NTNP and Charting

[puppymom]

I have a question for all of you NTNP. I know that normally, NTNP and charting do not go hand in hand, as that would generally indicate actually TTC (if that makes sense?!). Saying that, we are thinking of moving into NTNP soon, however I would like to chart first, as I come off the pill, to get an idea of my cycles, when to expect AF, etc. I do not want to use it as a form of BC, but rather to get to know by body again, as I do not want to become obsessive about TTC (because for me, that would eventually lead to worry and stress).

So, saying that, has anyone charted at the same time as NTNP and still managed to remain sane about it and not use it to TTC?

 

[baby.love]

I don't chart as such, but i do keep track of my cycles IMO charting doesn't instantly mean you are obsessively TTC.

 

[gardenofedens]

I began charting as soon as I came off birth control because, like you, I wanted to get to know my body. I'd been on birth control since I was a teenager and hadn't had a period in years. I knew nothing about my cycle, how long it would be, couldn't even remember anything about it from when I was a teen. (I'm 27 and my last period would have been around 16-17 before I went on Depo.) Also, I found the whole concept fascinating and wanted to learn more about it.

So my OH and I are NTNP in that we don't time our BDing, a couple times we've completely missed the ovulation window even. But I still chart. I've learned how the process works. I also love knowing when AF is coming and even when she's leaving based on my temps.

OH thinks I'm obsessed but he doesn't understand the charting and isn't at all interested in learning about it. He's an earth science teacher and biological science just "isn't his thing"... I don't think I'm obsessed at all though. I do temp every day at the same time but I wake up at the same time every day - even on weekends because my dogs won't let me sleep in past that time! We talk about having a baby on a daily basis but we did that long before I even came off birth control so that's nothing new.

I think if you go into it not wanting to be obsessed about it, it will be a whole lot easier than going into it with the intention of TTC. It gives me a sense of peace knowing what's going on. I'd be a whole hell of a lot more obsessed if I didn't know what was going on (control freak behavior I guess, lol) and was in the dark about all of it. I have coupled charting with OPKs on two cycles to test whether or not I was actually ovulating since I was worried about having been on birth control for so long though. And yesterday my OH and I both took fertility tests to make sure everything was working properly, but now that I know everything is, I'm completely relaxed about it and know it will happen when it happens.

(Sorry for the long post!)

 

[Heidi]

I Just started charting at NTNP, originally i decided not to chart but because i had really long cycles last time i came off the pill i decided to track my cycle so i knew when to expect AF etc and to see if any thing was happening, we dont try to BD all the time to catch O because i have no idea when i'm ov'ing and FF only predict ov AFTER so isnt really much use to me on the conceiving side

Good luck

 

[polaris]

I agree with everything that gardenofedens said. I chart for the same reasons, to know what my body is doing and when to expect AF. We don't use it to time BD, although we did use it to avoid my fertile time last month as it would have been bad timing work-wise to get pregnant. I also find that I am much more obsessed when I am not charting as I hate not knowing where I am in my cycle and keep thinking I must be pregnant.

 

[MackMomma8]

I began charting as soon as I came off birth control because, like you, I wanted to get to know my body. I'd been on birth control since I was a teenager and hadn't had a period in years. I knew nothing about my cycle, how long it would be, couldn't even remember anything about it from when I was a teen. (I'm 27 and my last period would have been around 16-17 before I went on Depo.) Also, I found the whole concept fascinating and wanted to learn more about it.

So my OH and I are NTNP in that we don't time our BDing, a couple times we've completely missed the ovulation window even. But I still chart. I've learned how the process works. I also love knowing when AF is coming and even when she's leaving based on my temps.

OH thinks I'm obsessed but he doesn't understand the charting and isn't at all interested in learning about it. He's an earth science teacher and biological science just "isn't his thing"... I don't think I'm obsessed at all though. I do temp every day at the same time but I wake up at the same time every day - even on weekends because my dogs won't let me sleep in past that time! We talk about having a baby on a daily basis but we did that long before I even came off birth control so that's nothing knew.

