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Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

Original poster

Anyone use Natural Cycles app?

57 replies

Ltay2 · 23/04/2020 08:43

Hi!

Thought it would be nice to have a separate thread for those of us using the Natural Cycles app for TTC. Haven't seen a lot of mention of it in any other threads I've looked at!

We are on Cycle 2 of TTC first baby. I am currently on CD17 and supposed to ovulate today. AF due on 7th May.

How is everyone else doing? Smile

OP posts:
Original poster
Ltay2 · 24/04/2020 12:50

@frankie888 That's interesting I haven't heard of that before. Do you wear it all the time every day/night or just around the time you are due to ovulate? Do you just take it out to DTD?

OP posts:
frankie888 · 24/04/2020 12:43

I used NC but then I was recommended Ovusense which I found much more effective and easy to use. It's basically like a silicone tampon you sleep with every night and it got my ovulation bang on, so we were very lucky to conceive first time using just this. A few friends have used it too and same thing happened, so personally - although more expensive - I would use this over NC. Hope that helps!!!

BuffaloCauliflower · 24/04/2020 12:31

@Ltay2 great, that’s all you can do! Smile

Original poster
Ltay2 · 24/04/2020 12:28

@BuffaloCauliflower I am glad you think so, I don't really agree with the digital ones for the plastic reason alone! I feel I'm quite good now at reading the cheap ones and I buy a massive bag at a time. I've also read that the digital ones can be hit and miss sometimes, especially if the monitor is broken and so that's one added stress I don't need! I'll hold out with the cheap ones next cycle and test more regularly. If it doesn't happen this cycle then I'm already feeling more prepared and positive for the next Grin

OP posts:
BuffaloCauliflower · 24/04/2020 12:24

@Ltay2 sometimes it’s just a weird week Smile I see no benefit to the digital OPKs, more expensive, more plastic, but harder to actually see line progression. You’re better off testing 3 times a day with cheapies and looking at them yourself rather than relying on a smiley face, it’s not hard to see a line darkening

Original poster
Ltay2 · 24/04/2020 11:58

@BuffaloCauliflower This is what concerns me! Usually I do have 4 hours solid sleep but for some reason this week is all over the place. I do use the LH testing strips regularly throughout the fertile window period predicted by NC although maybe should look into the Ovulation Kits by Clearblue too.

OP posts:
BuffaloCauliflower · 24/04/2020 11:28

@Ltay2 I have had anxiety related sleep problems for years and sought advice on temping with broken sleep, and the block of sleep before you test really needed to be a minimum of 4 hours. Less than that should be discounted. This is why OPKs can be useful in conjunction as they don’t rely on sleep. If you’re not pregnant this cycle do give them a go, and you can still have sex across your fertile period either way

Original poster
Ltay2 · 24/04/2020 08:00

Worried about my temping more so now. Temped this morning at 5.20am after probably 3 hours of sleep as that was definitely my longest period of solid sleep, struggling at the moment with staying asleep! Although my temp was normal, I still haven't had a noticeable peak and my ovulation was supposed to be yesterday.

I discounted my temp yesterday due to serious lack of sleep so perhaps it was meant to be higher but lack of sleep messed it up 🤔

I have no way of knowing now, will just have to wait for my period I suppose to get it confirmed. I have ran out of OPK's and not going to order anything else until I know I am definitely NOT pregnant as they will go to waste.

OP posts:
Original poster
Ltay2 · 23/04/2020 20:14

@mrsmummy111 I always seem to wake up around 4am too and try to take my temp then but it's difficult because I sometimes have woken up for a few minutes before that too so it hasn't been a solid 4 hours! Hoping tonight I'll get a peaceful sleep so I can take a proper temperature in the morning and confirm my OV day. It was supposed to be today but I discounted my temp due to disturbed sleep!

We are being quite relaxed over DTD too. Last month we didn't really plan anything and this time only made sure to DTD the day before OV and the rest of the time was just whenever the mood took. We ended up doing CD7, 13 and 16 and ovulated today, CD17. Hoping at least the CD16 gives us a bit of a chance!

OP posts:
mrsmummy111 · 23/04/2020 20:07

Thanks @Ltay2 ! In the app it says something along the lines of "if you have young children or wake frequently in the night, take your temp after your longest block of sleep or after at least 4 hours consistent sleep"

So I often wake between 3-4 and try to take my temp at that time, but last month was our second month TTC and my temp was all over the show, I ended up getting AF 4 days earlier than the app thought I would and it took ages for it to confirm my ov day. Definitely more tricky and it's definitely affecting my readings, so I'm gonna start using OPKs this month too.

We actually were super chilled with it the first time as we were getting married the next month so weren't trying trying (I ended up being a week pregnant on my wedding day!), so we only DTD 3 times over my fertile window. I ovulated on day 15 and we DTD on day 12, 13 & 15.

However....I ovulated day 15 last month too and DTD the exact same days and didn't fall. So it's obviously not foolproof Wink

Original poster
Ltay2 · 23/04/2020 19:58

@mrsmummy111 My sleep varies a lot too although no children for me (yet!), I worry that my temping isn't accurate when I wake up so frequently in the early hours. Afraid I don't really have any advice on how to combat it! If you don't mind me asking, how regularly were you DTD when you conceived your first? Did you concentrate more on the fertile window or just regularly all the time?

