help to work out when ovulating when trying to conceive?

maggied_2

OK - I've been trying to TTC for about 9 months now (ectopic, lost tube blah blah) so although I reckon I know quite a lot of the theory it hasn't resulted in a pregnancy yet but:

Your cycle starts on the first day you bleed red (sorry if TMI for anyone still on their cornflakes). It is a myth that all women have 28 day cycles and ovulate on day 14.

After your period your egg starts getting ready to hatch - you notice your CM changing from spotting at the end of AF to sticky to creamy. Around the time you ovulate it will become watery and then then really good stuff is referred to as egg white CM (EWCM) - it's clear and usually colourless and you can stretch it between your finger and thumb if you're up for having a good look! This is a good time to DTD!

It's best to DTD in the 3/4 days before ovulation, on the day and then the day after (just to allow for any error - unless you have a scan it's hard to pinpoint exactly when you've ovulated). Sperm can live for up to 5 days and it takes a good few hours to trek across your uterus and up your fallopian tube so you need to get them in in the run up! Something like 94% of pregnancies happen in this window.

If you track your temperatures you will see a rise in temperature AFTER you've ovulated - doesn't help in the run up but once you've done it for a few months whilst taking into account other signs you will get a better idea of when it's happening.

However - you can get a bit hung up on this so the best thing to do is DTD every other day. The signs don't always correlate and I've had months where I've had no EWCM and ovulated and one month where I got a positive OPK and didn't ovulate.

All the best!
C x

ema_o

Saraht, I am the same as you, also found out with cb fertility monitor! Had been dtd religiously in the middle of my cycle but not so much in the last couple of weeks, so no wonder I've not until now!
OH was away on my peak day, but fingers crossed it'll be ok from the high days, if not I've a clearer idea for next month! Definitely worth getting the monitor for me.
Congratulations!
Em x

Gingham_Ribbon

You're most fertile when your mucus can be stretched. You only have a few days in each month when the sperm is likely to find a receptive egg. Just before and during ovulation is when you need to have sex. Charting your mucus and temperature will let you know when that is, but you may need to do it for a few months to find out when that's likely to be as you may have a much shorter or longer cycle than the people replying here.

elfen

I'm lucky in that off the Pill I have a very strict 28 day cycle (weird but true) and I know when I'm ovulating as I usually get REALLY horny (sorry if TMI) and the discharge gets a bit thicker.

sarcycyril

maggied wrote: »

OK - I've been trying to TTC for about 9 months now (ectopic, lost tube blah blah) so although I reckon I know quite a lot of the theory it hasn't resulted in a pregnancy yet but:

Your cycle starts on the first day you bleed red (sorry if TMI for anyone still on their cornflakes). It is a myth that all women have 28 day cycles and ovulate on day 14.

After your period your egg starts getting ready to hatch - you notice your CM changing from spotting at the end of AF to sticky to creamy. Around the time you ovulate it will become watery and then then really good stuff is referred to as egg white CM (EWCM) - it's clear and usually colourless and you can stretch it between your finger and thumb if you're up for having a good look! This is a good time to DTD!

It's best to DTD in the 3/4 days before ovulation, on the day and then the day after (just to allow for any error - unless you have a scan it's hard to pinpoint exactly when you've ovulated). Sperm can live for up to 5 days and it takes a good few hours to trek across your uterus and up your fallopian tube so you need to get them in in the run up! Something like 94% of pregnancies happen in this window.

If you track your temperatures you will see a rise in temperature AFTER you've ovulated - doesn't help in the run up but once you've done it for a few months whilst taking into account other signs you will get a better idea of when it's happening.

However - you can get a bit hung up on this so the best thing to do is DTD every other day. The signs don't always correlate and I've had months where I've had no EWCM and ovulated and one month where I got a positive OPK and didn't ovulate.

All the best!
C x

thanks for the infp. so if i enter the dates of my last period on a ovulation calculator it says 26th june- 2nd july. so does this include before im about to ovulate or would this be during this time?

maggied_2

It means you'll ovulate sometime between those dates - so you'd want to start DTD around the 22nd. These calculators are based on averages and no substitute for knowing your own cycle.

My sex drive also goes through the roof when I'm ovulating!

scottishchick27

maggied wrote: »

It means you'll ovulate sometime between those dates - so you'd want to start DTD around the 22nd. These calculators are based on averages and no substitute for knowing your own cycle.

My sex drive also goes through the roof when I'm ovulating!

I agree!! My OH has been working away for the last couple of weeks and I was ovulating and practically lusting after men at the gym :rotfl:. I've never so much as looked at another man before so it was very bizarre

coolcait

Why get hung up on the time you're ovulating? Unless you and your OH are kept apart for most of the month (for whatever reason), then having sex regularly is as good an approach to conception as any.

And much more fun than taking temperatures, examining mucus (and testing its texture :eek:), and [EMAIL="sh@gging"]sh@gging[/EMAIL] to order, when you think it's more likely to work.

A lot less stressful too.

If you have sex every day, then the little swimmers will be around when you ovulate. If you haven't got that much stamina, then having sex every couple of days will probably do the trick too.

Good luck!

andrealuton

I highly recommend reading 'Taking Charge of your Fertility' like Wilma suggested. I was given it as a wedding present and within a month was off the pill. We 'successfully' stayed unpregnant for 8 months, and then got pregnant the first month we started trying. taking your temp first thing in the morning is surprisingly easy. I leave the thermometer next to my side of the bed (electronic one), pop it in my mouth as soon as I wake up, and then read it and input it later in the day when I have my computer on. I used fertilityfriend to chart.

Once your temp has risen you're generally out of luck for the month, but a lot of people have a dip in their temps right before ovulating. I only ever used CM as a secondary sign.

maggied_2

coolcait wrote: »

Why get hung up on the time you're ovulating? Unless you and your OH are kept apart for most of the month (for whatever reason), then having sex regularly is as good an approach to conception as any.

And much more fun than taking temperatures, examining mucus (and testing its texture :eek:), and sh@gging to order, when you think it's more likely to work.

A lot less stressful too.

If you have sex every day, then the little swimmers will be around when you ovulate. If you haven't got that much stamina, then having sex every couple of days will probably do the trick too.

Good luck!

I totally agree with this by the way! It is useful to understand what's going on in your body but 'trying' is not an especially nice way to go about it. I got pregnant first time just by DTD regularly - it didn't end well unfortunately but the conception was totally stress free!