I didn’t expect the journey to pregnancy to be as challenging as it turned out to be. After years of avoiding pregnancy, I found myself in a situation where I had to really put in the effort. I’ve been pregnant several times and now have two wonderful kids, which taught me a lot about my body and the conception process.
Initially, my partner and I took the laid-back approach of “if we don’t prevent it, it’ll happen.” But when that didn’t work, I dove deep into understanding fertility. It struck me—no one mentioned that aiming for conception around day 14 of my cycle was practically irrelevant since my cycles varied from 25 to 60 days!
Being a spreadsheet enthusiast, I easily committed to daily charting. It gave me a sense of control, and I loved the moment I could enthusiastically tell my partner, “Honey, I’m ovulating!” But I soon realized that even with perfect timing, Nature had its own plans.
Once I figured out how to synchronize our efforts, I got pregnant fairly quickly. It felt like a long wait, but the joy of discovering we were expecting was indescribable. Sadly, that happiness was short-lived—I experienced a miscarriage that left me feeling hollow and furious. After doing everything “right,” I was devastated.
However, hope was stronger than my pain. A few months later, I felt ready to try again. I meticulously tracked my cycles, and again, we conceived. But once more, I faced heartache when I lost that pregnancy too.
This led to a cycle of charting obsessively, filled with jealousy towards others who were pregnant. I tried to step back from charting, but it only heightened my anxiety; it felt proactive.
Eventually, I noticed a pattern. My losses coincided with cycles longer than 50 days, leading me to suspect that my uterine lining was aging by then. Although I never confirmed this with a doctor, it made sense to me. We decided to only try to conceive when I was ovulating before day 20. When I became pregnant for the third time, my doctor prescribed progesterone. This time, I passed the crucial 6-week mark, then the 16-week mark, and finally reached 40 weeks. I became a mother at last!
I can’t say for sure whether it was my long-cycle theory, the progesterone, or just the right combination of factors. But I genuinely believe that learning about my body and staying in tune with it played a vital role in bringing my son into the world.
Have you found charting helpful in your own journey to conceive?
For more insights on this topic, check out this post on Modern Family Blog. If you’re considering at-home insemination, Make a Mom offers the top at-home insemination kit worldwide. Also, for a great resource on pregnancy and home insemination, visit the NHS for valuable information.
Summary
Charting my cycles became a surprising and empowering tool in my journey to conceive and maintain a pregnancy. Despite facing heartache and challenges, understanding my body and its rhythms ultimately led to my success in becoming a mother.
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