What I've Learned

Okay, gonna lay myself open a bit on this post. Please tread lightly.

September will mark 2 years since my last miscarriage--and two years since I was pregnant. In those 2 years, my desire for another baby has steadily grown. While Matt doesn't share the strength of that desire, he also would be delighted with another baby. But it just hasn't happened. Each month I've waited and hoped that perhaps THIS will be the month...and each month I've been disappointed. And then everywhere I look, my friends are getting pregnant. I currently have 18 pregnant friends. I'm super happy for them, and being around them isn't a crushing blow or anything. I just have a little sore spot in my heart that aches a bit with each new announcement. I am trusting God for His timing, because history proves to me that He knows what He is doing, especially in the baby department. Someday I'll share this story. But anyways, about a month ago I had a great "conversation" with my blogger friend Michelle about my growing fears that we may be dealing with infertility. She shared with me a great website: www.fertilityfriend.com. She told me it would help me understand my body, and know fertility signs and timing. I also figured it would help me know if/when I should start seeking medical intervention. I've read lots of books on the topic, and thought I already did understand. But I visited the website anyway, just in case I was missing something. I have learned A LOT that wasn't even on my radar before. Here's how it works.

1. Visit the site and sign up for a free account.
2. Register for the free online learning fertility course.
3. Each day a short lesson will be sent to your email inbox. Read the lesson and take the short quiz. Each lesson gives detailed information about how hormones run your cycle, primary fertility signs, secondary fertility signs, how to read those signs in your body, how to chart the signs, and reading fertility charts. It was super helpful! On average, each lesson and quiz took me 5-7 minutes.
4. Every morning as soon as you are conscious in your bed, grab your thermometer off your nightstand and take your temperature. Enter it in your online chart at www.fertilityfriend.com
5. Follow the instructions on checking other fertility signs.
6. Enjoy your new awareness of your body as you watch your chart progress. The chart analyzes the data for you. It tells you when you are potentially the most fertile, marks your ovulation date, and predicts your next period. I know my doctor will be thrilled to add this chart to my records, especially if I use it for multiple months. It paints a very clear picture of what a normal cycle is for me. This will raise my awareness of normal, so I can tell if anything abnormal should arise. There's value in charting, even if you aren't trying to become pregnant! I wonder if charting would have helped my mom detect her disease earlier. She died of ovarian cancer. It was not detected until late Stage 3.

What I learned this week is likely the reason it has been two years since I've been pregnant: I was reading my fertility signs entirely wrong! My body operates at a delayed rate from the average woman's body. I now know for next month what to be watching for, and how to time it all. I'm very curious to see if this makes a difference! Only time will tell...

Thanks Michelle!

For more "What I've Learned" visit Musings of a Houseiwfe!

Also, my friend Sarah Mae is having a blogaversary party with TONS of incredible giveaways! Check it out! Apart from the giveaways, it is a wonderful, inspiring blog that every woman should know about.