Question about cycles...

[BethIrish]

Hey ladies!

Just to preface my question, I am reading TCOYF and will start charting in September (TTA until Dec and than moving on to TTC...) So, I'm on my way to understanding 'cycles' but I'm not quite there yet ;)

Okay, the question. I am really regular. However, last month AF came about a week early. Is it possible that my cycle switched to be a week earlier? I'm just curious when I should expect her to come. Today would her arrival if I went on last month's cycle - next Monday if I go on my "usual." Thoughts?

Thanks!!! :D

[karlatta]

Is there a particular reason you're waiting until September to start charting? I ask because I think that charting is one of the easiest ways to get a good idea of what your cycle is doing.

Without charting, it's nearly impossible to tell what went on last cycle - it could be that you didn't ovulate, and the AF you experienced was annovulatory bleeding.

[BethIrish]

No reason in particular - more that I wanted to have time to read and absorb TCOYF. I feel funny reading it in public and I do most of my reading during my commute - when I'm home most of my reading is for school. I have a break in August from school - I figured I'd read it then and start in September!

Thanks for your input :) I've always been pretty much like clockwork - I went off BCP about a year ago and have been about 29-31 days since then....I just thought it was strange last month that it was a whole week early.

[Scooter]

One more suggestion, if you haven't gotten into TCOYF too far yet, is to lurk in or join the TTA thread. There will be a lot of info, and you'll pick things up from the discussions and looking at people's charts.

[karlatta]

Another suggestion - do you have a book of a similar size with a dust jacket? You could switch out dust jackets and maybe read on your commute and nobody would be the wiser!

[Scooter]

Just be careful not to open up to any pages with the graphic diagrams or photographs! :eek:

[karlatta]

Scooter - I thought about that after I posted. Clearly, I don't even know if it's feasible to do something like that. I'm not a commuter (good 'ole Texas doesn't know what public transportation is), so I don't know how it works or if people would still be able to see what you're reading or what. :D

[Twylla]

You could even start by charting just your temp for the summer. It would be good practise to get into the habit of temping each morning.

As far as your early AF, I'm really not sure why that would happen. If you were charting you might be able to figure it out, but I do know there are many factors that can result in a late AF... not too sure about early though.

Ooh, good idea on the book jacket ladies!

[Scooter]

Karla, I just thought of it because A) you never know how close you'll be sitting to someone else, especially in rush hour, and B) there were a few times when I turned the page quickly when DH walked in the room. I didn't want him to be scarred by the pics of CM etc and be grossed out by the whole TTC thing! ;) (Of course, childbirth would cure him of any of that.)

[BethIrish]

LOL, you ladies are cracking me up.

Karla, that is a great idea for the book jacket, but as Scooter pointed out, I wouldn't want to scar anyone on the train with the pictures!!! ;) I actually used to watch episodes of Sex and the City on my computer during my commute - more than once I was quite embarrased - I swear people must have thought I was watching porn!!! :eek: