All I want for Christmas....

Ok so! This is the longest TWW (Two Week Wait) of my life. What is the TWW you ask? Allow me to explain...

The TWW is the Luteal Phase. "The luteal phase is one stage of the menstrual cycle. It occurs after ovulation (when the ovaries release an egg) and before your period starts. During this phase, the lining of your uterus normally becomes thicker to prepare for a possible pregnancy."- Web MD

I really should have pursued being a health teacher....

Basically the Luteal phase is the time between the end of your fertile window and the beginning of your next cycle. This is when women start symptom watching, CM checking, and peeing on sticks. The first week is pretty useless since there is no way you could possibly be pregnant that soon. But the second week, oh that's when I get the crazies.

So I am extra crazy this month. Why you ask? Well it's for many reasons....

1. It's the holidays. Cute babies in Christmas outfits, kids waiting for Santa, family and love every where....you get the picture.  But just in case you don't....here's one!

2. We were going to do pregnancy announcements as our Christmas card.

3. The test results for my progesterone levels are...GREAT. In fact, it's the same exact level as when I conceived in May.

So I realize the image is hard to read, but it shows on Oct 16th my level was 16.2 and as of Dec 11th my level was 26.2. (I missed my test in November, but I can tell you that I am usually right around 15 -16) So what does "21" mean? What is going on? So really all this means is that on day 21 there was likely a fertilized egg hanging out. The body amps up its progesterone levels to prepare for implantation. Implantation occurs 6-8 days after conception. (right around that 21 day test) See it's starting to come together right?

So my doctor called to say that my body is preparing itself for pregnancy. Her exact words were "This could be the month." NOW WAIT. Do not ...I repeat... DO NOT get excited. (I know it's super hard) A million things could happen that could prevent an embryo from implanting. Including the fact that it may not even be an embryo. It could implant wrong, it could stop dividing, it could have incorrect genetic material, or even no genetic material. If any of thses cases is true, there would be no pregnancy. (...and believe me the list of issues goes on! Remember that even when everything goes right there is only a 20% chance of achieving pregnancy each cycle)

Fertilized eggs that do not implant correctly are often called "chemical pregnancies" because your body was chemically all geared up and ready, but something went wrong in the process. Basically, it is the earliest form of miscarriage and it is very common. Usually women are not aware as it happen so early that their cycle can remain unchanged. Chemical pregnancies are "on the rise" as more and more women are taking a proactive approach to their fertility. In reality they really aren't "on the rise" it's just that more women are aware of them than ever before. 

So now what?

PANIC. Just kidding. Please don't. Now because I am a crazy person, I took a HPT. (POAS addict remember?!)  That was a really dumb idea....of course it was negative. I have a whole week left to wait...DUH!

So why the wait? If there is an implanted egg in there why cant I know now?  Well.....because....SCIENCE...

OK so pregnancy test are checking your HCG levels. HCG is a rapidly producing hormone that is released during pregnancy and your body begins to develop this hormone after your egg implants and the placenta begins to form. HCG doubles every 2-3 days. Remember in science class when you would use Litmus paper to check acids and bases? It's the same idea for checking the chemicals in your pool. This may look familar...

The liquid reacts to the paper and bam results! Well if your liquid only has a very small amount of acid or base you might get neutral result. This is exactly what happens with pregnancy tests. A negative pregnancy test is essentially just a neutral result. This is why pregnancy tests come with a base line. The base line lets you know that the test is working and hasn't been compromised. It also gives you something to compare a result to. (WOOOO SCIENCE)

So, in order for a pregnancy test to pick up the HCG there has to be enough present to see the result. This is why many brands recommend taking the test in the morning when you've been holding your pee. It's super gross but a more concentrated urine will often show a stronger result.

HPTs , at the earliest begin detecting pregnancy at 20mIU. This level would allow you to test before your missed period. These highly sensitive tests are usually marked "early detection" where as some drug store brands have very low sensitivity coming in at 100mIU.

I took a FRER (First Response Early Results). The forum ladies sing it praises daily. FRERs have a sensitivity of 25mIU, which is really good compared to the 50mIU in my beloved dollar store brand. (BTW- walgreens brand is 100mIU....but their digital is 50mIU...buyer beware)

So if you are googling around you will see that most doctors and even test companies tell you to wait until a day after your missed period for 99% accuracy.  Prior to that day it is possible to get a false negative. Since I took my test 7 days early, (I told myself it was only 6 because I found out the day before my missed period last time) I am hoping it was a false negative which is likely since I was an idiot. I COULDN'T HELP MYSELF!

