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  1. #1
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    Tracking the three primary fertility signs (BBT, cervical position, and CM)

    Updated 12-27-17

    While we no longer think tracking your fertility signs is important for swaying, here is how you do it if you want to. Pink swayers, be aware that this level of constant attention and thought to the inner workings of your body and swaycession may undermine your sway; blue swayers, be aware that feeling like you have to do all these things perfectly and feeling overwhelmed by it all may undermine your sway.

    First, a quick overview of how our hormones rise and fall during our menstrual cycle.

    Every cycle, your body plans to get pregnant. Getting pregnant is what our reproductive organs are designed to do and every fluctuation in our hormones is a part of this amazing process. The first hormone in this hormone cocktail our bodies brew up every month is FSH, or Follicle Stimulating Hormone. FSH triggers 15-20 eggs to start to mature in each ovary, each in its own separate follicle (The idea that the ovaries alternate producing eggs every other month has been debunked. Both ovaries develop eggs every month and the ovary that actually releases the egg is entirely arbitrary.) These follicles produce estrogen.

    These eggs begin to race to see which follicle can grow the biggest. This race averages around 2 weeks but can vary, anywhere between 8 days to a month or even longer (as those with very long cycles can attest to). Ovulation occurs only when those follicles have built up enough estrogen to cross "the estrogen threshold". In addition to triggering ovulation, estrogen also causes the lining of the uterus to build up. We refer to this period of time as the follicular phase, pre-ovulatory phase, or AF-O (Aunt Flo/menstruation-ovulation)

    When the levels of estrogen get high enough, LH (Luteinizing Hormone) is released in a sudden "surge". Whatever egg (or two) has won the race and is the biggest and best developed at the point of the LH surge, will now pop out of the ovary (usually within a few hours or a day of the LH surge.) and head down the Fallopian tubes shouting "Come and get me" to any sperm in the neighborhood. All the other eggs will now disintegrate and get reabsorbed by the body - this is called "attresia" for those of us who like to know such things.

    The follicle that released the successful egg now undergoes a major change. It collapses and becomes what is known as the corpus luteum. It prevents the release of any other eggs (obviously it is possible for another egg to emerge from the ovary and that's how twins are conceived, but this is always within a 24-hour period max and usually only within a few hours. It is probably impossible for a woman to release another egg weeks or months later and become pregnant again, despite some well publicized claims to the contrary.) The purpose of the corpus luteum is to produce large amounts of progesterone which sustains the thickening of the uterus until it breaks down 12-14 days later. This period of time is called the "luteal phase", or LP, or also the two-week wait/2WW. Once the corpus luteum breaks down, menstruation begins. (There is an excellent graphic that helps to visualize how the hormones fluctuate through the cycle available here Menstrual cycle)

    Anyway, all this hormonal fluctuation causes a lot of physical symptoms going on with our bodies and we can observe and monitor these symptoms and use it to help us pinpoint ovulation, whether it be for using timing to try and conceive a child of a particular gender, or just so we know when to have intercourse to get pregnant. Tracking these symptoms is even highly reliable as a method of birth control if you are consistent with it.

    There are many symptoms that go along with our cycles but three of them are very reliable and fairly consistent between all women. These are referred to as "the Three Primary Fertility Signs" (from Toni Weschler's excellent book, Taking Charge of Your Fertility). They are your waking (basal body) temperature (BBT), your cervical position (CP), and cervical mucus (CM).

    We'll take these one at a time and see what they are and how they work, but a couple helpful links to get started - Ovulation Calendar by Fertility Friend - Fertility Tracker, Ovulation Calculator and Fertility/BBT Chart and Home - Taking Charge of your Fertility both have interactive features where you can chart your cycle.
    Last edited by atomic sagebrush; December 27th, 2017 at 09:57 AM.
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  2. #2
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    Primary Fertility Sign #1 - WAKING (BASAL BODY) TEMPERATURE (BBT)

    This is considered the easiest sign to track for many people. After charting for a couple of months, you'll be able to tell if you've ovulated (temping cannot tell you if you're ABOUT to ovulate, only that you have, so for timing intercourse, you will need to use the other fertility signs as well and not just rely on temps), if it's safe to have unprotected sex if you're not trying to get pregnant, when to have intercourse if you're trying to get pregnant, when you'll get your period, and even if you're pregnant, all by taking your temperature once a day.

