Can someone help me understand cycles etc

[Damnthosegrannypants]

Hiya!

Last time i ttc i had come off the depo and using the pill to regulate for only a month or two before bfp. Because I used the pill i was able to track my periods (is it obvious I'm new here?)

Anyways, this time I'm coming off the depo, I had my last lot mid sept and am waiting it out so to speak, and would be due another shot mid nov so that's when I'm hoping I'm in the 'might get pregnant ' zone.. even though I know depo causes all sorts of problems. ( the nurse asked if i was considering ttc, i said absolutely no.. she stuck it in my bum and then I realized.. yes.. i do want to ttc! lol damn. )

I don't get periods when on the depo, so have no clue as to when i might be most fertile. I realize it's going to take a few periods to assume this, depending on how long my body takes to resume to regular normality.

The thing is, I've forgotten all i learned when i ttc baby no1. When do i start counting. after my period.. the day it starts? what are my most fertile days? just after my period? I can't remember!

[jaykay987]

Hello

I would recommend signing up to fertility friend. They have a lesson plan they send you that teaches you everything you need quite quickly.

In the mean time, to get you going...

Cd1 is the first full day of your Period (AF)
Typically a 28 day cycle would mean an ovulation day of around cd14.

Dtd is best timed in the four days before and day after ovulation. This is your "fertile window".
This is not cd14 for everyone, though if you're not using opks, a good indicator is EWCM (cervical mucus looks like raw egg white) as this appears around the same time as your fertile window.

After ovulation, your cm dries up and you typically have the two week wait (2ww) before you either get your next AF or a BFP (positive test).

There are lots of variants (early ov. Late ov, long cycle, short cycle, short 2ww, long 2ww) which you will only get to know if you start tracking your cycle over a few months.

Alternatively, just dtd every other day the entire month and you're bound to hit your fertile window in some way or other! (Though I for one can't commit to that! Way too much dtd!)

Good luck!

[Damnthosegrannypants]

Definitely too much dtd for me too haha

Ok.. so i'll just have to remember to count from my first day.. dtd as much as possible the week after .. and maybe the week after incase of late ov.... and then hope for the best lol

[Damnthosegrannypants]

i don't really want to get too obsessively track-y over it as we'll just be starting to ttc, but didn't want to continuously miss my best bet days just because I didn't know when they were most likely to be either iykwim! Thank you, really helpful x

[AttilaTheMeerkat]

Ovulation is not an exact science and ovulation can occur earlier, later or not at all in ANY given cycle. It is certainly not at all correct to assume that it happens around 14 days before the start of the next period.

Have sex as and when you both feel like it (two or three times a week throughout the month is fine). Do not put undue pressure on yourselves by assuming that its ovulation day or the like. It is all too easy to get such a day wrong and temp charting as a method is not completely infallible.

Full red flow is normally counted as day 1 of the cycle.

If you have spotting between periods this should be investigated further to ascertain the cause. Its not normally serious but it should always be checked.

[CluckyHen2]

I use Fertility Friend but just because I like to know where I am exactly with no ifs and buts. However, I don't just DTD because FF says I'm fertile. I still only do it when we want to. Hope your cycles regulate soon!