ovulation - have I got this roughly right?

[LaTrucha]

I'm TTC DC2, still bf DD1 at 13 months. I came off the pill 4 months ago and AF returned that month. I have had egg white thingy. I wold prefer not to get ovulation kits etc because I'm not living in my own house at the moment and there's not much privacy.

I seem to have a 31 day cycle

So, am I right to think that

a) although AF has returned and have CM I might not be ovulating?

b) to have the best chance of conceiving I should make sure to have sex 12-14 days after the start of my period?

c) Cm can be a sign of ovulation and should I definitely have sex on that day?

d) If CM is a sign of ovulation, is having sex after that much less likely to result in conception?

DH has to go away on a lot of business trips and I need to make sure I'm thinking along the right lines.

Thanks!

I'm watching this thread, want to start trying for DC3 and you asked the questions before i got round to it!

A) possible, but ususally you ov

B) Before the END of your period, 12-14 days

C) Milky white or egg white CM yes is fertile. check your cervix pos too - high wet open and soft is fertile

D) Keep going until non fertile CM is there (thick and tacky)

Ok, hmm. Well, you need to start charting really. It's not hard and you don't need privacy - just a computer or a notebook/diary.

Without an ovulation test (you can get just little sticks to wee on, like pg tests) you can go on a couple of things - the state of your CM and your temperature.

The temps thing is tricky as it has to be quite careful and accurate, so I'd go with the CM.

After your period stops you might be dryish for a few days. Then you'll start to have a bit more, sticky stuff really. Then it will get wetter and thicker and eventually kind of like egg white (as you obv know) and this is your fertile peak, it is the kind of consistency that is very helpful for sperm motility, ie they can swim through it easily as the molecules are longways so it guides them through. (don't ask me how it just does Ok? )

After a day or so of this it will usually dry up again and after that you'll have trouble getting pg until next time

However sperm can survive for up to a week before you ovulate so do it from after your period until you've had the ewcm, for your best chance.

A lot of people do ovulate roughly 14 days before their next period, but if you keep a record of your cm for a few months you'll soon see a pattern with a bit of luck. enjoy!

explains more

look under fertilty signs on left; cervix info there.

THanks Scorpio - I'm not sure I understand your response to B) though. Could you explain?

and as you are BF, Kellymom has info on periods and BF and pregnancy

The first length of a cycle is changeable - but a luteal phase (time between ov and period) is the consistent period of between 12-14 days.

So, i have 35 day cycles - i ov on day 22 most of the time. If i concentrated efforts on day 14 i would miss my egg totally.

Thanks flightattendant - X post.

It makes me realise that when I got pg with DD, we were on honeymoon and I finished my period on the day of our wedding. We were on honeymoon for two weeks after that, so bang on what you say really.

I'll check out that website, thanks, Scorpio.

I just need another honeymoon! Instead of a cramped flat with PIL, a terribly teething baby and a frequently absent DH!

I see Scorpio - that helps . So that's probbaly the kind of thing I could track witha chart, then.

Yep

Every month i have been ttc, i write down CM and Cervix position - then i can see where i oved (hopefully!)

Luteal phases can be very different as well but the average is about 14 days iyswim.

You'll know by your cm, it's so easy - I have got pg twice now and avoided it plenty more, using that method - although the second time I sort of 'forgot' what day it was, ahem

well he did say we could have a baby...

Fertility friend has a good free charting site. I used to use it just out of obsession interest really

Agree with CM being the best way to tell.

So, to say again - go for it until the CM dries up for a while.

Yep! Go for it when cm very wet, egg white ish, or even just milky white thin is fertile. It will dry up and go thick and tacky - its just for practise then

'could' was a dangerous word then Flightattendant!

Thanks. I feel a bit more sorted now.

I get a bit antsy when I think about having to stop bf a teething baby but from what I gather on here it shouldn't be too much of a problem. We really though we had cracked it last month (the month before we had to come to PILs) but no joy. This month: no shirking!

Lol a long story!

Just to say I think you can carry on bfing while pregnant, I haven't done it before but lots of people do.

Can anyone tell me what they think of the ovulation calculator on here as it has come up with something pretty different from what I expected.

My cycle is 31 days long. My period started on the 2nd, so I thought the most fertile bit would be around the 14 / 16 (although this isn't they way you calculate it, is it Scorpio?).

What have I got wrong? Feeling ignorant again.

Even counting backwards from supposed date of the satrt of next period it would be around 16th.

Have to go to bed now, but will be pzzling it out in my bed.

Hi LaT

So, af started on 2nd Feb - that's Day 1
if you stick with a 31 day cycle, you will have af again on day 32 = 5th March.

Assuming you have a standard luteal phase, 5th march- 14 days, gives you OV day = 19th Feb = Day 18.

So work out when your Day 18s will be and work on lots of sex around that time

Good luck!

(oh and not to be nit-picking, but Scorpio surely you meant B) before the START of your next period?)

Oh and i second Fertility Friend's website, put on as much or as little info as you want.
I am using it atm, just to see what length my cycles are (not ttc-ing), so just putting in AF & CM info.

When ttc-ing i may try the temperature thing again.

So you really do count back then. I'd always heard it was forward from the first day of your period. Whay are all things to do with fertility / pregnancy / childbirth so surrounded in myth?

Anyway, DAMN as DH has to go away on the 17th of this month. I reckon we'll have a go though as I'm sureish that I ovulate earlier than this. Will have to start observing more carefully!

I'm off to look at Fertility friend.

how exciting LaT - i dont know the answer but so pleased for you

The problem is LaT that midwives/docs still count forward and assume that all women operate on a 28 day cycle, grr.
So they insist on asking you for you LMP (Day 1) to work out how pg you are. Even if you can show them a fertility friend printout that proves when you ov'ed, they won't change their dates!
Then when you go for a scan they say, oh, you are less pg than your notes say......
i did get them to 'officially' change my edd with ds1 as didn't want them inducing too early/not allowing home birth cos of their error.

If you go for it on the 15th, 16th & 17th you stand a pretty good chance, but will it make it more likely to be a girl or boy, still haven't worked that one out

Treat the first few months with ff as experiments/learning curve so you don't get (more) stressed

The problem is LaT that midwives/docs still count forward and assume that all women operate on a 28 day cycle, grr.
So they insist on asking you for you LMP (Day 1) to work out how pg you are. Even if you can show them a fertility friend printout that proves when you ov'ed, they won't change their dates!
Then when you go for a scan they say, oh, you are less pg than your notes say......
i did get them to 'officially' change my edd with ds1 as didn't want them inducing too early/not allowing home birth cos of their error.

If you go for it on the 15th, 16th & 17th you stand a pretty good chance, but will it make it more likely to be a girl or boy, still haven't worked that one out

Treat the first few months with ff as experiments/learning curve so you don't get (more) stressed