My question is, How did you find out about charting?
Several of you have mentioned it in your Finding Out stories, and I'm curious. See, I just discovered charting. For anyone checking the sidebar, yes, I have three children. I'm nearly 31. In all these years, I've operated on vague and general ideas of what happened every month. I have just in the past year discovered how to pinpoint my fertile phase, predict my period, and understand what the heck is going on inside me.
I'm especially indignant about my ignorance because I grew up around hyperconservatives who said even trying to avoid a pregnancy, and therefore all contraception, is sinful. You'd think somebody could have found a segue into the topic of fertility tracking. And when I visited the OB/GYN for my pre-marriage exam and birth control discussion, the only mention of charting was that it was cumbersome to take my temperature every morning and why bother when there are all sorts of other methods that don't require any work?
I'm actually having a great time with my chart. We're currently using it to avoid pregnancy, but I enjoy just seeing what happens day by day.
So did you chart for fertility purposes, or to figure out when to use a form of birth control to prevent pregnancy? And when you did chart, did you record only temperatures, or temperatures and cervical fluid?
Possibly if I'd had a clear understanding of my cycle, I wouldn't have gotten pregnant so soon with my first child. But then, why would I want to give up Ladybug? And speaking of Ladybug, she and Dilly will be properly educated in the facts of femaleness in the future. Twenty-five years from now, they'll be posting on their own blogs (which probably will be holographic with theme music): "One thing I wish my mom had done differently was not talk so much about cycles and charting. Honestly, who needs to know all that?!"
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I learned about charting about the time I started trying to conceive. I don't remember where exactly, but I found a reference somewhere on the Web to "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" by Toni Weschler, which is the Bible of fertility charting.
I charted to try to get pregnant. After I had the baby, I was breastfeeding and I was afraid my hormones were too screwed up for the chart to be accurate. I was also tired enough that I wanted a birth control method that required absolutely no thought, so I got an iud. I just got it removed to try for number two, so I'm about to start charting again once my cycle comes back.
When I charted, I only recorded my temperatures, but I checked my cervical mucus and remembered it well enough day-to-day that I didn't feel like I needed to record it.
I'm planning to teach my daughter about this too. I wish had known about it when I was younger - I might have known earlier that I wasn't ovulating very often and I might have gotten help sooner.
I heard about charting online somewhere, but didn't really get it until a friend recommended "Taking Charge of Your Fertility". The book taught me so much about my body that I never knew before (embarrassing!) and I think it's a must read for any woman just to understand her body.
When my husband and I first began trying to conceive, I tried charting. I read "Taking Charge Of Your Fertility," which is like The Charting Bible, and just all-around a great book for anyone who is trying to conceive or trying to avoid conception. I thought charting was great, and it was also how I discovered that I had an ovulation disorder. After day 89, with no period and no tell-tale temperature spike, I headed to the fertility specialist with charts in hand. I was quickly diagnosed with PCOS.
I delivered twins 10 months ago as a result of IVF, and I recently stopped breastfeeding. At the risk of giving you TMI, I've gotten my period twice since then, with only 40 days in between (which is a short cycle for me!) This gives me hope that maybe my body has figured a few things out, and hopefully I'll be able to conceive on my own next time by charting my temps.
You know, I can't remember how I heard about it. I bought the same book everyone else has mentioned, and I know approximately WHEN, because it came out in 1995 and I used it before Rob was born in 1999, so probably I saw it in the new books section or something and bought it.
After I read it, I also took a class in it, just to be sure I understood it. I charted temperature and cervical fluid. I used it to prevent and to achieve pregnancy, and found it very useful for both.
That's the same book I've found, of course. I even call it "the Fertility Bible," as in, "Hold on, sweetheart. I'll be ready for bed in a second. Just checking the Fertility Bible for guidance and wisdom."
Amy and Beth -- That is very interesting about how charting helped you realize you weren't even ovulating. It's a simple enough process, but it yields such rewarding results sometimes. Good luck, Beth, with #2. I'm firmly of the opinion that every couple should have at least two children before deciding they don't want any (so, um, I guess you qualify, Amy!).
Shelly -- Yes! I was so embarrassed to realize how little I knew about my own body. I do think it's very valuable information for any woman, whether she's dealing with pregnancy issues or not. I was terribly annoyed that I'd never heard of it before. I wondered if I'd missed a memo upon reaching puberty!
I charted for probably 5 years. But I was infertile and the first thing the doctors ask is if you are charting.
I checked out books from the library about infertility and read them cover to cover to find out exactly what the female reproductive system does (or is supposed to do).
I only charted temperatures all those years. But now I can tell when I'm fertile just by cervical fluid changes.
