Trying to conceive for 9 months now

[haileyjade777]

Hi everyone, this is my first time posting. I stopped taking my birth control 9 months ago and for the first 3 months we were "not try, but not not trying" but for the last 6 months I have been keeping track of my cycles and you know, trying during the right times, doing the every other day thing and the last 3 months my cycle has been weird.

This month I am 7 days from starting, and the last 2 days I have been spotting but only in the mid morning and just enough to make little marks in the underwear (just enough to be annoying).

Since getting off the birth control my periods seem to be shorter and not as heavy, and with all the spotting I am finding it hard to figure out my "day 1" so i have bought some ovulation sticks and it seems like the times i think i am fertile are the days the tests say i am too so i think i am trying during the right times so does anyone have any advise? should I be worried yet?

PLEASSSSSE, can anyone give me any insight, advise, etc?? I am a few days from being able to test again, and i am getting so depressed with negative test after negative test

ALso if it matters i am 32 and husband is 34 and we are trying to conceive our first

 

[CanadianMaple]

As hard as it is, it's not uncommon for a healthy couple to take a full year to conceive, especially after stopping hormonal birth control.

 

[RKW]

Hi bailey, have you been to see your doctor yet? Depending where you live, at your age they should start testing after 6 months TTC. X

 

[beegray]

I only fell pregnant after 7 months of stopping my BC, which sadly ended in mc. But it's pretty normal for a healthy couple to take a year to conceive. good luck with your ttc journey, hopefully it doesn't take much longer.

 

[StephieB]

I know in the UK if you are over 35 and trying for 6months you should see the GP, otherwise its 12months.

I sadly don't have any advice for you, if I knew the answer I wouldn't be sat her 29months into TTC with no baby yet BUT I do know that 85% of healthy couples will take up to 12months to conceive, and anything less than that won't be considered a problem with a GP, as frustrating as it is.

I have always classed CD1 as the first day I need to use a tampon, as this is what my fertility specialist advised, I usually have a day or two beforehand of light spotting, but I class this as the end of the previous cycle.

 

[timeforababy]

The stats (for the UK) is something like 84% of couples in the first year and then 92% by the end of your second year. So the recommendation is that unless there is known fertility problem, when you're on the NHS you don't really a problem until you've been trying for 24 months.

 

[Armywife84]

I wouldn't say you're LTTC. LTTCers are 35 and over actively TTC for 6 months and everyone else for over 12 months.

I would give it 6 more months before you see a fertility specialist to start the routine testing. Unless, you have a known problem such as PCOS the doctor discovered at a young age. Then you may be able to get the ball rolling.

Also keep in mind that birth control can take up to a year to fully get out of your system and also for your AF to get back to normal.

Day 1 starts with when you see blood. That's what my gyno told me. If you spot a little before an actual flow then that still counts. I usually start BDing a few days after AF, then keep on until day 17. My cycle is 29 days long, but your ovulation window can fluctuate within 1-4 days. Another thing is you can temp with a basal temp thermometer to better track your ovulation day. It's a bit easier than ovulation sticks, for me at least.

 

[haileyjade777]

I wouldn't say you're LTTC. LTTCers are 35 and over actively TTC for 6 months and everyone else for over 12 months.

I would give it 6 more months before you see a fertility specialist to start the routine testing. Unless, you have a known problem such as PCOS the doctor discovered at a young age. Then you may be able to get the ball rolling.

Also keep in mind that birth control can take up to a year to fully get out of your system and also for your AF to get back to normal.

Day 1 starts with when you see blood. That's what my gyno told me. If you spot a little before an actual flow then that still counts. I usually start BDing a few days after AF, then keep on until day 17. My cycle is 29 days long, but your ovulation window can fluctuate within 1-4 days. Another thing is you can temp with a basal temp thermometer to better track your ovulation day. It's a bit easier than ovulation sticks, for me at least.

So i started spotting 2 days ago, not really enough to use a tampon but i put one in for my work shift just so i dont have to worry, but i am not supposed to start for another week you think i am should count that as day one? i have had some spotting issues for the last 4 months or so, and do you think this spotting is a sign i will be trying again next month? also i apologize, this is all new to me, all these letters in all these replies, i have no idea what they mean except TTC i would assume is trying to conceive...im sorry, i dont mean to be a pain, and thank you for the info

 

[Armywife84]

I wouldn't say you're LTTC. LTTCers are 35 and over actively TTC for 6 months and everyone else for over 12 months.

I would give it 6 more months before you see a fertility specialist to start the routine testing. Unless, you have a known problem such as PCOS the doctor discovered at a young age. Then you may be able to get the ball rolling.

Also keep in mind that birth control can take up to a year to fully get out of your system and also for your AF to get back to normal.

Day 1 starts with when you see blood. That's what my gyno told me. If you spot a little before an actual flow then that still counts. I usually start BDing a few days after AF, then keep on until day 17. My cycle is 29 days long, but your ovulation window can fluctuate within 1-4 days. Another thing is you can temp with a basal temp thermometer to better track your ovulation day. It's a bit easier than ovulation sticks, for me at least.

So i started spotting 2 days ago, not really enough to use a tampon but i put one in for my work shift just so i dont have to worry, but i am not supposed to start for another week you think i am should count that as day one? i have had some spotting issues for the last 4 months or so, and do you think this spotting is a sign i will be trying again next month? also i apologize, this is all new to me, all these letters in all these replies, i have no idea what they mean except TTC i would assume is trying to conceive...im sorry, i dont mean to be a pain, and thank you for the info

Is it normal for you to spot a bit, stop for a few days and then have an actual flow? Minus the spotting, how long does your period last?

Like I said, after coming off BCP (birth control pill) it can take a year for your body to sort itself out. In other words, your periods will be off.

LTTC= long term trying to conceive
TTC= trying to conceive

 

[tamithomas]

I don't have any info unfortunately but as previously mentioned, you wouldn't usually be considered LTTC at 9 months unless you're 35 and over which for LTTC that starts at 6 months. Healthy couples alone can take up to 2 years TTC. GL

 

[Athena]

Give it some time, 9 months is not really a long time in terms of ttc. I would see your dr after you've been actively ttc for a year. Maybe pop over to ttc boards for some tips on how best to achieve your goal. Lots of us lttc-ers have been going for several years with no BFP and hence need medical intervention.

HTH

 

[haileyjade777]

I wouldn't say you're LTTC. LTTCers are 35 and over actively TTC for 6 months and everyone else for over 12 months.

I would give it 6 more months before you see a fertility specialist to start the routine testing. Unless, you have a known problem such as PCOS the doctor discovered at a young age. Then you may be able to get the ball rolling.

Also keep in mind that birth control can take up to a year to fully get out of your system and also for your AF to get back to normal.

Day 1 starts with when you see blood. That's what my gyno told me. If you spot a little before an actual flow then that still counts. I usually start BDing a few days after AF, then keep on until day 17. My cycle is 29 days long, but your ovulation window can fluctuate within 1-4 days. Another thing is you can temp with a basal temp thermometer to better track your ovulation day. It's a bit easier than ovulation sticks, for me at least.

So i started spotting 2 days ago, not really enough to use a tampon but i put one in for my work shift just so i dont have to worry, but i am not supposed to start for another week you think i am should count that as day one? i have had some spotting issues for the last 4 months or so, and do you think this spotting is a sign i will be trying again next month? also i apologize, this is all new to me, all these letters in all these replies, i have no idea what they mean except TTC i would assume is trying to conceive...im sorry, i dont mean to be a pain, and thank you for the info

Is it normal for you to spot a bit, stop for a few days and then have an actual flow? Minus the spotting, how long does your period last?

Like I said, after coming off BCP (birth control pill) it can take a year for your body to sort itself out. In other words, your periods will be off.

LTTC= long term trying to conceive
TTC= trying to conceive

On birth control it was 5 days, lately it has been a lighter 3 days....this spotting has been been a very light single tampon day for 4 days though, and still 5 days before my period so i dont know if i should be counting this as a period, and new cycle?? i dont understand any of this things are so easy on birth control!

 

[Armywife84]

Ah, 5 days before an actual period flow? Then you have an actual flow? How long is the flow? The flow is anywhere from 3-7 days. If you spot for 5 days then have an actual flow on Day 6-Day 12....then Day 6 would be the start of your cycle.

Then count how long your cycle. Somewhere in the middle of your cycle, you will ovulate. Unless of course if you have irregular periods, then you'll have to use ovulation sticks and temp to pinpoint ovulation.

To better have an idea of when you ovulate, start using OPks after AF. Then when you get a positive, that's your ovulation day. Keep in mind it will change every month fluctuating within 4-5 days. I usually BD every to every other day around that time.

OPk= ovulation tests
BD= baby dance
AF= aunt flow

 

[RKW]

Hailey, try reading some books, articles on trying for babies. This might help with your understanding of your cycles, your body and your fertility. It really is a case of the more you know and understand your body the better you chances of a baby are xxx