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Charting to Avoid/Fertility Awareness, JAN 2010 - Page 5

post #81 of 610
1/6/10 at 1:46am
I've been thoroughly confused about what's considered heavy vs. medium vs. light flow. I switched to pads after having ds2 when before I had exclusively used tampons. I don't know how the two are supposed to compare. The thing that throws me off trying to compare tampon to pad use is that I don't seem to lose much except when I use the toilet. Not much gets on my pad even though a lot comes out in the toilet. I think maybe I don't ever have what's considered a heavy flow. I've never had any complaints about having such a heavy flow that I had to change my tampon often. I don't recall needing to use the large/heavy tampons. Or maybe it's all relative and I should mark heavy for whatever is heavy for me.

On another note, I am now officially the parent of a college student!
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post #82 of 610
1/6/10 at 2:31am
MW-- I don't think I ever really have "heavy" either, but I mark it in relative to my cycle- my guess is that heavy for me is what's light for most, but I still mark it as heavy. I pretty much consider it a heavy day if I have to change my tampon sooner than the 7-8 hours. A medium day for me, I might use two tampons during the day, put a pantyliner on at night, and then like you said-- I don't notice anything until I use the washroom the first time in the morning, and then I start over with tampons. I thank my lucky stars I'm not one of the women that has to use super plus tampons and still change them every 2 hours.

Now what's that we were saying about this being the place for TMI? lol

AFM: I'm having trouble trying to decide what to mark today's CM as. I haven't really had any sensation, however I went to the washroom an hour ago, and deciding to try to check internally and got two separate small (large pea sized) gobs of... what had the appearance of creamy, but it had quite a bit of substance/shape to it. When I tried to stretch it, oneo f them *kind of* stretched, but barely 1/2 an inch, and the other just kind of did nothing. So I feel like i should mark it as EW, but it had none of the slippery texture I've seen before. Thoughts?
post #83 of 610
1/6/10 at 3:55am
Mind if I join you ladies? I have been relying on Lactational ammenorhea since my little surprise was born, but my 6 mo are going to be up at the end of this month, and I need to have a plan in place. I really do not want to get pregnant again in the next couple of years. I have no sign of returning cycles/fertility yet, my babe is still ebf and definitely does not sleep through the night! I have no idea how many times he nurses at night, because I barely wake up for them anymore.

Anybody using fertility awareness with no cycles? What rules do you use? Do you temp, or just monitor cf? We used condoms during fertile times before I got pregnant. I really don't want to use them full time, but again, I'm kind of scared of getting pregnant right now.

I'm also wondering if the length of lactational ammenorhea runs in families. My sister ebf her babies and she went for a couple years before her cycle returned with each of hers.
post #84 of 610
1/6/10 at 11:40am
Quote:
Originally Posted by jeninejessica View Post
AFM: I'm having trouble trying to decide what to mark today's CM as. I haven't really had any sensation, however I went to the washroom an hour ago, and deciding to try to check internally and got two separate small (large pea sized) gobs of... what had the appearance of creamy, but it had quite a bit of substance/shape to it. When I tried to stretch it, oneo f them *kind of* stretched, but barely 1/2 an inch, and the other just kind of did nothing. So I feel like i should mark it as EW, but it had none of the slippery texture I've seen before. Thoughts?
I would not mark that as EW. It sounds like it doesn't have any of the characteristics of EW, stretchy and/or slippery/lubricative. Also, you aren't supposed to switch between checking internally and externally in the same cycle. You are supposed to stick with what you started with.

Welcome, Angelorum. I think most people just track CF until they get their first PPAF. I don't know if LAM length runs in families, but it took about a year for my cycles to return after both ds2 and ds3.
post #85 of 610
1/6/10 at 11:45am
Thread Starter 
BFS: the links disappeared through copying and pasting. I feel like people are doing a pretty good job of copy/pasting links to their chart in their posts as needed...

Angelorum: Welcome! Would you like me to add you to the front page list of members? There are a few women on here waiting for their first PPAF. I think that most monitor their cervical fluid, use back up or abstinence when it is fertile, and don't start temping until their first period.

AFM: I changed that dubious EW day to creamy. And yesterday was just plain sticky. http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/277407 So basically back to confusing. I started taking Maca yesterday, and it is supposed to take a few weeks to months to get into your system, so we'll see how that works.
post #86 of 610
1/6/10 at 12:04pm
Emily ~ Why did you choose maca over Vitex? I'm going to go the next 3 months completely drug and supplement free except for my regular vitamins. If things are wacky, or long or irregular, I'll probably try something about 3 months before dh is scheduled to return. I had heard of maca but haven't looked into it. I was planning to try Vitex. I'm also going to get The Infertility Cure as soon as finances allow it unless that book isn't good for recurrent miscarriage and there is something else that's better.

As to links to our charting pages, you can put it as your homepage on your profile on this website. That way anyone can access your chart from your username if they want. If you do that, I'd still appreciate it if we continued to put links in our posts when we are are discussing/asking specifics about our charts.
post #87 of 610
1/6/10 at 12:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Angelorum View Post
Mind if I join you ladies? I have been relying on Lactational ammenorhea since my little surprise was born, but my 6 mo are going to be up at the end of this month, and I need to have a plan in place. I really do not want to get pregnant again in the next couple of years. I have no sign of returning cycles/fertility yet, my babe is still ebf and definitely does not sleep through the night! I have no idea how many times he nurses at night, because I barely wake up for them anymore.

Anybody using fertility awareness with no cycles? What rules do you use? Do you temp, or just monitor cf? We used condoms during fertile times before I got pregnant. I really don't want to use them full time, but again, I'm kind of scared of getting pregnant right now.

I'm also wondering if the length of lactational ammenorhea runs in families. My sister ebf her babies and she went for a couple years before her cycle returned with each of hers.
I'm not sure if it runs in families, but DS is 17 months and I'm still no sign of AF. We are just using condoms for now and will start charting once I get my first PPAF.
post #88 of 610
1/6/10 at 12:13pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by MarineWife View Post
Emily ~ Why did you choose maca over Vitex? I'm going to go the next 3 months completely drug and supplement free except for my regular vitamins. If things are wacky, or long or irregular, I'll probably try something about 3 months before dh is scheduled to return. I had heard of maca but haven't looked into it. I was planning to try Vitex. I'm also going to get The Infertility Cure as soon as finances allow it unless that book isn't good for recurrent miscarriage and there is something else that's better.

As to links to our charting pages, you can put it as your homepage on your profile on this website. That way anyone can access your chart from your username if they want. If you do that, I'd still appreciate it if we continued to put links in our posts when we are are discussing/asking specifics about our charts.
I chose the Maca because it supposedly helps to balance estrogen, and based on my low temps and copious CF, I figure that might be the problem. Vitex is very similar, but there are some cases of it preventing ovulation, and that's the last thing i need! And although Maca is not safe during pregnancy, either, it seems that it is less likely to cause a possible miscairrage when you discontinue it, sinc the Vitex bumps up your progesterone levels, and can cause them to drop when stopped (hence the recommended weaning from it after a BFP). Some people use Maca and Vitex simultaneously! So we'll see how my body reacts to the Maca. I'm not even sure if it will make a difference, but I'm running out of options, I feel like. Oh, I also liked the maca vs. the vitex because maca is considered a food, while Vitex is considered a medicinal herb.
post #89 of 610
1/6/10 at 12:35pm
Thread Starter 
Ok I have a CF question. When I wiped, it felt kind of "glide-y" but not really slippery the way it is when you have lots of EWCF, you know? And I was able to pick up a little bit of the clear CF from the TP, like streth it 1/2 inch between the TP and my finger and it mostly just formed a very thin transparent sheet...once. There was absolutely no way I could get it to form again, and it soaked in pretty quick and I couldn't lift it off the TP at all. When I get EW, I REALLY get EW, inches of stretch, multiple times, and lots of the stuff. So what would you call what I had today?
post #90 of 610
1/6/10 at 12:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by wholewheatchick View Post
Ok I have a CF question. When I wiped, it felt kind of "glide-y" but not really slippery the way it is when you have lots of EWCF, you know? And I was able to pick up a little bit of the clear CF from the TP, like streth it 1/2 inch between the TP and my finger and it mostly just formed a very thin transparent sheet...once. There was absolutely no way I could get it to form again, and it soaked in pretty quick and I couldn't lift it off the TP at all. When I get EW, I REALLY get EW, inches of stretch, multiple times, and lots of the stuff. So what would you call what I had today?
I would call it watery.
post #91 of 610
1/6/10 at 1:08pm
I'm home again today with dd, she was out sick yesterday. Her fever didnt' break until sometime in the night so we're home again today trying to take it easy. She is back to normal and ready to destroy the house though.

