When we decided to finally grow our family, something kind of clicked in my head. As a 32 year old at the time we started trying to conceive, I considered myself an “older” mom-to-be. Even though I am not old, from an egg perspective I felt a new kind of nervous that I had honestly never felt before.
I’d spent literally years avoiding being pregnant, so this change of pace was more challenging for me than I expected. All of a sudden it felt like there was no time to waste to get pregnant.
Of course, so much of this is truly beyond our control, but I wanted to be better equipped with knowledge about what was happening inside my body. I wanted to know absolutely everything I could about my body and how I could help move things along myself. Enter all the smart trackers- and I mean all!
I count myself extremely lucky that I got pregnant after just one cycle of trying. I attribute it 100% of my use of these health trackers I am sharing with you. Even if it had taken me longer, these trackers would have given me more information to share with my health care provider to have better conversations tailored to me specifically and not just “averages” or what is considered “normal.”
This post contains affiliate links, but please know I have tried and believe in these products or I wouldn’t consider recommending them.
Fertility Tracking
If there is one health tracker you are willing to use for your fertility needs, make it the Mira Fertility Plus Tracking Monitor Kit. This hormone monitoring kit uses regular testing to show you your most fertile period and actually predicts your ovulation date. It even gives you a daily fertility score- can you say game changer?!
The tracker and app take a lot of the guess work out of the whole process. It even reminds you to take the test in the morning and which wands to use. If it hadn’t been for the Mira, I wouldn’t have realized that I ovulated very late in my cycle and was nowhere near what is considered “average.” I felt like it took a lot of the guess work out of the equation, especially after coming off of years of birth control. I had no idea what my own cycle would even look like.
Here are some screen shots from my own tests from the Mira while we were TTC. The information is pretty intuitive on the app. Your fertile window shows as blue and your ovulation date is marked with a green circle on the calendar and chart views. I can tell you from my son’s birthday these dates were spot on.
You need the testing wands that go with them (I used the Fertility Plus Wand and am now using the Mira Fertility MAX Wands). I will say you go through them pretty quickly, so make sure to have an order ready to go as you’re about half way through a package. Without a doubt, I will be using the Mira Fertility Plus Tracking Monitor Kit when we even think about trying again.
Smart Water Bottles
This smart water bottle keeps track of how much you drink and then even gently reminds you to take a sip if you’re running behind. The app helps you set a goal of how much water to drink and can then be changed when you find out your pregnant. The bottom of the bottle is a smart sensor that measures when you fill the bottle and each time you take a drink. The puck is also what glows to remind you to take a drink. There are six colors you can choose to have glow and i have mine on the rainbow setting because– well, why not!
For me, generally drinking water was a huge chore, but the smart water bottle made it more of a game as I worked to reach my goal. Since using this bottle my hydration habits have absolutely improved.
I purchased the 21 ounce bottle, but I recommend getting the 24 ounce version instead so that if you choose to empty cans or bottles of seltzer water into the bottle they can fit more easily. I was on a big seltzer kick and could only fit 1 and a half cans.
Fitness Tracker
Personally, I have always been a huge fan of fitness trackers. I have used one for years and years and they just keep getting better with time. Newer versions can even track sleeping and stress levels while providing you with in depth metrics.
It’s so important to stay active and thoughtful about your health throughout your conception and pregnancy journey. Having a smartwatch to help you track your diet, daily steps, and exercise minutes can be a huge motivator to stay on track for both you and the baby.
I recommend getting a fitness tracker as early as possible in your fertility journey to keep an eye of your personal activity and health trends. The trackers I have the most experience with are Fitbit smart watches. The latest version is the Fitbit Sense Fitness Smartwatch. They helped my train for a half marathon- why not help me through conception and then pregnancy! An Apple Watch is of course a great competitor to the Fitbit Brand and has very different capabilities.
The Fitbit app does have a period tracking section which can be helpful to better understand your cycles. It does predict your period, but I find it inaccurate when compared to the Mira.
Final Thoughts
Although fertility and health tracking can be an awesome tool while you’re trying to conceive, don’t forget to just have fun! It’s so easy to let it become like a job (especially when you know it’s your most fertile day!), but remember to let go of the stress. Good luck future mama, I wish you the best and hope these help you reach your own goals!
Baby Talk 