As we embark upon trying to conceive after my previous miscarriage, I’m trying to decide how we will be tracking our fertile days (if at all) this time around. There are lots of pressures when it comes to TTC and I would like to mitigate the constant thinking about conception as much as possible. Last time, we started out just going with the flow, it will happen when it happens. That lasted a month. I started tracking my fertile days with an app and got pregnant 2 months later. For me, the stress of TTC is mainly focused on the emotional upheaval it has on my regular life, so I’m weighing my options.
Ovulation Predictors: At home tests to check urine, saliva or basal temperature to determine your most fertile days. For example: First Response Ovulation Test, Clearblue Fertility Monitor, Fertile Focus Ovulation Microscope
Pros: Limited interaction, pee on a stick, take a temperature, whatever it is it is done for the day and then I can move on with my day. Hopefully taking an out of sight, out of mind approach. Very specific and detailed information given, no guessing about the fertile days.
Cons: Costly. Needs to be tracked in some way, therefore requires extra effort. Need to be ready to jump into bed fairly quickly, not a lot of future planning ability.
Fertility Tracking Apps: Apps that help to track your menstrual cycle and predict your most fertile window. Example: Glow, Ovia, Fertility Friend
Pros: Convenient. Cheap. Life is more plannable.
Cons: Constantly there and available. I can know in a moment when I can conceive, when I can take a pregnancy test. It is always present. But unless you have a very regular cycle, this method is going to be a guesstimate.
No Tracking: Leaving conception up to fate, chance, God.
Pros: Doesn’t impede the natural flow of life. Romantic, it is a romanticized version of creating a life together.
Cons: The ovulation window is 3 days!!! Pure happenchance to get pregnant this way.
. . . . .
What did you all do when you were TTC?? How did you keep it from controlling every aspect of your day to day life?
guest
The fertile focus! It’s an ovulation microscope. It’s like doing science everyday. No pee, cheap, easy to clean, not overly time sensitive (just before you drink something). Sometimes I wouldn’t even check the result until the next morning when I went to do it again.
I recorded my results in an app, but that’s optional, as it gives you a pretty big window/warning.
I have a super unpredictable cycle and started it in March and was pregnant by June. We used the no tracking/chance method the first time and it took 5 years.
guest
I used the app Clue Period Tracker and then added in ovulation predictor.
That app was much less stress than some of the others that looked like a calendar and made me feel like I needed to input every little clinical detail. My periods are regular, but my cycle is short (24-26 days) which I didn’t realize until I started peeing on the ovulation trackers. I had been missing our fertile peak by 2-3 days, using just the app alone.
I tried to be very low key – I entered info into the app in the morning and didn’t look at it again. When it said I should be fertile, I peed on the stick. If they both synced up, then hubby and I had 3-4 days to dance. (And that way I only had to use 1 or 2 sticks instead of a weeks worth) It took us 5 months, but got preggo the second month after using the ovulation predictor.
I plan on using that app again after, mostly to track periods and for birth control.
I hope that helps!
guest
I took my basal body temp every morning combined with tracking my cervical mucus texture, and tracked these in an app (fertility friend, VIP membership). It took a few months to learn how to record both of these properly, but it only took a few months before we nailed it. My cycle is longish and can be irregular, so without it I would have been clueless.
persimmon / 1322 posts
I typically have a very regular, predictable cycle with very clear ovulation signs. So even when I don’t want to be tracking it, I can’t ignore it. I wish that we could just casually try and not be fully aware of when I’m likely to get pregnant.
pomelo / 5866 posts
Fertility Friend taught me everything I needed to know!
guest
Def bbt. Much more accurate. And in my case alerted me to a problem of low progesterone and why I had two very early miscarriages after an easy conception and pregnancy for our first son. I recommend all my friends read Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschel. So informative and very helpful in terms of going through your total fertile indicators. Bbt, cervix position and cervical mucus. The three together give you an ultimate indication for fertile days.
cherry / 125 posts
Started with #3, then #2, then #1….still took almost a year total to conceive.
cherry / 175 posts
Just keep an eye on your discharge
Kinda gross.. but super easy. When it’s thick like egg whites… that’s your sign!
I kinda combined this with doing an ovulation stick when my discharge was showing the right signs.
I did basal temp with both pregnancies. But I am a type A planner and was already into my 30’s so when I was ready, I was READY
Didn’t want to leave it up to chance! Added the above with my second! Took me 6ish months with both… I think my body is just fertile in November.
pear / 1553 posts
@babycrz: Not gross at all! This is the first month I’ve checked cervical fluid & position and it’s been pretty enlightening so far. I do a low Buddha squat type pose and it’s easier to touch my cervix. I can feel all around it and I can feel when it’s further away which means I’m ovulating.
Granted this is my first month so we’ll find out if it works. But just noticing the cervical changes has been amazing so far!
GOLD / apricot / 341 posts
We used a fertility monitor with our first two which worked great. With the third we were using the monitor for birth control (it was supposed to be a safe day), so there’s that.
grape / 87 posts
I bought ovulation and pregnancy test strips (accumed) from amazon. You can save a ton of money like this and I was ovulating much later than my fertile window was predicted based on my menstrual cycle. This was after two months of trying unsuccessfully and I just wanted to be informed and increase my chances.
blogger / coffee bean / 43 posts
Thank you all so much for your input. It’s sounding like basically no one is getting pregnant without tracking, so I would say that my romanticized version of conception is becoming obsolete!