Anyway so that is where I am. It is going to be a very long week! Fingers crossed and no more tests!

Bonus Post for December! (WTF is happening here?)

Ok so, weird things are happening and I have to vent...

I started my third cycle of clomid (after miscarriage) on CD5. I do days 5-9. I know lots of folks do days 3-7. It's up to your doctor when you do your dosage and how much your dosage is. My dosage is very low because I am ovulating so why have increased symptoms and complications. (Plus increased probability of twins). So I am all for the treatment plan I am currently on...but then this happened...

What?! What?! What is this?! Ovulating on CD 11? I think not. That is ridiculous, right? Now it is true that clomid makes you ovulate early. When I conceived in May, based on my due date, I ovulated a day earlier than I thought. But this would be super early. So let's break this down...

CBFM (Clear Blue Fertility Monitor): CD 11
PT (Period Tracker): CD 15
Ovia: CD 16

Does anyone else think PT and Ovia are too late? In May we pinpointed CD 13 and CD 14 is the average. But CBFM looks too early too.

So of course I hit the internet and I am spinning down the rabbit hole that is fertility forums. Lot's of women seem to have the same issue. It could be a number of things. Maybe I was ovulating naturally and the drug kicked it into high gear or maybe I was taking the clomid later in the day so its closer to CD 6 - 11 so my monitor picked up the clomid. Anyway long story short, there is no way to tell but I did find this handy-dandy flow chart.

So this is for folks doing IVF or IUI. So I am using this as my guide. They have clomid starting CD 5 and BD (baby dancing) CD 10 - 14. But, PT and Ovia are saying CD 15 or CD 16. So maybe the monitor was closer to the truth? I guess we will find out based on the CD 21 progesterone test which is scheduled for Friday because Day 21 is actually a Saturday and you know what happened last time day 21 landed on a Saturday.


In the mean time I am researching into the difference between taking clomid on CD 3-7 and CD 5-9. So far the main response I am seeing is that CD 3-7 produces multiple eggs ( thus multiple chances) where as CD 5-9 produces one super-egg. I havn't found any science to back up this claim so I am not fully convinced that it is true. Back to the internet rabbit hole I go!

aww, isn't he cute!

It's begining to look a lot like.....desperation

Hello friends! I hope you all have a wonderful Holiday. Silas and I traveled to Ohio and enjoyed some time with friends and family. We played laser tag and I fought teenagers for my freedom from a fake castle...so I guess you could call it a successful trip. 

I told them I was 30. They released me immediately. 

I started my next round of Clomid while we were away and today is the last dosage. I started feeling symptoms yesterday while decorating our Christmas tree. Mostly hot-flashes and a bit of dizziness which of course made me just so enjoyable to be around. The symptoms are a huge pain, but hopefully it means that ovulation will come when expected. So when is ovulation expected?

Ok so I have some idea...but it's really not specific....

My fertility monitor is showing high readings (as in ...I am already in my fertility window) but my apps disagree.

Period Tracker(PT)- Shows Fertility Window from December 1 - December 7. Peak Day December 6th.

Ovia- Shows Fertility Window from December 4 - December 9. No Peak Day.

So this makes me unhappy. I tend to agree with PT based on when I conceived last time but it's odd that the monitor is already giving high readings. I know that Ovia takes your symptoms into account when calculating your window. So I am a bit at a loss here. It looks like I better keep testing on the Monitor and plan on a window that lasts from now to December 9th.

 (Husband's reaction) 

You know what I hate hearing? "Practice makes perfect!" or "This is the fun part!" Here is a little insider tip....scheduled, planned, scientific and time-sensitive BDing (Baby Dancing...you're welcome) is not fun. Don't get me wrong, it's not like a trip to the dentist, but there is an added expectation and pressure that makes things more difficult.

So think of me the next time you BD on a Sunday afternoon just because the mode strikes you....actually....on second thought...please don't....

It's awkward again...

So Happy December everyone...next month will make 2 years of trying to make a baby. So fingers crossed that I am not on the naughty list. I am pretty sure that Santa know exactly what I want for Christmas.  In the meantime I will occupy myself between now and the 21 day test with decorating, baking, and treating my dog like he's our child. 

