My seventh grade science teacher, Mr. Adair, would probably be disappointed with my fertility experiment due to the numerous variables I have introduced. In fact, I was starting to lose track of them myself, so I decided to take time tonight to recap our many efforts on this reproductive journey. I’ve linked them to my past posts, so if you need a recap, too, it’s only a click away!
1. Prayers
2. Semen Analysis
3. Fertility Diet
4. Prenatal Vitamins
5. Ov Watch
6. Charting Cycle
7. Cervical Mucus
8. Acupuncture
9. Herbs
10. Fertility Bracelet
11. Lunar Phase Fertility
12. Chiropractic
13. Robitussin
What’s next? Hopefully a hysterosalpingogram (HSG) to check my pipes. I have a consultation scheduled for Wednesday, and I’m hoping to get it in before school starts. I guess that will be a big middle finger to getting this thing done "without the help of modern medicine." Plus, I already took the Robitussin (Does that count?).
By the way, school starts on Friday the 13th... I think that says it all!
Showing posts with label Ov Watch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ov Watch. Show all posts
Monday, July 26, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Five Facile Ways To Forecast Your Fertility
1. Ovulation Calendars and Calculators such as http://www.ovulation-calculator.com/ are free and easy, especially if you have a regular cycle. Simply enter in the date of your last period, cycle length and luteal phase length (if you aren’t sure, just select the defaults) and click to view your lucky date!
2. Basal Body Temperature is slightly more complicated, but also more precise. For less than $10 you can purchase a basal thermometer at your local pharmacy. This is a super-sensitive thermometer that tracks even the tiniest shift in your body temperature. Use it at the same time every morning before you even get out of bed—when your temperature spikes, ovulation is complete. Since it basically tells you after the fact, chart it for a month or so until you can begin to make your own prediction about when you are most fertile.
3. Fertility Monitors are more expensive than other methods (ranging from $150 to $250), but also give you up to seven days advanced notice prior to ovulation—especially great for those of us with slightly irregular cycles. The Clear Blue Easy Fertility Monitor is a digital reader that requires you to urinate on test sticks to predict ovulation. The OvaCue Monitor uses saliva to predict fertility. If you aren’t into bodily fluids, check out the Ov Watch, a digital, sporty, watch-like monitor that can be worn while sleeping.
4. Ovulation Predictor Kits are similar to pregnancy tests, since you have to urinate on them and wait a few minutes for the results. Although they don’t give you the heads up that the fertility monitors do, they are less expensive, averaging $35 for a one month supply.
5. Cervical Mucus changes throughout a woman’s cycle. At your most fertile time, cervical mucus is the consistency of egg whites and can be stretched up to about two inches between your thumb and forefinger. It’s your body’s natural lubricant to help the sperm on their journey to the egg. It may sound invasive, but it’s free and easy!
It’s up to you to decide the method that best suits your needs… or try a combination to discover your fertile days on your TTC journey!
2. Basal Body Temperature is slightly more complicated, but also more precise. For less than $10 you can purchase a basal thermometer at your local pharmacy. This is a super-sensitive thermometer that tracks even the tiniest shift in your body temperature. Use it at the same time every morning before you even get out of bed—when your temperature spikes, ovulation is complete. Since it basically tells you after the fact, chart it for a month or so until you can begin to make your own prediction about when you are most fertile.
3. Fertility Monitors are more expensive than other methods (ranging from $150 to $250), but also give you up to seven days advanced notice prior to ovulation—especially great for those of us with slightly irregular cycles. The Clear Blue Easy Fertility Monitor is a digital reader that requires you to urinate on test sticks to predict ovulation. The OvaCue Monitor uses saliva to predict fertility. If you aren’t into bodily fluids, check out the Ov Watch, a digital, sporty, watch-like monitor that can be worn while sleeping.
4. Ovulation Predictor Kits are similar to pregnancy tests, since you have to urinate on them and wait a few minutes for the results. Although they don’t give you the heads up that the fertility monitors do, they are less expensive, averaging $35 for a one month supply.
5. Cervical Mucus changes throughout a woman’s cycle. At your most fertile time, cervical mucus is the consistency of egg whites and can be stretched up to about two inches between your thumb and forefinger. It’s your body’s natural lubricant to help the sperm on their journey to the egg. It may sound invasive, but it’s free and easy!
