Charting to Avoid / Fertility Awareness - November - Page 8

[capretta]

     Quote:

Originally Posted by miss_honeyb 

You have to be practicing EBF in order to use LAM, obviously. But...you can only safely use LAM for 6 months, but you can EBF for longer, right? So obviously they're not synonymous but I think when you're talking about birth control you could use them interchangeably and people would know what you mean, doncha think?

Oh, one thing about NFP vs FAM (besides what you mentioned, which I agree with). Isn't there something about the term "NFP" having certain connotations (i.e. that it's religious-based, that it's ineffective and outdated, that it's the same as the rhythm/calendar method, etc) that she wanted to avoid, so although it's basically the same in principle, she made up FAM to be a more modern term without the baggage attached to it??  Or something like that?

You mean you can EBF after 6 months as a method of BC? If so, what is the difference between the "rules" of LAM and EBF? Or do you mean you can EBF as a mothering choice (independent of BC) for longer than 6 months? Or... is it possible to get menses (so literally NOT amenorrhea) but still not fertile?! Also adding to the confusion, for me at least, is that I've seen EBF used to mean both extended breastfeeding an exclusive breastfeeding in addition to ecological breastfeeding.

I think you are right about religious connotations to NFP. 
 

Originally Posted by librarygirl 

Yeah, responding to myself. I finally figured out how to share my chart. :) 

Great! Added your chart to OP. 

[Eresh]

Thanks :)

To me EBF always means exclusive breast feeding, so I write out eco-BF or exended-BF if that's what I mean.  Of course EBF could mean something else to other people!  And I think that eco-BF is a mothering style as much as AP is a parenting style though it can also be used as a method to space pregnancies.  I think I was using muddled language in my previous posts.  I have been largely following the eco-BF 7 standards (all except #5 in that I don't nap with DS2), so I should be able to rely on LAM for BC for the first 6 months.  But I need to learn how to watch for signs of returning fertility and have a longer discussion with DH about BC. 

While I was pregnant DH said he would schedule his V in November but he's not said anything about it since and it's now towards the end of November.  He still says "NO MORE KIDS!" and DS1 is going through a really difficult period so I don't know that he's really changed his mind. *shrug*  To be honest, I haven't brought up BC because I don't really want DH to get a V.  I might be done but I might not.  It's hard to really tell with a 2 1/2 yo and a 7 wk old.

Thank you for the quick link.  I have not read Kipley's book though I've seen it recommended before.  I should pick it up and give it a read.  I'm only really familiar with the high points.  One thing that has made me hesitate is that I NEED to return to work in a few months to pay the bills and my understanding has been that working is not really compatible with her mothering / eco-BFing philosophy. 

[miss_honeyb]

Got AF today!!! 

[HulaJenn]

Yay Melissa! But that doesn't make yoru chart any clearer does it? Cuz then the new ovulation date "theory" we came up with yesterday would make only an 8 day LP which would be unusual for you? Here's hoping the next cycle paints a nice pretty picture this time! :) Good luck!

[miss_honeyb]

Originally Posted by HulaJenn 

Yay Melissa! But that doesn't make yoru chart any clearer does it? Cuz then the new ovulation date "theory" we came up with yesterday would make only an 8 day LP which would be unusual for you? Here's hoping the next cycle paints a nice pretty picture this time! :) Good luck!

Actually in the past I've had very short LP's my first one of two cycles, so...8 would make sense. Still, talk about a straaaaange chart!!!  Here's hoping the next one is much clearer!

[librarygirl]

Yay Miss_honeyb! Hopefully next cycle will be a little more cooperative.

So, I'm reading TCOYF and loving it. I've been charting and paying attention and learning. I mentioned before that I was using fertilityfriend and myfertilitycharts both to see which I liked. What I'm finding interesting is that my charts look the same on both sites, but fertilityfriend says that I am "probably not fertile" (and I'd agree that I've got a few more days- CD10 in what are usually 32 day cycles, dry) but myfertility charts thinks I am very possibly fertile today (and for the last two days). It's possible that it just doesn't have much info to go on yet (all I had was CD1 from Oct to enter).

Just wondering if anyone else has found this anamoly or found one of the two charting sites to be less accurate or misleading. Not ready to start using this as our BC yet but still like to know where I stand and I found it interesting to get two different results. Overall, I like fertilityfriend better so far and I think this has convinced me. Any thoughts?

[MovingMomma]

Originally Posted by librarygirl 

 fertilityfriend says that I am "probably not fertile" (and I'd agree that I've got a few more days- CD10 in what are usually 32 day cycles, dry) but myfertility charts thinks I am very possibly fertile today (and for the last two days). 

Just wondering if anyone else has found this anamoly or found one of the two charting sites to be less accurate or misleading. Not ready to start using this as our BC yet but still like to know where I stand and I found it interesting to get two different results. Overall, I like fertilityfriend better so far and I think this has convinced me. Any thoughts?

Hey, I haven't been around much but I had to jump in on this one!  Never, never, never rely on software to do your interpretations for you!  FF is set up for TTC, not TTA.  I don't know about myfertilitycharts, but even if you are using software that gives a TTA interp., you still need to do your own analysis when CTA. 

[librarygirl]

Originally Posted by MovingMomma 

Originally Posted by librarygirl 

 fertilityfriend says that I am "probably not fertile" (and I'd agree that I've got a few more days- CD10 in what are usually 32 day cycles, dry) but myfertility charts thinks I am very possibly fertile today (and for the last two days). 