    All you need to do is take your daily temperature first thing when you wake up in the morning and keep track of it either with written charts or online (see above websites for more info).

    1. Take your temperature immediately upon waking up before you even get out of bed.

    2. Try to take your temperature at the same time every morning. No sleeping in with this method. Temp even when menstruating.

    3. Digital thermometers are usually best because you have to take your temp for 5 minutes with a mercury thermometer. DO NOT chart with an ear or forehead thermometer.

    4. Most people get a good result from taking their temp. orally, but if you sleep with your mouth open you may not get consistent results this way. Taking your temp vaginally is more reliable. Whatever you choose, consistently temp this way, don't do oral temp one day and vaginal the next, because you cannot compare the two. Obviously if you are menstruating, you will have to skip these days if you temp vaginally. That's ok, you can still look at the overall pattern.

    5. If you have a fever, drink alcohol intermittently, sleep with an electric blanket or heating pad or the window open (if you don't normally do so), get woken up a lot in the night, or take your temp at a different time than normal, your temperature will not be reliable that day. If you are a poor sleeper, you can try temping at night - the pattern is less obvious but many can still discern it. Just be sure you temp at the same time every night, not within an hour of eating or drinking anything, and don't mix and match night temps to morning temps as they cannot be correlated to each other.

    6. To chart, it's best to record your temp right away so you don't forget.

    7. Charting online is so much better and easier that I'm really not even going to talk about charting on paper. Use the Fertility Friend or TCYOF website, it makes it so much more easier and swaying is best when it's uncomplicated.

    8. Ok, so you've charted. Now what?? You are looking for the overall pattern of temperatures - that is why it is best to chart for a few months before using this method for pinpointing timing or for birth control. Early in the month when your egg follicles are churning out massive amounts of estrogen, your temps will be on the lower side - for most people it will be in the low 97's but not for everyone. After ovulation, when the corpus luteum forms and starts producing progesterone, your temp will rise (For most people it's a sudden and obvious rise but for others it's more gradual. Still others observe a stairstep pattern with a temp rise, then another temp rise or even two, and eventually ovulation). Once the corpus luteum breaks down, your temp will drop again suddenly and your period will start usually within 48 hours. If your temp stays up for 17 days or longer after ovulation, congrats! You're pregnant.

    9. If you find that your temperature after ovulation only stays high for 11 days or less (esp. if you get your period less than 12 days after you ovulate) you may have a luteal phase defect that is preventing you from becoming pregnant. You need your uterine lining in good shape for at least 12 days after you ovulate so a fertilized egg can implant in your uterus. If your temps drop sooner than that and you think you may be having chemical pregnancies, let me know because there are ways to deal with that.

    Please note that about 7 days past ovulation many women will experience a big dip in temperatures and then your temps will rise again the next day. Some call this an "implantation dip" but this is a misnomer. What is actually happening is that your body releases a big burst of estrogen (remember, estrogen makes lower temperatures) and this estrogen helps maintain your uterine lining long enough for a baby to implant and send a signal to your body to maintain the corpus luteum and start making a lot of progesterone to sustain a pregnancy. This is called the secondary estrogen surge and it is totally normal!

    10. Temperature charting really is not terribly helpful for timing for gender selection (although it is extremely helpful to be able to look back and see patterns from previous months, they are not necessarily predictive of what will happen in FUTURE months). However, some women find they have a temp dip on the day of ovulation, so if you were trying for a boy OR for an O+12, that could be helpful to you.

    Be aware, on Gender Dreaming we do not recommend Shettles timing for boys OR O+12 but if you want to use them, it's your sway, your way, and people do use this temp dip to help get their timing right. Remember, for traditional Shettles boy timing you want to DTD as close to O as you can, and for a girl, it should be either 2-4 days prior to ovulation for Shettles girl timing OR 12 hours after for O+12. Or, come join us in the swaying forums where we will help you learn about newer, better ways to sway for the gender of baby you're dreaming of.