Who needs Sears Photo Center? Just humiliate your dog at home!

Vacation Won...hands down!

Yup, we were those people. You're Welcome. 

Ok so, Vacation was amazing. Really just one of the best times of my life. I threw the rules out the window and enjoyed every single moment. Did I want a giant cup of coffee every day? Yes, and I had one. Did I partake in every aspect of the Food and Wine Festival? You bet your bottom dollar I did. The first day, between travel and activities, Silas and I were up for about 25 hours. We did nap on the plane and about 30 minutes before dinner. 

"25 HOURS?!", you say. Believe me, it was not intentional. We planned on checking into an airport hotel because we had a 5AM flight. We thought we would get atleast 5 hours of sleep before the Festival which ended at 4AM.... Well...

Yah, that's a fire truck.  

So after we learned that someone burned a bag of popcorn (WHAT IS THIS, COLLEGE?!), we finally got back to our room to get a glorious 3 hours of sleep.  So, remember back at the last entry when I thought my schedule would be fine? After all, it wasn't like I left the time zone....WELL HA HA HA to past me. 

I totally screwed up my ovulation schedule. 

Well actually, to be more specific, I have absolutely no idea when or if I ovulated. Fertility Monitors (which I did bring! I had such good intentions), force you to test within the same window every day. The consistency of these tests is what helps to pin down that 12 - 24 hours window, so it's important. Well, I blew it. I missed a day to travel, and then the day after that because I slept until 9AM. (give me a break I was up until 3:30 AM!) I tried to test on the third day but it was too late to pin point ovulation. It is likely that I did ovulate in that 3 day window but I have no proof. 

"Well at least you have your 21 Day Progesterone test," you tell me gleefully! Guys, I am sorry to say that I missed that too...

So just a tidbit of advice for anyone who's test day falls on a Saturday. Very few testing place (I use LabCorp) are open and many are fully booked. With a CD 21 day test you can wait a day to CD 22. But that was Sunday and labs are closed. So, I missed that too. 

So Vacation absolutely won this one. BUT LOOK HOW PRETTY....

So I did a HPT test at 10DPO, but unfortunately I don't have a "Disney Baby". I know that's kind of early to test because it's possible that I ovulated late. Late ovulation is very unusual for me AND we had roommates so the timeline wouldn't add up. Sadly, no baby this month.

I did learn some imporatnt things. One being that it's ok to let some of this tracking and testing go. I know I had way more fun in Disney than I would have testing and fussing everyday. The other was this solid piece of advice from a Disney Bus. 

So we are back in the groove at home. Waiting on CD 1 so that we can begin the whole process again. This will be my third round of fertility treatment after my miscarriage. It is safe to say that I am very very antsy at this stage. My goal was to be pregnant by Christmas, but now I think February is a more realistic goal. February is also when our baby would have been born so it would be nice to have some good news around that time. 

So sit tight and we will start this whole Circus over again. In the meantime you can check out my dog casting some serious shade....

This is his "You left me here and now you want to snuggle? I think not." face. What a sas-monster.

Ovulation verse Vacation...who will win?

So recently I've been thinking about my "5 year plan". The professional aspects of my life are in a  state of flux, so I am evaluating things. What I've discovered is this: It is incredibly hard to imagine your future when you are blinded by infertility. I recently saw an "article" on buzzfeed that offered many different views on infertility. Some I can relate to (like the photo above), but I was amazed at all the different ways that infertility effects lives.

Feel free to check it out here: http://www.buzzfeed.com/morganshanahan/confessions-from-women-who-are-perfectly-happy-with-their#.tgoEGpDj3

So as I've been trying to evaluate my life and my plans, the truth is the only thing I really want is to be a Mom. So professional life, I am sorry, but for now you are on the back burner. My job is stable and I do enjoy it, so why mess with a good thing?

So here is what I have been focusing on instead...
-Clomid on CD 5-9 (and now all the fun side effects ....HOT FLASHES)
-Cutting Caffeine in take (::whimpers::)
-Enjoying little moments with family and friends
-Savoring glasses of white wine
-Snuggling my dog and treating him like my fur-baby
-Oh yah....and.......

WOOOOOO! It is the most wonderful place in the world...I don't care if you don't agree. This is my happy place. I will cry at the Magic Kingdom's firework show Wishes (cause I always do, with or without hormone treatments), I will enjoy amazing food and adult beverages, and I will scream WEEEE on every single ride. If you are pregnant and in Disney World....SUCKS FOR YOU ....HAHAHAHAHA. Ok, that was mean.  But for real. Pregnancy does kills the fun-factor. 

