Charting to Avoid / Fertility Awareness - January - Page 3

[badgerbaby]

Hi ladies!

First timer here...just got 1st ppaf (DC#3) at almost 14 mos. Still BF about 4xs/day.

I got on fertility friend to start a "chart"...basically just to log my dates.  I don't temp, as I have just been watching my CM, and I knew that I ovulated last month.  I've just been waiting for AF to start and it was CD36. 

I guess my question is that I am TTA, but not wanting to spend much time at this...so, can I just watch the calendar and pay attention to CM and AF to know my fertile days.  I'm pretty good at getting pregnant, so I assume I'd be good at avoiding.  : )

Thoughts?

[HulaJenn]

Originally Posted by badgerbaby 

Hi ladies!

First timer here...just got 1st ppaf (DC#3) at almost 14 mos. Still BF about 4xs/day.

I got on fertility friend to start a "chart"...basically just to log my dates.  I don't temp, as I have just been watching my CM, and I knew that I ovulated last month.  I've just been waiting for AF to start and it was CD36. 

I guess my question is that I am TTA, but not wanting to spend much time at this...so, can I just watch the calendar and pay attention to CM and AF to know my fertile days.  I'm pretty good at getting pregnant, so I assume I'd be good at avoiding.  : )

Thoughts?

It's way easier to guess and be wrong at being fertile than it is to end up with an "oops" baby. So I guess it depends on how badly you want to avoid.
I don't know how you can "know" you ovulated without temping (or bloodwork i guess). You can have all the other signs of ovulation and have it just be the body gearing up to and then sometimes not happening.
On the flip side, you can think yourself not fertile, not seeing any CM but sometimes you can't see fertile CM that "hiding" indoors :) . And not every woman has the avg ovulation day (ie/ you can't go 14 days into your cycle and presume you are safe) and especially BFing....you could get fertile looking CM, dry up but have that only been the body "warming up to O' and then find yourself DTD thinking you are free and clear and then the body successfully O's and BAM.....baby.
Of course, that is just the paranoia I would have. LOL I couldn't be that confident without seeing that clear thermal shift before going to town.
So i'd say that if you don't want much effort but clearly want to avoid, then you should explore something less natural like IUD? Or other barrier type methods? Otherwise, invest in a thermometer and take the 1 minute to take your temp every morning  and the second minute to type in your temps....isn't really that much.
Good luck!
 

[justKate]

Anyone regularly notice the lymph node in the leg when they ovulate?  I noticed mine a cycle or two ago, but didn't realize the significance until finishing TCOYF.  Is it always noticeable? 

[starsprouts]

Another newbie here.  I actually discovered MDC when trying to figure out why I hadn't gotten my period back after stopping the minipill--my ob/gyn wanted to run a bunch of tests that I couldn't afford and had completely dismissed the fact that I'm still breastfeeding an easy half dozen times a day.  The pill was pushed on me by the previous doc when my little guy was a few weeks old because the office (still the best in the area, which doesn't say much) is essentially anti-breastfeeding, even though it looks like I wouldn't have needed it anyway.  That's another story, though.

Anyway, I've picked up TCOYF and read it cover to cover twice, and I temped for two years while trying to concieve my son.  Never paid any attention to cervical fluid, though, and now I'm at a loss.  Hopefully this is the right place to ask a question?  I know nursing can cause CF to be scant, so I have to check internally, and it seems like every day for a week or two is egg white, but only a very little of it.  It reminds me of boogers--not the kindest of comparisons, but I guess that's what you get for wiping baby noses all day.  My temp hasn't spiked.  I've been cramping and nauseated for months now, but only just started charting.  Any ideas?  Thank goodness for $1 pregnancy tests (all negative)....

[miss_honeyb]

Originally Posted by badgerbaby 

Hi ladies!

First timer here...just got 1st ppaf (DC#3) at almost 14 mos. Still BF about 4xs/day.

I got on fertility friend to start a "chart"...basically just to log my dates.  I don't temp, as I have just been watching my CM, and I knew that I ovulated last month.  I've just been waiting for AF to start and it was CD36. 

I guess my question is that I am TTA, but not wanting to spend much time at this...so, can I just watch the calendar and pay attention to CM and AF to know my fertile days.  I'm pretty good at getting pregnant, so I assume I'd be good at avoiding.  : )

Thoughts?

