Increased CM & pregnancy... - Page 2

[RknOHMum]

So since my weekly "womans work" is over ,according to my DH :), I wonder what this months potential fertile days are? On my FF it says the weekend of the 9th (which would rock b/c my birthday is the 8th) Safe to say my best chances are to dtd every other day? for the whole month till my cycle starts again or two weeks after today? I just dont want dtd to seem like a chore. at. all. :)

[Jaimee]

You really cannot predict O based on a few previous cycles, especially since you're regulating.  My advice would be to wait until you're getting some CF- sticky or creamy and then start DTD every other day and when it changes to wet or EW do it every day until you dry up.  I know you haven't been tracking your CF as much, but this is really the best indicator of when you're going O, otherwise it could be in a week or in three weeks and you could end up DTD for very, very long stretches, which as you said, can easily turn it into a chore.  This was definitely the case for me and my dh when TTC our first.  My O was usually late, but the cycle prior to conceiving my first, I had an early m/c and O was delayed even farther than usual so we DTD every day for about two weeks straight and by the end, we were literally arguing in the middle of it.  Not fun!

[RknOHMum]

Yea, I'm not all about the arguing. When I used to be hardcore about CM checks I did them internally. I remember u saying that  u read somewhere that wasn't the best way. Do you recall where u read that? 

[Jaimee]

As I mentioned earlier it's based on the fact that most (if not all) the CF studies have been done on external observations.  So when talking about statistics, likelihoods, etc. external observations are what are backed up by actual evidence.  You can read a variety of fertility studies that involve CF observations online.  Plus it's just plain easier to observe regularly when you're just paying attention to your panties and TP.  If you're checking your CP, however, you will also get an internal observation of your CF.  So if you're doing that, I might suggest marking down both external and internal observations and seeing how they differ (or not) and which lines up best with your temp spike so you know which way is more accurate for you.

[RknOHMum]

Sounds good. I might, however, need a new bedside notebook. lol :) 

[janellody]

I have started checking my CM internally, and feeling my cervix while I am up there.  I just started adding my cervix data to my chart pretty late in the game, but I will know for next month more what "hard" and "soft" really mean now.  On a side note, it was softer after O, is that normal?  It's not the best data though, as I didn't know exactly what soft and hard felt like. 

I sometimes don't get as much on my underwear, so I actually feel safer checking internally and have gotten it down so that I trust those results more.  If I personally were only checking underwear, I would have missed some fertile days, because it didn't always show up as much externally.

I would definitely not DTD until you get some good CM, DH and I were dreading each time we had to do it, and we started right after AF ended, because this was my first month and I thought that would be better than starting when good CM started.  By the time I got some good CM, he was having a hard time DTD and we missed some days... I have now learned that I will not force BD until some CM starts!!  Good lesson to learn, but wish I learned it before missing fertile days Now looking back at my chart, it seems I only had 1, maybe 2 actual BDs during the appropriate time, and one of them was AFTER O so who knows... I am not feeling hopeful this cycle, and it's all because of the missed BDs.  SO, don't overdo it until you are more certain you are fertile!! 

[RknOHMum]

So today I wiped and noticed there was brownish discharge. A first I thought "crap my period is about to start" but then I tried to reach my cervix w/ a clean finger and noticed that it is definitely brownish/drk red... almost "old" blood looking. I have also been making sure this cycle that I do CM checks almost every day! (Jamiee! <3 ) So now  I cant figure out if

A. it is the beginning of a (early?) period

B. Implantation bleeding

It isn't enough to spot on my panties and I only just noticed it this evening when I wiped...

Am I getting overly suspicious?

Here is a link so you dont have to scroll back.

<a href="http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/346550">My Ovulation Chart</a>

 

[KodyAnn]

Alright, I'm new to your post. :)

It looks to me like your July chart was annovulatory based on temps, OR that you O'd on CD15 based on the OPK's.  I do not think you truly O'd on CD26, as the software suggests.  Also, the all-over pattern to your temps makes me wonder if you are using a BBT (as opposed to a standard digital therm), and if you are temping at the same every day.  It is important to take your temp at the same time every day after 3 hours of sleep, using the same thermometer.  I'm using a cheap plain digital therm and I'm not getting very good temp readings.  The spotting could be anything; from implantation to menstruation to "leave your poor cervix alone" irritation. :)

Once you get a few more charts into the system, the software will adjust and start to proactively suggest your average ovulation days, luteal phase length, cycle length, etc.  Or, you can just wait for the middle of your cycle and BD every other day whilst charting in hopes of catching that egg before your chart does. :)

If you want, I still have my charts from when I was TTC#1, and I can post them for you. Sometimes it helps to see what a clear O line looks like.  I have my +HPT chart, too. Right now I'm only charting to see when to expect AF after my miscarriage, so I may/may not have a clear ovulation temp pattern this cycle and therefore sharing that chart might not be helpful. :)

[RknOHMum]

So this morning i peed & wiped and there was blood. I for sure thought AF had arrived. But a few hours later I checked my pad and nothing. uhh? Random spotting? 

