How did you know it was time for a break?

[ANC]

I'm not even getting into all of it..but for you personally, if you've taken a TTC break, how did you come to that decision?

I always said I couldn't IMAGINE taking a break...but I think it's time. I can't handle it right now. I also can't imagine NOT trying because I want it so so so so badly

So..what's your story? Did the break help?

 

[urchin]

I have not exactly taken a break, but have stepped back quite a
bit. We are on the waiting list for donor eggs and although it's not impossible for me to get pregnant naturally, it is highly unlikely.

My original decision was to carry on trying for a free one while we are
waiting - but I just became emotionally exhausted. So, I have stopped
testing with the CBFM and just try to time a bit of strumping
with EWCM if we are both in the mood. Doesn't stop me hoping each month, but it is a lot gentler on my soul than the whole full-on TTC roller coaster

that said, it's now CD28 and I'm on knicker alert 'just in case' lol

 

[DND]

Hi ANC,

We are sort of on a break - I have little to no chance conceiving with out IVF. We did stop all birth control three years ago - but I have done no charting, temping, etc. We decided to wait to start IVF until after we got some things sorted...and it was me that suggested we hold off. Two years later - we met our goals and are now getting ready to move forward.

At first it was tough to commit to waiting (and honestly I hoped and prayed each cycle that it was our "one in a million" baby), but I will never regret it. We now have a house, our cars paid off and savings. While we would have these things if we didn't put off IVF - it probably would not have happened so quickly. And the best part for me is all the great time I have spent with DH - just the two of us!

 

[MariaF]

Im a bit like urchin.

We haven't stopped trying but I definitely chillaxed a lot more recently

Basically no more Clomid, charting or temping. I have decided to use the CBFM again this month - I used it only once and never got a PEak although I know I ovulated that cycle. But then I figured I spent a lot of money on it so might as well give it another go.

We were meant to start IUI and then IVF on the NHS in 2 weeks. Ive been waiting for this since our referral in May. Then last week we found out our GP messed up the referral and we need to have a new one to a different hospital, followed probably by another 6 months wait.

This is where I realised that although I was really p*ssed off at my GP, I was nowhere near as crushed by the news as I thought I would be

I realised that may be the obsession is passing, may be Im accepting my infertility and current inability to get pg. May be Im just ready to go with the flow for a change rather than keep fighting it and losing?!

Yes, Im still using CBFM but Im not calculating when we need to BD - it's more to confirm that I am still ovulating after the Ovarian Drilling (before I had af once in a blue moon so having regular cycles is still like a miracle )
We BD if and when we want to. Im about to ovulate tomorrow/Friday but I will not force myself or DH to BD unless we both feel like it.

So we are still trying, as in we are not using contraception and Im still keeping an eye on my cycle but Im not thinking about it ALL the time or trying to analyse every symptom, pee on an OPK 4 times a day and chart like crazy.

It hassn't helped yet but then the desperation is no longer there! And that's such a relief! I can actually watch baby programs without getting into rage, or accept my friends' pg news without wanting to kill myself.

Oh, and another interesting thing happened - 3 days ago for the first time ever since we started TTC 23 months ago I dreamt I was holding my baby son and my husband was there too! I have never had a pregnancy/baby related dream in my life so this was bizarr! You never know

 

[honeybee2]

We've not taken a break, we're just relaxing.

We used to chart, temp and use OV tests and preg tests, have sex at the right time but in the end our sex life was a mission and it wasn't good for us our my sanity.

I decided that because I had the wedding only a few months away and uni work to do I would stop using all charts, ov tests and tracking and have sex any time we wanted BUT still see my gyneacologist and other appointments we needed to go too if that makes sense. So we'd just have sex when we wanted too and not track or do anything but still see our specialists because we know we have problems anyway.

This way, my life isn't run around babies or falling pregnant, I'm focusing on other things like uni (and my wedding up untill nearly 2 weeks ago when I got married) and my new job. I feel relaxed, I dont feel stressed and I feel I have other things in life to concentrate on which doesn't get me down. Its made me look on babies and not being able to have them easily in a more positive light. It DOES help, honestly. If you dont want to have a break, give yourself something else to concentrate on and take a more relaxed approach xx