Starting Over: Part 1

I'm a little slow in getting this post out, but we had the opportunity to tag along with DH to FL last week for a conference.  It was a lot of time in the car with a little girl who came down with a virus shortly after we left, which meant I spent a lot of time with her in the hotel room watching TV while they were doing construction in the rooms right below ours.  Not exactly my idea of the fun trip we had in mind when planning it, but so be it.  Then it was back home and getting her back into her sleep routine.  It took 5 long nights to get her sleeping through the night again and napping well.  So weird that only 4 nights away threw her sleep so out of whack.

Anyway, that is not the point of my post.  The point of my post is starting over, which in many ways is what it feels like I'm having to do with my fertility health.  I recently had an appointment with a new Napro Dr in my area.  I was really hoping I would connect with her, like her proposed treatment plan, and I'd be off and running with my charting and what not.  I was given the heads up by a lovely blogger (you know who you are) that this "Napro" Dr may not be up to date.  I was appreciative for the information ahead of time because it helped me think through questions I wanted to ask in feeling this doctor out.

But before I continue...I should back up.  Some of you may remember that I continued Creighton charting all throughout this last pregnancy.  I don't really know why, except perhaps I didn't think this pregnancy (#3) would make it all the way to the end given my 2 previous miscarriages.  As time progressed, I continued to keep up with my chart because it was a convenient way to keep track of progesterone levels, when I was due for my next PIO shots, etc.  But after R arrived, I stopped charting.  I was burnt out, couldn't think straight from lack of sleep, and didn't want the added pressure of having to remember my mucus observations throughout the day.  I could hardly remember what time I last fed R much less something throughout the whole day (I could have written it down, yes I realize this, but laziness often gets the best of me at times).

As more time passed, I had to admit that it was really nice not to chart.  I could race into the bathroom and race out without all the steps for observing mucus.   Plus, I really wasn't concerned about my cycle, getting pregnant, etc.  I assumed I'd have cycle difficulties (thanks, PCOS) and never dreamed we'd "accidentally" get pregnant given the years it took to get to R.  So I was living in a blissful, non-charting world.  I could just ignore the fact my cycle hadn't returned (I am still breastfeeding) and ignore any hints of suspected health problems if I didn't have a chart of information, right?

Well, after I weaned R from nursing overnight, I started getting major PMS.  I would just rage at DH, chew him a new one, and just not be pleasant to be around.  I figured my hormones were probably doing something, but I still had little motivation to chart or take my BBT as I'd been doing when I charted.

I knew I should probably buck up and start to get my health under control, so I can be a better wife and mom.  I need to get back to exercising, watching what I eat, and charting.  Yes, I had to admit that in order to get healthy, it was best if I started charting again.  I figured making an appointment with a new Dr. would give me some motivation to start charting again, and it did.  Oh, making the appt. AND my cycle returning 6 days before my appt. gave me motivation  How's that for timing, huh?  After 2+ years without a cycle, it came back 2 months after night-weaning and a week before my appt.  Funny, huh?

Sidenote: It did make me a little sad to think that I could have been pregnant in September again- blissfully, surprisingly, unplanned pregnant.  That would have been nice.  If you've been following my story, you'll know we found out about pregnancy #1 in Sept. 2009, #2 Sept. 2010, and #3 (R) Sept. 2011.  I don't know what it is with Sept. but this could have been #4 Sept. 2013.  But of course to get pregnant, it's good to have lots of Is on your charts, and that's a story for another day of how I'm such a bad, exhausted, crabby, tired wife.

Anyway, my cycle returning right before my appt gave me hope.  It was a beautiful cycle....like probably how a cycle should be if you don't have PCOS or other hormone issues.  Maybe this is what a "normal" person's cycle is like every month?  I have no idea, but it was beautiful.  And it gave me hope that maybe my body can do something right (ovulate) each month.

I started charting with the return of my cycles, am taking my BBT, and had my list of questions to ask the new Dr.  I was nervous about meeting her, but filled with hope and peace.  DH had a good feeling that I would like her and I did too.  The next post will tell you about how that appt went since this is much longer than anticipated.  Apparently, I felt the need to paint the whole picture before getting to the point of the original post!