It’s up to you to decide the method that best suits your needs… or try a combination to discover your fertile days on your TTC journey!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Off the Wagon
Okay, it’s confession time. I have totally toppled off the fertility wagon! Not only have I forgotten to wear my Ov Watch on four occasions, take my prenatal vitamin on three occasions and drink my fertility herbs on five plus occasions, but traveling and the fourth of July holiday have also eff-bombed up our fertility diet.
My sweet momma bought a ton of organic fruits and veggies for us (she really wants some grandkids), but traveling back and forth to the hospital in Shreveport to stay with my cousin has made it hard to find time to eat them (Refined Carbs 1, Fertility 0). Plus, I had a couple of cups of coffee on Saturday at Cracker Barrel. The chaos of the last week has blitzkrieged Operation Fertilization to smithereens! Although I suppose it’s not a total loss because we haven’t smoked, drank or taken illicit drugs (or eaten sushi). Yay us.
Before we get the big “FAIL” stamp, I have to put this in perspective, as it was only one week shot to hell. And, we did manage to maintain the baby dance schedule during peak hours, which is probably the most important aspect. In hindsight, I probably should have realized that vacations and strict fertility diet plans don’t mix.
Now that I’ve gotten this off my chest, I feel much better. With about ten more days of vacation, I intend to cowgirl up on the vitamins and herbs. The diet may be postponed until our return to Chucktown (picture Eric jumping up and down, brownies in hand, as I write this).
My sweet momma bought a ton of organic fruits and veggies for us (she really wants some grandkids), but traveling back and forth to the hospital in Shreveport to stay with my cousin has made it hard to find time to eat them (Refined Carbs 1, Fertility 0). Plus, I had a couple of cups of coffee on Saturday at Cracker Barrel. The chaos of the last week has blitzkrieged Operation Fertilization to smithereens! Although I suppose it’s not a total loss because we haven’t smoked, drank or taken illicit drugs (or eaten sushi). Yay us.
Before we get the big “FAIL” stamp, I have to put this in perspective, as it was only one week shot to hell. And, we did manage to maintain the baby dance schedule during peak hours, which is probably the most important aspect. In hindsight, I probably should have realized that vacations and strict fertility diet plans don’t mix.
Now that I’ve gotten this off my chest, I feel much better. With about ten more days of vacation, I intend to cowgirl up on the vitamins and herbs. The diet may be postponed until our return to Chucktown (picture Eric jumping up and down, brownies in hand, as I write this).
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Check Your Fluids
Late last night Eric and I arrived at the Griffin Ranch in Lindale, Texas, after two days of traveling. We were pretty exhausted and all of our toiletries and gadgets were packed away in our luggage. After digging out my toothbrush and face soap in preparation for the nightly ritual of teeth brushing and face washing, I crawled into bed in my parents’ guest room and fell sound asleep. I awoke this morning with one of those “OMG (gasp)! I-know-I-forgot-to-do-something” feelings. Can you imagine my look of disappointment when I discovered I had forgotten to strap on my Ov Watch?
Upon removing the watch from its container, the words, “OV Day 1” shouted out from the display. Hmm… How does it know? Does it have ESP? Could it read my body chemistry from across the room, inside the plastic case in the overnight bag? Is it just a glorified cycle calendar counter? Or is it a useless piece of crap? Questions flooded my one track baby making mind. Nevertheless, there it was in big, fat digital letters. I could sit there, continuing to silently interrogate an inanimate object or simply accept the message as an opportunity.
Note: Squeamish, prudish or ultra-conservative readers who are uninterested in the physical attributes of various bodily fluids may stop reading here and pick this blog up again with tomorrow’s post because it’s about to get “juicy”(I know you’re probably going to keep on reading, but hey, can’t say I didn’t warn you).
Riddle me this, Batman-- What’s clear and stretchy and slippery all over? Cervical mucus (WHAM!).
Despite my revulsion at the term, “mucus”, this slimy goo is actually one of the best ways to determine ovulation. It must be in the category of “undiscussables,” like that “not-so-fresh-feeling” the girl from the ‘80s Massengill Douche commercial lamented about to her mother. No one ever chatted me up about cervical mucus (puts the word secret in this secretion). I had to learn about it on my own, at the ripe old age of 34, from the world wide web (Thanks, Al Gore).
At peak fertility, cervical mucus resembles the consistency of raw egg white and is pliable enough to be stretched about an inch or two between the thumb and forefinger. This viscous nectar provides a hospitable environment for the sperm on their race to reach the egg.
