Weschler, have you tried it and did it work?

[fredly]

I've just read Toni Weschler's book Taking Charge of your Fertility and found it really interesting. It took us over 2 years to have our daughter and we're trying for number 2 so I'm ready to give anything a shot. I'm just interested to know how well known this approach is, and also to hear of successful experiences.

hello Fredly

It did work for me, so I've recommended it a lot. The woman who recommended it to me (in RL) had, like me, suffered a missed mc. She said that she conceived again very quickly thanks to Weschler. As it turned out, I conceived the first cycle after the mc. Obviously it is hard to tell, but given that it took a year almost for us to conceive the baby that died, I think the Weschler book had something to do with it. Mainly I think that I was more informed due to the multiple approach - before I had been trying to conceive using cervical mucus as a guide only, so I found out a lot more (a helluva lot more, those photos of CM!!!) about this, and the temperature taking was useful too as a cross-reference.

Good luck to you.

I found it so interesting, I loved it. Feel so much more informed after reading it! I had a missed m/c and it took me 3 cycles to conceive - coincidentally, I conceived right after reading the book, but I had charted my temps for 2 months. Highly recommend it. You get used to taking your temps though it might seem a bit of a faff at first, and it's interesting to see the changes your body goes through during your cycle.

Thanks weewillywinkie and time4tea, it's reassuring to get successful testimonies. But I can't help wondering why is it not more adverstised if it's so effective, mostly nowadays when so many people experience fertility problems. She gives a few clues in her book - too complicated to implement, no money to make out of it - which are good ones but don't fully convince me. Anyway, I've started taking my waking temp and keep looking for the precious egg white cervical fluid !
What I also found good about the book is its down to earth approach (those pics as you say time4tea!) and that you don't need a PhD in fertility science to understand it.
Fingers crossed. At least I feel much more informed now about what's going in my body.

anyone else ?

Hi Fredly, I have bought it and am devouring it, it makes a lot of sense certainly and I am finding it really interesting. I have bought the software too and I find that really fascinating because it gives me a daily fertility assessment (the charts at the back of the book were messy when I used them because my temp is normally below 36C).

I am on my 3rd month of TTC after 18 years on the pill so I am getting to grips with the charting and am learning a lot about my own body which can't be a bad thing.

I think it is also de-stressing to have the info to hand because it makes you properly consider what things might not be quite right each cycle and therefore, for me anyway, makes me less stressed because I can reason with myslf when it doesn't happen that maybe we didn't BD at the right time rather than blame my body.

The first month that AF arrived, I was in floods of tears because I had hoped to have fallen but last month, due to charting, I knew there was no way even before AF arrived so I was spared the disappointment.

I was quite annoyed when I read it because I had wished I had had that information years before and would not then have spent so many years pumping hormones into my body needlessly. That said, in addition to the reasons you have said below for it not being a well known method, I think protection from disease and also the unsavoury topic of CM maybe puts people off talking about it (so British!).

The pics are quite graphic aren't they? - especially the one with the lady with the long red nails and the EWCM hanging from the tissue!

I am trying out the Evening Primrose Oil (I take it anyway for my eyes on my optician's suggestion because they do not produce enough fluid), the grapefruit juice (love the stuff anyway and it counts as one of my 5 a day) and the cough syrup. I figure that even if they don't help me produce more EWCM and therefore conceive, they are not doing me any harm.

I have also ordered some of the sperm friendly pre seed just for extra assistance if I feel I need it.

Good luck with it!

Thanks MrsMcJnr. If I become pregnant soonish I think I will feel like you, angry at not having been told before. Angry about those 2 years of frustration and disappointment. Now I'm like you, I feel much better knowing that I can understand why it works or doesn't. Being in the dark is just awful.
Hubby is still a bit doubtful and reluctant. He feels that those planned baby making sessions take all the romance away. It doesn't bother me, our intercourses will be planned only at most 3 times/month during ovulation, it leaves the rest of the month for stress free romance! And as Weschler says, it's important to keep a sense of humour.

I'm so excited about the whole thing that I keep waking up earlier in the morning to take my temp!

I'm using the trial version of the software until I've decided if it's worth bying. The charts at the end of the book are in Farenheit so not great for me.

Right, off to buy some folic acid . What's the sperm friendly pre seed? Is it mentioned the book? If so I must have missed it.

Good luck to you too MrsMcJnr and keep us updated.

Fredly

I haven't really told DH anything about it. When he asks about the book I tell him it's about female biology and that I want to know more. It is not that I don't want to share, just that he'd rather not know, it would freak him out. Of course, if he wants to know, that's fine.

He doesn't know BD is planned either, he's just quite happy to oblige me most of the time!

Personally, I thought the software was worth it after the trial so bought it (@£23). There is a centigrade chart at the back of the book too.

You can buy the pre-seed (and all sorts of other things!) on accessdiagnostics.com. I have ordered mine but it has not arrived yet so can't vouch for them yet. It is mentioned in the achieving pregnancy chapter in the book (I think!).

