TTC #1 ovulation questions!!!

[hellolove]

Hey there ladies!
I am currently TTC for baby #1 and this is my first cycle. Since I am new to this, I had some (probably very dumb) questions about ovulating.
1. If I didn't have sex on O-day, but had it the day before (and late on the day after), what are my chances of still conceiving this cycle?
2. I ran out of opk's, but I think I may be ovulating today because of my cervical mucous and the ovulation "twings" or "pains" I've been feeling all day (and an increased sex drive!). But since I had these symptoms today (mucous and ovulation pains), would that mean I am ovulating now or I will ovulate within the next 24 hours? Because I won't be able to see DH again until tomorrow night when he gets back from his work trip.

Sorry for all of these probably very stupid questions! But this is my first cycle trying :0

 

[bunyhuny]

Hello, hunny! Welcome to TTC! I hope your stay here is short and sweet and you're in pregnancy land in no time!

1. Sperm live (on average) for 72 hours in your reproductive tract. The highest rates of conception are in couples who have sex every other day through the first half of the cycle. If you use OPK's, you start having sex every day once the OPK goes fertile. Many men will have a lower count after they have sex every day for a few days, so it's best to reserve the every single day sex until you get a positive OPK. If you want to have sex every day of your cycle, it can be okay for a lot of men, but why chance it, ya know?

2. It really depends. Some women have O pain for multiple days leading up to O, but some women only get it the day they O. Some women have several days of fertile CM, others only a day or two. It usually takes about 3-6 cycles to conceive, so if you don't conceive this time around, think of it as gaining knowledge for next month!

Note: Having sex the day before O is absolutely perfect timing. Once the sperm enter your body, they have to make it to your fallopian tubes and undergo a process called capacitation. This process usually takes about 5-7 hours, sometimes as much as 10 hours. They cannot fertilize the egg until they have undergone this process. If you wait until after you ovulate to have sex, it can be too late to conceive. The egg only lives 12-24 hours, so if you ovulate early in the morning but don't BD (have sex) until that night, those sperm would not likely be ready to fertilize the egg on time.

The best days to have sex are the two day before ovulation and the day of.

 

[Bee Bee]

As buny said, sperm can live for quite a while, about 3-5 days at the longest. And actually BDing BEFORE O day is ideal. You always want sperm waiting for the egg, not trying to find it in the tube. So, optimally, you want to BD fairly closely together (every other day is best) starting 5-7 days before O.

As far as your O symptoms, for me I have them 3-4 days before and leading up to O. Everyone is different in this respect, so its hard to say when you'll O if you havent already because I also get fertile CM and/or cramps AFTER O.

Really the best way to know if you have O'd or not is to try charting next cycle which I highly suggest

 

[KatO79]

1. If I didn't have sex on O-day, but had it the day before (and late on the day after), what are my chances of still conceiving this cycle?

It's considered most optimal to have sex the days leading up to ovulation. This is because sperm can live from anywhere between 2-5 days with 3 days being the average while your egg only is viable for 12 hours (some say up to 24). I wouldn't think having sex after ovulation would help your chances since it most likely is too late.

I always recommend that you start having sex after your period is over and continue every 2nd (or evt. 3rd) day until you're absolutely sure you ovulated. I did this even though I'm super regular while I was trying naturally and still try to even though we're going through assisted conception (had my 3rd IUI last week). Some swear to SMEP (Sperm Meets Egg Plan):

Cycle days 1-7
◾CD1 is your first day of full flow
◾Stock up on Ovulation Predictor Kits (OPKs)
◾Stock up on Pregnancy Tests
◾Mark start dates on your calendar: ◾CD8 = BD (“Baby Dance”/have intercourse/”try&#8221 every other day until you receive a positive OPK (+OPK)
◾CD10 daily OPK tests


Cycle day 8
◾BD, and plan to BD every other day until +OPK

Cycle day 10
◾Start daily OPK testing until OPK turns positive

+OPK day
◾BD today, tomorrow, and the next day.
◾Skip a day and BD one more time.
◾Mark test day on your calendar: +OPK day + 15 = test day
◾If OPK never turns positive, BD every other day until your period (AF or “Aunt Flo/Flow&#8221 arrives or until CD35

Test day (or CD35)
◾If AF has not arrived, take a home pregnancy test
◾First morning urine (FMU) does not always yield the best results, you may wish to try with your second morning urine (SMU) or an afternoon test after a 3-4 hour hold (no liquids)

As to your chances: your chances every month are between 15-20% and this is even if you've timed things right. This pretty gradually decreases though the longer it takes for you to conceive. It is worth noting though that it can take a normal, perfectly fertile couple up to 1 year to conceive with the average being 6-8 months.

If you're under 35, you can first seek help after 1 year of TTCing while if you're 35 or over, already after 6 months. But this depends on where you live as certain countries have different rules. E.g. in Denmark, it's first after 1 year no matter your age

2. I ran out of opk's, but I think I may be ovulating today because of my cervical mucous and the ovulation "twings" or "pains" I've been feeling all day (and an increased sex drive!). But since I had these symptoms today (mucous and ovulation pains), would that mean I am ovulating now or I will ovulate within the next 24 hours? Because I won't be able to see DH again until tomorrow night when he gets back from his work trip.

Having ovulation pains and the timing of these varies from woman to woman, that is if you experience it (I don't normally). Some experience them before ovulation, some during ovulation and some after. So it's a matter of knowing your body and it's very hard for anyone else to tell you which is the case for you.

Good luck