Good thing I learned about this method of detection on the internet, as it confirmed the message displayed on my Ov Watch, even though I had forgotten to wear it. So, we strayed from our every-other-day-baby-dance plan to take full advantage of the moment. If you made it this far, sprinkle some baby dust our way!
Upon removing the watch from its container, the words, “OV Day 1” shouted out from the display. Hmm… How does it know? Does it have ESP? Could it read my body chemistry from across the room, inside the plastic case in the overnight bag? Is it just a glorified cycle calendar counter? Or is it a useless piece of crap? Questions flooded my one track baby making mind. Nevertheless, there it was in big, fat digital letters. I could sit there, continuing to silently interrogate an inanimate object or simply accept the message as an opportunity.
Note: Squeamish, prudish or ultra-conservative readers who are uninterested in the physical attributes of various bodily fluids may stop reading here and pick this blog up again with tomorrow’s post because it’s about to get “juicy”(I know you’re probably going to keep on reading, but hey, can’t say I didn’t warn you).
Riddle me this, Batman-- What’s clear and stretchy and slippery all over? Cervical mucus (WHAM!).
Despite my revulsion at the term, “mucus”, this slimy goo is actually one of the best ways to determine ovulation. It must be in the category of “undiscussables,” like that “not-so-fresh-feeling” the girl from the ‘80s Massengill Douche commercial lamented about to her mother. No one ever chatted me up about cervical mucus (puts the word secret in this secretion). I had to learn about it on my own, at the ripe old age of 34, from the world wide web (Thanks, Al Gore).
At peak fertility, cervical mucus resembles the consistency of raw egg white and is pliable enough to be stretched about an inch or two between the thumb and forefinger. This viscous nectar provides a hospitable environment for the sperm on their race to reach the egg.
Good thing I learned about this method of detection on the internet, as it confirmed the message displayed on my Ov Watch, even though I had forgotten to wear it. So, we strayed from our every-other-day-baby-dance plan to take full advantage of the moment. If you made it this far, sprinkle some baby dust our way!
Friday, June 25, 2010
Operation Fertilization
I awoke this morning to the message, “Fertile Day 1” on my Ov Watch. Timing is critical when trying to conceive, since the delicate egg is only fertile six to twenty-four hours. Thereafter it begins to disintegrate a la Mission Impossible. Luckily, Agent Ov Watch is on our side, engaging in a little espionage so we can concoct our plan of attack.
This clandestine operation involves Agent Eric infiltrating the femme fatale every other day, as his amphibious attack squad can abide in the safe house for up to five days before termination. These sleeper cells are waiting for their target to reveal itself. Once the elusive ovum’s location has been determined, the game is afoot!
Operation Fertilization is underway. This message will self-destruct in five seconds…4,3,2,1!
This clandestine operation involves Agent Eric infiltrating the femme fatale every other day, as his amphibious attack squad can abide in the safe house for up to five days before termination. These sleeper cells are waiting for their target to reveal itself. Once the elusive ovum’s location has been determined, the game is afoot!
Operation Fertilization is underway. This message will self-destruct in five seconds…4,3,2,1!
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Watching and Waiting
My biological clock isn't the only thing ticking around here. My new OV Watch Fertility Predictor is more sporty than fashionable, but luckily I only have to wear it when I sleep. This device was recommended to me by two of my closest friends, Valerie and Emily. It's a watch-like device that is worn for at least six hours each day, starting on days 1,2, or 3 of a woman's cycle. According to the package it uses a "patented biosensor [that] detects the chloride surge 3 days prior to the estrogen surge, 4 days prior to the LH surge and 5 days prior to ovulation, making it an earlier predictor of ovulation than any other chemical surge during the month."
In plain English, this means no more peeing on sticks, which I'm pretty happy about. Knowing when these 4 days prior to ovulation are gives us a cummulative 80% chance of conceiving, compared to only 5% on the actual day of ovulation.
This handy contraption isn't cheap. It costs $100 for the watch with a sensor that lasts one month. Additional sensors can be purchased later in sets of 3 for another benjamin. A small price to pay when weighed against the potential benefits. I figure if I can justify buying a $300 pair of jeans, I can certainly justify this!
I slept in it for the first time last night and it was very comfortable, virtually unnoticeable, except for the impression it left on my skin the next morning. In fact, it was WAY more comfortable than sleeping in my Rich and Skinnies (of which I am neither).
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