How do I know when I am ovulating?

Yeah, we are seriously thinking of starting a family but do we really understand our bodies and monthly cycle to know when might be the best time for us to conceive? Right, here is a guide:

(a) Basal Body Temperature (BBT): 

The woman is required to keep a chart of her daily temperature readings.  The reading is best taken from the anus first thing in the morning using a thermometer temperature. The basis for this method is that a woman's basal body temperature drops briefly and then rises half a degree following ovulation, and remains elevated until the start of the next period.  A rise in temperature that persists for at least 3 days indicates that ovulation has occurred. It is also advisable to use the same thermometer in order to avoid bias.

(b) Mucus method:

This involves observing our vaginal mucus. At the time of ovulation, the mucus becomes clear, sticky and stringy in nature and can stretch a couple of inches between your two fingers.

While these two methods could really seem quite cumbersome and difficult to adhere to, using the next method however is more convenient but also more expensive.

(c) Ovulation Predictor kits:

They simply require you to collect a few drops of urine and test them on the stick over a period of about 7-10 days of your likely ovulation time. The urine is best collected between 10am and 8pm.A stick is used a day and the result is read in about 10mins. The day the stick changes color to a shade darker than the previous days, you are likely to ovulate within the next 48 hours.  If you have run out of all the sticks in the pack without detecting a color change, you may have to buy another test kit and continue testing. It could mean that either you have not yet ovulated, or that you may not be ovulating in this cycle.

Another great way of determining when we are likely to conceive is by using the fertility and ovulation calculator, it is a very simple and convenient way and also goes the extra mile of telling you your baby’s possible due date: so you could plan ahead!

All you need to enter is just the first day of your last menstrual period and the length of your menstrual cycle. Please note that the ovulation calculator is mainly for those with regular cycle. Calculate now http://www.ovulation-calendar.net/

I would advise a visit to your doctor if you have an irregular period or you are not sure if you are ovulating to guide you better on how best to go about it.