Last Month's Thread
Welcome to the March 2011 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 in February, 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 March if you want to be on the April list!
To those who are new, welcome!
Who We Are
Angelorum
badgerbaby
Barefoot Girl
Brighids Flame
Carlyle
cecelia7
Devaya
Eaglevoice
eirual
emma00
fnpmama
goinggreengirl (CTA 3 months)
HulaJenn (CTA since May 2009)
jenmegc
JMJ
justKate (CTA since November 2010)
Juste Leblanc
lactatinggirl
librarygirl
mirpmama
miss_honeyb (CTA 25 cycles)
mommy2two babes
phathui5
Pumpkin_Pie
RavaAvis
SamiPolizzi
starsprouts
Stefibeth
theboysmama
Toolip
TrishWSU (CTA 27 months)
Graduates
Pregnant!
OSUvet (Feb. 2011)
echospiritwarrior (Feb. 2011)
lyterae (Feb. 2011)
dex_millie (Feb. 2011)
annie2186 (April 2011)
katiedidbug (May 2011)
BarefootScientist (June 2011)
Smokering (June 2011)
AnnieA (July 2011)
shells_n_cheese (July 2011)
Baby_Cakes
MovingMomma
capretta (October 2011)
No Longer TTA
jeninejessica
LionessMom
Mummoth
Good luck to those now TTC!
Summary of FAM Rules
(sympto-thermal)
Pre-ovulation rules:
1) First 5 Days Rule: You are safe the first 5 days of your menstrual cycle if you had an obvious temp shift 12-16 days before.
2) Dry Day Rule: You are safe to DTD after 6PM if you have been dry all day.
Post ovulation rules:
1) Peak Day Rule: The last day of fertile mucus is called the peak day (the day before your mucus begins to dry up). You are safe to DTD on the fourth consecutive day after the peak day. If another patch of more fertile mucus appears, start your count over.
2) Temperature Shift Rule: You are safe the evening of the third consecutive day your temp is above your coverline. If your temp falls at or below the coverline during the 3 day count, begin your count again.
BOTH rules must be satisfied to be considered in your infertile phase.
How to set a coverline:
When you see a temperature shift of at least 0.2° F above the highest of the previous 6 temps, draw a line 0.1° F above that highest temp.
Resources
Books
Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler
Garden of Fertility by Katie Singer
Honoring Our Cycles (workbook) by Katie Singer
The Art of Natural Family Planning by John and Sheila Kippley
Breastfeeding and Natural Child Spacing by Sheila Kippley
Fertility, Cycles and Nutrition by Marilyn Shannon
Websites
TCOYF (Ovusoft) charting software, and brief fertility library
Fertility Friend charting software, and ttc charting guide
myfertilitycharts.com free software for ttc or tta
Garden of Fertility author Katie Singer's website
Mothering Magazine article by Katie Singer
Billings Ovulation Method info
Billings Ovulation Method Association, USA
Billings Centre, CA
Couple to Couple League (find an NFP instructor)
Creighton Model
Abbreviations
AF: Aunt Flo, menses, your period
BBT: basal body temperature
BC: birth control
BIP: basic infertile pattern
CD: cycle day
CF: cervical fluid (same as CM)
CHs: crosshairs (intersection of coverline and ovulation)
CL: coverline
CM: cervical mucus (same as CF)
CO: cervical opening
CP: cervical position
CTA: charting to avoid
CTW: charting to "whatever" (not avoiding, not preventing)
DPO: days past ovulation
DTD: do the dead (sex)
EWCM: eggwhite cervical mucus/fluid
FAM: fertility awareness method
FF: Fertility Friend (website, see above)
HBC: hormonal birth control
HTL: high temp level (0.4°F above LTL, temp rise needed to indicate O)
LAM: lactational amenorrhea method (breastfeeding as birth control)
LP: luteal phase (between ovulation and menses, average 10-16 days)
LTL: low temp level (highest of the 6 temps immediately before temp rise)
NFP: natural family planning
O: ovulation
SHOW: soft, high, open, wet (characteristics of the cervix near ovulation)
SR: seminal residue
TCOYF: Taking Charge of Your Fertility (book and website, see above)
TTA: trying to avoid
TTW: trying to whatever
other common abbreviations
Happy Charting Everyone!