I was looking around on youtube and found this video. This is a product called Fertility Scope, which would be a fertility test you use saliva for rather than urine. The major upside to this would be that you only buy the product once, and it can be used over and over again. I decided to look up similar products on Amazon.com and found saliva ovulation microscopes that look like lipstick cases, they're the same thing as this product and actually cost less. I honestly couldn't find anything called a Fertility Scope when I looked, though I haven't really looked too hard. The lowest price I've found so far is about $23 give or take. It could potentially save you a lot of money, and all you'd have to do is look for cells that look crystallized as the estrogen in the saliva tends to appear crystallized. It's worth a consideration for those of us trying to get pregnant, or even for a person that is trying to prevent a pregnancy.
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Moon Cup
The video I have posted below is one I found just by browsing around on youtube. I did not make this video, but I thought it was interesting enough to share....maybe to give couples an idea of one way to make the whole process easier (for those of you who are wanting to get pregnant). Even if your goal isn't to get pregnant, this looks like a good product for at least the menstrual portion of the cycle. I have not tried this product, so I can't personally vouch for it
I looked the product up online and found that the makers of the Moon Cup are not in America, so I got a bit iffy about purchasing one (it says it's $30 with free shipping, but I'm not sure if it's in Euros which would then make it more expensive or if it's in U.S. Dollars) The girl in this video claims the amount she paid was in Euros, so I started looking a bit closer to home. If you go to www.walgreens.com and put into the search bar "menstrual cup" there are cups you can buy for around $40.
Making a Calendar if you can't afford one, or don't have one.
Making a calendar can be an easy task. It can be as easy as using a notebook you have lying around that you never got around to using, or you could make a fairly nice one simply by creating one in a Word document.
If you decide to make your own in a journal or notebook, you can set it up however is easiest for you to keep track of your fertility.
However, if you decide you would like to make one in a Word document, I can tell you how to do that if you're unsure.
Open a new Word document and center your text. Here you will type the month and year to aid in keeping accurate records. After that, hit enter and then at the top hit "insert". Here you will see a drop-down that says "table" click on that and make a 7x7 table.
Once you have the table on your page, in the first row put the names of the week. You may start with Sunday or Monday, or whatever day makes it easier for you. Next, move down to the next row and hit Shift+Enter. This will make the boxes bigger. Make it so all the boxes are the same number of lines per row, making the table fit the page without crossing over into another page.
After that you can save the calendar in your computer and then add in the days where appropriate. You may later change the name of the month or the year if applicable to make other calendars rather than making a new one each time, or you may use your master copy to create other copies so you can keep it all on your computer. Whatever works best for you.
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This is about how it should look when you're done. You can always add your own personal touches, and mark it in ways that make the most sense to you. The reason I have 6 boxes instead of 4 or 5 is because I absolutely hate it when you buy a calendar and you have those split days b/c the calendar isn't long enough for those couple of days extra. This will ensure that you don't have to split days which means more charting abilities when you're keeping track of your fertility.
If you want to print out the below calendar, just right click the image and save as. Then you can print it whenever you want it. There is a chance it'll come out fuzzy, but that's ok, because you just label the top accordingly and then fill in the boxes as necessary.
If you decide to make your own in a journal or notebook, you can set it up however is easiest for you to keep track of your fertility.
However, if you decide you would like to make one in a Word document, I can tell you how to do that if you're unsure.
Open a new Word document and center your text. Here you will type the month and year to aid in keeping accurate records. After that, hit enter and then at the top hit "insert". Here you will see a drop-down that says "table" click on that and make a 7x7 table.
Once you have the table on your page, in the first row put the names of the week. You may start with Sunday or Monday, or whatever day makes it easier for you. Next, move down to the next row and hit Shift+Enter. This will make the boxes bigger. Make it so all the boxes are the same number of lines per row, making the table fit the page without crossing over into another page.
After that you can save the calendar in your computer and then add in the days where appropriate. You may later change the name of the month or the year if applicable to make other calendars rather than making a new one each time, or you may use your master copy to create other copies so you can keep it all on your computer. Whatever works best for you.
_______________________________________________________________________________
This is about how it should look when you're done. You can always add your own personal touches, and mark it in ways that make the most sense to you. The reason I have 6 boxes instead of 4 or 5 is because I absolutely hate it when you buy a calendar and you have those split days b/c the calendar isn't long enough for those couple of days extra. This will ensure that you don't have to split days which means more charting abilities when you're keeping track of your fertility.
If you want to print out the below calendar, just right click the image and save as. Then you can print it whenever you want it. There is a chance it'll come out fuzzy, but that's ok, because you just label the top accordingly and then fill in the boxes as necessary.
helpful links
The link listed below is an easy way of tracking your fertility through the methods listed on my "How to figure Fertile Days using the Symptothermal method" page.
fertility friend
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The link listed below is a basal body temperature chart I found at www.justmommies.com. There are many printables like it on the internet if you google it. I found this to be the best one (so far). All you have to do is click on the link and then print the page, and you can have a nice chart to start with. I may post other charts that are equally good at a later date.
basal body temperature chart
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Other links will be posted below as I continue my research.
fertility friend
_______________________________________________________________________________
The link listed below is a basal body temperature chart I found at www.justmommies.com. There are many printables like it on the internet if you google it. I found this to be the best one (so far). All you have to do is click on the link and then print the page, and you can have a nice chart to start with. I may post other charts that are equally good at a later date.
basal body temperature chart
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Other links will be posted below as I continue my research.
How to figure Fertile Days using the Symptothermal method
The Symptothermal method of fertility tracking is simply a series of 3 separate methods of tracking fertility that when put together, combine a more accurate way to track fertility the natural way.
