SMEP Thread

[MrsSparkles]

I am trying the SMEP as it's been 5 cycles since my MC and I've not had a BFP yet.

Anyone else going to try the SMEP plan ?
Maybe we can update on our attempts here, and help each other with motivation and advice.

Here is a step by step I found online

1) Buy 10 OPK tests PRIOR to cycle day 10
2) Starting on cycle day 10, do one OPK test EVERY DAY
3) Babydance (BD) EVERY OTHER DAY starting on cycle day 10 (Elevate those hips for 10 - 30 minutes after each BD session)
4) When you get a positive OPK, babydance that day and the next 2 days in a row (so 3 days in a row total)
5) Skip one night and babydance once more the next day (Just when you thought it was over!)
6) Take a home pregnancy test (HPT) 15 days after the day you ovulated

[ME MOM]

Sounds good Mrs. Sparkles, good luck!

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[Pbn3]

Hi mrssparkles! I plan on doing a looser version of smep initially (e3d then attempt day of pos opk plus the following if possible). I'll move onto the proper smep the following cycle :) good luck and cant wait to see how you go!! When are you expecting af for next cycle to begin?

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[jennypenny]

Looks like af is on her way as I'm spotting today gaaaahhhhh!

Will be joining u doing smep this month! This will be our 7th month!

Barely swaying now, just want to get pregnant x

[MrsSparkles]

Hi Pbn3 & JennyPenny,

I'm expecting AF on Tuesday (could be Wed or Thurs though, as I was late last month)
Really hope it works for us all !

[atomic sagebrush]

Great ideaa!!

[Pbn3]

Good luck Jennypenny!

What cd range do you ladies o on? I'm usually between cd13-15.

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[jennypenny]

I usually ovulate cd14_16 but this month it was cd18.

Gonna bulk buy in opks haha! ��

[MrsSparkles]

I'm usually Day 17.
Good idea JennyPenny, I will have to do the same

[momamia4]

I'm doing SMEP this cycle again. I did it last cycle but wasn't successful. It's my 2nd cycle since my miscarriage and 18th cycle ttc dc5. I have no idea when I'm going to ovulate. Normally it's cd18-20 but last cycle it was cd14! I'm cd4 today and will probably start testing with opks on cd9 (my earliest ovulation was cd11). I'm going to give it my best effort to stick to SMEP exactly as last cycle we had an extra attempt and ended up with 5 attempts in my fertile window. I'm wondering if it lowered dh's sperm count or something. Tomorrow I'll be calling my RE's office to let him know I had another failed cycle to see what he has to say. Good luck everyone!

[Pbn3]

Wow momamia! And agree, 5 attempts could have definately depleted dh's swimmers too much. Will be here cheering you on until I start myself 😀 (hopefully af will be here Friday/Saturday)

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[MrsSparkles]

I'm doing SMEP this cycle again. I did it last cycle but wasn't successful. It's my 2nd cycle since my miscarriage and 18th cycle ttc dc5. I have no idea when I'm going to ovulate. Normally it's cd18-20 but last cycle it was cd14! I'm cd4 today and will probably start testing with opks on cd9 (my earliest ovulation was cd11). I'm going to give it my best effort to stick to SMEP exactly as last cycle we had an extra attempt and ended up with 5 attempts in my fertile window. I'm wondering if it lowered dh's sperm count or something. Tomorrow I'll be calling my RE's office to let him know I had another failed cycle to see what he has to say. Good luck everyone!

