Hello!
Welcome to the Trying To Get Pregnant (TTGP) board!
This
is a general how-to/information post to help you better understand
the community and how the board generally works. All blue text are
links to other posts for more information.
Once you've read
through this post and feel more comfortable, please introduce
yourself to the community. There are weekly introduction threads
started every Monday for intro posts, where the community can get to
know the newest members and welcome them.
Guidelines
First,
please read these threads and learn the rules of this board:
The
Bump Guidelines
Welcome
New Members
Am I Pregnant?
First
thing: it
is against
the forum rules to
ask if you are pregnant (straight
forward or in a round about way) and
to post pictures of HPTs asking
about lines. A line is a line=pregnant. The only place you can post
your HPT is What Does A Positive Test Look Like in First Tri. If you
are looking for a success story, the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd Trimester; Pregnant After Infertility or Pregnant After Loss boards are best suited for
your question. We can not tell you if you are pregnant, so please
don't ask. Take a test, if it's negative, lurk some more and get to
know the community. If it's positive, congratulations, please move on to your BMB
or First Tri and participate there.
The
number
one rule of
this board is to lurk.
Lurk and lurk some more. Please refrain from creating a new thread to
ask any questions that have been asked recently. If you have a
question regarding your cycle or chart, please ask in the Waiting To
Ovulate (WTO) or Two Week Wait (TWW) threads. Otherwise, if you have
a general question for the whole community, it may be better suited
to start a new thread.
Trigger Warnings (TW)
Please
be respectful and precede posts with a Trigger
Warning (TW)
for
certain circumstances.
This includes triggers such as all losses, BFPs, abuse, rape,
violence, abortion, etc. It gives posters a heads up to either
prepare themselves for what they're about to read or the courtesy to
skip the post without reading something that could be traumatic for
them. You do
not need a TW for
topics such as children, general pregnancy, etc.
Big
Fat Positives (BFPs)
Once
you get your Big Fat Positive test (BFP), the appropriate place to
post is in the weekly Graduation Thread. Please do not post your BFP
in the TWW thread. Please do not include your HPTs – those can be
shared in the previously mentioned positive test thread.
Things to Avoid
1)
Do not dirty delete. If you get flamed, please do not delete your
post (you most likely have already been quoted anyways). Future
lurkers/posters can and may learn from the experience.
2) The term
baby dust is not accepted here.
The term is particularly offensive and hurtful to those who have
unfortunately had to cremate their baby. Please be considerate to
those TTC After Loss.
“Late”
& “Light” Periods
If
you are concerned you are late but are getting negative tests, it is
very likely you have ovulated later than you thought or you may not
have ovulated yet. Your body is not a machine and it will vary cycle to cycle.
You are regular until you're not. You will not always ovulate on the
same day every cycle. If you think you may be pregnant, test once a
week until you get your period or a positive test. If you hit cycle
day 60, talk to your doctor about jump starting your next cycle.
If
you are just coming off of birth control, it may take time for your
body to regulate and get back to normal. This is normal. Your body
has to get back in the habit of producing the hormones that birth
control was suppressing. It is not uncommon for it to take a few
months before your cycles return to your normal. One woman's
experience will not necessarily be the same for you. Every body is
different.
You
have had your period if there is enough bleeding to fill a pad or
tampon, no
matter how
light or heavy is it, or how short or long it lasts. This is not the
same as spotting. Period heaviness and length can change time to
time. You're normal until you're not.
Tools
While TTGP
Your Chances
Always
assume you are the rule, not the exception. You have about a 20%
chance of conception each cycle you ovulate. It can take a normal,
healthy couple up to 1 year to get pregnant. If you still aren't
pregnant after a year of consistent and/or well-timed sex, schedule
an appointment with a Reproductive Endocrinologist (RE). If you're 35
years old or older, this is cut down to 6 months of trying with
consistent/well-timed sex. If you are having recurrent miscarriages,
unfortunately, the norm is to wait until at least a 3rd miscarriage
before seeing a specialist.
