Someone please explain ovulation testing and temping!

[showmethegin]

Hi all, 30 and ttc first baby! Looking to start using either ovulation tests or temping (or both?). I came off the pill around 2 months ago so wanting to make sure I am actually ovulating! Can someone explain how I do it? With the tests do you just keep testing around the days you think you could be going by cycle dates?! And temping, completely clueless!!!

Hi Gin!

I never did temping but i have used the ov sticks. I bought a bunch from home bargins and tested around when i thought i would ov. The line goes dark when u ovulate. How many days is your cycle?

My cycle was 28 days... so i tested about day 10 onwards and around day 14 i ovulated.

Mine is quite long, around 33 days I think but it's just so up in the air because of coming off the pill. I was always 31 days before but I've had two months of 33/34 now. When should I start testing? I've got the Ovia app but surely that's just guess work without doing the actual tests.

It's a minefield! 

For 33 day cycle maybe around days 19, 20, 21. Im no expert on it at all but if u get a bunch of ov tests super cheap (maybe off the internet) then as soon as your period ends u could just take one every day until next period then you will know for sure

I am the same the ov tests i did were before dc1 and i have just stopped pill, waiting for first period to start since before dc1 so i can find out if my cycles are still in fact 28 days.

I was just thinking of going onto internet to order a bunch of the ov tests

Thanks for the tips! That's a good idea, I'll just do that. Would you recommend temping as well? My dr said you should just dtd every 2 or 3 days throughout your cycle and that temping didn't make any difference but so bamboozled by all the different advice out there!

Good luck to you! 

Many people ovulate about two weeks before af is due. So I'd reckon you ov about cd 18-21. So start testing before then.

Google bbt - trickier for me to explain than the millions of websites out there. Thermometer to two decimal places. Fertility friends is a good bbt app.

I have never tried it, i read up on it and it seemed a bit too complicated for me, you have to do it at same time every day usually before u get up out of bed.... Ive never been very organised and would probably forget, plus, My 15 month old would never wait the extra 60 seconds for me to temp, once hes up its instantly breakfast time but if ur an organised person, why not try it.

Well when i concieved dc, i was dtd literally every single day, sometimes twice a day
.. I was very determined and my hubby didnt seem to mind

Im sure it will happen soon. The fact that u have a period every month is a good sign xo

Haha, my DP is definitely not minding the additional horizontal fun times! Just looking in amazon for strips. Are there any you would recommend, there are so many on there.

Thanks for the tips re bbt. Just read some really clear advice on it. Might try both!

Lol. I have never bought them off internet personally but I was just looking on amazon and u can buy 30 of them for 5 quid and they have good star reviews. And others cheaper again... I just typed in ovulation tests... Maybe just check the reviews on them first and get best deal If you are dubious about internet ones the home bargins ones defo great.. will be a bit more expensive though.

P.s other thing i forgot to mention... some ladies only have the chemical that will show up on an opk in their system for a short time (this happened to me) and so around the days i thought i should ovulate i took a test in morning and evening... my test line was lighter in morning then went dark pm and the lighter again next am so i ovulated that pm...

Just incase you think you havnt ovulated because u missed it x

That's really helpful! I've just ordered a 50 pack of 50 One step tests. Going to test every day from around the 10th day just to get an idea of what is going on. I was just going to see what happened the first few months but the other half has been broody for ages so wants to do it properly!

I have just ordered a 50 pack too and it comes with 5 free pt strips too... bargin! Well it does no harm, plus better to do it now and have an idea like you said.

Well im sure ill talk to you again soon... maybe on the 2 week wait next time xo

Read 'taking charge of your fertility' it's an excellent book.

Ovulation tests: do it at the same time every day, not first thing in the morning, start on day 9. The smiley face tests are the best.

Thanks @3luckystars - I've ordered that book! I'll start testing next month as you suggested.

@Scarletrose18 yes definitely! I'm on the 2ww now but can't imagine it will be first time lucky. good luck to you!