How I'm tracking my ovulation

The Fertility Warriors

I haven't had a period in more than four years now. When I was in my 20s that would have been the dream, and in fact, when I was in my 20s I used to use The Pill to skip 6 - 12 months of bleeds at a time, thinking it was great. And then.... Trying to conceive hit. I was the crazy type A person who started tracking my ovulation a few months BEFORE I started TTC and used primarily my Basal Body Temperature thermometer. For anyone out there who is using their BBT for tracking, here's a few things you might want to know: •I have a free chart within my library that you can print and download •You're supposed to do it as soon as you wake up, without moving and getting up at all, and leave it there for about 10 minutes •I almost NEVER got that lovely rise and fall - it never looked beautiful like that, even though once I started at a fertility clinic I had confirmation that I basically have a dead-on 27-day cycle with ovulation at day 13 (as I had suspected) •BBT rise happens AFTER ovulation, so don't use this to check WHEN you should have sex - this can only be of assistance for future cycles and only also if you have a regular cycle •Checking your cervical mucus (provided you drink enough water regularly) can actually be an incredible mechanism (which can tell you when you're ovulating), especially when combined with BBT tracking It's also really important to have an understanding of exactly what you're monitoring and why, and what your hormones are doing throughout the month - I also have a free infertility101 book within my library (along with a bunch of other stuff) so make sure you check that out too. And my thoughts on my period really morphed once I started trying to conceive. Firstly, I realised the power of our cycle (which isn't just our period - it's that whole period of ups and downs, feeling extroverted and introverted - the natural flow of being a woman), but also longing to have that period, because each month it was a chance to create our family. And then.... Plot twist. During childbirth to have our second ICSI miracle bubba, my uterus completely lost the plot. Its a long story but I had a hysterectomy. And while it's great that I can now wear white pants 365 days of the year (wink wink), I no longer get a period. But... I do ovulate because I still have my ovaries (seriously - see my free ebook in the library if you want to understand it all). And so you may think I don't care about when I ovulate. But as I grow more in tune with my body, I have begun to notice distinct 'seasons'. Over the month there are times when I feel so energised and confident. I'm on fire at work and everything is great. And then, there are times when I feel so introverted. I don't want to go out. I feel less confident and slightly more anxious. And I feel this is my cycle. But I don't know. I was also speaking with my friend, Devon (who has also had a hysterectomy) and she said the same thing. When you don't get a period, it can be quite disempowering because you don't have that intimate knowledge of what is happening in your body. And so, I've wanted to track my ovulation again. And since I don't get a period, it hasn't been as easy as just tracking on a calendar. I need something more concrete than that, and in my life these days, I've just become a convenience freak. I am just not available for things that a...