Charting vs Going with the flow vs DTD each day

[Tyler]

This will be our 2nd month properly TTC. As I'm in my early thirties I really don't want to leave it too much longer and we can't wait to be parents :yes:

I knew we'd be very lucky to fall pregnant straight away and these things do take time, I guess I'm just impatient :o

Last month we kinda just BD around O time with no luck. I'm just wondering this time if I should chart and take daily temps, but then I don't know if this is really me and it seems like a lot of work??

A friend who has 3 littlies said that they just DTD daily when they are TTC and it works for them. I suppose this would/could work...

So, I guess what I am asking is as I have time on my side and am desperate to become a Mum, what method would you suggest trying this month? I know everyone is different, but I'd be interested to hear what you all say..

I am on CD5 at the moment and AF should be finished today, is it too late to start temping? It's just that I don't have a thermometer, so would need to pop out and buy one today... And I don't really have a clue as to how the whole charting thing works :o

Thanks girls, look forward to your replies and help.;)

[Incy Wincy]

My son was conceived in the 3rd month of coming off the pill. I was 31 and knew it was best to BD in the middle of the month. We just went with the flow and it happened.

Trying to conceive the 2nd is a different story. I came off the pill about 15months ago and it hasn't happened yet. I have just turned 36. I started charting about 8months ago and got stressed with taking my temp every morning at the same time before moving or getting out of bed. I also bought a, "MayBe Baby" saliva tester which does appear to fern but hasn't helped me conceive. I did buy some Ovulation tests but have only used them one month due to having family stay with us, going away for the weekend etc. I also don't particularly like that 'we must BD or miss our chance for the month' feeling but I guess that's what you have to do. I think that nature has a way of making you feel like BDing anyway when you're fertile.

Do check out http://www.fertilityfriend.com/Faqs/index.html#Temperature-and-Temperature-Taking-Questions
as I have learned alot of facts from the site - as a free member - and was quite embarrassed at how little I knew about how it all works and fertility signs to look for to give you your best chance of conceiving. It will explain all the details of charting and give you an online chart to complete.

If nothing happens after 6months I would suggest seeing your Doc for advice and BD at least three times a week as soon as you think you are fertile until you know you're not. It doesn't always happen on day 14 of a 28day cycle.

Good Luck and have lots of fun trying.
Ince xx

[Milliner]

I tried temping for about 8+ months, used maybe baby for 6 months and then used OPK's for 1 month. The first month that we used the OPK's I fell preg.
It's up to you what you try, I did get sick of taking my temp every morning and sometimes you forget to take it. The Maybe baby didn't work for me but the OPK's were great, I just got them off ebay and they were cheap. The day that they arrived I had a + test then the next day an even darker line to we BD and then I was preg.

Good Luck!!

[Femme la Phoenix]

:wave: Tyler
I think your very wise in your decision not too wait but to start TTC now, although sometimes our own lives prevents this from happening - hence the reason why there are lots of women in their late 30's and 40's TTC #1.

I would say to buy a digital thermometer for BBT and start taking daily morning temps. Purely, because it can take a little while to work out and see your own body rhythm's straight away. You can do this one of two ways, make your temping chart by buying some 5mm graph paper from the newsagents and rule up the page. Or you can chart online, sometimes this is more hassle than it's worth (as they move ovulation days and your charting is at the control and hands of a faceless third party).

I would also not stress as it's only your second month trying and most couples conceive within the first 18mths and large proportion of these in the first 6mths.

You may not encounter any hassles TTC at all....you don't know yet. You have to give a go and see what happens. Lets hope you don't, but if there are probelms I would reccommend going and seeing your gyno about it, but I wouldn't do this after 2 or 3 months but rather 9 - 12mths. Letting him/her know there is a prob, and they will monitor your progress but wouldn't intervene until after the first 12mts TTC.

This is where having your charts comes in handy and is a good practice before a prob exsists; you will be one step ahead.
This probably seems like a hell of long time to wait, but hey you have to give your body the best chance possible of doing it naturally without medical intervention. NO one would choose to do this without first there being a probelm; beleive me.

I wish you all the very best of luck and hope that you enjoy TTC :hugs:

:wizard: baby dust :wizard:

[~Emmylou~]

I've always found charting pretty good. I get pregnant really easily, with DD it wasn't really planned but DS was and we got him first month we tried. I was charting when we conceived both kids.

