Working Up Chronicles: How to Count Your Ovulation Cycle

For everyone who’s trying to get pregnant, we all know it’s not that easy. I used to think it was as simple as bumping uglies, but hey, those who don’t want to have kids are usually the ones who end up getting accidentally preggers, while those who actually WANT to have kids are the ones who can’t. Ironic world, really.

There is a delicate and extremely complicated process called counting-the-days-until-you’re-fertile-again-so-let’s-do-this. And it’s not just doing it whenever you feel like it.

So according to our immunologic fertility doctor, here’s how you should count the days.

Image source: http://thesmiths3511.blogspot.com/2011/04/welcome-to-gator-town.html

1. Ovulation.

A woman is at her most fertile during ovulation, which apparently involves this thing rupturing inside of me. While the thought of anything exploding inside my delicates is mortifying, this is actually required in order to get preggy. Your ovaries might have produced an egg, but if it’s not mature enough and it doesn’t rupture, it’s no good for fertilization. Make sure you go to your OB for follicle monitoring (which means the OB gets to stick a stick in you to see how your egg is doing) to know exactly how your ovulation works. Sometimes, the egg ruptures at 2.0cm, sometimes more. Depending on when it actually becomes ripe for fertilization, that would be the best time for you and your hubby to go for a happy romp in the sack.

Check out the cutesy stuff over at Beatrice the Biologist!:) Image source: http://www.beatricebiologist.com/p/index.html

2. The plus-minus counting.

Counting is only accurate if you’ve got a regular cycle, that is, one that has an exact number of days. Unfortunately, I do not have one, so I kinda have to improvise. I do have it monthly though, so it’s a hit or miss. But when you are fortunate enough to have a regular cycle, count your ovulation this way:

•  28-day cycle: You will ovulate on the 14^th day of your period, plus minus 3 days.
• 30-day cycle: You will ovulate on the 16^th day of your period, plus minus 3 days.

What this means is that if you ovulate on the 14^th day, you have about 3 days before that and 3 days after that to be super fertile, so these are the days you should be doing the deed. But before you go on humping like bunnies every day, note that it’s best to only do so every other day. Give your man a break and give him some time to recharge.

3. Keep a positive attitude.

Positive? POSITIVE? Maintaining a cool head can be quite a challenge when you pee on a stick and all you see are negatives. I know; I know. But claiming it is just like saying you’re sure you’re gonna get it right this time, and there’s no better place for a successfully fertilized egg to come and hang out and stay until full term than a perfectly happy womb in a perfectly happy woman. So despite all the frustration, keep your chin up. That precious little baby will come when he’s ready. J