Good luck to you too and looking forward to chatting more!

Yes, it worked, I TTC for 2 years, spend 6 months taking basal body temp and got to know my cycle to make optimal use of my fertile cycle. They also have a very good website that you can go to, it is a similar environment to mumsnet and you get a lot of support and info from them. www.tcoyf.com

Yes and yes!
I've gone back to it 3 times for each pg, and have successfully sexed each of my last 2 pg as well. Some will say luck, I say pefectly timed to conceive the sex child we wanted. Good luck!

Hi- does it give much info re ewcm? That sort of thing..
ta

hi chloebee, the pictures of ewcm are quite explicit and the descriptions clear enough to me, so yes !

Just out of interest... did all/any of you ladies who were successful with this method chart your cervix position? or did you just do the temps and cm?
Am reading this book at moment and am going to start temping and observing cm but don't think I'm up to checking my positioning
Is excellent book though and wish I'd known about it 15 years ago.

I'm another one who can recommend this. I first read it after having a missed m/c. I now have one child and I'm pregnant with the second. I also have PCOS and found this method really helped where things like OPKs couldn't. It was through the charting that I pushed the docs to do tests to confirm PCOS because things just weren't adding up.

Sorry if tmi but I found taking temp internally (!) really helped and only when I started doing this could I see a real pattern. I did also monitor EWCM and did try with cervical position but never felt very confident.

Their website is excellent for temping questions.

Fredly, I've just read the book after it was mentioned by the ladies on the 'older' mums thread (I'm nearly 40). I will start charting next week when AF arrives. I'm a bit sceptical too but it all seems to make sense and after 8 months of ttc after 2 missed miscarriages I'll give it ago. I've only heard good things about the method so fingers crossed it works.

Do you think you need to read the book to get all the info, or could you just temp using the advise of all the ladies on MN.
Have already bought the Zita West book and don't know if I should invest in another...

Gelfling, I have been trying to chart all 3 primary fertility signs but I do find the cervical position hard to do and am not sure I am getting it right - the more I read the book, the more it helps but I am not convinced I know where the opening is and I have just got to grips with the idea of the cervix feeling like a nose when it is firm/medium and like lips when it is soft.

Angsthase - I think you can have info overload don't you? you probably could chart from the info on here successfully but I like being able to check what certain things might mean and there are some bits that I feel I'd read and benefit from later like using charting for contraception and practical tips on how to do chart when you are breast feeding etc.

Something new "cervical position" tell me more what do i have to look out for?
CM had gone out the window today "pre seed" last night. . Temp gone out the window, ov-test dont know what gone off there, so maybe this cervical position might help!

MrsMcJnr, thanks for responding. You've inspired me to give it a go. I'm cd 28 today so will start charting all 3 signs when/if af arrives.(I've 1 hpt left on the shelf and am determind not to use it until monday)
Angsthase, the book contains so much more info than just how to temp. I'm finding it fascinating. I managed to get my copy on ebay for £10 inc p&p.
Luck and hugs

And me And me MrsMcJnr You've inspired me too! Cycle buddy!

You feel the softness of your cervix, you are usually ovulating and susceptible when it is soft and right up high, best way to feel it is while squatting a little i.e. over the loo. The contrast is hard and low, you usually can feel it straight away without "digging to deep" The signs to look out for is soft, high, open and wet. When you are not ovulating, either side of AF, it usually is firm, low, closed and nonwet (a bit like the tip of your nose). Sorry if TMI but hey you asked.

Incidentally I checked positioning for about 2 cycles and then stopped, as the body temps are reliable enough.

Good Luck

Babymad4num3, I'll have to be brief here as I need to go and do school run v. soon, but basically...the cervix changes position throughout your cycle, all of which you can feel for yourself by internal exam.After af it will be Firm,Low,Closed and Nonwet. Around ovulation it becomes Soft, High, Open and Wet, returing to Firm, Low,Closed and Nonwet prior to next af. It's normally firm like the tip of your nose, and becomes soft and mushy like your lips ( presumably she means the ones on your face ) as you approach ovulation. Also it is normally low and closed feeling like a dimple and only rises and opens in response to the high levels of oestrogen around ovulation. Hope that helps. Got to go and collect dd.
Luck and hugs

Thanks Mum2FunkyDude not TMI as i need to know! I will go and check in a mo might be just the thing i need to know this month as all my other things are out the window this cycle, well up to now anyway!

Thanks to you to Gelfling! Big hug back!

Word of warning - I think as I was kind of guessing what I could feel, I felt what I wanted to be there rather than what actually was for the first few weeks! I must say out of the 3 signs, I am finding this one the hardest but will persevere!

Good luck to all you charters and don't forget to do you Keggles on your way to the loo! (pelvic floor muscle exercises that help flsuh unwanted semen out of your system and also bring CM down from the cervix so it is easier to test - knew I'd be asked!)

how high?