1-4-08: TTC

TTC: If you’re actively TTC, are you winging it or tracking your ovulation? If you were winging it, but now track, how long did you wait before switching to charting or OPKs (or some other method)?

1. We're winging it for the most part! I know my cycle and when I should O, but I'm not taking temps or checking CM.

2. I winged it for 2 months with #1, then used OPKs the 3rd month and got pg. With #2 I used OPKs right away and got pg right away!

3. We started charting right away. I had been on BCP for so long that I wanted to get to know my body and my cycle before we started actively TTC.

4. I started charting in early October...we didn't end up using OPKs.

5. We are tracking using FF as I have long cycles right now and the OPK's and monitors aren't working.

6. I'm not a very patient person... so I only waited about 2 months before I started using OPKs. And I was so glad that I did. While most books tell you that you'll O at 14 or so days... I O'd at 18... That was a big difference.

7. We tried in November and I used OPK and I didn't get a BFP. December we didn't try because we both had nasty colds and not exactly in the mood. I think I might give the OPK a try again this month but not sure yet. They are expensive!

8. I started charting about 5 months in....OPKs around the same time.

9. We weren't actively tracking ovulation at the time but I had charted in the past to figure out basically how my cycle worked. I can feel when I ovulate and have a very regular schedule, so that took a lot of the guesswork out of TTC.

10. We winged it for a couple of months, then I started temping with fertilityfriend.com. I wasn't seeing any pattern or any ovulation detected which helped me start checking things with my doctor. After I went on Clomid I started using the Clear Blue Easy Fertility Monitor, which I love. I recommend that machine over anything else, plus my readings were verified by progesterone tests 7 days after ovulation. Of course, right now all I had to do to track ovulation was take a trigger shot & then go in for my IUI 36 hours later. That really took the guesswork out ;)

11. Because my cycles were so whacky before going on BCP I bought TCOYF and started temping right away. I didn't get OPK until about 5 months in and the cycle I got my BFP I had borrowed a CBEFM.

12. I charted, then used OPK's. The cycle I got this BFP we did not use anything official, but I did pay attention to fertility signs like CM that I learned via charting and confirmed with past OPK usage.

13. I charted from the get-go for both pregnancies. With Aaron, I was still nursing at night, so I didn't get enough sleep to temp accurately, so I just charted cervical data and used an OPK the cycle we got our BFP.