Charting to Avoid/ Fertility Awareness October

[physics girl]

   October 2011  

Welcome to the October 2011 charting to avoid and fertility awareness thread. We are all at different stages in family planning and our own fertility. Some of us are very ardently Charting to Avoid (CTA); some are CTA but would be thrilled with a BFP; and we even have a few who are "whatevering" or pregnant and continue to hang out here.

If you did not post in September, you may have been deleted from the list. If you have joined recently, please double check I have your chart linked correctly. If you were mistakenly deleted, you would like to be added/removed, or you spot anything you would like me to change, please post or PM me to let me know. Remember, you must post in August if you want to be on the September list!

To those who are new, welcome! 

    Who We Are

aeiou

Angelorum

Ashley Payne

CarsonBookworm

Clavicula

Devaya

Erigeron

infojunkie

JenRN

jodi5 (STM/MM)

librarygirl

Lionessmom

nattery

Ovaova

Pinkbunch

physics girl

reborn

ThreeLittleBirds
Toolip 

WifeofAnt

Graduates

Pregnant! 

Jaimee (November 2011)

mommy2two babes (December 2011)

lactatinggirl (January 2012)

JMJ (March 2012)

alyadri (March 2012)

justKate  (STM) (April 2012)

miss_honeyb   (April 2012)

Buterflymomma

FaithHopeLove29

 Wiki Resources for Charting to Avoid

Reasons to Choose Natural Family Planning - Why would you want to use charting to plan your family, anyway?  Feel free to add your own reasons for charting!

Types of Natural Family Planning - It's not just the rhythm method.  They've got this down to a science with options galore!

NFP or FAM Methods While Breastfeeding - You have options in the postpartum period while your fertility is returning!

Resources For Learning About Fertility Cycles - Find books to read or websites to visit, find an instructor, post your chart online, and learn about how your diet affects your fertility.

Fertility Awareness Method - A quick-start guide to the Fertility Awareness, a version of the Sympto-Thermal Method taught by Toni Weschler in her book, Taking Charge of Your Fertility.

Commom Abbreviations for Charting to Avoid/Fertility Awareness - BBT, EWCM, TCOYF, and more!  Learn what all these crazy acronyms mean here.

 Happy Charting Everyone!

Edited by physics girl - 10/18/11 at 2:51pm

[librarygirl]

Wow! October already! Hope everyone in the northern hemisphere is enjoying some lovely fall weather (perfect for snuggling under the covers!).

Happy charting!

[clavicula]

Beautiful fall here! Thanks for the new thread!

Re Julimummy's adventure: first of all Congrats!!! :)

This is exactly how our third surprise baby was concieved. Unprotected sex on a perfectly dry day and exactly 5 days later I ovulated. I was absolutely sure it is fine, FF showed low pregnancy chances and my fellow TTA-ers also said I was in the clear. 

This wasn't about your body. This is sperm-related. 5 days later they are still alive and right there of course, next to the egg. Ovulation and conception happens at the same time! lol  (chart) It's the Feb 15 2008 chart, unprotected sex on day 13.

Wish you a happy pregnancy!

[JuliMummy]

Thank you, Clavicula :)

I honestly can't tell you if I was completely dry on the day or not. I'll just copy what I wrote on the end of the September thread in response to some questions about whether I had taken CM into account.

"

Thank you! :)

You're probably right about the CM. I realise that it would have been more reliable if I'd been able to observe that a bit better, but my problem was that I always started having CM from a couple of days after my period finished and I could never quite tell the difference between the different sorts of CM. In hindsight, (and it does seem quite obvious now), I probably should have realised that I'm quite fertile and should have been more careful during the first half of the cycle, but I guess one is always wiser in retrospect...

On the other hand, I don't think my husband would have been very impressed if I'd told him that we should be using condoms for the whole of the first part of the cycle 

"

[FaithHopeLove29]

Just popping in with some (still mind-boggling) news - I'm pregnant!

If we had been avoiding, would not have DTD without barrier on day CD18 - had already had some fertile CM. Given that we were NTNP didn't think much of it cuz I O'd at CD26 for my previous cycles, and fertile CM is pretty common for me for over a week, but this month O was on CD20, so it was pretty good timing for conception. Thought I'd share the story as this is kind of a learn-from-each-other thread, thought maybe it would be helpful.

[nattery]

Hello Everyone 

I just removed my IUD last week and have two months to figure out my cycle and charting before my partner and I are together again. We are charting to avoid until the spring and then ttc around may onwards! Looking forward to learning all that I can in the next two months so that I am fully prepared to manage my family planning naturally! Happy to be here!