    11. Some swayers believe that if you are higher in estrogen overall, your temps will be lower than they usually are THROUGHOUT your cycle and lower temps may be a good indication that your estrogen levels are high and you may be in a good place to conceive a boy. Conversely, if your temps are higher than they usually are throughout your cycle, this may indicate that your progesterone levels are elevated and you are in a good place to conceive a girl. OR, it may mean that you're lower in estrogen, since estrogen makes lower temperatures. This has not been proven, but it is interesting to be aware of this. If you've been charting for 6 months and suddenly notice ALL your temps are a few decimal points higher than they were, this may very well mean your pink sway is working and your hormones are changing. If you're charting for blue and your temps are lower, particularly in the follicular phase, your hormones may be changing in a boy-friendly way.
    Last edited by atomic sagebrush; December 27th, 2017 at 10:15 AM.
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  3. #3
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    PRIMARY FERTILITY SIGN #2 - CERVICAL MUCUS

    This is a little more difficult for people to pick up than temping is, but it's actually much more useful in terms of swaying. You should still chart temps though, if only because it will help you get the knack of the ways your cervical mucus will change throughout your cycle.

    Using your cervical mucus (CM) you will be able to tell when you're infertile, when you are highly fertile, help you with timing methods, and it can also help you know if you're pregnant or not. CM has two separate functions. Prior to ovulation, it's very thick, acidic, and is designed to keep sperm and other invaders out of the uterus. Around ovulation, it becomes very thin and more alkaline and welcoming to sperm - this is called egg white cervical mucus or EWCM. Shortly after ovulation (within 1-3 days) it becomes thick, acidic, and protective again.

    Please be aware that the claims that mucus changes within a set number of hours post-ovulation that is the same for every woman in every month are completely bogus. Your mucus changes based on the amount of time it takes for estrogen levels to drop and this can vary between individuals and even in the same individual by the month. You absolutely CAN have EWCM that lasts even as long as 2-3 days after ovulation. If you are in this grop, if you wait to have sex till your cervical mucus is dried up, you would never get pregnant that way!!

    1. Start checking your CM the first day after your period. Develop an awareness of how your vagina feels throughout the day (you don't even need to touch it, just be aware of how it feels.) When you use the bathroom (at least three times a day) with clean hands, touch the outer lips of your vagina and get used to the feeling of the discharge. Take note when you wipe after going to the bathroom as to whether you are dry or if there is mucus present. Pay attention to your underwear as well - very fertile CM will tend to take a round shape while less fertile CM will be more in a rectangular or line pattern.

    To check CM, separate the lips of your vagina and check your CM at the lowest part of the opening close to the perineum. You can use tissue if that works for you, or you can rub it between your fingers. You may even want to see if it stretches just for fun.

    2. Most charts have a location for making notes about your CM along with your temperature. Definitely use these! You will begin to see how temps and CM patterns are working together to show you where you are in your cycle and what your hormones are doing.

    3. The follicular cycle in most women goes something like this - for a few days after menstruation, there is little to no mucus present (record "dry" on your chart.) Your panties and accompanying vaginal sensations will be dry.

    Then, CM begins to develop in a "sticky" form (record "sticky" on your chart). Other words you may use to describe this sensation include "pasty, tacky, crumbly, gummy, springy" - it's kind of like rubber cement. May be white or yellowish in color. You may continue to feel dry or you may feel sticky.

    Next, CM becomes "creamy". Other words used to describe this type of CM are "lotiony, milky, smooth." White or yellow in color. This is the kind of CM that is associated with greater odds of conceiving a baby girl. Your vaginal sensation will be wet, moist, gooey, even cold. You may be fertile while this CM is present so if you do not want to become pregnant, take precautions. You may notice a rectangular or line pattern on your underwear. (This is what you're looking for for a cutoff.)

    The final and most fertile form of CM is EWCM (egg white cervical mucus). Very wet, slippery, and it may stretch between your fingers. There is usually a lot of it! You will feel a very wet vaginal sensation and you will notice a round pattern on your underwear. It is usually clear in color but it can be pink or red streaked if you have ovulatory spotting, after intercourse, or if you've been too aggressive with checking your cervix. You are VERY fertile when this CM is present so if you aren't trying to conceive, take precautions. (This is what you want for conceiving a boy). Please be aware that some of us go straight to EWCM and can have it even immediately after our periods have ended.

