r/TryingForABaby

Anything (within the rules) goes. (Commonly broken rules: don't talk about an ongoing pregnancy outside the weekly BFP thread; don't ask for success stories.)

You can find the wiki here!

Don't forget to check out our themed threads:

• Moody Monday
• Temping Tuesday
• Waiting Wednesday
• Wondering Wednesday
• Trying Again Thursday
• Thankful Thursday
• Health and Wellness Thursday
• Looking Forward Friday
• Wondering Weekend
• 35 and Ova

There's also the Weekly Introductions and Read Me Thread, which contains links to all sorts of handy bits of info, like popular wiki posts and acronyms.

Hello! Looking for similar stories… My husband (34) and I (30) have been TTC for 7 months give or take. I am at the point where every month feels like a heart break and it’s really taken a toll on my mental health.

A few months ago my husbands sperm analysis came back with 76 abnormal morphology. He also has a veracele vein. I have read that IUI might be helpful to wash out the sperm and we could have a better chance.

I have an upcoming OBGYN and fertility appointment and really want to ask about IUI. I was curious if anyone has ever pushed for IUI before hitting the one year mark?

To add, I’m hoping to also rule out anything on my side at my upcoming appointments. If anyone has advice for what to ask for, that would be so helpful.

My husband (36M) and I (27F) are now on month 5 of trying to concieve. About 2-3 years before we met I caught Chlamydia from a previous partner. I believe I caught it early on, because I got tested for STIs regularly. I took the antibiotics as soon as I got them. Never tested positive for Chlamydia again. And since I met my husband, I haven't been with anyone else. I know that Chlamydia is an STI that can cause fertility issues. I'm a bit worried that this could potentially lower my chances of conceiving and I'm not sure who to address this too. I have my primary care doctors appointment coming up in June. I know that people say wait until after a year of trying to go to a OBGYN and see if there's anything wrong. I'm not sure what to do. Any advice would be helpful. Thank you.

I had a chemical pregnancy last month. I had one before I conceived my eldest so I had a feeling something wasn't right from the start and sure enough, tests never got any darker and a few days later I started bleeding. Tested again after bleeding stopped and it was negative.

I usually ovulate later in my cycle. Can be anywhere between CD 17-22 but recently has been around CD17/18. I haven't been using OPKs or temping as it makes me crazy but I can usually tell with reasonable certainty based off CM and ovulation pain.

This month however, I'm on CD19 and haven't really had much CM. I had a little bit of cloudy EWCM around CD17 coupled with strong cramps on one side. Since then no more cramps, but have had tiny amounts of EWCM here and there.

It's just annoying me because I don't know whether to assume I ovulated around CD17 or if the CP has thrown things off and I'm still gearing up to it. It's making me feel a bit like this month is a write off already.

I should've used OPKs but I wanted to try and be a bit more relaxed about TTC this time. As you can see it's going well lol.

It's no secret that TTC can have a major impact on your life and health - physical, mental, and relationship. What are you currently doing to help with these things? What are you currently struggling with? Look beyond the scale; this is for all types of health and wellness.

Please keep in mind that no one here is the doctor of anyone else. It is always a good idea to speak to your doctor before starting a new diet or exercise plan just in case!

So I’ve had my prolactin tested three times now, the first time it was 24, then it went to 103 in two weeks. After that my ob had me get a brain mri and it was negative but still wants me to see an endo. The first opening is still 2 months away and I’ve already been in this horrible limbo 2 additional months. I asked for another redraw and it’s 93. Anyone have any answers? I’ve no symptoms at all, my cycles are regular and predictable, I get positives on my ovulation strips, I had the blood test to see if I have an abnormal amount of eggs and it’s normal meaning I should be dropping one monthly. I’m just really devastated about this and it’s eating me up. My thyroid is also normal but slightly higher than ob wanted so I’m also on levothyroxine. I started taking the vital supplement after the second blood draw to help naturally lower my prolactin but it’s barely budged. Sorry for the rant I’m just so lost right now

Hi everyone,

A little advice particularly from those of you who have been regular drinkers or whose change of habits put a strain on the relationship.

