how to work out ovulation date and when do i test?

[Emma.b]

hi people how u all doing?

I have been trying to concieve for 2 years with no luck. I havent really been charting ovulation etc i have an app on my phone that does it for me, lazy i know

I had been waiting for mother nature to take its course but she seems to be taking her time. So i have decided to take things into my own hands. I have done away with my phone app and i'm going back to basics, with the help opk's, basal thermometer and CM charting. My only problem is how do i work out when im roughly due to ovulate...my cycle is usually 28 days give or take a day. And when is the best time to start testing?

Any help would be great, feeling a little lost. This is wot you get for relying on technology!

 

[cosmicgirl]

For your first cycle with opks I'd go and get a big load of cheapie opks and I'd test every afternoon, at the same time from cd 1 to 28 to get a good view of the pattern. I'd label each one (see opk gallery pics) and that will really help to pin point ov.
With temps, remembers to take temp at the same time every morning, before you even move. Make a bite of any restless nights as this can effect temp. Chart temps on fertility friend or something like that. Check your cm every day and note it with your temps x

 

[Emma.b]

thanks for the reply. So the first cd is the first day of af? and i should test on that day regardless of flow? Apologises for being so dumb when it comes to this, just wanna make sure i get it right.

Also i found tests strips on amazon it won't let me upload the link. But it says there highly sensitive 20miu ovulation/fertility test strips by a company called one step, you get 50 strips for £7.90...wot do u think?

Thanks for the help x x

 

[cosmicgirl]

I use one step, they were great for me.
I started testing cd1 (1st day of af) just because I'm a stickler and wanted to see the full cycle iykwim (I do a lot of research for work, I'm a proper geek lol)
You could start from say cd4 or 5 (when af has left the building) up to you hun x

 

[cosmicgirl]

You don't have to do the full cycle every time btw, I just did that for my first one. After that I did from cd8-28 (I have wacky cycles, you could probably do less)
I used the results from my first full cycle of opks to judge what day to start on for my next cycle x

 

[ceebee]

I use one step too - I think if you start testing as soon as your af stops that should be ok. They're so cheap, I've been testing 2 - 3 times a day so as not to miss my surge. (Just bought a CBFM too, but it's early days with that!)I've been charting with fertility friend (I know it's technology, but it's so easy and it seems clearer than drawing my own graph!) doing bbt and checking cm too so feeling like I'm really getting to know my body. Just bought a book called 'Taking charge of your fertility' by Toni Weschler, which is really informative, easy to read and recommended by several peeps on this forum.... I'm really enjoying being proactive about ttc and learning so much Good luck! xx