Welcome to the March 2010 charting to avoid and fertility awareness thread. We are all at different stages in family planning and our own fertility. Some of us are very ardently Charting to Avoid (CTA); most are CTA but would be thrilled with a BFP; and we even have a few who are not CTA but are also not TTC, and continue to hang out here.
If you would like to be added or removed (or have anything changed) from the roll call list, please let me know by PMing me. PM me if you'd like to start next month's thread.
If you did not post in February, you may have been deleted from the list. If you were mistakenly deleted, or you would like to be added/removed, please PM me and let me know. I cannot promise to make changes requested in the thread, but I will try to get to everything.
You must post in March if you want to be on the April list!
*Charting/Using FAM/NFP to AVOID*
who we are:
AnnieA - since 12/07
Annie2186
Baby_Cakes
BarefootScientist - since 08/08 and 12 cycles in '05-'06
bbrandonsmom
BettinaAuSucre
Blueone
dealic
dex_millie
dislocator3972
Echospiritwarrior
Eirual
First Time Mama - since 12/08
Fresh veggie
GeoMomma
Greenmamapagan
GriffsKat - since 4/09
HulaJenn
InMediaRes
JenineJessica - since 12/07
Kimmiepie - CTA since 11/09, plus 4 years before (with TTC, too)
Kcroto42 – CTA since 10/10
larablue
lmevans
Lyterae - CTA since 11/09, plus 5 months before
Maine Mama Doula
Mama Lo - CTA since 1/10
MamaGwynn - CTA since 11/09
MarineWife – CTA for 10 months, now CFS&G
Meksmama - CTA since 1/10
MovingMomma - CTA since 02/09 plus some time before
MsVyky
nerdymom
Newbiemama09 - Using FAM for 2+ years
OSUvet
Pogo0685
RaraAvis - CTA since 8/09 plus 13 months before
Readytobedone
Sk8rmaiden - CTA since 1/10 plus 12 months before
Smokering
Smylingeyz
Taryn237
Toolip
Tracymom1
turniquia
whitekole
Wholewheatchick - CTA since 05/09
Pregnancies per Month (due to user error or condom failure unless otherwise noted)
February - at least 1
March - 2
April – 2
May – 2
June – 0
July - 0
August - 0
September - 1
October - 0
November - 0
December – 0
January - 0
Happy charting!
Summary of FAM rules (sympto-thermal)
Pre-ovulation rules:
1) First 5 Days Rule: You are safe the first 5 days of your menstrual cycle if you had an obvious temp shift 12-16 days before.
2) Dry day rule: You are safe to DTD after 6PM if you have been dry all day.
Post ovulation rules:
1) Peak day rule: the last day of fertile mucous is called the peak day (the day before your mucous begins to dry up). You are safe to DTD on the fourth consecutive day after the peak day. If another patch of more fertile mucous appears, start your count over.
2) Temperature shift rule: You are safe the evening of the third consecutive day your temp is above your coverline. If your temp falls at or below the coverline during the 3 day count, begin your count again.
BOTH rules must be satisfied to be considered in your infertile phase.
How to set a coverline:
When you see a temperature shift of at least 0.2 degrees F above the highest of the previous 6 temps, draw a line 0.1 degrees F above that highest temp.
Resources
Books:
Taking Charge of Your Fertility, by Toni Weschler
Garden of Fertility and
The Art of Natural Family Planning by John and Sheila Kippley
Breastfeeding and Natural Child Spacing: How Ecological Breastfeeding Spaces Babies by Sheila Kippley
Fertility, Cycles and Nutrition by Marilyn Shannon
Websites:
Ovusoft charting software, and brief fertility library
Fertility Friend charting software, and ttc charting guide
myfertilitycharts.com
free software for ttc or tta
Author Katie Singer's Garden of Fertility website
Mothering Magazine article by Katie Singer
Billings Ovulation Method info
Billings Ovulation Method Association, USA
Billings Centre, CA
Couple to Couple League (find an NFP instructor)
Creighton Model
Abbreviations:
AF: Aunt Flo, your period
AFM: as for me
BD: baby dancing; bed dancing (i.e. sex)
BFP: positive pregnancy test (big fat positive)
BFN: negative pregnancy test (big fat negative)
BIP: basic infertile pattern
CD: Cycle day
CM: cervical mucous (same as CF)
CF: cervical fluid (same as CM)
DPO: Days past ovulation
DTD: Do the deed
GIO: get it on
EWCM: eggwhite cervical mucous/fluid
LP: Luteal phase - the time from ovulation until your period, average 10-16 days
LTL: low temp level (basically 1/10th below FAM's CL or on the highest of the 6 previous temps)
HTL: high temp level (4/10ths above LTL, temp rise needed to indicate O)
If you would like to be added or removed (or have anything changed) from the roll call list, please let me know by PMing me. PM me if you'd like to start next month's thread.
