HTA, TTA, CTA,May 2005!

[its_our_family]

Here is the link to the old thread http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=268643

THis may be my last month here with you () I'll mis you all but I'm happy we are over it, kwim?

ANyway, I'm cd3. I can't believe I'm back to having af like I did pre-ds1. It is so nice to have a 3 day period with no real heavy flow and virtually no cramping

[nikirj]

Hi all . Just jumping in here to get subscribed and all. No news is good news, eh? Although I have a related story to share:

So a year or so ago my MIL asks if I'm pregnant. I'm like, "NO, I'm just fat". Sure enough, two days later I get my positive. This is the only one time she has ever asked me...

...so she asks again the other day. And I FREAK OUT. But a couple of negative tests and NO symptoms later, I'm pretty convinced she's just going to ask me that every time I look a little bloated now that she's been right once.

[The Lucky One]

Does TTA stand for trying to avoid pg?

If so, I'm in the right place.

I had my first ppaf last month (started April 6th), although it only lasted 4 days and never was a heavy flow. When I'm not bf'ing, my cycles are always very regular. But now, I think I am just now getting around to ovulating again (having major ewcm and O pains), so that's what, on cd 23?

Anyway, here I am. Even though we would like a third child I would be devestated if I were to get pg any time soon. My almost 12 month old (on May 14th!!!) has never slept for more than a 3 hr stretch at night, ever, so I NEED some better sleep before I could imagine happily being pg again...lol.

Is everyone else charting? I'm not, currently, should I be?

[arcenciel]

hi Lisa. Yes, tta stands for trying to avoid. And cta is for charting to avoid so everyone is charting to some degree or other, or at least paying attention to their cycles. I personally don't temp, just watch cm + cp to get an idea. We're not officially using that method to avoid getting pregnant, but in reality we only use condoms when I'm fertile.

Megan, it must be weird after so long charting and just in general taking various precautions to avoid pregnancy, to now see that as coming to an end. How's your dh taking it? Has it bothered him at all - I mean emotionally? - I'm just wondering because my dh is still talking about the snip. Not very frequently though so I don't know whether he really will, or whether he'll leave us the option of a #4.

I wouldn't mind af being a bit lighter, though I don't have very many problems with cramps recently. CD4 and surviving.

[its_our_family]

Is he emotional about it???? Yes, in that we can have sex whenever we want however we want without "fear" of pregnancy :LOL We are both excited to be moving on from here. It is weird though. I wonder how long it will be before I feel relaxed about it.

[Undercover Hippie]

Hi all!

Still no PPAF here, so I'm on CD 178 or something... I lose track. I am happy to say that Lily's first birthday is coming soon so I should achieve one year AF free for sure now! Yay!

Now watch her arrive tomorrow. :LOL

Megan, I can only imagine how weird it must be to finally be moving on, for sure, to the next stage. A friend of mine is right there with you so this is something we've been talking about a lot lately. They got their all clear check, good luck on yours!

Lisa, nice to meet you. Sounds like we are nearly in the same boat--L is not sleeping through the night either and nurses a LOT! Speaking of, I hear her demanding the opening of the all-night breastmilk buffet. :LOL

Tara

[liz-hippymom]

hi there everyone-
i am officially joining up with you ladies-
i am cycle day 1.
i want to start charting temps to find out if i am actually having ovulations or if i am only having anovulatory cycles.
right now i am keeping track of mucus anfd cervical position ect.

[its_our_family]

We are taking in the first "sample" tomorrow. :LOL

[momtokay]

good luck with your sample. :LOL

i'm still here. cd19. based on cm and ovulation pains i'm pretty sure i'm 4dpo today. guess i'm here, at least lurking, for the long haul. we discussed b.c. again recently and plain to stick our "cheater's version" of nfp. we're not charting temps and so far so good, knock on wood.

[CrunchyMamaToBe]

: to Lily!

Did AF arrive to help celebrate???

Good luck with the sample, Megan!

FWIW, I would be very cautious about relying on ovulatory pains to indicate ovulation. Sometimes I get them and sometimes not. Sometimes I get gas instead. Some cycles, I have what could be ovulatory pain for an entire week before I actually ovulate. I definitely can't count it as a primary fertility sign.

I'm on CD14 here, but not expecting to ovulate before the weekend. Ho hum.

[momtokay]

Originally Posted by CrunchyMamaToBe

FWIW, I would be very cautious about relying on ovulatory pains to indicate ovulation. Sometimes I get them and sometimes not. Sometimes I get gas instead. Some cycles, I have what could be ovulatory pain for an entire week before I actually ovulate. I definitely can't count it as a primary fertility sign.