OP posts:
mrsmummy111 · 23/04/2020 19:35

Hi girls,
I've been using Natural Cycles for a few years and I conceived DS1 the second month of thing thanks to the app. He turns a year old on Monday!

We are on month 2 of TTC #2 and I'm wondering if anyone else has young children and using the app?
DS sleeps from 7-7 but the months of night waking have messed with my body clock and I regularly wake in the night. As a result, by BBT results are often deviating and I'm not sure how best to manage that. Any advice?

Xx

Original poster
Ltay2 · 23/04/2020 18:18

Completely! It's now so funny to think that when you are not wanting to get pregnant you obsess so much about it, for example if protection fails or what not. When in reality the chances of that day falling on the days you are fertile is less likely than not!

OP posts:
BuffaloCauliflower · 23/04/2020 17:41

Yes my DH has been well and truly educated throughout use of NC for contraception and then TTC! I think a lot of people don’t realise there’s a lot more in it than just DTD until you start trying to make a baby

Original poster
Ltay2 · 23/04/2020 17:36

@BuffaloCauliflower We will probably do more than twice, this time has been twice just by chance but that is quite low for us overall, maybe 3 times is more realistic. Gave my OH a little science lesson on it all this morning, don't think he quite understood that getting pregnant was so technical, he was just relying on me to keep him informed of the relevant days without questioning 🤣

OP posts:
BuffaloCauliflower · 23/04/2020 17:24

@Ltay2 we’re also not usually ones for DTD a lot, but still managed to have sex about 4 times over the main fertile days. If you’re only going for twice you’re likely setting yourself up for a challenge

Original poster
Ltay2 · 23/04/2020 17:24

@BuffaloCauliflower Haha I know what you mean sometimes just want to 'get it done' for the sake of a baby! I will have a look into it and try and persuade the OH that lube doesn't mean failure as I'm sure he will see it that way 🤣

OP posts:
BuffaloCauliflower · 23/04/2020 17:17

@Ltay2 it’s lube that mimics cervical mucus and doesn’t inhibit the sperm, so helps it get where it’s need to go (as cervical mucus does) if you have a lot of CM already might not be necessary, I don’t have a lot. Also - TMI - but I was ill over my fertile window the cycle I got pregnant. I really couldn’t be arsed for sex but we wanted to make a baby. Being able to just chuck some lube in saved a lot of effort in warming me up 😂

Original poster
Ltay2 · 23/04/2020 17:13

@BuffaloCauliflower This fills me with a bit of hope! Is pre-seed just an alternative to regular lube? We never use lube so I don't want to add anything else into the mix that we don't really need 🙈 I have heard a lot of people mention it though.

@Nowisthemonthofmaying Ah that's good! My cycles are pretty regular too and I've found it to be very accurate with my period predictions so I'm hoping that means that ovulation is well predicted/calculated too. We don't DTD very regularly so I don't want to force it during TTC would rather just carry on as normal but maybe a little more informed over the fertile window. We are probably the same, maybe twice in fertile window per cycle is going to be the norm for us.

OP posts:
Nowisthemonthofmaying · 23/04/2020 17:08

@Ltay2 yes I found it very accurate! I do have pretty regular cycles though. We literally just DTD once or twice over my most fertile period, maybe once before and once after ovulating? I'm sure there was a certain amount of luck involved too though - I'm in my late 30s and was expecting it to take a lot longer!

BuffaloCauliflower · 23/04/2020 16:53

I used it for TTC and got pregnant quickly (1st cycle but had an early loss, then 2nd cycle we tried properly after that and now 10 weeks) I definitely think the fact NC already had so much data on my cycle really helped. I also used cheapy OPK sticks, I prefer that you can see the line progressing which you can’t on digital ones. Get some Preseed as well Smile

Original poster
Ltay2 · 23/04/2020 16:11

@thehealthhound What exactly is the kit, is it just a cycle's worth of testing or does it not last as long / last longer? I think I am getting good at reading the cheap OPK one step ones now I do them twice per day when it's nearer the time so hopefully covering everything! Waiting to see if I fall pregnant this time before ordering anything else as I've ran out now.

@Nowisthemonthofmaying That's so positive to hear! Did you find that NC was very accurate with finding when your OV day was? And did you follow any particular pattern with DTD?

@loulougirl I am pretty sure it can take into account irregular cycles, I think it's more of a problem with using the app for preventing rather than planning on that front. They have a very good customer service team so I would send them a message if you are unsure!

OP posts:
thehealthhound · 23/04/2020 16:04

@Nowisthemonthofmaying oh wow that's brilliant news! i had a chemical pregnancy my first month of trying with NC so hoping the second month will be more positive.

@loulougirl yes i think it takes irregular cycles into account, it just might take longer to get to know you. mine are relatively regular so I cant speak from experience unfortunately xx

loulougirl · 23/04/2020 15:47

Hi, I'm interested in trying Natural Cycles. Do you know if it works for those with irregular cycles?

Nowisthemonthofmaying · 23/04/2020 15:37

Another happy user here - I used it just to track my cycle to start with, and then when we wanted to start trying for a baby I just bought cheap ovulation tests from Boots. Conceived after 2 months of trying and currently 21 weeks pregnant so it can definitely work! Wishing you all lots of luck...

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