Playing with my chart today - Shawna (or anyone) if you're around could you look?

TeresaSuperMama · #1 September 25th, 2009, 01:21 PM

I know I should accept the possibility that cd13 is my correct O date, but I wanted to see what happened if I changed my cm on cd10 from creamy to EWCM. It was the only cm I had this cycle and it was stretchy, but not super stretchy, but it was also white in color and not clear. Anyhow, I changed it to EWCM and voila I got solid crosshairs with both the FAM and FF Advanced method. I still know that cd13 has a pretty good chance of being as right if not more right, but with the O pains I had starting on cd9 and me Oing the same day I got a positive OPK last cycle I am not feeling as discouraged about it being my O date. I know I am hard headed. I just feel better knowing that FF gave me solid crosshairs from changing that info. I also just went through and looked at some of my old charts and I have quite a few charts that have my O date marked the same day as my positive OPK.

Anyways, I guess I can only wait and see, but just wanted to ask how you define EWCM and do you think if this was the only cm I had and it was white, but still stretchy that it still qualifies as EWCM or should I just change it back to creamy and stop being a pain in the butt? (Don't worry you won't hurt my feelings if you tell me that you think I O'd on cd13 and to stop annoying everybody with my dumb questions.)

CandaceDianne · #2 September 25th, 2009, 01:39 PM

I dont care when you O'd (totally kidding!!

)....BUT your chart looks like its climbing!!!

TeresaSuperMama · #3 September 25th, 2009, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CandaceDianne

I dont care when you O'd (totally kidding!!

)....BUT your chart looks like its climbing!!!

I know. I am starting to get excited. It's making me a nervous wreck. You'd think I hadn't done this before.

ShawnaCAN · #4 September 25th, 2009, 04:48 PM

Some choose to define EWCM as CM which is clear OR stretchy OR lubricative. Of course, some women have CM that is all 3, and some have CM which is a combo of those 3, or only one of those 3. Every woman is unique, there's no set rule about what EWCM *has* to be. Bear in mind, FF also has very limited categories for CM. Other charting systems have much more comprehensive CM descriptions (Creighton for example, has 27 different CM options!)

As for O day, my vote goes with CD12 or 13 though - based on CM and OPK. Progesterone can start to rise just before ovulation, so that can account for the first high temp.

Charting doesn't tell us the exact day, just a narrow window during which ovulation was likely. Ovulation generally occurs on the last day of fertile CM, the first day of dry up, or the second day of dry up. That gives you a window of CD10, 11, 12. We also know that ovulation usually occurs 12-36 hours after your LAST positive OPK. That gives CD12-14. So my CD12/13 gets my vote.

The TTC rules for the NFP Method I teach state that it's important to BD while you have slippery CM, but also during first 3 days of drying up! That's because ovulation can occur during that time and then the egg can live up to 24 hours. So if your CM is scant and may not be keeping sperm alive during the days leading up to ovulation, it's really important to try to BD as close to ovulation itself as possible.

Your chart looks good though! If no BFP this cycle, maybe try to keep BDing for a few days after the CM disappears next cycle.

DeepSouthMommy · #5 September 25th, 2009, 05:06 PM

I think that FF is correct on this one. For me, I don't ever have perfectly clear CM. Most times it's either cloudy or white looking and it's perfectly normal. (I've asked the doctor, been checked for infections, etc., it's just how my CM is.)

Also too, you've said before that you don't make as much CM as you used to and there are a lot of women who only get one single patch of EWCM. That could be easily missed since there isn't a lot of it.

I think you should leave your chart just as it is right now but notate what changes you've made just in case. But I think it's correct the way you have it.

Sending tons and tons and TONS of baby

your way!!!

times a million!

TeresaSuperMama · #6 September 25th, 2009, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShawnaCAN

Some choose to define EWCM as CM which is clear OR stretchy OR lubricative. Of course, some women have CM that is all 3, and some have CM which is a combo of those 3, or only one of those 3. Every woman is unique, there's no set rule about what EWCM *has* to be. Bear in mind, FF also has very limited categories for CM. Other charting systems have much more comprehensive CM descriptions (Creighton for example, has 27 different CM options!)

As for O day, my vote goes with CD12 or 13 though - based on CM and OPK. Progesterone can start to rise just before ovulation, so that can account for the first high temp.

Charting doesn't tell us the exact day, just a narrow window during which ovulation was likely. Ovulation generally occurs on the last day of fertile CM, the first day of dry up, or the second day of dry up. That gives you a window of CD10, 11, 12. We also know that ovulation usually occurs 12-36 hours after your LAST positive OPK. That gives CD12-14. So my CD12/13 gets my vote.

The TTC rules for the NFP Method I teach state that it's important to BD while you have slippery CM, but also during first 3 days of drying up! That's because ovulation can occur during that time and then the egg can live up to 24 hours. So if your CM is scant and may not be keeping sperm alive during the days leading up to ovulation, it's really important to try to BD as close to ovulation itself as possible.

Your chart looks good though! If no BFP this cycle, maybe try to keep BDing for a few days after the CM disappears next cycle.

Thanks so much for replying to this Shawna. I have been having such a hard time with things now since I am so used to having CM to rely on. I barely have any now and it just so much harder trying to sort things out for me. I think I am going to change my O date to cd13 and suck it up and see what happens.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeepSouthGirl

I think that FF is correct on this one. For me, I don't ever have perfectly clear CM. Most times it's either cloudy or white looking and it's perfectly normal. (I've asked the doctor, been checked for infections, etc., it's just how my CM is.)

Also too, you've said before that you don't make as much CM as you used to and there are a lot of women who only get one single patch of EWCM. That could be easily missed since there isn't a lot of it.

I think you should leave your chart just as it is right now but notate what changes you've made just in case. But I think it's correct the way you have it.

Sending tons and tons and TONS of baby

your way!!!

times a million!

I like my O date on cd11, but I am putting things back to creamy and leaving crosshairs on cd13. I figure this way by the time I test I should get a clear answer. Thanks for the dust and your thoughts. I'm going to check my LP if I don't get a bfp and see where it lines up best with for future charts.

DeepSouthMommy · #7 September 25th, 2009, 05:49 PM

Hmm, did you take out the opk info and see what happens? I'm not really familiar with how they work, but I find it odd that you have positive opks on both CD 11 AND 12. If you O'd on the CD 11, why would it show positive for the CD 12? And it's negative for CD 13, so something's weird there. I think you were right to begin with, that your O date IS CD 11. Hmm...

TeresaSuperMama · #8 September 25th, 2009, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeepSouthGirl

Hmm, did you take out the opk info and see what happens? I'm not really familiar with how they work, but I find it odd that you have positive opks on both CD 11 AND 12. If you O'd on the CD 11, why would it show positive for the CD 12? And it's negative for CD 13, so something's weird there. I think you were right to begin with, that your O date IS CD 11. Hmm...

If I take out both the positive OPKs I get cd13. If I change cm from creamy to EWCM I get cd11 so really it's a coin toss on which day and honestly Shawna could be right it could be cd12 as well. I liked the way my chart looked better with solid crosshairs on cd11, but with the OPK info I think cd13 probably is right whether I want to like it or not. I used digitals and I definitely had a positive OPK on cd12. I took 3 that day and had positive OPKs all day long. It was gone by the morning of cd13. I also got a positive starting midmorning of cd11. I still think I could have O'd on cd11, but with the OPKs I am going to just leave my chart on cd13 and deal with it.

It's entirely stupid for me to be acting like such a baby about 2 days. I just hate having to wait 2 more days. I am not sure I am going to make it with this holding out to test thing.