I've been using Fertility Friend for my first charting cycle, and I'm wondering what you all think is helpful on the site/app. What helpful things should I take advantage of, and what should I not bother with?
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personally I'm using it to mark down when I get AF and whether my OPKs are positive or negative. I don't have a basal thermometer and free membership on the site.
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Oh man I was obsessed with FF during the months TTC. I paid for the membership and am so glad I did. I used it to track my temps, my CM, my symptoms, OPK results....Pretty much everything. I think it really helped me through TTC because I felt like I was somehow in control. I will admit I was continually checking the app looking for some hidden sign I was pregnant so it probably was a big "time waster", however, I am so glad I got the app. I haven't really answered your question, because I found everything about it helpful. It was nice being able to look at other users charts and compare mine to theirs.
Good luck on your TTC journey!
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@amreis: I started just tracking AF. That was helpful to get a good idea of cycle length.
Then I started using OPK so I added those in.
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I would limit how much you check into it during the TWW. They give you pregnancy points based on your symptoms, and it can really get your hopes up and feed into that craziness. I do like looking at others charts for learning purposes, and they just added a feature where you can click and see all the charts from the same member.
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@delight: pretty much this. I also paid for the membership and tracked temperature, CM, OPKs, BDing, and any "worthwhile" symptoms. It was a lifesaver in my cycles after I got off the pill, as the first one was 50+ days, and this last one was 63 days...I would have had NO clue when/if I ovulated otherwise!
I totally agree with @Happygal: on the TWW stuff... One time it told me I had like, 83 "points" and...nothin'. This last cycle I had like, 13 "points" and I found out I was pregnant. Huh...
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Right now I'm just using it to keep track of my periods, I'll be temping start my next cycle as well to get an even better idea of when I'm ovulating. I used it for all of those things to TTC LO and it was awesome.
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I agree with @ms.janedoe! I started using it my first cycle post-BC to track when we were having sex. This second cycle is even longer than the first (45 days and counting) so I've been tracking BD, OPK and just started temping last week. I use the free version though.
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Thanks for the responses! It sounds like I'm using it pretty much the same way as the rest of you. I just noticed all of the extra things in the sidebar on the website, and wondered if any of it was worthwhile.
@Happygal: @ms.janedoe: I had 77 pregnancy points just with my regular AF symptoms! I definitely need to stay away from that, or I'll drive myself insane.
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@Amreis: I hope you quickly get a BFP and don't have to use FF for long!
I think it's worth it, just once, to let yourself be totally crazy in the TWW. Symptom spot, check out those "pregnancy points," stare at your chart, google 3 dpo and read everything you can.....it's a unique experience and then you hopefully get the crazy out of your system!
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I used it to track when we DTD, my CM, OPK readings, and when I got my period. I didn't chart since I wake up at various times, but just tracking those things was insightful.
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I use it to track AF, temps, and other symptoms. The first few months of TTC I was obsessed with checking it multiple times a day like something different would jump out at me and say I was preg (kind of like opening the fridge multiple times even though you know what's in there...). I also liked to search the charts in the gallery during the TWW to see if people with cycles like me got a BFP. But basically every type of cycle has some BFPs, so it would just get my hopes up.
That being said, I love FF, but just be careful not to get obsessed!
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I'm glad someone finally explained these "pregnancy points" because I was trying to figure out what the heck they were!
I only started charting last week, but copied my AF dates over from another app I was using on my phone. The FF alarm function on the android app seems to be pretty spotty though, at least on my phone, so I've reverted back to just setting my regular alarm to temp.
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@fussygal: I'm guilty of checking it throughout the day. Not sure what I'm expecting to see... but I guess I just like to look at it. haha!
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@ameris Haha, it gets addicting! Especially when to chart is farther along and starts to look so pretty!
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I use FF because we use FAM to prevent pregnancy. Also, my cycles tend to vary by as much as 10 days, so knowing when I ovulated is the only way for me to know when to expect AF. And, when we start TTC/NTNP again, it will be very convenient to switch. For those purposes, the super basic free membership works great, and the app is pretty decent too.
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@fussygal: @amreis: Or earlier on, when you're looking for clues as to what your body's doing, and what it might do next! I confess that I look several times a day, too.
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@lately I'm also guilty of putting in lots of "dummy temps" to predict ovulation haha
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