33yr ttc#2 - buddies needed!!!

[happycupcake]

I know sometimes you won't see an obvious line until af is due, it depends on so many things but usually if there isn't a pregnancy I would have completely blank tests without question, and when I have been pregnant they are usually darker. Twice I have had super faint lines on a FRER and ICs and then a slightly late af.
My lp is between 12-15 days with an average of 14

 

[JessyG]

What does lp mean? I am not great at the abbreviations haha.

 

[happycupcake]

What does lp mean? I am not great at the abbreviations haha.

Luteal phase

 

[Hopfl4bbynbr4]

I finally had time to take notes and reply! I'm also 12dpo today and completely forgot to test this morning! How could I forget?! I guess I was still half asleep when I got up to make dh breakfast this morning lol I have a TMI question. When in the lp and are cramping and get frisky with dh. Does it make the cramping stop or worse? I was cramping pretty bad last night and dtd then the cramping only lasted a few minutes longer then stopped all together? ....Weird... Sorry for asking. Was just confused. Jessy and Happycupcake do you ladies want me to edit your tests again? I see lines on both your tests! I won't say congratulations till you both feel confident that you're pregnant but I do see lines!

Citrus, yep. I've been a mom since I was 17 and although it was a struggle at first I got used to it and my babies never left my side till they were atleast 3 years old. Well, dd 3 and ds1 2. That's the first time I ever let them stay the night with my parents without me and it was so hard not having them with me that first night 😂 I literally called to check on them every hour till my mom had to tell me they were fine, playing and having fun for the hundredth time lol! I never did have a "party phase " I was a mom during those years and never cared about it much. I don't think the 30's is too late for everyone, just me. I don't think I'm as fertile as I used to be lol I'm sorry if that's the way it sounded. That's not what I meant. I meant only me lol I could still be as fertile and just having really bad timing. I will definitely be working on that this coming up cycle if I'm not pregnant but I honestly don't think I am. I am also intrigued about the soft cups. I may give it a try next cycle. Maybe it'll help with my bad timing lol

Jessy, time flies doesn't it?! I really miss my babies being babies and at the same time I love the young lady and young men they are becoming. They're such good kids. I've heard expired tests can be reliable too? You're tests definitely look positive to me!!! Was the asda one taken in the time frame? (the picture) I'm excited to see your next test. Try not to take it out of the case till after you take a picture to show us then a picture out of the case if you want lol!

Happycupcake, it's crazy the things we believe as teens huh? Lol! I met my dh at 13/14. We dated on and off for a few years but have been together since we were 16/17. We've been married going on 11 years though and been together for 16 years though. I'm happy to say that we're still completely happy 😊 after all this time. Your welcome on editing the test. I thought the line on the smu was darker than the water though. I do know the frustration of guessing if it's an actual line or not. That's why on my tests I decided to test every other day to hopefully see a progression but my super faint lines were still super faint lines as of 10dpo. Haven't tested in 2 days but will tomorrow at 13dpo so should see something if I am pregnant by then. But I'm not too hopeful. I'm sorry your LO is feeling bad. Hopefully he feels better soon and can get some relief.

Daisies, I am also neurotic and impatient most times but for some weird reason I'm not this time. Maybe your holiday did help him implant since you weren't stressing that week. I completely understand the worry of being somewhere new that early on.

Anni, Hopefully it was IB!! Good luck on waiting to test lol Friday will be a good day for you to test and also has a good meaning for wanting to wait and test on that particular day.

Ladders, I think it's just me and not everyone. Sorry, I didn't mean it to sound that way. I know what you mean though I feel more nervous now about getting pregnant than I did back then. Yayyy! For your tests coming in. I always start testing too early on opk's too lol but I only use one a day till I start to see the line getting darker. Then I go to twice a day to make sure I don't miss my surge. Did you conceive easy on the soft cups? I may give it a try for next cycle.


I can't wait to see more tests! I'm super excited for you ladies!

I'm still really scatterbrained, boob's still really sore, I am actually going to the bathroom a lot more but I'm also drinking a lot more water so that is probably why. I've still been crampy at night. I had another weird dream the other night and forgot to mention it. That's the second time during this lp and I never dream or if I do I don't remember it at all. Cp is still high soft and closed tight cm creamy.