Heh, I'm also pretty good at getting pregnant, but that doesn't necessarily translate to being good at NOT getting pregnant!! I have to agree with Jenn, that if you REALLY want to avoid pregnancy, the sympto-thermal route (i.e. CM and temp, plus secondary signs if you want to be extra sure) and following the "Rules" to the tee is the only way to go. Otherwise like Jenn described, you're pretty much playing Russian Roulette. I personally have geared up to O around day 12 or 13 of my cycle, complete with EWCM, and then not had a temp shift and had my mucus dry up. If I hadn't been temping I would have assumed I O'd, but then about 3 days later I again had EWCM and this time I DID get the sustained temp shift. So many things can delay your body from ovulating - stress, and illness, travel, a sick child, etc. Temping is really the only way you can *know* that you've ovulated. The so-called "Calendar Method" has a failure rate of around 20%, so if you're comfortable with that pretty high chance of an "oops" baby, you can go that route. I've certainly been in the "not trying but wouldn't care if we got pregnant" camp! If you *really* want to avoid avoid though, start temping. It really is not much work or time!

[justKate]

Originally Posted by starsprouts 

Another newbie here.  I actually discovered MDC when trying to figure out why I hadn't gotten my period back after stopping the minipill--my ob/gyn wanted to run a bunch of tests that I couldn't afford and had completely dismissed the fact that I'm still breastfeeding an easy half dozen times a day.  The pill was pushed on me by the previous doc when my little guy was a few weeks old because the office (still the best in the area, which doesn't say much) is essentially anti-breastfeeding, even though it looks like I wouldn't have needed it anyway.  That's another story, though.

Anyway, I've picked up TCOYF and read it cover to cover twice, and I temped for two years while trying to concieve my son.  Never paid any attention to cervical fluid, though, and now I'm at a loss.  Hopefully this is the right place to ask a question?  I know nursing can cause CF to be scant, so I have to check internally, and it seems like every day for a week or two is egg white, but only a very little of it.  It reminds me of boogers--not the kindest of comparisons, but I guess that's what you get for wiping baby noses all day.  My temp hasn't spiked.  I've been cramping and nauseated for months now, but only just started charting.  Any ideas?  Thank goodness for $1 pregnancy tests (all negative)....

With stopping the mini-pill and BFing, I'd say you need to give it some time and establish a basic infertile pattern, if you don't think you're ovulating.   My body was out of control after a few months on the mini-pill (and BFing a toddler)--I had a 3 week long period and finally gave up on it.  Could the cramping and nausea be due to the hormones?  I had no problem with hormonal BC for years before DD's birth, but since then hormones have been really hard on my body.
 

[RaraAvis]

Hi guys. . . I know I've been AWOL for a while   The new format totally tunked my old computer -- but we got a new one for Christmas, so here I am again. . . with a question

http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/28389c

I discarded the CD 10 temp because my DD got me up several times in the night and it seemed unnaturally high -- but I kind of want it back.  I know it's not *quite the rules, but do you guys think I"m pretty much safe? Thnx Beth

[HulaJenn]

Originally Posted by RaraAvis 

Hi guys. . . I know I've been AWOL for a while   The new format totally tunked my old computer -- but we got a new one for Christmas, so here I am again. . . with a question

http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/28389c

I discarded the CD 10 temp because my DD got me up several times in the night and it seemed unnaturally high -- but I kind of want it back.  I know it's not *quite the rules, but do you guys think I"m pretty much safe? Thnx Beth

 without seeing a longer history of charts it is hard to say. I would say that looks like a pretty textbook shift, but do you normally dry right up post O - I see you still have creamy which for some can still be considered fertile. I might be tempted to wait until tomorrow to see what temp and CM brings.

[starsprouts]

I don't think I'm ovulating yet, though we're using condoms until things settle down and I get a handle on my BIP.  I haven't gotten my period back at all, though I've been swearing that I'm either pregnant or going to get it any day for about three months now, maybe more.  I stopped the pill about a month ago, so the cramping & nausea was there even with the pills, but not for the almost year that I was on it.  My son will be 15 months tomorrow.

