Ovulation Kits - Good? Bad? At all helpful?

[AskABusyPerson]

We're sort of ttc, as in have stopped using contraception (condoms) but I'm not being terribly scientific yet about dates when we should bd, think I will be though in future as the first and so far only 2WW was nailbitingly stressful even though part of me knew we probably hadn't hit the right day(s) for conceiving! AF arrived so I knew answer was no!
Anyone tried ovulation kits? Best brand? Brand to avoid? How helpful are they? I have regular cycles, nothing unusual.
Guess I ought to post this in pregnancy topic also, as if someone's found OPK's to work they'll be on that topic instead

There is no substitute for having lots of sex actually. I found ovulation kits frustrating and also blood unromantic - oooh darling, I peed on six sticks and this one has a line on. Get yer kit off

Seriously you will say this at some point in the next three months if you go down this route.

I found Zita West's guide to getting pregnant really helpful btw if you do want some advice on how to do it.

But if you must, cheap and chips on ebay work just as well.

Thanks wmmc (great name btw), I did think it might be a bit 'got to do it now darling' which I know my dh would find unromantic! He's a bit of an old-fashioned 'nice meal, glass of wine/beer, then to bed ' type chap, not leap into bed NOW chap!

We'll have more sex this time round middle of cycle and see what happens! (we're actually hapen to be away for the weekend of cd14 so lots of chance to bd away from home and dd!!)
I just have read so much about how it's only textbooks who say ovulation is day 14, and I began to wonder when mine was!!
You're right, probably after 3 months I'll be ordering those sticks......we have one dd already so I am guessing no other fertility issues other than we just need to get lucky!

We tried them for a couple of months but never got a positive reading so were a complete waste of money for us. If you're having sex every two or three days, you've got it covered!

Well there you go then, do what you did last time...only a bit more often! Seriously, don't worry about what the books say too much, just have lots and lots of sex and it will happen.

BTW when I got pregnant it was on day 9 after ovulating on day 16 according to OPK for six months

I was told by a consultant at the assisted conception unit to stop using them. You're more likely to end up having sex on what you think are the "right" days rather than every other day throughout your cycle which is what you're supposed to do. However.... having said that, I did use them for about three months just to see which day I ov'd on (cd16 for me) and from then on I went bonkers from cd 13-17! Contrary to all the advice... got pg pretty quick once I started doing that!

Thank you for helpful comments.
So really it's Mother Nature who has the last say, not test sticks or temp charts etc!!

too at wmmc getting pg day 9 - definitely Mother Nature having a bit of a joke!!

I have regular cycles too of about 28-29 days. I always get ovulation pains for about 5days from day 10 so I know vaguely when I'm ovulating. From day 12 I used First Response OTK, I used them each day The line was pale but then got darker on day 16 which is when my surge/ovulation must have been. We made sure we BD'ed every other day and definatley after the surge - I'm now PG so it worked for me last month!!! Good luck

I think they are great to confirm what day you ovulate but try not to get hooked up on them, otherwise you become a woman posessed!! I was told by my GP to BD 3 times a week between day 9 and 19 and not to bother with the OTK, then again my Consultant last month said they were good and worth a try to confirm your days.