The August CTA/Fertility Awareness Thread - Page 7

[annie2186]

Originally Posted by katiedidbug

Yes, it stays around. I didn't use mine for two years, and I signed back in and it still had everything! Pregnancy and lam is two years for me, and it sounds like it's a long time for you, too.

Thanks!!

[MarineWife]

Originally Posted by MovingMomma

And it's not "unless you have fertile CM," it's only if dry.

This is one of my little pet peeves. I'm sure that most people mean any CF when they say fertile CM but I think we need to be very clear on this thread. If you wait until you have "fertile" CF, which is usually considered watery or ew, it will be too late. If you have any CF other than your BIP, which can't be more wet than sticky, you are potentially fertile and should take precautions. Since spotting right after can obscure sticky or creamy CF, you need to use precautions when you have it. Then if you are dry (or sticky only if that is your BIP) after the spotting stops, you can consider yourself safe until you get any CF.

annie ~ FF has a pregnancy tracking page you could use. I think they have a free basic membership for that, too, but I'm not sure.

[Smylingeyz]

Originally Posted by MovingMomma

I know I'm beating a dead horse here & I'm sorry, but again, this is for clarity's sake for everyone who's reading. Doering is earliest O -7=last safe day, and NFP adds "if dry." So if your earliest O was CD 15, then your last safe day would be CD 8. And it's not "unless you have fertile CM," it's only if dry. Doering's group did not use CM so theoretically it may not matter, but obviously observing and using backup/abstaining/etc in the presence of CM would be safer. One thing that's nice about CTA is you can exercise varying degrees of caution based on how important it is to avoid...

I thought it was 6 days for some reason... oops. And basically any CF is fertile since even sticky can keep sperm alive till the more fertile stuff arrives soon after, right? So I meant dry. There has been a time or two when I found a tiny bit of something and really wanted to dtd one more time before trying to abstain for a week and convinced myself it's just a tiny tiny bit so it's no big deal... I guess that's the varying degrees of caution you were referring to, which I agree is nice. But I didn't do that this month anyway.
I POAS again today and still got negative. I'm thinking it's probably pretty accurate at this point.
http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/2ab1c6

[MarineWife]

Originally Posted by Smylingeyz

And basically any CF is fertile since even sticky can keep sperm alive till the more fertile stuff arrives soon after, right? So I meant dry.

That's what I was talking about earlier. Because a lot of people think of fertile CF as only watery or ew we need to be very careful and very clear with the words we use on this thread. For TTC purposes, sticky and creamy are not really considered fertile. It's important to make it clear that for TTA purposes, any CF is potentially fertile.

[knittinanny]

Ok ladies, my turn to be confused. My chart is here.

I think AF has either just showed up without a temp drop (I can't remember the last time I had a cycle shorter than 26 days), or I'm spotting, which I've never done before. Is spotting something that happens to other people sometimes? Full disclosure - I'm a bisexual woman who hadn't had sex with a man until the other day, so I don't know if spotting is normal for...that sort of activity. Feeling confused and concerned. Hm.

[lyterae]

Originally Posted by knittinanny

Ok ladies, my turn to be confused. My chart is here.

I think AF has either just showed up without a temp drop (I can't remember the last time I had a cycle shorter than 26 days), or I'm spotting, which I've never done before. Is spotting something that happens to other people sometimes? Full disclosure - I'm a bisexual woman who hadn't had sex with a man until the other day, so I don't know if spotting is normal for...that sort of activity. Feeling confused and concerned. Hm.

knittinanny - Looking at your chart I'm not sure that you've ovulated.

Do you know how long a "normal" cycle is for you? I see you mention no shorter than 26 days, is that the norm though?

[knittinanny]

It ranges from 26-29 days, but is usually right around 27 or 28 days. I was looking at my chart again - if I o'd on CD10, which would be early but possible I guess (and was my lowest temp), then 13 days LP would put me at CD1 late tonight/tomorrow. Possible?

[lyterae]

Originally Posted by knittinanny

It ranges from 26-29 days, but is usually right around 27 or 28 days. I was looking at my chart again - if I o'd on CD10, which would be early but possible I guess (and was my lowest temp), then 13 days LP would put me at CD1 late tonight/tomorrow. Possible?

It's just that to confirm ovulation you are supposed to have 3 temperatures that are at least .2 (in f., not sure about c.) above the past 6. Your temperatures are still somewhat erratic. One of the other ladies might be able to chime in with more info.

ETA: Though I suppose if you nixed the temp on CD9, you could then get a coverline of 36.45?

[MarineWife]

Originally Posted by knittinanny

It ranges from 26-29 days, but is usually right around 27 or 28 days. I was looking at my chart again - if I o'd on CD10, which would be early but possible I guess (and was my lowest temp), then 13 days LP would put me at CD1 late tonight/tomorrow. Possible?

Your chart is not coming up for me. I just get a blank page. What CD are you on now? Lowest temp doesn't really mean anything in terms of when you Oed. Like lyterae said, you need 3 consecutive temps above the highest of the previous 6 temps. You don't have to have a temp drop to get , either. I could tell you more, maybe, if I could see your chart. Would you try posting the link again?