My fiancé and I originally come from a culture where having a glass of spirit and wine every day with dinner is something totally normal. We also live in a (different) country where drinking a few pints in a pub is expected.

Last summer I found out at 32 I have diminished ovarian reserve and completely went off alcohol. We had 2 pregnancies and 2 miscarriages since then.. After the first miscarriage I asked my fiancé to reduce the alcohol so we can have our best chances of conceiving a healthy baby, which did cause some tension but he did. He no longer drinks at home, which is a massive change, also drinks less when we go out. He is also taking some supplements too. He had an SA done at the point when he hadn't had any alcohol in 5 weeks or so and it came back normal. When we spoke to the embryologist who did the SA he emphasised on the damaging effect of alcohol, I hoped my partner would take it to heart but I don't think he did..

Issue is mostly when we are out, especially on holiday, it is causing a massive strain on our relationship. It turns out it makes him very miserable to be on holiday and not to have the free will to drink more than one or two drinks. He also hates that I become visibly upset if he gets more than a couple of drinks. We tried to agree on some limit as a compromise but he says this makes him feel controlled. He keeps repeating how miserable he feels not to have the freedom to have a few drinks and seeing my upset face is difficult for him. When we go out and I know we have had a drink earlier in the day and the previous day and earlier in the week, and I see him going for a 3rd beer that same evening, I really try not to show I am upset but it is so difficult. I feel somehow we aren't on the same team...

This topic comes up so often and is so frustrating for both of us that I genuinely feel it isn't worth it anymore. We have an anniversary soon and in 3 days we are going for a long weekend abroad. He says he wants to avoid any bars so we dont have arguments. I said we don't have to be extreme, we can have a drink at a couple of cool bars, should be fun. He said what if he wants to have 2 or 3 drinks, will this cause me to be upset? And then we go again in this vicious frustrating cycle of arguments...

The issue is the day after we come back from the trip, my parents are coming over for 10 days and I know we will drink when they are here and I know he will treat it like a holiday too because we are taking the whole time off work. So it isn't just "let's go wild for a long weekend".. there is always a reason to drink if you look at it like the way he does.

I realise this need for control is a common but unhealthy side effect of TTC. I want to have empathy for him but I just dont get so many things. He sees what I've had to go through during TTC, pregnancy and especially during miscarriages. Emotional pain, medication pain, surgery, etc. On the grand scheme of things, is it that hard just to enjoy his drink (or two) and not sulk like a child that he can't have a few more drinks? He did already reduce it drastically, I admit. But how can I have no issue reducing exercise, alcohol, caffeine, eating my spinach, taking my supplements, going through so many tests, etc, etc, and his biggest worry is "I don't have the freedom to pick my number of drinks!". Am I overreacting? How can I let go of this need to control and therefore being upset over this? I don't think I am being that extreme, I am okay with the odd drink but there is a limit where it gets to me, and this limit is quite low, I admit.​

I think we are both semi dreading this anniversary trip because we worry about having alcohol-related arguments again.. any insight will be very helpful 🙏

Clomid VS letrozole question.

I had an appointment with the fertility clinic today.
I have a few questions and honestly, I don’t have anyone to talk to about our fertility journey or anyone I can talk to that’s been through similar.

Back story: We have been trying to concieve 2+ years. Found out a year ago my husband had male infertility due to TRT. In October, he had a normal analysis. He’s continued the meds that the fertility clinic put him on.

My cycles vary- 28-45 days. I think I ovulate because of my LH tests and my temps. Today appointment with the fertility clinic. She wants to do a monitored cycle and recommended taking clomid or letrozole for my regular cycles and possibly a trigger shot?

Which med would you recommend? And why? Thanks in advance 💗

Anything (within the rules) goes. (Commonly broken rules: don't talk about an ongoing pregnancy outside the weekly BFP thread; don't ask for success stories.)

You can find the wiki here!

Don't forget to check out our themed threads:

• Moody Monday
• Temping Tuesday
• Waiting Wednesday
• Wondering Wednesday
• Trying Again Thursday
• Thankful Thursday
• Health and Wellness Thursday
• Looking Forward Friday
• Wondering Weekend
• 35 and Ova

There's also the Weekly Introductions and Read Me Thread, which contains links to all sorts of handy bits of info, like popular wiki posts and acronyms.