 

[ladders]

Kim please don't worry I didn't take your comment any other way than was meant!😊 and the the trouble with text rather than speak it's hard to judge the tone, my oh my god I'm old was lighthearted. (Although technically I am &#128514
I'm excited to see your test tomorrow because I did see a line the other day! I can start using my opks Fri and yes will test twice daily from Sunday and await that smiley face. Just anxious about getting to bd. I have an such issues last time I'm worried it will fall back like that again.

Jessy and cupcake I'm awaiting your tests too!!!!!

Citrus, uhhhh cycle day 5 for us! "sat twiddling thumbs"

 

[Hopfl4bbynbr4]

I'm so glad you didn't take offense! And you are not old! I'm not much younger than you and I'm not old! Haha! I thought about ordering the cb tests with the smiley face next cycle because I found myself second guessing the lines till I actually saw the clear positive on the opk's. The problem with my tests is I've been seeing super faint lines but weren't getting any darker. I haven't tested in 2 days so we'll see tomorrow. I'll probably post the pictures about 5:30-6ish in the morning after dh leaves around 5. I hope I am actually pregnant but don't really think I am. After so many bfn's the last 4 months it's kinda hard for me to get excited. Although last month I was convinced I was pregnant and was gutted when af came. I actually wish we could hear each others voices. I would love to hear if you all have accents lol I live in the south but everyone I speak to asks where I'm from and are amazed when I tell them I'm from where I live. They all think I sound like I'm from Michigan somewhere.

 

[JessyG]

Not pregnant girls. I think yesterdays test was dodge because i opened the case. So i havent with this one and its blank. It should really be darker than yesterdays though right so just gonna wait for period i think. Bit gutted as i was getting quite excited about a december baby. Least once period arrives ill have a better idea how long my cycles are etc.

 

[ladders]

Oh jessy I'm sorry that's really rubbish I was totally expecting a nice pink line. How many dpo are you?

Kim I use the clearblue digital ovulations because with the cheapies I felt like I never got a clear positive and only realised I'd I'd once that starred getting light again. Did use the dual hormone ones last time but felt they put too much pressure on doing it loads of times as I got days and days of flashing smiley before solid. So this time ordered the normal digitals and so will give me just two days in which I need to get a bd in which is hopefully more manageable.

 

[JessyG]

11 or 12 dpo today ladders.

Think i might buy opks for next cycle as i want to know for sure.

 

[JessyG]

Thanks! i told my OH and he said oh well lets try again. I feel bummed out though as for a while there i was convinced i was pregnant but to get a pink then a blank then a pink then 2 blanks i think its fairly obvious i am not pregnant this month.

 

[annio84]

Jessy I'm sorry. What I was saying yesterday, I got some tests from asda that were frrr and gave a result in 45sec. I thought with you saying 45 sec that was what you'd used as well. I picked them up thinking they were frer and that was what gave me a really convincing line.

Everyone else, I still haven't caught up properly but I hope you're all well.

Kim will you test today?

Hope everyone's doing ok.

My spotting is still ongoing and I feel like AF is going to get me any second. I'm CD 25 today but only about 9dpo so surely it's too early. I generally have a 14day lp. We'll see anyway. If the spotting doesn't turn into AF will still test on friday.

 

[JessyG]

Anni spotting could be IB so thatd encouraging!

My OH said all my symptoms were in my head and he was probably right. I used the same brand of test today and yesterday so its definitely a false positive. Hoping AF arrives this weekend. My OH is away next week on work but back the following week so hoping that will be the week i Ov knowing my luck it will be the week after when he is gone all week.

 

[JessyG]

On the flip side. I can go and get my tattoo on 21st i suppose.

 

[happycupcake]

Kim, how lovely you and your OH have known each other since your teens and have grown up together I wish I'd have known my husband since our teens.
I find if I have any cramping and my husband and I dtd it depends on what position we do it in, at some angles it can make it worse.
I haven't a clue what time it is where you are but have you tested yet? I hope it's a bfp for you!
Definitely don't think this is our month, I started out feeling positive about this cycle but I don't anymore. My only concern is whether the lines I have been seeing are real or indents. If they are indents, that isn't a problem, but if they are genuine then this has happened a few times since August and it worries me there's something wrong. I do show some signs of low progesterone, which could mean there isn't an issue in fertilisation but there could be with implanting and sticking there.

