[stargazerlily]

Hi everyone!

I was wondering if anyone has experience charting while nursing...?

I'm not currently trying to conceive, but after I got my 1st period (since my 9 month old was born) I decided to start charting. (DH and I are thinking about trying to conceive when our son turns 1, so I thought I'd get a head start on the charting.) My temps seem to be all over, which I think I've read is normal while nursing, and also maybe has something to do with the fact that my toddler has suddenly decided to wake up around 2-3am every morning. So my sleep is a bit interrupted, which can also probably cause a bit of an inaccurate temp..?

Any tips on getting the most accurate temps while nursing and having irregular sleep? Should I be able to tell for sure when I ovulate while nursing? (This cycle I'm on day 32, and no indication yet. My cycles when NOT nursing are usually 28 or 29 days.) I thought about just not charting right now...but it'd be nice to be in the "groove" already once we start trying for baby #3.

I could probably find out a lot of info online, but I thought it would be nice to be part of a group.

I used to chart while BFing. I would temp each time DS would wake and keep the one I thought was most accurate. I would also note the other temps so I would have those for reference. HTHs.

[ShawnaCAN]

I've done it and have taught many other women to do it for the purposes of following the NFP rules to avoid conception while BFing (before and after cycles have returned).

You can certainly identify ovulation while BFing. It's normal for temps to be bouncy, due to the prolactin. You should still see a thermal shift when it occurs in spite of the bounciness. Just do your best to temp as close to the same time every day. Your other option is to skip temping altogether and learn a detailed system of tracking CM. It would have to be more in-depth than Fertility Friend or other sites like that though. You can recognize ovulation with CM alone as well. It's just a matter of learning to tell the difference between a CM build up that doesn't reach Peak (no ovulation) and one that does reach Peak (ovulation). It's important to track CM anyway, because temps only tell you that ovulation has occurred after the fact. CM is the earliest warning that you are fertile, starting several days before ovulation.

Good luck, hope that helps!

[stargazerlily]

Thanks, it does help!

I will admit to not checking my CM very carefully right now -- I think I'm being lazy about it b/c I'm not TTC. I feel like whenever I do pay attention it's always creamy or not there. I suppose if I'm charting now to get into the "groove" like I wrote above, then I should do all the steps, huh? Thanks for the tips and inspiration to chart thoroughly!