Change for me- I am pretty sure I ovulated yesterday, so I am waiting to know my temp was up this morning and I got mittleschmertz (sp?) last night. So hubby and I BD later in the evening. Hope they made their way!!!
I have also been using Vitex and have had regular ovulation. This month my O was a day late but that's not too far off, especially having just come back from a chemical/ early miscarry. I'm a believer in the Vitex!
Thanks for creating the Sept thread, TheCrunchyBrit! Hope this month is as successful as last month!! Lots of baby dust to all!
I stopped keeping up with this thread, but I'm waiting to know again - same as where I was last time I updated. I've been taking vitex for about three weeks, probably not long enough for it to really be having an effect, but I already feel different this time. With my last cycle I finally had a full 14 day luteal phase - up from only 6 days earlier this year - but I got a BFN so I'm hoping for better news this time around. We'll see in about a week!
Hi ladies. I've lurked on mothering since my last pregnancy, but I thought I'd speak up more now
My DD is 15 months, and this is our second month TTC number two. I used FAM to avoid pregnancy for over 50 cycles, and got pg our first try with my DD, so this is uncharted territory for me!
DD nurses about five times in a 24 hour period now, and I'd like to wean, but not enough to do much about it.
I used to O early on in my cycle, but lately it's more like around CD 20 or so, of course DH is away this weekend and now I'm feeling twinges (CD 8)!
GL to everyone!
RosieL and wengrin - spooky about the Vitex! I'm going all evangelical about it now!! Surely, if all three of us ovulated pretty much right after starting it then it works right?
Welcome back luckiest - fingers crossed for your TWW
Welcome missmagoo - I've put you down as waiting to ovulate - is that right?
Hello! I'm Jordan, I wanted to join in. I'm nursing my DS, who turned two on August 25th. We also have a 6.5 year old home schooled DD. We are waiting to be ready - I have cervical dysplasia that I've been trying to heal with diet change and some supplements etc (as prescribed by a naturopath) for the last year and a half. It's gotten a lot better and so to make sure it's all taken care of I've just started four weeks of Eschrotic treatment (I don't want to bore any of you, but feel free to ask questions Handily, part of the treatment involved taking out my copper IUD. We have to abstain during the treatment, but after that...?). I'm excited to have that over and done with and start TTC! We are wanting to try for a girl (although I would be thrilled with either! And hope for more boys in the future) and I have just started trying to chart. I don't feel like I'm doing a very good job. I got the Kindara app for my phone and some ovulation strips at Target, but they're hard to read! It depends more on the line color, not its presence, so I'm never quite sure I'm reading it right.
DH and I aren't quite in agreement on when to start TTC. I have been feeling ready for about a month and have a hard time thinking about anything else. He is concerned about our nursing, co-sleeping, mama loving boy not being ready for a sibling, as well as wanting to save a bit more money. We'd definitely be hoping for a home birth.
DD was not planned and DS was a mini pill baby, so this will be my first time TTC and I'm really looking forward to it.
Thanks for the graduate thread RosieL - I can't wait to join!
Welcome mareseatoats - I have also just started to chart and am also rubbish
I think it takes a few months before you get any clear picture of your cycle, which is why I'm seriously considering that ovulation microscope (anyone who missed that on August's thread, it's a microscope that you use to check your saliva every day. Apparently your saliva forms a fern like pattern when you're about to ovulate). Other than that, I'm not sure what else to try. This is my first PP cycle so it's all over the place.
It does take awhile to get to know your cycle. I have lots of charting experience, so i will answer any questions that ican. My biggest advice would be to try and pay attention to your CF, as for most people that is the biggest indicator of fertility. Even in my wonky first PP cycles my CF was still pretty clear. ive never used OPKs though, andiknow some folks love them,and others find them to be very confusing. i think the ferning is also hit or miss: works great for some people, and not for others. I also highly recommend reading Taking Charge of Your Fertlity of you haven't yet.