[physics girl]

Congratulations, FaithHopeLove29!

Welcome, nattery. If you decide to chart online, send me a message so I can link to your chart on the first post.

[nattery]

Thank you! I've been looking at the various FAM charts out there... it seems most people are happiest with fertility friend? I started one on the taking charge of your fertility site but I'm not sure if I'm happy with it yet. Any suggestions... which chart do people recommend for people just learning to chart, and charting to avoid? 

cheers!

[buterflymomma]

Originally Posted by FaithHopeLove29 

Just popping in with some (still mind-boggling) news - I'm pregnant!
If we had been avoiding, would not have DTD without barrier on day CD18 - had already had some fertile CM. Given that we were NTNP didn't think much of it cuz I O'd at CD26 for my previous cycles, and fertile CM is pretty common for me for over a week, but this month O was on CD20, so it was pretty good timing for conception. Thought I'd share the story as this is kind of a learn-from-each-other thread, thought maybe it would be helpful.

Congrats!!! H&H 9 months to you!!

[LionessMom]

Originally Posted by nattery 

Thank you! I've been looking at the various FAM charts out there... it seems most people are happiest with fertility friend? I started one on the taking charge of your fertility site but I'm not sure if I'm happy with it yet. Any suggestions... which chart do people recommend for people just learning to chart, and charting to avoid? 

cheers!

tbh i like tcoyf better.

i am having an inner battle i cant seem to win. i kow i should not have any more kids. i know i am not getting any younger and that i am already pretty full up on responsibilities, but every time i stop  to think i think about babies. i look around to round up my kids and i always feel like i amisiing someone. i told dh about how i was feeling and the inner battle i have been having and he tells me "if it happens, it happens". what am i supposed to do with that? i was hoping he would say that he would get a v or that we shouldnt do it or yes lets do it. yk, some kind of actual opinion. i think it is just my biological clock ticking. but it has been going on in my head since DD2 was born and i think it has become an obsessive thought. lol. it wont stop! and it gets louder every day. I dont know what to do. i could not bring myself to plan an accident either. (which is what dh makes it sound like would happen). i am scared stiff to have another, sleepless night, newborn bfing, loads of diapers, hormonal ups and downs, bleh, but i cant stop thinking about little toes and giving birth! help me!

[JenRN]

Wow, I stink at this thread!

Let's see - last month, I was scared becaused I had a triphasic chart and it was my first confirmed O since the birth of my daughter, so I had no idea how long my luteal phase was. Turns out, 12dpo. I guess it was a truly good O.

This month - I have PCOS and my CM seems to be all over the place, so I normally rely on temps (DH and I use condoms pre-O, well actually post-O too since I have yet to convince him of the fact that you are 100% safe from pregnancy after ovulation. I'm working on that.) I got a temp rise last Friday (CD17) but wasn't expecting O so soon (last month it was CD 42ish), and didn't really feel any "symptoms" of O. Saturday evening, I came down with the stomach flu. It lasted until Tuesday morning (CD 21). I couldn't be bothered to temp because (1) I was sick and (2) the thought of orally taking my temperature made me even more nauseous than I already was. Today, another high temp.

So I'm not sure if I O'd on CD16 or if this is all residual from my stomach flu?? I guess time will tell.

@LionessMom- I am having a similar internal struggle.  In my mind, I know its not a good time to try for a second child. DH is studying for his CPA exam (a process that takes 18months+) and has already stressed himself out to the point of a stomach ulcer. DD is not a great sleeper, we'd like to save up more, I had a hard time conceiving/staying pregnant with DD and became "obsessive" to say the least. Not a place I want to go back to.

But I work with laboring/postpartum women, several friends are all TTC or pregnant, and I can't help but want another. DH is NOT on board, and I would hate myself forever if I staged an "accident", but I can't stop wishing for one.

[jodi5]

I think these feelings people have about another is normal.  I know I get them and we are done too.  I know I am thankful every day for my 3 beautiful boys.  It always seems that with each one it is normal to wonder about one more, lol.  After having 1, I never would have dreamed I would end up with 3 and now with three there are days where I wonder about 4, lol.  I know for us, our family size really is good for us, especially since I work full time.  I think it is just something we go through. 

As for me, I am now post-o.  I had a weird low temp a couple of days ago, not sure what that was about, but jumped back up today.  IT has gotten cooler this month so I see my temps are not as high as they have been.  It is interesting to see how our bodies react to these things. 

[jodi5]

Congrats to those having little ones now!

