pinpointing ovulation

Autumn&Ryan · February 2011

okay ladies, so I know all about temping, LH surge and all of that. But is there anyway (without and ultrasound) to know exactly ( like to the hour) when your ovulating? The LH surge thingy happens 12-48 BEFORE ovulation so when is the best time to do the insems according to LH surge? When did all of you do yours?
With my DD I used the older version of OPK's (not digital) and just went off of when the test line was as dark or darker than the reference line. I did my at home AI 6 and 20 hours after the pos. surge. That worked for me but this time I want to time it a bit different for a boy. So my plan is to do one vial for the first try and to do the insem. about 38 hours after the positive LH surge on a digital.
I need HONEST advice, how is this timing? What if I ovulate closer to 6-12 hours after the LH surge and miss it all together? I have read the egg lives for about 24 hours after being released by the ovary, has anyone heard differently? What would you do with one vial for timing in regards to LH surge, etc.?
Oh this guessing game is killing me, ugh!
TIA!

mommylove · February 2011

It is correct that the egg lives for approx. 24hrs after release.
In regard to knowing when you O down to the hour...tough to do. Temping, checking for your LH surge (OPK's), EWCM, and feeling any O cramping are your best bets. But none would get it down to that close of a window to know for sure when exactly that little egg releases.

Good luck working out good timing...I will say 38hrs after +OPK sounds a little late for my liking, especially with only one vial. But that's just me.

Autumn&Ryan · February 2011

thanks mommylove, i am hoping to get more responses on the timing question.

stwrr · February 2011

I agree - that does sound a little late.

Check everything - this last cycle, I thought I wasn't there yet with the EWCM, until I got a positive LH surge when I wasn't expecting it. Ack! Then I kept checking, and when it was about 20 hours past, the EWCM was there, and... it's hard to describe it... but I'd say I felt more "open". Not physically, although there's that.. I just mean like I swear my body was screaming "Now is the time woman!!" at me. Weird. But effective.

I can also tell now when it's not the time - it goes back to being white CM, almost immediately after like hour 35 or so, for me.

But I can't feel ovulation pains or anything, so I'm still just guessing. I just like to will the little spermies to stay alive, and for the egg to come on down and say Hello.

How old are you? I've heard a lot of folks say the older you are, the closer to your LH surge you ovulate, and conversely for the younger. In the mid-twenties, it was suggested to me I try around hours 18-20 and then 12 hours later with vial number two. If I only had one vial, I'd still do hour 18-24. Maybe one at 18 one month, and then at 28 the next month, just in case. With ICI, because they live longer.

Good luck!

~ Sandy

Autumn&Ryan · February 2011

I am 34, I don't know if that is considered "older" rather than younger

I am beginning to think that I do ovulate within 6-8 hours after the positive surge. The tests clearly state though "24-48 hours after LH surge" for the release of the egg. I guess everyone is different.
What about the viability of eggs fertilized later rather sooner? does it make a lot of difference?
Also, does anyone know anything about cervix/uterus pressure during ovulation? is this caused by increased blood flow to the area? is that suppose to be happening before, during or after ovulation? sorry, I know that is a tough one! The more in tune I get with my body though, the more symptoms I recognize!

alp75 · February 2011

I have never been able to tell checking my cervix or anything like that. I do think I ovulate closer to surge though so I inteend to do in ici within in hours after the positive on a digi. I honeslty dont know if that is right, but thanks to the info I have received from the great folks here, since they tend to live a bit longer thsn expected I would rather be a bit early than miss my window.

emn'sar · February 2011

from what i have read, it is very hard to time your insems for getting a boy or girl. this is because it is hard enough just to get pregnant with frozen sperm as it is! you could argue that iui washed sperm gives you a better chance for a girl because they can better withstand the washing process than the boy sperm. you can also argue that your odds of having a boy are higher because frozen sperm lives for a short period of time and the boys swim faster than the girls. i think it is much easier to time intercourse with fresh sperm to increase your odds than it is with the frozen goods...

so as far as timing, i have no advice! good luck though!

Shaeley Mae · February 2011

The egg does technically live for 24 hours, but the research that I've read has revealed that it slowly starts to deteriorate after 12 hours. So, I think catching that first 12-hour window is what's most important.

As far as pinpointing timing, here's how I see it:
Watch your temp dip on your chart. The day it dips, is the day you ovulate. Compare that to your +OPK. How long after +OPK do you get that temp dip? That's where you want to kind really narrow it down.
For me, for example, after temping for a few months, I realized that I typically ovulate within 12-16 hours of +OPK. I was able to narrow down my O timing by noticing that my +OPK and temp dip were on the SAME DAY.
So, try tracking what time of day you get your +OPK, and then comparing it to when you get your temp dip. That should give you a reasonably good start.

Good luck!!

Autumn&Ryan · February 2011

thanks ladies for all of the great responses!
I am sure using DS makes it nearly impossible to get the timing right for gender choices, if there is anything to it in the first place.
I also think it is really hard to pinpoint o, this whole thing is so discouraging and frustrating!

Flowergirl · February 2011

Autumn, I just wanted to echo what Shaeley said and add to it just a bit - eggs live approximately 24 hours but the 'shell' hardens as it gets older. That is why they say it is always best to have the sperm waiting around for the egg. If you O and your egg starts on it's little journey and the sperm meet up with it 18 hours later, it may very well still be 'alive' but it's shell would probably be too hard to the sperm to penetrate.

So, as far as timing goes (my opinion, for what it's worth) I would definitely go with nothing longer than 24 hours with just one vial. Frozen sperm is generalized to live about 24 hours but many have proven it can and does live a lot longer than that and doesn't seem to have deteriorating with age issues as our silly eggs!! :-) I would also suggest using some Preseed if you're doing an ICI, as it does mimic fertile CM and has the right stuff to help those swimmers live their longest!

On the timing right for gender, I would suggest possibly checking into foods that might help with the acidic, non acidic thing to give yourself the best possible chance - it can't hurt and part of the swaying for gender involves changing the environment to favor the desired gender sperm. :-) It's only part of the swaying process but in the complicated world of TTC with DS, perhaps it's something little you could do to give yourself a better chance for that son!

Good luck!!

Autumn&Ryan · February 2011

Yeah Flowergirl, next cycle when we have our first try I am going to try to get things as close to ovulation as possible and AI within the first 24 hours. I am really glad I have had this month to realize that I do ovulate within about 8 hours after the first positive OPK, which means my egg now is deteriorating fast...today would have been too late.
Thanks so much for your help everyone....the more I learn, the better my chances of getting it right!

pinpointing ovulation

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