MW: I think that the light-heavy is particular to each person, on a heavy day I will need to use "super" tampons so I don't leak through, on a light day I could just use a pantiliner. As a few others have said, heavy for one person could be light to another. It's amazing how different it all is.

AFM: I've changed my detector to test out each one and they all put me at 6DPO now. I am completely dry, I have that "oh no did AF start?!" sensation, and the backache has started as it usually does. It's been an odd cycle but I guess I'm going with it. It's been significantly colder in the house lately so that may have something to do with it.
post #92 of 610
1/6/10 at 1:26pm
Cass: I would not be comfortable relying on that interpretation.
post #93 of 610
1/6/10 at 1:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jeninejessica View Post
MW-- I don't think I ever really have "heavy" either, but I mark it in relative to my cycle- my guess is that heavy for me is what's light for most, but I still mark it as heavy. I pretty much consider it a heavy day if I have to change my tampon sooner than the 7-8 hours. A medium day for me, I might use two tampons during the day, put a pantyliner on at night, and then like you said-- I don't notice anything until I use the washroom the first time in the morning, and then I start over with tampons. I thank my lucky stars I'm not one of the women that has to use super plus tampons and still change them every 2 hours.

Now what's that we were saying about this being the place for TMI? lol

AFM: I'm having trouble trying to decide what to mark today's CM as. I haven't really had any sensation, however I went to the washroom an hour ago, and deciding to try to check internally and got two separate small (large pea sized) gobs of... what had the appearance of creamy, but it had quite a bit of substance/shape to it. When I tried to stretch it, oneo f them *kind of* stretched, but barely 1/2 an inch, and the other just kind of did nothing. So I feel like i should mark it as EW, but it had none of the slippery texture I've seen before. Thoughts?
I too, just always mark what is heavy for ME. I have no idea what's normal for anyone else. LOL

Quote:
Originally Posted by Angelorum View Post
Mind if I join you ladies? I have been relying on Lactational ammenorhea since my little surprise was born, but my 6 mo are going to be up at the end of this month, and I need to have a plan in place. I really do not want to get pregnant again in the next couple of years. I have no sign of returning cycles/fertility yet, my babe is still ebf and definitely does not sleep through the night! I have no idea how many times he nurses at night, because I barely wake up for them anymore.

Anybody using fertility awareness with no cycles? What rules do you use? Do you temp, or just monitor cf? We used condoms during fertile times before I got pregnant. I really don't want to use them full time, but again, I'm kind of scared of getting pregnant right now.

I'm also wondering if the length of lactational ammenorhea runs in families. My sister ebf her babies and she went for a couple years before her cycle returned with each of hers.
Hi! When I was using LAM I didn't really chart until I started noticing some CM. I did not temp. I started temping the second PPAF I got. My PPAF returned at 9 months....which is annoying because I am still breastfeeding soo much, even in the night, and he barely eats any solids and takes no cups/bottles. lol Lucky me!!

AFM: I had a temp spike this morning and I had a dream last night that I got a positive pregnancy test. My whole dream was centered around my feelings (and everyone elses) about this pregnancy. We use w/d and we never dtd again one right after the other so it's unlikely that the pre stuff would get me pregnant, right? I mean, we've used this method for a very long time and have never had a problem. I guess that temp shift has me a little worried. http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/2be681
post #94 of 610
1/6/10 at 2:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MovingMomma View Post
Cass: I would not be comfortable relying on that interpretation.
Unfortunately (or fortunately, I suppose) neither am I.
post #95 of 610
1/6/10 at 2:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kimmiepie View Post
AFM: I had a temp spike this morning and I had a dream last night that I got a positive pregnancy test. My whole dream was centered around my feelings (and everyone elses) about this pregnancy. We use w/d and we never dtd again one right after the other so it's unlikely that the pre stuff would get me pregnant, right? I mean, we've used this method for a very long time and have never had a problem. I guess that temp shift has me a little worried. http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/2be681
I don't know that the temp shift would have me concerned, we practice w/d also and as much as I hope for an "oops" it hasn't happened yet. :P

