TTC first time- cycle length question

[Poppyolive90]

Hi,

I’m looking for some advice as my husband and I have just decided to start trying for a baby. I’m 30, he’s 34, no known health issues. I’ve not been on the pill for about 18 months now and we’ve been using condoms. I’ve been tracking my cycle on the Clue App for the last 9 months and my cycle lengths have varied:

28
24
26
24
26
27
26
29
23

Whilst googling about ovulation I read that irregular cycle lengths can point to fertility issues. Do you think I need to be concerned??

I’ve ordered folic acid and vitamin d which I’ll receive this week and was going to start taking immediately. I’m on day 1 of my period so planned to start TTC from next week.

Is it best to have sex every day? As my cycles are irregular I’m confused about when my ovulation would be and not sure I trust Clue to be accurate.

Thanks in advance x

I would recommend using ovulation predictor strips. They help pinpoint your most fertile days. Otherwise, dtd every other day is a good option.

Though you're not exactly regular the lengths of your cycle are roughly in the same range so I wouldn't worry at this stage. Hope it goes well for you.

Would you recommend just getting the cheap strips or should I invest in a digital thing? I’ve had a google and there’s a Mira tracker for £129. Looks like the cheap strips are £1 each so a lot cheaper!

So we can digital - it's about £30 but leaves no room for error. Hard to know best thing to do as you don't know how long you'll be trying - if 1 month, no point making a big investment. If you're super eager you could also measure BBT, as that helps tracking too.

I will try tracking BBT too. I think my biggest problem with that will be remembering to do it first thing, I automatically get up and wee as soon as I wake so I’ll have to re-train myself

Did you buy a special thermometer for it?

I am still hunting to be honest! Not sure how reliable mine is as it always thinks I'm super cold.

Sorry above should say CB advanced digital

I think your cycles are within the normal range @Poppyolive90, just means you might ovulate earlier sometimes. My cycles are around 25 days and I've ovulated as early as cd9, so start testing about cd7/8.

I measure bbt and use a thermometer up to 2 decimal points and input on fertility friend as its quite clear and gives you crosshairs to pinpoint ovulation. I just use the cheap opks from amazon - one step - you test in the afternoon and evening, my surge is short so I catch my positive if I do it 2/3 times a day leading up to peak.

Good luck 🤞

Hi venus thank you for your reply. I was worried my cycles were short compared to what I’m ready online but nice to hear someone else’s are similar.

What’s a surge sorry? I tried to google but I’ve only started looking in to all this over the last few days and feel like there’s a lot to learn. Feel a bit stupid really for not looking in to it earlier now. How long have you been trying for now

Whoops missed the ? Off the end of my post sorry

I wouldn't spend loads of money. I just had the clear blue OPK, and cost 30 quid in one month. I'm ordering cheepies off amazon if I have a next cycle and will us fermometer app to tell me when it's high or peak.
I'm also going to start measuring body temp.
I dont think you have anything go worry about regarding your cycle length varying, it's not a massive difference but you'll need to pinpoint ovulation.

We had sex everyother day from when my OPKs said high till 2 days after peak. It worked well for us in terms of it wasnt too much for DH but I think we still hit ovulation with a few batches 🤣

Your LH surge is the short frame of time your LH hormone raises quickly then falls and this indicates ovulation within 24-48hrs. You could easily miss this if you only tested once a day. Mine was the afternoon.

@Poppyolive90 the lh surge is lutenizing hormone, so what's telling your body to release the egg. Opks pick up this and the stronger it is indicates you're gearing up to ovulate (they don't confirm though)

I've been ttc 2.5 years now, so had a long time to get to know all of this :) I've had 3 miscarriages though so we're hoping to go onto ivf soon. Giving it a last hurrah trying progesterone pessaries this cycle 🤞

Try not to get too fixated on opks though, my experience is definitely not typical, most people will conceive within 12 months of active ttc and all will be well :)

slimshady thank you that’s very informative. I will also get the Clear Blue one as RMarie also suggested it.

venus keeping everything crossed for you. Thank you so much for your help