I thought the same, but think I may have had a very faint positive.
This is after feeling pain last night that made me faint ! It was the same as when my corpus luteum burst last time.
So I imagine that faint line if it there at all will fade the next week.
Still going to do the SMEP plan, but not sure when I will ovulate now :(

[Pbn3]

Answered in oct 2ww thread xxoo

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[MrsSparkles]

Are we allowed to put links on here?
There's a seller on ebay (UK) selling the clear blue ovulation sticks a lot cheaper than Boots

[honeybee37]

I did a version of SMEP this month. & intended to do it properly but was so ill the week we should've been doing every other day, that we only ended up DTD o-3, o-2, o-1. So three attempts in the fertile window. I guess this means if I am pregnant it will almost certainly be a boy, but after 9 months TTC, I just want to be pregnant now! Currently 7dpo.
Good luck everyone ��

[MrsSparkles]

I did a version of SMEP this month. & intended to do it properly but was so ill the week we should've been doing every other day, that we only ended up DTD o-3, o-2, o-1. So three attempts in the fertile window. I guess this means if I am pregnant it will almost certainly be a boy, but after 9 months TTC, I just want to be pregnant now! Currently 7dpo.
Good luck everyone ��

Fingers crossed !
Looks like you're in with a really good chance of BFP this month

[ME MOM]

Mrs sparkles maybe you can write the shop name or description if a URL can't be pasted? Thanks!

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[momamia4]

FX for you honeybee! :)

[Pbn3]

Good luck honeybee!! I've read lots of people say they did multiple attempts when they conceived their dd. I actually have seen a trend among my long term ttc/fertility issues/miscarriage buddies on here - so far one has had a girl, two have confirmed they are having a girl. There's still a few of us left to conceive..... will be interesting to see if we do what we end up having 😀 were you swaying at all? Diet etc?
When will you be testing???

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[kc15880]

Hi everyone! My doctor is monitoring me this month doing bloods every 1-2 days to try & pinpoint ovulation (she isnt convinced that the opk are accurate) & why I am having short luteal phases (9-10days). We have done E3d for the last 2 months so now it looks like smep is our plan too. I am so nervous! It just feels so "blue" friendly. Although having said that, We couldnt conceive DS1 until we stopped BD every day. I guess the other thing that is forcing our hand is that we have been told to BD for 3 days in a row once we finally get some + blood results.

[momamia4]

FX for you kc15880

[Pbn3]

Hi kc and good luck this cycle! I am very interested for some more info if you're happy to share? I know about blood tests to confirm ovulation 'has' happened but what are they testing prior to o (I'm assuming lh?) and how do they know what 'bloodwork result level' is equivalent to a pos opk?? Have you ever charted?

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[honeybee37]

Pbn3 yes I have been swaying since last November. Diet was so strict at first and I then messed up my luteal phase so I had to relax a lot. Been vegetarian since then and exercising 5-6 days a week.
Can't believe I'm actually posting this but on Friday I got my bfp!!!! Obviously I'm obsessing now and did another today which was a lot darker... I'm pretty worried it's so early and might not stick but still pretty excited :) Need to catch up on this thread now xx

[Pbn3]

Oh wow honeybee 😀 huge congratulations!!!!!

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[honeybee37]

Thank you! I'm in shock and also a bit worried as it's still very very early, and I know how upset I'll be if it doesn't work out!

[kc15880]

Hi kc and good luck this cycle! I am very interested for some more info if you're happy to share? I know about blood tests to confirm ovulation 'has' happened but what are they testing prior to o (I'm assuming lh?) and how do they know what 'bloodwork result level' is equivalent to a pos opk?? Have you ever charted?

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At the moment I am CD10. (I normally O around CD17-21 - the day after +opk). I am having second daily blood tests at the moment tracking progesterone, LH & oestrogen. As my levels increase I will have daily bloods. The lab rings me each day with my results & they will tell me when to BD (they want me to BD 3 days in a row which is why we are doing smep this month). 7 days after I O they will do bloods again to measure my progesterone. I hope that makes sense.

[Pbn3]

Yep makes sense! And thanks for explaining! We should be oing very close to each other 😀! Cant wait for us all to be in the 2ww!

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[GirlieCat]

Can't believe I'm actually posting this but on Friday I got my bfp!!!! Obviously I'm obsessing now and did another today which was a lot darker... I'm pretty worried it's so early and might not stick but still pretty excited :) Need to catch up on this thread now xx

OMG honey- that is so exiting. So happy for you!!!

