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Thursday, August 12, 2010

O-O-Ooooo-Ovulation

 

***There’s a new poll up on the side bar. I’d love to see what your votes are!

Someone asked on my last post if I’d ever let you know where I was in my “cycle”.

It’s a simple question that I’m gonna give a loooong complicated answer to ;)

and you know, when we’re talking about cycles, we’re always gonna run into a little bit of this:

 

 

For those not in the know: T.M.I. stands for Too Much Information, i.e. over sharing. Which I am guilty of more often than I care to admit, though never on the “cycle” topic… until now.

I’ll do my best to throw this up whenever we’re about to talk about the many sticky situations of conceiving. {“Sticky” isn’t the best word for me to be using here, is it? Or maybe it’s a little too appropriate…} If your stomach can’t handle it, or you didn’t want to go this in depth into our story, just the nice sweet emotions and facts for you – don’t read on past this sign. Like, ever.

Okay – the low-down.

The title is definitely a little word and one very important event I am constantly contemplating these days. You could also throw in there the terms cervical position, cervical fluid, basal body temperature – but that would have made for one long, odd blog post title wouldn’t it?

I always knew my obsession would take on a life of it’s own once the birth control went out the window. I knew it wasn’t possible for me to do this let’s make a baby thing nonchalantly. I knew I couldn’t passively try, only doing the “baby dance” when the moment felt right, not wondering whether I was ovulating or worrying whether his spermies Googled the right directions on MapQuest to get to my precious little egg’s address. {Because we all know men would rather drive around lost for hours than ask someone for directions – why would I expect his sperm to be any different?!}

I’m compulsive, inpatient, have an incessant need to plan, and I love science. This conception game we’re playing peaks absolutely every last one of my interests and annoying character traits to boot.

Obsession for me leads to a constant need to speak of my obsession out loud. {As I did for a full year in 5th grade until my parents finally gave in to my constant chatter about dogs and got me my very own =)}  I’m waiting for my husband to snap with one more mention of anything related to ovulation/birth/baby names/nursery/breast feeding… but he is one extremely tolerant, patient man. He swares he doesn’t mind when I ask him if he’d rather me stay mum on the subject until there is an actual baby to speak of. This sweet guy, he is NOTHING like me – thank God!

**Side note: If you’ve never heard of the book I have on my sidebar, TCOYF is the ultimate education in conception AND natural birth control. Don’t be deceived. This most definitely is not the “Rhythm Method”. {More on this book later – it most definitely deserves a full post to itself!}

Back to the obsession:

It is this TCOYF book that has peaked my compulsive nature to chart temperatures, to plan days that would be optimum for “baby dancing” and that most definitely grabs my scientific side with analyzing cervical fluid and the cervix position. {Is it possible to become an honorary OBGYN after you’ve gone through the conception process? No? How about honorary mid-wife?}

So now, after careful temperature taking first thing in the morning, nasty cervical fluid {or “mucous”} observation, and the random checking of the cervix… I HAVE NO IDEA WHETHER I HAVE OVULATED YET OR IF IT MAY STILL HAPPEN??!!?!

How did this happen? I threw out my birth control {Nuvaring – which I LOVED} on July 20 and Aunt Flo visited on July 23rd. Based on this information and the {probably wrong} assumption of a 28 day cycle, I would have ovulated last Thursday on the 14th day, on which there was absolutely no signs of ovulation… I am, reasonably so, completely in the dark when it comes to the actual length of my cycle and just exactly when ovulation may occur.

I went without birth control for almost an entire year in 2009. {We were not “trying” and actually used other means of birth control during that time. Which, since I’m still without child, seems they worked pretty well!} My cycles were running around 31 days back then – except the time it was 36 days and I spent an unheard of amount of money on pregnancy tests and even made an appointment with the doctor thinking the pee sticks were mistaken since my period had never been so far behind. Thankfully Aunt Flo came before I showed up to that foolish appointment.

I really loved my longer 31 day cycles – thought I was super special that I was treated with more time in between periods – until now. Now I’d rather have a 28 day cycle so after each failed month I have less time to wait for the big “O” – that’s ovulation, not Oprah.

So here I am Day 20 of my cycle. Wondering if I already ovulated. Suspecting that I haven’t based on “the signs”. Wondering if I will, or ever will, at all…

To add to the equation, I’ve also been using this little doodad:

The Fertility Scope. The science nerd inside of me is having a field-day with this thing! I spit on it every morning and have yet to see any of the blessed “ferning” telling me ovulation time is here. I continue to hope I didn’t just waste 40 bucks and that ovulation just hasn’t happened yet AND that I’m not learning that I’m ovulationally challenged.

But the biggest TMI of all is – I *believe* that today, I am finally starting to see the “egg white” cervical fluid I’ve been looking for… it’s not full out, wonderfully fertile stretchy yet – but it seems it’s beginning to ‘stretch’ as if ovulation may be on the horizon. {I’ll give you a moment to throw-up in the trash can of your choice now. Let me know when you’re ready for more… Oh, back so soon? I’ll continue on then.}

Other symptoms I’ve had recently: cramps/shooting groin or upper pubic area pain, sometimes to one side {*hopeful* ovulation??} and itchy evolving to sore nipples. Not full on sore breasts – just the nips. No clue what this may mean except that I am most definitely feeling the effects of being sans birth control these days.

As for the baby-dancing, which is a term I’m also sick of and believe I will no longer type anymore, we’ve just been aiming for every other day. I never want to schedule baby-dancing sex unless we find out we have some obstacles to overcome in this journey. So for now, even if it is “the day” and neither of us have that particularly lusty look in our eyes, we are perfectly fine with just hitting the sack with the goal of trying to feel more well rested and hopefully a little more randy tomorrow.

 

austin-powers-martini.jpg Austin Powers martini poster image by sdkwwe

 

That is, unless I see that wonderful “egg-white” cervical gold. In that case, I’ll be in one of those lovely little negligees that the hubs says collects dust in the closet in under 10 seconds flat =) 

 

**Any advice for the baby-making dummy? Should I break down and buy the pee-sticks (urine ovulation tests)? Did you have any ovulation signs? Ever use the fertility scope? Do you ovulate late in your cycle? No comment will every be TMI here! The more information I can gather – the better!!

30 comments:

  1. Break down and buy the pee sticks girl! I've heard they are really helpful. I have some in my bathroom cabinet but I'm too afraid to use them yet. I just look at them sometimes and think, later...later...later. I know, a little more info. than I've shared before in bloggo-world. I'm thinking about ya!

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  2. The hubs and I started out the same way you and yours are.... getting off birth control and 'not trying but not preventing'... until nothing happened. Then I became obsessed. So, we started TTC every other day and I got Clear Blue Easy Ovulation test kits and we got pregnant! My ovulation was NOT the normal 28 days, but 36, but I wouldn't have known that if I had never gotten the pee sticks. Hope this helps!

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  3. Invest in the Clear Blue Easy Fertility Monitor - takes the guess work out. I hated temping (too many variables like time of day, thermometer, remembering to do it at the same time without getting out of bed, etc). I also didn't have the symptoms that the book tells you to look for (you can look and look, but if they're not there, they're not there). The monitor gives you 2 peak days after POAS, and we just BDed around that time. After a few cycles (and a cycle where I did NOT temp), it worked.

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  4. For me, ovulation kits never work! I've bought every kind and tried using them one time for almost an entire month. The best result I can get is through blood work at the fertility clinic. Granted you have just started and we have been TTC for 2 years now but still, I went through all of this and it still drives me crazy. I feel like a fool for not feeling like I should be more in tune with my body. So don't feel bad at all, I think we have all felt this way at some point and time.

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  5. I tracked my cycle using an iPhone app to chart my length of cycles each month. I learned (after I got pregnant) I ovulate early. I tried the mucus testing and started to see the difference after 3 months of charting. The advice I was given to 'try' was to have sex every other day after your period is over until the next one starts just to get as much 'stuff' in there as you could.

