OPKs

[wokeupwithasmile]

I'm after some advice.

I have a one year old and we are trying to conceive again. I got my period back in December, so it's been three months now. My period is more or less regular (+1 or 2 days every month), and I think I am ovulating. I get the discharge and I am more interested in sex during those days.
However, I am not getting positives on the OPKs. At the beginning I was using Clearblue but I switched to a cheaper brand as it was getting expensive. With Clearblue I was testing with the first urine of the morning and understood that that might not have been the best time, so I switched to daytime. I try to not drink for a couple of hours before testing, and try to get a decently dark urine, but nothing.
Last month I think I might have succeeded in having sex during the right time, because after a week or so I started feeling nauseous, dizzy, and so forth, but in the end it did not work and got my period.

So now my question is, why do I not get a positive OPK? I did get checked internally a few months ago because I had fibroids during the first pregnancy, and the gynecologist told me that all was well, so I do not think there should be any physical problem. I use the Sperm meets egg method, but not getting a positive OPK is making me wonder whether I should be doing something else?
Taking my temperature each morning is too much work at the moment, so I would like to avoid that really.

Has this happened to you?
Thank you!

[wokeupwithasmile]

Perhaps I should add that I am breastfeeding. Now it is only once before bedtime whereas until a month ago it was 2-3 times per day.
Also, I did get a very faint line with an OPK in January, but it was lighter than the test line (or whatever is called), so I do not think it was valid.

[DaleyBump]

Marking place, in a similar position to you op.

[PandaWatch]

I found the cheap opks never worked for me but the clearblue ones did. How many times did you use the clearblue? Also, I've heard it's quite common for the first cycle after bfing to be anovulatory.

[blamber]

It might be that because you are breast feeding you're not ovulating yet. But then again, your period is regular.
Perhaps your body needs more time or it will start ovulating when you stop bf altogether.

Which clear blues did you use? The advanced ones need to be used with first morning urine. You're right that the cheaper ones are used later in the day. Did you use opks before? Some women never get a positive but definitely ovulate.

Have you tried keeping track of cervical changes? When you're about to ovulate/are ovulating your cervix is open, low and soft. It can help you to identify the most fertile days. After ovulation it should close again, although if you've had a baby the opening is a bit bigger.

You don't need to do smep. Just dtd every other day should work fine.

[wokeupwithasmile]

Thank you both. Yes, I thought the first might be anovulatory, so that was December gone.
I have used the Clearblue Fertility monitor tests with the first baby, and had no problem whatsoever, using them first thing in the morning. This time I have tried all the other types, but found them confusing so I did not trust them (not that they gave me any positives either), so went for the cheaper ones.
Now I am wondering whether I should test more than once per day, but I also do not want to get all stressed about this!
I also have not quite understood whether period also means generally ovulating or whether there are high chances I am not. I think I am getting all the signs I was getting before my first child, but then again that is not proof of anything I suspect. I was hoping that being down to 1 feed per day meant that I was ovulating...
I will start monitoring cervical changes!

[NotSpartacus]

My gynae told me that if you are getting regular periods you are probably ovulating.
It is possible to not get a positive opk and ovulate. For example, if your body ovulates on a lower level of lutenising hormone than average, or if you simply miss a short lh surge.
I did not get a positive opk the month I conceived my second daughter, and although I am struggling to conceive now, I am definitely ovulating but get a positive opk about 50% of the time - the stats are worse with cb digital ones.
Your options are to test morning and afternoon to catch the surge (I used cb digitals in the morning and cb non-digital opks in the afternoon to save money - but all that happened was I had even more negatives as
I get a very short lh surge in the afternoon) ; rely on checking cervical mucus (this is pretty reliable, and i find I tend to want sex more in the two days up to ovulation than the rest of the time); chart your temps to confirm ov (although I appreciate this is a pain when you have a small child); or (what I would do) just keep trying - it has only been three months and there is no point in getting obsessive yet!

Good luck, I hope it works for you very soon.

[wokeupwithasmile]

Thank you Notspartacus your experience is really interesting, and I am wondering if I am in a similar situation.