The 3 methods are are the temperature method, the mucus method, and the calendar method.
Temperature method
Every morning when you first wake up, before getting out of bed, talking, eating, drinking, or smoking, you take your temperature with a basal thermometer. These can be found at most pharmacies and are more accurate than a regular thermometer. Chart your results each day to form a pattern.
Your temperature changes throughout the menstrual cycle. The first half (afround your period) will be very low, this means your estrogen is up, and you may be able to conceive. The second half of your menstrual cycle, the temperature will go up; after about 3 days of higher temperatures, you're no longer fertile. The higher temperature will remain until just before your next period. Every woman is different, so charting daily will help you see a pattern.
If your temperature remains high around the time of your next expected period, it could mean that you're pregnant. Basal temperature is the fastest way to predict pregnancy. But you could also simply be late, and your temperature may go down before it actually starts.
Fertility can start when temperature drops just before your period and ends after 3 days of higher temperatures.
Mucus Method
Tracking your mucus levels and type of mucus (dry, tacky, wet and slippery, creamy, etc) can be a very effective way of predicting fertility. Write down your daily mucus levels and types to form a pattern.
The rise in amount of mucus as well as it being wet and slippery like raw egg that can stretch between your fingers can indicate ovulation.
Fertility can occur 2-3 days before the wet and slippery mucus and may last for 3 days after the slippery mucus.
Calendar Method
First step is to keep track of your periods; note when they start and how long they last. The longer you keep track of this, the better results you will get from this method.
Find the shortest cycle in your record and subtract 18 then use that number and count from day 1 of your current cycle (the first day of your period; not including spotting before your period starts) and mark the date with an X. This is your first possible fertile day
Find the longest cycle in your record and subtract 11 then use that number and count from day 1 of your current cycle and mark the date with an X. This is your last possible fertile day.
Make sure to circle the first day of your cycle each month and note when it ends.
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When using these 3 methods together, it is easiest to predict when your fertile days are, or should be. Any days considered to be fertile that fall on the same days in all 3 of these methods are your best chance at getting pregnant if that is your goal. These methods can also be used together to prevent pregnancy if that is your choice. Be sure to always use the same basal thermometer for the basal temperature, and try to take it at the same time each day if you can....but be sure you sleep at least 6 hours without being interrupted, and that will ensure more accuracy.
There are also phone apps that can help you track your periods, when you engage in intercourse, your temperature, symptoms, and any pills you may be taking. You can use these also to note when you're under a lot of stress, when you've been sick, or not sleeping well, or anything else you think may be relevant to the process.
It is best to be at a healthy weight when you start trying to get pregnant, and when you're trying to get pregnant it's always a good idea to get prenatal vitamins to get the right amounts of folic acid and other important vitamins built up into your system to ensure a healthy pregnancy.
The 3 methods are are the temperature method, the mucus method, and the calendar method.
Temperature method
Every morning when you first wake up, before getting out of bed, talking, eating, drinking, or smoking, you take your temperature with a basal thermometer. These can be found at most pharmacies and are more accurate than a regular thermometer. Chart your results each day to form a pattern.
Your temperature changes throughout the menstrual cycle. The first half (afround your period) will be very low, this means your estrogen is up, and you may be able to conceive. The second half of your menstrual cycle, the temperature will go up; after about 3 days of higher temperatures, you're no longer fertile. The higher temperature will remain until just before your next period. Every woman is different, so charting daily will help you see a pattern.
If your temperature remains high around the time of your next expected period, it could mean that you're pregnant. Basal temperature is the fastest way to predict pregnancy. But you could also simply be late, and your temperature may go down before it actually starts.
Fertility can start when temperature drops just before your period and ends after 3 days of higher temperatures.
Mucus Method
Tracking your mucus levels and type of mucus (dry, tacky, wet and slippery, creamy, etc) can be a very effective way of predicting fertility. Write down your daily mucus levels and types to form a pattern.
The rise in amount of mucus as well as it being wet and slippery like raw egg that can stretch between your fingers can indicate ovulation.
Fertility can occur 2-3 days before the wet and slippery mucus and may last for 3 days after the slippery mucus.
Calendar Method
First step is to keep track of your periods; note when they start and how long they last. The longer you keep track of this, the better results you will get from this method.
Find the shortest cycle in your record and subtract 18 then use that number and count from day 1 of your current cycle (the first day of your period; not including spotting before your period starts) and mark the date with an X. This is your first possible fertile day
Find the longest cycle in your record and subtract 11 then use that number and count from day 1 of your current cycle and mark the date with an X. This is your last possible fertile day.
Make sure to circle the first day of your cycle each month and note when it ends.
_______________________________________________________________________________
When using these 3 methods together, it is easiest to predict when your fertile days are, or should be. Any days considered to be fertile that fall on the same days in all 3 of these methods are your best chance at getting pregnant if that is your goal. These methods can also be used together to prevent pregnancy if that is your choice. Be sure to always use the same basal thermometer for the basal temperature, and try to take it at the same time each day if you can....but be sure you sleep at least 6 hours without being interrupted, and that will ensure more accuracy.
There are also phone apps that can help you track your periods, when you engage in intercourse, your temperature, symptoms, and any pills you may be taking. You can use these also to note when you're under a lot of stress, when you've been sick, or not sleeping well, or anything else you think may be relevant to the process.
It is best to be at a healthy weight when you start trying to get pregnant, and when you're trying to get pregnant it's always a good idea to get prenatal vitamins to get the right amounts of folic acid and other important vitamins built up into your system to ensure a healthy pregnancy.
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