If you did not post in February, you may have been deleted from the list. If you were mistakenly deleted, or you would like to be added/removed, please PM me and let me know. I cannot promise to make changes requested in the thread, but I will try to get to everything.
You must post in March if you want to be on the April list!
*Charting/Using FAM/NFP to AVOID*
who we are:
AnnieA - since 12/07
Annie2186
Baby_Cakes
BarefootScientist - since 08/08 and 12 cycles in '05-'06
bbrandonsmom
BettinaAuSucre
Blueone
dealic
dex_millie
dislocator3972
Echospiritwarrior
Eirual
First Time Mama - since 12/08
Fresh veggie
GeoMomma
Greenmamapagan
GriffsKat - since 4/09
HulaJenn
InMediaRes
JenineJessica - since 12/07
Kimmiepie - CTA since 11/09, plus 4 years before (with TTC, too)
Kcroto42 – CTA since 10/10
larablue
lmevans
Lyterae - CTA since 11/09, plus 5 months before
Maine Mama Doula
Mama Lo - CTA since 1/10
MamaGwynn - CTA since 11/09
MarineWife – CTA for 10 months, now CFS&G
Meksmama - CTA since 1/10
MovingMomma - CTA since 02/09 plus some time before
MsVyky
nerdymom
Newbiemama09 - Using FAM for 2+ years
OSUvet
Pogo0685
RaraAvis - CTA since 8/09 plus 13 months before
Readytobedone
Sk8rmaiden - CTA since 1/10 plus 12 months before
Smokering
Smylingeyz
Taryn237
Toolip
Tracymom1
turniquia
whitekole
Wholewheatchick - CTA since 05/09
Pregnancies per Month (due to user error or condom failure unless otherwise noted)
February - at least 1
March - 2
April – 2
May – 2
June – 0
July - 0
August - 0
September - 1
October - 0
November - 0
December – 0
January - 0
Happy charting!
Summary of FAM rules (sympto-thermal)
Pre-ovulation rules:
1) First 5 Days Rule: You are safe the first 5 days of your menstrual cycle if you had an obvious temp shift 12-16 days before.
2) Dry day rule: You are safe to DTD after 6PM if you have been dry all day.
Post ovulation rules:
1) Peak day rule: the last day of fertile mucous is called the peak day (the day before your mucous begins to dry up). You are safe to DTD on the fourth consecutive day after the peak day. If another patch of more fertile mucous appears, start your count over.
2) Temperature shift rule: You are safe the evening of the third consecutive day your temp is above your coverline. If your temp falls at or below the coverline during the 3 day count, begin your count again.
BOTH rules must be satisfied to be considered in your infertile phase.
How to set a coverline:
When you see a temperature shift of at least 0.2 degrees F above the highest of the previous 6 temps, draw a line 0.1 degrees F above that highest temp.
Resources
Books:
Taking Charge of Your Fertility, by Toni Weschler
Garden of Fertility and
The Art of Natural Family Planning by John and Sheila Kippley
Breastfeeding and Natural Child Spacing: How Ecological Breastfeeding Spaces Babies by Sheila Kippley
Fertility, Cycles and Nutrition by Marilyn Shannon
Websites:
Ovusoft charting software, and brief fertility library
Fertility Friend charting software, and ttc charting guide
myfertilitycharts.com
free software for ttc or ttaAuthor Katie Singer's Garden of Fertility website
Mothering Magazine article by Katie Singer
Billings Ovulation Method info
Billings Ovulation Method Association, USA
Billings Centre, CA
Couple to Couple League (find an NFP instructor)
Creighton Model
Abbreviations:
AF: Aunt Flo, your period
AFM: as for me
BD: baby dancing; bed dancing (i.e. sex)
BFP: positive pregnancy test (big fat positive)
BFN: negative pregnancy test (big fat negative)
BIP: basic infertile pattern
CD: Cycle day
CM: cervical mucous (same as CF)
CF: cervical fluid (same as CM)
DPO: Days past ovulation
DTD: Do the deed
GIO: get it on
EWCM: eggwhite cervical mucous/fluid
LP: Luteal phase - the time from ovulation until your period, average 10-16 days
LTL: low temp level (basically 1/10th below FAM's CL or on the highest of the 6 previous temps)
HTL: high temp level (4/10ths above LTL, temp rise needed to indicate O)
I have so many birthdays in March. My oldest ds will be 19 on the 11th. That's also an uncle's birthday. My mom's bday is on the 18th. A niece has a bday on the 23rd and mine is on the 25th. I'll be 40! 
I can't have a big 40th bday party cuz my dh is gone. 
Hooray for March! Happy CTA!!!
!!! So precocious (sigh).
.
