I've been trolled by my ovaries before, so it could be weeks yet). From what I've read from others using them, the test line has to be nearly DARKER than the control line for it to be a positive result, because they are really sensitive.

Tunage

Hi Everyone,

Back on Boards.ie after a LONG break.

We're trying to conceive but only started at the end of December so I'm waiting patiently for the end of the month to see if anything has happened (which probably hasn't). Cycles are usually very irregular so I suppose I'll have to wait and see.

I'm a total pregnancy newbie even though my friends all have kids. I'm so new to all of this and some of the terminology and abbreviated words has me baffled (af? mc?)

Anyway, wondering if ovulation strips would be a good choice for me as I'm quite irregular and I'm not sure if I totally trust my little period tracker.

Thanks and good luck!!

Roselm

Tunage wrote: »

Hi Everyone,


I'm a total pregnancy newbie even though my friends all have kids. I'm so new to all of this and some of the terminology and abbreviated words has me baffled (af? mc?)

AF: Aunt flow/Flo (Your period) Although when I first read it I guessed what it stood for and went for Aunt Franny and still say that in my head
MC: Miscarriage
TTC: Trying to conceive
OPK: Ovulation predictor kit
DTD: Doing the deed (ie sex)
BD: Baby dance (sex, again!)

Neyite

Tunage, abbreviations arent allowed on these forums but sometimes people post them inadvertently. AF is Aunt Flo, or period, and MC is a miscarriage.

Tunage

Thank you guys!!!

Probably too early to tell but since yesterday I've been running to the loo and very tired. The wait for Aunt Flo (lol) is killing me! We did the deed when my tracker said I was fertile and should be ovulating but it's the first go so I'm not expecting a positive.

It's an exciting and anxious time!

LegacyUser

Toots, I have the ovatel kit which is a microscopic device to detect ferning.
I've been using it a month now but no ferning at all which is accurate I suppose as I haven't had AF since coming off micro lite in November. Not sure if I'd recommend it yet though until I could say I seen ferning..

We are ttc since November but as said above I've had no cycle since coming off the pill in November.
I've a nagging feeling at the back of my mind though we are going to have issues, years of irregular periods and irregular smears etc and now almost two months off pill with no cycle.

I was considering booking myself in to the beacon fertility unit so they could run some tests, has anyone been??

Love2love

Roselm wrote: »

AF: Aunt flow/Flo (Your period) Although when I first read it I guessed what it stood for and went for Aunt Franny and still say that in my head

I originally thought AF stood for Ah Feck! Which is exactly what I have been saying when the witch arrives!

I am on my 4th cycle TTC #3, I had a chemical in November.

greenttc

Hello all,

I have created a second new account to post in this thread, would rather not use my normal account as our efforts are not widely known! I tried posting as a guest but the post never came up so I hope it is okay to have created this second account, seems easier to me!

Delighted with the setting up of this thread, the other threads on TTC were a little intimidating as they are far too advanced into the world of IVF and other such treatments so my questions on the basics seemes a little out of place!

we have been trying properly since about september 2015 but had been off contraception since about last april. i am only on my second month now of temping and checking cervical mucus. I wonder, do those of you talking about ovulation sticks, have you tried tracking these already but didnt find them useful or did you jsut go straight to the sticks? I havent tried them yet but thought that I would have just as good information from being able to predict based on mucus and confirm ovulation happened (and then hopefully see a pattern) based on temping? what do you all think?

I have also started accupuncture just because I have also had health problems and feel that this will help with getting everything in order, anything to make this as successful as possible, right?? I have to say that aside from just the accupuncture itself, going to the practitioner really was like an education in how to conceive (desipite reading everything online, it was amazing what i learned talking to someone face to face and being able to ask lots and lots of questions, they should teach this stuff properly in school!)

anyway, glad to have a little forum here to discuss things with!

bee06

I went straight to the ovulation sticks. I didn't want to leave anything to chance really and my cycle is all over the place anyway.

Thinking of doing acupuncture as well. What I've read has been positive and even the relaxation benefits would be good alone for me I think.

sillysmiles

Can someone explain the mucus thing please

Love2love

Your cervical mucus is the most accurate natural way of predicting ovulation. During your fertile window, discharge changes to a stretchy see through mucus that aids sperm to reach the ovaries. It looks and feels like raw egg white. Often abbreviated to EWCF (egg white cervical fluid)

greenttc

bee06 wrote: »

I went straight to the ovulation sticks. I didn't want to leave anything to chance really and my cycle is all over the place anyway.

