Starting FAM postpartum

[hippieintraining]

I had a previous thread just about my cervix, but now I have many more questions!!

I'm 7 weeks postpartum and think my body is getting ready to ovulate. I Od for the first time when DS was 7m, but he was still nursing every two hours, around the clock. DD gives me a 6-9 hour stretch every night, EBFd on demand with no arfiticial nipples.

I'm new to FAM and haven't had a period since March 09 (before I was pregnant with DS).

My questions...
- Waking temp: Should I bother? DD typically goes down at 7:30, up at 3:30 and then up for the day around 6:30. I'm still horribly hot, which I think it partially hormonal, and partially because it's hot out now.
- Cervix: I think all these 'low' 'high' 'soft' 'firm' terms are relative, so I may not be right about my positioning... but I think I'm low, firm and I know I'm closed. What does this mean, especially at this stage PP?
CM: I've had a bit... a few days ago it was clear, and today it's thicker and a bit white, but there's not much of it.

I've also had some lower belly cramping. I don't ever remember cramping while Oing before, so I think this may be unrelated.

I'm starting with fertility friend, so if anyone has some tips on using that site, that would be appreciated!

Finally, we're not DTD yet (trying to get my bladder prolapse under control first), so there's pressing need to 'get this right' right away. When we do start again, we'll use condoms until I'm confident.

TIA!!!

[Kiliki]

I temped PP with my DS and I was also BFing. It was pretty accurate, but my cycles were not always the same. In other words, I could always see a clear ovulation pattern, and it was always between the same 15 day range, but I never knew to a certainty when it would occur. Which made using the info for TTA a little frustrating since we wound up only having maybe a week of a "safe" time and using protection for the rest of the cycle.

I'd take your temp at the 3:30am waking, since that is the time that allows you the most sleep beforehand.

Be careful as your nursing patterns change over time. As my DS started weaning himself (23/24 mos) my cycles got longer and longer, and as a result of that (and being out of town, travelling alone with two kids, being in a different time zone, etc), I wound up ovulating WAAAAY later in my cycle than I ever had before and I got pregnant. So, if your routine takes a drastic change, or your LO suddenly drops the nursing way down, just be aware that it can affectyour cycles and you'd be better off using protection everytime until you become aware of the adjustments.

At 7 wks PP your cervix should be moving and changing. By 6 wks PP, *generally* most women's bodies are getting back to normal. That said, your cervix may not move in the ways that are typical for a woman's cycle, since your cycle is likely still starting back up. It is a good thing to get familiar with your cervix... what it feels like when it's soft, high, closed, open, low, firm, etc. That IS subjective and the only way to know the differences is to feel for yourself and familiarize yourself with it.

Personally, I wouldn't even worry about CM right now until you are nursing less, or have intro'd solids to your LO. It's JMO, but unless you get a really CLEAR sign - like boatloads of EWCM - it can be really hard to distinguish CM when you are nursing, just b/c it tends to make everything dryer and it lessens CM overall.

The lower belly cramping could be anything. Remember that nursing makes the uterus contract. Also, since you said you have a bladder prolapse, I would think some of your cramping could be associated with that somehow as well. Bowels moving, stress, gas, etc. belly cramping can be anything. Ovulation pain feels differently than cramping usually. It's more like a pinch or a twinge on one side very low that only lasts a short while. (at least this is MY understanding and experience.)

I would not use FAM as a big part of TTA until you are nursing significantly less, or you are not nursing. It just isn't reliable enough, IME. It's a good picture of what your body is doing, but it isn't much help at preventing a pregnancy, since it relies on the idea that your body is ovulating around the same time each month... which simply is not always true when you are nursing.

Best wishes!