I think if you go into it not wanting to be obsessed about it, it will be a whole lot easier than going into it with the intention of TTC. It gives me a sense of peace knowing what's going on. I'd be a whole hell of a lot more obsessed if I didn't know what was going on (control freak behavior I guess, lol) and was in the dark about all of it. I have coupled charting with OPKs on two cycles to test whether or not I was actually ovulating since I was worried about having been on birth control for so long though. And yesterday my OH and I both took fertility tests to make sure everything was working properly, but now that I know everything is, I'm completely relaxed about it and know it will happen when it happens.

(Sorry for the long post!)

Best answer ever.

 

[puppymom]

I began charting as soon as I came off birth control because, like you, I wanted to get to know my body. I'd been on birth control since I was a teenager and hadn't had a period in years. I knew nothing about my cycle, how long it would be, couldn't even remember anything about it from when I was a teen. (I'm 27 and my last period would have been around 16-17 before I went on Depo.) Also, I found the whole concept fascinating and wanted to learn more about it.

So my OH and I are NTNP in that we don't time our BDing, a couple times we've completely missed the ovulation window even. But I still chart. I've learned how the process works. I also love knowing when AF is coming and even when she's leaving based on my temps.

OH thinks I'm obsessed but he doesn't understand the charting and isn't at all interested in learning about it. He's an earth science teacher and biological science just "isn't his thing"... I don't think I'm obsessed at all though. I do temp every day at the same time but I wake up at the same time every day - even on weekends because my dogs won't let me sleep in past that time! We talk about having a baby on a daily basis but we did that long before I even came off birth control so that's nothing knew.

I think if you go into it not wanting to be obsessed about it, it will be a whole lot easier than going into it with the intention of TTC. It gives me a sense of peace knowing what's going on. I'd be a whole hell of a lot more obsessed if I didn't know what was going on (control freak behavior I guess, lol) and was in the dark about all of it. I have coupled charting with OPKs on two cycles to test whether or not I was actually ovulating since I was worried about having been on birth control for so long though. And yesterday my OH and I both took fertility tests to make sure everything was working properly, but now that I know everything is, I'm completely relaxed about it and know it will happen when it happens.

(Sorry for the long post!)

No apologies necessary, you said exactly what I was thinking - I think we have a lot in common! I, like you, need to be somewhat in control, which is where the charting comes in... but I also want the rest to come naturally. Thanks for sharing!

 

[TheNewMrs]

Can you ladies share with me
How "charting " works?

 

[gardenofedens]

The easiest way to learn about it is to sign up for a 30 day free trial with FertilityFriend.com and take their charting course. But basically you purchase a Basal Body Thermometer (I got mine on Amazon) and take your temperature first thing in the morning every day as close to the same time as possible. You have to take your temp before getting out of bed, rolling over, or doing anything so keep the thermometer on your nightstand or closer. Track your temps, cervical fluid observations, and BDing on FertilityFriend.com's calendar and it does the rest. It will tell you when you've ovulated based on your temperatures and CM. It will also grade your BDing schedule around ovulation. You can also track everything from cramps and bloating to headache and heartburn on their calendar features and it will assign points to you. This feature is still new and under research but they claim that charts with 80 or more points are 70-90% more likely to result in pregnancy. (I had 80 points exactly on day 14 of my last cycle though so it's not completely accurate!)

You can check out my chart in the link in my signature. Once you have a few months charted, you can also use their chart overlay feature (like in my link below) to distinguish a pattern of your temps and can learn when to expect ovulation before it happens since temping/charting only confirms about 4 days after it's occurred.

 

[TheNewMrs]

Thank u so much for taking the time
To reply to me in detail.

 

[puppymom]

I also recommend the book, Taking Charge of Your Fertility which also teaches all about charting, and your body/cycles in general. That is where I learned all about charting, and it also teaches you how to determine when you are ovulating. The website mentioned above is similar - I enjoy having a book to refer to when I'm not near a computer.

 

[gardenofedens]

I also recommend the book, Taking Charge of Your Fertility which also teaches all about charting, and your body/cycles in general. That is where I learned all about charting, and it also teaches you how to determine when you are ovulating. The website mentioned above is similar - I enjoy having a book to refer to when I'm not near a computer.

Definitely! I loved the book and read it before ever finding out about fertilityfriend.com. I'm "a reader" by nature though (read 1-2 novels a week usually) and even I found the book a bit daunting when it first arrived. I wasn't at all expecting some 500ish page scientific book about it. That being said, it was a VERY easy read and extremely easy to understand so if anyone does decide to get the book, don't let its size deter you!