[XXforhubby]

HUGE congrats Honeybee!



[emoji170]DS1[emoji1379], DS2[emoji602], DS3[emoji577][emoji170]
[emoji166]One last pink sway in 2016[emoji166]
My Ovulation Chart (https://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/579920)

[MrsSparkles]

Congratulations HoneyBee - hope you come join the June/July/Aug 2017 Due date thread

[honeybee37]

Thanks everyone... I might tentatively venture into the due June/July board... hope to see us all there very soon. X

[Pink Pony]

Congrats Honeybee :)

[momamia4]

Congrats honeybee!!

[momamia4]

So I got a +opk yesterday afternoon at 2pm and already dtd earlier that morning at 10am. I screwed up the eod because I really wasn't feeling well the day before yesterday. We dtd really early this morning (5am) and now I'm considering dtd again tonight (~10pm) in addition to tomorrow morning (~7am). What do you think? Should I add the extra attempt tonight or just dtd tomorrow morning? I feel like I don't have enough attempts in my fertile window if I don't add the extra attempt. If I stick with traditional SMEP, my attempts would be: O-4, O-1, O, and O+1. If I add an extra attempt, it would be 2 attempts on O day (today). I'm not sure what is the better thing to do.

[purple]

I would probably make the attempt tomorrow as you got one in this morning so that is good. The one tomorrow would cover you if O is delayed. It also depends on how your DH can handle it... mine wouldn't want that many attempts so close!

It looks like you are pretty well covered!! Good luck!

[MeanVeggieGal]

I've been secretly stalking this thread. Congratulations honeybee & MrsSparkles!

I guess I've been doing the SMEP and not knowing it. I'm on CD14. 1DPO and we've BD each day, just one more daily day. He's very happy, but I could use a break. 😒

[momamia4]

I know what you mean, MeanVeggieGal. DH is more than happy to oblige my dtd schedule with as many attempts as I'd like. I'm only doing it so frequently to get the attempts in, lol. We'd dtd constantly if it were up to DH. Although, one cycle I said we had to dtd every day. That got old for both of us after about 7 days straight. HA HA!!! We didn't even want to be around each other let alone dtd at that point. :rofl:

I decided to go ahead with the additional attempt last night and then we didn't do the attempt this morning. I knew it wasn't likely that the morning attempt would happen. We're going to have another attempt tonight and then skip a day. I feel good about our attempts. I'm glad we had the extra one last night. It makes me feel like we covered all of our bases.

[MeanVeggieGal]

Momamia,

Glad you got that extra attempt in...it may be just what you needed! Sometimes it just makes you feel better that you gave it your all. 😊

I just can't help but wonder how DH is going to feel when I cut him off at the end of the week, not cut off completely, but not every day or other day. I need a break for a few days.

Fx crossed for us all!

[momamia4]

MeanVeggieGal, your DH will get over it. Mine always does, lol. He knows that after I ovulate it's back to the same old routine. They get used to it. FX for you! :) What cycle day are you?

[MeanVeggieGal]

I'll try not to worry then. Thanks for your input. 😊 CD 14, 1DPO for me. What about you?

[momamia4]

cd 13, 1dpo! :) YAY! Cycle buddies! I think I'm going to test on Halloween. What about you?

[MeanVeggieGal]

Yay! If my temps are high on Halloween you have a deal!!

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[momamia4]

Sweet! :) I hope the time passes quickly

[MeanVeggieGal]

Same here, but I'm not super hopeful that it will. 😒

[atomic sagebrush]

Ladies I just wanted to remind you that with the support threads like this one, if questions are posted, I may not see them so please anyone having any specific q's on how best to do SMEP and you want my input, please start a dedicated thread and ask me. :)

[momamia4]

I agree MeanVeggieGal. It never passes quickly. 😑

[kc15880]

CD14 today for me too but no LH surge yet. Im going to have daily bloods tests for a few days now to try & catch the surge.

