Charting Cycles

[Jayme]

Does anyone here use fertility charting? If so, have you continued to chart throughout pregnancy?

[Andi]

I did chart and got pregnant on the 3rd cycle. I did not continue after confirming the pregancy, but other women on the charting website I used did and their charts are available for viewing. I don't think that I'm allowed to post the name of the website here so if you need it, let me know.

Andi

http://tac.families.com/cb/230945.png (http://counters.families.com)

http://tac.families.com/ezb/1139970.png (http://tickers.families.com)

[Marcus Momma]

I charted and after i charted for a few months then i tried 1 month and got pregnant that month but i didn't continue.

[amburke2]

Jayme,
We use Natural Family Planning and chart temperature and other fertility signs. We didn't actively try to get pregnant, but we did proverbially "throw out the chart" and just sort of saw what would happen. Timothy was conceived within two cycles. Once we confirmed the pregnancy (with a heightened temperature for three weeks after conception - we didn't do a pregnancy test), we didn't continue to chart since the signs didn't really change. I'm not aware of a reason for charting throughout pregnancy other than curiosity, but if a drop in temperature or change in other signs signifies a possible health problem during pregnancy, then I hope someone will let me know.

[motherofthree]

I'm also curious to know what are the possible benefits of charting throughout the pregnancy?

[Carrie LaFollette]

I charted throughout all of my pregnancies. My husband and I struggled with infertility for 5 years before we conceived our first child due to my condition called PCOS. We unfortunately lost our first child due to miscarriage. We became pregnant again about 4mos after our loss and while I was tempted to keep charting after my positive pg test I decided against it. I had read that your hormones are all over the place during the first trimester which could cause temps to be all over the place. I didn't want to unnecessarily worry myself, although I did rent a doppler in order to hear my baby's heart from 12wks to about 20wks.

[PJBAC]

I can't seem to get anywhere with anything...we conceived our twins the first time we almost 5 years ago, then Boden was conceived after a few months and now I am not so lucky. My cycles are averaging 25 days and yesterday I began my period on day 22 of my current cycle, so I guess that means I just had a 22 day cycle...My progesterone level was low on day 21 which signaled to my doc that I may not have ovulated. So, this month I am taking my temp every morning & charting it and will be using a ovul. pred. kit. I am still trying to figure out what is going with me...First I am Fertile Myrtle and now just the opposite. We are still young,32 & 33, but but we would love more babies. Sad that mother nature and God had a say so in our last pregnancy. We always said that we would not mess with mother nature, but now she is dangling herself in my face...Bottomline, my doc & hubby said lay off of it and relax and stop stressing about...what will be will be...easy to say. But I do feel better already posting this.

[Jayme]

I had read that your hormones are all over the place during the first trimester which could cause temps to be all over the place. I didn't want to unnecessarily worry myself,

That's one of the things I was curious about. We also use Natural Family Planning and it has helped us conceive both of our children quickly- although I know that is not a guaranty with charting. With Justin, I stopped charting as soon as we had confirmed the pregnancy with extended high temps confirmed by a pregnancy test. With this one I kept charting. My charting software says that successive lower temps can indicate a miscarriage. However, I have also read, like Carrie said, that temps can be all over the place. I had a few lower temps (at my original raised level so lower than the second triphasic lever) and I was paranoid even though another pregancy test was still immediately very positive. I asked on the Ovusoft forum and was told repeatedly not to continue temping because it would only make me worry. So I finally decided to heed their advice and haven't temped the last 2 mornings. Honestly, I feel much less worried because it is one less thing I can over analyze. We are also hoping to rent a doppler and monitor baby's heartbeat at home once it is big enough to hear it.

Thanks for all of your thoughts and help. I am just trying not to be over paranoid....