So yes, this trip is pretty perfectly timed in terms of enjoyment. However, there is the little issue of ovulation. As you know, I use two different apps and a fertility monitor to track ovulation. Period Tracker estimates that I will ovulate of Saturday. Ovia is guessing Monday. The fertility monitor shows I am 3 days into my fertile window but no spike yet. (it's also a day ahead...it's really CD 14).

So why is this an issue (other than the fact that these don't really match up)? Well it's a two fold problem. The first problem is that we are sharing a room with another couple so....yah.... that's troublesome....

The second problem is that Travel can change your cycle. "Your menstrual cycle and ovulation are controlled by a specific balance of hormones that your body gets used to, and any changes in this balance can result in a shift in ovulation date. Travel, particularly under stressful circumstances or over different time zones, has been known to interfere with the timing of ovulation, which can make it more difficult to identify your fertile window. It is not the literal, physical traveling that can affect ovulation, but rather all of the stressors and environment changes that are a part of it." (Source: Ovuline) 

Ok so I realize that a two hour flight within your time zone is, as the kids say, NBD. However, my flight leaves at 5 AM so I will be up at 2 AM. That night I am going to the Food and Wine Finish Line Party (jealous?) which ends at 4AM. So we are planning some very important naps. I am a bit worried that these changes may push back my ovulation...but maybe not as worried as my roommate should be...hahahah. Sorry, it got awkward again...

Anyway, that's what's up this month! I am hoping to have more blood-work on CD 21 to test out progesterone levels. If they are high enough to support pregnancy then I will hold my breath for a week and use a HPT. If it's positive I will have something to be super thankful for this Thanksgiving. If not, then on to December. I know what's at the top of my Christmas list....

Until then, I have some very magical stars to wish on  :)

Looking for a Rainbow: You Win Some; You Lose Some

So this month is just crazy (and I am not just talking about the hormones!). Another baby born to a friend, another pregnancy announced, I was asked to be a Godmother and ecstatically agreed, and I even made a trip to Babies R Us! Tomorrow I am going to a 1-year-olds birthday party, which I am really looking forward to. (Come on, everyone loves babies...and this one is extra special)

So with all of these joys (and a few other reasons...more on that later), I think that a big part of me really thought that this was going to be the month that our rainbow came.

"Rainbows" are what people call the babies you have after a miscarriage. It's a pretty nice analogy... a rainbow comes after a storm. That's a cliche I can get behind. Plus, bonus, I find Judy Garland's voice to be pretty soothing, so in general I like the phrase.

Some people do it right....

...and some do not...

So it's a fine line. I defiantly wouldn't call a rainbow baby a "rainbow baby" if the parents haven't said it first. It's kind of like calling a kid by a nickname...you better make sure Mom and Dad are cool with it. (Never call a Richard, Dick until they introduce themselves that way....yah. Just trust me.)

Anyway things were very promising this month. I would have been due in July which is terrible timing both professionally and personally. It's my peak season for work and we are going to a family wedding on the other side of the country. I am also off to Disney in a few weeks which would limit my fun a bit. So basically, since the timing would be awful I figured...with my luck...good chance right? 

Well luckily....(unluckily?)... we did not have success this cycle. I am pretty ok with that given all of the trouble it would cause. 

But on to the good news! We have confirmed ovulation! YAY! Way to go fertility monitor you were on the money.

So these are my results from my CD21 (cycle day 21) progesterone test. Anything above 10 confirms ovulation. If you remember way back when, my levels were less than 1...so it's kind of a big deal :) Now the cycle that I found out I was pregnant my numbers were in the 20s. Progesterone levels rise after implantation (when the egg burrows into the uterine lining) so a high progesterone level is a good sign. My doctor is a firm believer that these numbers are a good indicator for pregnancy. Lucky for me, she likes to call me with the results and casts her predictions. 

(Quick happy dance for a great doc and confirmed ovulation!)

Now if you are cruising around the web googling progesterone levels ( shush some people do it! ::cough cough:: me) you are going to get a million different answers. We are all gentle snowflakes remember? Just go on what your doctor says. Some believe medicated cycles, like mine, should already be in the 20s...I say....

