New To TTC

So sorry to hear of your loss. We know that pain. Are u taking daily vit d ? - helps reduce miscarriage risk

@Laura I am not as of yet. I’ve been taking multivitamins and iron etc. Am I better for taking just vit d or multivitamins?

You could always just add 1000 iu vit d to the mix. Multi vits wise - dya know u should avoid vit a ? Have you asked nhs for scan to check re structual ? I used hertility health - private for a load of bloods including amh // ovarian reserve which i I highly recommend. Used them twice Best money i spent. Regarding the miscarriage history - have u had your thyroid checked since the miscarriage? Nhs will do that if you ask. Theyll also check your prolactin. Also - have u had your progsterone tested 6 / 7 days after ovulation? - nhs call that a day21 test but its only day 21 if you have a 28day cycle and ovulate day 14

Tommys baby charity can be a good support / resource. They have a miscarriage support tool etc

Hey, sorry for your loss. I had a missed miscarriage in March myself - I know it makes TTC so much rougher. I buy the Easy@Home ovulation and pregnancy tests because they're cheap and cheerful. The Premom app has a useful free version. I use it to record my test results - you can take a photo of your ovulation test and it analyzes it and helps pinpoint your LH surge and predict ovulation. If we don't get pregnant this cycle, I might start temping too - they sell a basal body temp thermometer that you can use alongside the app so I may give that a go. In terms of vitamins I just take my prenatal and DHA (but that one's because I'm vegan).

Hi Imogen. I found that even cheap ovulation and pregnancy tests were fine. I used cheap strips from amazon and boots. For period/pregnancy tracker I used an app called period tracker (it has a picture of a pink flower on it, it is free). My advice is to test your ovulation cycles for maybe 2-3 months as my own experience was I was ovulating a lot later than the app predicted. The more data the app has on your cycles, the better the predictions become and it gets to know your body better. Also something I learned is that sperm can survive in your body for up to 5 days, so to increase your chances, start baby dancing 5 days before you ovulate. A lot of people start when they get the positive ovulation test.... by then it is kind of late (although it is completely possible to still convieve). Every other day starting from 5 days is fine as it takes around 2 days for a man to create strong swimmers.

As for tips: try asking your GP for a fertility referral and they can check both you and your partner out for your fertility health. From my laymans understanding, your eggs take 3 months to mature. So try to take time to understand your body and how to optimise your health to ensure good egg quality. Invest in some good quality fertility supplements, I used wild nutrition. For any ladies with pcos, look into myo inositol, magnesium  and coq10 supplements but talk to a health professional as some people with health conditions cannot take them.

Now this is the point where you might start making a tinfoil hat for me. I can't completely back this by science . This is where getting to understand your body comes in handy. I tried intermittent fasting and got into the habit of not eating breakfast. I was gaining weight and was miserable. When I started to introduce protein shakes as breakfast on work days weight stabalised, felt happier and i think it gave me the correct fuel and energy to make healthy eggs...? (Have something with no fillers, bulking agents etc -Puriton and Bol shakes worked for me, sometimes i resorted to bottles of huel when i wanted something quick but it had a lot of processed ingredients i wasn't a fan of).

The next one could be unhelpful for those with legit diagnosed OCD, so look away now if that is you, as people can make themselves miserable trying to comply. I myself am only 60-80% compliant on any given day and have still managed to conceive. Try assessing what are the things that are pollutants in your environment and look to slowly replace them. Look to switch plastic tupperware for glass, look at your cosmetics and processed foods. I have an app called yuka where I can scan barcodes of cosmetics, beauty products and food. It is crazy how many products have endocrine disruptors, things that deeply, negatively impact your fertility health. Even those advertised as "healthy" and free of bad ingredients. I didn't throw things out immediately, just when things were used up, I tried to replace them with better options.

Please don't think I live like a monk and only ever eat clean. I still love my highly processed crisps, biscuits and snacks.... just in smaller quantities! I also chemically straightened my hair a month before getting pregnant, after holding off for so long in case I got pregnant for 2 years....and trust me to concieve after breaking my own rule!! Now that I am pregnant, the midwife told me that things like air fresheners and scented candles may not be good for me and baby.

Having gone through loss myself, I know this is easier said than done and I don't want this to sound flippant. Try and get back to a place where you are relaxed and happy. If you can go on holiday, take some time to de-stress and  reconnect with your partner that will be great. Other than that I just tried to do small things that brought me joy such as on my lunch break at work I would walk around. If I saw a pastry I wanted, I got it.... just because. Sorry this is an essay, but these are the kind of things I wish I knew 2 years ago and hope it helps someone.