Help me figure out what's happening

[RachelGS]

Something isn't right with my menstrual cycle. We're planning to TTC in about six months, and I want to figure out what's up. I'm not charting since I'm still nursing a nightwaker, but I'm pretty observant and have painful ovulation, so it's hard to miss.

This month, I had the fertile-quality cervical mucous as expected, then it slowed down considerably and I thought I must have ovulated without pain. A day or two after that, I had the usual ovulatory pain-- hard pain on one side for most of the day. Then three or four days after that, I had very similar intermittent pain on that same side, and my period started last night, five days after the intermittent pain.

So if I ovulated on that first day of pain, there's something causing a luteal phase defect. What could that be? How would I go about getting it diagnosed and dealing with it?

If I ovulated a day or two earlier as my CM suggested, then what was responsible for that level of pain on two subsequent days? And my luteal phase would be eleven days, so okay, but still shorter than it used to be.

Thoughts? I'm feeling anxious.

[Lisashepp]

Nursing causes a short LP, I suggest you work on night weaning (at least partially) and start charting.

[Tigerchild]

Rachel...

I noticed the same thing after I had my daughter (once I started ovulating again, when she was about 2 months old and exclusively breastfed). It didn't affect my fertility at all. I did have a very very very early miscarriage when my daughter was 7 months old, but then 2 months later I conceived my twins (they're MZ, not fraternal).

I've noticed that I have a similar cycle now, too, which scares the crap out of me.

I guess what I'm trying to say is to not stress too much about charting weirdness (unless it would be a tragedy if you were to conceive earlier than scheduled). I don't think you need to nightwean for purposes of upping your fertility. Did you have a vaginal birth with your daughter? If not, perhaps the extra twinges are caused by adhesions. I'm pretty sure that the extra 'shocky' pains I get now (though mine tend to come a couple days before the good mucus and last for a few days after) are probably due to something like that. Maybe you can get adhesions just from pregnancy, but I don't think so. This is just a guess though. I too used to be able to feel ovulation, sometimes I still can, but it's not as reliable as it used to be pre-kids.

I dunno if this answers any of your questions, hope it helps.

[Kam]

Hi Rachel,
Sorry to hear you are worrying. I saw your post on the extended bfing board and came to offer you my own experience, for what it's worth. I have been bfing since Meg was born. She still nurses five to six times in 24 hours and night-nurses.

AF returned when Meg was nine months old, and I had painful periods just as I did pre-Meg (I have endometriosis). Bummer. I didn't pay attention to ovulation signs for months afterward, but slowly my cycles evened out and now they are much more predictable, and the cramping is lighter. O is really clear for me, to the day--I have mittelschmerz and cramping for a few days afterward every time. My lp is short, too, maybe a day shorter than it was pre-Meg, but always the same.

It sounds as though you usually know your ovulation day, but this time was hard to tell? Why don't you keep some ovulation predictor kits in your medicine chest for your next cycle, just in case it's not so clear again? Sometimes it's worth knowing what's going on, just for your own piece of mind. If your lps really are only 5 days long, that might be something to take to a gyn. If they're 11, well, that might be a problem...and it might not. I got pregnant with 12 day lps and a little hcg to up the progesterone.

As to treatments for it, a daily vitamin B complex (you only need one, but they all work together, so it's better to have them all) might help you, as might some daily Flax oil or evening primrose oil and cutting out or lessening caffeine, sugar, and simple carbs. Just some suggestions.

I hope things are better for you soon, and that your body is ready for baby-making come next Thanksgiving or so. Keep us posted.

warmly,
Kam, mamamama! to 2-year-old Meg