The browser you are using is too old for our website. Please visit www.cgbabyclub.co.uk from Chrome and you will be able to browse normally.

Pregnancy

      Understanding your ovulation cycle

      Ovulation calculator

      Our easy-to-use ovulation calculator will help you work out when you’re most likely to conceive.

      To get more accurate dates, you’ll first need to know:

      • When your last period started
      • The average length of your menstrual cycle

      If you only use an estimated date and length, the results won’t be as accurate. 

      Ovulation

      If your health and nutrition MOTs are up to scratch, then it’s time to learn more about when your body releases your egg – otherwise known as your ovulation cycle. This helps you know the time when you’re most fertile.

      When does ovulation take place?

      Your periods happen around every 23 to 35 days and you’re most likely to ovulate roughly two weeks before your period, although it varies woman to woman. Most women have a 28-day cycle and ovulate around day 14.

      Signs of ovulation

      There are several signs of ovulation. The main one is a change in your vaginal mucus. When you’re ovulating, you tend to produce more mucus, and its appearance and consistency changes. It becomes clearer and more slippery – a bit like gluey, raw egg white.

      Other signs of ovulation you may experience include: 

      • A small increase in body temperature
      • Tender breasts
      • Slight tummy pain
      • Feeling bloated

      You may also be more in the mood for sex, which is handy!

      How to predict ovulation

      • Recording your temperature

      Since your body changes temperature during ovulation, this gives you a useful way of predicting when you are at your most fertile. 

      Your body temperature drops just before and rises just after ovulation has taken place, so you can predict your ovulation cycle by recording your temperature regularly. This means taking it at the same time every morning, before you do anything else – including having a sleepy cuddle or getting out of bed. It will take a couple of ovulation cycles before you notice a pattern in your recordings. You should notice that your temperature is higher by about 0.2°C for about three days of the month. Just remember, it’s the days immediately before your temperature goes up that you are most fertile. 

      • Use an ovulation predictor kit

      You can also buy ovulation predictor kits at large chemists and most large supermarkets. They contain sticks that you use to test your urine, a bit like a pregnancy test. The sticks test for a hormone which is particularly high just before ovulation.

      Have sex regularly during your fertile period

      When you think you’ve spotted all your signs of ovulation, it’s time to have plenty of sex! This will boost your chances of conceiving, especially as sperm can survive for up to 7 days, so are more likely to connect with the egg, which only survives unfertilised for up to a day.

      pink laptop

      Join the club

      Ready to stop worrying about what other people think and do what feels right to you? We’ll give you the support you need to follow your instincts and enjoy parenthood to the max:

      *Weaning is recommended at around 6 months. Please speak with a healthcare professional before introducing solid foods.

      Join the club

      Ready to stop worrying about what other people think and do what feels right to you? We’ll give you the support you need to follow your instincts and enjoy parenthood to the max:

      email-icon-white.png
      Helpful emails
      chat-icon-white.png
      Non-judgemental support
      broccoli-icon-white.png
      Free weaning plan*
      love-dont-judge-white.png
      Tips from real parents

      *Weaning is recommended at around 6 months. Please speak with a healthcare professional before introducing solid foods.

      More from pregnancy

      Your privacy is important to us and therefore we would like to explain how we use cookies on this website. With your consent, we will use cookies to measure and analyse how our website is used (analytical cookies), to tailor it to your interests (personalisation cookies), and to show you relevant advertising and information (targeting cookies) we think you will like. For more information please read the cookie statement.

      Privacy Settings

      You can choose your preferences anytime for cookies and tracking. For more information please read our cookie policy.

      • Strictly necessary

        They are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services (setting your privacy preferences, logging in, filling in forms, etc.). You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work.

      • Analytical cookies

        They allow us to count visits and traffic sources, to measure and improve the performance of our site. They show us which pages are the most and least popular and how visitors move around the site. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance.

      • Personalisation cookies

        They enable website’s enhanced functionality and personalization. They may be set by us or by third parties whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies, some or all of these services may not function properly.

      • Targeting cookies

        They may be set through our site by our advertising partners, to build a profile of your interests and to show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.