question about ovulation

[NinjaChipmunk]

this is my first month of using wee sticks to see when i'm ovulationg. fri and sat i had two lines and today it is back to one. so the days where i had 2 lines were saying i was about to ovulate right? which then gives your 12-36 hour window? so does that mean since i managed to fall asleep after too much wine/ curry the last two nights then i should be shagging for all i'm worth tonight?

sory am a bit new to the ov testing side of things and want to make sure i'm doing this right! these are the tests i was using if thats any help.
however i had ewcm the last two days but none today........

[NinjaChipmunk]

anyone?

[TerrysNo2]

Sorry, I am very new to this fertility stuff but it can't so any harm to get some SWI-ing in today!!

[AnytimeNOW]

Just "Do it" every other day to cover all bases and go easy on the wine and curry lol...good luck X

[NinjaChipmunk]

thanks, i was a bit worried if i'd missed this months window but i guess i can always practise for next month eh?

[Havingkittens]

I am using those too and that was my understanding, although now I'm worried as I read on one thread that someone had used those and they had shown ovulation on a certain day but then her charting had proven it to actually be later than shown on the wee sticks

[NinjaChipmunk]

i'm not too worried if its later, more if its earlier. i think I shall continue to use them to see if there is any change over the next week or so as since this is the first month i don't want to be reading them wrong. it does seem to fit in with my ewcm (sorry for tmi!)

be interesting to know how others find them to use?

[brokeoven]

Ive been using these but ive only ever had a very very faint line...which on the packet says that its a negative....very worrying, does this mean that i never ovulate?

Sorry hijack but im woried now...

[NinjaChipmunk]

well my two days of two lines, the lines were paler than the control line if thats any help? how long have you been using them for?

[brokeoven]

ive used them for about 11 months on and off,

[MummyAbroad]

Hello,

I think I am the woman with the chart that HavingKittens was talking about.

I have used OPKs alongside charting and checking CM and cervix, and found that:

=The LH surge can be quite short, if you test only once a day you can miss it. I test in the morning and in the afternoon and tend to catch it on just one. (I am not a millionaire by the way, I buy OPK's off Amazon, 25 for 5 pounds)

=I have ovulated (according to temperature rise, and checking cervix) three days after a positive OPK) which is outside the range of 12-36 hours that it says on the instruction packet.

This isnt that surprising considering I am really stressed at the moment. Factors which can delay ovulation are:

stress
exercise
travel
ill health

So its quite possible for your body to gear up for ovulation, release the LH surge which you detect on the OPK but then at the last minute your body decides not to proceed with ovulation just yet. So be careful because OPK's can give you a false sense of security and make you stop shagging too soon. Also, sometimes a second egg is released so its always worth extra shags for a few days after the OPK so you dont miss your best chances. If you really want to be sure that you have ovulated you cannot rely on an OPK for that.(it only tells you that you will probably ovulate soon) You can check that it has happened by charting and/or checking cervix and CM. You can read all about this on the free fertility course on www.fertilityfriend.com or in Taking Charge Of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler.

brokeoven - OPK's alone are not a reliable way to check if you are ovulating. Even on the instructions it says that they "may not work for some women", and its just very easy to miss the surge. Have you tried charting? It can put your mind at rest/help identify certain fertility problems.

[Havingkittens]

I've thought about charting but there are two issues stopping me. The first being that I have very small hands and actually find it really difficult to actually reach my cervix a lot of the time and the second is that, maybe it's my ripe old age, but I don't seem to have EWCM anymore these days.

That said, I've usually got pregnant within 3 months of trying each time using the OPKs (5 times). Unfortunately the problem I have is keeping the pregnancy. I've just had my surge according to the OPK sticks so maybe I should just continue to try and carry on shagging for the rest of the week just to be sure.

[TerrysNo2]

I also have never had more than a faint line on an OPK - did them for 11 days last month, once a day and only got the faintest line on one day.

This month have started 2 a day (although forgot to bring one to work today - doh!)

[MummyAbroad]

Having kittens, you can chart without cervix checking or checking CM, I find it helps to do everything in combo because when you compare one bit of info to another it helps build up the picture more quickly. If you are using temps alone it does tend to be a bit of a guessing game until you reach the end of the month, then you can look back and make an interpretation of whats going on. Charting isnt for everyone though, I find it makes me feel more in control (I have also suffered an mc) as I have more information about what my body is doing but other people find it a bit stressful as it keeps you thinking about your fertility everyday (I do that anyway, so no worries there!)

The most useful thing about taking temperatures for me is knowing when to stop SWI (dont have the stamina like I used to to just keep going all through the month!)
If you dont want to chart though, I would just reiterate what I said before about OPK's, they are a great way to know when to START SWI but will never accurately tell you when (or if) you ovulated, so its difficult to know when to STOP.

If you are getting pregnant quite easily I would have thought that either your timing is fantastic and/or your EGCM quality is very good, either way, keep doing what you are doing, its obviously working!

Sending lots of sticky thoughts your way xxx

[Bumpsadaisie]

Mummy abroad

Sorry to hijack thread but could you tell me how to do the cervix checking?

Thanks in advance!
Bumps

[nickstermum]

HavingKittens thought i would throw this one in the pot, if you want to increase EWCM drink grapefruit juice, prior to ov and see whether it increases the amounts! seemed to work for me...although i think i drank too much :)

[MummyAbroad]

OK, look away now if you dont want TMI!

clean your hands really well and cut your nails first.

get into position by either putting one leg on a stool or squatting (you must use the same position each time or you will notice a difference in position) If one position doesnt work for you, try another.

use your index finger to reach right inside, make small slow sweeping circles, you are looking for a small "bump" (when non ovulating)

Your cervix is easier to find when non ovulating, it will feel hard like the bridge of your nose, it feels like a very small bump (actually its not the whole cervix just the tip which is why it feels so small) and it will feel "closed" - you wont know what closed feels like until you have felt "open" though)

Close to ovulation time, your cervix feels higher, you really have to reach or maybe wont be able to touch it at all. It also feels softer, like touching your lips, and it feels a bit "open". This can feel like a tiny hole or a slit in the shape of a smile. However if you have had a vaginal birth, you may feel your cervix in a slightly "open" position all the time, this is normal.

You should notice your cervix getting higher, softer and more open over a period of days. When you feel it suddenly closed, low and hard again you know you have ovulated. This should also correspond with your cervical fluid drying up suddenly. Around ov time cervical fluid becomes wetter, more slippery and you are able to stretch it between two fingers for a few inches without it breaking. Non fertile cervical fluid is creamy, pasty, lotiony not as slippery and doesnt stretch between your fingers. Again it builds to a peak and then suddenly dries up after ov. If you dont notice cervical fluid when wiping after using the loo or just showing up in your knickers then you can look for it by sweeping around near your cervix, especially after doing some keegal exercises.

You can get more information on this from Tony Wesclers book or Fertiltyfriend.com

hope I havent put your off your breakfast, happy hunting!!

[Havingkittens]

Thanks Nickstersmum, I have been drinking grapefruit juice actually. Last time I was TTC I was concerned about not having EWCM at all but I did seem to fall pregnant easily regardless so I'm less worried about this particular aspect now.

This is only my 2nd month of TTC again since my last mc as I had to hold off for recurrent miscarriage testing. But I am keen to get pregnant again asap as I am nearly 41 and after 5 failed pregnancies so far, if the next one goes the same way my time is running out to keep trying again. Also, because of my age and the fact that 6 months has passed since I last fell pregnant I can't take it for granted that it will always happen so quickly as it has done.