It is the most accurate for charting ovulation.  Take your temperature as soon as you wake up, before you get out of bed, go to the bathroom or do anything.  Try to take your temperature at the same time every morning if you can.  This way your chart will be more precise.  The best time to have sex is between the time your temperature drops and before it rises again. 

One other way you can find out when you are ovulating is by using an ovulation predictor test.  You can purchase ovulation tests in bulk online to make it more affordable.  Ovulation kits measure the amount of Lutenizing Hormone in your body.  Right before you ovulate your body releases a large amount of LH.  The test kits are easy to use.  They are very similar to a pregnancy test.  You will have a reference line and then a sample line to compare that to.  Once you show a positive test for ovulation you should have intercourse within twenty-four hours.

Some of the best ways to predict when you are ovulating are by watching your body for signs of ovulation.  Some women feel cramping on one side when they ovulate.   Ovulation pain should not be the only thing you watch for but it is one indicator of ovulation.  You should also keep an eye on your cervical mucous.  You will notice that your cervical mucous will pick up several days before ovulation.  When your cervical mucous starts to look like egg white and becomes really slippery, this is the best time to get pregnant.  The slippery consistency helps to carry the sperm up the vaginal canal.  Some doctors recommend taking Robitussin to help thin out your mucous which will help to transport the semen.

Some dos and don’ts for getting pregnant

• Do limit movement after intercourse.  Standing up after intercourse can cause the semen to leak out.  Try to wait twenty minutes after sex before getting up and moving around.

• Do try to keep the sperm inside your vagina longer.  You can hold the labia together to try to keep the sperm inside of you.  You can also try putting a pillow under your pelvis to help tilt your body so the sperm can travel upwards easier.

• Do try to make sex enjoyable.  Sometimes when a couple is trying to conceive it will affect the quality of their sex life.  More enjoyable sex means higher sperm count and better “swimmers”.

• Do limit intercourse and male masturbation prior to the days you are trying to conceive.  It will help to increase the man’s sperm count and improve your chances of getting pregnant.

• Do take prenatal vitamins if you are trying to conceive.  Folic acid and other vitamins are very important during the first trimester of pregnancy.

• Don’t drink alcohol or use drugs at the time of conception.  This applies to both the male and female.  There is strong evidence that alcohol can effect your chances of getting pregnant.

• Don’t douche after having intercourse.  It can wash out the sperm that has just entered your body. 

• Don’t have oral sex prior to intercourse.  There is some evidence that the bacteria in the mouth can cause damage to male sperm.

• Don’t have anal sex prior to intercourse.  Bacteria in the anas can be carried into the vagina from the man’s penis.  If you do have anal sex before intercourse, make sure your partner washes his penis first.

If you have been trying to conceive for over a year please consult a doctor.  You may need to have tests run or use fertility treatments.