[momamia4]

That's cool, kc! I wish my doctor would do that.

[kc15880]

Its just my GP not a fertility specialist. She doesnt think that OPK are reliable! I am doing my own experiment & seeing how the OPK match up to the bloods for future reference. I believe based upon hard physical evidence (cervical position, feel, dilatation, mucous, nipple tenderness & cramping) I am pinpointing ovulation, but it will be nice to have that info as well (especially as Im not temping as its too hard with irregular wake times. It will also be good to have a look at my progesterone levels & why I have a short luteal phase.

[momamia4]

Yeah, it sounds like she's being very thorough. I'm glad you found a good doctor. They are not easy to find! :) I hope everything goes well and you can figure everything out.

[kc15880]

So I have chickened out of the smep. My bloods are still rising & I havent got todays result yet. Based upon previous months symptoms I think they will tell me I have my LH surge today & I will be very suprised if I am wrong. I keep thinking about all the in the past month & I think I want to give one attempt 1 more go. The last 2 months we have done E3d & we ended up BD 2 days before & 1 day after 0. The first month we attempted 1 attempt DH released for nearly 2 weeks in a row so he probably had nothing left for our attempt. He has dropped the Olive leaf & peppermint tea too so perhaps his supply has recovered & I am just too nervous to do smep as it feels so "blue". We BD every 4 days so far with him releasing on his own once inbetween (which is a smep pattern I know) but I got him to hold off releasing last night as I think with ovulation pending tomorrow I need him to keep some in reserve for tonight. Phew! so over timing BD & trying to persuade him to stay away from his daily "habit". At least hubby has kept his sense of humour & instructs his :bluesperm: to stay put & for his :pinksperm: to get moving :rofl: if only it was that easy!

[kc15880]

the lab rang through with my results & confirmed my LH surge today. I already thought that was the case based on symptoms from previous months & a positive OPk but good to know I was right, even though my doctor thought I was missing it & the opk were inaccurate. Trust your body ladies! you know it well! Now to get the kids to bed so we can BD tonight :fx: I am going to have more bloods at 7dpo. Any hints to lengthen my luteal phase? I think that is my main issue - its only 9-10days :( I am going to try & miss a few lunchtime breastfeeds in the hope that I can reduce my prolactin a bit in the 2ww & help raise my progesterone.

[momamia4]

Kc, vitamin b6 can help lengthen your luteal phase. You take 50-200mg beyond what is in any vitamin you may be taking. Also, olive leaf actually helps sperm, so I would have DH start taking that again. Good luck!! :)

[momamia4]

Well, I didn't end up dtd the last time but I did do it 4 times in a row around ovulation. I feel like my bases are covered. I'm just not really feeling it this cycle. I don't know why. I'm just not very positive. I'm frustrated because I feel like women all around me are constantly getting pregnant and I can't. It's particularly frustrating when I know they don't even want to be pregnant. Sorry to be such a downer today. :(

[MrsSparkles]

Is anyone still doing the SMEP ?
Just wanted to check, and hoping to see more of you in the DD thread soooon

KC I know what you mean about feeling blue, I won't find out gender from my girl sway for a while, but I think baby is a boy.

[MeanVeggieGal]

Still doing SMEP here but earlier this month we should have BD'd one more day so I'm not too confident there was S to ME.

[MrsSparkles]

Well good luck !
Hope it works for you, I am sure this is how I got my BFP....and all the weird herb and foods I added.

[MeanVeggieGal]

Thanks 😊

[MeanVeggieGal]

I had about 3 drops of pink blood mixed with CM yesterday. I was either 9 or 11DPO. LP is typically 14/15 days. I think its pre AF and not IB. Any thoughts?

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[MrsSparkles]

I had about 3 drops of pink blood mixed with CM yesterday. I was either 9 or 11DPO. LP is typically 14/15 days. I think its pre AF and not IB. Any thoughts?

