Do we REALLY need OPKs and basal temping?

[TrixieLox]

What I mean is, if you BD every other day in your cycle, or certainly from day 10 to day 20 of you cycle, surely you have a good chance that way rather than relying on OPKs and basal temp to tell you? Or is there such a tiny window of time each month in which we can conceive that we do need them?

I've read a few cases where women have relied on OPKs and basal temping to tell them when to BD, didn't BD outside the window but when they ditched the 'gadgets' for a month, they fell cos they BD'd when they felt the urge rather than when their temps/OPKs told them...

I keep giving up with my OPKs as even when I get my usual OV pains and CM, they don't register that I'm OVing. But then they are Boots cheapies and I am only on my 3rd cycle of trying so trying the 'natural' way till the summer. I know I am OVing cos had unrelated check up few months back which showed I am. x

 

[anita665]

Well we don't really need them. Women managed before they existed and all they do is tell us when is best - our bodies still do the rest and would whether we used them or not.

Sometimes I think they make things worse because people rely on the completely & it causes stress which is not meant to be overly helpful when ttc.

Saying that, some women have been trying for years but not made it so if there's a chance they help then thats a good thing.

 

[loopylew]

anything that helps i suppose, BD'ing a lot is obviously the only way to get pg but i think it helps charting etc if your irregular and really have no idea from one month to the next when your ov

 

[**angel**]

its a good point and also if u know ya body u dont really need em but also its the reflief of wen u dont do it as i was BBT for nearly a year n wen i stopped focusing on it all i fell preg, also not sure on how reliable OPK's r as my sis was usin em n havin blood tests n her OPK showed positive n her blood tests showed negative i know which one id believe!!!!xx

 

[NeyNey]

I think everyone is different, sometimes it's good to take a break, and I wish you all the best!

I chart and test because it makes me feel like i'm doing something productive. After more than two years trying I feel like I need to do something more than just leave it to chance, so the more I do the more useful I feel in helping our dream come true

 

[TrixieLox]

I think everyone is different, sometimes it's good to take a break, and I wish you all the best!

I chart and test because it makes me feel like i'm doing something productive. After more than two years trying I feel like I need to do something more than just leave it to chance, so the more I do the more useful I feel in helping our dream come true

O, I think if you've been trying for a while, they're definitely worth a try. But if you've only been trying for a coupla months, I'm not so sure. Good luck Ney Ney, hope you get your BFP, bet you'll be so ecstatic when you do!x

 

[Arcanegirl]

IMO no you dont really need them if you are BDing every other day.

Like NeyNey i feel im doing something to help by using my cbfm and also im not a great sex person, we bd 3-4 times a month at most si if i can pinpoint the right time then its helpful to us.

 

[jo27]

Yer if you BD a lot i suppose you don't really need to use them, but i don't think i could BD every other month every single month i'd be worn out! I've just started using opk's this month but i don't the the cheapie ones are that good, i had EWCM so thought i would be ovulating but it didn't show!

 

[faith_may]

I think everyone is different, sometimes it's good to take a break, and I wish you all the best!

I chart and test because it makes me feel like i'm doing something productive. After more than two years trying I feel like I need to do something more than just leave it to chance, so the more I do the more useful I feel in helping our dream come true

I think that if doing all that makes you feel well, you have to keep doing it

 

[poppy]

You don't need to use them. Especially if you are BDing regularly around that time (and given that sperm can live for a few days in the body), you will give yourself a good chance.

However, it is a form of reassurance for many women that they are ovulating - and to help you feel more in control of the process I suppose. It depends on what you want to do for your own situation.

 

[Wobbles]

It helped me alot! Peoples reasons are different - personally I binned the OPKs and kept to charting I got so far and realised I didn't have to any more I was O on teh same day each month near enough!

x

 

[Suz]

I learned alot the few months I charted. and now Im learning even more using the OPKS. So for me It is helping me figure out my cycles and my body.

 

[Wobbles]

Oh I used OPKs & charting both seperately and together just got so far and kept to charting then needed neither x

 

[loopylew]

This is ky first month of using FF and opk's so i'm going to use the opk's initially then might stop if a pattern emerges, hopefully i won't have time for a pattern to emerge!! fingers crossed!!

 

[Tishimouse]

I agree that you don't need to chart or use OPK's etc. I think there is a danger for some people that they may become hung up on results, confuse themselves or get overly stressed out, so it won't be for everyone.

For myself, age is a big factor and having used BCP for so many years, I want to know how regular my cycles are. Therefore I bought a Clearblue Fertility Monitor and have also charted from day one. I've learned so much about my cycles in the last two months and so far they're like clockwork. I think I will keep charting for a while as I would love to share it with others in my situation if and when I fall PG. Reading the signs is very therapeutic for me.

 

[mandyb]

I also don't think they are necessary if you are BD every other day.

However, if you aren't successful with doing just that they can help you see if you aren't ovulating or having a long enough LP phase they can help you identify that.

Sure helped me with finding out how long my LP phase was and what I could do to make it longer!

Do whatever doesn't make it feel like it is a job too--but fun!

 

[akcher]

LOL I didn't even read this post before my other post of why you should BBT and OPK. Well as someone who have very irregular cycles, I need to know when I O'd. There are some cycles when I don't ovulate so I'm tracking for my peace of mind. If you have clockwerk cycles and are BDing every other day, you can save yourself a lot of stress by not charting.

 

[coccyx]

I have never used them. I am lucky to have a regular cycle.I knew i ovulated 14 days before start of next period, relied a lot on status of cervical mucus. Probably useful if you have irregular cycles, but would not spend too much on them if i was just starting ttc

 

[coccyx]