That question you've been wanting to ask, but just didn't want to feel silly. Now's your chance! No question is too big or too small.

This journey has been anything but easy. After two ectopic pregnancies in one year caused by adhesions, I underwent a salpingectomy in February and began searching for answers and the best path forward.

My HSG showed that my right tube was unblocked, and my SIS revealed a small uterine polyp that will be removed with a hysteroscopic polypectomy after retrieval. Thankfully, my AMH and AFC numbers looked good, and my spouse’s sperm analysis came back normal.

We were given multiple options timed intercourse, IUI, or IVF. We chose IVF for our first baby because we already met our out-of-pocket maximum, and almost everything is covered this year. It felt like the right decision for us medically, financially, and emotionally after everything we’ve experienced.

Now I’m preparing for my first retrieval cycle. Starting with birth control, medications beginning 5/28, retrieval week of 6/8, surgery afterward, and hopefully transfer in August if all goes well.

I’m excited, hopeful, grateful… and honestly nervous too. Even with good numbers and a solid plan, IVF still feels overwhelming because so much is riding on this journey. But after everything my body and heart have endured, I’m proud of myself for continuing forward with hope.

I have a 1.6 year old and husband and I have been TTC again for 8 months. Right after we stopped breastfeeding, I did an egg retrieval as a way to safeguard for the future.

The problem is, my cycles haven’t been the same since. I’ve had chronic spotting which never happed prior. And now the two cycles I didn’t spot have been chemicals. I’ve done various tests and doctor says they haven’t found an indication that there is a problem.

Two months ago, a positive test faded really quickly. I got a migraine the day it went to nothing.

This cycle, I got a super faint positive on easy@home and wandflo, but this morning the easy@home was barely noticeable and I didn’t see anything on the wandflo. I now have a migraine. 😭

I’m so worried I messed something up with the egg retrieval. I’m also so, so sad to be going through another loss.

Any words of advice would be greatly appreciated.

Has anyone had a similar experience before?

Hi ladies! Wondering if anyone has been in similar situation. I have PCOS - my symptoms are only elevated testosterone and very long/irregular cycles. It was also confirmed with internal ultrasound as I had a ton of follicles and my AMH is also very high. My husband and I initially inquired into IVF due to a genetic issue that was flagged during testing on my end. Initially discussion was that due to low risk of full blown expansion (fragile x), assuming all else is well, I could still try naturally or do some type of clomid/timed intercourse option. I had my HSG last week and although the tubes were open, the doctor flagged that one tube is dilated and it also appears I have some scar tissue at the bottom of both tubes. They’re not blocked but they interfered with how the dye exited the tube and entered the cavity, which the doctor was concerned about. She recommended jumping straight to IVF due to the potential endometriosis/tube issue as well as my PCOS and irregular ovulation. Anyone been in this position before? How did your IVF cycles go? It’s been quite discouraging but I’m considering just moving forward instead of putting it off. Might as well kill two birds with one stone with IVF (genetic + tubes/PCOS). Any thoughts and comments are welcome! In my late twenties and my partners semen analysis came back with no issue! Thanks!!! Xoxo

My dr explained today that we cannot conceive naturally and next step is a detailed examination by urologist then ivf

Results as

Count 3 million/ml
Motility 40% (30% forward)
Morphology 0%

Any recommendations or experience sharing would be deeply appreciated we are in true shock of these findings. My husbands 33, normal weight with remote working job so sort of not very active lifestyle otherwise no known issues.

I am 28 with slightly low progesterone but on progesterone supplement. Otherwise hsg shown blocked tube but opened during hsg.

Thank you in advance for any replies or recommendations. It appears to be its gonna be either IVF or us deciding to move forward without trying anymore

I’m a bit annoyed. I’m 35F. My partner and I have been ttc for 10 months now. I finally got an appointment with a OBGYN last month, and today I was supposed to go get blood drawn for 3 day testing. This is done on the third day of your cycle. Next week I have an ultrasound and my doctor is supposed to also read my results and set a plan for me. Well, my period is like clockwork and has been for at least the past 12 months. Today is day 36 and I’m 3 days late. I took a pregnancy test yesterday and it was negative. So now I can’t get blood drawn and for some reason my period decided to be late the one week I need it to be on time for testing. I wasn’t tracking ovulation or body temp this cycle, so I’m just unsure what happened. All I can do is wait at this point. Has anyone been in a similar situation? Anyways, rant over.