Patty, I am sincerly sorry to hear of your troubles. Charting will at least help you see if you are ovulating. I agree with you about relaxing. It's very easy to say but soooo hard when all you want is a little baby. I always thought that natural was best. Thus using natural family planning, wanting to be surprised with Justin's gender, natural childbirth etc etc. We used ovulation predictor strips when trying for this baby and it was helpful, if nothing more as a confidence booster. I still would like to do natural child birth but I want to know the gender of this baby as early as possible!! So, our minds change as we have different experiences and that is ok. God's blessings on you and your cycle.

[Carrie LaFollette]

Jayme - I completely understand the worry you are experiencing right now, but I think it's great that you put that thermometer down. ;) How far along are you in this pregnancy? Renting the doppler brought me much needed assuarance.

Patty - Has your Dr. prescribed Progesterone supplements? Charting is a great way to help you and your Dr. figure out whether or not you are ovulating and what steps need to be taken in the future. I will say that it honestly helped me mentally to take breaks from temping from time to time. It frustrated me to no end when my temps didn't cooperate and showed no signs of ovulating month after month. I know it's hard not to stress. I'll be thinking positive vibes for you.

[Jayme]

Carrie,
Thanks for the support. I am only 5.5 weeks along right now so it will be awhile before we can even use a doppler. I have felt much better since I stopped temping. I feel like there is one less thing to worry about and I can spend more energy focusing on being excited for this baby and less worrying about every little thing that can go wrong.

[Carrie LaFollette]

Jayme - I'm happy to hear that you are feeling less stressed. I'll keep you and your little bean in my prayers. :)

[Jessica VV]

I just started taking my BBT this month because I have hypothyroidism and been reading about the BBT is a good indicator of a person's metabolism. I want to keep my thyroid in check. So more for my own curosity I have been taking my temp---we are also trying for brothers and sisters for Mark. My BBT is been 96.4-96.8--lower than what I have been reading as 'normal' BBT. Anyone else have theirs this low?

It took us 1 1/2 years to conceive Mark and we were hoping it wouldn't be this long to conceive a brother or sister for him, so the temp taking has a dual purpose, but I am trying not to think so much about it. (Easier said than done!) I am trying to get 'in tune' with my body. Any advice is always appreciated.

[Carrie LaFollette]

Jessica - Back when I was charting I always had below average temps. My PCOS, which is an endocrine disorder, is the culprit behind my low temps. I suspect that your thyroid condition is the possible cause of your low temps as well. I wouldn't worry too much about it unless you don't see a biphasic pattern to your charts. Meaning..you should see two seperate levels. One level of lower temps pre-ovulation and another level of higher temps post-ovulation.

I can retrieve my old charts and attempt to post them if you like. There were days I wondered how I was alive b/c my temp was so low. :p

[amburke2]

Jessica,
As Carrie said, temperature patterns have multiple phases. If you temps were in the 96.4 range after ovulation (meaning they increased to that level), I'd be worried. If it's before ovulation, then I can corroborate that I regularly have temperatures below 97.0 degrees and we had no trouble conceiving Timothy (just 2 cycles of "let's see what happens"). I suspect your thyroid is causing the lower temperatures, and if you're concerned about it - because it can be easier to conceive children with a temperature patterns that's about a degree higher than you have - there are measures you can take with diet to try to adjust it. I have a whole book on fertility and nutrition, and I can give you more info if you want. Before you start worrying, though, you'll want to have at least one full cycle charted so you know what part of the cycle things are, and you can't establish an actual pattern for your cycles until you've charted at least 2 or 3 months (since one cycle might be an anomaly).

I wish you the best with conceiving siblings for Mark, and with your thyroid issues. They run in my family, so I have an inkling of the struggle.

[Carrie LaFollette]

Amanada - I too had to change my diet in order to help my body regulate in order to achieve pregnancy. It's so nice to meet someone else who researched all the same things! PCOS and Thyroid problems can have similair syptoms. I follow the Insulin Resistance Diet. It consists of balancing protein with "good" carbs.

[motherofthree]

I follow the Insulin Resistance Diet.

