The Official TTC Thread!

[littlelysser]

Peony - I didn''t know that! That''s awesome. I''m totally going to start looking for it now...although I assume I am too old to get the prize!!!

 

[Independent Gal]

What store is this and why don''t I shop there?

 

[Blenheim]

I didn''t know TJ did that either! I''m going to have to start looking now.

Happy in Love, I haven''t decided when I''m testing. After last cycle, I don''t want to test too early - seeing all the negatives was hard. But at the same time, my dad''s decided to fly here and visit us Friday (9 dpo) through Tuesday (13 dpo), and if one of those hearts worked it would be so much fun to find out while he''s here and be able to tell him in person. The next time that we''re likely to see him is Thanksgiving. If I''m testing early I want it to be in the morning so I don''t feel like I need to dehydrate myself first to make my pee more concentrated, and since hubby''s working Monday and Tuesday that means I''d either have to test Sunday (or earlier) or test Monday morning and actually control myself and not blurt it out to my dad if it''s positive (I''d want my hubby to be the first to know). Maybe Sunday would be best. 11 dpo''s not incredibly early. I''m probably really over thinking this, huh?

 

[Independent Gal]

13 DPO! 13 DPO! With an extra sensitive kit, you''ve got an 80ish% chance of accuracy on 13DPO, I think.

 

[happy in love]

Blen- If you think you''re overthinking things then I must be NUTS! I don''t even know exactly when I will ovulate yet and I''ve already been trying to figure out when we will be able to test (will we know before x,y or z). I think 11dpo is not TOO early, but still early enough that you might haved a false neg... Gosh, I don''t know, having not POAS yet I don''t know about the whole emotional stress part of seeing the BFN.
What time does hubby go to work on Monday? If it''s not toooo early could you take the test before he leaves? I ask because I have this idea for telling my DH the news... (warning...cheesey idea ahead)

I am making him a travel mug that says "congratulations daddy" or "I <3 my baby daddy" or something equally cheesey and then in the most "good little wife" way bring him his cup of coffee in the morning. I am hoping we will get a BFP the day we leave for my cousin''s wedding, and we always have our travel mugs full before we drive away, so I thought it would be kinda cute. If it doesn''t happen that day, well I''ll save the mug for when it does.

 

[littlelysser]

Indy - Trader Joe's is the store! I've been going there for YEARS and never knew. I'm totally finding that bear next time!!!

And a confession, I tested today, just for fun, even though I don't know when I O'd and I'm at CD 22. It was a BFN, but it was early so I'm not sure how much faith to put into the BFN...ie - whether it really is a BFN or I'm just testing too early.

 

[Dreamer_D]

happy tht is the cutest idea ever! I just marched in and woke DH up and told him. LOL!

As for when to test... it depends a little on how long your usual luteal phase is! Mine was "typically" (I use the word lightly b/c of post-pill craziness) around 10 -11 days, so I tested at 11 DPO and got a positive. If you have a longer luteal phase maybe you need to wait longer?? It takes 2-4 days after implantation for the hormone to build up enough to measure it in the pee, so with implantation potentially happening as early as 5 DPO and as late as 14 DPO

then you have a window from as early as 7 DPO until about as late as 19 DPO before you could *possible* get a positive! There is just no easy way about it I guess...

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 6/21/2008 3:20:01 PM
Author: littlelysser
Indy - Trader Joe's is the store! I've been going there for YEARS and never knew. I'm totally finding that bear next time!!!

And a confession, I tested today, just for fun, even though I don't know when I O'd and I'm at CD 22. It was a BFN, but it was early so I'm not sure how much faith to put into the BFN...ie - whether it really is a BFN or I'm just testing too early.

Any thoughts?

Lysser that is very early. Lets say you had an early O at CD-13, then you are only 9 DPO. If it was a "late" O at CD-20, then you are only 2 DPO

 

[littlelysser]

DD - You are such a wealth of knowledge! So glad you are here!

ETA - Yeah. I figured it was super early. BUT I WANT TO KNOW AS SOON AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE BECAUSE I CANNOT STAND THIS STUPID KNITTING!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 6/21/2008 3:27:02 PM
Author: littlelysser
DD - You are such a wealth of knowledge! So glad you are here!

ETA - Yeah. I figured it was super early. BUT I WANT TO KNOW AS SOON AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE BECAUSE I CANNOT STAND THIS STUPID KNITTING!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks Lysser... although "wealth of knowledge" is such a nice was to put it. Mostly I get "know it all"

My friends think I am crazy, but I guess diamonds or CF it''s all the same thing in the end--learning something new!