[buterflymomma]

JMJ~ Can you please answer a question for me? I went in for my OB appointment today. According to my chart I should be 6 weeks 4days along. The sono says I am only 5 weeks 2days along. There was no baby or hb. He said that he could see a yolk sack possibly starting to form, but he didn't see a fetal pole. How likely is it that my chart is that off? I know that things are not looking good, but I am wondering if there is a possibility my chart is off by a few days? Which would mean that there wouldn't be much to see yet. I got my first very faint positive at 10DPO. Thanks for any help.

[JMJ]

Wow, I totally missed the changeover to the new month.

Congratulations FaithHopeLove!  That's wonderful news!

Welcome, nattery!  Do you have TCOYF or another NFP or FAM manual?  Charting software is great for being able to share your chart, but you have to draw your own conclusions about when you are fertile and infertile.  I've seen a lot of incorrect guesses by Fertility Friend especially about when it thinks people ovulated.  You're not "safe" until you have enough information to tell you that you're "safe," not just because Fertility Friend thinks you ovulated days ago.

Butterflymomma, according to your chart, you should be 6 weeks 3 days along, and that is the most likely case, given that you have 4 different fertility signs lining up to indicate ovulation on September 5.  However, since charting is not an exact science, there is still a possibility that you ovulated as late as September 8th (the reason why you couldn't consider yourself "safe" until September 9th), and while it is technically possible that you could ovulate after that, it is very, very remote... but I wouldn't say impossible, or else there would be absolutely no post-ovulation method failures for NFP, but considering how rare post ovulation method failures are, this would pretty much be a miracle.  The fact that you got a positive pregnancy test is further evidence that you didn't ovulate much (if any) later than you think, but a positive test at 7DPO is not impossible, just very unlikely.  So, the bottom line is that I think the latest that you could have ovulated (though it is quite unlikely) is September 8th, which would put you at exactly 6 weeks today.  I'm not an expert on ultrasound or what exactly they would expect to see at 6 weeks, so I don't know exactly what that all means, but I'm praying for another little miracle for this little baby, and hugs to you as you go through whatever the next couple weeks bring.  Keep us posted.

[nattery]

No I do not have a manual yet... I've been meaning to get one. It is hard (impossible is a better word) to get english materials in China (at least the city I live in) but I do have a kindle e-reader. Any good titles people could recommend? 

Also, I discovered my thermometer is broken so all the 'charting' I started has gone out the window ha ha. Back to square one! I am going to try to find a thermometer today. 

cheers

Natalie

[buterflymomma]

JMJ~ Thank you so much for clarifying that for me. I really appreciate it! It does help a bit because if I am only 6 weeks along there wouldn't be too much to see. However, I don't think my dates are that far off especially with all the signs backing up ovulation. Going into my appointment today I felt something was wrong. I told my husband a few days ago that I didn't really feel pregnant. It worried me because in the 4 healthy pregnancies I have had, I have always felt very pregnant by now. With our Angel Baby, I kinda felt like I feel now except our Angel never made it this far.  I am hoping that we will see a little baby with a heart beating away in 10 days, but I am preparing for the worst. I may be joining you ladies again a lot sooner than planned. I will keep you all updated. The waiting is the worst.

[JMJ]

Butterflymomma, waiting IS the worst.  You're in my thoughts and prayers.

Nattery, check out the wikis above, especially the ones on resources and types.  This manual can be downloaded entirely from the internet for free (or a donation if you are able).  Do note that it is from a very conservative Catholic perspective and has very traditional views on gender roles, etc.  If that would bother you too much, choose something else, but if you don't mind, it is really an excellent resource full of details not given in other manuals for simplicity.

Also check out the other resources to see which ones you might be able to get on Kindle.  Most people on this thread use Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler, and you can also find her basic set of rules in the Fertility Awareness Wiki as a quick start.  This is a simpler method if you like that better.  I'm a details kind of gal, so I prefer the Kippley's book above.  I do recommend getting a manual and reading it from cover to cover, though, to help you get a better understanding of everything and increase your effectiveness.

[buterflymomma]

JMJ~ One last question (hopefully). I am planning to start temping again. I am hoping that if a m/c is going to happen my temps will show it. Is this true or would I be wasting my time? This really bites.

[dreamingtree]

I'd like to be on board with this thread :)  I recently started charting after having my Mirena IUD removed. I'm still nursing my 15 month old (quite a bit!) and started taking Micronor. I'm charting to get more insight into what my body is doing while on the POP and to see when/if I'm ovulating, and at least have some idea of when I'm more "fertile" than others, despite being on the pill so additional precautions can be taken.  Not ready to TTC anytime soon, although i will admit i already have baby fever!