help for the completely clueless...

[Anonymous]

I am TTC #2 and have to admit I am a little clueless about charting, etc. I was lucky enough to conceive #1 without having to do that, but we are having more trouble this time around. Can anyone fill me in and/or recommend websites or other resources where I can figure out how to better predict when I am ovulating? Also, what are people's thoughts on those ovulation predictor kits...worth the money?

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Are you asking about the sticks or one of the fertility monitors? I wouldn't spend the money on the monitor unless other means have not offered much information about your cycle. The sticks that test for LH can help narrow it down, but you should have a better idea of when to test before you start testing.

You should check out www.fertilityfriend.com. If you register, they have an option of receiving email lessons that tell you a lot about what happens and when. You can also set up a chart online and it will tell you when you ovulate based on the info entered. Also, you could check out a book called Taking Charge of Your Fertility. Both are great resources about fertility in general and charting.

[Anonymous]

I second fertility friend. You need two pieces of information to use the website. 1 - Basal Body Temperature: All you have to do is take your basal body temperature (temperature first thing when you wake up before getting out of bed) and enter it into your chart on the website. 2 - Cervical Mucus Consistency: You watch your mucus (whatever ends up on the tissue after you wipe) and note how it looks (creamy, egg white, watery, etc.) on the chart. Based off of the this information fertility friend will tell you when you ovulate and when the best few days are for you to try.
Good Luck

[Anonymous]

I recommend the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility. It teaches you how to chart and measure cervical mucus and so much more.

[Anonymous]

I second Taking Charge of Your Fertility, it really explains it well (sometimes repeats itself) but also goes into questions like how to figure out if it's cervical mucus or semen, what if your temp goes up differently than for most people etc. etc.

This is long-term a better method than ovulation predictor kits if you have regular cycles. Once you know what your cycle is like you can use the OPKs (I did just for once cycle to double-check what I was doing) but after that it'll just tell me what I already know from looking at my pattern and temperatures.

[Anonymous]

I charted, watch cervical mucous, and used ovulation predictors. If you are a member of Costco you can get a pack of 10 I think for about $18 (if i remember). I always used the Clear Blue Easy ovulation predictors. Basically you start using them a few days before you think you are going to ovulate. Once the test line is as dark or darker as the control line, you should ovulate in the next 12 to 36 hours.

If you have somewhat regular cycles, you probably ovulate about 14 days before you get your period. So if you have a 30 day cycle, you probably ovulate around day 16. I found that my cycles ranged from 28 days to 35 days, so charting/CM/OPK's really helped me.

One thing about fertility friend - it will tell you when you ovulated, but it can't tell you that until 4 days after you ovulate. So Fertility friend is good to help you get to know your cycles, but you need to be able to figure out when O time is near.

[Anonymous]

I liked the concreteness of the ovulation predictor sticks. With charting I always wondered if I was really doing things correctly, etc, and following changes in your cm is difficult if your body changes are subtle. You do have to start peeing on sticks a few days in advance of when you think your window begins, so in that sense you waste some sticks...but I liked seeing the blue line and knowing Yep! Tonight's the night!

[Anonymous]

Charting is more accurate than peeing on a stick since charting can tell you if you actually have ovulated, rather than just if you are about to (your body CAN change her mind...)

Get the book.

[Anonymous]

And if it takes you a while, the sticks get really expensive... I would chart and then double-check a few cycles with the OPKs.