So much to track, so little time!

lizziemoore513

Ok, so I do have the time to track BBT, OPK, CM etc etc but I don't want to overwhelm and stress myself out. This is my first month TTC. Does anyone suggest one particular thing to focus on over the others? If nothing happens after a few months, I wouldn't hesitate to pay more attention to any/all methods, but as of right now I just need one thing. What do you think?

eevieemariee

I'd definitely temp and I'd highly suggest monitoring CM. OPKs you could probably save for down the road if that feels too much right now.

KingLED

Temping will give you the most information, so go with that. If you feel like randomly adding more info, go for it. So if you only want to do one, temping should be it.

lebradford

Like PP have said, at the very least I'd track temps. However, that is going to only tell you after you O.

Tracking CM and OPKs isn't exactly hard, but I don't blame you if you don't want to start with all 3 things. FWIW, my first month I think I just tracked temps at first, and then CM just occasionally. By my second month (when I hadn't detected ovulation the month before) I started tracking all 3 consistently.

Jags8

I temp, and if I think of it or notice more CM, I will check that.

Cythe

Others have answered your question just swimmingly, I just wanted to say that I'm on month 3 and I was the exact same way you are now. Month 1 was more like NTNP, month 2 was tracking my period and definitely trying and this month I went for ALL the things!

I was worried I would spend too much time thinking about TTGP, I mean I already spend a lot of time thinking about it, right? When I did dedide to fully chart it was actually a huge relief and I now feel much more in control of this process.

Good luck to you!

lizziemoore513

Yea, it's not the time really. It's the stress. I have a higher stress level and trying to just remember to do these things, track them then know what to do with it is...a lot for me at this point. I'm just getting used to the fact that my husband is finally ready for kids!! He doesn't want this to become something unpleasant, and I fear I may become frustrated if I am literally doing everything I can with no success. I don't know if that makes sense or not. So it's not that I don't want to know and understand my body. I guess I would just prefer for it to happen as naturally and effortlessly as possible? I feel like I'm not explaining myself well, haha! Ahh, hormones. Anyways, thanks everyone for the input. I may buy some ovulation tests today. And, like said above, CM is fairly easy to check. BBT is actually what I have struggled most with. Apparently I don't have the right thermometer?

Ladymouse

CM is super easy to check.  If you want to ease into things slowly, check CM your first cycle, then CM and BBT for a few months.  If it takes longer than a few months, then add in OPKs.

lizziemoore513

@jefa621‌ the ticker is more for show than anything. I'm definitely not relying on its accuracy.

@Joy2611, @Greeneyes842 and @bostonbaker, thanks for the support. I think for right now doing all of that would really overwhelm me. I'll know more after this first month, see if I get pregnant and how I react if I don't. I'll just take it from there. But now I know what I need to do! Thanks so much! I appreciate your understanding and advice. 

myatala

I would focus on enjoying sex if temping feels like too much right now, but honestly temping gives me peace of mind because then I can confirm I've O'd and see what our sex timing was like to know if there's even a slim chance I could be KU that cycle. Then I also have an estimate of when AF may arrive so that if I'm patient I don't waste a bunch of HPTs.

Fertility Friend has a lot of great tutorials about all the fertile signs and charting if you want to peek at them. I particularly like their tutorials about cycles because school sex ed and bio class really dropped the ball on giving us a real idea of what cycles are like in the real world.

countrygrl5533

myatala said:

 I particularly like their tutorials about cycles because school sex ed and bio class really dropped the ball on giving us a real idea of what cycles are like in the real world.

No kidding. Sex ed made it seem like you look at a boy just right and you get KU. When really, it pretty much takes an Act of God to get pg.

catlover790

At first I started temping but didn't really know what I was doing yet and thought I had a shift every other day! ) I started to get stressed because I was "late" and was testing negative. After that cycle I signed up for FF and did the tutorials. it has been very helpful for me to have more information; it helps me keep my emotions in check!

Also, don't feel like it's all or nothing. You can try BBT now and then add OPKs later. Or just start with OPKs and see if you are good about having sex during your fertile time etc. You can always adjust what works best! Good luck!

lizziemoore513

I am so thankful for everyone's support and advice. I will definitely check out FF and just relax! Haha or at least try

summerbld2

Are your periods regular? When we first decided to TTC we went to our obgyn - he said since my periods were regular we should do this: The first day aunt flow comes count that as day 1 of your cycle. From there have sex on day 10, 12, 14 of the month - your most likely fertile days.. He said have fun. Enjoy the process. So We did that with our first two pregnancies. He said that if we didn't conceive after 6months to come back to him and we'd talk about other options. But we got pregnant early on and never had to learn about other options. I wasn't on the bump while TTC with my first two pregnancies. But I am on the TTC board this time and I am for the first time honestly learning and reading about other things like temping. There are so many other things to do that I had not clue of! This place is a great resource. :-D But this is what our ob told us and was really really simple basic advise....Good luck, have fun and fingers cross for a BFP! :-D

Mareeb1618

Temping and tracking cm is all I do. I would definitely use FF too. Good luck to you! Try to relax and enjoy the process. Some get pregnant quickly and others don't. Try not to compare yourself to others. There are many factors separating you from others.

lizziemoore513

Update! I have embraced tracking BBT, OPK and if CM is obvious I will note that too. It has been really interesting to pay attention to my body and learn what different things mean. Ovulation should occur any day now. Let the games begin!

lizziemoore513

Yes, I am almost embarrassed at how little I understand my body. It's very interesting! Should be ovulating any day now, so we will see!! Hoping for the best! @bibliothecary‌ and @cramcakes‌, the ticker is more for looks than function. I don't rely on it for accuracy.

mangomimosa

@lizziemoore513  Read Taking Charge of Your Fertility! 

Also -- I was taking a relaxed approach to all of this & then realized it was driving me crazy not to know what was going on. I really wish I'd bought some OPK's instead of being like "it's just about time!" because now we've been having ED sex for a week and I still haven't O'd. I started temping on CD 14 and all I want now is to O so we can STOP having sex. I wouldn't be sad about a BFP this cycle, but if AF shows up, I'll be excited to try again with a little more info/less sex!

lizziemoore513

@cramcakes‌ I use FF, but it doesn't really matter to me if the one on here is accurate. It's more a symbol to let y'all know where I am at-ish. I would rather voluntarily give information if/when I choose than have it automatically posted in my sig. I'm just weird like that. But thanks for letting me know! @mangomimosa‌ I can honestly say I would be disappointed if AF came although I realize that more time before a BFP at this point wouldn't be terrible. I would have more time to lose a few pounds and get in better shape. There are pros and cons to it happening immediately. I would just like for it to happen now so I can stop taking my temperature every morning!