Just wondering if anyone else has found this anamoly or found one of the two charting sites to be less accurate or misleading. Not ready to start using this as our BC yet but still like to know where I stand and I found it interesting to get two different results. Overall, I like fertilityfriend better so far and I think this has convinced me. Any thoughts?

Hey, I haven't been around much but I had to jump in on this one!  Never, never, never rely on software to do your interpretations for you!  FF is set up for TTC, not TTA.  I don't know about myfertilitycharts, but even if you are using software that gives a TTA interp., you still need to do your own analysis when CTA. 

Thanks, Shannon! I completely agree about doing your own interpretations- following the "rules" is more important than what the software says. I just thought it was strange that they are telling me different things. And I just really really like charts. Of any type, actually. :)

[HulaJenn]

Originally Posted by librarygirl 

Yay Miss_honeyb! Hopefully next cycle will be a little more cooperative.

So, I'm reading TCOYF and loving it. I've been charting and paying attention and learning. I mentioned before that I was using fertilityfriend and myfertilitycharts both to see which I liked. What I'm finding interesting is that my charts look the same on both sites, but fertilityfriend says that I am "probably not fertile" (and I'd agree that I've got a few more days- CD10 in what are usually 32 day cycles, dry) but myfertility charts thinks I am very possibly fertile today (and for the last two days). It's possible that it just doesn't have much info to go on yet (all I had was CD1 from Oct to enter).

Just wondering if anyone else has found this anamoly or found one of the two charting sites to be less accurate or misleading. Not ready to start using this as our BC yet but still like to know where I stand and I found it interesting to get two different results. Overall, I like fertilityfriend better so far and I think this has convinced me. Any thoughts?

How many charts do you have charted? (ie/ do you have enough to know that you don't ovulate until later in your cycle like cd16ish?) Maybe no fertile CM is what is tipping FF off on "not fertile" but like Shannon said, I would not rely on this pre-O (unless you are open to an oops). A sudden early ovulation could spell b-a-b-y!  The only time I am 100% confident is after I get my crosshairs post O - but then again i ovulate fairly early. Those that ovulate much later might have more confidence in "free time" pre-O.
 

[Toolip]

So, I guess I O'ed.  Pretty small temp jump.  I wish I had those pre-o missing temps!

[MovingMomma]

Originally Posted by librarygirl 

Thanks, Shannon! I completely agree about doing your own interpretations- following the "rules" is more important than what the software says. I just thought it was strange that they are telling me different things. And I just really really like charts. Of any type, actually. :)

Each software has its own formula.  FF even has multiple interpretations you can choose from!

[miss_honeyb]

Has anyone read a really good book besides TCOYF? And is anyone familiar with the Creighton model/taken a class on it? My midwife is a certified Creighton Model instructor and I was thinking maybe DH and I should take her class, just so we both have all the same information. I really want DH to know what's going on a little bit more with my cycle, so he's not always saying, "Are you sure we're safe?!"  I'd be nice if we were both making the decisions instead of me just being the one to interpret my charts. That way if we did get pregnant it would be both our faults!!

[fnpmama]

Originally Posted by miss_honeyb 

Has anyone read a really good book besides TCOYF? And is anyone familiar with the Creighton model/taken a class on it? My midwife is a certified Creighton Model instructor and I was thinking maybe DH and I should take her class, just so we both have all the same information. I really want DH to know what's going on a little bit more with my cycle, so he's not always saying, "Are you sure we're safe?!"  I'd be nice if we were both making the decisions instead of me just being the one to interpret my charts. That way if we did get pregnant it would be both our faults!!

I have not taken Crieghton method classes, though DH and I have considered it. I am a nurse practitioner and a colleague of mine is a certified instructor and she thinks it is superior to the sympto thermal method (or FAM from TCOYF), because there is a better scale and multiple ways to rate cervical mucus with creighton.  I was just talking to another friend last night about it.  She uses the creighton method. What she told me is that it relies entirely on cervical mucus, so she never temps.  As for partner involvement my friends DH is no more involved in it than mine is with sympto thermal.  SO I think that just depends on the couple not necessarily the method, but since I've never taken the Creighton classes I am not sure.  Personally I prefer having multiple indicators to rely on as I am not always a perfect judge of my cervical mucus.  So we will be sticking with sympto-thermal for a little while longer.

[Mummoth]

I'm still here. SO is driving me nuts! He goes from "If it happens, it happens" to "Let's try right now!" to "Let's wait until we're married" and then back again. Last night it was "We've got 22 condoms left... they can last a month or they can last a year, that's up to you, but when they're done I want to start trying!" I think he was serious. I like the after-marriage plan... but I don't see that happening until at least summer. So are we on rations now?! I may have to buy more and just hope he loses count. 

[MissE]

I just have a questions to all you experienced FAMers. All signs point to ovulation right now. My temps have been crazy because I'm sick but I'm feeling the very familiar pain in my abdomen whenever I sit down so I'm 99% certain I'm o-ing and I also know that I'm not preggers.

So, has this ever happened to any of you that you felt like you had letdowns (as in milk-letdowns) while you were o-ing. And also I swear I felt a bunch of braxton hicks contrax today. it's so weird. I've been charting for seven months now and never felt anything like it.

[capretta]

Good morning! 

Can you believe it is December already?! New thread here!