Tried NFP, have I done it wrong?

[QuirkyCharm]

I posted something smilier elsewhere but I am desperate for some people who know what they are looking for to give me some advice. For the 2 months before this we avoided sex in the middle of my cycle but this moth I started charting so that we did not have to do so much padding in the middle of the month. Now I have to say the reason for using this as contraception was because we are waiting to try in a few months time but if we have an accident it would still be okay. 

Well my chart said I ovulated on the 8th of this month and I thought I had some ovulation pains on the 9th so we though we would be fine to have sex on the 11th and then my temperature shot up on the 12th (and has reminded that way today too) which makes the 11th look like an ovulation dip. My chart was in a red line until the 11th and then went to the dotted line that suggests it is no longer sure it was right it my ovulation. On top of this I had fertile CM until the 11th and if I did ovulate on the 8th I should not have. The 11th is also 14 days away from when my period should start if I had the same length cycle as last month. I guess my chart might be a bit erratic, I am very new to all of this. 

Can someone who know what they are doing tell me if they think I ovulated on the 8th or the 11th? 

http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/3e6f18

[physics girl]

The fertile-type cervical mucus on cycle days 12, 13, and 14 suggest that you may well have been fertile on the cycle day 15 (the 11th), especially since your temperature that morning wasn't any higher than it was on cycle day 11. Fertility Friend's chart interpretations are geared toward trying to achieve pregnancy, so they are often not strict enough for someone who is charting to avoid.

The Charting to Avoid/Fertility Awareness thread has some great resources for learning how to do this, plus a group of incredibly helpful women who can answer questions and make getting started much less intimidating. Check out this month's thread, our resource list, and perhaps the FAM quick start guide.

If you are new to fertility awareness methods/ natural family planning, I'd suggest the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler. It provides a nice overview that's detailed enough to get you started with being so in-depth it's overwhelming. (Many public libraries have it.) You might also look at the free ebook Natural Family Planning: The Complete Approach by John and Sheila Kippley. It offers more variations of rules that might reduce the number of days of abstinence or barrier use per cycle, but it has so many options it seemed a bit confusing when I was first charting. You should also be aware the Kippleys are writing from a very conservative Catholic viewpoint so their book doesn't suit everyone.
 

[QuirkyCharm]

Thanks for answering.

Today it changed the date to the 11th which makes more sense.

[9ana]

I do not use fertility friend and am not sure about the symbols, but to answer your question in a roundabout way; charting cannot tell you fully "the day that you ovulate" which you asked, but studies show that it is most frequently on your "Peak Day" which according to Kippley symptothermal, is the "last day of more fertile mucus" and sometimes a day or 2 before or even a day or 2 after ; there is about a six-day window for fertility. I agree w/the prior post (YAY) to check out NFPInternational - the Kippleys have done this for 40 years and they are the most complete approach in our opinion, too, including the religious section of the book {Why DO Catholics believe this is best?}...you may have had marital relations on a seeking pregnancy day, but your charting looks good - so, again, I am not sure how to answer your other question if you have done it wrong, but you have a great start w/charting - keep it up ; we used it for over 20 years and think it is great { if you did conceive, nfpandmore.org also has a great section on breastfeeding infertility, too ; they discuss the differences between cultual nursing, exclusive nursing and eco-breastfeeding

[mylilmonkeys]

In my experience, mucus takes predominance over temp or any other symptom.  If you were experiencing fertile-quality mucus, you were still fertile on the 11th.  No matter what your temp says (because there are a variety of things that can throw that off), if you are avoiding you should continue abstaining until 3 days of mucus dry-up.  Like you, we learned NFP with the intention of trying to conceive in a few months time.  We conceived the month before we had decided to start trying, on a secondary ovulation; I have a family, and now personal, history of fraternal twins.  Live and learn. LOL  

[QuirkyCharm]

We did BD on a fertile day on that cycle by accident but did not get pregnant. We then moved out TTC date forward and tried the next cycle and got pregnant right away. 

[mylilmonkeys]

Congratulations!!

[QuirkyCharm]

Thank you. The mistake in NFP was helpful in the long run.

[9ana]

yes - best wishes - hope you are feeling well ; and just another comment on a comment: mucus can be disturbed, too w/stress, drugs, nutrition and weight changes, sleep issues, as well as bacterial or fungal issues - the temp can be useful w/ lowering or leveling out data, too in a fertile time - that is why the 'cross-check' is so useful: we have more than one set of data to help us w/our decisions to come together or not