TTC

[Bethanb]

I have been trying ttc for 18months now and obviously still haven't caught. Starting to worry a little now and it's getting me down.

Is there anything advice anyone could give me?

[roxannacar]

Speak to your GP And get some blood tests/ test for your partner

Also you could use a fertility tracker app and/or ovulation tests

[Bethanb in reply to roxannacar]

Thank you I have been to GP and my partner has an appointment coming up shortly xx

[Charlen3S]

Hello,

Really sorry to hear this. My cousin was the same hunni. Her first son it took her ten years to conceive him. She never went to GP. Her second she had been trying for 18 months with a miscarriage in the October. I just told her everything I did to conceive my little one and it worked for her on her second try. She is now 33 weeks. I had to strip back her cycles to the month before she fell pregnant in the October using my own fertility app which was fertility diary only on windows phones. Now that's not to say I'm saying this all works but per the other comment you should try using an app and ovulation tests. Consult your GP as well if you've no joy.

So I had to come off the combined pill at request of doctors and that's he only thing that worked. So I used a fertility app not to get pregnant then too get pregnant (lo is now 15 weeks). It's all fine and well using these apps. Just make sure your tracking your menstrual cycle correctly. Always if you start a day early or late change this on the app. Make sure you try and use it religiously. Use one that you can track cervical mucus, great indicator I personally found of impending ovulation. Now I used my app religiously however I just wasn't falling. I thought maybe NY fertility was the issue. Certainly not my husband he has three kids. So I bought from eBay a fertility testing stick to check me. I can't recall when you do it third day of period. Day one is counted as proper blood flow not spotting I'm sure (double check that don't want to give duff advice) then I bought LH strips. With these I fell pregnant with my lo second month of trying. With your app when you get in to your fertile window you take the urine from the afternoon as that is when the lh is strongest and test. Day of ovulation your expecting to have two strong lines. Leading up to ovulation your line will darken. Now when it's a strong line I'm sure it means your due to ovulate very soon. I only had sex the once I thought I missed the window as the following day I tested my lh and the line was faint like the day or two before the strong line. Please make sure your marking sex on your app. You'll eventually get in to a routine with app and lh sticks. Ones I used had a green tip and they were cheap on eBay. Also keep tummy warm use a hit water bottle but be careful don't leave it on there for too long. Helps implantation I read. Also if you suffer from cold feet which I do always keep feet warm with a hot water bottle especially during implantation. I was also very paranoid about miscarriage. Which happens with reduction in progesterone. As doctors won't prescribe I've read I found drinking tetley b6 green tea was supposed to be a source of this I actually drank one cup per day for a month beforehand through to about four months when I stopped. Drink plenty fluids at least two litres I started with per day. Make sure your taking pregnacare or folio acid and vitamin D it's recommended by gp three months prior to conception. I doubled up the dose six weeks before I conceived then moved onto pregnacare. Oh after sex don't get up straight away. Don't go mental on the sex as your reducing the good sperm. Some think if I have sex three times a day I'll surely fall not always the case. In my opinion best getting to know your body and cycle. Sorry for the Kong winded miss match of information overload. Hope it makes sense if helps you. Xx

[Bethanb in reply to Charlen3S]

Aw thank you so much, I will try out some ovulation test this week as I'm due to ovulate anytime soon. I have been to the GP my vit D was low which I have this liquid to take. I try my best with the app but people were saying to go with the flow and not to put extra presure on myself but I didn't know when I was ovulating then.

What's the reason for not getting straight up after sex?

Thank you for your reply xx

[Charlen3S in reply to Bethanb]

Sorry for late reply. I think it helps everything go the correct way. If you stand up after sex as you would normally do to go and clean up. Gravity is pulling the sperm down you can feel fluid coming away from you. I just think it helps. Even just laying in bed for ten, fifteen minutes maybe a pillow under your lower back tilt the pelvis slightly. Going with the flow doesn't always work for some. I never stressed about it I never had sex loads I didn't want hubby feeling used. I just planned we had been trying going with the flow and app for 4 month's unofficially (as in we said we would try) officially for two months as in hubby like let's try for a baby then. Two months I used lh sticks I fell on my second month as did my cousin. You don't need to put stress on yourself just because your tracking things. It's good to do this, gets you in tune with knowing your own body. If it wasn't to happen then you can go to doctors and explain all you've tried.

P.s I also cane off alcohol etc for months before and also medication from the gp. I only took paracetamol for pain relief. Grab some pregnacare too uts easier taking one tablet with everything you need on it and massive amounts of good luck to you xx

[beancarrier]

Sending hugs ttc can be a stressful time especially if its taking longer than expected. I would make an appointment to see your gp and get bloods taken etc and start the ball rolling from that point of view. The best advice i got from fertility experts was to map your monthly cycle and then have sex every other day during your ovulation week (every day if you want) reduction in sperm quantity is minimal and increased activity does boost production. The toughest advice to follow is to try to relax and stop trying, well i found that the hardest anyway. Sending lots of luck x

[Bethanb in reply to beancarrier]

Thank you so much, I know it is stressing me out, a lot of people seems to be having babies lately and iv just started getting myself in a low mood because iv been trying for so long now.

I have been to GP but blood test is fine just low on Vit D apart from that I'm ok. I try to just go with the flow but it's starting to get to my again now that I'm not catching. When I first started to try I was mad for my phone app but then I just chilled out and didn't go on it or do any tests but now it's getting to me again.

Sorry for having a moan.

Xx

[Charlen3S in reply to Bethanb]

Has your partner been tested?

[Shem008]

We started ttc from June last year. We conceived after 6 months but unfortunately lost that baby in March. We started ttc again straight away. We found out earlier this month that I am pregnant again. The main things we did differently both times was relaxed more, didn't think about making a baby and had sex when we wanted to (although no more than once a day). This time round the other things I did differently for about a month before conceiving were using the Ovia app to track my fertile periods, used ovulation tests (I have a 28 day cycle so started testing from day 10) and started taking maca powder (from Aldi, a heaped dessert spoon mixed in with a smoothie each morning - helps lift your mood, reduce tiredness and balance female hormones). I have always taken pregnancy vitamins since starting ttc and my husband takes normal multivitamins. We both stay hydrated, eat well and exercise regularly.

If you've had some tests then it may well be the vitamin d deficiency and possibly stress about trying that is delaying things. I have also been trying meditation and yoga which helped me through our miscarriage but I believe also helped us conceive again. Also, have you had any scans to check your uterus and ovaries? Something like pcos could be causing the delay. If your partners tests come back ok I'd ask if you could have more tests/a scan to see what's going on. Good luck xxx

[Miss_slinky]

Hi there, see a Dr.

My main advice, take Vitamin D supplement (high dose of good tablets), a multivitamin, eat a diet high in protein and fruit and vegetables. Both quit alcohol if you drink. Stay hydrated. Exercise and get out in fresh air regularly.

Get to know your cycle, track it, as the lady above said, don't have too much sex and stay lying down after sex for a while, even pop a pillow under your bottom.

Relax, if you can, don't obsess about it and wish you all best !! Good luck x

[mrsamy]

Hi. Don't know much about these things work in the NHS sorry cos I haven't had to try for long nor have my friends here.

but my friend in America is in the same situation. Turns out it she has cysts blocking her fallopian tubes. Maybe there's a way to check that here. Not trying to be a downer or anything but sometimes going overboard can help.

Also while trying to monitor your cycle and waiting to track with the app you could try having sex every other day or everyday starting 7 days after your period for maybe a week and a half (don't know if you're doing that already)

Sending you hugs and hope everything works out for the best.