How to Get Pregnant When You Have Irregular Cycles
Trying to get pregnant while you have irregular cycles can be frustrating. Your cycles are all over the place and you have no idea when or even if you ovulated. Then your Aunt Flo shows up out of nowhere and it’s back to the starting block again.
I know as I’ve been there and it was really frustrating. I just wanted to have a normal cycle. Having irregular cycles can happen to anyone and it’s actually pretty common.
If you have irregular cycles, it can be difficult to know when you are in your “window of opportunity”, when to expect your period, and when you can take a pregnancy test.
The good news is that there are some simple steps that you can take to help you know where you are in your cycle which can help you conceive.
Here is what you can do to help you know more about your menstrual cycle:
***This post may contain affiliate links to products I use and love. Before implementing any health advice, please check with your doctor first as I am not a medical professional. Read my full policy for more information.
Visit With Your OB
The first step you should take is to set up an appointment with your OB to share your plans and concerns. If you have irregular periods, it could be a sign of certain health conditions which could be diagnosed by them. Some conditions could make it more challenging to conceive.
They can also help determine if your body is ready for conception which is super important.
If you are uncomfortable with your OB, check around for a new one that you will be more comfortable with. After all, if you test positive, they will be your go-to for checkups and giving birth.
Once you get the go-ahead and everything is fine, you can start tracking your cycles to help you know when it’s best to try and conceive.
What is a Typical Cycle
The average cycle is 28 days but most women’s cycles aren’t exactly 28 days all the time. A typical cycle is between 21-45 days (source). Some women’s bodies have the same cycle period every time. Others can vary. It depends on the individual.
Your cycle starts on the first day of you period. Hello Aunt Flo!! Periods typically last 4-7 days. After your period, your uterine lining starts to thicken again to prepare for an egg to attach itself. This can take a week or so.
Once the lining has thickened, your body starts to get ready for ovulation. On a typical 28 day cycle, ovulation typically occurs on day 14 of your cycle. Your egg is good for 24 hours. This is the optimal time for conception.
If conception has been successful, the egg will make its journey to the uterine lining and attach itself. If not, the uterine lining starts to break down and you’ll expect a visit from Aunt Flo.
Did you know:
Although your egg is only good for 24 hours, sperm can survive in your uterus for up to 5 days in the right conditions (source). Don’t concern yourself too much with the exact timing of your ovulation date. Have fun and relax.
How to Track Your Cycles
So not everyone fits the cookie-cutter menstrual cycle, so what can you do to know where you are in your cycle so you have a better chance of conceiving?
Luckily, your body actually lets off signals that you’re ovulating! You just need to know what they are and how you can check them!
So here is how you can track your personal cycles:
Get a Cycle Tracking App
There are a lot of cycle tracking apps out there. Ovia happened to be my favorite. This app allows you to enter your information and can help you get a vague idea about where you are in your cycle.
While these apps are suited to women with consistent cycles, they helped me through my irregular cycles as I could enter in the information manually so I could remember my last period, and when I thought I may have ovulated.
Check Your Cervial Position
Did you know that cervical position changes depending on where you are in your cycle? Your cervix is often low and hard with the opening positioned toward the back. When you are ovulating, your cervix raises up to a higher position and is super soft and mushy! The opening (which feels like a small hole), will be in the center.
Here is how you check your cervical position:
1: Thoroughly clean your hands (and make sure you’re nails aren’t long and sharp).
2: Choose a position and stick to it for every check. You can either sit, stand, or stand with one leg raised on a ledge. Whichever you’re most comfortable doing. If you change your position daily, you will get different results and therefore, will not be as accurate.
3: Insert your middle finger (as it’s the longest) into the vagina until you feel an ending. This is your cervix! It feels round like a ball with a very small opening.
4. If it is low, you are likely to be in the infertile stage of your cycle. No baby here! If it is soft and high, then your body is getting ready to ovulate! You will be more likely to get pregnant in this stage.
Top tip: some women can’t find their cervix when they ovulate as it’s too high. If you can usually reach it and one day you can’t find it, you’re probably ovulating.
Cervical Mucus Check
I know this may sound a little gross, but your cervical mucus also changes depending on where you are in your cycle.
If your cervical mucus is thick and sticky, you’re not ovulating.
If your cervical mucus is slimy, stretchy, and clear, you’re body is gearing up for ovulation
How to check your cervical mucus:
There are 3 different ways to do this:
- Check your panties when going to the bathroom. You will typically find your cervical secretions in there.
- Wash your hands thoroughly and lightly insert your finger into your vagina and see what type of discharge ends up on your finger.
- After going to the bathroom, check the toilet paper after you wipe. Your mucus will typically end up in the toilet paper.
Checking your Basal Body Temperature
Another way to track your ovulation is to chart your BBT as your temperature slightly increases when you ovulate. Your BBT is the temperature you take at resting. It is important to take your temperature at the same time every morning before you get out of bed.
You can then chart your readings by writing them down or by using a BBT charting app.
This method is a little more challenging as it can be easy to forget on some mornings. If you want to track your cycles using the BBT method and you’re worried you’ll have a hard time remembering or doing it right, this BBT wearable tracker will be perfect for you. It takes out all the guesswork and stress of taking your temperature every day.
Just put the band on the top of your arm before you go to bed and the device will automatically track your readings.
Otherwise, this BBT thermometer will work well as it also comes with an app to automatically transfer the results and let you know if you are ovulating.
Top Tip:
Try to use at least 2 of these methods instead of relying on just one. This will help you get more accurate results.
Other Ways to Help You Conceive With Irregular Cycles:
Take a Good Quality Prenatal
Prenatals can help your body get ready for pregnancy. These prenatals are specifically designed for women with irregular cycles. These conception vitamins have helped many women regulate their cycles while improving their uterine health to promote a healthy pregnancy.
Using Ovulation Tests
Just going to be real and honest here…while these tests can be great to let you know that you’re ovulating, they’re not too helpful for women with irregular cycles. Why? You’ll need to purchase a ton of tests as you literally have no idea when you could expect to ovulate (unless you use the methods listed above and you use a test to confirm your results). Relying on ovulation tests alone can end up being expensive.
For example, one of my cycles ended up being 50 days long. If I took an ovulation test on the day I thought I would be ovulating, I would have ended up using around 25-30 tests! That’s a lot of money wasted in my opinion.
Now, with that being said, these tests can be a useful confirmation when you are using the methods above. If your body is showing signs of ovulation, you can take a test to confirm. Then, you wouldn’t have to waste too many tests.
Avoid Lubricants
Many lubricants actually end up killing sperm! This is not good at all when you are trying to conceive. Now, I wouldn’t try this as a contraceptive method as it is not intended for that purpose but if you are using lube and haven’t had any luck getting that “big fat positive”, you may want to try ditching the lube and use other, more natural methods.
Be sure to talk to your OB if you have any concerns in this area.
Tips to Get Pregnant Fast
If you haven’t already done so, be sure to check out this list of tips to help you get pregnant fast. There is some information in there that may even surprise you!
Good luck and I hope this helps you on your journey to motherhood!