I have a pregnancy in my medical history, so my doctor knows much more about my levels than the internet ever will....well maybe until now....since I just told everyone....hummmm..

Anyway, It was nice hearing her say that the month wasnt successful. WHAT?! WHY, you ask? Because I did take a HPT and it was super negative. I thought maybe I just tested to early and that I'd have to wait a few more days and test again, but then the doctor called. Nothing sucks more than false-hope so it was nice that I knew early. Now I can even enjoy a glass of wine or even better....a Venti Latte...FULLY CAFFEINATED.

I am so very tired of decaf coffee.

So, long story short, I have lots of mixed emotions this month. Sure I am disappointed, but I also know that in the long run it's better. I mean come on! I'm going to DISNEY WORLD for crying out loud. What's a trip to Disney without Space Mountain? Plus we all know I live my life by Disney wisdom. And what is more fitting than this....

....See you next time friends!

Oct 15th is Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Day and More!

If you are a fan of social media, chances are you've seen this image in the last few days. If you know someone who has suffered a loss, it is a great time to reach out to remind them that someone cares. 

October is a big month in the "infertility community". Lot's of people hold remembrances or attend awareness walks. I am not a fan of big public displays, so a simple post seems sufficient enough. 

October is also my first month "officially" back on my treatment plan. This plan involves medication and careful tracking. 

Ive had some questions about the fertility monitor I use, so below are examples from this month.

This is a day 8 reading on my monitor showing that I was in a "high fertility" window. Day 8 means I am 8 days from the first day in the cycle (pretty self explanatory). The monitor does not check your levels everyday (that would be a huge waste of expensive sticks). Instead it zeros in on your fertility window. The more you use the monitor the more accurate these readings become. For me, the monitor prompts my first test on the 7th or 8th day. This month it prompted me to start on day 6 since it was my fist month back to using it. The first two tests came back as "low" or just the first bar filled. The fertile window begins in bar 2 and starts about 5-6 days before ovulation. (Remember sperm can live up to 5 days!)

I stayed in the fertile window until day 13 when I got this beauty....

This is a positive ovulation reading. (see the little egg? isn't it cute?) Now sometimes I will get a solid third box which mean levels are rising but there wasn't a big jump which would normally indicate ovulation. Basically, this is the reading you are after. In fact, once you get this result the monitor stops tracking you until the next month and requires no more tests. Once you get your little egg you have between 12-24 hours to ovulate. They do recommend using a 12-36 hour window so they will give you another high reading the very next day, just to be safe. 

So this is good news! It is very likely that I ovulated the month. The timing is right, the readings are on par, and it's actually showing that I ovulated a day earlier than is the norm. (Normal 28 day cycle ovulates on the 14th day...give or take a few days in either direction). Of course, this is not fool proof and cycles are a bit like snow flakes. 

Let it gooooo, Let it goooooo

Cheeky little Snow Queen. Anyway, since these monitors aren't fool-proof and we are all like precious little snowflakes, a 21 day progesterone test was order to confirm ovulation. Now my last tests came back with progesterone levels so high that the doctor thinks it may have been a lab error. (They were higher than someone pregnant with twins...YIKES) Looks like someone forgot the importance of decimal points. So between the last weird result and the clomid, a test is needed on the 21st day of your cycle to confirm ovulation. If ovulation can not be confirmed the dosage of clomid may be adjusted. Higher dosages come with higher risks and harsher side-effects so the goal is to trigger ovulation with the smallest dosage.

If the test comes back positive for ovulation, I will wait a few days and then test with an HPT. If it comes back negative, I stop for a bottle of wine and refill my prescription for next month. Just like baking a delicious cake, you need eggs to make it happen.

Fingers crossed, let's see what happens! 

Truelife: I'm Trying to Make a Baby - Oct 1 2015

Hi, my Name is Alyssa and I am trying to make a baby. 

Making a baby is hard. I realize for some it is easy, but that's what makes it so damn hard. For some you just do the deed, maybe you had a glass of wine, maybe it was a Sunday afternoon...good for you. Did you use an ovulation test because you wanted to make that baby on the first try...good for you. You are one lucky duck and I am very happy for you because that's the way it should be! So raise the roof and thank the baby-dance, you made a human.

That is 100% not my life. 

Have you ever left an event because your monitor says it's go-time? Have you ever spent $150 at CVS for things that you PEE on? Have you ever balled your eyes out because of a horrible drug that makes you forget how to be happy for other people? That is my life...