So Ladies, after a weekend of no testing, I took this one, and the line appeared right away. I guess I'm ready to admit that I need to be moved to success stories! It's still hard to believe that we got a bfp after the first ppaf.
For those who may be interested, the things I did that I think helped are:
I night weaned to bring back AF.
I was taking both Maca and Vitex, neither of which seemed to effect my milk supply.
On day 13 of this cycle I had a fertility treatment with my amazing acupuncturist. He got me pregnant with my 2nd as well.
Good luck to all you nursing mothers, and hopefully you'll be on the other side soon!
Hi ladies-just subscribing to the new thread. Welcome mareseatoats and miss magoo.
Thanks crunchy for starting the sept thread.
And congrats piratemere. What awesome news.
Still waiting to O this cycle. I've had mittelschmertz yesterday and some today; changes in cm....so should be anytime now....waiting for our damn neighbor to leave so I can throw DH in the sack for some BD!!!
Congrats Piratemere - you have been officially moved
I'm was going to try reflexology this cycle but our office therapist only works one day a week in our office and is fully booked on the week before I should ovulate (If my cycles are regular like they were before baby). So I'm going the week after and thinking of it as prep for next month. Also, DS is poorly
so he's feeding lots more than he was a few weeks ago - we'll see what that does to this month. Poor baby is full of cold and now has a pink rash over his face, back and chest - we suspect chickenpox or measles but will have to see how the rash develops tonight to confirm any suspicions. He's been up for at least 3 hours in the night feeding every night for the last 4 nights now.
missmagoo - that's really good to know because I might well pick your brains more than once or twice! I have no idea where to start with feeling my cervix. How on earth do I know I've hit the damned thing for one?
CrunchyBrit, as far as your cervix goes, try bearing down like you have to poop, that can make it easier to feel. It should come pretty straight down the middle of your vagina, so if you are feeling too close to one of the walls, you might miss it, if you hit the 'top' of your vagina, what youre feeling is your cervix. You should be able to check your cervical fluid without actually hitting your cervix though, just kind of feel around in there and see what you get!
Congrats Piratemere!!!!!! Happy for that quick pregnant line to pop up for you!!
Welcome mismagoo!! I will ask you some charting questions as well.
TheCrunchyBrit- so sorry for BabyBrit!! Bless his little heart. Hope it's just a virus and not measles or chicken pox. That would be a booger....at least you can comfort nurse him. That is one of the many blessings of nursing.
Also too funny about the evangelical vitex craze And btw cervix check- I have found that standing with one leg propped on the potty or sink is the best way to feel. Thoroughly wash hands first...use middle finger and you will feel a sort of round bump. Depending on where you are in your cycle you might feel a harder lump or if around O time it gets high and very soft, and so for me I have not been able to feel much then. It sort of gets mushy. TMI- but it is a great tool for evaluating where you are.
I am temping but because I don't get a solid 2-3 hour stretch of sleep at a time I am having strange temps. We'll see...this has been a wonky cycle for me because I am just coming off of the early miscarriage or chemical...
Welcome mareseaoats!! FX'd that all goes well for you!!
Welcome back luckiest- hope this month goes well. Good luck with the Vitex!!!
SierraMtnGirl hope you were able to kick that neighbor out pleasantly and get down to business with hubby!! ;-)
SHEESH!! Alright, ladies. I'm so, so frustrated with trying to sort my cycles out!! This is PP cycle #4. Time for my monthly novella.....here goes: Things were lining up for me to O 2-3 days ago (CD 16-so close to my pre-baby pattern). I've been OPKing (with "cheap" grocery store brand OPK sticks) since CD #5 (just to be extra safe). They have been a little tricky to use, but from what I've gathered, I've gotten a negative each and every time. As I was approaching what I thought was ovulation, I've been checking twice per day; at noon and at 8 pm-still all negative.
