How long did you actively chart your cycles & use OPKs before officially TTC?

[ourbabygirl]

I was hoping to start TTC in July, but I'm wondering how much 'pre-game prep' ;) I should do before that. With our first, it took us 11 months to conceive (so not on birth control, but didn't chart more until about month 5 or 6, and started using OPKs about month 8 or 9?). Our second was kind of an oops baby, conceived the month I was off birth control and without charting. My cycles are pretty wonky, which is why the OPKs didn't work so well in the beginning (I was off with my timing of testing).

Care to share what you do/ did to prep. before officially TTC? And how early you started?

Thanks for sharing! :)

[Melaine]

We did no prep and conceived first try both times. I don't have easy pregnancies but conception is another story.

[okinawama]

We didn't consider it pre-game, because we used charting as a way to avoid pregnancy at first, but we charted 9 months to avoid and on month 10 when we were TTC, we were successful. We charted for 14 months to avoid after DS1 was born, and when we tried during month 15 to conceive we were successful.

[specialp]

I would just start charting asap to get a good handle on your cycles before you are TTC. There's no pressure and you will be so prepared and can then add the OPK when you are ready for game time. Charting is so easy once you get it, but so difficult when trying to figure it out. I actually don't chart anymore as much as I pay attention and then will note something on my calendar.

[essnce629]

I would just start charting asap to get a good handle on your cycles before you are TTC. There's no pressure and you will be so prepared and can then add the OPK when you are ready for game time. Charting is so easy once you get it, but so difficult when trying to figure it out. I actually don't chart anymore as much as I pay attention and then will note something on my calendar.

I agree with this. If you start charting beforehand you can see if there's any issues-- not ovulating, super late ovulation, short luteal phase, little cm, etc. That way you can correct any issues before you start TTC with supplements, etc.

[123LuckyMom]

Have you read the book _Taking Charge of Your Fertility_ by Toni Weschler?

Taking Charge of Your Fertility, 10th Anniversary Edition: The Defi... http://www.amazon.com/dp/0060881909/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_btAwtb08442VV

I ask because I charted and used ovulation tests under my gynecologist's direction for at least a year and a half before conceiving and then miscarrying, and then for another six months before reading this book. My gynecologist had recommended Clomid and seeing a fertility specialist. My husband went for testing. It turned out that I just didn't know how to read my body's signs or interpret the chart until I read that book! There were other things I didn't know, too, like not to use a lubricant during sex.

After reading the book, I conceived on my second cycle. I also conceived DD on the second cycle of trying even though I was 40 at the time. I highly recommend the book! We use the method now for birth control. I will make my DD read it when she hits puberty so she can know her body better than I did! I think it should be required reading for all teen girls and any women who didn't read it as teens.

[mikala]

Have you read the book _Taking Charge of Your Fertility_ by Toni Weschler?

Taking Charge of Your Fertility, 10th Anniversary Edition: The Defi... http://www.amazon.com/dp/0060881909/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_btAwtb08442VV
...
I think it should be required reading for all teen girls and any women who didn't read it as teens.

I totally agree! I read it while ttc my second and learned so much about my body. I've since loaned it out to two other friends ttc and both got pregnant. One had been trying for several months.

[tabegle]

With my first, I stopped BCPs and before we were ready to try. I started temping in december and with that (and reading TCOYF) I realized I wasn't ovulating. I went to the dr, got diagnosed with hypothyroidism and pcos. The next month I got pg. (PCOS induced by the hypo).

With my second, I mentally calc'd when I was ovulating based on when my periods started. I got pg as soon as I could determine my ovulation timeframe on purpose.

With this baby, I removed my IUD in April/may, and started using the MyDays app on my phone. DH and I agreed when to start ttc (october). I ordered opks and continued the MyDays app and got pg right away again.

I know I'm very lucky to have only had a very treatable issue in the beginning of my parenting journey.

[gymnbomb]

I went off the pill and switched to condoms in December to allow my system time to return to "normal", started temping/charting with my first real cycle after that which would have been in January or February. I did not use OPKs until the first cycle we started trying which was in June. We conceived on the first try. I was 30, DH 33 at the time.

[ourbabygirl]

Thanks, All, this has been helpful! Yeah, I have read (most of) TCOYF- got it back when it was taking us a while to conceive our first, and it helped me realize my cycles are off, but I need to read through it more again.

[AnnieW625]

With Dd1 we did no planning other than stopping the pill. I started using mymonthlyplanner.com after DH and I started ttc baby 2 and I was no longer on birth control. We ttc for 6 months before I got pregnant with baby2, but I think our taking so long was due to stress and me not knowing for sure if I wanted another child. With Dd2 we did nothing but after we had unprotected sex the firs thing I did was check mymonthlyplanner to see where I was in my cycle so I know exactly when I got pregnant with dd2.

[TxCat]

I didn't regularly chart with DD1 and we got pregnant our 2nd month of trying (I was 32 when we conceived, 33 for delivery).

For DD2, I charted for about 5-6 months, one m/c, then added OPKs, one m/c and finally a successful pregnancy on our 8th month of trying. I found that the charting apps are really helpful if you have a smartphone.

[swissair81]

I have never been able to temp. I would have no way to temp before getting out of bed. Using a current example, DD4 wakes up at 5 am. I never think twice before getting up.

[hillview]

With DS1 I charted for over a year -- we had fert issues. The TCOYF is a great book-- also their website (which is how I heard about BBB website!)

[ilfaith]

With DS1 we TTCed for almost two years, and charted for about 18 months. My cycles were like clockwork, and we went through all sorts of testing. I had the prescription for Clomid (to hopefully increase my odds) in my wallet when I got PG (naturally) the first time, only to MC at 7 weeks. I was pregnant two months later with DS1.

When we were ready to TTC #2, I got pregnant on my second charted cycle, resulting in DS2.

Two years later, we thought we would maybe go for a third. We weren't actively TTC, but we decided not to do anything to prevent pregnancy either. I missed a period, peed on a stick, got a BFP, put off a root canal, and MCed a week later. The following month, I started taking my temperature about a week before AF was due, figuring I would start charting with the next cycle, only for my temperature stay high. And along came DS3.

[indigo99]

Late to the thread, but I don't frequent the pregnancy threads nowadays. FWIW, sometimes it's easiest to get pregnant right when you come off the pill. I got pregnant the first month trying, but we lost that baby. After waiting 3 months, I then tried for 8 months to get pregnant again. If it had gone much longer then my doctor wanted me to go back on the pill a bit and try again (or use egg stimulating drugs that I wanted to avoid). I got the Answer brand ovulation tests from Walgreens because they were cheapest, and I only used them for about a week each month. With DS2, I got pregnant on the first try again.