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That sounds extremely similar to my Implanatation spotting !

[atomic sagebrush]

I had about 3 drops of pink blood mixed with CM yesterday. I was either 9 or 11DPO. LP is typically 14/15 days. I think its pre AF and not IB. Any thoughts?

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I can't say what it is, but I can also point out another option - it's also possible, in early preganncy, when your cervix is very very soft, that you get a small hemmorhage from your cervix itself (even just going #2 can cause this) and the leukorrhea discharge that begins in early pregnancy can blend with this and make a miniscule amount of blood noticeable.

[MeanVeggieGal]

It's intersteing you said this as I went #2 today (tmi I know) and there was a few more drops. When I inspected my cervix no more pink remained, but there was clear CM. Thanks

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[DesiG]

Hello everyone, I tried semp this month still in the 2ww 6dpo today my temp drop a little this morning so I dont know if thats a bad sign.

[MeanVeggieGal]

Could be an implantation dip.

[atomic sagebrush]

Hello everyone, I tried semp this month still in the 2ww 6dpo today my temp drop a little this morning so I dont know if thats a bad sign.

This is actually totally normal. At about 7ish DPO your body releases a big burst of estrogen that helps maintain your uterine lining another several days to allow a potential pregnancy to get a good start. This can register as a temp dip between 5-8 DPO. Some call it an implantation dip and while it's actually not directly associated with implantation itself, it has been found by FF that on charts where there is a nice dip, they are more likely to end with BFP. Good luck!

[DesiG]

This is actually totally normal. At about 7ish DPO your body releases a big burst of estrogen that helps maintain your uterine lining another several days to allow a potential pregnancy to get a good start. This can register as a temp dip between 5-8 DPO. Some call it an implantation dip and while it's actually not directly associated with implantation itself, it has been found by FF that on charts where there is a nice dip, they are more likely to end with BFP. Good luck!

I was thinking it would go back up this morning, my temp has never dropped down to the 97's in the 2ww it was always stayed in the 98's, but who knows whats going on with months temps. Here is my chart33893

[DesiG]

Could be an implantation dip.

That's what I was hoping, but went down more :(

[MeanVeggieGal]

Sorry @DesiG ...still early though. Tomorrow it may be sky high! Fx it goes back up.

[DesiG]

Sorry @DesiG ...still early though. Tomorrow it may be sky high! Fx it goes back up.

Thanks, I hope so.

[DesiG]

Hello everyone looks like chart went up this morning33898

[MeanVeggieGal]

Nice!

[atomic sagebrush]

Hello everyone looks like chart went up this morning33898

Yes that's waht I was going to say, it can go down for more than one day (and/or remember, it's totally poss to have just one isolated oddball temp like if it was colder than normal in yoru room or you slept with mouth open or whatever) and it's back up today.

Good luck and blue dust, Desi!

[DesiG]

Yes that's waht I was going to say, it can go down for more than one day (and/or remember, it's totally poss to have just one isolated oddball temp like if it was colder than normal in yoru room or you slept with mouth open or whatever) and it's back up today.

Good luck and blue dust, Desi!

Ok, thank you

[MeanVeggieGal]

Today is my fourth day of chocolate colored cm like spotting. Only on toilet paper if I wipe and more if I go #2. My temps are low: today fell way below coverline. I have no idea what's going on. I assume AF is going to start tomorrow....never experienced 4 days of spotting before my period.

[DesiG]

Today is my fourth day of chocolate colored cm like spotting. Only on toilet paper if I wipe and more if I go #2. My temps are low: today fell way below coverline. I have no idea what's going on. I assume AF is going to start tomorrow....never experienced 4 days of spotting before my period.

How many day past O are you?

[DesiG]

Today tons f CM like egg whites, just a little more thicker then when I O. I have even more then I have around O. Never had this in my 2ww

[MeanVeggieGal]

I've head that some women get lots of CM after ovulation. You sure you O already? Maybe you should BD just in case.