Anni, this could be IB, like Jessy said!

Jessy, I'm sorry I would suggest testing in a few days if you don't see af arrive, to be absolutely certain. Perhaps using a different brand than the test that you suspect gave you a false positive. I hope this does turn out to be your month. I know what you mean about a December baby, I had my hopes set so high this cycle. I mean, obviously a baby in any month is a blessing, but there was something that little extra exciting about a Christmas baby.

I used another IC with my fmu today and although I can see another faint line, it isn't a bfp line. My temps have done what I expected them to do for this part of the cycle, they usually dip, go up slightly, dip and then af starts the following day. Today I have seen my temp go up slightly so I fully expect it to dip tomorrow, followed by af on Friday.

Oh, and Jessy, if you are using OPKs next cycle (if this definitely isn't your month), then I would highly suggest temping too as OPKs won't tell you for sure you ovulated, they only show you your peak in luteinizing hormone, which in theory you should then ov a day or so after, but your body can peak and then ov doesn't happen, and can peak later and ov happens or doesn't, so to be sure you ovulate your temperature will give a much clearer idea as immediately after ov you should see a temperature spike, and three days of higher temps confirm ov

 

[JessyG]

I have no idea how to use opks and temp. I may need your help.

I thought strips and a thermometer last time but fell pregnant before i had a chance to use them.

I feel like i am out jusT waiting on AF now. Been having the odd tummy cramp and backache again today so reckon it will be soon. I probably 11/12dpo so will maybe test in a couple of days if she hasnt shown before hand. Thanks for your support ladies i feel pathetic for being upset it was only month 1 but i really felt pregnant and now i know its all in my head.

 

[ladders]

It might not yet be jessy! When I fell pregnant with dd on the day as was due I had the faintest of faint lines and my dh said to ignore it. It wasn't till 3 days later i got a proper bfp!

Cupcake have you tested today at all yet?

And I'd be really interested for some advice on temping, something i never did before but does give alot of information which is something I love!

 

[happycupcake]

Jessy some don't see a clear bfp until when or after af is due, like Ladders said. I don't want to fill you with false hope but at the same time I don't want you to lose hope as well. The line you had was incredibly positive looking to me, if it turns out to be a faulty test I think I would be making a complaint! Most wouldn't have questioned it because it was obviously there and obviously pink. I hope af doesn't show and you have a lovely bfp in a few days instead!

Both of you - I'm relatively new to temping but I tend to obsess over things if they grab my interest, which this does.
The basics of temping is getting a basal body thermometer which is more accurate than a regular thermometer because it has two decimal places. You can use it orally which seems the most common method but some take their temperature vaginally instead, say for instance if you sleep with your mouth open you may see a more accurate reading vaginally, since it's significantly harder to sleep with your vagina open all night, and it doesn't do things like talk in its sleep (and if it does I suggest you go on Britain's Got Talent, or your country's equivalent) lol!
So each time you wake you take your temperature immediately, before you do anything else, before you get out of bed, even before you talk or anything, to get the most accurate reading (I sometimes struggle because of a fuzzy mind, like yesterday I got confused and recorded it incorrectly so corrected it as soon as I remembered to).
Because oestrogen is the dominant hormone during the lead up to ovulation, your temps will stay relatively low, if you use OPKs but you aren't sure when you ovulate and/or your cycle varies, I would start using them fairly soon after af finishes so you don't miss any surge. When the OPK's test line is as dark as, or darker than the control line this is positive, and indicates you should ovulate soon after. This can vary as soon as the same day (generally the older you get the closer ov is to your surge) to a couple of days afterwards. OPKs detect luteinizing hormone, or lh for short, and this increases the closer you are to ovulating.
The problem with using OPKs alone is it is simply detecting a surge of lh, it isn't telling you you actually ovulated. Temperature shifts can tell you, though. Once you ovulate the corpus luteum starts to produce progesterone which raises your body temperature slightly and this continues through your luteal phase, or lp. If you conceive, your temperature will stay raised because you continue to produce progesterone, if you don't, your temp will start to dip right before af or when af starts, because your progesterone levels start to go down and the whole cycle starts over.
You can usually confirm ovulation has taken place when you see the temp shift on your chart, so you will usually see a dip in temp, followed by a noticeable increase, and when you see this stay up for three days, you can better pinpoint ov. It's usually happened the day before your increase.
Your fertile window is important to keep in mind because when you see the temp shift it's too late, as ov has usually already happened.
Sometimes with the OPKs they will turn positive but you won't see a temp shift upwards, and then you may see OPKs turn positive later in your cycle and this may be followed by a temp shift, which confirms ov. Sometimes our bodies try to ovulate but don't, which can then cause us to try to ov later and hopefully we do, and this is why it's better to use OPKs alongside temping and looking at other fertile signs such as cervix position and cervical mucus.