Charting
Fertility
Friend (FF) is the charting resource most posters use to monitor
their cycles. It is a wealth of information on charting. It is free
to sign up and use (VIP is available for purchase). There are
tutorials to read and learn about how to chart and what the different
fertility signs mean. There is also a fun game you can play to test
out your skills on detecting ovulation. FF also has a great FAQ section on
their website about charting topics such as temping when working
night shifts, alcohol and temping, traveling, luteal phase length,
and detecting ovulation. This board recommends charting because it
can help relieve the stress of not knowing where you are at in your
cycle as well as many other reasons.
Infertility
If
you think you might have trouble getting pregnant, there is a RESOLVE Fertility Assessment that
may help you. It specifically screens for symptoms related to female
infertility as well as male factor infertility. PCOS, Endometriosis,
Thyroid Disease, etc. are all conditions that can (but not always!)
lead to infertility. However, this does not replace testing done by
an RE or your OBGYN, and it should not be used to self-diagnose. Do
not borrow trouble by assuming you suffer from infertility (IF)
because you have not gotten pregnant yet. Only a physician can
diagnose you with IF.
Clomid/Femara
If
you are on Clomid/Femara, please be aware of the risks. You should
only be taking Clomid/Femara under strict supervision of a RE. We
have many women who have been on or are currently on one of the two
drugs and would be happy to share their experiences and potential
negative-effects with you. For more information, please read this post.
Books
Most
posters advise reading the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility
(TCOYF) by Toni Weschler. She came out with a new 20th anniversary
edition July 2015. You will learn more than you thought possible from
this book. It has information on how to maximize your chance of
conception, the different phases of and key events in your menstrual
cycle, fertility issues, and so much more!
Basal
Body Temperature (BBT)
Temping
(tracking your BBT) is how most posters on this board confirm
ovulation. The Mabis Basal Body Thermometer is the thermometer this
board generally recommends for temping. It does not favor temps like
other BBTs (i.e., Target, CVS, etc.) Getting a BBT over a regular
thermometer is important because some women have subtle temp shifts
and BBTs are precise to the hundredths. BBT is the only accurate way
to track your ovulation at-home.
Ovulation/Implantation
Bleeding
Implantation
and ovulation bleeding are not common, and it can only be confirmed
in hindsight. Always assume you are the rule, not the exception.
Basal Body Temperature (BBT) implantation dips and ovulation spikes
can only be confirmed in hindsight as well. Temperatures can
fluctuate for any number of reason, not just for implantation and
ovulation.
Ovulation
Predictor Kits (OPKs)
OPKs
are a great secondary resource to BBTs. They will tell you when your
body is having a Leutenizing Hormone (LH) surge. LH is the hormone
that stimulates the release of an egg. The LH surge can last as
little as 12 hours, and it is possible to have multiple surges in one
cycle. That is why many posters advise to have sex until Fertility
Friend gives you crosshairs. It is also possible to get a positive
OPK for more than one day. A positive OPK does
not guarantee you
will ovulate. Respectively, a negative OPK cycle does not mean you
didn't ovulate; it's not uncommon to not turn an OPK positive. Many
posters recommend the Wondfo OPKs (please be aware of Wondfo fakes)
and the ClearBlue OPKs. Please refer to the instructions of the OPK
you are using to see if you can test multiple times a day, should use
first morning urine or not, or what the results of your OPK can
indicate.
Cervical
Fluid (CF) and Cervical Position (CP)
If
you are having a hard time discerning the differences in your
cervical mucus and cervical position, you are not alone. Here are a
few threads that should help you figure it out:
The Cervix Feels Like A Penis
Beautiful Cervix (NSFW)
How To Detect CP and CM For Your Charts
Lubrication
Pre-Seed
is a lubricant that won't kill sperm. It is made for those who do not
produce enough fertile cervical fluid (egg white cervical mucus) to
help facilitate sperm. In general, less is more when using Pre-Seed.
Note: Pre-seed does not increases your chances of conceiving, it is
simply a lubricant that will not kill sperm.
Prenatals
and Alcohol
It
is recommended that when you start TTC you take a prenatal, that way
key nutrient stores are already beginning to build up in your system
before you get pregnant. It is very important to get enough Folic
Acid in order to help reduce the risk of certain birth defects. DHA
is also recommended as it aids in brain and eye development. If you
are considering gummy prenatals, they do not contain iron or calcium
(if that is important to you).