[Jaimee]

Chart?  Can't really say what it might be unless I can see about where you are in your cycle.  It is most likely hormonal bleeding whether it is associated with ovulation, pregnancy, AF, or breakthrough bleeding.

[RknOHMum]

http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/346550

Ive also been experiencing some slight cramping as well today. IDK. According to my chart I "could" be very close to AF or maybe it "could" be implantation bleeding. I really focused on my charting my BBT and CM this month. Making sure same time everyday and really examining my CM. 

[Jaimee]

Your chart looks pretty good!  I definitely see a set of lower and higher temps that lines up well with your CF!  Yay!  So looks like you're 7 DPO today.  While implantation occurs between 6 and 12 DPO and 84% of the time between 8 and 10 DPO, implantation spotting is quite rare.  It could be, but I would put my money on low progesterone spotting.  Are you taking vitamin B6?  Your LP may need some support since I know you've been dealing with irregular and long cycles.  Hopefully you won't get any more spotting, but if this is the start of AF, your LP is currently too short to sustain a pregnancy.  Otherwise, fingers crossed for continued high temps and you should be able to test in 5ish days!  Good luck!!

[RknOHMum]

I have been taking b6 along with my Vitex. The other day I was Google (ing) for supplements to take to lengthen LP but didnt come up with anything but B6. I take 3 B6 tablets a day..think if I upped it more that would help?  

[Jaimee]

50-100 mg is usually the recommended amount of B6.  There are other supplements that can be taken including wild yam, magnesium, etc.  There have been several posts about it in the past, try searching the forum.

[KodyAnn]

I used a natural progesterone cream when I was TTC#1 to help strengthen my LP (I forgot about that, it's been a few years...).  Combined with acupuncture, it made a very difficult TTC journey successful.

[RknOHMum]

So..now I really dont know whats going on. I just had three random days of bleeding/spotting/hours of no bleeding at all/temp dip then rise. Im not sure if this is the start of a cycle or what. Ive never had bleeding like the past three days. so very up & down. Any ideas? 

[Jaimee]

It's probably just a lighter than usual period.  Your temps still look to me like you ovulated last cycle and are into a new one now.  That one spike on CD 3 can most likely be disregarded as an outlier. Did anything unusual happen on CD 2?  Illness, injury, stress, strenuous exercise, travel, poor/less sleep that night, etc.?  Any of these things could account for a higher than usual temp.  But sometimes you just get a crazy temp and you can disregard it- especially when it's so early in your cycle.  It's not abnormal to have slightly elevated temps during your period, but I see that today it has dipped down again into your normal pre-O range.  In fact three out of the four temps you have so far this cycle are normal and well below last cycle's coverline.  It's just that one that is high.  So, I would bet that your temps will continue in your normal range until you O again. 

The spotting you had prior to AF showing is another sign of low progesterone.  Hopefully this cycle you'll see some improvement in that area b/c of the vitamin B6, but if you continue to have cycles with LP spotting and short LP's you might want to consider moving onto progesterone supplementation via cream or wild yam.  You can check out this thread for some other ideas: http://www.mothering.com/community/t/1328883/how-to-increase-luteal-phase   But you've got to be excited that your cycles are shorter now!

[RknOHMum]

So.....this cycle...Im thinking annovulatory?

or just crazy? 

http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/346550

[RknOHMum]

And on a side note, I have been out of Vitex for almost a week and just getting some today. I wanted to make sure I wasnt pg before starting it again and was out of hpt's. I had a few opk's laying around and took one. It was of course positive and now Im thinking pregnancy may be a chance. Why am I thinking crazy thoughts? lol 

[Jaimee]

If an OPK turns up positive b/c of pregnancy then you are WELL beyond the point where an HPT would turn up positive.  You could get a cheapie just to put your mind at rest.  But most likely you have not yet ovulated this cycle.  Your temps and CF to not form a clear pattern.  I wonder if the vitex was really helping?  Just keep DTD through all your patches of fertile CF, b/c I think it's still on the way.