my cycles are not even, averaging 34.2 days over the last 10 months. 10 months ago is also when i stopped the pill. if i go by my discharge then i am ovulating on days 16-18 most months, but some months its later, so prior to that we have been trying. no luck so far but we’ve only gotten serious about it since Jan this year so i’m not too, too concerned.
i am wondering though if i’m reading my body right, so i picked up the first response ovulation predictor sticks. they’re supposed to be highly accurate in detecting your LH surge which usually happens 24-48 hours prior to ovulation so the theory is that you can time things better for the best chance to conceive. a few people i know have successfully used these but the downside is they’re quite expensive- $29.99 for a box of seven tests.
has anyone tried these? and if your cycles aren’t regular, when do you use these? obviously because i only have 7 tests i don’t want to use them on day 14 and then it turns out i’m ovulating more than a week later and therefore its been a wasted pack.
Have you tried taking your basal body temperature? Read up Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weshler(i think?) if you are interested. Ovul predictor kits were giving me mixed results so i started temping. My cycles were all over the place too but temping gave me a good ball park of when i ovulated. I have also heard good things of Clear Blue Digital fertility monitor.
Hey SGC, you can try these, they are much cheaper Ovulation Tests (Test Strip Format)
Ive never tried them myself, but have read lots of positive reviews about them. They are so cheap you can try twice a day everyday if you like!
Also, charting your basal body temperature may help you to become familiar with your body’s ovulation pattern as well. Once your temperature spikes, you will have known that you have ovulated and if your cycles are regular each month you will begin to see the pattern after a few months so you will have a better general idea of when to expect your fertile days, especially if done in conjunction with checking of cervical fluid. Its also a cheap alternative, as you only have to buy the thermometer, which will probably cost between 10-20$. There are various sites online where you can track your temps and signs, like fertilityfriend.com, or you can also print out charts
This is what I know according to whatever I've learned from my professors... Day 14 or 15, no matter how long your cycle is (28, 30, etc. days) will be your ovulating days. And the fertile period is 2 days before ovulation upto 2 days after. Either that or I've been taught wrong. Ira is right, basal body temp is another good indicator.
I have had pretty irregular cycles after marriage and when we started trying seriously ... I read the book taking charge of your fertility and the info in that book is amazing... and also it really helps you understand the cervical discharge.... try reading that book...doing the basal body temp and also going by ur cervical mucus.... good luck...
This is what I know according to whatever I've learned from my professors... Day 14 or 15, no matter how long your cycle is (28, 30, etc. days) will be your ovulating days. And the fertile period is 2 days before ovulation upto 2 days after. Either that or I've been taught wrong. Ira is right, basal body temp is another good indicator.
No, actually they say day 14 is typically only if you have a consistent 28 day cycle..and even that is just the textbook estimation. In general, 14 days before your next period is supposed to be more accurate [meaning that your period will come on average 14 days after your ovulate]. But even that is just an just average estimation. Some women have long luteal phases and some have shorter ones. So even if two women have the same length cycle, they might not both ovulate on the same 14 days before the next period, as one might have luteal phase of 14 days and the other of 11 days. All women are different and have different ovulation patterns. So its better to familiarize ourselves with our own bodies and own cycles, rather than going on these generalized day counts
Hmmm, I learned it was day 14 even if the cycle is beyond 28 days and the professors kept emphasizing that. I wonder where on earth they got their degrees
SGC, you are supposed to check the temp before even stepping out of bed...and at the same time everyday.... the ups and downs in the temp give you an indication of when you are ovulating and the cervical mucus agrees with it more or less.... (I think that is what the book said..... if I remember correctly I could be wrong) ....but if you can get it from your local library do.....it does teach u a very very precise way of when u are ovulating...plus u kinda learn from your body's signals...
Ya for basal body temperatures, you have the check it as soon as you wake up, and at roughly the same time everyday. I think you are even supposed to make sure you check it after getting at least 3 hrs of consecutive sleep
^ afshi, i picked mine up from walgreens when i was in the US recently. i'm not surprised they are more $$ in canada :/
you have to use those tests daily, so 7 tests means 7 days.
and from everything i've read, first response is way better and more accurate than clear blue, whether it be the ovulation predictors or the pregnancy tests.
with the first response, its the same process as a pg test- you pee on the stick, but wait for 10 minutes instead of 2 or 3 like the pg tests, and then it shows you your LH levels. if its pale pink, you are not quite there yet. when its dark pink, it means you have a 24-48 hour window before you ovulate. you are supposed to test in the middle of the day around 2pm and at the same time everyday.
my bff ordered the cheap ones online but she said they weren't very good. the lines were very slightly different shades of pink from one day to another so she could never tell. when she thought she could detect a difference, she used the first reponse as a backup to confirm the results. two other girls at work though got pregnant using the cheap tests within a couple of months. so i dunno. i also don't think they ship to canada and if they do, duty at the border will probably cost a lot, no?
i was at dollarama last night and saw some ovulation kits! lol...was SO tempted to buy one or two! lol
$40 bucks for 7 days..thats freakin crazy. i would rather rely on what my body is telling me when the time is right and spend more "quality" time with the hubby.
Personally, after gone through trying to conceive before without any results, i think its all in our kismat. it will happen when the time is right and when Allah knows its a good time for us to have kids.
Also no or less tension and stress helps with this too. So enjoy getting pregnant and take it easy. :)
I've been using the Clear blue ones- they are really easy to use and understand. I wouldn't advise on the internet ones not as simple to use and the results aren't as clear. I'm not sure about having to use them daily, surely one pack should last you a couple of cycles at least? (altho hopefully you 'll only need them for one cycle). Have you used an ovulation tracker- they are avialable online and predict ovulation times according to your cycle- then you can use the strips around that time, also as mentioned earlier you can chart your basal temp ( I wasn't very good at that so gave up!) and check cervical mucus etc.
Good luck!
The digital Clearblue ones are the best imo. They give u a smileyface when it's positive and a sad face when it's negative. No more fussing about with lines being dark enough and stuff!