    3. After your estrogen level has peaked and the egg has been released and the corpus luteum has begun to make progesterone (you are entering your luteal phase) your CM will change abruptly. Sometimes even within just a couple of hours you will see a difference;
    other times it takes even as long as 2-3 days. Again, this is where charting is very handy because you can take note of how and when it changes in terms of what your temps are doing. You may have a few hours of creamy CM after ovulation (this is when you want to DTD if you are trying for an O+12) but for many people, it just dries up without ever going to creamy and you'll need to use cervical position to help you pinpoint O+12. 48 hours after ovulation (your temperature will drop), you are safe to have unprotected sex.

    You will probably stay dry (and you are safe to DTD unprotected) for the rest of your cycle but some women do notice a watery sensation (not mucus-like) right before their period starts. You're not fertile and you are safe to DTD at this time.

    Please be aware that the claims that mucus changes within a set number of hours post-ovulation that is the same for every woman in every month are completely bogus. Your mucus changes based on the amount of time it takes for estrogen levels to drop and this can vary between individuals and even in the same individual by the month. You absolutely CAN have EWCM that lasts even as long as 2-3 days after ovulation. If you are in this grop, if you wait to have sex till your cervical mucus is dried up, you would never get pregnant that way!!

    4. Semen, being sexually aroused, taking guaifenesin, antibiotics and other herbal CM inhancers can make you produce more EWCM and earlier in your cycle. Having a vaginal infection, using Replens/RepHresh/Acijel or spermicide can make you think you are producing EWCM when you aren't. Taking antihistamines, Sudafed, cranberry, ibuprofin, and some other medicines and herbs can make your CM very dry. All these situations can make it very difficult to tract where you are in your cycle.

    To get rid of semen, you can try using the Semen Emitting Technique http://genderdreaming.com/forum/ttc-...que=#post10773 or learn to tell the difference - semen appears whitish and rubbery. It doesn't stretch like EWCM does and it dries on your fingers much more quickly. Or you can use the water test - gather a bit of the stuff on your fingers and dip it into a cup of water. Semen will dissolve or float, and EWCM will either stick to your fingers or form a ball and drop to the bottom of the glass.

    If you can't tell what you're dealing with, here's a nice little essay about it https://www.kindara.com/blog/what-is...luid-and-semen

    5. If you have a very hard time collecting enough CM to learn the various types, you can try inserting a Diva or Instead cup for an hour. Some CM will collect in the cup. (this is also a handy hint to check pH of CM if you are not getting much.
    Last edited by atomic sagebrush; December 27th, 2017 at 10:39 AM.
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  4. #4
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    PRIMARY FERTILITY SIGN #3 - CERVICAL POSITION

    This is the hardest of the three to figure out but luckily it's the least important. However, if you're going for an O+12, you will NEED to know how to do this so even if you're not sure whether O+12 is right for you, you may want to give it a try (or you can do the Gender Dreaming technique for O+12 and simply have unprotected intercourse 48 hours after your first positive OPK or peak reading on a fertility monitor). Please be aware if you are actively swaying and taking things that either dry up or produce a lot of CM, it can be hard to use cervical mucus to help pinpoint O and so you may need to rely more on cervical position.

    Normally, the cervix is firm and closed and low, like the tip of your nose. As ovulation nears, the cervix rises, softens, and opens up to allow sperm to pass in and CM to pass out to give the sperm a medium they can survive in. The cervix itself also produces CM to some extent so you can also judge by the moistness of the cervix - it will be dry before and after ovulation, but wet around ovulation.

    A handy acronym to remember this by is SHOW - around ovulation, your cervix will SHOW - it will become soft, high, open, and wet. To have a sense of what exactly you're feeling for, see http://www.beautifulcervix.com/cervi...tos-of-cervix/ and Cervix Changes During the Menstrual Cycle - The Garden of Fertility

    1. Start checking your cervix the day after menstruation. Check once a day. (in later months once you are accustomed to checking your cervix, you can check less often and only around ovulation, but at first you need to know what your non-fertile cervix feels like so check every day.)

    2. Wash your hands WELL. You also may want to check your cervix immediately after a shower, so your vaginal area is clean and microorganisms from your vulvar area will not be moved inside your vagina.

    3. Check at the same time of day. If possible, try not to check immediately before or immediately after having a BM because this can affect your cervix position and texture especially if you've had children vaginally, but it's not critical.

    4. To feel your cervix, you can squat, sit on the toilet, or stand with one foot on the bathtub or counter. Whatever is most convenient for you. At first, you should check in the same position each time because position can affect the height of the cervix somewhat. Once you get a good feel for how to do this, you may want to try different positions to see if some are better than others. YMMV.