I hear you on the horrow of the wait. The first month I TTC I though for sure I was preggo. I was so aware of every sign and symptom, and then when AF came it was very very light (makes me now think anovulatory cycle) and I convinced myself for quite a few days that it was implantation spotting! My rather embarassing account of my spotting can be found earlier in this thread

.

Then the next cycle I temped and was so happy to see that I O''d, but then before I could even get very excited my temps fell at 7 DPO and then AF arrived at 8 DPO. I cried and cried because that was just too soon, it''s hard to get preggo with an 8 day LP.

So this month I felt sure I would O, but then I was on pins and needles in the LP just HOPING it would be longer than 10 days! This cycle was so different than the first two, there were many physical signs that my body was back on track hormonally. Still, when I started to get watery CF at 9 DPO I thought AF was coming, because many women get fertile CM before AF (due to dropping progesterone, which blocks CF). However, many women also get lots of fertile looking CF when they are preggo

(due to really high levels of estrogen)!

It turns out that basically EVERY sign of early pregnancy is also a sign that AF is coming

So unfortunately, you really can''t know what is coming until you get the BFP or AF arrives for anothr annoying visit.

 

[brgirl]

Hi everyone!

I''ve been lurking on the Preggo and TTC thread for a while...and had a question, so I decided I really shouldn''t just lurk anymore! I don''t want to be that stranger who just asks questions and hides...

We were married in October and we''re officially going to start TTC in August of this year..but I''ve been charting for about 5 months now, using FAM as a preventative measure. The first month, I was so sure when I ovulated. It was awesome. Since then, I have just been guessing....probably because we keep going on vacation and I forget my thermometer, so I stop charting mid-cycle, and we just use backup methods of BC.

Anyway, my question is about the thermometer..Have you ever read the directions? I bought the purple basal body one from rite-aid and cvs (dog chewed one of them, so had to buy a second one..yet another reason I stopped charting mid-cycle!!), and the first time, I read the directions that came with it. Did you know there is a picture of WHERE you are supposed to put the thermometer on your tongue? And, that your temp can vary, depending on whether the thermometer is in the center or side or back or front of your tongue? So I always take my temperature when I first wake up, still half asleep. I have to position my head just right so that dang thermometer doesn''t move. My temps seem to be all over the place, and I swear sometimes it is because the thermometer moved. Am I the only one with this problem? Is it just my thermometer? It really is driving me kind of crazy...and i''m too tired so early in the AM to take it 5 times. I also am paranoid that if I''m awake for 5 minutes before I take it, the results are skewed entirely!

Congrats to all the newly-preggos!! Good luck to everyone trying!

 

[Blenheim]

Lysser, I''m pretty sure that it was too early but I can understand the feeling.

IG, 13 dpo''s out unless I feel like getting up before 5 am on a vacation day. Hubby leaves for work by 5:15 and my dad''s leaving around lunchtime that day so it''s not like I could tell them both over dinner. Do you know the percent accuracy for 12 dpo?

Happy in Love, that''s such a cute idea. I''m just not sure about getting up so early to do it.

If I found out on the weekend, on the other hand...

 

[Blenheim]

Brgirl, I just place the thermometer where the diagram says and then fall back asleep. The beeping when it''s done wakes me back up. I guess it might move around, but I figure that there are enough things that could throw my temp off by just a little bit that I don''t worry about it and just keep the possibility of error in mind when looking at my chart.

How all over the place are your temps? Some variation is normal, you''re just looking for patterns and shifts.

One of my dogs chewed up my first thermometer, right before ovulation on my second cycle charting, so I had a bunch of missed temps and ovulation wasn''t confirmed until what I think was 6-7 dpo. Stupid dogs.

And welcome!

 

[brgirl]

Date: 6/21/2008 5:54:08 PM
Author: Blenheim
Brgirl, I just place the thermometer where the diagram says and then fall back asleep. The beeping when it''s done wakes me back up. I guess it might move around, but I figure that there are enough things that could throw my temp off by just a little bit that I don''t worry about it and just keep the possibility of error in mind when looking at my chart.


How all over the place are your temps? Some variation is normal, you''re just looking for patterns and shifts.


One of my dogs chewed up my first thermometer, right before ovulation on my second cycle charting, so I had a bunch of missed temps and ovulation wasn''t confirmed until what I think was 6-7 dpo. Stupid dogs.


And welcome!

Thanks! They vary by a whole degree sometimes, and it just annoys me. I am going to ''get serious'' about charting this month and keep better track of everything. The only clear temp shift I had was that first cycle charting. I think I got cocky and thought ''geesh, this is easy'' and didn''t do as good a job for the remaining months. I know, it sounds dumb now!

