good question, I've been wondering this too. Anyone?

Hi Keiki,
When you get the second dark line or the smiley face, it means that you will ovulate soon.... probably in the next 48 hours. You definitely want to use that time to BD. What you may want to do though is continue to test until the line fades or vanishes, then you will know that you ovulated. If your CM feels like you are about to ovulate, I would start to BD then as well since sperm can live for up to 5 days after released. If you do that, I would think you have it covered!
Good luck to you!
Elizabeth

Keiki,
Sometimes it is so hard to trust technology (look how many of us continue to POAS even after we get our BFPs! ), especially since it's not always 100% accurate. But it does sound like you are "maximizing your fertile days." My hubby and I BD'd the night we got the positive OPK, the next day (twice - he was in heaven! We haven't BD'd twice in one day since our honeymoon ), the day after that, and for good measure, the day after that, too! The OPK gives you enough advanced notice that if you BD as soon as you get the positive result, his little swimmers will be there waiting when your egg is released.

Best wishes for baby blessings!

I just recently invested in the Cue II fertility monitor (it's still on it's way to me) and as I was reading up on it they seemed to be saying that it's best to BD in the days leading up to OV, giving the swimmers time to reach their destination. So while obviously BDing on the day of your LH surge works well for a lot of people, it doesn't seem to have worked for me. I'm hoping that monitor will give me a little more advance notice so we can start BDing a few days before the surge. Maybe that will solve the problem.

Katie, I've heard the same thing about the Cue II, that it gives you "peak" fertile times, "most" fertile times, "not-so" fertile times, etc. So that you can REALLY maximize your fertile days. My hubby and I did get a BFP from BDing on the day of my LH surge and the few days following it, but I also know that doesn't always happen. In fact, as any veteran TTCer knows, it's just not that cut-and-dry. If I can ask, how much was the Cue II?

The Cue II cost about $200, and I ordered the vaginal sensor to go with it for another $100. Got it from a site that offers free shipping in Canada , something not always easy to find. It was pricey, but I figure I've probably already spent at least $100 in OPKs and with this I never have to buy anything else, so in the end it could save me a lot of money. I plan on trying to do the natural method of birth control after we finally have baby #1 because we want more kids anyway, so if we have an "oops" #2 it won't be a big deal. Though considering it has taken us this long to have a #1 I can't imagine there COULD be an "oops". lol Either way, if I need to use it again to plan for #2 then it will still pay for itself.

Also, just in case anyone is curious, I picked the Cue II over the OvaCue because I had heard that the predictions the OvaCue makes for you are useless unless you have a regular cycle. If you're irregular (like me) you end up just reading the numbers and finding the peak yourself anyway. I also picked the Cue II over the Clearblue monitor because I suspect I have PCOS, which apparently can make you have excess LH in your system all the time. The Clearblue monitors the LH surge, as I understand it, whereas the Cue II measures electrolytes or something. Anyway, with the Clearblue you have to keep reordering test strips, and with the Cue II you never have to buy anything but a battery.

And actually the Cue II is a little like BBT. It just gives you number, which you then have to chart, and spot a peak that will happen several days in advance of your OV. It will probably take some getting used to, but with cycles like the one I'm currently in the middle of it would be helpful. According to OPKs I had my LH surge, later than usual, but my temps have been abnormally low. So Fertility Friend has predicted that I OVed a couple of days ago, but I'm not convinced. doesn't matter a whole lot anyway, since DH is away. Hopefully I'll OV when he's home in December, though, and fingers crossed this Cue II will help us be successful!

Thanks for the feedback Katie & Jennifer.

Katie, I figured the Clear Blue Moniter would work for me becuase I am pretty regular, but you have a good point about not having to order anything ever again except the battery.

Jennifer, I never though about testing after I get my positive OPK to ensure I "O". Good idea. If I don't get BFP this month (I am trying to remain positve) I will start using the moniter next month, which does tell you your high and peak fertility days. Thank you for the feedback about the BDing, I though I had it right, but I just wanted to be sure. I would think it is really important to BD prior to your "O" so the swimmers can get there.

Keiki

Hello.
I just ordered the ovulation predictor strips from this site and I just got them in the mail. I'm a bit confused. Do I dip the green part in the urine or the other side? Also, I read that the urine has to be 28 degrees? So I can't instantly dip the strip right after I urinate in a cup? How long do I have to wait until I can test? Do I have to refrigerate my urine everyday before testing? I can't do that while I'm at work! I don't know what to look for? I looked at some of the positive examples on this site and not all of them had two lines? I don't get it. Does one DARK line mean a positive or 2 lines? What is a "test" band? Plese help me!! Thank you.

Hi Agnesm82...
The white part of the strip goes into the urine, just up to the line , not past it. The green area is what you hang on to while you're dipping.
I must have missed that part about the urine being 28 degrees. I just always collected and dipped.
There is a control line and a test line on every strip. The control line will show up every time. The test line will tell you if you're going to ovulate or ovulating. It is only a positive if the line is as dark as, or darker than, the control line.
You can start testing whenver you want, some start right after AF goes away, or some start on CD 10. Just don't waste your test strips if you're in your LP, then you're obviously not ovulating because you already have!
Good luck!

Thanks Lisa for the quick response! Ok I think I got it. It's weird because I saw some of the examples of the "positive" strips that some people posted online and some only had one line (which I assume is the control line)- very confusing.

The crucial part I want to know is when I'm ABOUT to ovulate so I could get the swimmers in there in time. So you're telling me that these strips will be able to detect that (when I'm about to ovulate)? If so, how can you tell (will it be a light pink line)? And if I'm not ovulating at all then I assume there is no line at all? Sorry I just want to make sure I fully understand. Are you having any luck? We're also trying for our first one I really hope I can get pregnant - it would be such a blessing.