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  6. We also just started TTC at the beginning of this year 2010 (so we're going into our 8th month) - I have been using the BBT, cervical mucus & position methods to get familiar with my own cycle. Turns out my average cycle is around 44 days with a 14 day luteal phase, so I ovulate around CD30 typically (so I'm really only into our 5th cycle even though this is the 8th month of trying). Overall having confirmation that I am actually ovulating has been the biggest benefit of the BBT method for me. But also getting averages from those past 4 cycles has really helped me to better prepare for this 5th and any future cycles. This is the first step for us before moving onto OPKs, fertility monitors, REs, etc. Really enjoying your blog, best of luck!

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  7. I used the "sticks" you are speaking of. We decided to start trying in July used the sticks, did the "dance", and heard a heartbeat in September. Our baby girl arrived in April. I know it doesn't work this easily for many people, so I am thankful for our little miracle and how quickly she came to be! Good Luck!

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  8. Temperature charting is the most proven method of telling when you ovulate.

    And, by the way, I got pregnant because I ovulated on Day 23 of my cycle and we were actually not really trying at the time so prevented from day 10 to day 16...oops!! hee hee. Of course, it was the BEST oops EVER. Anyway, keep on trying because that ovulation could happen whenever.

    Chart your temperature around the same time every day and use the same thermometer. GOOD LUCK!

    AND...I was the one that asked about telling us where you were in your cycle, so thanks for obliging! ; )

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  9. Well, given that I was doing this, oh, almost 24 years ago now, there weren't a lot of options:). However, I did chart my temperature. I didn't mind it at all. Just kept the thermometer next to my bed. I realized after a month or two that we'd been targeting too late in the cycle. The 3rd month I got pregnant. For the second kid, it was like, gee, maybe we should start soo.......BAM! Pregnant.

    I would, however, recommend on principle not diving into full technology right away. Start slow. I have a completely unfounded sense that too much focus tires out the system:). But I'm just old-fashioned.

    And don't expect too much when you've just gone off any kind of hormonal birth control. Might take a few cycles to normal out.

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  10. I don't have a whole lot to add since I've only recently been charting and monitoring myself. Do you have an iPhone? If so, I totally recommend the Fertility Friend app that let's you keep track of everything in one handy dandy place. My cycles average about 26 days and I usually ovulate between days 14 and 16. I did have a much longer cycle though last month - 31 days and ovulated on day 19. So, I definitely think it's possible to ovulate late!

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  11. Sometimes it takes a cycle for you to start ovulating after you've been on birth control...I've heard GREAT things about the urine sticks...one digital brand even gives you a smiley face when you're ovulating!

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  12. LOVE that you threw some Austin Powers in there! And there's no such thing as TMI when you're trying to make a baby. And especially not when you're actually pregnant. : )

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  13. I've heard great things about the spit detector, but could never find it so we used OPK pee sticks. I spent a bunch of money on the nice First Response 30 day batch so I would pee each morning and not just when I thought I may O and then bought hospital style ones online that were MUCH cheaper! Sadly I have PCOS so I never saw a positive on them. Hope you get lucky and get your BFP soon, but if you chart your temp for a good couple of months you'll start seeing the pattern and get an idea of your true cycle and when you're O! Also, if you have available funds, I also recommend the digital OPKs which are MUCH easier to read than looking for lines on paper!

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  14. My husband and I tried for almost 2.5 years. I would highly recommend the Clear Blue Easy Fertility Monitor, or at the very least the ovulation pee sticks. I would also suggest charting. Whatever you do, do not drive yourself crazy with the cervical mucous or cervical position. Your mucous can change for any reason that has nothing to do with ovulation. When I went to see my RE he tld me to stop because it would drive me crazy. He was so right, because I was already crazy!!! Plus, I get egg white cm even now while I'm pregnant. It's just not that reliable. Don't make yourself crazier than you need to be. TTC can get stressful real quick if your not careful. Good Luck and baby dust!!

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  15. I am new to this blog and I find it very interesting. My husband and I have been trying for about 2 years for a baby with no luck yet. Maybe you will give me some good advice! Good luck!

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  16. Best wishes on your baby journey!

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  17. Thanks for the invite to join your baby blog! Good luck and I can't wait to read more!

