My husband and I are planning to TTC next spring. I spoke to my doctor about our plans at my annual exam today, and she surprised me by recommending I NOT chart--or do anything differently other than not using birth control--unless we reach one year without getting PG. I always figured I would chart, mostly based on the experiences of women here and on the WC, and because I thought it'd be cool to know exactly what was going on with my body. But she explained that, in her opinion, women only stress themselves out by charting, and that stress is the biggest reason those same women aren't getting pregnant. (Kind of a watched-pot-never-boils theory, I guess.)
I like her laidback approach, because I know I have a tendency to over-obsess and have a feeling charting would send me straight down that path. But I'm just curious if anyone else has received the same advice from a doc. Or, have any of you proved her theory right by getting PG after you gave up charting?
My friend convinced herself that she had problems by the time three months rolled around after they started tttc. She was not charting. She had no evidence that there was a problem. Had she been charting, she probably wouldn't have worried.
I charted, and knew there was going to be an issue even before we officially began to ttc. If I hadn't charted, I would have wasted extra time.
I started charting a few years ago, well in advance of when my then husband and I were going to start TTC. I was fascinated by the book (TCOYF) and all the things I'd NEVER realized about my body and thought it was a good idea to go ahead and start, just to see what's what. Although he and I ultimately never did TTC, I thought it was well worth while, simply for the extra understanding I gleaned about my body.
I stopped for a while and now that FH and I are TTC, I've started again. I'm 42--obviously on the wrong side of the age curve for TTC--and feel that any additional information I can have can only be helpful. I'm pretty sure I'd feel the same way about it even if I was younger, but of course there's no way to really know...
My doctor didn't come right out and tell me not to do it, but she was very dismissive when I told her I was doing it. But, like she says, if it got me where I am today (13 weeks pregnant), then she's happy!
I liked doing it just so I knew what was going on with my body/cycle. It's easy to obsess over TTC whether you're charting or not .
Hi Ali,
I never discussed charting with my doctor, but I thought I would answer your post anyway.
When I first started charting, I was *really* into it. While I don't think I got stressed about it, I have to say it was a little much. I think it started to get a little frustraing when after a few months I realized my cycles weren't EVER the same....so it was a little hard to see a pattern, which would have helped me know when I was O-ing. BUT then again, I wouldn't have known that I was irregular if I hadn't been charting! My temps were also always all over they place, so they didn't help either.
After a few months I dropped the temp taking and cm checking and basically just tracked the days on my calendar....and here I am almost 18 weeks pg.
With all that said, I feel like charting helped me know what was going on with my body. Even though I couldn't figure my cycle out at times, I felt I was at least more aware of what was going on. You may want to just try it out for a month or two just to become aware of your cycles.
Now I am thinking about what I am going to do after I have the baby. We do not want another one anytime soon after and I don't want to go on BC so I am thinking of going back to my own little half-assed way of charting. We'll see! Good luck!
I started charting before talking to my dr about ttc, but when I did she was open to it. The great things was, by the time we started ttc, I was over that initial charting stress (getting in the habit, reading the chart etc) and I already knew when I was ovulating. Like many (most) women, I don't O on day 14 so our timing would have been way off. It would have taken much longer. Plus, by charting, I was able to figure out that there was a problem (a simple, fixable one) that I maybe wouldn't have caught onto.
Another thing is that because I knew all that stuff from charting before ttc, I didn't have to take my temp more than a week per month, if I didn't want to. You don't have to temp every single day of your cycle, and if it stresses you out, don't chart at all after you O! Easier to be relaxed when you know your timing is good, that there's no problems, and nothing else (if you don't want to)!
I talked to my dr about this yesterday. She said that if and when DH and I TTC, our first three to six months should just be having fun - no charting. I was surprised because we're older, but that was her suggestion.
I started charting about 9 months before TTC (but got pregnant at 6 months after! ). IMO, once you get that date in your mind about starting to TTC, you are anxious every month... and it only gets worse. Charting gave me a greater awareness of my body- I was actually very excited and surprised at the things that I had not known before about my cycles. It is extremely empowering and couldn't hurt TTC, right?
SCOOTER! Congratulations on the BFP! H&H 9 months to you! I have seen you around here for a while (in the Family Planning Section), and am very happy for you!
Anyone else's doc tell you NOT to chart?
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