Young and Struggling to Conceive

[pinkandblue23]

Hi All!
New to the website and looking for some help....
I am recently married, 23 and hoping to start our family.
As i'm only young I (wrongly) thought that getting pregnant would be quick and easy
I am in my third month TTC now and still each and every ovulation test i take is coming through negative. I'm worried I might have health problems, although I only came off the contraceptive pill in January, of which i had taken previously for almost 8 years!
I'm not sure if im looking for reassurance or answers, but i was wondering if anybody else had been through anything similar?
Looking forward to hearing from you!!!! xxx

 

[MyLobster]

Im in the same boat, almost 23 ( july ill be 23 ) me and my husband have been ttc for 3 months as well, it can take up to a year to become pregnant so just give it time

 

[donnarobinson]

Ino 3 months seems like a long time but it takes even healthy couples up2 a year x I tried 3 yrs for my 1st and been trying 12 months for my 2nd x gd luck x

 

[donnarobinson]

U could try charting ur temp , u cud jus be missing ur window how many times a day do u use ovulation tests x

 

[KatyW]

You could try taking your temperature and then charting it on the Fertility Friend website. It could be that you are missing your surge before ovulation by using only OPKs.

 

[marta82]

Hi Pinkandblue23,

I wouldn't say you're struggling to concieve after only 3 months.

I'm four months pregnant at the moment. We wanted to give our baby the best chances so both my husband and I started a diet with the help of a nutritionist and by the time I got pregnant we were feeling at our best.

Try to eat a diet full of organic veg, meats, fish, nuts, seeds and fruit. Lower your intake of dairy and if you can't at least drink organic milk (non-organic milk is full of antibiotics and other bad stuff) and especially lower your intake of grains in particular wheat. If you search for fertility and wheat/gluten you'll see how many researches show how gluten can interfere with conception even if you're not even intolerant or you don't know you are. And I would take a multivitamin (pregnacare for both you and your husband) containging folic acid.

You'll probably get pregnant anyway but this would give you the best chances as it takes a few weeks for the egg to mature and it takes 3 months for a sperm to mature so it's good to start a healthy lifestyle a few months before trying to concieve.

These are only suggestions but if you think about it, it makes sense. If you have a healthy lifestyle you feel good and if you feel good it means your body is healthy and works properly so things will come naturally.

 

[pinkandblue23]

Thank you so much for all of your help guys. Think its reassuring just to hear that it doesnt happen straight away for everybody!

I will definitely take all suggestions into consideration and try charting ovulation at different times etc. I am already rather healthy however i have slacked on the exercise since we started "trying" and become lazier with meals etc. I will definitely look into the meal suggestions!
I am taking folix acid but will look into Pregnacare for my husband and I too.

Thanks again and good luck mylobster!! xxx

 

[MyLobster]

oh thanks so much pinkandblue :] I have faith it will happen sooner rather than later for us!!! Lots of baby dust your way!!!

 

[bumpin2012]

it's also good too remember that after taking a hormonal contraceptive for 8 years, it's going to take some time for your body to readjust. it takes on average, 6 months for your body to regulate itself, and can easily take a year to conceive if you are not temping/ charting. Don't get discouraged yet! as a pp already stated, keep healthy and active, and try not to stress, as stress really screws with your hormones

 

[FarmersWife5]

I am also married and 22 DH will be 24. I was on BCP from age 16 untill a couple months ago. My last two AF's coming off BCP were "normal". But this is also our 2nd month TTC. It all takes time, which nobody wants to hear haha.. including myself!

 

[MummyofOne21]

I am 21 and my OH is 22. I got pregnant with my son the first month not planned. We have ttc to since june 2012 so nearly a year and i had a chemical pregnancy in november 2012 and a miscarriage january 2013. So it does take time, hope you get your bfp and ive never took any contraception xxxxx

 

[cupcaker]

I'm 27 and fell pregnant at 26. It took me four cycles to get pregnant. I had been off the pill quite a while and used ovulation tests before ttc to see what actually went on with my body whilst I waited for my partner to be ready to ttc. The main thing I would say to people in this situation is don't assume you ovulate when you are 'meant to' (ie on the 14th day or whatever, u might be nowhere near that) and I so very nearly missed ovulation as I got the surge (and therefore positive tests) very late at night sometimes. The month I got pregnant was a'late night' positive test. Sometimes I'd get a positive say 5 or 6 o'clock ish too so it was best to just tests loads. Buy cheap and tests lots. Good luck xx

 

[291]

I was off the pill from October 2007, no pill taken to this day since.

I was 23 when we ttc #1, it took 11 months to fall pregnant.
Now 27 and taken 8 months currently with #2. Started priming for this one in April 2012 - needed rubella vax, pap smear etc. Folic acid taken since then... So over 12 months now if you take that into account.

 

[Hopeful2014]

I understand completely. I was totally naive at the beginning because of all the stories we heard as children.

Charting will be very helpful since you are just off the pill. There are a lot of services online you can use, but most people use Fertilityfriend.com It is a good website for tracking your cycle, confirming ovulation, and helping you to predict future ovulation/likelihood of pregnancy based on symptoms/and when to test. There are many different methods you can use in charting.

First, I highly recommend temping because it confirms when you ovulate and therefore also helps you to determine your luteal phase length (time between ovulation and next cycle) and testing time. You get a special BBT thermometer, which is available at many places. I got mine at Wal-Mart for $8-$9. You take your temperature every morning before getting out of bed, moving a lot, talking, drinking, etc. It gives you the base temperature. You add this to your chart. The pre-ovulation temps are lower, then after you get three higher temps your ovulation will be confirmed. Then you are in the luteal phase/tww where your temps will be higher. This will definitely help you find a pattern over time (in case you need it).

Second, a lot of people use ovulation predictor kits (opks) to find their lh surge, which happens right before ovulation. Whereas temping confirms ovulation after it happens, opks should tell you right before you are about to ovulate. You can get these at most places as well. We only have a small window each month so catching ovulation is key!

There are other methods as well. One popular/helpful method is tracking cm(cervical fluids). Noting when it becomes more watery or like ewcm means that ovulation is approaching.

Good luck!

 

[AlaskaWife]

I understand how you feel pinkandblue23, my DH and I are on our 5th month of TTC after being off the pill for 6 months prior. I know it can be very upsetting, when AF comes every month, and we all automatically assume the worst. Don't get discouraged though. Just try to look at AF as a new chance to try again, and use every month to prepare yourself and your body for the baby when it does come. I know you are hating the lack of control (we all are), so do things that you can control like charting (not only is it helpful for understanding your body but it gives you routine and control over something) maybe try the making babies program. I'm a newer member so it won't let me put a link but google making babies program and take the fertility type test and follow the advice for your type. I'm following it and I'm not sure if it's helping but I feel better. Maybe because it's mostly general health advice, and maybe because it gives me a feeling of working towards something. I don't follow it to a T (I'm definitely not getting acupuncture), but I do follow some of the basic advice and take some of the supplements it suggests. Anyways try it, but whatever you do don't lose hope and stay positive. Good luck and Baby Dust!