testing for Ovulation

[Miss Tazar]

Hi
I am new to the conept of 'planning' a pregnancy lol:laughing:
How do I monitor my cycle?
What methods have you used?
How accurate were they?
How much did they cost?
How hard or time consuming were they?
Which one would you use next time?

Thanks Roxi

[Hokey Pokey]

www.fertilityfriend.com (http://www.fertilityfriend.com)

That is a good site, check it out.

Alot of us use ovulation predictor kits (opk's) to help determine when ovulation is or is about to occur.

[MilkOnTap]

HI Roxie!

How do I monitor my cycle?
I chart my cycle from CD1 (Cycle Day) right through to the last day when AF (period) arrives. I make note of what kind of cramps or period pains I have had and what kind of CM (Cervical Mucus) I had too.

What methods have you used?
1. I have used OPK's (Ovulation Predictor Kits) You can buy them from your supermarket and they are just like home pregnancy kits. They test your LH levels in your urine. LH usually dramatically increases in the days leading up to when you are due to ovulate, so can help to pinpoint ovulation.
2. I have also been checking CM. When your mucus is sticky and stringy like egg white, you are usually in your most fertile period
3. A product called Maybe Baby where you use saliva on a microscope. If the image has 'ferns' on it then you are fertile, if not, you are not fertile.

How accurate were they?
I found OPK's to be THE MOST accurate for myself. Though other people use other methods and have had success with them, OPK's are the easiest method for me.

How much did they cost?
1. OPK's cost $20 for a pack of 7 from Franklins.
2. Doesn't cost anything to check CM
3. Maybe Baby costs about $70 brand new, or you can get generic brands for roughly $40 from Ebay

How hard or time consuming were they?
1. OPK's are easy - just pee on a stick.
2. CM is kind of gross and messy.
3. Maybe Baby doesn't work for me - so has been very time consuming.

Which one would you use next time?
OPK's for sure!

[wantagirl]

Checking cervical mucus is a good indication of when you are ovulating. When your cm is clear and stretchy like egg whites you are most fertile. If you have a 28 day cycle you will be most fertile around day 14 of your cycle. Opk's are helpful too, if you buy them online they aren't to expensive, if you buy them in the store or have long cycles they can be costly. You can download fertility charts and chart your basal temp. every morning too or just download an ovulation calander to keep track of cycles. Calanders will tell you your most likely days to concieve, but will not work right if you are irregular unless they are the kind you enter your temps and other changes through your cycle.

[chicken]

I'd recommend OPKs as well (they are definitely my favourite thing), but I'd start doing charting as well - that way you'll get a sense of how your cycles go each month, and you'll be able to waste less money by using OPKs around the time you think you're Oing.

CM is the best indicator, but I don't have much - CM declines at 30+, so not much for me to go on. So this may or may not work for you.

[little_fish]

OPks didn't work for me. I kept on getting a faint line, nothing stronger.
CM is confusing for me - if you get active in the bedroom around O time, it's hard to tell what's what

I prefer CP (free)
And this month I am trying temp charting, which I avoided for the first few months cos I thought it would be annoying, but I am actually sort of enjoying doing it now because I can also see AF arriving.

http://members.optusnet.com.au/ttcweb/FAQ#O