I find the best app to use is Fertility Friend, it's free (you can pay for a more detailed version but they give you a free trial of this initially), easy to use although at first I found it confusing but it's easy to get the hang of, and it is clear. I find having tried other apps they are confusing and seem to pinpoint ovulation at the wrong time for some reason. There are other apps like Ovia, Glow, Kindara, P Tracker, etc. which are all free, so give them all a try and see which you like most. They all have their pros and cons but I think Fertility Friend is a commonly used app and I have yet to see anyone say they don't like it.

Oh, and yes I did test today but only with a rubbish IC which seem to give me lines all the time but I don't see lines I can call positive. I have some photos and will post some tweaked and unaltered to show you what I mean. Have asked hubby to grab me another FRER to make absolute sure what I saw on the other isn't progressing because I am waiting to book in with my acupuncturist and I would have to take pregnancy into account if I was since some points should be avoided during pregnancy.

First unaltered then two versions of tweaked, probably can't see what I'm seeing lol doesn't matter because it isn't a bfp anyway

 

[Hopfl4bbynbr4]

I'm really late today. Sorry ladies! I couldn't sleep at all last night. I have been having the weirdest dreams! Last night I kept having nightmares and every time I fell back to sleep I had another one. I don't think it's pregnancy related this time though. I think it's because 2 of my 3 kids are gone camping and aren't home with me. Some of the dreams are about them and some about dh and the rest I honestly don't have a clue how to categorize those �� any way I fell asleep again when dh left so I haven't read anything yet. Just came straight to posting the tests. I see nothing on both. Top fmu bottom smu at 13dpo so I'm calling bfn this cycle and won't test again till after af due if she doesn't show up. I started to edit this 3 times but kept forgetting what I was going to say. Everyone keeps asking me why only 2 of the 3 are gone. The oldest (dd) and the youngest (ds2) are camping but the middle (ds1) is a mama's boy and didn't want to go camping with all girls with my mom and sister and all the granddaughters. And he didn't want to go and be crowded with ds2 and my Fil, his new gf her dd and their aunt who is 16 this year. He said he would rather spend spring break with me and his dad while the other 2 are away because he knows he can get everything he wants whereas we wouldn't give in to such things if all three were here. I know none of you ladies have asked and I thank you all for that. Sometimes when people ask things like that it makes me feel like I'm showing favoritism between them when it was his choice to stay home but nosey people around here don't realise that. And it is currently 11:02 am here.

 

[citrusfruit]

Hi all, sorry for the bfns. What is up with all these dodgy tests?! I swear I've never seen so many that look to be the start of a bfp! I'll be more cautious when calling it next month for sure, sorry all. Hopefully might still show up for someone over the next few days, if not then we are all in it together for another month.

Let's go a bit lighthearted - anyone picked out any names for the baby you are ttc?!

 

[Hopfl4bbynbr4]

I have told dh for the past 9 years, if we ever have another boy his name will be Silas. If it's a girl then Keira. He has said since the day I've picked those names, absolutely not! He doesn't like either name. I've told him he better hope it's a girl then so he can help pick the name but if it's a boy his name WILL be Silas lol!

Do you have any names picked out yet, Citrus?