[hopingforbabymc]

My DH and I have been ttc since last July by charting and using OPKs. So far, nothing. I work in the restuarant business, and am seeing babies and people with tons of kids all the time. Most of the time I try to be positive and we've sort of decided that it would happen when it was time for us, but I'm starting to get worried. I'll be 31 in September, and we've been trying for about a year, and have always been a fairly active couple. Anyway, thanks for listening to my ranting. I'm Marlena, and I have a 10 year old son, Devin.

[MamaAnna]

Have you spoken to your doctor about your TTC efforts and the possibility of starting testing soon?

[hopingforbabymc]

Not yet. I'd always assumed that it would be easy for us since DH is 5 years younger than me, and I'd already had a child before from a previous marriage. I guess we are just hoping it will happen like it's supposed to (although I know it doesn't a good bit of the time). And I'm not sure DH would honestly go along with testing. I mentioned it a while back, and he said he didnt think so. So I don't know. I'm going to give it a little more time and see. I've explained to DH that after a year, it's recommended you seek assistance, or at least get things checked out to see if there's a problem. I was supposed to test on Friday, so I was going to go down to the store to pick up a test and a few other things. He wanted to go, but didn't know my intention was to go get a test. Once we were home, he puttered in the garage a bit and then came in. He wrapped his arms around me with a funny look and asked me if I'd used the test. I said I had, and it was neg. We talked about getting assistance then, and he said we would. He works for the sherrifs office here in town, but his new insurance hasn't kicked in just yet so we'll still have to wait for a bit.

[MamaAnna]

Have you tried using OPKs or charting? Maybe you're just not ovulating when you think you are?

[SavaAngel]

It is rough. We tried for over 2 years before it happened and we started getting testing done when I had been trying for 8 months. With my son, he happened right away when NTNP.

Good Luck with the testing. Issues like PCOS and Endometriosis can cause problems with ovulation and even think you are ovulating just fine. If you ever want help looking at your chart or trying to figure out if you have O'd yet or not, check out the NFP/FAM board under Women's health (further down the list of boards). If you don't chart online right now, you can use FertilityFriend.com.

[hopingforbabymc]

I've been doing some form of charting since I was old enough to know what AF was. It was how I knew and managed her arrival. With my first son, I just mentioned that I wanted to get PG and we tried, and a few months later, I was late. A year ago when we decided to try for another with my current DH, I charted for baby (as opposed to AF). I use OPKs to track ovulation, and also check CP and CM, and have been using Instead cups to hold in sperm at night. The only thing I haven't been doing is BBT, but I printed a chart for that today and plan on being disciplined enough to take my temps in the morning. It's gonna be a challenge to remember the BBT because usually once my alarm goes off, I hit the floor running. I'm thinking I can set my alarm a few minutes early to help with that.

I'm gonna set up an account with Fertilty Friend too this evening, possibly my charting is off, although for years, my cycle has always been like clockwork with the exception of a month or so shorter here and there. I dunno.

[MamaAnna]

Charting with your BBT could make a pretty big difference and Fertility Friend is a great way to get that started. Aside from providing excellent software and lessons on how to use it, it gives us a chart to stalk. Women on JM are great at watching temps rise and fall and peeing on sticks. It may take you some time to get used to the new routine, but once you're in it I doubt you'll have any trouble. Hopefully charting your temp is just what you need to figure out what's going on with your ovulation. Even if it shows you're right about when you think it's happening you could see a luteal phase defect or your charts may give your doctor a better idea of where to start testing even without an obvious defect.