[Admin-pattyandthemoos]

The best way to get pregnant is to know when you are fertile. Your fertile window is the days in your cycle that you are most likely to conceive. Knowing all of your body’s fertile signs is the best way to identify your fertile days.

Your fertile window lasts for about five to six days. It starts five days before you ovulate and ends the day after you ovulate. Since there are just a few days in your cycle that you can get pregnant so knowing which days are the best days will greatly improve your chances of getting pregnant.

Your egg only lives for about one day (maybe less) after you ovulate so you need to have sperm up there waiting on the day you ovulate. Sperm can live a little longer (JM article: How long do sperm live? How Long Do Sperm Live.shtml : Articles : pregnancy and parenting on JustMommies) so if you start bding several days before you ovulate some sperm may still be around to fertilize the egg. You may be able to conceive after you ovulate but only if it happens within a day of ovulation. The egg just doesn’t live that long.

Since you won’t be able to determine when you ovulated until after ovulation occurs you need to watch your body for signs that you might be ovulating. (JM article: Signs of ovulation Signs Of Ovulation.shtml : Articles : pregnancy and parenting on JustMommies)

When you notice EWCM (egg-white looking cervical mucous) you should bd.

Even if you think you have ovulated, bd anyway. EWCM is a sign of fertility so it is a good idea to bd whenever you notice this type of cervical mucous.

You can also use an ovulation prediction test to help determine when you are getting close to ovulating. Here is an article on JM about using an ovulation test.
Ovulation Prediction Kit.shtml : Articles : pregnancy and parenting on JustMommies
I will have another post about OPKs later.

[Elsabe]

Hi There... I am a newbie... TTC 4 months now. I am expecting AF on the 4th / 5th of April (that's to say if I'm not pregnant!). I have printed the BBT chart which I will fill in by hand - it looks like fun! As soon as my menses start again I will start charting. I will take my BBT as directed and see what happens. I have been for a pap smear and my regular check up and my gynie and gp is very happy. I have been drinking folic acid and just normal multi vitamins for woman on a daily basis - since December 2009. My cycles seem to be regular - normally 31 days - but my last cycle was 33 days. Don't know why - but anyhoo! I am excited and hopefully I will get this right! My hubby is taking Stamino gro. But just one a day. He says he will have too much energy if he takes more! Please let me know if you have any suggestions. I must admit - I am anxious because it has been 4 months and nothing. Everyone keeps on telling me to relax and forget about it. Easier said than done! Thank you for the charting school! Much appreciated! Regards, Bella