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UrbanLe1
member
Advice for a New BBT charter?
UrbanLe1
member
Hullo ladies!
I'm new here, kind of. I was very active on the boards when I was pregnant with my son two years ago, but I've only been lurking on this board for the past few weeks. I know that you ladies will eat a newbie for breakfast if she asks the wrong question, so I'm going to try very hard to give you the information you might be interested in. But I'm asking for advice and trying to be respectful--please be kind! (::Eeek! Hides face behind hands.::)
DS was an accident (a joyful one, but very surprising--I conceived him with a Paragard IUD in place!). Therefore, this TTC business is very new to me and to DH. We are trying very hard--VERY hard--not to get too caught up in the mechanics of everything, so I am therefore approaching charting very tentatively. I am an anxious and compulsive person already, and I'm a bit afraid that trying to control this process too much is going to make me crazy. IMPORTANT POINT: My husband is a urologist. Therefore, I am very informed with all of the science and medicine of TTC. However, I need some advice on the practicalities--namely, what type of equipment/apps/tests you have found most effective.
My TTC journey so far:
October 7: Mirena IUD removed. Rest of October: bled. A lot. Definitely not a normal cycle. November/December cycles: tracked cervical mucus (which is easy for me--I produce classic EGCM during my fertile window. I was out of town and away from DH for Dec. during my fertile window. January cycle: began using OV Watch and OPK strips in addition to CM charting. Today: Beginning of menstrual cycle.
I am absolutely, totally, positively aware that we are very early in this journey. However, especially after such a crazy first experience with conception, I (mistakenly) thought it would be super-easy for us. I know I have nothing to worry about. I am a healthy and young woman, and DH is a healthy and young guy. We should be fine. But I'm beginning to realize that I might feel a bit more confidant if I was holding more control.
We do have a few difficulties. DH is a surgical resident--he works 90-100 hour weeks, and he often has to spend the night at the hospital. We don't have the luxury of being able to have sex any time we want--he's often gone, and sometimes he comes home so tired that he literally falls asleep on his dinner. So, while I'd love to say we could take the advice he gives to his patients and just have sex EOD, but that's not going to happen--we're usually 2-3 times a week, but it's certainly not something we can plan. If any of you ladies have advice on a similar situation, I'm all ears.
Now for the practical questions:
*Is BBT monitoring truly necessary if I'm using OV watch and OPK tests?
*For those of you who are charting BBT, do you use a phone/internet app? If iPhone, do you use Fertility Friend or Woman Calendar? Why? (I'm using iPeriod right now, but it's getting annoying and I want something better.)
*Brand of BBT thermometer? Can I just go buy one tonight at Target if I decide to do this?
*Frequency of OPK testing? Should I plan on doing it more than once a day (which is what I did last cycle)?
*How do you keep yourself from allowing this TTC dance to take over your life? I'm overwhelmed, but the alternative of "just wait and see what happens" makes me even more crazy. How do I find the balance?
Thanks so much for reading this far--I know it's a lot to dump at one time, but it's all connected. I'm really looking forward to hearing from you! Thanks again.
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Advice for a New BBT charter?
Welcome! That was a lot..but I'll give it a try.
1. Not sure about the watch, but OPKs only tell you your body is gearing up to O (not that it has), BBT confirms.
2. I use the FF site on my computer, don't have a phone that does all the fancy stuff.
3. I like the Mabis from Walmart, I think a lot of the ladies use that one.
4. Most OPKs come with an instruction guide that tells you when to start using. Most recommend starting a certain amount of days after AF depending on your shortest and longest cycle range.
5. I temp and watch this bored for advice or suggestions. Other than that, I stay busy with work and school to stop myself from going so crazy.
Good luck to you!
I am only in my second month of charting (after TTC since June) and find that is has made me less crazy. Before I would wonder if I truly ovulated or picked the right days, by temping I know that I ovulated. All the other signs (CM and OPKS) tell you that your body is gearing up but it does not mean that you actually ovulated. I use the FF app on my iPhone, had a few issues but still like it. I am also a crazy planner and was not sure I wanted to get involved with temping but once I did I feel more in control ( as control as you can be). Go to FF and read the Q&A, it helped me understand why temping was important.
You can TTC with just OPKs (what's OV watch?), but it's much easier, imo, to get a clear picture with the BBT temps.
I think they suggest doing the OPKs 2x day (12hrs apart) to be sure you catch the surge.
Hello and good luck!!
Ha! Thanks!
If you haven't heard of OV Watch, it's pretty awesome. It's basically a watch that you wear every night during sleep. It measures a totally different series of biological markers than any other test--searches for a chloride surge, which is easiest to test through the skin. It then gives you a window of 4 days pre-Ov and 2 days Ov, for a total window of 6 days.
Lots of supposed benefits, especially for people with wackier cycles. It's somewhat expensive, like most OV monitors, but people seem to get great results--one of my best friends used it, had sex on ONLY her defined O day, and got pregnant. Most users report a positive pregnancy within 6 months of use. I was lucky enough to get one to review--can't wait to see how it goes!