-
I'll definitely take all the blue dust available haha
Not urgent - you might recall I am finding OPKs do not line up with other symptoms (friskiness, CM etc) - I think mainly because it is hard having a consistent concentration of urine (same time, same amount of water drunk, same hold etc) so I think opks make me question O!
so have ordered some Clearblue dual hormone ovulation sticks (the ones with both the flashing and static smiley).
I know that with classic strip opks, you recommend starting attempts at the first true positive (as dark as control) - but with the CB dual opk, what is best? I know flashing smileys can go on for daaaays..so should we aim for static smiley to begin attempts? (I will still do strip opks in parallel, probably also temping and charting in more detail to see how it all lines up in coming months)
How I wish I had a crystal ball telling me exactly when I would O each cycle so we could plan BDing haha
-
Yes that's generally what I recommend with the Clearblues, waiting for static or solid smiley for attempts. Just keep in mind sometimes that you will go right to solid with no flashies, and have many days of flashy before the solid.
-
Cool, I thought that would be the case - yes, I do remember using them the cycle before falling pregnant with DD3 and it went straight from basis to solid! Was the 1st month using it then too which didn't help.
I found a good deal so have managed to buy 6 boxes of 10 tests (6 cycles' worth I think)!! one or two which I will keep for attempt months but will do some testing in the next few months to see how it assesses O vs the opks etc so I can correlate CB/strip opk/symptoms and temps (over planner, me? neveeeer!! LOL)
-
I LIKE to see blue swayers overplanning a little (it's the type of thing pink swayers do as a matter of course!) That having been said, they don't always correlate the way we expect and the patterns can change even in how they seem to relate to each other, so don't get too wrapped up in expecting them to fit neatly into a schedule that stays the same every month!
-
Don't worry, I won't get my knickers in a tangle over everything being the same every month...I know it won't be mirror images of a cycle one after the other, anyways !
Just trying to see common patterns - so for instance if pos opk and EWCM *tend* to arrive, say 48h before temp drop and say, 24h before solid smiley... then temp rises day after solid smiley...
so I would be able to know when the fertile window *tends* to open on average compared to the different tests/symptoms etc so less chance of getting caught out and missing the window! even if my cycle duration and CD on which I O vary, I should feel confident about the fertile window regardless ^^
I've ALWAYS been an over planner - I think I just don't like not knowing what comes next - so I always as far as I can remember, even as a young child...have tried to pre-empt/plan/anticipate how things would go even if I had no control over them, and boy oh boy if they could be controlled even a bit, then I took the chance to do so haha
And checking my cycles is one thing I CAN do - not control obviously - but have some sort of visibility over so you bet I am trying LOL
I have tried very very hard to get into the mindset of not obsessing over what I cannot have any control over though and to just trust fate in a way when it comes to those things (and it's been tough!).
-
Being an overplanner is GREAT for blue, we just need to make sure that it doesn't start to feel defeating/overwhelming! You're doing GREAT!
-
Happy New year everyone!!
I'm definitely feeling positive, so not defeated at all!
Nervous? yes! but not defeated, so am happy about that ;)
New cycle starting today and even if we had a hiatus for a week with BD as I got really sick just after Xmas, we've otherwise kept a good every 2-3 days BD pattern, even post O,which is good ;) shows that we can do it - and being on holidays when we TTC, should hopefully be able to keep that up.
Will be sure to have hubby empty those pipes often enough in the next 6 months so he's definitely able to do it when the important time comes haha
Though - speaking of stamina/energy:
Having been sick on our Xmas/summer break - makes me wonder - since I seem to get sick every time I have a break from work: I really would like to avoid getting ill when o/s in July/August and TTC.
Being on a plane/aircon/close proximity to other people etc is obviously conducive to catching virus/picking up germs etc - so want to be able to boost my immune system as best as possible. I think we will get our flu shots in April ish (which is before winter starts here in June).
If I take my multi/ probiotics/extra D & folate /Cq10/ iron (as I need that extra due to deficiency - 100mg EOD) in the lead-up to our trip - would there be anything else you'd recommend to avoid any of us getting sick?
I would like to avoid DH getting ill too obviously... I will have him on multi/ probiotics/ L arginine + carnitine / Cq10
I will be eating lots of our blood oranges (they should be in full season by then or in the lead up at least) and drinking lemon water with juice from our lemons from now onwards - so I'd be getting a fair chunk of vit C.
Also - I've now decided I want to wean miss#4 soonish as it's getting to be too much for me - she is 22 months old today so hoping to have her fully weaned by her 2nd birthday (we've managed to night wean fairly easily over a couple of weeks, a month ish ago)... I hope that will allow me a bit more stamina/energy as she's hung on me when we are together otherwise.
I love the closeness but also keen to get my body back to myself a bit before TTC and sharing it again (if and when we are blessed with a new pregnancy!).
-
Fabulous!!! Once you get into the pattern it becomes second nature and hubby starts to notice if a day gets skipped, LOL.
Sadly, there is no magic pill to take to avoid illness. It's all about the germs. You're already doing what you can to be in excellent health and I would just carry on doing exactly that. None of the "magic" cures/preventatives for illness really work. I would not have you add in anything like elderberry or super high doses of zinc as they may cause more harm than good.
I hope weaning goes smoothly!!!!
-
Thanks - won't try to add anything else to the regime then ^^
You're right - DH may indeed notice if we skip a day...that'd be ideal in fact, would mean it's just the "normal" :P
It is just easy to slip into the previous routine with less frequent BD (thanks kids/tiredness!). So getting BD in the evening as soon as kids are in bed/ early AM before they wake up = key in our case to get it in LOL
My only concern with TTC will be that I think at my parents we will be sharing a room with all of them so may have to send them off to their grandparents to get the attempts in :P
-
Oh yikes, yes we need a little help from grandparents to make the magic happen!
I agree completely about changing up the timing having an entirely different result. Most women, and some men are just SO tired at the end of the day it is the last thing on our/their minds. A change in schedule can make all the difference in the world!