DTD every day is one way to go about it. But you might get sick of it pretty quick if nothing happens in the first couple of months (but hey depends on your sex life too LOL). You'd be "wasting" alot of sperm and energy though since there are is only a very, very small window (a day or two) each month that you are actually in with any chance of getting pregnant.
Any sex up until a day or two before the egg is released, and after 12 or so hours past ovulation up to the next AF is a waste of time as far as TTC goes ;)

There is a really good website to help you learn charting and keep records, google "fertility friend" :)

Good luck!

[annb]

I think it depends on how keen you are to get pg soon, if sooner rather than later then its probably a good idea to just get used to your bodys cycle, either by charting or at least reading about the different signs there are that you are ovulating as it could be around atotally different time than you expect. Charting can get quite addictive and obsessive so you do need to watch yourself or you can end up taking your temperature all day just to 'see'!! and that is pointless. I myself charted and used maybe baby for both my pregnancies but i was 38 and 40. I agree 'fertility friend' website is the best place to start, I was completely ignorant of the 'science' behind getting pregnant!!

[hailse75]

Fertility friend is great! I just found it and was really surprised how much I didn't know! I am doing the temp thing but I think it really only gives me a vague idea of what is going on as there are some many factors that can affect you temp like waking up at a different time or illness etc. I have found charting CM to be more reliable. Good Luck!!

[No2WhereAreYou]

Last month I pin pointed my ovulation time exactly 14 days before my period.
However, the opk test showed negative.
This month it is doing the same, I have been testing for 11 days “just incase” and nothing. I have limited fluid intake and tested between 2pm and 10pm. Should I start worrying about anovulation?

[Incy Wincy]

Don't know about anovulation but this may help en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anovulation


Last month I pin pointed my ovulation time exactly 14 days before my period.
However, the opk test showed negative.
This month it is doing the same, I have been testing for 11 days “just incase” and nothing. I have limited fluid intake and tested between 2pm and 10pm. Should I start worrying about anovulation?

[Tyler]

Thanks so much ladies, I really do appreciate it!! :hugs:

AF has nearly finished and I brought a digital thermometer today, I have just a couple of quick questions, as I have no idea at all:

1. Can I start temping tomorrow or do I need to start on CD1?

2. With the temps, how do I know when's the best time to BD? I know to check for CM, but not sure about the temps.

I'm hoping like many of you that next month I'll get my :bfp:

[Incy Wincy]

Hi Tyler,

You can start temping tomorrow and check out fertility friend on how to take your temp properly. Here is the link which explains how to take your temp and explains how to interpret the data http://www.fertilityfriend.com/Faqs/index.html#Temperature-and-Temperature-Taking-Questions

The best time for BDing is the 3days prior to Oing and the day of Oing but don't rule any time out in case you are in fact still fertile. Basically, I believe temping is good at seeing when you O'd in hindsight as you should see a temperature shift on the chart, that is an increase over 3 days, before the temp remains constantly higher after Oing than before. It's good for seeing which CD you O around in general so you can plan BDing at peak times in future months.

I would recommend you read Fertility Friends FAQ's as they will really shed light on things.

Maybe buy some Ovulation Kits too to use in conjunction with your charting to really pin point the optimum time.

Good luck and here's to BFP's all round :)

Ince x


Thanks so much ladies, I really do appreciate it!! :hugs:

AF has nearly finished and I brought a digital thermometer today, I have just a couple of quick questions, as I have no idea at all:

1. Can I start temping tomorrow or do I need to start on CD1?

2. With the temps, how do I know when's the best time to BD? I know to check for CM, but not sure about the temps.

I'm hoping like many of you that next month I'll get my :bfp:

[Lorren]

Hi Tyler,

I also highly recommend using Fertility Friend. I've just fallen pregnant after 18 months of TTC. This was only the second cycle of charting and it worked! I really wish I'd done it sooner.

As the other girls mentioned, charting generally will only tell you when you have already Ovulated. Personally I am lucky that I have a temperature dip the day before Ovulation, but not everybody gets this. You will quickly see after a cycle of charting what to expect before O.

Also, keep an eye on your cervical mucus (lovely term isn't it!). I always knew to look out for the 'egg white' CM, but charting then showed me that I ovulated 2 days after it appeared. I always thought I ovulated the day it appeared and probably missed the egg a lot of times!

This is a link to one of my charts if it helps: http://www.fertilityfriend.com/ttc/index.php?d=2007-01-23

Good luck and just ask if you need any more info.