Basal Thermometers, Ovulation Sticks, Ovulation Cassettes - what to buy?

[FeelingDeviant]

Just discovered a website called Babymad.com and didn;t realise there was so much on offer and so cheap!

Was about to buy some OVsticks, but found out there are cassettes too, and wondered what the difference was between the two of them, except for price and that professionals use sticks.
Also, would it be worth me buying a thermometer? And if so, why is there one for about a fiver and the other costs £20?

[SuiGeneris]

Hi, have just been wondering exactly the same thing, except I am on a website called accessdiagnostics, which offers very cheap professional use ovulation sticks. Do you think it is possible to buy those if one is not a medic?
I am about to buy a thermometer, not sure about the different prices, but am hoping that ov sticks plus thermometer plus mucus analysis all thrown together on fertility friend may give us more of a clue as to fertile days...

[FeelingDeviant]

anyone answer our questions? pretty please

[SuiGeneris]

wow- lucky you. And thank you for the answer. What is "Taking Charge of your Fertility" pls? A book?

[thequietone]

I used a standard digital thermometer from Superdrug. I did, however, also use Babymad for my Ovulation sticks after getting nowhere with bay No.2. They worked first cycle and I got pregnant after ages figuring out what was going on with my squiffy cycle. Well recommend the sticks
x

[WorzselMummage]

The cheapest place to buy ov sticks is ebay i think

[FeelingDeviant]

hanaflowerisnothana which thermometer did you buy, the one for £5 or the one for £20?

[QueenyEisGotTheBall]

when you are buying a thermometer you need to make sure it is one that does the temp to 2 decimal places as it is the most accurate way of doing it. my own is a babymad one from ebay mine cost £2.99 and p+p. also have you had a look on fertility friend? its free to use although you can pay to get extra features have a look here i use it to chart my daily temps. also if you are goin to use ov sticks it is best to get a big bundle as you will go through them if it is your first cycle using them and you have no idea when you might ovulate. it might take a cycle or two to get the hang of them (thats assuming you dont get preg straight away) it took me 2 cycles to get the hang of taking my temp
how long have you been TTC? or are you just starting?? im a font of FTC knowledge being at cycle 9 and all
all is really confusing when trying to decide on the right things for you!! good luck
xx ei xx

[FeelingDeviant]

thanks hanaflower I bought exactly the same one last night and 50 OV sticks.

been trying to conceive for 2 cycles now. still breastfeeding (2 or 3 times a day) and got my periods back when DD was 9 months. Thing is, some RL mums told me that just because you;re having periods doesn't mean your ovulating, which is why I've bought the sticks.

Just slightly anxious as it took us 2 years to conceive DD and found out I was pregnant just one month before I was going to have IVF as consultants told me it was highly improbable that DH and I would conceive naturally.
Also, really don;t want to stop breastfeeding.

One more question, Queeny : if the sticks show a LH surge, could I still not be ovulating?

[SuiGeneris]

Thanks everyone- this is really helpful. I am going to wait until tomorrow (Af due)-just, just in case and then I expect on Saturday morning I will be ordering the thermometer (thanks for the link, much cheaper than the other one I had found) and the sticks.
Queenie: thank you for the offer of advice- would very gladly take you up on it. We have been ttcing since October, which I think makes it about 10 cycles (broadly the same as you?). We used ov sticks two or three times, but reading a new book I have discovered we might have mistimed (was going for the day before the LH surge and surge day itself, which may have been up to 24 hours too early! )...

[FeelingDeviant]

SuiGeneris - good luck!

[QueenyEisGotTheBall]

feelingdeviant if you have an lh surge and then within about 24hours the surge has gone then its likely you are ovulating. if you have polycystic ovarian syndrome then you can have an lh surge and no Ov. so if you know you dont have pcos then you will be likely to ov after a surge. the surge happens 24-36 hours before the egg is released so if you keep watch on secretions (EWCM/CM) and temp around the same time you will notice that your temperature will rise after you have the lh surge and stay high for the next 11-14 days or so depending on what your luteal phase is and then drop around the time of AF. if you are preg however your temp will stay high
suegeneris good luck with the next day or two and i hope you get a bfp rather than having to buy a BBT thermometer and the like
i am on a thread with a lovely bunch of ladies and we are all temping/using OPKs if you want to pop in you are certainly welcome il find a link and post it here for you
xx ei xx

[QueenyEisGotTheBall]

here it is dont be shy we are all lovely its quite informal here too as we chat openy about lots of things not just ttc but the advice has been invaluable to me over the last few months
xx ei xx