...and this is my bathroom

So pictured above is my most recent run to CVS where I spent roughly $150. Some items are not pictured but let me run through my list...

1) Clomid

2) Clearblue monitor strips (I've had the monitor for a while now)

3) Prenatal vitamins (which I have been on for almost TWO YEARS)

4) Sterile Specimen cup

5) First Response Pregnancy Test

6) Tampons (Not pictured)

7) Diva Soft cups (Not pictured)

8) Decaf coffee (Not pictured)

9) Chocolate (not pictured....I ate it...I eat my feelings) 

These are the tools of my trade. I do not stock up on Tampons....I think a piece of me refuses to believe I will need them but it's worse when I realize the evil red demon is coming and I am unprepared.

I hate decaf coffee, but I also hate what caffeine does to fertility.  If I start out with decaf in the AM I can treat myself to a fully loaded cup when I start to drag during the day. But ONE cup only!

Soft cups. If you follow this blog you should know what they are. I didn't want to scare anyone, so they arent pictured. You're welcome :)

Other tools of my trade can be found right on my phone. I use not ONE, not TWO, but THREE fertility apps. My plan was to only use two so I will choose one to eliminate.

App One: Period Tracker

So you've heard me talk about PT before. It's a sturdy little app and I used it long before I started TTC. I would recommend it to any lady. It has super cute options for the home page. During the summer I choose the Beach Theme and during my fertile week little starfish appear on the shore. This one is the Outdoorsy Theme and the flowers around the tent bloom and little bees buzz during my fertile week.

 

(Cute right?)

There is also the very helpful calendar view. From this page you can add Symptoms, intimate days, notes, etc.  It's very user friendly for the busy busy lady on the go! There is also a social aspect where you can post. I like this app's social groups best because there are fewer threads and it works more like the AIM (I am so old). Because of the one on one contact of the AIM-like chats, I actually have "friends" on this app and I've enjoyed watching their journeys.

App Two: Glow 

So I am brand new to Glow. It is super fancy and is really a fertility app rather than a period app. The calendar is not my favorite, But I do like that you can revise information from this page. It is cool that you can see exactly how fertile you are right on the home page. (Also- sorry, I realize you are all seeing exactly where I am in my cycle).

So as you can see here the focus is really on fertility. 

Another feature of Glow is all the places to record your data. For those doing Cervical Mucus checks or Basil Body Temping....this is the app for you. Anything you think could possibly effect your fertility is accounted for here.

This page goes on and on! You can even add all the food/drink you've consumed because of course you are on a strict fertility diet. This isn't your first rodeo! And that's exactly how I feel about this app. This app is for some serious fertility trackers. I am actually a little overwhelmed by it. The social pages are also extremely overwhelming. The groups are very specific and they have RULES. So be careful there. Angry ladies on fertility drugs really hate rule-breakers....trust me!

Note: I am actually deleting the app....sorry GLOW...Three apps is too many!

App 3: Ovia
So I used the Ovia Pregnancy App while I was expecting and I LOVED it. It was the first thing I looked at in the morning so I could get my daily fun-fact. I was obsessed with the little hand on the app that grew each week...so cute...I HIGHLY recommend that Ovia Pregnancy App.

But this is the fertility App so it's pretty different. Like the Glow App this is for those tracking fertility. It gives you a score rather than a percentage like on Glow. It also shows weather and has fun articles.

There is also a fun "MyQ" bottom which has hundreds of questions. By answering these questions they can tailor the app to you. This is a super cool feature and I've answered at least 200 questions at this point.

Like Glow, this app lets you record symptoms, moods, and lots of fertility info.  I love the layout (big colorful buttons!). If I had to choose between Ovia and Glow I would choose Ovia. It's a little less intense and I like that it gets to know me to tailor my experience. 

Conclusions

So why the heck do I do all of this and use multiple Apps? All of this effort gives me a little peace of mind. It gives me something to do every single day. Sure, maybe it wont actually help me get pregnant, but at least it feels like I am DOING something. The more I learn about fertility, the better I feel about where I am. I haven't had to do IUI or IVF and my issue is not a "Male Factor". There is also the fact that I was actually able to get pregnant so chances are good that I will get pregnant again. The trick is to stay positive even though it's super hard. I've found that regressing into childhood movies, crafting, and new fan-doms has kept me pretty positive. So three cheers to Dr. Hooves :) because he makes me smile.