But, here's the kicker: I've had watery/slippery CM for about 5 days, plus a high, open and soft cervix, middleshmerz for 2 solid days-all of my usual "signs". However, the OPKs have still been negative. Mittelshmertz is gone today. I usually have a 2 day lag for temperature rise, and my temp is up slightly this AM.
So, here are my questions: 1.Can the OPK stick be wrong? 2. Would I get a temp rise if my body didn't actually release an egg? My past 3 cycles I've had a temp rise. 3. Can you ovulate with a negative OPK test or am I just an idiot who cannot use the OPK stick correctly? I know ya'll arent God or anything, but I'm seriously frustrated and puzzled by this. I've consulted my reference book, TCOYF, and it seems that an anovulatory cycle wouldn't have a temp rise....any wisdom or nuggets you have to share.
AND, I'm ready to try vitex. What brand/source do you all use? I forgot to ask my CMD last time I got accupuncture (but I go back in 2 weeks). TIA!
sierramtngirl - yes definitely, the wondfo type opks can be wrong. I tested every day last month, I had all my regular signs like you and yet I never once tested positive. Last week I got my first PPAF so I must have ovulated! Grrrr - soooo mad about that
I won't be trusting those things again...
Anyhow, life has a funny way of working things out though - my DS was diagnosed with rubella today so in hindsight, it was a flippin' good thing I didn't get pregnant on that first egg! My SIL is pregnant however and in her 1st trimester. I am just praying that she was on holiday when DS became infectious. We think from the dates that she was abroad but she gets back tomorrow and I'll have to tell her. Any prayers for the unborn baby not contracting rubella are very much appreciated and needed right now. The Dr. was awful - he practically cornered me for 30 minutes about my 'social responsibility' to vaccinate and how I would kill my child. When I told him that DS could have only contracted rubella from a freshly vaccinated kid he'd been playing with, the Dr. just blew up and said it was impossible, it had to have been an unvaccinated child (despite my DS not knowing any other unvaccinated children). Funny that, always the 'unwashed, unvaccinated' spreading diseases, never the other way round
He's clearly p**sed that my DS won't count towards his bonus from the government for hitting his vax targets.
Thanks for the reply Crunchy. Sorry your little is sick. Such a bummer. Prayers for a quick recovery for baby boy AND for your SIL and her babe. It is a bummer you missed the first PP egg, but like you said, it's a good thing. God/the universe/mother nature works in wonderful ways.
Alrighty, I'm gonna go spend some more $$$ and buy the "good" ovulation kit with the digital read out. Definitly more idiot proof.
One last ??? Does anyone know if you still get a temp rise if you DO NOT ovulate? I'm still trying to wrap my brain around what's happening to me.
I lied....one more ??? I've just stopped pumping at work. I feel like 17 months is a pretty good run of it and I'm just DONE with that damn pump. Would this impact my fertility at all? What I've read is that pumping shouldn't affect fertility, but I'm wondering for those of you who have BTDT. I'm also hoping to "encourage" DD to eat a little more solid thru the day and I'm hoping that stopping pumping will decrease my supply some so that there won't be quite as much for her to munch on when I'm home with her (I work 3 days per week; home the others).
With DS I never got a positive OPK, even with the expensive ones! At the time I read that some women just don't get LH surges high enough to read as a positive on an OPK.
One thing about OPK'S - the nurse at OB/GYN office said that estrogen can (in high amounts I suppose, suppress LH, and therefore also suppress ovulation). Now nursing mamas tend to have lower estrogen from what I understand...so not sure how that would affect you Sierra but wanted to throw that info out FWIW. Sorry you're having such contradictory signals and hopefully you did ovulate but the OPK's aren't picking up. That must be so frustrating....did you DTD during your peak watery cm and high, open soft time?? Hopefully!! ;-)
TheCrunchyBrit I am SOOOOO sorry that on top of having a poor little sick baby and the struggles and worries of that, you had to be berated by some single-minded doctor that is not open to anything other than the opinion that is forced down by mainstream medicine....he sounds like a complete arse. I will be praying that your pregnant SIL has not been exposed and that your baby recovers quickly. Is he doing okay? I mean are you worried about him or is rubella something that most healthy children can fight off on their own?
