Confused about ovulation kits and ttc in general....

[BeatrixRotter]

I'm ttc my second child and I keep having my AF a week late. I have done pg tests which give a negative result and then AF arrives late, the last one was exceptionally painful and heavy. I was hoping to try an ovulation kit this month as late periods mean I really don't know when to predict using the calender.

I have read on here though that they are pointless if your periods are irregular but I don't understand why? My mucus changes used to be very obvious but have not been this time around. Will a kit help me establish when ovulation is happening?

bump

can anyone tell me why ovulation kits are no good if your cycle is irregular?

just get a massive pack of cheepies from ebay.

i cant see why they wouldnt work, but you do need to use 1 stick every day (or else you might miss it)

so if you are a week late (a 35 day cycle) you will probably ovulate on day 21 (14 days before period)... so if you test daily from say day 6, then you will use at least 15 sticks per month, (maybe a couple more)

also OV tests tel you when you have ovulated, and its best to have sex in the days before ovulation, so it sort of tells you that you need to have sex right now!!!

what about getting a clear blue fertility monitor which monitors 2 hormones so can tell you when your body is getting ready to ovulate and when you ovulate, so you can make sure you have sex in the days before aswel as your most fertile days

I agree with nannyl - I think the reason these kits can be problematic if you have an irregular cycle is that it is more difficult to know when to start using the sticks and you could have to use an awful lot more to pinpoint ovulation. I have also got a massive pack of cheap ones from ebay - they came highly recommended from a number of friends, although we've had no luck yet (we are ttc DC2)!!

One point - and many apologies if I've misunderstood your first post - if you keep having your period a week late, couldn't this mean your cycle is simply longer post-DC1? My cycle was/is different and apparently this is not that uncommon.

Yes, mine was too; well, shorter actually but there def was a difference!

OP do be aware that OPKs don't necessarily predict ovulation; they detect LH surges which can happen independently of ovulation. I think charting is superior personally.

MonsterRock - I think my cycle is 30 days now, but there have been occasions when it has been 35 or 37 so I don't think it has settled yet. I've been working to a 30 day cycle but this could be completely wrong as you rightly point out. Good luck with DC2.

Am in two minds whether to give it a go or not, might look into the clearblue monitor. Thanks for the tip nannyl

They are "useless" if you are targetting sex to that date because by the sperm reaches your egg it'll be but a distant memory and just a ball of dust!

With a regular cycle they'll help you pinpoint ov so you can time for "next month".

Nothing more likely to help you get pregnant than sex!

Thanks BR - you too!

the surge of hormone that an ovulation test detects is the hormone that triggers ovulation to happen, and most people will get a positive test anywhere from 12 to 36 hours prior to the egg being released. Add to that another 12 hours once the egg is released and you have at least a 24 hour window to get your knickers off and get busy.
If you have sex at least once in that 24 hours, you have as good a chance as anyone at getting preggers.
The reason they are less helpful in irregular cycles is that as PPs have mentioned, you wont know which day to start to use the kit, so really you need to pee on a test every day really. With the £20 for 5 tests version from the chemist, that would be pretty expensive. But if you go to bodycare or home bargains/wilkinsons you can get 5 tests for about 3 quid, or even better, off ebay you can get 50 tests for about a tenner, you can afford to pee every day so you will have a full day advance warning to have lots of sex and catch the lucky egg.