New to TTGP? Read this!
Ricola
member
Check out this blog for information also: https://tbttgp.wordpress.com/ (clicky)
Here is some info that you should read, put together by Riley Grace:
Hi Ladies! I wrote this post to help those of you who are new to TTC and/or the TTGP board. My intention is to help you by having a bunch of information all in one post. Of course, you can learn all of the same things from lurking, but this will save you some time.
First, there is a glossary of abbreviations at the bottom left hand of the page, under all the board names. You?ll pick up most of the abbreviations from lurking, but if you?re not sure, just ask.
Second, with so many new people joining the board all the time, it?s hard to keep track of who you are. Please consider adding an avatar picture or a picture into your signature, it makes it so much easier for us to recognize you and get to know you. You don?t have to use a picture of yourself, add anything you want. Tinypic.com is an easy way to do this.
Most of the ladies on this board chart using fertilityfriend.com. Please check that out. You can access the site by clicking on anyone?s chart link. FF has amazing tutorials and great FAQs. Even if you?re not charting your temperatures yet, just tracking your cycle days, cervical mucus or OPKs is very helpful.
If you have charting or temping questions, please check the Fertility Friend frequently asked questions page first. Most of your questions can be easily found there.
On the Fertility Friend website, go to Sharing and then click on Graphical Ticker. This gives you the path to your actual ticker. When you look at your signature, replace "My Ovulation Chart" with "[ img ] the path to your ticker you found above [ /img ]" but you have to take out the quotes and the spaces before and after img and /img. Then cut and paste that info into the following code to your bump profile in the signature section. <a href=?your FF code here?</a>. You can also select Graphical Tickers under the Sharing tab on FF and click Customize your charting ticker. Click next until it gives you a page with different codes. Copy and paste the HTML code into your bump signature, to get a clicky ticker that leads directly to your chart.
Please do not waste your time using the bump ovulation calendar. It is useless and will teach you nothing about your body. This goes for bump tickers as well.
Taking Charge of Your Fertility (TCOYF) is a great book that will teach you so much about your body and how it works. You will see if referenced often on TTGP.
You can order cheap OPKs online from early-pregnancy-tests.com or saveontests.com. Amazon and ebay have cheap tests as well. Please check out peeonastick.com for lots of information about how to read tests, there are tons of pictures on that site.
When the test line is as dark or darker than the control line, it is considered positive and ovulation will most likely happen within the next 12 to 36 hours. Most ladies test twice a day starting around CD12, once in the morning, once in the afternoon.
When in doubt, hump it out!
It can take your body 6 mths to a year to adjust after stopping birth control. If you go 60 days without AF, call your doctor. A doctor can prescribe Provera to jumpstart your cycle again. It can take a healthy couple a year to get pregnant. There is only a 20% chance of getting pregnant each cycle, even when all factors are perfect.
If you think you are pregnant, take a test. We can?t tell you if you are pregnant or not, only a test can. Don?t ever start a post on TTGP asking us if you are pregnant, this will not go over well.
If your period is late, but your tests are all negative, even if you have always had a clockwork cycle, this means that you have ovulated later then usual. Take a test once a week until you get a +, AF or you hit 60 days.
Below is a HPT accuracy chart. We never recommend testing before 14dpo. If you don?t chart, and therefore don?t know for sure when you ovulated, we suggest that you wait until the day after your longest cycle. If you test early, be prepared to see a BFN. Remember, you are never out until AF shows. Good luck!
HPT accuracy DPO
10 dpo : 35%
11 dpo : 51%
12 dpo : 62%
13 dpo : 68%
14 dpo : 74%
15 dpo : 80%
16 dpo : 88%
17 dpo : 92%
18 dpo : 99%
DON?T TEST EARLY!!!!
If you take a HPT and get a faint line, you are pregnant. A line is a line for a HPT as long as you check within the testing timeframe. Congratulations, have a wonderful time on the 1st tri board!
Implantation bleeding is very rare and can only be determined after you get a positive pregnancy test. If you have spotting, just mark it in your chart and keep your fingers crossed. It might be the elusive IB, it might be random spotting, it might be the start of AF, only time will tell.
Please don't prop your hips up in the air, stick a pillow under your butt, stand on your head, etc. All of these activities are just begging for a UTI. After sex, get up and pee. All of the smart and strong sperm are already well on their way to the target. Everything that's leaking out after sex is just the fluid and the dumb ones, go pee!
CD1 is always the first day of red flow. If you don?t start AF until the evening, it?s still counted as that day. If AF starts while you are sleeping, you can count CD1 as the next morning. Do your best to be accurate, but it only really matters when you are doing a medicated cycle.
Green tea helps to increase the amount of CM that you have. Drink 1-2 cups from CD1-Ovulation. Don?t drink green tea during the 2ww because it could cause uterine contractions which might impact implantation.
Also make sure you are drinking the green tea at least 4 hours removed from taking your prenatal vitamin- it can block the absorption of folic acid.
