Boosting Fertility - Irregular Cycles and Nursing

[eastkygal]

I have always had irregular cycles so charting is not a viable option. I am nursing a 15 month old. However, AF returned when she was 3 months. I have had a problem with excessive bleeding recently, but that seems to have went away. I'm wondering if there is anything I can do to make sure I ovulate with my cycles (Would I have AF if I didn't ovulate?). I took Provera to become pregnant with DD after not having a period for 6 months. This was before I knew to know better. Now, I wonder about my fertility. Would it be necessary for me to do something extra again. I am 28 now, and was 26 when I conceived DD. I feel like things should be okay, but I know they might not be.

[wasabi]

I'm a little confused. A woman with an irregular cycle is exactly who would benefit from charting. If you did chart then you would know if you were ovulating or not and yes to answer your question you can have AF without ovulating. It's called an anovulatory cycle.

[eastkygal]

Okay, so maybe I don't quite understand charting. I thought it was basically counting the days from the last day of your period, around day 14 or so you should be ovulating, and a week after that starting your period. How do you know that you ovulated if you have irregular cycles? Can you recommend a good website to read to educate myself on cycles and charting? Thanks so much...

[wasabi]

Yeah that's not charting. That's a faulty rhythmn method type kind of thing and it's how I got pg the second time. Charting is observing a variety of fertility signals. The main two are cervical fluid and temperature but some also use cervical position. The cervical fluid and position would indicate when ovulation is coming and your temperature would tell you if it had occurred (after you ovulate progesterone makes your temperatures rise until AF arrives). There's a great book out there called Taking Charge of Your Fertility that explains all of it. There is also a website and you can sign up there chart online and get info. I think it's 30 days introduction and then it's a pay service where you buy the software for a one time fee. Otherwise there is www.fertilityfriend.com. You can chart online there and when you sign up they send you an email course on charting. So that's probably a good way to start. Charting is a really great way to know what is going on with your body. It can really put your mind at ease that either everything is fine or let you know that yeah something is not quite right. Good luck!