However, I know that dreams and such can cause some concern (not sure that's the right word to use). My dd told me in late December that God had decided it was time for another baby and has been talking incessantly about being a big sister and "when the baby comes..."
Kinda throws me for a loop.
post #96 of 610
1/6/10 at 2:31pm
Cass ~ I agree with Shannon. I'm still not convinced of O for you.

kimmie ~ Way too early for triphasic. That doesn't start counting until after 7dpo. I don't think you can confirm O until maybe cd26. If tomorrow's temp is above 97.4, that's where I'd put your O.

emily ~ Sounds to me like it could be either sticky or ew depending on how slippery it was or was not. My sticky used to confuse me because on the tissue it looks shiny and clear like I would expect ew to look. However, it's hard to pick up, doesn't stretch, isn't slippery and absorbs into the tissue quickly. My ew can start out as a day or 2 of scant amounts just on the tissue that's also hard to get hold of but it's slippery and may stretch a little but it sits on the tissue, is not absorbed. That probably just confuses things more for you.
post #97 of 610
1/6/10 at 2:39pm
Thanks guys!

I know that I O'd on cd 23, it's just very typical of my O pattern to barely go above the coverline at first. With my previous pregnancy charts I *always* had an implantation dip or start of a triphasic pattern at 4 or 5 dpo, testing positive on pregnancy tests at 9dpo without fail. So for me, it's not too early, which is why I'm concerned.

Cass- That would be concerning if my kids were telling me it was time for another baby. LOL Are you guys planning on trying anytime soon?
post #98 of 610
1/6/10 at 3:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kimmiepie View Post

Cass- That would be concerning if my kids were telling me it was time for another baby. LOL Are you guys planning on trying anytime soon?
Most likely not until the end of 2010, I've had the baby itch for quite sometime now though. We're trying to pay down debt right now and having a second daycare expense in the near future (can't afford to not work right now), not to mention paying for a midwife, would really decrease how quickly we could do that. I'm trying to be patient but it's hard!

B. has been talking about having a little brother or sister for the past few months but it's only recently that she talks about it like it's any day now. She's been praying avidly to be a big sister so I guess we wait and see what happens.
post #99 of 610
1/6/10 at 3:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Angelorum View Post
Mind if I join you ladies? I have been relying on Lactational ammenorhea since my little surprise was born, but my 6 mo are going to be up at the end of this month, and I need to have a plan in place. I really do not want to get pregnant again in the next couple of years. I have no sign of returning cycles/fertility yet, my babe is still ebf and definitely does not sleep through the night! I have no idea how many times he nurses at night, because I barely wake up for them anymore.

Anybody using fertility awareness with no cycles? What rules do you use? Do you temp, or just monitor cf? We used condoms during fertile times before I got pregnant. I really don't want to use them full time, but again, I'm kind of scared of getting pregnant right now.

I'm also wondering if the length of lactational ammenorhea runs in families. My sister ebf her babies and she went for a couple years before her cycle returned with each of hers.

I am still using LAM + condoms after my last pregnancy. I have not yet had a cycle. With DS, my cycle returned at 11 mo PP, even though DS was still nursing TONS at night, and we used absolutely no protection, timing, anything until that point, and then I got pregnant two really wacky cycles later. With DD, we are not taking any risks, so we went to full time condom use at 5 mo.

I am just watching my CM right now and keeping track of how I feel (PMS wise) while on the lookout for AF. I think I'm gearing up again as I had very obvious EW this morning. I absolutely do not want another unplanned pregnancy, but I abhor condoms, and don't really like any of my other options either, so I can't wait for my period to come back so we can at least have SOME times w/o protection.
post #100 of 610
1/6/10 at 5:02pm
Overlay of a pregnancy cycle vs this one. http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/2be681 I got my BFP on 9dpo there.
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