Thanks!! I find too that I have it for just a moment some months and for days other months. Since we're not charting temps at the moment, I just find it reassuring when the "pain" (which isn't really a pain as much as a discomfort/pressure type thing) and ewcm both dissappear at the same time, yk? Sort of like a double check. And we are careful when I have cm during what I'm 90%+ sure is my LP just in case I geared up to O, but didn't actually O.

And : Lily!

[nmm2112]

Hi Everyone!
I'm finally back! AF came to visit - Finally after being on CD99!!! (This is her second appearance since DD - sorry TMI!
GLad to see new people and familiar people too!

I need to get back to using the thermometer because after day 70something I was beginning to lose interest in the whole charting thing.
But now,
it's a new cycle and time to get those hormones acting more under control !

[Undercover Hippie]

Thanks for Lily's birthday wishes! It was a great day but kind of sad too, KWIM? I posted her birth story in my blog and re-read it nearly half a dozen times. I can't believe my baby is a year old already. :

But no, AF did not arrive in time for the party! Hooray! L is sleeping for a longer stretch at night so I think she might be getting close though.

It's nice to see so many people here!

Tara

[Evergreen]

Mine didn't come back until my kid was fully nightweaned the day after she turned two).

The funny thing is I had been waiting and waiting so that I could get pregnant, then when it never showed up I made other plans. Then, of course, it comes back and I am here - for 3 more months :LOL

Right now TTA isn't too hard since we don't ever do it....

[The Lucky One]

I'm glad Lily had a nice birthday, but I completely can understand the bittersweet nature of 1st b-days! My youngest will be 1 in 9 days, boo hoo!

As for me, I'm on cd30 and I have no clue as to what's going on. I feel like I'm going to start my period *any minute* because of slight cramping, yet I'm still having tons of cm. Argh! I have been toying around with temping and charting, but don't you have to take your temp after being perfectly still in bed and at the same time each morning? I just wouldn't be able to do that because ds2 is a constant nurser from about 5am on and besides I wouldn't want to risk waking either boy up just to get a temp reading.

How do those of you temp when you are nursing during the pre-wake nursing sessions and co-sleeping with one or more children?

[its_our_family]

Honestyly, I just temp at the same time. My sleep routine really doesn't affect my temp. I'm not sure why.

[Undercover Hippie]

Originally Posted by The Lucky One

I have been toying around with temping and charting, but don't you have to take your temp after being perfectly still in bed and at the same time each morning? I just wouldn't be able to do that because ds2 is a constant nurser from about 5am on and besides I wouldn't want to risk waking either boy up just to get a temp reading.

How do those of you temp when you are nursing during the pre-wake nursing sessions and co-sleeping with one or more children?

A lot of us have this same issue. There have been other threads about it, I bet if you do a search for "temp'ing and co-sleeping" or something like that you will find a lot of hints. But for me, it has not seemed to matter that I am not getting 3 hours of solid sleep before I temp. Sometimes I've actually gotten out of bed in that time, usually I've been shifting sides w/ nursing in bed, sometimes I've stayed up too late on MDC and barely been asleep for 3 hours at all. :LOL As long as I take it at the same time it is pretty constant. My DH hands me the thermometer every morning before he kisses me and Lily goodbye. So I get good temps on Mon-Fri at least, LOL.

Originally Posted by Evergreen

Right now TTA isn't too hard since we don't ever do it....

: Hey, that is our top secret strategy too! :LOL

Tara

[nmm2112]

Hmmm, lots of good temp-taking tips here! I think I might try having DH hand over the thermometer when the alarm clock goes off and see how that works for us! Right now, I just try to remember about it when DD wakes at some part of the morning (but that is highly variable) so, going by the clock might work out better for us!? We'll just have to see!

Charting really is fun!

[babyluvr]

cd 22ish here...I get lazy about keeping track during this luteal phase once I know I ovulated and am 'safe' till next AF

I too have found it remarkable that not much nighttime activity like lots of nursing, active co-sleeping, etc. affects my temp as long as it's taken right around 6am. I never expected a normal looking chart with my crazy nights with my sweet ds, but it really is. I KNOW we've had a rough night when my temp is off, haha.

One thing that works for the thermometer for me is to have it DEEP inside my pillowcase so I can fish it out right around 6am and then shove it back in there after taking my temp and get it out sometime in the day to read the temp.

[Evergreen]

My two year old is the best temperature buddy! First thing, she always reminds me to "Do yer Tempacher!"

I guess she doesn't want a little brother or sister :LOL