    5. Use whichever finger is easiest for you but be consistent (esp. at first).

    6. Don't be squeamish about asking DH for help with this. You may find that he already has a pretty good handle on the situation! My husband told me once that he could tell where I was in my cycle when we DTD.

    7. If you've had a child vaginally, your cervix will be less round and more oval in shape, and the small hole in the middle will be slightly larger and more of a line shape rather than a dot.

    8. Around ovulation, you may want to check more than once a day (especially if you're planning an O+12) but be careful not to irritate your cervix and cleanliness is VERY important, particularly around ovulation. Please note - you can often trigger slight bleeding around ovulation from checking your CP. Don't panic if you see some red discharge, it's nearly always from the cervix.

    9. If you are on hormonal birth control, these will interfere with your cervix position. Don't bother checking your cervix if you are on BCP or other hormonal birth control products (like Mirena). If you're planning on TTC the first month off the Pill, it doesn't hurt and may help you to check that first month, but just know that it may be very hard for you to understand what you're looking for without having experience in advance.

    10. Crossreferencing your cervical position with temps and CM can help you learn where you are in your cycle and help you to understand how your cervix changes throughout your cycle. There will be a spot to record data about your cervix (whether it is open or closed, soft or firm, low/medium/high) on your chart.
    Last edited by atomic sagebrush; December 27th, 2017 at 10:23 AM.
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  5. #5
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    SECONDARY FERTILITY SIGNS

    After you chart for awhile, you may begin to notice other signs and symptoms that appear at various parts of your cycle. While these are interesting and can def. help you pinpoint O, they vary between individuals and even by month so they are not reliable overall.

    You may want to ask your husband about this as sometimes they are better at knowing where we are in our cycles than we are ourselves.

    Ovulatory spotting (please read - http://genderdreaming.com/forum/gend...pth=#post11209)

    Pain near the ovaries at ovulation (please read http://genderdreaming.com/forum/gend...pth=#post11209)

    Crampiness after ovulation and right before menstruation - this is usually but not always different than the kind that comes before ovulation.

    Feeling more sexual around ovulation - for many people, this is the biggest sign. Unfortunately it cannot pin down ovulation to the day - so even if you're feeling unsexy LOL still use protection if you are close to your fertile window and aren't ready to conceive.

    Swollen vulva/vaginal lips and feeling "full" down there around ovulation

    Abdominal bloating at different parts of your cycle

    Retaining water/increased thirst/increased urination

    Overly sensitive smell and taste, bordering on morning sickness

    Hot flashes (this is more common in those over 35)

    Tender breasts

    Moodiness - Some women find that their moodiness almost acts as a spiritual guide. Prior to ovulation, you may find that you are very positive and upbeat even in the face of overwhelming obstacles. Around ovulation, you may find that you are more creative and open to new ideas and new people (some waitresses have even noticed they get higher tips at ovulation!!).

    Many have reported a burst of intense anxiety just after ovulation and/or just prior to the arrival of their periods.

    And of course as we all know, after ovulation, we do tend to become more emotional and upset - although this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Many women find that they are better able to realize and work to change the things in their lives that aren't working for them.

    Menstruation can have an almost cleansing effect on both body and psyche - many cultures encourage women to rest during menstruation and some women have reported feeling very "nesty" during that time - they want to clean and organize everything.
    Last edited by atomic sagebrush; December 29th, 2017 at 02:24 PM.
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  6. #6
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    Ughh I tried to find my cervix today .. Have never done this before but I had no luck?? tmi but i have short fingers lol could this make it harder :s
    Fathers Day baby!


    Busy Mummy of 5 now working from home: www.oz.scentsy.com.au

  7. #7
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    Keep trying once a day and soon you'll be able to find it. It really moves around!!
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  8. #8
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    Oh ok!! I couldn't figure it out I mean there is only one way up *there* lol did not think it would be this hard lol
    Fathers Day baby!


    Busy Mummy of 5 now working from home: www.oz.scentsy.com.au

  9. #9
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    I know! Some parts of your cycle, it is VERY hard to reach.
    !!! Questions?? Check out the NEW and improved Complete Index !!!

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  10. #10
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    Thanks for the info i have been trying to figure out CP and still tricky but easier with this post.

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