OPKs

slv0606

School me, please! I have no idea how they work or what half of any of the verbage actually means. Pretty much break it down into plain English, pictures might help...JK! Kinda haha!

jmccall79

Does this help...https://americanpregnancy.org/gettingpregnant/ovulationkits.html

Bella61811

The link above is a pretty good link. The thing to remember with OPKs is that they only detect the LH surge which your body produces around 24 hours before ovulation. It doesn't predict actual ovulation. So, your body could have the LH surge causing you to have a positive OPK, but you could never ovulate, only gear up to. The only way to confirm ovulation is by taking your BBT. They're actually pretty easy to use. I start using them around CD 12-13 until I no longer get a positive. I usually have 2-3 days of positives.

2chatter

DS was conceived 5 days before I got confirmation from the OPK. I thought there was no way it was going to work out that month, but was sort of frustrated with the whole deal. DH travels for work, so I felt like we were never hitting the right window. It makes me wonder what all of the "exceptions" are to OPKs.

jldubb0626

Everyone gave good information. The only other advice I have is not to use FMU like you do for pregnancy tests. Since the LH hormone is present in your urine before your surge (at least for me it is), having it "build up" over night could create a false positive. I test twice a day and the first time is with my second bathroom break in the AM. Then I test again around dinner. 

I also have never taken my temperature and I've gotten pregnant 3 times just using OPKs and checking my CM. 

ETA: Fertility Friend is also EXTREMELY helpful! You can keep track of all your infomation in one place and they have a beginners guide to tracking your information. They have an app for your phone and it's free! 

jldubb0626

And does this mean you guys are TTC?! Nosy minds want to know!

Mommy2my1st

I was using them to get pregnant this time.  I tested twice a day, morning and night, and the day I got my positive I got a negative in the morning and then when I tested in the evening I got a very distinct positive. 

Before that I had zero luck charting and trying the temp thing.  I only had to buy one kit, it had 14 tests.

slv0606

jldubb0626:

And does this mean you guys are TTC?! Nosy minds want to know!

Not yet, we're both in a wedding in July so we're consumed with that right now. But come August we're jumping on that TTC train! With DS we used no protection for 7 months and did charting and temping(kinda) for 4 before we got a BFP. I am hoping it doesn't take that long again. But then again we weren't even trying with my last pregnancy.