Ok, I feel so clueless

I have to admit, My husband and I have been taking things for chance the past two years. I used a MaybeBaby scope for about 2 months until I kept forgetting to use it and it's now stored in a box somewhere.

Although after two years of no success we're starting to turn to eachother with puzzled looks on our faces. We were honestly not expecting any problems. Now we're not sure which path to take. Everyone is pointing in one direction or another and we don't know who to listen to. Doctor, Specialists, Natropaths, You name it we've heard it. We just want to be parents.
So I've signed up for this fertilityfriend thing. I'm going to start tracking my cycle...But I don't know where to start, I don't have a basal thermometer. Will I need one? I have the maybebaby but thats it. And I also have no idea on what all the abbreviations mean.

I guess it's not going to help that I'm a shift worker is it?


Lol, told you I'm clueless. :p :doh:

Yes, Ninah, you probably will need a basal body temperature thermometer. Some women chart only by tracking mucus changes, using OPKs, etc, but I personally think that if you're going to chart, you may as well do it thoroughly.

Fertility Friend (FF) has a charting course that you may want to run through, I found it very helpful.

As for the abbreviations, just ask and someone will tell you, but there is a thread around here that runs through what the most commonly used ones are.

Welcome to BB, and good luck!

BW

For charting a thermometer is a must. Any digital one will do. I think mine cost about $12 at the local chemist. I've just started charting & using FF & it's not as bad as it looks at first. Use the help screens & tutorials and you will be fine. I just played around a bit with it by clicking on things.

I'm charting using my temps, MB & CM, and there's all separate places for you to type in info about this. I'm also using the specific tab where you can put symptoms down that will also help the software calculate things for you.

I think your shift work could be a problem. If your shifts are regular times then it will not be an issue, but if they are rotating ones then that might make things more difficult as you really need to take temps at the same time of day when you first wake up.

A word of warning. FF can give you a coverline (showing you when it thinks you've ovulated) only to take it away a few days later if you have another temperature rise. Due to this I think you need to keep the action happening in the bedroom for a few days after it pinpoints O just in case your coverline changes. I have just had this happen and luckily for me I did not feel that I had O'd so we kept the action up and it now looks like I O'd on the day I thought I did.

Have you talked to your GP yet? If not I suggest you do so that you can get some basic tests happening. Keep up the charting because if you do end up having to see a fertility specialist later down the track they will want you to chart.