New to board

BekahBK

Hello Everyone, I am 35 and my husband is 37, we got married the end of May 2013, and started TTC in August 2013. We have been TTC on and off since last aug, (some months we didn't try, b/c of a bad car accident we were in, or just the stress of my job, or just frustration with the whole TTC process). I thought I may have been pregnant in April, as I was gagging at certain smells, was extremely tired and had sore boobs, turned out not to be true. :-(. We haven't told our families we are trying. A month ago my baby brother announced he and his fiancée are expecting. As excited as I am that I am going to be an Aunt, it hurt that it wasn't me. But of course I put on a great big smile for my brother. This was the first time my husband showed any emotion toward the whole TTC process. He was so bothered by my brother expecting, that he went for a sperm analysis yesterday.. But being so worried that he may be the problem the test didn't go so well, maybe he can do another one. I try to talk to my best friend about this, she just says "stop thinking about it and it will happen". It's hard to talk to other friends b/c they are older and not married and worried about getting pregnant later in life. I feel a little lost. We have used the clear blue easy ovulation test, the one that says low, high and peak. I found that I ovulation shortly after my period, not the usual 14 days. assuming that I am using the test correctly. I sometimes get peak results at days 8-12. Can anyone tell me, when you get the peak result, does that mean you are actually ovulating then or within 24 hours from then? I find that confusing in the instructions. I have an apt with a new GYN on the 14th, maybe get some answers then. Thanks for listening.

lgsdesigner

Hello, and welcome!

If you are ovulating shortly after your period, I would TTC every other day from the day your period ends, on. 

Now-- I also suggest you start charting. I would buy a basal thermometer, take your temp each morning, and log that temp into the Fertility Friend app (or on your desktop computer). You want to track your CM, too as well as when you BD so you can fully determine what your body is up to. 

I wish you the best.

katie0919

Hi! Welcome to the board!

I suggest temping and using the website Fertility Friend. It will teach you a lot about your cycles, and just yourself in general. Also, I found the book, Taking Charge of Your Fertility to be very informative as well. So, I suggest that as well.

There is no concern that you get a positive OPK around days 8-12. As long as your luteal phase (the time between ovulation day and your period) is around 10 days or longer, it is certainly okay if you ovulate before day 14. I usually don't ovulate until day 21, which makes for long cycles for me, which equals less chances a year for me to try. So, you might even have 13 shots a year to get pregnant if you O before day 14.

When you get a positive OPK, it *generally* means you will ovulate 12-36 hours later. I say generally because you can have a surge any time in your cycle and not necessarily ovulate. The OPK tells you that your body is gearing up for O, not that it will O. Temping will the only way you can confirm you actually ovulated each month. It takes the guess work and stress out of it. Granted, once you see that temp shift, your chances to try for the month are over. So temping is just to ensure you ovulated after the fact, but will not help you time intercourse. That's where the OPK's come in (and secondary signs like checking cervical mucus and cervical position)

Fertility Friend has tutorials that will explain all this better than I can, but the sooner you know when the peak time is to try, and the sooner you temp and can confirm ovulation, the better your chances are for getting pregnant each month. If you find after a couple months that you are not seeing a temp shift, that means you are likely not ovulating. Then you can contact your doctor to find out if there are any issues. I know how hard it is to watch everyone around you seemingly get pregnant easily, but you never know what struggles they might be going through themselves. But I totally, 100% get the disappointment each month. Good luck!

tlc35

PP gave good advice about charting but I wanted to welcome you to the board.

BekahBK

Thank you ladies!

Radiantly

Yes, welcome!  I second the temping. I just stopped temping except around O time to nail down when I O'ed, but that's because I temped for a year and know my cycle that I ovulate every month. The OPKs detect the luteal hormone but it doesn't mean you actually ovulate unless your temp raises.  You ovulate sometime between the OPK+ result and the temp raise.  You need to have sec before that.  If your husband's sperm results are good then you should have sex daily. If not great then give it a day or 2 in between to let them build up. 

WELCOME! This is a very supportive board.

kelley72

Welcome!  You have been given excellent information and I second the suggestion of looking up informaiton on fertility friend and also add the reading of Taking Charge Of Your Fertility.  Both are excellent tools and assist with the information you need to get started tracking your cycle and optomizing your chances for conception.  Best wishes!

meredithcarole

Welcome to the board!

mindaa

Welcome!

This is the right place to be when you feel nobody IRL "gets it." 

Davie813

Welcome and good luck!

thirtyninetoforty

Welcome!

hooligans4

Welcome to the group.
Just want to let you know that all four of my pregnancies happened right after AF. So I tend to try and get hubby to have sex a few time the week after period stops. I don't temp so I don't know exactly when I O, but it is definitely right after my period.

TAT2MAMI

Wonderful advice already given on here! Just wanted to welcome you aboard!!

Lesliem0901

Welcome!

URMySunshine77

Welcome. I agree that you've received some helpful advice. I think that you will find temping to be empowering. 

Good luck to you!

CML11

Another vote here for temping and charting. An OPK test can only tell you that you body is gearing up to ovulate, not that you are. At least when you temp you can see which day you ovulate by tracking the spike in your reading.
Worst friend advice ever "stop thinking about it and it will happen". As much as I love my family/friends, I want to throat punch them when they say that. They have zero clue what it's like and how it's not that easy for some of us.

Good luck and welcome!

BekahBK

Thank you everyone!

kyliehopeful

welcome! 

I agree with what has been posted too. The OPK's register a surge for me around day 8-10, however my cervical mucus becomes egg white and stretchy around days 12-16, and my temperature drops then spikes around day 13-14.

Maybe use the OPK as your 'start TTC green light', then try every 2-3 day after that. It's better to have the sperm in the tubes waiting for the egg to be released rather than trying and hoping that they make the journey once the egg is released. Being a little older (im 39) ive read that the egg may only survive 12-24 hours once released, so there is a short window of opportunity if you try to rely on TTC right on the day of ovulation. Healthy sperm can survive in the uterus and tubes for 3-5 days.

Best wishes and good luck

PGwithNo3

Welcome!

jgalassi

Welcome and best wishes for a BPF very soon!