Should you track cycles?

[TTCnum1]

Tracked this month using CB connected and DTD every day for a week during flashing and peak smiley faces but wasn't successful in getting pregnant. Also used conceive plus lubricant but not the internal applicator one.

Anyway, the NHS website advises against tracking cycles due to the stress it causes.

So my question is did you stop tracking and then get your BFP?

I'm worried to try this as if nothing happens and we end up going to the GP in a years time surely having a years worth of ovulation data will help them?

I think it is worth tracking, but if it is causing you great stress doing so then stop as stress is obviously counteractive for TTC. It is worth bearing in mind that using OPKs alone is not enough to 100% confirm that you have ovulated, that's why some women temp as well.

The month I conceived my DS the OPKs and temp method combined reassured me that I had ovulated. Even then, I'm sure it's not 100000% though.

I'm not sure a GP would do anything with the data as they aren't specialists. A year's time is ages away though, you could get pregnant between now and then! Good luck.

Thanks! I'm feeling really down about it and we are only just out of cycle 1! I think I thought it would happen really quickly. I definitely felt ovulation happen this month as it was very painful and I know we DTD over that time so we were covered! Both DH and I are fit, healthy and young so I think I'd tricked myself it would happen first time!

I would recommend doing OPKs and BBT monitoring because then you know when you're going to ovulate and when you have ovulated, so you can plan DTD lots around that time. If you're going in blind you'll have to DTD lots more because you'll need to cover a longer period of time. Also lots of people assume they ovulate around day 14 and are quite surprised when they start tracking and realise it's a lot later (later is more common than earlier) than they thought. My DP and I are relatively young and healthy but we're on cycle 7 now TTC#1 ☹️.

I use opks and bbt and don't think I stress at all because of tracking (although admittedly I did a bit before adding bbt as fearing missing my peak with opks was a worry). I think I'd stress infinitely more if I didn't track, always wondering if and when j ovulated.

The NHS says that on the assumption you BD every 2-3 days throughout your cycle - if you don't then you kinda should be tracking lest you risk missing ovulation time and time again. My OH would die if I made him have that much sex so my only solution is tracking...