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  18. when i went off birth control my cycle was all over the place. of course, every time i went over 28 days i thought i was pregnant. there were even months when i went 9 weeks between visits from A.F.! But it just took a long time for my period to regulate. I tried ovulation sticks and personally I found that they were a waste of money. They just confused me more! I haven't tried temp. charting but I have heard that is a much more accurate way to see if you are ovulating or not. The pain you described could very well have been ovulation. I can feel when I ovulate and I get a cramping pain like the one you described on my right side each time so it's possible! Write down which day that happened and see if your period comes 2 weeks from them or not!

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  19. I love this blog idea! I wonder if I follow your other blog. Such a great idea! :)

    Looking forward to reading your baby journey! :)

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  20. We used the OPK from First Response (I think...anyways, it was a pink box) and it had 30 days worth of strips in there. My ovulation was always irregular, even on the injectable fertility medications, so the typical instructions from the Dr's office of "have sex on CD 10-14" did not work for us. I also charted my temps on a graph monthly to try and determine if I had any sort of pattern. Also, you may want to check out www.conceptionkit.com ... We used that for a while also, to increase our chances.

    Best advice I can give you, having BTDT, talk to your husband and encourage him to share his thoughts and feelings. Don't always schedule sex, because then it becomes almost like a chore. Just let things happen, instead of announcing that "today is when we need to start having sex every other day."

    Looking forward to reading your journey! Good luck!

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  21. lol - you are cracking me up. I have absolutely no helpful words of advice for you, other than it'll happen when you least expect it. I'm a mom to two: the first was conceived the month before we were going to start "trying". The second was conceived about three months before we were going to start thinking about trying. Making my two kids only 18 months apart, which was never my intention but has turned out to be a fun little journey. :) Point being, it'll happen when it happens and all the pee sticks in the world ain't gonna change that. ;)

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  22. Hello! I love your new blog, and we just started one of our own.

    Please follow us and we promise to give you a laugh and some insight on what to expect once that little baby of yours DOES arrive!!

    www.mommyhoodmayhem.com

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  23. Sounds like you need the pee sticks! Can't wait to hear how it goes. You're too funny.

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  24. Love your blog! LOL...too funny, I have 3 little ones and the third time around my body was on such a tight schedule, I just charted my days and I was right on target.

    New follower here, hope you stop by and visit me
    http://thelifeofatiredmommy.blogspot.com

    I have a friend that has done a lot of research on fertility. You should stop by her blog as well, she is listed on my blog as Sassy Mahogany Wife.

    Good luck with your journey!

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  25. Just stumbled across your blog, what a great idea!
    Wishing you all the best with your pregnancy endeavor :)

    http://bottleblack.blogspot.com

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  26. I have always wondered if those work... I got pregnant the first time I EVER did anything! That was the only time I ever did anything until after my dd was born, since after the first time I felt ashamed and stopped talkig to him until I found out I was pregnant then didnt see him until our daughter was born...My 2nd took about a week or so. My 1st was 8 weeks old when I got preg. My 3rd took 2 weeks and my daughter that I just had took 3 times... I had c secs will all of them so it isnt a good idea to get pregnant again... My husband and I did it the other night..hm.....
    Anyways I have a new blog too! Good luck!!!!!!

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  27. Oh my this is all so familiar even if I was in this exact frame of mind over 7 years ago! I know it was hard waiting and hoping, but I loved the feeling that I "might" be pregnant, those sore nipples, the shooting pain in my abdomen...can't wait to hear all about it!
    PS: I hate secrets so this better not be one for long!!!

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  28. Happy new blog and best wishes on your fertility journey. My only advice would be to just try the natural way for at least a year. A normal healthey couple often needs up to a year to conceive...and that's completely normal. I also know that fixating on the conception thing can be counterproductive...so just relax and enjoy your life together!

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  29. OK, so I'm jumping on this ride with you :-) Thanks for the invite. Praying you will have your hearts desire very soon!

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  30. I love your blog! Love, love, love it!

    I bought the Clearblue Monitor. A little pricey, but so worth it in the long run!

    It got me to understand my cycle and helped me out tremendously in my quest for getting pregnant.

    xo

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