Plan for next cycle

[Rawan]

Hi everyone,
Just got my BFN again this morning with first response, and af just showed up afterwards...I am out again this month, feeling so discouraged...try again next cycle...I want to come up with a plan so hopefully next month can get my BFP.
I've been using ovulation kit for the last 2 cycles, and I realize I ovulate around day 10-12. The first cycle I used ovulation kit, I got smiley face on day 11 (clear blue digital ovulation kit). The second cycle I seemed to have miss the LH surge, because I started to use ovulation strip, and on day 10(July 5), the strip was getting darker, but not true positive, and on day 11(July 6), it got lighter, and my af just showed up today (July 20). My partner is going away early Aug to visit his family for 1 month, so there's one more chance to try before he goes away, then I have to wait 1 month. Due to my partner's work schedule, we can't bd everyday, and I don't want to make him feel we have to bd on schedule. When should we bd to maximize the chance of getting pregnant? Is it 1 day before ovulation and the day of ovulation? Do you bd before you see smiley face/positive on ovulation kit? I also use preseed, but I don't use the applicator, so I just use it as a lubricant before we bd (since I never use tampon before, feel kind of scared to insert the applicator inside me). Do you have any suggestions for me? What kind of things have you tried that worked for you? Thank you so much and baby dust to everyone!

 

[Weebles]

Sperm can generaly live up to 5 days but I've read O-2 through O are they days with the best chances of conception, maybe O+1 but I have doubts about that, I think it's mainly said just to be safe in case your timing is off. Since the opk's give a positive up to 48 hours before ovulation it's a great time to BD. I have used them before but no longer do because I also had a difficult time catching the surge. I highly recommend charting your bbt. I was intimidated by it before but I'm sooo glad I got over that, it's been super helpful. Since it confirms ovulation after the fact (which is too late if you haven't BD yet) I also recommend checking your CM and position, that way you can learn when you are fertile and then have it confirmed by your bbt. Preseed is great, I use it the same way as you. The best advice I have is to try again and whatever you do, don't give up.

 

[Rawan]

Thank you for the info and encouragement!
I also bought clear blue digital ovulation kit recently (the one with flashing smiley face), and I will start testing more than once/day so I won't miss the LH surge. Yeah, I have started to chart my BBT. By 0-2 you mean ovulation and 2 days after? I had a gyno appt recently, and my gynecologist told me usually egg survives 24 hr after ovulation. I am thinking for this last cycle, since we bd on day 11-13, but my ovulation strip got darker on day 10 and lighter on day 11, we might have missed the eggie, because maybe my egg was released late evening on day 10, so by the time we bd on day 11(late night), it might be gone already....maybe that's why no BFP this month

Sperm can generaly live up to 5 days but I've read O-2 through O are they days with the best chances of conception, maybe O+1 but I have doubts about that, I think it's mainly said just to be safe in case your timing is off. Since the opk's give a positive up to 48 hours before ovulation it's a great time to BD. I have used them before but no longer do because I also had a difficult time catching the surge. I highly recommend charting your bbt. I was intimidated by it before but I'm sooo glad I got over that, it's been super helpful. Since it confirms ovulation after the fact (which is too late if you haven't BD yet) I also recommend checking your CM and position, that way you can learn when you are fertile and then have it confirmed by your bbt. Preseed is great, I use it the same way as you. The best advice I have is to try again and whatever you do, don't give up.

 

[WishnandHopn]

Sorry this month didn't work out Rawan! I agree with Weebles advice.

O-2 = 2 days before ovulation, O-1 = 1 day before ovulation. Those days are supposed to give you the best chances of conceiving because sperm will have made it up to the fallopian tubes and be there waiting when the egg is released. One strategy might be to start BDing every other day after AF is gone, and then every day for 2-3 days once you get the peak solid smiley on your cb advanced (it will stay on the screen for 48 hours so you don't need to test anymore after you get a solid smiley!)

 

[Rawan]

Oh ok I see, thank you for the info and encouragement!
I will try that for next cycle. It's just so disappointing to keep seeing BFN...anyways I will try to stay positive and hopefully can get my BFP next month!

Sorry this month didn't work out Rawan! I agree with Weebles advice.

O-2 = 2 days before ovulation, O-1 = 1 day before ovulation. Those days are supposed to give you the best chances of conceiving because sperm will have made it up to the fallopian tubes and be there waiting when the egg is released. One strategy might be to start BDing every other day after AF is gone, and then every day for 2-3 days once you get the peak solid smiley on your cb advanced (it will stay on the screen for 48 hours so you don't need to test anymore after you get a solid smiley!)

 

[Weebles]

Wishn explained what I meant by O-2.

Judging by what you've said about your opk's I think you had good timing your last cycle. If your positive was on cd10 you would be likely to ovulate within the next 48 hours and you BD on those days. Once you've charted for a few months if you keep doing opk's I bet you'll have a better idea of how soon you ovulate after you get a positive. If they worked better for me, personally, I would try to BD after a positive until ovulation was confirmed on my chart. That doesn't always work out though and you just kind of have to go with it. Thankfully timing doesn't have to be exact.

 

[Rawan]

I read that even if all the timing is good, the chance of pregnancy is only 20-25 %, maybe that's why it's really not that easy to get pregnant...

Wishn explained what I meant by O-2.

Judging by what you've said about your opk's I think you had good timing your last cycle. If your positive was on cd10 you would be likely to ovulate within the next 48 hours and you BD on those days. Once you've charted for a few months if you keep doing opk's I bet you'll have a better idea of how soon you ovulate after you get a positive. If they worked better for me, personally, I would try to BD after a positive until ovulation was confirmed on my chart. That doesn't always work out though and you just kind of have to go with it. Thankfully timing doesn't have to be exact.

 

[Weebles]

What I meant is that since the sperm live so much longer than the egg there is wiggle room with timing BD.

But yeah, I've read that too. Nothing to do but try again. I'm currently in my 8th tww and I'm doing everything I can to sway those odds in my favor. I hope I get lucky this time but if not we will just try again. It will happen and I hope you get your BFP soon!

 

[Rawan]

Thank you and good luck! Baby dust to all of us who are trying!

What I meant is that since the sperm live so much longer than the egg there is wiggle room with timing BD.

But yeah, I've read that too. Nothing to do but try again. I'm currently in my 8th tww and I'm doing everything I can to sway those odds in my favor. I hope I get lucky this time but if not we will just try again. It will happen and I hope you get your BFP soon!