TTC questions

[alicia45]

I'm pretty sure I'm out this month. So, moving on!

We're taking a 2 month break and I need to figure out what to do. So far, I just chart CM and ovulation cramps, which are very consistent.

Tell me about temping and ovulation kits. What are the pros/cons?

Would you do either or both while we're taking a break? Or just start in May? Or just keep going with cm and ovulation cramping?

What did you do while ttc?

Last time was not really planned, it just happened and now I feel like a newb!

[pinkpeony6210]

I charted/temped for a long time before we TTC with Kate, mostly because I wasnt on BC, and it kind of helped us avoid having sex during my fertile time. Once we actually wanted to try, I used OPKs in addition to temping.

I only charted/temped with Ella.

The only con to temping, is that you need to do it at the same time everyday. Walking up on the weekends can kind of suck, but I always fell back asleep.

[bigapple]

If you're interested in temping, I would start it while you're on a break so you can learn your pattern, and so you can get into the habit. For example, my temps are all over the place (probably due to not sleeping much and drinking too much when not pregnant), so if I had just jumped in to TTC with temps, I would've been horrified to see my messy chart.

*I've only temped to conceive once, but I tempted to avoid for a while and discovered that there is usually no discernible pattern in my temps.

[thedahliharpa]

Digital OPKs were awesome and effective for us.

[Regina Philange]

I have that book, taking charge of your fertility, if you or anyone else wants it. Ill mail it out.

[vthokie]

I would probably start with OPKs. My cycle is all crazy, so I temp too. But when I saw my RE when I was ttc A, he was fine with just OPKs. If you have trouble finding your Ovulation, you could start temping. But, if you're taking a break, that would also be a good time to start. It's not THAT bad to do. I even have a thermometer with an alarm, so on the weekend, it wakes me up, I temp, back to sleep

[jg183]

I temped and used OPKs. I started both a few months earlier
I like using OPKs because they are simple and let you know when you are ovulating and you can start them around day 10. Temping tells you that you are done ovulating.
Unless you like to have "unnecessary" sex.

I would use the OPKs the months you are taking a break to see the days you ovulate. If you think you will temp later it's a good habit to start and is very informative.

[vthokie]

^^^^this is great if you have a semi normal cycle. I don't O until cd30+, so temping is a muct

[thedood]

I had issues with my cycle and temping was so helpful for me. It's surprisingly informative so I highly recommend it if you end up feeling like you might have any ttc (just saying that because I have no idea where you're at in the journey). It helped me figure out what my issue was (late o and short luteal phase).

[charmediamsure]

I just used the Fertility Friend app to track my cycles. And the week I was supposed to have ovulated we had sex every day. And I used PreSeed.

[lolaburns]

I used digital OPKs both times. They worked amazingly. My fave was ClearBlue Easy OPK with the smiley face.

[browneyedhunni85]

I buy the cheapie OPK's from Amazon and confirm with a digital. I'm also checking CM, drinking green tea and taking vitamins.

[livinreality]

Taking charge of your fertility explains charting and tempting

[careyalis]

Temping drove me slowly insane, so that didn't last long. I use cheapie opk's and love them-I can always pinpoint my ovulation date accurately.

[alicia45]

Mar 3, 2015 21:19:41 GMT -5 browneyedhunni85 said:

I buy the cheapie OPK's from Amazon and confirm with a digital. I'm also checking CM, drinking green tea and taking vitamins.

Dumb question, why use cheapies and a digital? Do you use the cheap ones until a positive and then use the digital to make sure?

I have no idea what exactly I'm doing worry this stuff.

[alicia45]

Mar 3, 2015 21:32:46 GMT -5 careyalis said:

Temping drove me slowly insane, so that didn't last long. I use cheapie opk's and love them-I can always pinpoint my ovulation date accurately.

Do you start using opks on a certain day? I'm pretty sure I ovulate 13-15dpo because that's when I have moderate ovulation pain.

[vthokie]

If you think you O at a certain time, I'd start a day or 2 earlier. I always just used cheapies. My RE told me that the generic ones are just as good, and when you use a lot, that's good. The digitalis are easier to read because of the smiley Rae, but for me, as soon as I started getting ANYA color on the OPK, I knew we should get busy because O would be soon. I temp, so I never felt I needed to have an exact moment that I ovulated. Earlier ex is more useful than late, so I used the faintest of lines to tell me to get busy, and temping to tell me whe. I actually ovulated so I would know whe. To test.

[browneyedhunni85]

Mar 3, 2015 21:34:27 GMT -5 alicia45 said:

Mar 3, 2015 21:19:41 GMT -5 browneyedhunni85 said:

I buy the cheapie OPK's from Amazon and confirm with a digital. I'm also checking CM, drinking green tea and taking vitamins.

Dumb question, why use cheapies and a digital? Do you use the cheap ones until a positive and then use the digital to make sure?

I have no idea what exactly I'm doing worry this stuff.

Yes, don't want to waste the digital opk.

[careyalis]

Mar 3, 2015 21:35:52 GMT -5 alicia45 said:

Mar 3, 2015 21:32:46 GMT -5 careyalis said:

Temping drove me slowly insane, so that didn't last long. I use cheapie opk's and love them-I can always pinpoint my ovulation date accurately.