Thinking of doing acupuncture as well. What I've read has been positive and even the relaxation benefits would be good alone for me I think.

okay good to know, I am fairly happy with how the tracking has gone, obviously I only get the benefit after having done it for a month and seeing how it works but I am not sure that I need to go for the sticks yet. was just interested to hear why someone might have tried tracking first and then decided to depend on sticks instead.

sillysmiles wrote: »

Can someone explain the mucus thing please

ya know, I had read all about the mucus and thought I had it figured out. I was actually concerned cause I thought I didnt really have any, I would never have really noticed any in my underwear. Since I stared tracking though i am far more aware of it and can see patterns in what type of mucus there is and how it can indicate ovulation and I would also say that the only way for me (and a few of my friends it turns out) to check was to get a finger right up in there to collect a sample! This is where I might feel like I have to post "TMI" as a warning but I think one just has to be this open when talking about this topic!

greenttc

Love2love wrote: »

Your cervical mucus is the most accurate natural way of predicting ovulation. During your fertile window, discharge changes to a stretchy see through mucus that aids sperm to reach the ovaries. It looks and feels like raw egg white. Often abbreviated to EWCF (egg white cervical fluid)

I would say that I have alternating days of the egg white and just wetness for about five days before ovulation and then afterwards it can be much drier but not necessarily dry.

as I said in my previous post, I thought I knew it all after reading but it is mad how much more you are aware and understand once you start tracking it all.

the fertility friend app was great for this (as other mentioned) and it even had little daily tutorials for a while that, while you might know everything they say already, are very good at explaining everything as a kind of recap and at times a reassurance that you are normal.

Meubles

First two week wait of the year here! I'm 4dpo now! I have been using OPKs for 3 months and was getting positives - like strong very dark line positives for 3 days but this month just one day and my temp rose the same day as I got the positive opk so I'm a bit confused if it all happened quickly during the 24 hours since I last test! We got busy the night before and day of so here's hoping it worked! I'm def feeling more relaxed after Christmas I was worried about trying to keep it a secret (I know!) But also wanting that miracle before Christmas and now just feeling way more relaxed and positive.

Fertility Friend app has been brilliant in teaching me about my cycle as I was using Glow the first 2 months but it was putting my fertile days way off! Must say the 'pressure to perform' has been getting to us both before Christmas I know I keep reading to keep it spontaneous but how!? When you know you've only a short window to conceive the pressure is def on!

Wotzit

Meubles - sounds like we're in the same boat!! I'm 3 dpo now and this will be my 3rd cycle while TTC for the first time. One thing I'll say about that, I wasn't prepared for how disappointed I would be each time my period arrived (I soooo wanted to have a positive test to show my partner for xmas! would have been the best gift ever but wasn't meant to be). I feel like I'm very naïve on the whole fertility thing and just didn't have a notion about any of this stuff before I started.

I've used fertility app 'Ovia' for the last 3 months and found this spot on... although my cycle is very regular and going by the OPK I used for the first couple of months (they were the cheapy Boots version but I've found them quiet accurate, I got two dark lines for days 13 & 14 into my cycle which, from my extensive googling, is the norm!). I haven't temped or tracked my CM but this month, I did have a lot of that eggy white CM (sorry for the TMI) on what I suspected was the day I ovulated :-) ... we DTD the day before and the day of so I'm really hoping this is it!! It's going to be a long two weeks........

LegacyUser

Would be great to have feedback on acupuncture for both male and female.

Any recommendations and idea of costs? I'm Dublin area

I want to do it for myself as I can be quite stressed and I think it would be good. I also want husband to do it too as we have just had semen analysis results and he has low motility so hoping this could help both of us.

Have started to take wellwoman and wellman vitamins. Interesting on the TMI post on cervical mucus. I'm the exact same! It really has become am eye opener the last few months!

Meubles

Wotzit - I completely agree with the disappointment. I surprised myself at just how disappointed I felt when it didn't happen right away and the BFN right before Christmas was tough but we agreed new year new chance! It's only our 4th month so I know we need to be a bit patient.

I was a bit worried with opk testing at the beginning as I wasn't getting a positive until CD22 or CD24 of a 33 day cycle but this month it was CD17 which seems more 'normal'.

We watched a funny /informative documentary called 'The great sperm race' this always pops into my head when I'm watching for EWCM as it is crazy how hard their journey is!

The two week wait is definitely a challenge I've been keeping a record of symptoms and have basically had varying 'convincing' ones evey month so now I'm trying to just wait!!

mollybird

have seen a few of ye mention fertility friend app to check when your obv. ive been tracking mine with the M.cycles app for my period tracker. but guess it wouldn't hurt having this other app also. my neighbour said that your supposed to be obv 2 weeks from your first day of your period so by going by that im at my window. so me and oh dtd last night and will do again tommorow night. it's only our first month trying so not getting too ahead of myself quite yet.

bee06

mollybird wrote: »

have seen a few of ye mention fertility friend app to check when your obv. ive been tracking mine with the M.cycles app for my period tracker. but guess it wouldn't hurt having this other app also. my neighbour said that your supposed to be obv 2 weeks from your first day of your period so by going by that im at my window. so me and oh dtd last night and will do again tommorow night. it's only our first month trying so not getting too ahead of myself quite yet.

I've read that on a few things as well but it only applied if you have a standard 28 day cycle. It's actually 14 days before you start your next period so this month my cycle was 40 days and I ovulated on day 26 (got a positive test). That's why I use the ovulation sticks. My cycle is so irregular that I never know how long it's going to be so can't predict when I'm going to ovulate.

Tunage

I've been using Period Tracker for a few months now just to keep on top of my cycle as it's quite irregular. When I wrote it all down in my little journal, my last periods have been 5 days, then 4, then 5 again and the last one was 4.

