Updated with new “Ask Heidi” video.
When you’re trying to get pregnant, a lot comes down to timing.
After all, nature gives us a brief window each month to conceive.
Wondering when is the besttime to get pregnant?
When is the best time in your cycle to get pregnant?
That egg has only 12 to 24 hours to meet that sperm.
Luckily, sperm stick around in the fallopian tubes for longer (up to several days).
Viable sperm should still be in your fallopian tubes when that egg arrives.
So how do youpinpoint when you’ll be ovulating?
First, determine the length of your average monthly cycle.
To do this, count the days between your periods, starting at the first day of your period.
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Now, time for some math.
The first half of the cycle (the follicular phase) varies from woman to woman.
The more regular your periods are, the more helpful this method will be.
But what if you haveirregular periods?
You’ll want to be more alert to additional signs of ovulation, which are described below.
Or, ahem, felt your down-there discharge?
You’re looking for discharge that feels like egg whites, which indicates your body’s in ovulation mode.
Next, your CM may get sticky for a day or two.
The next stage is the biggie: ovulation mucus.
Incidentally, that CM texture is nature’s way of ensuring sperm make their way to the egg.
Finally, after ovulation day, you may become drier down there.
These changes make it more welcoming to swimming sperm.
And you’ve got the option to actually feel the difference if you’re willing to get hands-on.
Record what you feel over the month.
you could keep track on paper or by using a fertility app on your smartphone.
You may notice they’re more swollen or full when you’re ovulating.
By this point, you’re actually a little late to make a baby.
But by knowing when your reading rises, you’re free to time your sex going forward.
To monitor your BBT, you’ll need either a digital thermometer or a wearable BBT temperature reader.
What you’re aiming for is the overall pattern over at least two months.
There are a few types to consider.
Ovulation predictor kits test your level of luteinizing hormone (LH) to suss out your ovulation day.
You’ll see a line that is the same or darker than the control line.
A next-level option is a fertility monitor.
This machine lets you check LH and estrogen levels in your urine.
There are also saliva tests that check electrolytes in your spit to predict when your estrogen is high.
First thing in the morning, you put saliva on a lens.
Then, five minutes later, you play scientist and look at it under an eyepiece.
The downside to saliva tests: Some women have trouble distinguishing the patterns.
Finally, there are wearables.
A fertility watch works by analyzing the salts in your sweat.
If you think you’re not ovulating, check in with your OB/GYN.
Up to 15 percent of women can get their period, but not release an egg.
And without that egg, you’ve got the option to’t get pregnant.
If you think you’re not ovulating, check with your gynecologist.