Forgive me, I am an idiot when it comes to vaccinating because in the US it is forced even more down our throats to the point that your children can't go to public school without a letter signed by the freaking Pope explaining why you choose not to vaccinate.
With my 8 year old I had concerns about it...when she was a tiny tot. So I questioned everything and made absolutely sure thimerasol was not used as a preservative for any of her shots. She fortunately reacted beautifully with absolutely no problems.
So I let my guard down with DD...when he went in at 1 yr old check up for the huge mega-dose cocktail of measels,mumps,rubella,varicella combo, I assumed he would handle it easily as well. Not at all....it was like his nerves were fried and screaming for about 10 days. He would be fine and then just shriek out in a very strange way. I swear the medicine was too much for his little nervous system and he went through hell for a week or so because of it.
When I explained these symptoms to the doc, he said "oh well you know it could be that he is teething....or a little cold. It really is hard to say it was the vaccine causing his symptoms." So even though they basically don't believe me that he had a reaction, I now have very clearly told them no more combo vaccines. The next MMRV booster is at 4 and by golly they will split it up and space out the dosages or I will raise bloody hell!! Pardon my choice of words. I just really hate that the medical community is so biased and unwilling to admit that bad things do happen from vaccines. Do the risks outweigh the benefits?? Probably...but I would rather see a different approach to spreading the shots out and giving lower dosages instead if one size fits all approach
Sorry for the ramble- but TCB you and your family are in my prayers and yes God or the Universe or Mother Nature...whatever has the higher power and wisdom and thankfully you aren't pregnant this month. I hope DS recovers soon and SIL and her baby are all good!! Big HUG
Also Sierra- I believe that even though pumping is not the same as suckling on he breast, I do feel that cutting out some of the pumping sessions will give your hormones a boost in the right direction (fertility-wise). It certainly can't hurt. Good luck!! I am currently trying to gently wean my DS from his accustomed before nap and before bed nursies. It is really only for comfort. So I am trying to distract him...but it is hard to do. He wants to nurse so bad...he says "I nurse....I nurse, Mommy?!?" In such a sweet and vulnerable little tone, it is next to impossible to deny him. (Sigh)
Also I too have struggled with the lack of temp rise following what I was sure was O, and from reading TCOYF and online research it appears to be lack of sufficient levels of progesterone. I can't say that for sure, but at least for me that's what I suspect. Having the miscarry or chemical whatever last month, when they checked my prog levels it was only an 8. Anything below a 5 is not able to be carried. Over 5 they give prometrium. So that's what im taking now to try and boost that hormone and lengthen my LP. But we shall see...
I know you can buy progesterone bioidentical over the counter or online.
I use Natures Way Vitex brand this month. What is everyone else using? Curious...
Thank you for the thoughts and prayers ladies - I'll update you later when I've spoken to SIL.
Wengrin, I'm not worried about DS (I know that sounds awful!). As my mum always says, he's 'robust'. He's not eaten very well for the past week but that's obviously because his lymph nodes are all swollen and his throat must be sore. He's got me though and he LOVES his milky, so he's not going without.
I'm glad your DS has recovered well from his mega-shot. It's just so scary the sheer amount of vaccines babies have now. If the schedule was like it was when i was a child (think I had about 5 in total) then I probably wouldn't have batted an eyelid and just taken DS for all his shots. We don't vaccinate as a matter of routine against varicella in the UK although the MMR combo still terrifies me. I have noticed in the last few years though, since the chickenpox vaccine was developed, words like 'nasty' and 'potential complications for the immune suppressed', 'deadly', etc being used to describe chickenpox where before it was a common as a cold for kids. In fact, I got chickenpox because a neighbour's kid got it - everyone's mum (including mine) sent us round to play with him so we would deliberately catch it! No-one ever heard of a kid dying from it. I think parents are having the wool pulled over their eyes now for the sake of profit.