You can also buy PreSeed, a sperm-friendly lube. You can order this from early-pregnancy-tests.com or by checking the PreSeed website for stores. This is the only lube safe while ttc, regular lube and saliva can kill sperm. If you do order preseed, don?t use too much, a little goes a long way!
Fertile CM is either watery or egg white cm. Watery is literally like water. Eggwhite cm is the most fertile and literally resembles egg whites. It can stretch more then 1-2 inches, but the color doesn?t matter, it could be clear, milky or even have some spotting.
Pomegranate juice can help to thicken your lining which would help with implantation. If you don?t like the flavor, try adding some sparkling water. Drink 8oz of juice a day from CD1-O. You can drink it past ovulation, but it won?t impact your lining at that point.
Pineapple core (Bromelain) can help with implantation. Eat 1/5 of the core from O - 5dpo, but not longer. Not a ton of people do this, but you can try if you want to. It's better if you make it into a smoothie.
B6 can help to lengthen your LP. However, B6 can cause nerve damage in too high of a dose, please check with your Dr before starting this, and have them tell you what dose to take.
Avoid Advil/Motrin (NSAIDs) when you are ttc, they can impact implantation. Tylenol is best when ttc and pregnant. If you have a question about any medications while ttc, please ask your Dr.
If you haven?t started taking a prenatal vitamin, do it now!!! You don?t need an Rx. I use the Target brand prenatal.
Lurk on the board to learn, Google is your friend! The TTGP board is a wonderful resource and the women are very knowledgeable but we aren?t a substitute for doing your own research. When you are ready to participate, please consider posting an introduction.
Welcome and good luck! I hope this helps you!
Re: New to TTGP? Read this!
BFP #1 EDD 08/07/11 DS born 07/27/11 Welcome Mr. Smiley!
BFP #2 05/28/12 EDD 02/03/13 Natural M/C 07/14/12 10w6d
BFP #3 10/02/12 EDD 06/11/13 Please stick baby! Stick!
Thank you so much!! We have only been TTC for 2 cycles now but its still frustrating... This helped a lot though!! Thanks again!!
It's not necessary if you don't want to do it. Women that don't chart their temperatures get pregnant all the time. It will show you if you are ovulating and when, so if you are not sure of that, charting will be helpful. It will also show you if your LP length is within a normal range.
If you do want to give it a shot, check out www.fertilityfriend.com (or click on any of our tickers). You can sign up for free and they offer tutorials as well. It might seem overwhelming at first, but becomes really easy after a few days.
Good luck!
Logan - 11/09, Lander 08/11, Baby #3 ~It's a girl!!~ EDD: 04/10/14
Thank you! This was VERY helpful!
Question: Has anyone ever heard of using Instead cups to hold sperm in? I found it on another site and apparently you put one in after intercourse and sleep with it in and it supposedly holds the sperm next to your cervix...??? There are also reviews about using the product this way if you google Instead cups...
IUI #1=BFN
IUI #2=BFP! Beta#1:87 Beta #2:1050
~It's a GIRL!~
"Anyone can give up, it's the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone else would understand if you fell apart, that's true strength."
This might be a stupid question, but I just wanted to make sure you mean wait until 60 days since the first day of your last period? I'm at 52 days since my last period (Oct. 8), and I've had 5 negative tests. I planned on calling the doctor tomorrow to set up an appointment anyway...any other advice is appreciated! Thanks.
Mother to DD, born sleeping on 9/28/11, and DS, born 3/12/13, 5lbs 13oz, 19in
Thank you! I have been lurking for a while, but this will really help!
Thank you so much! I swear I'm not a dumb person... but there is a lot to learn being a new bumpie... ok, did I at least get that right? We're "bumpies" right? haha... it's cute!
I'm so excited to meet new TTGP friends here... I'm from mid-Michigan... north of the three cities listed under the Michigan title... closer to Saginaw/Bay City, MI area... Detroit, Lansing, and Grand Rapids are the only cities listed... oh well, I love making friends anywhere... so, Hi!
Merry Christmas to you all!
Welcome to TTGP and merry Christmas to you as well! Please feel free to check out the other 2 links in my siggy to understand the lingo a bit better, I know it helped me in the beginning. :-) You might also want to post an introduction, so people know who you are and get the chance to get to know you :-) Good luck!
I just ordered 40 OPK's on amazon, they are good and cheap. Ovulation can cause cramps/pain, yes. Ovulation calendars don't really tell you much, since they assume you have a 28 day cycle and ovulate on day 14, which is rarely the case. I would suggest that you check out www.fertilityfriend.com (or click on any of our tickers). There you can read all about charting your temperatures and fertility signs (CM, CP and so on). If you don't want to chart temperatures and/or the OPK's don't work out for you, you could always have sex EOD, that way you are covered no matter what.
If you plan on staying around on the board, I would also like to suggest to get an avatar and/or siggy picture, so people can recognize you easier. Maybe you want to write an intro, too, so people know your story and get a chance to know you.
Good luck!
"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life."
~ Winston Churchill