Oh, crazy body of mine, what are you up to?  I wish I could at least have "typical" cervical fluid that perfectly matched the descriptions and photos I've seen.  I love how every woman's body is uniquely her own, but sometimes it can be frustrating!

 

Originally Posted by justKate 

With stopping the mini-pill and BFing, I'd say you need to give it some time and establish a basic infertile pattern, if you don't think you're ovulating.   My body was out of control after a few months on the mini-pill (and BFing a toddler)--I had a 3 week long period and finally gave up on it.  Could the cramping and nausea be due to the hormones?  I had no problem with hormonal BC for years before DD's birth, but since then hormones have been really hard on my body.
 

[lactatinggirl]

I just got my IUD out! Time to start my CTA! 

I also got fitted for a diaphragm that I plan on using every time for at least the first couple months while I figure out my cycles, but still yay! 

[RaraAvis]

Thanks for the reply, Hula Jenn

Have I finally screwed up? Ekk!

http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/28389c

I waited for the extra day -- but ended up temping at 2 am (after 4 hours sleep) b/c my DD came in and woke me up (she's been doing that a lot) and I figured I'd temp quick and them get up to deal with her.   Then I temped at my normal wake up time and got a way lower temp (like 96.4 ish) but took that as a fluke.

We DTD last night, and this morning I've got a low temp again.  My high temps are just slightly unusually high for me, but I have not been sick or anything.  Now I'm terrified that they were somehow freakily inflated and I haven't O'd.  I didn't put in CM, but have been having a little snotty, clumpy CM I associate with LP, and my cervix *felt like it closed (but I never trust myself on that).  I had a TON of EWCM CD14 and !5 and major cramping on my right side on CD 15. . .

[justKate]

RaraAvis, it looks fine to me, but I'm an amateur.  If those are your normal O/LP signs, if your cycles are typically ~29 days, I would say that was your O and you're fine.

[librarygirl]

Originally Posted by justKate 

RaraAvis, it looks fine to me, but I'm an amateur.  If those are your normal O/LP signs, if your cycles are typically ~29 days, I would say that was your O and you're fine.

Also an amateur but I agree. 4 temps above the coverline, I'd say you O'd.

[Toolip]

I think you're ok.  One temp doesn't mean anything.  That's a huge temp jump!  Not that it means anything, just impressive!  I'd try to relax but I would also be freaking out a little.  Fingers crossed for another high temp tomorrow!

[TrishWSU]

Hey Ladies!! Sorry I've been MIA; I keep switching back and forth between job sites and haven't been able to get on a real computer, just checking from my iPad. I think I've added all of our new members, please check the first post to confirm.

I've been really lax about charting this cycle-thank goodness there's nothing to avoid right now, lol! Hopefully I'll be able to get on more often now.

[miss_honeyb]

Well, another cycle with a super short LP! So far I've had 3 cycles (starting at 12 months postpartum) and my luteal phases have been 7 days, 9 days and 9 days respectively. I'd be interested to know when you started having totally regular cycles again after getting AF back, postpartum. My normal LP is usually either 11 days (which I know is still short) or 13 days, never more than 14 days. But even those extra few days of "freedom" would be nice!   Although I guess having a really short LP is good for avoiding pregnancy, right?

[goinggreengirl]

What is up with this cycle? DS hasn't been sleeping really well and I have missed a few days but did I really ovulate already since my temp is down and CM is SUPER fertile? Any thoughts ladies?

[justKate]

Originally Posted by goinggreengirl 

What is up with this cycle? DS hasn't been sleeping really well and I have missed a few days but did I really ovulate already since my temp is down and CM is SUPER fertile? Any thoughts ladies?

Not sure, but interested to see what others say and what the next few days look like....

[Toolip]

I definitely don't think that you can confirm O yet.  Looks like maybe today will be the start of your thermal shift...

[justKate]

Alright, I'm confused!  Every time I enter new data on my chart, my O date switches back and forth between CD15 and CD16.  Here's my chart on the "Advanced" method:

When I set it to FAM or "Research", I don't get an O date or coverline:

But I did have O pain on CD14, which makes me think that CD15 would be a reasonable O date.  So would it be reasonable to say that I am probably safe now through AF?  Where would you set the coverline?  

Thanks for your thoughts!