QuestionQUESTION: We use sympto-thermal NfP and have taken classes. I weaned my 1 year old in april had a cycle in august. Ovulated on day 37 (confirmed with a thermal shift). During that time, until the present, I have a build up of mucous with corresponding cervical changes then, right when I expect ovulation, everything goes back to infertile. Then, in the next day or two we are ramping back up. This means tons of abstinence! Any ideas!
ANSWER: If you've only had the one cycle in August which was quite long, it appears that your body just hasn't quite recovered from the birth and nursing of your baby. there is a lot of variation in hormone levels and responses to those levels for every woman. You didn't tell me much to go on. Is this your first or 5th child? How old are you? Etc. You could contact your teachers or contact the Couple to Couple League for more advice but they would also want to see your charts and get more history.
My opinion is that you may not be ovulating very regularly yet. Perhaps you could just throw caution to the winds and see if a less than rigid interpretation of the rules might work. Unless you have serious reasons not to get pregnant again. But a year and a half year old child may be needing a brother or sister!
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Thanks for your prompt answer! This is baby number three..he's just one, brother is two sister is four. Two c-sections now so need a little gap (though your "caution to the wind" idea sounds good!). I talk to my instructor at least every week. She says that I just have crazy hormones right now and need time. But I've always had really eratic cycles and baby number one was a clomid baby...go figure! I don't know if that helps you at all. Maybe we just need more patience.
AnswerI vote for crazy hormones. Everyone is different, I'm sure you've heard that, too. My daughter went 4 years without a period while she was in college. I have friends who couldn't get pregnant until they got close to their 40's, and of course, others that get pregnant at the drop of a pantie! Patience and charity will get you through this rough patch. I'm sure abstinence is a challenge.
You could check out thyroid status, take omega-3 supplements, avoid soy products, and, as always, try to get enough sleep and exercise. I had three c-sections, too, but my kids weren't so close together. I nursed for much longer than a year. It helps space children pretty well usually.