Do you start using opks on a certain day? I'm pretty sure I ovulate 13-15dpo because that's when I have moderate ovulation pain.

I usually started using them around days 8 or 9 (sometimes earlier because I get a sick satisfaction out of peeing on things!)

[rileym2010]

I charted with temping for Evan and Claire- I chart to avoid otherwise, so it wasn't a big change for me.

It was especially helpful with Claire since i had a luteal phase defect and often ovulated early.

[mlkgls]

I used wondofo OPKs + temped/charted and it was cheap and fairly easy if you have a regular schedule. I would probably start charting on your break, if that's what you decide to do so you get in the habit and can get a feel for your cycle.  The wondofos were great because they were so cheap! Testing 2-3 times a day to catch a short surge won't break the bank with those. 

Good luck!

[lauranicole91]

I tracked temps and CM on fertility friend and used pre-seed.

Both times I started temping at least a month/cycle before actual TTC just to get into routine.

Taking your temp at the same exact time each morning/night is definitely key. I had to set an alarm for 3:10am because that was the only consistent time I'd be able to check it. My DH's work schedule at the time was so all over the place that some days his alarm would be going off as early at 3:10 to as late as 9. And we were tweaking Peyton's sleep around that time too so she was sometimes waking up at 5 and other times 7. So I had to settle on 3am! Haha.

[alicia45]

Mar 3, 2015 22:19:48 GMT -5 mlkgls said:

I used wondofo OPKs + temped/charted and it was cheap and fairly easy if you have a regular schedule. I would probably start charting on your break, if that's what you decide to do so you get in the habit and can get a feel for your cycle.  The wondofos were great because they were so cheap! Testing 2-3 times a day to catch a short surge won't break the bank with those. 

Good luck!

2 or 3 times a day? It's not like pregnancy tests and you test once?

[jg183]

Mar 3, 2015 23:38:58 GMT -5 alicia45 said:

Mar 3, 2015 22:19:48 GMT -5 mlkgls said:

I used wondofo OPKs + temped/charted and it was cheap and fairly easy if you have a regular schedule. I would probably start charting on your break, if that's what you decide to do so you get in the habit and can get a feel for your cycle.  The wondofos were great because they were so cheap! Testing 2-3 times a day to catch a short surge won't break the bank with those. 

Good luck!

2 or 3 times a day? It's not like pregnancy tests and you test once?

some people can test once a day (although FMU isn't the best time) but some people have a short surge that is over before the 24 hours and doesnt show up. That's a good reason to start a few months in advance to see if you can catch your surge with just once a day. Sometimes when I was almost certain it was close based on other symptoms I would test 2x a day just to make sure i didnt miss it

[Deleted]

I'm a control freak. I temped several months before starting to try to learn my cycles some, I charted CM and cervical position. I didn't do cervical position with William but I did with this pregnancy. That was the best indicator for me for when I was about to ovulate and once I already had. I was able to catch on the cycle that I got pregnant that i ovulated just two days after I stopped bleeding from checking cervical position. I also agree that taking charge of your fertility is helpful.

[bean47]

I used digital OPKS for both. They worked really well for me.

[AndyCohen]

Mar 3, 2015 23:38:58 GMT -5 alicia45 said:

Mar 3, 2015 22:19:48 GMT -5 mlkgls said:

I used wondofo OPKs + temped/charted and it was cheap and fairly easy if you have a regular schedule. I would probably start charting on your break, if that's what you decide to do so you get in the habit and can get a feel for your cycle.  The wondofos were great because they were so cheap! Testing 2-3 times a day to catch a short surge won't break the bank with those. 

Good luck!

2 or 3 times a day? It's not like pregnancy tests and you test once?

Yeah with OPKs you're supposed to test at least every 12 hours.

[vthokie]

I usually tested at 11am and 2 pm every day. Some people have a morning surf, some people are later

[DesertMoon]

I had unprotected sex the 14th and 15th day since I began my period. I never did anything special to catch ovulation but conceiving V took a bit longer since I was getting off BC so I was going to get ovulation kits that next month. Good luck.

[bigapple]

Mar 4, 2015 0:19:38 GMT -5 jg183 said:

Mar 3, 2015 23:38:58 GMT -5 alicia45 said:

2 or 3 times a day? It's not like pregnancy tests and you test once?

some people can test once a day (although FMU isn't the best time) but some people have a short surge that is over before the 24 hours and doesnt show up. That's a good reason to start a few months in advance to see if you can catch your surge with just once a day. Sometimes when I was almost certain it was close based on other symptoms I would test 2x a day just to make sure i didnt miss it

Read TCOYF.  It's fascinating.  While I was avoiding, I was convinced that I didn't ovulate (based on years of successful pull and pray and a year of temping without a single crosshair), so I bought cheap OPKs to test out that theory.  I tried them for many months around the same time I noticed CM, but I only ever got a super faint line, which doesn't count with OPKs.  One month, I finally tried taking them multiple times in a 24 hour period.  I had super faint in the morning, very faint in the afternoon, fairly faint at dinner, dark positive at bedtime, and super faint again the next morning.  So basically, I had probably always been ovulating, but it's so quick that it didn't show up on daily tests.