i'm looking forward to getting caught up on all of your stories in the next few weeks and months! i thought i'd offer a quick summary so that you all know where i'm at with this ttc thing...
after 10 years of OCPs and 3 years of marriage, my hubby and i decided we were ready for the challenge of parenthood. turns out that conceiving in the first place is equally challenging! i had my first period exactly 26 days from my last OCP (october 2013), and have had very regular 25-26 day cycles since. i bbt'd a few months, but had such erratic temps and inconsistent wake up times, i didn't think it was offering me any solid information. i haven't been as dedicated with bbt's the last month or two. i have also been using OPKs the last 3 cycles and have consistently had a positive on the evening of CD 14 (sometimes just on CD14, once it was still positive the morning of CD15). frequency of the BD part is most certainly not an issue in this equation ;-)
we've talked about having him tested, but haven't just yet.
i'm a little worried that i have a luteal phase defect because of my shorter cycles and my +OPK/O dates being too close to the next cycle (and because i haven't had a BFP yet). my PCP gave me a round of Clomid this month to see if it would provoke a stronger ovulation and hormone response, and based on the cramping and acne i've had the last 3 days, i'm hoping that's the case! (CD1 was 3/4, +opk CD14 3/17)
i have an appt with my Gyn at the end of the month to hash a few of these issues out and talk about labs or progesterone or something more. it'll be funny timing because i'll be CD 24 on my appt date, so if the clomid worked, i'll be having a very different conversation that day
i work in health care, so my other issue is that i over-think everything (though i think every woman who is ttc has an overly-analytical brain at some point!)... i'm hoping that you ladies can offer me some piece of mind, and hopefully i have some insight to bring to the table, too!
phew, sorry for the essay here. what do i need to know about you?! thanks again for extending the invite
Hello dear! and Welcome!!!
First of all, conceiving is a very intense part. Who knew?
I didn't come into this thinking I would conceive on the first try, but I had no idea that I would be trying for 5 cycles, with some pretty ugly temperature charts thrown in there. You are definitely not alone in wondering what is going on?!?!?
You are definitely not alone in getting a little over-analytical. It's perfectly normal...
A little backstory on me...
Our first born was a surprise. We weren't trying, and my oh my, we weren't ready, but we were excited. Suddenly, we had this little creature to fall in love with, and he took our hearts from the moment we saw his heart beating on the first ultrasound. Archer, our son, is three now, and he's the smartest little thing.
Because he was a surprise, we just assumed that we were mega-fertile. We basically assumed that if my husband looked at me, I would be impregnated
Gross! Ok, not that bad, but we assumed it would be easy.
Before my son, my cycles were 28 days precisely. So much so that I would start on a Thursday, guaranteed. It was great! After him, they've gone from decent to bad to kind of terrible.
Basically, I SS'ed HARD with our first cycle of TTC, and it was a miserable outcome. I decided not to after that, and not SS'ing helped me not feel *so* crushed. However, when the symptoms are screaming at you, it is ok to observe. I've found that avoiding SS helped me maintain a more cheerful mind.
I do also want to clarify that I, and I'm sure I'm not alone, have fallen deep after a few cycles of trying. There's something about TTC that everyone in your life is suddenly announcing pregnancy, and you over-think, worry, panic, and wonder if it will ever happen. I started to sink into kind of a funk.
Our family went on vacation in Taiwan (to visit my husband's family), and that was my worst cycle. My period came 7 days early, The bleeding was quite terrible, and I bled for about 4-5 days. Somehow though, I was pulled out of the funk. I wasn't hurt that my period came, and I was feeling pretty positive. I remember distinctly not crying. Then I spotted for about 7 more days after af stopped (and that freaked me out). I still don't know what happened. However, we conceived with that ovulation.
Just like I did with my son, I am spotting with this pregnancy. Both times, the doctors didn't seem concerned. The blood is brown, the baby's heart is steadily beating, and I am sicker than a dog.
I'm currently over the toilet about 5-6 different times, randomly, throughout the day.
but I will take it knowing that I can count on that as a friendly reminder this little one is growing. With my son, I only threw up in the mornings, and I wasn't really sick throughout the day. I'm team girl right now because of the weird ms
Sorry for my essay!
Welcome to Conkers! This is the most wonderful group of girls. Without them, I don't think I'd be able to say "I'm pregnant". I think I would have quit long ago without their support and love
RedHead ya creeper. Nah, jk. I love ya! 
to hopefully help stabilize things if my body struggles again. 
You're in great company here. 
