**sascha** (even though you're not on)

sucrets4

It's up to you if you want to start charting.  At first I wasn't going to, but I had just gotten off bc after having been on it for like 10 years, so I realized that I had no idea what my body was up to.  It's as easy as waking up and taking your temp at the same time every morning.  Now it's so automatic, I'm half asleep while I'm doing it.  I have a digital basal body thermometer ($10 from walgreens), and it saves the last 2 temps, so I don't even have to write it down.  If you want to write down more symptoms, you can, but the temp thing is a big indicator of where you are in your cycle.I've always heard the scary stories of "you can get pregnant any time in your cycle!!1!11!!" but that's not really true.  You're most fertile a few days before you ovulate, and since sperm only live for 3-5 days, you just have to make sure those days match up.  A few days after you ovulate, it's impossible to get pg.But please don't tell your H that the info came from me...I don't want him to beat me up.  :pI'm glad I started charting just to know about what is going on in my body.  It's strangely empowering, and it's cool to see how everything is related.  For example, every month or so I'll get really ragged and peel-y cuticles.  I just realized this month that it's another sign of ovulation for me.  How neat is that?The bible on the bump is the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility.  While it's mainly about getting pregnant, there's a chapter about using the info to avoid getting pg, but it's also just so freakin' cool to learn about everything that happens.  I got the basics in HS health class, but never realized how much I didn't know.Wow, this is long, but feel free to ask me any questions!

J&K10910

Ugh, FI wants me to try charting as a BC method but I'm just soooo not comfortable with the idea of an accident.  And I feel like an accident is more likely with this method than condoms.And I am fully prepared for the backlash that statement might get from Taking Charge of Your Fertility bible thumpers.

sucrets4

Well, you need to chart for a few months before you start using it as bc so that you know what's going on with your body.  I can understand being hesitant, but have you read it?  I would read up on it and then make an educated choice.  She mentions the 'rhythm method' and how awful it was because it assumes everyone ovulates on day 14.  I o'd on day 29 this cycle because I had a colposcopy at the beginning of my cycle and I was stressed waiting for the results. 

J&K10910

No, I fully admit to being pretty ignorant about it.  Honestly, I've always been really regular so it would probably work for me.  I should really get the book and at least read it.  I just think I'd always be nervous.  It would be different if we were planning on having kids some day, and an accident wouldn't be a big deal.  But I'm pretty staunchly against babies, so....yeah.  However, I think it's really cool what you learned by charting (your cuticles) and it would be really cool just to know that stuff and get a better insight as to how my body works.

ThePinkSuperhero

There's an iPod/iPhone app for tracking your cycle I just downloaded called Free Menstrual Calendar.  It's great; I've never tracked when my period is going to show up, but now I'm ready!  And I like that the app has a password on it so that you can hand off your iPod to somebody without fearing they'll see when you have your period next.

crfische

RUUUN RUUUUUN FOR YOUR LIVES!! THE BUMP IS TAKING OVER THE KNOT LIKE A VIRULENT SYPHILIS INFILTRAOR!!!

mwhitson14

hahahahahaha fishy!!

J&K10910

Love the usage of virulent syphilis infection from yesterday.

sucrets4

fishy:mucus.

sucrets4

J&K - I got my copy on ebay for $10.  It's an older version, but all the important stuff is the same.  I can understand being nervous, but at least you can always use a condom if you're not sure.  Are you on bc now?  I know some people who always use bc and condoms.  Once I was on bc, I chucked the condom and didn't think twice.  Guess I'm a daredevil, lol.

mwhitson14

[i]I know some people who always use bc and condoms[/i] ::raises hand::

crfische

She's a safety girl.

shanwalk2

I've read the book.  It's great.  Once DH gets a job we plan on charting to avoid.  I'm looking forward to being BCP free and being more aware of my cycle too.  I haven't had one without BCP since I was 19.  The book helped me learn so much about my body.  Even if you're not planning on charting - it's a good educational read about the way your body functions.

shanwalk2

DH was a safety boy (at first) and I laughed at him.

mwhitson14

I'm a safety girl, in a safety world. You can brush my hair, undress me anywhere.

sucrets4

shan - I totally agree.  And I wish I had gotten off of bc sooner and just used condoms.DH was a little weirded out at first (just using bc), but that was because he dated some crazy girl who was the type to poke holes in condoms.  He knew I was sane.

shanwalk2

DH and I were young.  His parents had convinced him that girls would be crazy, not take their pill, just to have HIS baby. yeah right.  I was 19 and I didn't care how cute his butt was - I didn't want to have his baby.After some rolling of the eyes and "really???" questions, he caved and we tossed the latex.  Sucrets -- did you DH read the book?  I really feel like DH should read it too to understand the process at well.  That way we're both comfortable with it.  He has a hisotry of being a scardy cat. 

J&K10910

No, I got off the pill in February (best decision I ever, ever, ever made).  We're using condoms now, and FI isn't a huge fan.  We're trying to figure something out that's not condoms and not the pill.

crfische

I'm with you, Jess. Birth control makes me a crazy lunatic. I stopped taking it about 5 years ago. Ya know. After my college whore days were well behind me.

J&K10910

I had been on it for so long that I had no idea what I was like NOT on it anymore.  I realized that my un-hormoned PMS was me CONSTANTLY on BC.  I was a mega-biitch.  It was so awful to come to the realization that I had spent years in a perma-PMS state. 

crfische

Exactly, J&K. It seriously makes me feel like I really am crazy. Getting off of it was one of the best decisions I've made.

crfische

ACtually, I've been off of it for 7 years now. Holy crap.

J&K10910

FI is very happy with it too.  He is no longer afraid to call me to tell me he got stuck at work through no fault of his own. 

shanwalk2

I think I'm going to love being off it too.I know I am not nice and I honestly don't remember what it's like without the pill.I was too thin and barely got a period when I started on the pill.  Not the case anymore, so we shall see what it's like when DH gets a job.

crfische

It's like finding out who you really are! It's awesome.

mwhitson14

So fishy what are you using to prevent now?

sucrets4

shan - DH hasn't read it, but I've explained a lot to him.  I thought he would be all into the data and stuff and appreciate a more scientific point of view, be he'd rather read D&D stories.  Oh well.  But when I do tell him things, he listens and asks questions, so that's cool.And that's ridiculous that his parents would let him think that!

J&K10910

Feeling any better yet, Shan?

sucrets4

Yes, I LOVED getting off of it!  The only negative is that my face is ridiculously oily, but I think I'm going to try some astringent today to see if I can dry it out.  It's gross - I go through THREE blotting sheets mid day.  Ick.

crfische

Just the jimmy hats.

sucrets4

Yes, shan, please update us on your flu situation.  Hope you're feeling better!