I wasn't sure of Period Tracker accuracy regarding ovulation and being fertile but when I downloaded Fertility Friend and put in all the info from Period Tracker it all matched up perfectly. According to FF we dtd on exactly the day of ovulation (and the day before ) which wasn't exact on Period Tracker. I'd been keeping an eye out for ovulation pain and my own usual symptoms so I had a rough idea.

This week i've been peeing a whole lot and been totally drained even after 6/7hours sleep at night. It's the first go and I know not to get too excited but sure we're only human and can't help getting excited at the prospect of a new human's creation! Ahhh! Hurry up testing time!!

Neyite

bee06 wrote: »

I've read that on a few things as well but it only applied if you have a standard 28 day cycle. It's actually 14 days before you start your next period so this month my cycle was 40 days and I ovulated on day 26 (got a positive test). That's why I use the ovulation sticks. My cycle is so irregular that I never know how long it's going to be so can't predict when I'm going to ovulate.

Just a small point here - the ovulation tests detect the LH surge, which occurs about 36-48 hrs before ovulation. So when you tested positive on day 26 it meant that you would ovulate around day 28 or 29. Similarly when you get ovulation pain, this happens before the egg is released. The pain is caused by the follicle being stretched by the developing and maturing egg. There is no pain when the egg actually gets released. On a monitored cycle, I had ovulation pain on Sunday and Monday, had a scan on Wednesday, took the trigger shot Wednesday night to bring on ovulation which would occure 36hrs later, so conception happened either Thursday night or Friday night.

The egg lasts 12 hours, so the test ensures that you will have sex so that sperm is waiting for the egg.

greenttc

Neyite wrote: »

Just a small point here - the ovulation tests detect the LH surge, which occurs about 36-48 hrs before ovulation. So when you tested positive on day 26 it meant that you would ovulate around day 28 or 29. Similarly when you get ovulation pain, this happens before the egg is released. The pain is caused by the follicle being stretched by the developing and maturing egg. There is no pain when the egg actually gets released. On a monitored cycle, I had ovulation pain on Sunday and Monday, had a scan on Wednesday, took the trigger shot Wednesday night to bring on ovulation which would occure 36hrs later, so conception happened either Thursday night or Friday night.

The egg lasts 12 hours, so the test ensures that you will have sex so that sperm is waiting for the egg.

Okay so I actually had pains (which I have now figured out must be ovulation pains) last night (thurs) and a milder version of the pain the day before (wed). The pain was kind of there this morning but is gone now. We DTD last night (thur) and two nights ago (tue). Are you saying that tomorrow night might be prime time to DTD then? I have it planned that way anyway but it would be good to validate my plans!

its funny, I have tried so hard not to be expectant for the two week wait and try not to analyse every twinge I think if I let myself do that my disappointment would be even more extreme. it just feels like it will never happen!!!! I dont even test early, I have made a rule for myself that I wont test unless I am a whole week late. twice in the beginning I have made it as far as five days late (which is strange for me!) and I was strong about not taking a test but turns out I didnt need to on those occasions anyway :-(

anyway, maybe this month.......! wouldnt that be nice! take away those january blues!

greenttc

I thought I would also post something my acupuncturist advised me on that I had not read anywhere else or thought about.

She recommended that, for about an hour a day you should hold a heat source like a hot water bottle or one of those things you heat in the microwave against your lower tummy. you should do this is the first half of your cycle to promote blood flow and blood circulation in that area. you should not do this in the second half of your cycle (after ovulation) as you obviously would hope that the lining etc would remain intact for implantation.

also related to heat, she warned me off drinking very cold water (or other drinks) and recommended more hat food rather than just salads etc which I would have had most days. of course you can just drink room temperature water etc!

I think from a chinese perspective there is a lot of value around heat when it comes to fertility.

might be an easy to implement tip that others could use so I thought I would share it with you all.not sure how much I believe in all of it but none of it does any harm anyway!

Neyite

I think so Green, that's the understanding I got from my nurse. When I got the pains, I was gutted because our appointment wasn't until Wednesday, so fully expected to be told I'd already ovulated. But I hadn't, we could see from the scan. (And also the resultant child 38 weeks later!) So I guess, get busy tomorrow night? - it can't hurt!

Also my fertility nurse on the controlled cycle stressed to us that we don't go at it like rabbits during the fertile time, to just have sex once before estimated ovulation and once afterwards. Any more was likely to result in poorer quality semen apparently. So as the ovulation was 36 hours after the trigger shot we timed it for 24hrs and 45 hrs. The TSI with Ovulation induction was pretty specific but I learned an awful lot more about the process of ovulation during it.

Edit: Sorry I should say that the once before /once after means that you should aim for every other day rather than daily to replenish stocks of swimmers, except around ovulation, when you might do it two or three days in a row. But the likes of several times a day is not going to give you any better odds, and might actually decrease them.

greenttc

god, I dont think I would have the energy for multiple times a day!

my husband always says that he doesn't think he produces the same volume if we were to go more than every two days which matches your advice!

Thanks for the info, always good to validate what you are doing!