After stopping BC for over a year (actually closer to 2 years) and just "seeing what happens" I mentioned it to my GYN at my annual checkup when she asked me about birth control. She furrowed her brow and said, well a year is a long time with no pregnancy. Why don't you just start charting your temps for a few months and then come back for a visit and we'll look at your cycles. Sadly my charts looked like a roller coaster rather than just one big hill. Because I don't ovulate regularly on my own. I charted for six months and then my doctor sent me to a specialist who looked at my records and told me I could stop, that it wasn't going to help me anymore.
the book taking charge of your fertility. but friends as well, most of my friends and i got married later in life so we all wanted babies RIGHT away and needed a way to help. i found charting the most exciting thing in the world b/c EVEN if you are not trying to get prego, the knowledge of how your body works is amazing. i did my temp every morning. it was so clear when i was ovulating and it was clear enough when i might have been prego that i was taking the prego tests very early on.
Hi - I found you through Swistle.
Charting is near and dear to my heart. A friend bought me the aforementioned book as a wedding present and I thought it was a strange gift, but now I could kiss her for it.
I charted for two months before we conceived #1 and then for 16 months while trying for #2. I'm convinced that it was having a year's worth of very detailed charts that proved to my ob/gyn that I was not crazy and we really were having fertility issues ("Oh, you're just stressing out about it too much. Relax").
I'm about to send it on to a friend who has been trying for over a year. She's totally opposed to charting, but is willing to pee on hundreds of expensive ovulation sticks. I'm hoping the "Bible" will convince her otherwise.
P.S. Totally love your blog!
I don't exactly remember, either. Also, I'm with Shelly, I was so embarrassed when I did learn of how my body actually worked!
I found out about charting when we started to try and get pregnant. Okay, about a month before. I was anxious to have kids right away, and my mom and aunt had had problems so I wanted as much information as possible. I mostly got my information from fertility friend and have yet to read "the Bible" but consider myself pretty expert at it. 4 years of charting, and very few of those showing any sort of ovulation brought me to my RE and my daughter and now my twin boys. I try and tell everyone I know who is trying to get pregnant about charting because it really was an invaluable tool to me and to my doctor when we first went.
A friend recommended TCOYF and I was shocked! But, mostly I was pissed when I found out all the details of womens' bodies. Why did no one ever tell us as teenagers that cervical fluid changes? That that it is normal? And that your cervix moves up and down? I had NO idea. And when I found out, I felt like people had LIED by omission to me. I immediately went and told
Anyway. *ahem* sorry about that. I began charting when trying to conceive in 2005. Now I'm doing it again while trying to conceive now. I also have PCOS and have hideously LOOOONG and unpredictable cycles. So, it is kind of annoying (hello! I'm on day 43 of my cycle and no change!) But, I will stick with it so my doctor can tell what is going on!
Great post!
I had a vague idea about charting in high school, but did not learn it. I took an NFP class after having my first child. I use the book "The Art of Natural Family Planning" to brush up on rules when not pregnant. I chart to know what is going on, somtimes to avoid pregnancy. We have never "tried" to get pregnant, but my charts have told me when I am pregnant before I needed to take a test (which I took anyway). I chart temperature only, because I feel like my mucus is impossible to interpret. I'm pregnant with my fifth, but I don't blame the method. We knew what we were doing and did it anyway. ;) My conviction to use charting is faith-based, but I think it is great to not have to use anything artificial anyway.
I learned the very basics of charting in my pre-marriage classes (Catholic) during the Natural Family Planning session. We were intrigued but didn't ever use charting to prevent pregnancy.
When we were ready to try to conceive, I was an active WebMD community/message board member (of the dieting boards), and discovered the TTC -- trying to conceive -- msg boards. They talked about Toni W's book, as well, and I found myself a copy.
My sister recommended the book "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" and the month that I bought the book is the month that I got pregnant. Since then I have recommended it to anyone trying to get pregnant.
I had a miscarriage in 2001, and I was frustrated by the brush off I felt I got from the Dr. I can't stand the standard, "We don't know whay it happens, and we'll do more after it happens 2 more times." explanation. So, I started scouring the internet for my own answers, and I discovered the IF blogosphere. So I bought TCOYF, and went from there. After another miscarriage in 2002, I went to the RE and he was kind of bowled over when her started talking about charting, and I handed him a 3-ring binder of 18months of charts!
I (finally!) had my twins via IVF in 2004. I still chart sporadically on Fertility Friend. I have had 2 more miscarriages since the kids were born, so I am trying to be better about it. I am about to start taking Metformin again (for PCOS) and semi-actively trying for a 3rd child.
It's amazing to see how many blog there are now about IF - It's such a great community that I am grateful for discovering back in 2001. I am a longtime lurker who is just now coming out to chat...
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