Best ovulation monitor? Ferning vs. Strips?

[Northstar78]

Just curious - I'm TTC #1 and in my third cycle post BCP. I started charting last month and my temps were pretty good verifying that I ovulated but since it's taken me 23 days just to get that smiley face, I'm not sure if OPK strips are the way to go.

I looked at the "ferning" monitors on earlypregnancytest.com and they seemed pretty interesting, if you have one, which one do you have? Is it accurate?

I've been using the Clear Blue Digital ovulation kit (one wand, 20 strips) and I ordered some from everyone's favorite website too. But it's not cheap either way.

I'm probably trying too hard but I know how irregular I was before BCP and although I've been startlingly regular off the Pill, my O went from CD17 to CD23...

I really wish they had a "sampler" pack from that website - any thoughts on the Instead cups?

[Lega]

Hi

Don't waste your money for ferning stuff,,,its very uninformative - i used it for couple months but now it's smw in the draw,, Dont waste your money for CB :) either. Buy cheap staff from babyhopes.com or similar site. Continue taking BT and watch the mucus! And then around cd 23 start having fun w DH every second day. BT will help you to know your body very well, because since you have to right everything down, it makes you look very deep:)

Good luck!

[Northstar78]

Thanks-I did try my fern scope today but I didn't see anything. I'm charting too but getting a little tired of the pee-sticks.

[moonstones]

Hi there!  DH and I TTC our DD for over a year, and I feel like I tried everything under the moon.  

I agree with the PP, the saliva test was really not accurate at all, but fun to analyze anyway!  

I also used instead cups and preseed for many months, but I can't connect either directly to our ultimate successful conception, but it can't hurt, right? 

In the end what I found to be the most accurate for me was temping/charting, using my clearblue monitor (this worked really well for me even though my O date tended to change from day 14-day 20), checking cervical fluid, and using ovulation test strips just to double check/confirm.  You can get a pretty good deal on ovulation test strips at early-pregnancy-tests .com, and I found these to be nice to have around when I felt like I needed to POAS :)  

I wish you a very quick conception!  xox

[Laurucha]

The Clear Blue Fertility Monitor has been working well for me. It tests estrogen as well as LH, so you get advance warning when your fertile period is going to start. And it is easy to use. However, it is insanely overpriced. Look for a used one on Craigslist or eBay. The company says that you can't use a used one, but they are lying. There are instructions for resetting it on the internet.