TTC for a girl after my rainbow boy?

[angelmamma]

Thanks atomic for your advice. We had another attempt and so far I am 8dpo. However, I am suspecting AF as I had a HUGE temp dip today. I'm still above coverline, but not by much. :/ besides Patience, is there anything else I can do to lengthen my luteal phase? Thanks so much!

[atomic sagebrush]

That's normal at that point of the cycle angel!! It's a big surge of estrogen that helps maintain your lining a little longer so if a baby is there it can snuggle in safe and sound. It will very likely rebound today!

[angelmamma]

Atomic,

Looks like AF came... Temps still above cover line and rose a teeny bit (. 2 degrees F) , but that's it. Woke up to dark pink and a little bit of brown blood today. Very light, but I'm thinking it's AF. I guess I'm the bright side, my luteal phase was a little longer, 8 days. Last month, it was 4 days.

[atomic sagebrush]

Oh shoot I'm so sorry!! 8 days is definitely better than 4 but I am hoping and praying we see a nice long one next month.

[angelmamma]

Thank you atomic,

Besides weaning, is there anything at all I can do to promote ovulating sooner or to lengthen my luteal phase? My body gears up to ovulate several times and on time (CD 14), but stops, then doesn't O until 24-26 CD and my LP is super short. :/ Sorry, a bit deflated today.it's frustrating because it seems I'm delayed by 10 days. :/
Also, would the intensity of periods have anything to do with fertility returning? I was reading it can take a while for your uterine lining to be competent enough for implantation when nursing. Last month, my period was basically spotting with a 4 day luteal phase. This month, AF came with thunder and lightning. This bleeding is worse than my first cycle after my son. It's even too heavy for tampons. Could this indicate something is wrong or that perhaps my body is trying to normalize my cycles since my luteal phase was 8 days instead of 4? I am the only person in my family who ever breastfed, so I'm not sure what's normal and what's not. Thank you, atomic. You've been a life saver.

[atomic sagebrush]

Just keep eating a lot of healthy fat, get sleep when you can, and have patience because most people's cycles WILL normalize over time.

Do you think you could be anemic? That makes your period come in like a blaze of glory like that. I would try adding in iron 30-60 mg daily for 2 weeks and see if you feel more energy or better in any way (it is usually quite obvious) in which case you should continue for 6 weeks before reducing. If you don't notice any difference after the first 2 weeks drop down to 3x a week.

[angelmamma]

Atomic,

Thank you for your response. I am borderline anemic, my fiance is anemic and my son will be tested in the near future.
I know you mentioned a while ago, that things usually work out within 3 months, what is the reasoning behind this specific time line? Would it still apply to nursing mothers?) I have noticed my past two cycles have been shorter than usual (by almost a week). I am thinking perhaps I ovulated per usual and maybe the Vitex I took for 12 days messed up my LP? I have added a serving of full fat from dairy (butter, cheese, etc.). Even though I have been ovulating at around 24-26, I gear up right on time at around 14-16 and the past couple cycles I have noticed I also gear up around CD 5-9 (watery, ewcm, with almost positive OPKs). What would be the reasoning for my body trying to ovulate so soon? Last cycle and this cycle it started gearing this early. Seems every 10 days it tends to until I finally do at the end of my cycle. If say, I did O around CD 5-9, would the eggs even be mature enough? Someone mentioned I should take Royal Jelly, Maca Root, and B6 to help me ovulate on time or the first time my body tries to and to lengthen my LP. I have never heard of Royal Jelly or Maca. I have been holding off to see what you think of them. I know I haven't been trying for too long, but I can't help but to be a bit deflated. Thanks, atomic.

[atomic sagebrush]

Let's get some iron going - only 2 months instead of 6 weeks before reducing.

It's just what I tend to see and yes, even for nursing moms. Your body is working to fix stuff and once it gets into a place where it feels like "ok this is a good place to get pregnant" it will happen.

I think you are overthinking "gearing up to ovulate" Just because you have symptoms this does not mean your body is gearing up to do anything and it is not unusual to have EWCM and even dark OPK at that point. It's because your body is making hormones but they aren't concentrated enough to trigger ovulation.

DO NOT take that stuff. I would much rather see you take a prenatal vitamin then any of them. They are dangerous (except the b6) and all three of them really mess up people's cycles. I know it's really hard to wrap a head around but I see SO many people who get into a weird few cycles and then start taking herbs that are like throwing gas on a fire. They only make things worse, by far worse so if you want to take some B6 let's just do a prenatal or multi 3x a week

[angelmamma]

Hi, atomic!

It's me again. Well, I am cd41. The longest cycle I have ever had and 15dpo (per my temps). My temps are still very elevated, yet I keep on getting BFN ( I got a vvf line yesterday, but the line disappeared and I am thinking it was more of an indent. . Negative on a digital. ) 11dpo I had twinges on my right side and 12DPO I had huge AF like cramps, I was 99% sure I was getting AF. She never came. I took a First Response yesterday (14dpo) and it came back negative. :/ I know someone told me their periods came back like mine at 6 weeks pp, then just stopped randomly. Could that be the case for me? I am confused since I had a temp rise 2 weeks ago. My LP has never been more than 8 days since I'm still nursing my 1 year old, so I have been testing every other day and keep coming back with negatives. :/ Could it be possible I never O'd and it's just the stairstep pattern you were talking about before? How would I know? Also, when would you say would be the time to stop testing? I am planning on testing tomorrow at 16dpo, but after that, I guessI'll be convinced I won't get a bfp as we haven't BD in a while (hubby is away). Also, I read that any egg that implants late (around 12dpo) will most likely end in a mc and the later your BFP, the higher chance of losing the pregnancy. Do you have any personal experience with this? Thank you.

[4blue2pink]

with most of my babies i have had negative pregnancy tests for up to a week-10 days after af was due, i was pregnant and the pregnancies went to full term, fingers crossed this is your month and its just taking a while to show up on the tests, i know how frustrating it is to keep getting bfn and not know what on earth is going on xx