Mommies of Fluther... how long did it take you to get pregnant?

Well, only my first child was planned and I think it took about 6 months of trying. I miscarried my second pregnancy but within 4 months of the miscarriage, I was pregnant with my second child. I think it helps if you have some fat on your body and if you always take folic acid supplements, regardless (not to make you more fertile but to make sure you have enough for good baby development, same with quitting smoking). I also think it makes a difference to have sex every other day around the couple of days of ovulation so that sperm can be regenerated and go in next time with full force!

The first time I got pregnant took 8 months and I miscarried then got pregnant 3 months after that.

All told? Probably about 8 years. I tried on my own for awhile, then started battling the system to be a single mother, then about two and a half years of unsuccessful AI, then to an infertility specialist for more and more intrusive attempts, ovulation predictors (which, in those days involved full on chemistry sets, how I would have loved to just pee on a stick!), more drugs (nasty viscous, burny stuff in shots), ultra sounds every morning with a very full bladder, finally, (after one failed attempt) surgery to aspirate a bunch of ova and put them in a fallopian tube with donor sperm. More nasty daily shots to enhance the probability of implantation, then finally, confirmation of pregnancy. phew. That just wore me out! Nine months later, Katawagrey! Yeah, definitely worth it.

@JilltheTooth that does sound terribly exhausting! Sorry that you had to go through it. :( I didn’t know that you were @katawa’s mother.

@TheOnlyNeffie : I learned a lot about patience and perseverance. It prepared me well for parenting., and look what a great kid I got!!

18 months the first time, was in the middle of a feritlity work-up when I got pregnant. The second time, expecting it to take a while, got pregnant the second month of trying. Two wonderful sons.

Thanks for sharing your stories. :)

@JilltheTooth what an awesome perspective.

@TheOnlyNeffie ; Do you have a story for us? Or are you about to start trying?None of my business If so, know that my story is the exception…don’t be scared by it.

@JilltheTooth neither, really. I don’t have children. I don’t plan on actively trying anytime soon. However, my husband and I have not made an effort to avoid it for 3 years now, and there are still no little Neffies running around. :) I’m not in a rush, and I would be very comfortable with it if it happens or even if it doesn’t, but it made me curious to hear from other women what their experience was. Most of the women I know have gotten pregnant unintentionally, or if it was intentional it was still a very short period of trying. However I know one or two women that got pregnant without any assistance, and it took 5, 6 years. So.. curiosity more than anything. :)

I got pregnant my first time trying, but miscarried. Actually I got pregnant every time I tried, except one time it took 2 months, but all either miscarried or had an ectopic. Then I had surgery, and I never got pregnant again. I have been pregnant 5 times total, but they all ended within 2 weeks of a missed period.

If you want to get pregnant the trick is you are most fertile 14 days BEFORE your period. So if you are kind of regular, does not matter how how long a typical cycle is, let’s say you are every 26 days, then the day you probablly ovulate is day 12 of you cycle counting from the first day of your period. Day 11, 12, and maybe early morning 13, but that is getting late, would be the best days for sex most likely. Actually, if you figure out the 14 days before your period you may start to notice pain on one side on that day, that alternates from side to side each month, and then exactly 14 days later, boom, period starts. Then you know that pain is ovulation, and that should be your cue to have sex. That is if everything is functioning normally.

Oh dear. Well, the first time I got pregnant I was on the pill. I don’t think I missed one, but I guess it’s possible. We got a lovely daughter from that unexpected surprise. :)

Our second (about 4 years later) was planned, and I got pregnant my second month of trying. We didn’t do anything in particular, just stopped using birth control. Our first son was born without any complications, other than the fact that he was a whopper and had colic and nearly drove me crazy.

The third time around was another surprise. My son was 8 months old when he suddenly refused to nurse. He’d latch on, make a terrible face as soon as the milk flowed, and then yell at me. I was so confused, because he’d always been an extremely enthusiastic nurser. After a few days of that, I missed my period and later learned that pregnancy hormones can change the taste of breastmilk. So, while again on the pill AND while nursing, I managed to get knocked up. This time, I knew I didn’t miss any pills. I’d been on antibiotics for mastitis, but we used backup. I guess something didn’t work. Or DID work, depending on how you look at it. Anyway, we have another great little boy, only 17 months younger than his brother.

