Tracking cycle before 1st PPAF?

[Peachthief]

DD is 20 months old and we are still waiting on AF.  Around Christmas, there was a week that she slept really well (for once!), and since then, despite not having AF or ovulating, it seems like I can track my cycle through cervical changes (oh, and PMS too ).  Has anyone else had this experience, or am I most likely imagining things?  It'll be interesting to see if I'm right when AF does come back!

Thanks,

Sarah

[JMJ]

You can certainly track when you are potentially fertile by tracking CM/CP, but it's hard to confirm ovulation that way because your body will gear up to ovulate with signs of fertility, and then it won't happen, and the fertility signs will go away.  This may happen several times before you actually do ovulate.  Temperature is far better for confirming that ovulation was actually successful, but you can CTA just fine with CM only.

[Peachthief]

Thanks, JMJ!  It sounds like, based on what you're saying, that it's not so much a cycle as a series of false starts? 

[JMJ]

Yes.  If you actually ovulate, it will be followed by a true period.  Some women have non-ovulatory hormonal bleeds before they ovulate, but real ovulation is always followed by a period.

[Jaimee]

Originally Posted by JMJ 

Yes.  If you actually ovulate, it will be followed by a true period.  Some women have non-ovulatory hormonal bleeds before they ovulate, but real ovulation is always followed by a period.

I chart prior to my first pp AF as soon as I start experiencing fertile CF.  Each time it's been about 3 or 4 false starts before I actually bleed a bit.  Then I really start temping to see if I'm ovulating, which I do after that first little bleed, but my LP will be quite short.  With my first, it was short for almost a year after getting AF back.  With my second, I had one short LP cycle and my second cycle I got pg.  Oops!!!!  Unless you're wanting another, definitely don't underestimate your ability to be fertile before your cycles are obvious and regular!