Carrie, I also have PCOS - and have conceived all of my pregnancies through fertility treatment after several years of us trying on our own after marriage... Usually my doctors just tell me to follow a ADA diet, but I haven't gone to se an endocrinologist or anything like that. I would be interested to know if you can recommend a book or resource that I could find this information from. I'm to be following an ADA diet right now (trying to regulate myself a little - hopefully to avoid gestational diabetes which I had while pg with Priya, but not with Kavya. Anyway, let me know if you have a good resource...thanks!

[Carrie LaFollette]

Beth - I have a ton of information about pcos. I highly recommend that you make an appointment with an Reproductive Endocronologist (RE). They are more likely to administer meds and regularly test your blood work etc.. The most important thing I have learned is that I need to keep pcos in check for the rest of my life. It's so important to figure out what is "normal" for your body and see which meds/diet etc. works best for you, because pcos manifests itself differently with each person. If left unchecked you could have an increased risk of high cholesterol, heart disease, increase risk of type II diabetes, high triglycerides among other awful things.

Medications that helped me a great deal:
Glucophage (generic - Metformin) - This is a diabetic drug used to treat patients with insulin resistance. I am not insulin resistant, but by taking this medication and following the Insuline Resistance Diet my body has become more regulated.

A Book that helped me a great deal:
"The Insulin Resistant Diet" by Cheryle R. Hart and Mary Kay Grossman (I have the original version printed in 2001, but it looks like there is a revised version that was printed in 2007)

I have also added the following books to my "must read" list (check out the reviews on Amazon):
1. "New Glucose Revolution Guide to Living Well with PCOS" by Dr. Jennie Brand-Miller and Nadir Farid

2. "The Savvy Woman's Guide to PCOS" by Elizabeth Lee Vliet

I hope this helps. Feel free to ask me anything..I've extensively researched PCOS and continue to research it not only for infertility reasons, but for overall health reasons. I'd be happy to help in anyway I can!

Sorry..didn't intend to write a book here..can you tell I'm a little passionate about it? hehe

[Jessica VV]

Thank you Carrie and Amanda for your insight and reference items. Amanda, what is the book name that you are referring to?

Thanks!

[motherofthree]

Carrie, Thanks for the great information. My fertility doctor had me on glucophage along with the various other drugs they had me on, but my regular family doc "doesn't see the need" to put me on it after my pregnancy ends. I've been meaning to go to an endocrinologist but haven't gotten around to it; I'm going to make it a priority after this baby is born! The fertility doc has me going off the glucophage at 12 wks gest. I guess it decreases the chance of miscarriage if a woman with pcos takes it the first 12 weeks since we are at higher risk for miscarriage. Thank you so much!!!

[Babs]

Hormonal levels regulate and then drop at a certain point in pregnancy regardless. Get a fetoscope (Safer than a doppler, but admittedly you will take longer to use it) and trust your body instead. :) Charting is a fruitless effort during pregnancy other than the initial 18 days after ovulation, which is when the "drop = miscarriage" is actually referring to.

[Carrie LaFollette]

Beth,

You are welcome! It frustrates me to no end how little so many Dr.s know about pcos. Many just want to throw birth control pills at you and call it a day. It seems that they don't worry about pcos unless you are trying to achieve pregnancy. I think it's great that you are going to make an appointment with an endo after your pg. I'm also happy to hear that your Dr. is keeping you on glucophage through the first trimester! :) It is correct that staying on the meds will decrease your risk of miscarriage. Enjoy your pregnancy!

[amburke2]

Jessica,
Sorry for the delay; I haven't been able to check the forum lately. The book I referred to is called Fertility and Nutrition by Marilyn Shannon. It covers a whole range of fertility-related maladies, from PMS to various causes for infertility, with diet adjustments rather than prescription medications. I've used several of the suggestions of adjusting diet and adding vitamin supplements to improve menstrual cramps, low basal temperatures, and other things.