Many
posters here adhere to the phrase "drink until it's pink."
As of now, it is believed that mother and baby do not share blood in
the very early stages of pregnancy. Therefore, alcohol will not be
shared with the developing baby and poses little to no risk to the
baby. It is mostly a matter of personal preference whether you decide
to forgo alcohol once you enter the TWW or wait until you turn a test
positive.
Some
helpful tips for the WTO/TWW threads
These
threads are a good way to get your foot in the door on this board and
start getting to know the community. Use these threads to complain
about symptoms (the only place on this board that won't be flamed for
symptom spotting) and ask questions related to your FF chart,
ovulation, and the TWW. There is a spot on these threads specifically
meant for any questions and chart stalks you may need
(Q/CS).
-Month/Cycle
= How many months you have been TTC/how many cycles you have been
TTC. These will not always be the same.
-WAYDTGKU
= What Are You Doing To Get Knocked Up? Are you are temping,
charting, or observing cm and cp; sex frequency; OPK; prenatal;
medication; diet; etc.?
-Timing
= When you had sex during your fertile window: -5, -4, -3, -2, -1, 0,
or +1. Day 0 is ovulation (O) day. -1 is the day before O, -2 is two
days before O, etc. +1 is the day after O and is included for
standard error. Anything outside of these times is not considered
your fertile window and should not be considered.
If
you have already started TTC but are now benched or Trying To Avoid
(TTA), you may not feel comfortable on the WTO or TTW threads. There
is a weekly Benched/TTA thread where you can check-in and talk with
others in similar situations.
How-To
Guides
-How to GIF
-How to add a signature
-How
to quote: Hit the "quote" at the bottom of the post you
want to quote. You will be taken to the reply box with the quote set
up already.
-How
to tag: Add a "@" in front of the username of the person
you are talking to.
-How
to search: Please use the search function located in the top right
corner on mobile, or in the bottom right at the bottom of the page on
desktop. You can narrow your results by just searching on the TTGP
board. You can also use Google and search the entire TheBump website
that way.
-How
to change your username: log in to TheKnot, hover over My Knot, and
click Account Settings. If you are having issues doing it that way,
you can email support@thebump.com
and ask them to change your username. Give them a few suggestions
just in case your top choice is taken. It may take up to 24 hours for
the name to update.
Most
Common Abbreviations
A
comprehensive list can be found here.
This link is found at the bottom of every page of TB (Community
Glossary).
Some
TTGP acronyms often used or not listed there are…
BBT
= basal body temperature/thermometer
BETA
= blood test for HCG
BG
= Bump gods
CD
= cycle day
CS/Q = chart stalk and/or question
DOR
= diminished ovarian reserve
DPO
= days post ovulation
DE
= donor eggs/embryos
ED
= every day
EOD
= every other day
FF
= Fertility Friend
GL
= good luck
GTKY
= getting to know you
HIO
= hump it out
NTNP
= not trying not preventing
QFP
= quoted for posterity/preservation/permanence
R/R = rants and/or raves
SS
= speshul snoflayke (also used for symptom spotting)
T&P
= thoughts and prayers
TLDR
= too long didn't read
TTA
= trying to avoid
TWW
= two week wait
WAYDTGKU
= what are you doing to get knocked up
WK
= white knight
WTO
= waiting to ovulate
For
more, in-depth comments and suggestions from posters on what they
would say if they could tell a newbie anything, read this thread.
Please
take the time to let all of this information sink in and make sure
your questions have not already been answered here or on another
thread. We hope you stick around (hopefully not too long!) and
benefit from the wonderful support and knowledge this community has
to offer. Good luck!
Me: 30 | DH: 34 | DSS: 14 | DS: 4
PG #2, EDD 10/12/2023
Re: The Ultimate TTGP Guide -- Newbies, Read This First!!
Also, how do we go about getting this stickied and the other one removed?
Married: 5/30/2013
DSS #1: 5/25/2007
DSS #2: 1/22/2011
DS #3: 7/8/2012
BFP: 3/14/2016 ~ MC: 3/19/2016
DS #4: 4/21/17
@BumpAdmin @BumpCaitlin @BumpTara -- Can someone please switch these threads out?
