Opinions please :)

[ES89]

My partner and I decided it was time to start trying for a baby. I have been off the pill since last January after being on it for 7 years due to irregular and painful periods through my teenage years. So far I have no success in conceiving We waited the first couple of months as advised to wait for the pill to get out of my system. Since April last year I have been counting the days of my menstrual cycles. 28, 34, 33, 31, 23, 30, 28, 35, 31, 28. I have been blood spotting up to a week before actually bleeding. The days of blood spotting has decreased as time has gone on. I have been taking folic acid since then also. we have tried having intercourse every other day, everyday but nothing. On my last cycle I used ovulation tests I got a positive on day 18. We had sex days before ovulation on ovulation and after. I only had a 28 day cycle this month and I have just read about luteal phase defect, do you think I may be affected and that is why I have been having no success??

 

[GlasgowAngel]

I think you really need to try charting your BBT for a few months to get a better idea of when your ovlating and how long your luteal phase is.

 

[ES89]

would you recommend carry on using the ovulation tests? I know your ovulation date can vary, can your luteal phase too? I haven't actually tried testing my bbt, is it best to do it in the morning?

 

[GlasgowAngel]

I'd say you eant to.try full charting, so check your temp every morning at the same time (best to.set your alarm to do this) before you get out of bed or move about. check your cervix position and cm. Your luteal phase generally will stay the same.though it can sometimes vary by a day or 2 it's usualy ovulation that will move around oh and keep doing OPKs too.

Checking all of these will help you understand your body much better and you will soon know.whats going on.

 

[jenwantsababy]

i agree, and yes i would definitely keep doing the OPKs; since i started using them, i feel like i have a much better understanding of exactly when i'm ovulating, and combined with cm, it just makes it a lot more clear when it's happening. your luteal phase should be about the same with each cycle.

 

[kiki04]

I am an avid charter and yes you should use a 2 decimal basal body temperature at the same time every morning. This will help you identify the temp shift which occurs after ovulation. If you use the OPK's it is an indicator you are ABOUT to ovulate, then if you get a temp spike a couple days later, its a good confirmation that you ahve in fact ovulated. After a few cycles you will learn what your actual luteal phase is, which like pp said, usually is within a day or 2. My LP is 13-14 days. This cycle of mine has been over 60 days... but if you look at my chart, you can see with my temps and the small spikes, that my body kept "trying" to ovulate, however no egg was actually released. You will only get AF after an egg has been released, or if it continues on too long with no ov, then you will get AF when your uterine lining becomes too thick and sheds on its own. In my case... I finally had a true temp shift... it went way higher which has confirmed ovulation for me... therefore with my normal 31-33 day cycles, even not having a clue what is going on this month, I can acurrately say I should have AF by friday... because I know how long my LP is...

 

[ES89]

thanks for the advice I will definitely take it on board I have tried looking at my cervical mucus but never my cervix position. might seem like a stupid question but how do you do this?

 

[kiki04]

I have no idea on that one I dont do that...

 

[ES89]

and what advice can you all give on how often you have intercourse? save it up for around ovulation? sorry may seem like silly questions but I have read so many different things! :S

 

[GlasgowAngel]

I'd say every other day through your cycle and every say around ovulation time.

As for checking your cervix, I've only just started that this month so not best person to give advice but got to fertility friend to help with your charting

 

[ES89]

can anyone add to this? xx