CBEFM

STP2006

Ok, I hate to sound like a ridiculously naive newbie...can someone talk to me a bit more about fertility monitors (or point me to a good resource?)  I have been charting for years and can usually tell which cycles I ovulate and which I don't, and an approximate fertile period...does the fertility monitor add a lot more to that?  And if cycles are irregular, is it that much harder to use?  Am I better to use OPK's for a while before taking the plunge for the monitor? 

TIA!

amandaleigh1

I am new around here too... I just started ttc. I began with charting and using OPKs. I personally don't see the need to get a pricey fertility monitor. I suppose what might be nice about it, is that it will read the OPK for you... there were a few times I tested OPK last cycle, when I was a little unclear if my test line was the same as or slightly less dark than the control line. I managed to figure it out though in the end, and I had positive OPK a few days before a temperature rise. So, I think my system is working in that regard. I got some cheap OPK dip strips from my sister, who got them somewhere online. The drugstore sticks are much more spendy.

jcath

I like my CBEFM b/c I don't like temping and I can never tell on regular OPKs if the line is darker or not. Also it's FMU so you just test in the morning and I don't think about it again. The digital OPKs are so expensive the monitor makes sense after a few months.  If you are fine temping and using OPKs then I wouldn't do it.  It does work for irregular cycles but you will spend more money on test sticks.

kbrodie06

I had a friend that let me borrower hers. The problem is, the first month it had me start testing at day 9 I think. Well by then I had already O'd so that did not work. The next month did not work either so my cycles are wacky and the OPK's are better for me.

kinsalebride

like some other people have said, i hated OPKs because i thought there was too much guesswork as far as if the line is dark enough or not. and then when i thought i ovulated sometimes i wasn't entirely sure cause the second line would fade super slowly.

plus if you are buying tons of OPKs every month that eventually equals the cost of a CBEFM, especially if you buy used on Ebay.

 I personally loved my CBEFM, but i have pretty regular cycles so never had a month where it didn't give me proper readings. the first time i ever used mine I got a BFP, but it ended in a mc. We wound up having DD #1 via an IVF with ICSI.

  When TTC our 2nd child we tried on our own for 2 months, then I went back to RE and did an IVF that failed. After the failed IVF we were figuring out what we were going to do next, and since I still had my CBEFM I figured I'd use it and we'd try on our own. Well lo and behold, I got prego naturally the month after the failed IVF and the first month using the CBEFM while TTC our second. Our second daughter was just born in May.