I think we have the same kind of dog - cavalier, right? She''s the one that ate the thermometer! Our second dog is a boston terrier/french bull dog mix, but I know it was the cavalier that ate it!

 

[Blenheim]

Our cavalier''s the one who chewed up the thermometer, too! Don''t tell the other two, but he''s our favorite.

I love Frenchies, and if we didn''t already have 3 dogs I''d seriously consider getting one. There are a couple who frequent our dog park and stole my heart.

My temps often jump by half a degree, with maybe one or two a cycle that are significantly lower or higher than the others. I''ve seen some charts where temps jump around even more. I guess you could try to be careful about time of day, temperature of the room, how much clothing you where to bed, etc and see if it helps. Some stuff you can''t really help though -- sleeping with your mouth open vs closed might affect your temp, for example.



We''re continuing on our goal of using our non-pregnant time to plow through things that need to be done around the house. Last weekend, I organized and decluttered our file cabinet, caulked the bathroom trim, and touched up paint in a couple of places around the house. This weekend, I''ve been working on removing some of the caulk around the bathtub and replacing it. And I took two full car loads of stuff to Goodwill today. Now that the stuff''s out of the basement, I think we''re going to spend some time tomorrow trying to do a better job organizing what''s down there. Keeping busy helps keep me from obsessing over my knitting.

 

[Sha]

Date: 6/21/2008 5:13:26 PM
Author: brgirl
Hi everyone!

I''ve been lurking on the Preggo and TTC thread for a while...and had a question, so I decided I really shouldn''t just lurk anymore! I don''t want to be that stranger who just asks questions and hides...

We were married in October and we''re officially going to start TTC in August of this year..but I''ve been charting for about 5 months now, using FAM as a preventative measure. The first month, I was so sure when I ovulated. It was awesome. Since then, I have just been guessing....probably because we keep going on vacation and I forget my thermometer, so I stop charting mid-cycle, and we just use backup methods of BC.

Anyway, my question is about the thermometer..Have you ever read the directions? I bought the purple basal body one from rite-aid and cvs (dog chewed one of them, so had to buy a second one..yet another reason I stopped charting mid-cycle!!), and the first time, I read the directions that came with it. Did you know there is a picture of WHERE you are supposed to put the thermometer on your tongue? And, that your temp can vary, depending on whether the thermometer is in the center or side or back or front of your tongue? So I always take my temperature when I first wake up, still half asleep. I have to position my head just right so that dang thermometer doesn''t move. My temps seem to be all over the place, and I swear sometimes it is because the thermometer moved. Am I the only one with this problem? Is it just my thermometer? It really is driving me kind of crazy...and i''m too tired so early in the AM to take it 5 times. I also am paranoid that if I''m awake for 5 minutes before I take it, the results are skewed entirely!

Congrats to all the newly-preggos!! Good luck to everyone trying!

brgirl, I have that thermometer too. This is my first month charting. I don''t know if I''m wrong...but I just stick the thermometer as near to the ''heat pocket'' as I can, then hold it there with my hand (still lying down, for course) till it beeps. Are you not supposed to hold it?

 

[Sha]

Thanks for the welcome, mela!

Although I'm not TTC yet... just a very active lurker. Hopefully I'll be on this board in the next couple months.

I'm very happy that I finally got some real EWCM today! So I guess I'm o'ing or almost o'ing. Such a relief to know my body is working properly!

 

[lisa1.01fvs1]

Had to post this.....

 

[lili]

That''s too funny

Thanks for the laugh.

 

[AmberWaves]

I'm about to go to bed (oh lord, it was SO HOT in the valley today- it was 92 degrees driving home at 10pm!!!) , but I had a question: when I've been temping at 6:10am every morning (Hell on weekends), what do I do next week? Hawaii will be three hours after my normal time (ie, it'll be 3:10am there when it is 6:10am here). What should I do?

 

[lisa1.01fvs1]

Amber you gotta get up early and go to bed early - stay on same sched.

Sounds ridiculous!

I say enjoy yourself and don''t worry about the temps!

Lili - so glad you got a smile today out of the fried egg and spoons.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 6/22/2008 2:53:15 AM
Author: AmberWaves
I''m about to go to bed (oh lord, it was SO HOT in the valley today- it was 92 degrees driving home at 10pm!!!) , but I had a question: when I''ve been temping at 6:10am every morning (Hell on weekends), what do I do next week? Hawaii will be three hours after my normal time (ie, it''ll be 3:10am there when it is 6:10am here). What should I do?

I read that when you travel you should keep taking your temps at the same time locally as you do at home (6:10 am). It will only take your body about 2-3 days for your body to adjust to the time difference, but be aware your temps will probably he a little higher that usual for a couple of days!