TLDR: New to TTC, on month 2. Just quit a 6-year nightly weed habit (husband, too) and cut way back on drinking (yay!). Noticing breakouts, more emotional/sensitive, higher libido (double-yay!), and now coarse black chin hairs growing in two spots that I have to pluck every other day. Anyone else experience this after quitting? Should I bring up the chin hair at my OB appt in a few weeks?

Hello hello! I am new to this world of TTC. My husband (32M) and myself (29F) are super excited!! That said, we are on month 2. I hope it's okay for me to post on here, given that we are super early in our journey. We had so many friends who were successful on their "first try" that we faced disappointment last month more than we thought we would. I have been a chronic user of marijuana (almost every night with some short month-long breaks, maybe 3 times) for the past 6 years. When I say chronic, I mean, I hit a small joint (1g) almost every night with my husband. I stopped smoking cold-turkey at the time of ovulation during my prev. cycle, and I'm officially one month free as I'm approaching my new ovulation for this month. I'm feeling super anxious that I completely messed up my fertility by using marijuana so much (we are in a state where it has been legal for a long time and almost every one uses it); but thankfully, my husband decided to stop, too. We've also toned down our drinking severely, limiting to a few drinks on the weekend, if that.

I've started drinking tea and taking magnesium, and now, I never want to smoke weed again. I'm starting to notice some differences in my body, that I am wondering if anyone else here has noticed? Breaking out more (never break out, ever), slightly more emotional/sensitive, definitely increased libido (yay!), but also, I am having hairs grow on my chin??? The hair is black (like all my hair) but only grows in two distinct spots on my chin. Not a ton, but enough where I have to now pluck like every other day. On top of the breakouts, I'm just confused as to what is happening. Should I get this checked out? My next ob appt is in a few weeks.

Are you in the dreaded two-week wait, or waiting to ovulate? What have you done to ease the stress?

I had endometriosis surgery to improve my fertility late last year. My husband and I have been trying for 3+ years. Soon after the surgery, a close friend told me they were pregnant (from their first try). A month after that, another close friend announced they were pregnant too (also on their first try).

Then I had a fertility appointment where they told me I have low fertility and am unlikely to conceive. Five days after that appointment, another close friend told me they were pregnant (first try too). That honestly broke me. Then the next month, another friend told me they were pregnant.

The whole time I’d been talking/venting to my BFF about how hard all of this has been for me. Now my BFF has just told me she’s pregnant too.

I don’t even know how to feel anymore. I guess this is just a vent post, or to hear if anyone has felt similarly and what helped them cope.

I am turning 30 September, married for 3 years, lost three pregnancies which one was an ectopic. I only got pregnant with the help of supplements. I have been told I have a low egg reserve, which means I will likely get into menopause earlier and am still finding getting pregnant difficult. The only way I can even get pregnant now is through ivf.

I want to know how people in this condition are taking it .

I feel like time is not on my side. Is easier when you are trying for a child and you know everything is intact there, than knowing that each passing day, your chances detoriates.

As it is, I have decided to stop trying once I turn 35, divorce my husband and accept my fate.

Mentally, I have started programming life without a child.

I have gone through unbearable pains, both physically and mentally this past years in the name of trying for a child.

Anything (within the rules) goes. (Commonly broken rules: don't talk about an ongoing pregnancy outside the weekly BFP thread; don't ask for success stories.)

You can find the wiki here!

Don't forget to check out our themed threads:

• Moody Monday
• Temping Tuesday
• Waiting Wednesday
• Wondering Wednesday
• Trying Again Thursday
• Thankful Thursday
• Health and Wellness Thursday
• Looking Forward Friday
• Wondering Weekend
• 35 and Ova

There's also the Weekly Introductions and Read Me Thread, which contains links to all sorts of handy bits of info, like popular wiki posts and acronyms.