[HulaJenn]

Originally Posted by knittinanny

Ok ladies, my turn to be confused. My chart is here.

I think AF has either just showed up without a temp drop (I can't remember the last time I had a cycle shorter than 26 days), or I'm spotting, which I've never done before. Is spotting something that happens to other people sometimes? Full disclosure - I'm a bisexual woman who hadn't had sex with a man until the other day, so I don't know if spotting is normal for...that sort of activity. Feeling confused and concerned. Hm.

I don't see an O on that chart - presuming all the temps are accurately taken. And if it is an annov chart, then sometimes you can get an early or late AF.
But also, you can get random spotting from DTD - the cervix is full of blood vessels that can get irritated by certain positions etc...so i would be more inclined to think that is the likely culprit given your situation.

[RaraAvis]

Originally Posted by MarineWife

Your chart is not coming up for me. I just get a blank page.

It has some extra xml junk at the end of the link -- try: http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/15f4cb

That's you, right Knittinanny?

[MarineWife]

Thanks, Beth. I just figured that out right before I read your post about it.

I actually do see O on that chart right where FF put it, especially if I view it in F. I agree with Jenn that it could just be cervical irritation from dtd. Also, spotting can be cause by hormonal fluctuations. I wouldn't worry about it at this point.

[MovingMomma]

Oh, cool! I didn't know you could change the view from C to F! I agree, O looks ok. What's your typical LP, knittinanny? Spotting from sex would probably be no later than the next day.

[Guthu]

OK, I have another question!
Hope you ladies know, I don't feel like making a new thread about it
My cervix is High AND firm....still! Been like that for 4 days now
day 11 of 25ish, cervical fluid getting all creamy for the past 2 days now
Shouldn't it be all soft by now/soon? Then again I was expecting all these peaks and whatnot...perhaps I am just odd.

Current chart: http://www.tcoyf.com/media/p/1202904.aspx

Sorry can't tell the opening, it is always facing to the side or at some odd angle so I can only fell the edge and close to the center of the little bugger! I need longer fingers
OR I can train the boyfriend, I am doing this to avoid, he should take part in this fun!


Hope the link works..I just uploaded it to the classic chart page thing...

[knittinanny]

I love how helpful y'all are! LP has been pretty consistent at 13 days but honestly, I haven't monitored things as closely in the past as I have been in the past few weeks. I'm definitely on CD1 now - spotting turned into AF overnight, though I am having much lighter cramps than usual. Maybe my temps will be more consistent this month - I've been in the middle of househunting so have had lots of extra stress.

[Smylingeyz]

Well if I did O early then AF will be here today or tomorrow... we'll see. My temp didn't drop this morning, in fact it was even higher, so I don't think it's coming today at least. If I don't get it tomorrow I'll POAS the morning after that.
http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/2ab1c6
How many days of triphasic temping makes it officially triphasic? Someone mentioned but I forgot again.

[RaraAvis]

Originally Posted by Smylingeyz

How many days of triphasic temping makes it officially triphasic? Someone mentioned but I forgot again.

I think TCOYF says if you have 18 temps above the CL you can consider yourself officially pregnant.

Those are high temps -- but you're not late yet, and you've been getting BFNs, right? I sometimes don't get a temp drop until after comes -- esp if it shows up later in the day.

[Smylingeyz]

Originally Posted by RaraAvis

Those are high temps -- but you're not late yet, and you've been getting BFNs, right? I sometimes don't get a temp drop until after comes -- esp if it shows up later in the day.

Yes I've taken 2 tests, both negative... the last one I took was 2 days ago. I've always had my temp drop the morning of AF if not the day before, if it doesn't drop tomorrow and AF doesn't arrive I may start panicking a bit

[tellmemore]

Posting for HELP here after lurking :)

Okay, lemme start by saying that I am not CTA, since I am not charting at all. Just super sleep deprived by my almost 1 y.o. DD with teething, co-sleeping... And only using the pull-out method when there is EVER time for sex. LOL! I CTA'd at 14 mo PP after my DS for 2 mos. Got the hang of things, used vitex... I was 16 mo PP when AF finally showed up. Then TTCWBF and charting and got my BFP the 2nd month. And that's how my DD got here.

Fast fwd to 2 weeks ago. Got my always normal, light flow period, starting with a bit of dark brown spotting. DTD that night. Had a normal 5 days, then tapered off bleeding. Then last night felt like I was gushing. And I was. I'd say normal flow, but no warning spotting or brown. This is the first time I have ever had abnormal bleeding.

I gotta say, after 16 mo. with no bleeding after DS, getting AF back after 5 mos. with my DD felt like I had been cheated. So, all normal for the last 7 mos, and now this. Any advice to share? It seems that getting knocked up a couple weeks ago would be impossible. Pull-out used (I know, I know...) and it would be crazy... OH I dunno! Anyone? Stories, links?

[Smylingeyz]

Still no AF, and no temp drop... I didn't POAS again yet. Since I've never once had a LP longer than 13 days, either my O date is really different or I am PG I guess.
http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/2ab1c6