When I was starting my fertility journey, I had no idea how much there was to learn about ovarian reserve, cycle tracking and ovulation. No one really talked to me about those things, at least not at the beginning. I was left navigating it all on my own, month after month, confused and disheartened when things weren’t going to plan.
That’s why, as a co-founder of femme, I originally curated the Reserve & Renew Bundle, a collection of fertility-supporting products I genuinely wished I had known about at the start of my journey.
Availability update
The original Reserve & Renew bundle and the Proov Reserve FSH tests featured in this article are no longer live products at femme. I’ve kept this article because Sarah’s story and the questions behind it still matter, but we are not going to leave dead shopping links in place or present discontinued products as if they are still available.
Tempdrop and the current OVUM Pre-Conception Supplement remain available and are linked further down where they are relevant.
The reality behind the fertility journey
The truth is, trying to conceive can quickly shift from exciting to exhausting. What begins with hope and intimacy can easily become mechanical and draining. I remember those blurry-eyed mornings, perched on the toilet, suddenly realising I hadn’t taken my ovulation test. Or those sleepless nights spent endlessly scrolling Reddit, fertility forums and Instagram, desperately searching for answers.
I don’t just relate, I lived that.
The missing puzzle piece: understanding ovarian reserve
When I sat down to create this bundle, I asked myself: what was missing for me at the beginning?
The answer was information. I didn’t know what ovarian reserve testing could tell me, what it could not tell me, or how different fertility markers fit into the bigger picture. I also didn’t understand that tracking ovulation wasn’t just about peeing on a stick, but about learning how my own cycle behaved over time.
Ovarian reserve markers such as AMH or FSH can be useful in fertility assessment and treatment planning, but they are not a direct measure of egg quality and they should not be treated as a stand-alone “fertility test” that predicts whether somebody without diagnosed infertility will conceive naturally. That distinction matters, because a number can otherwise create false reassurance or unnecessary panic.
Why I chose these products at the time
The Proov Reserve Test was one of the reasons I created the original Reserve & Renew concept. It offered an at-home FSH measurement and, at that point in my journey, I desperately wanted more information. Looking back with more context, I would frame that result as one data point rather than an answer about my overall fertility.
Then there’s OVUM, a brand I absolutely love. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting the founder and seeing first-hand how thoughtfully the products and packaging were developed. What I would change in the old wording is the idea that a fertility supplement can simply “improve egg quality”. OVUM is a preconception nutritional supplement; its ingredients do not guarantee improved egg quality or conception.
Lastly, Tempdrop. Back when I was tracking ovulation daily, it started to feel like a chore. I found it tedious and, if I’m honest, emotionally draining. Tempdrop would have been a dream solution for collecting overnight BBT data. It can help reveal the sustained temperature shift that follows ovulation and build a picture of cycle patterns without requiring the same wake-time routine as traditional BBT tracking.
Finding your own fertility routine
Everyone’s fertility journey is different. What works for one person might not be right for another. As my wise friend and co-founder Laura once said, “It’s just one piece of the puzzle.” And when it comes to women’s health, that puzzle is often made more complicated by being underfunded, under-researched and under-discussed.
That’s why I’ll never say you must do this or supplements always work. I believe in curating a routine that works for you, doing your research, and choosing brands whose values align with yours. No one product is going to fix everything, and no home test should be expected to answer every fertility question.
A bundle that reflected what I wished I had known
The original Reserve & Renew Bundle wasn’t just a promotion. It reflected everything I wished I had understood earlier: that tests have limits, that cycle tracking becomes more useful when you understand what the data actually means, and that nutritional support is not the same thing as a fertility guarantee.
You don’t know what you don’t know, but here at femme, we’re doing everything we can to help fill in the gaps. I’ve learnt so much over the years, and I continue to learn every day. My hope is that sharing the context behind this old bundle helps you feel a little less overwhelmed and a lot more informed.
Because your journey is valid. Your experience matters. And you are never alone.
Love,
Sarah x
What is still available at femme
Tempdrop
Wearable overnight temperature tracking for cycle patterns and retrospective ovulation confirmation.
VIEW TEMPDROP
OVUM Pre-Conception Supplement
A current preconception nutritional supplement. Check the full ingredient list and suitability before use.
VIEW OVUM
