strips or midstream tests - your preference?

BostonGayGal · May 2009

I am on:?https://www.early-pregnancy-tests.com/I have never used an opk or a pregnancy test. ?Which do you prefer, the strips or the midstream tests? (opks 25% sensitivity, preg test 20%)?I'd like to be frugal, but if I have to use the test three times because I can't read it there won't be any money saved, and compared to the other costs of getting pregnant, this is not even a drop in the proverbial pee cup.*repost from SI?

Two*True · May 2009

You'll get a variety of opinions, but in my experience the strips have always been easy to read and were definitely cheaper. Some women use the midstream just to verify once a + is seen. That might be away to save a bit.

thiswillbe · May 2009

Midstream, definitely. Especially for opks. I am not really coordinated enough to pee in a tiny cup (the size I could hide in my pocket), and I do opks at work.

For hpts it probably wouldn't matter to me since we test at home (FMU and all), but I still have only gotten the midstream ones. (That said, I think we may just wait for the beta next cycle instead of POAS at all. It really stressed DW out to see the negatives.)

Duchess1 · May 2009

Midstream, so much easier. But I must confess that we PIAC and dipped when we were waiting for that smiley face or felt unsure of the results.

BostonGayGal · May 2009

Well, I am using the cbefm, but my midwife is more familiar with the opks. My thinking though is that once the cbefm gives me a few highs (I tend to get a bunch before the peak) I will then start the opks so I hopefully won't need as many. ?For ease of peeing, I opted for a bunch of the midstreams. And since I KNOW I am irrationally impatient, I wanted a bunch more of the pregnancy tests than the kits contained.

30 more cbefm test sticks, 25 midstream opks,?10 midstream pregnancy tests, 12 pregnancy test strips. $100.83.

Hoping that will get me through June, July, and August.?

nadiarl · May 2009

I got the dip strips from that site. They worked fine, I saw all the lines I needed to.

The first cycle of using the ovulation strips worked out! I recommend them. The BBT charting didn't work out for because I kept forgetting. The pregnancy tests were very clear, no guesswork involved. Because I was lucky enough to get the BFP so quickly, I have a stockpile of test stips in my cabinet.

mlwurster · May 2009

I've POAS so many times that I used to think my period wouldn't start unless I did! I think their easier and more reliable (I have no backing for that, but just a personal opinion).

laure1122 · May 2009

I use the strips from that site. Just pee in a cup and dip the strip for 5 seconds. When I am ovulating the 2nd line comes up w/in 5 seconds. It is really easy for me to tell the difference in color. Not ovulating is MUCH lighter pink and longer to form the line. Anyway, I love these tests because they are cheap and I don't feel guilty starting them day 10 of my cycle. This cycle, I ovulated day 11 so I was lucky I caught it! I used to use the most expensive smiley face ones but would only use the after day 13 to save money! Not so smart!

thiswillbe · May 2009

Forgot to add: for opks, when I got an almost-positive, I confirmed with a digital. That was my grand money-saving strategy (and how I kept myself from using digitals incessantly "just to make sure")...

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strips or midstream tests - your preference?

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