trying to predict ovulation

[Moonflower09]

My husband and I have been trying for a year to concieve.  We had one successful pregnancy a year ago that resulted in a miscarriage in October.  We got pregnant very quickly only after 1 month of trying.  We started in July, got pregnant in August, miscarried in October.  My cycles got so screwed up after the mc.  I had a lot of problems.  My doc did not do a d&c and I had bleeding and cramping until November.  I didn't get my first "real" period until December and changed doctors because of my first doc's apparant lack of care.  The second doc I went to was concerned because the 1st doc did not do the d&c and her ultrasounds were still showing remained product in december.  She did another ultrasound in January - the kind that they use a scope and saline to get a better picture.  She was going to do surgery if anything still remained, but all was clear and she said my uterus looked great, I was ovulating and we could begin trying again then.  She even said she could tell by my overies that I was beginning ovulation on that day (day 9 of my cycle) - but it didn't happen....

So over the course of the last 9 months, I have been tracking my cycles.  They average 25-26 days.  I've had too short cycles at 23 days and too longer ones at 28 days, but my most common lenght is 26.  I am 39 years old and we need to make this happen soon.....

In trying to track my cycles, I've mostly been using the cm method because I've read that's the most predictable.  I've thought about the ovulation prediction strips, but hear it's easy to miss your ovulation days with those.  Even using the cm method, we're not hitting it right.  I've been observing how the consistency changes and noting when I have egg white stretchy cm.  For a while after the mc, I didn't have ANY.  I've just recently started getting the abundant cm that will stretch between fingers about 3 inches.  I've only had that twice - last cycle and this past Monday.  Could that be why we haven't been able to get pregnant?  How predictable is using this method? And what does it mean if I don't have the stretchy ewcm?  

Also - I've noticed I get the ewcm early in my cycle.  This last one on day 8 of my cycle.  If that's true, and I ovulated on day 8 or day 9, wouldn't that mean my cycle would only be 24 days?  Last cycle was the same.  I noted the ewcm early - but my period came 3 days late and my cycle lenght was 29 days instead of the normal 26.  

Tracking these last two cycles the cm changes just like the research has said - just that the ewcm is coming earlier in the cycle than what the research says.  Does that mean my luteral phase is messed up?  

Thanks so much for any help.  We did the bd on Sunday (day before ewcm) and tuesday the day after.  But I think it's too early in my cycle to get pregnant.  Could it still be possible?

[Moonflower09]

I want to and have an appointment Tuesday. Problem is money. It's TIGHT right now. I was laid off in July and my insurance is crap. Not the best time to plan a pregnancy, buy the big 4-0 is coming up and we can't wait forever.

I would like to know at the very least if I am ovulating and still producing the right amount of progestrone. I still wonder if that had any thing to do with my first mc. First doc never did any bloodwork when I went in for my first two prenatel visits at 5 and 7 weeks. My new doc said she should have cause some mcs can be prevented if they are due to low progestrone levels. I'll never really know. This test on Tuesday is for cycle day 22 and they are checking to see if I did ovulate and my progestrone levels. Should I still go?

[Trusting77]

I don't know the answers to many of your questions, but I do know that I too have tried the CM method, the BBT method, and the OPK.  None of them tell me the same thing.  Are you seeing a RE? They typically will do bloodwork when you get a positive OPK to confirm it.  I suppose the b/w is the most accurate way of predicting ovulation b/c that is what mine uses before doing IUI.  If you have been trying 9 mos now, I would go to an RE immediately.  

[EmsMom07]

First off it can take a healthy couple up to 18 months to conceive, also there are many things that you can do to TTC (Try To Conceive) for instance you can chart your basal body temp at the same time each day to detect when you will ovulate, check your CM (Cervical Mucus), use OPK's (Ovulation Predictor Test) they also tell you when you ovulate, if you don't want to spend a lot of money on them you can always buy the tests at the dollar store. Also after I had my IUD removed in July 2009 I tried almost everything imaginable, such as keeping my legs up for 30min after baby dancing to make sure that no sperm got out, stayed on the bottom, since I read that if the women's on top more sperm will come out, etc. But after 6 1/2 months of trying and no luck I read about a product called pre-seed found at babyhopes.com, it's suppose to be the only lubricant safe for sperm, and it also helps get the sperm where it needs to go, I thought I might as well get it since I had nothing else to lose, and I was going on 7 months of TTC. So that month I used my OPK's and got a positive one on January 6th, 2010, my husband and I baby danced late that night using the pre-seed, and then early morning of the 7th. I finally got my BFP (Big Fat Positive) on January 19th, 2010, I am now 36 weeks and 3 days pregnant with a healthy baby boy =0) So I recommend this product to EVERYONE, since I really think that this is what gave me my BFP! Well I hope this helps, and good luck!