Chart Mavens/Stalkers Wanted -- When did I O???

[oasis84]

So I've been charting for three months (ttc for 4) and this is the first cycle I've been confused about when O is happening. If I use the "advanced detector" FF puts O at CD 18. If I use the FAM detector, it puts it at CD 16. I'm inclined to think it was CD 16 bc my coverline in previous cycles was never above 98.0 and my temps in the week before O are always 97.9 and below, and usually a couple points lower than that right around O. But honestly I haven't been doing this long enough to know! So when do you think I O'd??? Any help would be appreciated!!

Also let me know if the chart isn't posting right, this is the first time I've linked it... I've removed all the cross-hairs to give an un-biased look...

 

[oasis84]

Anyone?!?! haha... :)

[cynthiamoon]

Definitely on Days 14-16! Hope it helps!

Why? 

1. Eggwhite CF stops the day after ovulation

2. Post-O dip like you see on day 15 is very common (I see it on my charts) 

3. Temp rising days later on 16/17 is normal post-O pattern for "slow burners" (I am one to heat up slowly too!) 

4. Continuing to have "Wet" CF is normal, but EW usually stops on O-day

(The diff. in your predicted dates there is that FAM doesn't consider "wet" CF a peak fertility sign unless you are older and have little to no EW) 

Why trust me? 

I've read TCOYF twice, and have been charting to PREVENT pregnancy for about 5 years, and been successful (I conceived instantly when I had sex on an O day last month when I was too scatterbrained to know what I was doing, so it's not just that I am infertile!) 

[oasis84]

Thanks, cynthia! Pretty amazing that you were able to prevent for 5 years with charting. I wish more women knew about this method as an alternative to hbc. I didn't even consider it until I started ttc but if we would have known about this earlier it would have saved a lot of money on condoms and made my dh a very happy man ;)

Based on the fact that in my previous two charts I was also a "slow burner" -- although not quite as slow -- and the fact that I've always had EWCM in the two days immediately preceding O but not any earlier than that, I'm going to go with CD 16. Wish me luck with testing this weekend!

In any case I appreciate your advice and congratulations on your surprise!!

[porcelina]

Okay, can you do me too? :)

Here is the chart http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/7c86c

I think it was day 16 when cervix closed (my understanding is cervix closes, then egg travels down), but FF says cd 14.
 

[cynthiamoon]

Thanks for the congratulations, oasis! After the initial "oops..." and shock reactions, we got pretty excited :). 

I think knowing about charting is an AMAZING alternative to HBC and IUDs for those of us a bit obsessive about being "all natural", but it has the same problems as other methods.

You need the sort of self control we lacked last month (sheepish grin!), you have to think and act on it everyday, and you can only use it in long term, monogamous relationships with lots of trust since there's no protection from STDs and you need to be abstinent for about 8 days a month. 

Plus like you guys have pointed out, it takes a while to know yourself well enough to use it confidently! Still, I think everyone should at least know all the stuff I've learned about my body since learning how to chart. 

[cynthiamoon]

Porcelina, 

I never really used cervical position, because it was one step too many to keep track of month to month, so I don't know much about how that works, but I am pretty sure LO is a peak fertility sign. From your other signs, it also looks like 14/15 is likely since temp usually doesn't shoot up until a day or two after ovulation. I think by 16 it's likely you had already ovulated, especially since CM changed to Sticky, and you had that characteristic Post-O dip. Can the jump of day 15 be explained by diff. temperature time, more sleep, or some other factor? It's the only thing throwing me off. 

Does anyone else have a POV to add? It's such a personal thing to interpret, since we each have our own unique patterns! 

[LivingSky]

oasis84 - To me, your chart reads CD16 as O day - I'm used to seeing the temperature dip pre-O. What was your CM like on CD15?

My vote on porcelina's chart was CD15

[porcelina]

Cynthia, thanks a ton for your insights, and thanks to LivingSky too! The erratic temps could definitely be explained by temping at different times or by not having 3 hours sleep before temping. I had a very hard time temping this month as DH was out of town and I was dealing with a wakeful 2 year old. However, that might was the night before DH left. I was sleeping next to a 4 year old that night instead, lol! He usually wakes me up around 3:30 when he comes to my bed. I usually temp then, though sometimes not until later.

[oasis84]

Porcelina -- I'm leaning toward CD16 for you mostly bc of the EWCM pattern. Is there any particular reason your temp would have spiked like that on CD 15? I know when I get a bad night's rest my temp definitely goes up a lot. But if it's normal for you to get a day of EWCM immediately following O, I'd say CD 14 is your day. I'm with cynthia on the CP thing -- I tried it a few times and wasn't really able to discern any major differences, so just left it be.

Livingsky -- thanks for your help. Unfortunately I didn't notice any CM one way or the other on CD 15 -- but I didn't go looking that day either -- we were out and busy all day and just never really took the time to check. 

Good luck to all whether you're trying or preventing :)

[porcelina]

Oasis, thanks! And sorry for co-opting your thread!!

What I didn't mention here (I posted in the 2WW thread with the same question) is that this was the first cycle after a miscarriage, so things are definitely going to be weird and off. I usually O on cd 12 or 13, every once and a while, on cd14. I have only followed CM (no temping) the last 5 years, and only when preparing to TTC, until this month, so I am basing that partly on CM, and partly on my history of temps before my first was born. I usually get EWCM for about 3-5 days in a row, stopping around day 11-13 or so. So, temps could be off as body started to gear up to O, and then stopped, and then started again, or who knows. 

I agree on CP as well -- I usually never check. However, I was curious about the O+12 method for trying to conceive a girl, and thought I would check this month to see if I could figure anything out. I was also wondering what on earth was going on, because I had that other early rise, and was wondering what was up! I was surprised to actually find the cervix open on cd16, and then subsequently closed a few hours later. I don't think I had ever found an open cervix before (I self-checked a lot at the end of my second pregnancy).