Three kids is certainly our limit. My husband and I are extremely cautious now, because apparently both of us are baby making machines.

@MissAusten oh my, that is just remarkable. :)

@JLeslie : Thanks for sharing your (very tough) story. I appreciate every day that I was one of the extremely lucky ones by being able to finally conceive and carry to term.

My pregnancy was a miracle, too. My ex-husband (the sociopath) and I had used contraception the whole 10 years of our marriage. Then I got leukemia. Then I battled my life with daily chemo for a good part of a year. When I finally checked out of Mayo, they told me “and.. you won’t be able to have kids.” I was crushed. We drove to FLA for a vacation and had like..our 1st “unprotected” sex. 4 weeks later…. I was pregnant. THEN.. “they” told me I was still too sick… that the baby AND I would die if I went through with it. Well, I wasn’t turning back! No way! It was a difficult preg, but we both made it!!! Hubby ended up ditching us but my son is the love and joy of my life!! To think post-leukemia, pushing 40, 1 try, against all odds – how it happened. Wow. That’s my story! :)

It took me 5 years and 3 months to fall pregnant… definitely worth it.

I quit taking my BCP and within 3 months I was pregnant. We weren’t really trying (as in keeping track of where I was in my cycle and all that), we were just going with whatever happened.

We are planning to start trying very soon (like as soon as my husband gets home). This time it may be different because I had a tubal back in 2007 and then a tubal reversal earlier this year. So that may have a roll in our attempting to get pregnant. Hopefully all will go well and it won’t take us long.

My first two pregnancies happened the first month of trying. My third I had fertility assistance, and the fourth I was not actively trying, but not trying not to either.

A lot of touching and informative stories here. @JilltheTooth @JLeslie @mamalis , stories like yours truly remind me of how strong people can be. Inspiring.

@mamalis Wow that is great!

About four months for my first and much faster for the second but I don’t recall how long. I planned her and I am so glad I did. I wish I had half a dozen more just like her.

Going through old questions because no one is on here. I thought I’d mention that I ovulate late. We had unprotected sex on our wedding night because it was 17 days after my period so I thought I’d be in the safe zone. That would be my son. After trying a couple of months to have another pregnancy, I remembered this, we did it and that’s my daughter- as a matter of fact the next daughter, too. There are some of us who don’t fall within the norm.

@faye : Oh, Sweetie, I don’t think anyone would ever accuse you of falling within the norm!

@JilltheTooth Is this a good or bad thing?

@faye But, were your cycles typically 30–32 days?

@JLeslie I was a little irregular but mostly 28–29 days, sometimes a little later. I had one miscarriage at 3 months. I was pretty sad, I don’t know how you dealt with five.

@faye : Always a good thing!

@JilltheTooth I’ve never wanted to be just one of the crowd. Sorry, @Neffie to hijack a little.

@faye So you still kind of it into 14 days before your period, if you tend to run a little late, and then another 12 to 24 hours for the egg floating down the tube.

I only remember my son’s conception.. I thought I was about 7 days before my period was due and so maybe safe. We talked about it, about wearing a condom, but I think he was too horny to assimilate all the factors!!

Um, 17 days means you are 11 days before your next period if you are a perfect 28. Maybe you were horny too? Lol.

I must be describing things wrong. 7 days before I was due to start my period. I’m really not a crazy lady sitting about with my tea tree oil.

@faye I don’t think you are crazy. Haha. You said you were day 17 days after your period originally. On the 17the day, you are 11 days from your period if your cycle is 28, not 7. Your numbers don’t add up unless you have a 24 day period, but you said you are 28 or more.

@JLeslie I would so like to have coffee with you. You sound very intelligent about almost everything. Are you in New York? I know you said it was mostly safe for my youngest daughter. My last day was may 4 or5, my baby was feb 9, week early. Horrified my mom.

It took me from the time we left the church in newlywed bliss, til we got to the cabin and ripped each other’s clothes off. I shouldn’t have been able to get pregnant then, but apparently I ovulate early. And apparently I’m VERY fertile. Including my two lovely daughters, I’ve been pregnant 7 times.