Track Your Cycles & Optimize Fertility with Our New Trying To Conceive Program!

It's. Finally. Here. We've just launched our brand new Trying To Conceive program (TTC for short!) on the Baby2Body app and we can't wait for you to check it out.

Here's what you need to know: our TTC program is built to help you optimize your preconception health. Simple as that. Whether you're actively trying to conceive or simply planning on getting pregnant in the future, we'll help you better understand your fertility and how your lifestyle habits now can contribute to a healthier future for you and baby-to-be. And we'll of course have all the workouts, recipes, and stress-reducing hacks to get your body (and mind!) ready for pregnancy.

For more information on our Trying To Conceive Program head on over to this page. Or, download the app and get started right away!

Now if you've been on the Baby2Body app before, you'll notice that the TTC program has everything you know and love from our pregnancy and postpartum offerings, but there's a brand new feature you need to know about: our very own Cycle Tracking. So, let's talk about what this new feature allows you to do...

How our cycle tracking feature works

Our new Cycle Tracking feature is built to help you better understand the changes your body goes through during your menstrual cycle -- because the more you know about how it all works, the more you can optimize your chances of conceiving.

You can access the Cycle Tracking calendar right from your Baby2body app Home page, and then easily log your latest periods by tapping on days of the week. We'll need your last two periods in order to start building predictions on when you'll likely ovulate, and the more periods you log the more accurate predictions we can make! Once you add enough information, we'll display your most recent fertile window so you can plan your TTC efforts accordingly (wink wink). We'll also estimate your next period start date so you can be prepared for whatever comes next.

Now, let's talk about why you might want to start tracking your cycles if you're not already...

Why cycle tracking is important

Tracking your cycle not only puts you more in touch with your body, it can help you determine when you're most likely to ovulate -- which is when you’re most likely to get pregnant. In fact, you can only conceive around the time you release an egg. This doesn't mean that conception will only happen if you have intercourse on your ovulation day because sperm can survive for a while before inseminating a released egg. There's usually a range of 3-5 days when conception is most likely, and this time period is what's known as your fertile window.

How do I know when I'm most likely to ovulate?

That's where we come in and handle the calculations for you! For most women, ovulation happens about 14 days before the start of your next period. But the more periods you log in the app, the more accurate predictions we can make, as we'll have a better understanding of your average cycle lengths in order to pinpoint that ovulation day. 

Will cycle tracking help me get pregnant right away?

It might. But it also might not.

A really important thing to remember is that cycle tracking can only provide predictions on ovulation. There can be some slight variation even if you have 'regular' menstrual cycles, and if you have irregular cycles it can be really tough to estimate an ovulation day. That's why we focus on the fertile window because it should give you a good idea of a time range when you're most likely to ovulate and therefore most likely to conceive.

You can and may conceive outside of your predicted fertile window, but don't forget that conceiving a child is a complex biological process and there are a lot of factors at play. The goal of cycle tracking isn't to help you get pregnant right away, it's to help you better understand where you're at in your cycle so you can be more informed and empowered through your TTC journey. 

How do I know if cycle tracking is right for me?

Cycle tracking does rely on relatively 'normal' menstrual cycles in order to work. This means having a cycle that's between 21-38 days long with periods lasting 1-8 days. If your menstrual cycle patterns falls out of these ranges or if they vary significantly from month to month, cycle tracking might not be of benefit to you. This could be because you may not ovulate consistently or at the same time every month - which can make it difficult to provide an accurate estimate on where your fertile window is.

Is there anything else I can do to predict my ovulation day?

We're glad you asked. And, yes! You can keep track of other bodily changes to help increase your chances of conceiving and understand the signals your body is giving you. Signs you might be ovulating soon include:

1. Vaginal discharge becomes more slippery and clear (this usually occurs 3-7 days before ovulation)

2. Minor cramping may occur on one side of the pelvic region (you know those times when you know they aren't period pains but feel those familiar cramps creep in? Chances are you may be ovulating!)

3. Your basal body temperature will dip just before your body releases an egg, and then increase immediately after

Speaking of basal body temperature...

Our TTC program allows you to track that as well! So what is it? We'll keep it brief:

Your basal body temperature (BBT) is the temperature your body is at when fully at rest - meaning right when you wake up in the morning (before you get out of bed). Your temp should dip just before you ovulate and then rise slightly above your normal BBT shortly after ovulation. Women tend to be most fertile 2 to 3 days before this rise in BBT. Of course, everyone is different and some women ovulate and don't have a clear rise in BBT, so if you notice your temperature isn’t changing consistently after a few months of tracking it might be helpful to check with your doctor. On the flip side, if that temperature continues to stay slightly elevated for 18 or more days, congrats - there is a chance you could be pregnant! We'll talk more about this in the app.

Both cycle tracking and basal body temperature monitoring are great fertility tools as don’t pose any health risks and you can easily track them yourself to get a better understanding of your menstrual cycle and feel more in control of your TTC journey. That combined with our TTC program will give you the tools you need to get your body ready for baby.

If you're ready to optimize your preconception health, be sure to download the Baby2Body app today.

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