Charting to Avoid--FEBRUARY 2013

[BirthIsAwesome]

 

   

 February 2013 

Welcome to the February 2013 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 last month, 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 January if you want to be on the February list!

To those who are new, welcome! 

Who We Are

*Baby_Cakes  

*BirthIsAwesome

*caitlinette

*dreamingtree 

*FaithHopeLove29

*HulaJenn  

*JMJ

*JoyFilled

*lactatinggirl

*Lidamomma84

*Lionessmom 

*MelissaMarie

*MarineGurl020412

*MissCee

*mt_gooseberry

*1love4ever

*pickle18 

*slammerkin  

*tm0sweet

*vrclay

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.

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

Happy Charting Everyone!

[BirthIsAwesome]

Hi all! I started a new thread for February since there wasn't one up yet. Hope that's okay! I'm currently on CD24 and believe that I am 3-4 DPO (my little minions stole my thermometer and hid it for a few days, so I missed 5 days of temping right when I think I ovulated, so I'm not positive). Here's my chart link: http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/34927a

[Kaydove]

CD1 for me, first ppaf at 1 year pp. Surprisingly, it's a relief to get it because I was trying to ovulate for weeks! I'll be using a combo of NFP, diaphragm, and withdrawal.

[MarineGurl020412]

Hi ladies. I am so worn out right now so my chart is all over the place. Making an appointment to discuss with my PCM. My cycle dropped to only 23days apart all of a sudden (from 26 or 27, which is still less than what it was in the past) and my flow has been a bit heavier as well.

[vrclay]

Just started my period today so another successful (or unsuccessful - depending on perspective I guess) month of Charting to Avoid.  Thanks ladies for the support and wisdom.  It's given me the courage to give the artificial hormones the boot and trust myself and my body.

[lactatinggirl]

CD 26 here. Might have O'd, but it's not confirmed yet. Didn't get a temp this morning either because the 4 year old came in and wouldn't let me get away with not talking before my temp. :-/

[BirthIsAwesome]

I am 9dpo (I think), I had 6 high temps in a row, then one really low one (below cover line), but it went back up again today. Thoughts? I'm expecting my period Sunday or Monday. Chart linky: http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/34927a

[lactatinggirl]

I'm feeling confused about my CM. There's not much and it feels sticky, but it stretches a tiny bit? So is it sticky or EWCM?

[Kaydove]

Originally Posted by lactatinggirl 

I'm feeling confused about my CM. There's not much and it feels sticky, but it stretches a tiny bit? So is it sticky or EWCM?

I get that too. Always default to ewcm when cta. When ttc, it would be sticky still. Does that make sense?

[JoyFilled]

I was wondering if anyone's cycle change a lot after they had a baby?  I use to think my cycle was all over the place but it has been very regular for the past 4 cycles.  This is after 2 babies.

[owlhowl]

Hi! I'd like to join I don't have a link, I chart on paper. I don't temp right now, sleep is crazy with three littles. I follow my CM and moods. I believe I am CD2 right now.

I have a question! Since I am not temping, I can't be sure. I spot for 3 days before my heavy flow kicks in. I say CD1 is the day the heavy flow starts. Would you agree?

[MarineGurl020412]

Yes the first full day of menstruation is CD1. I use the iPhone APP from Ovusoft (TCOYF people) and that is how it works on there too.
 

[lactatinggirl]

Kaydove-yeah that makes perfect sense. Better safe than sorry! Though honestly part of me would welcome getting pregnant again because it would mean stopping school for the time being, but really it's best to finish before having another.

Owlhowl- yeah I have the same thing happen and I count CD1 as first day of a real period. If you're nursing, as I am, it's not at all uncommon to spot during your LP because it's more difficult for your body to maintain hormone levels adequate to support the endometrium. I see it as extra birth control. :-P

[lactatinggirl]

Well speaking of... My CM is definitely stretchy because I'm spotting.

[Kaydove]

Originally Posted by MarineGurl020412 

Yes the first full day of menstruation is CD1. I use the iPhone APP from Ovusoft (TCOYF people) and that is how it works on there too.

 

I can't find the app, what's the name of it?

[tm0sweet]

Bleh. Sketchy CM recently. Kind of ewcm, kind of sticky. 12 weeks pp so I hope my cm is not a sign of ovulation coming just yet. My hair has been falling out, which didn't happen until DS2 started solids last time around, which is also around when AF returned. Weird hormones!

[BirthIsAwesome]

CD1, another successful TTA cycle! AF didn't show up until 6:30pm today, I was starting to get nervous and was planning to test tomorrow morning :) Although my cycles have been all sort of wacky due to breastfeeding, the LP has consistently been 10 days since my first pp cycle.

[mt_gooseberry]

Hello, everyone!  Sorry I kind of dropped off the map for awhile (and thanks for getting up the new thread!)...I've been in Mexico and thought I would have more chances to get onto a computer with internet, but it just didn't happen.  I still have no sign of fertility.  We're at 18mo pp.  I'm kind of fed-up with bfing, but more scared of weaning a boob-dependent toddler...but I'm ready to get my cycle back.  I never thought I would complain about the state I'm in--who whines about lactation amenorrhea when it lasts 18mo with no confusing signs?   

[JMJ]

Still stalking you all... My baby is 11 months, still tandem nursing and no signs of fertility, and I'm pretty sure there will be no signs of fertility until I gain at least a few lbs, which isn't going to happen any time soon as I keep cutting more foods out of my diet for my baby with allergies. So, unless I've grossly underestimated my body, I'll just keep stalking you all for the next year while I wait for AF to return.

[lactatinggirl]

So when you have an ambiguous temperature shift (it went above my cover line, back below, and then back up and stayed up) do you count the first shift as actually ovulating?