Me: 30 | DH: 34 | DSS: 14 | DS: 4
PG #2, EDD 10/12/2023
Me: 32 years old
DS1 Due 6.7.2021
Married 2010
TTC since Nov. 2015
BFP#1: 2/8/16
MC: 3/19/16
BFP#2: 9/3/16 EDD: 5/17/17
mommy to the cutest rescue mutt ever.
my chart
Married 2010
TTC since Nov. 2015
BFP#1: 2/8/16
MC: 3/19/16
BFP#2: 9/3/16 EDD: 5/17/17
mommy to the cutest rescue mutt ever.
my chart
Please Pin!
Me: 32 years old
DS1 Due 6.7.2021
Married 2010
TTC since Nov. 2015
BFP#1: 2/8/16
MC: 3/19/16
BFP#2: 9/3/16 EDD: 5/17/17
mommy to the cutest rescue mutt ever.
my chart
Married: 5/30/2013
DSS #1: 5/25/2007
DSS #2: 1/22/2011
DS #3: 7/8/2012
BFP: 3/14/2016 ~ MC: 3/19/2016
DS #4: 4/21/17
Seriously, how long does it take to get a thread pinned?
Me: 30 | DH: 34 | DSS: 14 | DS: 4
PG #2, EDD 10/12/2023
...bump
Married: 5/30/2013
DSS #1: 5/25/2007
DSS #2: 1/22/2011
DS #3: 7/8/2012
BFP: 3/14/2016 ~ MC: 3/19/2016
DS #4: 4/21/17
Married 2010
TTC since Nov. 2015
BFP#1: 2/8/16
MC: 3/19/16
BFP#2: 9/3/16 EDD: 5/17/17
mommy to the cutest rescue mutt ever.
my chart
Me: 28 DH: 35
Dx PCOS May 2015
Baby #1 due 12/7/17
Diagnosed with PCOS: Summer 2007
Married: July 2013
Began TTC: June 2015
http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/58d258
Me: 28 DH: 35
Dx PCOS May 2015
Baby #1 due 12/7/17
Just bumpin' this up....
ntnp #2 . summer 2018
*siggy warning*
ttc#1 . jul 2015
mmc . mar 2016 | 6w2d
dx PCOS (non-IR) / subclinical hypothyroidism . summer 2016
tx metformin, levothyroxine, LP progesterone, femara + trigger + ti . fall/winter 2016
BFP! . jan 2017
DD . oct 2017
Me: 29 DH: 35
Married: 9/29/12
DS #1: 3/8/15Married: 5/30/2013
DSS #1: 5/25/2007
DSS #2: 1/22/2011
DS #3: 7/8/2012
BFP: 3/14/2016 ~ MC: 3/19/2016
DS #4: 4/21/17
Good morning!
TTC#1: January 2015- September 2016
Infertility, Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
Rainbow baby born June 6, 2017 ❤️
Baby #2 due June 12, 2018
@BumpTara @BumpAdmin @BumpCaitlin please sticky this in place of our stickied intro thread...
DX Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Factor V Leiden Mutation, Secondary Infertility
MFI (SA #1Count 11mill, Motility: 18%, Morphology: 1%)
AMH .328 | FSH 13.2
Diagnosed with PCOS: Summer 2007
Married: July 2013
Began TTC: June 2015
http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/58d258
Me: 29 DH: 35
Married: 9/29/12
DS #1: 3/8/15DS: 5 years old
TTC #2 since August 2015
July 2016: Testing cycle with 100 mg Clomid = BFN
August 2016: 50 mg Clomid + IUI = BFN
October 2016: IVF#1 - 13 retrieved / 12 mature / 9 fertilized / 2 blasts
November 2016: FET#1 = chemical
January 2017: FET#2 = chemical
March 2017: IVF#2 - 18 retrieved / 18 mature / 16 fertilized / 5 blasts
May 24, 2017: FET#4 - BFP! - Beta #1 151 - Beta #2 503 - Due date 2/9/18
Me: 28 DH: 35
Dx PCOS May 2015
Baby #1 due 12/7/17
Me: 28 DH: 35
Dx PCOS May 2015
Baby #1 due 12/7/17