 

[peonygirl]

Hi gals! A few days ago FF decided that I might have ovulated. My signs don''t really match up, but my temps have stayed high which is nice. Also, although my OPK was never positive, it was definitely the darkest during the times it should have been if FF is right about possible ovulation. Here''s my chart if anyone is interested.

Also, I''m taking an upper-level physics summer course starting tomorrow until July 10, so I won''t be on here very much until after that. At least I shouldn''t be (I should be STUDYING!), so please tell me to get off if I''m here. I''ll still be charting during that period though. Take care everyone!!

 

[Independent Gal]

That looks like a nice upward trend to me, Peony!

Good luck with the physics class. I love physics, even though it''s not my strongest area.

 

[blushingbride]

Date: 6/22/2008 10:29:28 AM
Author: dreamer_dachsie

Date: 6/22/2008 2:53:15 AM
Author: AmberWaves
I''m about to go to bed (oh lord, it was SO HOT in the valley today- it was 92 degrees driving home at 10pm!!!) , but I had a question: when I''ve been temping at 6:10am every morning (Hell on weekends), what do I do next week? Hawaii will be three hours after my normal time (ie, it''ll be 3:10am there when it is 6:10am here). What should I do?

I read that when you travel you should keep taking your temps at the same time locally as you do at home (6:10 am). It will only take your body about 2-3 days for your body to adjust to the time difference, but be aware your temps will probably he a little higher that usual for a couple of days!

Hello! Sounds like everyone is doing well...I''ve been so busy this weekend that I haven''t had much of a chance to post. Lisa, LOVE that picture you posted - hilarious!

Amber, this was my question too since I''m leaving for Italy and Croatia in a week and half. So, my time will be 6 hours ahead (I think)...plus, we''ll be out and about everyday. I have no idea how I''m going to keep up w/ my temping. Are we to test like this for the entire trip? If I test at 6:30 every morning, that would mean that I''m testing at lunch time in Europe and it means that I''ve been awake for the best several hours so, I''m a little confused.

 

[Independent Gal]

If you''ve been temping at 6:30am EST (sounds like you''re on the east coast from the time difference) then you should temp at 6:30am CET as well. Within a few days, your body will have adjusted and will ''think'' it''s 6:30 WHEN it''s 6:30 (central euro time, that is).

The magic words of jet-lag, that even apply to temping are: live in the time zone you''re in. If it''s 6:30 local time, it''s 6:30, period. And your body quickly comes to believe you.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 6/22/2008 12:53:02 PM
Author: blushingbride

Date: 6/22/2008 10:29:28 AM
Author: dreamer_dachsie

Date: 6/22/2008 2:53:15 AM
Author: AmberWaves
I''m about to go to bed (oh lord, it was SO HOT in the valley today- it was 92 degrees driving home at 10pm!!!) , but I had a question: when I''ve been temping at 6:10am every morning (Hell on weekends), what do I do next week? Hawaii will be three hours after my normal time (ie, it''ll be 3:10am there when it is 6:10am here). What should I do?

I read that when you travel you should keep taking your temps at the same time locally as you do at home (6:10 am). It will only take your body about 2-3 days for your body to adjust to the time difference, but be aware your temps will probably he a little higher that usual for a couple of days!

Hello! Sounds like everyone is doing well...I''ve been so busy this weekend that I haven''t had much of a chance to post. Lisa, LOVE that picture you posted - hilarious!

Amber, this was my question too since I''m leaving for Italy and Croatia in a week and half. So, my time will be 6 hours ahead (I think)...plus, we''ll be out and about everyday. I have no idea how I''m going to keep up w/ my temping. Are we to test like this for the entire trip? If I test at 6:30 every morning, that would mean that I''m testing at lunch time in Europe and it means that I''ve been awake for the best several hours so, I''m a little confused.

Ditto Indy, she said it perfectl (that''s what I was trying to say but it wan''t clear

)... also, since I know you are TTC on your trip Blushing, you may want to really rely on your CF to tell you when to BD, just in case your temps are a little wachadoo.

 

[blushingbride]

OK, thanks ladies...that''s what I was thinking of doing all along - just got a little confused w/ what Amber''s doing.

 

[AmberWaves]

Thanks so much, DD and Indy! Ironically I woke up at 5:00am this morning (choking, happens sometimes), and when I temped at my usual time, WHOOPS, waaay off.

At least the cramps are better, almost gone. Btw: I HATE SUMMER!!

 

[Independent Gal]

Blushing, or you could just get it on every day to be safe!

Those are some romantic place you''re visiting. (teehee).