I also think I'm going to have to take a break from TTC this month as well - I had a rubella vaccine when I was a teenager as was the schedule then but I don't think it worked because I'm feeling a bit tired and achy in my joints. I'm going to have a blood test to see if I've caught it from DS before I TTC this month.
I am absolutely over the moon to announce that SIL's bloods have come back and she's immune to rubella! Hooray!
I'm still feeling quite rubbish though so I'm definitely out for this month. But I can wait another month or two to be sure of a healthy bubs. I'm going to use my next cycle as test run for trying out FAM and seeing how well I spot all the signs.
Thanks for your wisdom, wengrin. I really appreciate your 2 cents. I am happy to be done pumping, and DD seems to be doing ok with other drinks during the day (since I no longer have pumped milk to give her). Now, onto goal #2, which is to have her "cut down" at night. I'm such a crappy sleeper anyhow, so now that she's bigger, she wakes me up and then I cannot get back to sleep =( We'll figure it out, I'm sure.
TheCrunchyBrit- Thank heavens your SIL is okay and her baby will be just fine!! Great news...huge relief for you I'm sure. I know it stinks that you have to wait a couple months but also a good thing because like you said you can get familiar with your body and FAM. Plus I was told by my doc that after extended nursing sometimes your body takes 2-3 cycles of trying to O but actually doesn't...annovulatory cycles. You will know by temping. If your temp doesn't show a gradual steady rise following O, that indicates annovulatory cycle. So maybe this was just perfect timing anyway....
Also I hope you feel better soon. No fun when Mama is sick (or Mum as you all say in the UK!)
And I totally get what you mean about not worrying about DS. If he is a hearty little guy then this will only make him stronger. I too remember when chicken pox spread as a child and my Mom wanted my brother to go ahead and get it over with too. I don't know why now it is "deadly" although you do hear of the occasional death (terribly unfortunate, but likely some underlying risk factor).
So anyway I am with you...I think big Pharma is the devil and they are all out to pad their pockets. Here in the US the FDA is a total crock of crap and not worth the government funding....they are so "in bed" with the lobbyists and Pharmaceutical Giants it isn't even funny. They will put a drug out on the market and then when it kills thousands of people they just scratch their heads and pull it off. They won't admit that Thimeresol (the preservative that was used in vaccines up until recently) has any ill effects. It is a neurotoxin (poison to our brains)!!! And they pumped that junk into our children through vaccine injections...all to save themselves a little money and keep a longer shelf life on their products. Thankfully it has been taken off the market by Pediatrician's...not by recommendation of the FDA (because that would just admit blame and open themselves up to lawsuits). What a pathetic joke....
You are so fortunate that in Europe (and other countries I imagine) there is so much more protection from harmful substances in beauty products, additives in foods like food coloring and preservatives, and especially the big kicker-Genetically Modified (GMO) which is in EVERYTHING we eat over here. Corn and Soy are in all packaged foods. So unless you can afford to buy organic or grow your own farm, you're at the mercy of the FDA. What a joke. No wonder so many Americans are dying of cancer...children are suffering with Autism spectrum disorders and ADHD at an alarming rate. European studies show that GMO foods cause serious organ damage in rats and mice!! Sigghhhhhh......I am so frustrated but I try to keep myself from losing my mind trying to buy foods at the grocery store that my children like, but won't poison their organs or pollute their bodies. The US has a lot to learn from European countries....western medicine is broken.
Sorry for the rant. I don't mean to drag anyone down. Hoping everyone is having a very zen week and we will get some great BFP success stories this month!!
Sierra- sure thing. Anytime I can offer advice based on my own journey I am happy to!
AFM-I think I am 3dpo...temps are gradually rising. Not sure what my short LP will mean since I didn't ovulate until CD 15 and usually start period on CD 26. We shall see.
Take care and peace, love and baby dust to all you nursing mamas!! xo
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