Today I'm 12DPO based off FF. Tested Saturday it was BFN. Not testing anymore since my temps are below cover line.

[MrsSparkles]

Agree with MeanVeggie. BD !

[atomic sagebrush]

Today tons f CM like egg whites, just a little more thicker then when I O. I have even more then I have around O. Never had this in my 2ww

This can be a side effect of the secondary estrogen surge like we were talking about. You make a big burst of estrogen and it causes this humongo temp dip and can also cause O-type symptoms like EWCM, increased libido, and breast pain.

[atomic sagebrush]

But yes please do BD just in case

[atomic sagebrush]

Today is my fourth day of chocolate colored cm like spotting. Only on toilet paper if I wipe and more if I go #2. My temps are low: today fell way below coverline. I have no idea what's going on. I assume AF is going to start tomorrow....never experienced 4 days of spotting before my period.

Some months it can happen that way even without swaying. I have had that some months even when I was not doing anything to sway at all.

Can you tell me more about supps you're on and what your diet is like? You may be a little short in raw materials to make sex hormones with so the lining isn't holding together as nice as we'd like.

[MeanVeggieGal]

Thanks @Atomic

Herbs: Licorice stem and whole cinnamon stick steeped in my morning tea of mate and Korean Ginseng (3-4x a week).

Additionally I take ashwaganda, maca powder in wheatgrass and Siberian Ginseng (5 days a week).

Diet: I eat full fat raw milk from grass fed cows, grass fed beef, chicken, raw eggs and cook almost every single meal.

Temp: My preO temps are between 97.2 - 97.5
My postO temps are between 97.6 and (just recently) 98.1

[Laura2013]

I did a version of SMEP this month. & intended to do it properly but was so ill the week we should've been doing every other day, that we only ended up DTD o-3, o-2, o-1. So three attempts in the fertile window. I guess this means if I am pregnant it will almost certainly be a boy, but after 9 months TTC, I just want to be pregnant now! Currently 7dpo.
Good luck everyone ��

Hello! Very new to this!
I just want to check - if you did it the 3 days from OD, why would it sway blue? I'm stuck for methods and weren't sure whether to try before OD or just after?

Thanks :)

[DesiG]

So 2 days late spotting the day before AF was due for not even 5 minutes and day of AF was do spotting not even 5 mintues again. Lots of egg white CM still and tested today BFN. Here is my chart someone please take a look and let me what you think33978

[atomic sagebrush]

Thanks @Atomic

Herbs: Licorice stem and whole cinnamon stick steeped in my morning tea of mate and Korean Ginseng (3-4x a week).

Additionally I take ashwaganda, maca powder in wheatgrass and Siberian Ginseng (5 days a week).

Diet: I eat full fat raw milk from grass fed cows, grass fed beef, chicken, raw eggs and cook almost every single meal.

Temp: My preO temps are between 97.2 - 97.5
My postO temps are between 97.6 and (just recently) 98.1

Are you taking these things for swaying or is this something you normally do.

Some of these things are not things I recommend for anyone TTC.

I would have you lose the licorice, ashwanganda, maca, wheatgrass, and ginseng. All definitely affect hormone levels.

Your full fat mlk and beef, chicken eggs should only help correct LP issues.

[atomic sagebrush]

So 2 days late spotting the day before AF was due for not even 5 minutes and day of AF was do spotting not even 5 mintues again. Lots of egg white CM still and tested today BFN. Here is my chart someone please take a look and let me what you think33978

I"m not sure you've ovulated yet. I have been seeing a weird pattern with some ladies where they have up and down temps, then a rise but MORE up and down temps (albeit higher than the first set) and then a third rise and only at that point do the temps stay consistently high. The rise in temps tricks the FF algorithm into giving crosshairs but then it will move the crosshairs when tthe temps go higher.

I would be having attempts if I were you. :bluecheer: