How do you know?

[Rainbowbrite]

This is probably a really stupid question, but how do you know when you are ovulating? I've never charted or anything & have odd cycles. When we were ttc we just played the "wait & see" game & it only took 3 months. But there was no "trying" to fall pg.

[Little_Toad]

Kots of different ways.

Checing your cervical mucus.. it's egg white apppearance just before you ovulate.

Temperature rise.. AFTER ovulation, so if you chart for acouple of months you can work out when you are ovulating approximately. You cant use temperature rise to predict ovulation though cause by the time it's risen it's too late to catch the egg.

Ovulation pains.. some women get a sharp pain in their ovary.

Cervical position. (not too sure on this one as I never checked).

Also, your luteal phase (from ovulation till AF) is USUALLY 14 days, even though you have irregular cycles most women have a 14 day luteal phase.
So when your cycle is over, you can count back 14 days from AF and that was most likely day of ovulation. It can range from 12 - 17 days).
You can look back at your chart and start to recognise signs when you know roughly what day you ovulated.
Goood for future predictions.

[MrsMiggins]

There are a few methods you can try.

Charting your BBT (basal body temperature) before you get out of bed in the morning can possibly tell you when you did ovulate, but is not really a strong predictor of ovulation (unless you've been charting for a while & have extremely regular & unproblematic cycles).

(Warning - the next bit may be a little TMI for some!!)

A better way, for many women at least, is to make note of your CM (or cervical mucus). At your most fertile time, your body produces cervical mucus which is like egg-white in texture (you'll find it referred to as EWCM, or egg-white cervical mucus). If you are checking for EWCM, you should wipe yourself with a piece of toilet paper & observe the consistency. Checking the mucus from your actual cervix, or on your undies is not as reliable.

An aussie Dr named Dr Billings pioneered the Billings Method based on this. You may have heard of it. You can google & find lots of info on it.

Other than that, you can check your cervix (using clean fingers) to see how it feels. If it feels like the end of your nose & is tight & closed, you are not in a fertile period, if it feels slightly more open & more like your lips (or was it chin...... I'll have to find out & get back to you! It's been a while since I was going down the TTC track!!), you are in a fertile period.

Other than that, generally the most fertile period is 14 days before the start of your next period, although this can vary from woman to woman.

I myself found charting the best. Not so much because it could tel me when I would ovulate (my cycles were all over the place!!), but more so that I would know how good a chance I stood each month & I also found this to be the only way I knew when to expect my period!

The CM method was no good to me, as I unfortunately, am one of the apparently few women with little to no fertile CM!

[Rainbowbrite]

Oh ok, thanks for that. No actual TTC as yet, I was just curious is all :yes: Seems like way to much work & stress for my liking :o

[MrsMiggins]

:D It is a bit of hard work, but may be something to bear in mind if the TTC'ing takes a little longer than you'd like, or even if you're just curious one month. I actually found it all very interesting, as I began to really understand how our amazing women's bodies work! (We truly are incredible creatures!!)

(Oh, and as for the cervical thing - fertile is if it feels like your lip! Also, if it is high, it's more fertile, if it's low, it's less fertile! :))

[Mamaduke]

I've been noting my AF for the last few months, because like you, when we were TTC with the boys it just happened.
Just by noting when my AF is I've managed to pinpoint when I ovulate - when I've felt a pain I've then gone to my Maybe Baby tester and sure enough...ferning!
I'm so good at it now that I'm expecting a pain on the correct date...and I'm right! ;)

[Rainbowbrite]

Thats great MD.

With MJ the only thing i can remember is I went of the pill & my cycle went from 35 days, to 31 then 28 then i was pg. Hopefully if/when we try again its that easy :fingerscrossed:

[reAllytee]

Ive always had an idea since i was younger due to my sister being older & ttc for 5yrs ! She gave me an idea about cm.
But stupid thing is that since having Boof i havent the foggiest by body does what it feels like.
Atm i keep wanting to vomit & im still 9 or so days overdue for AF. If i didnt know any better i would think i was pg !
Guess i need that u/s !

[DramaQueen]

Call me crazy, but I just like the old fashioned way!!! :o

All this charting, temping, CM, ovulation pains, ferning etc etc etc, does my head in. Too stressful.

Good luck TTC (if/when you decide). MJ would make a great big sister!!!!!:smiliedance: