(Untitled)

[smasharash]

I have just started charting (both on fertilityfriend and paper) and temping, and have ordered TCOYF but am waiting for it to arrive. I am hoping to use fam and withdrawal to avoid, a pregnancy wouldn't be awful, but it certainly wouldn't be ideal. Having looked through the tags I was unable to find quite what I am looking for

Comments

[hope4jessica]

To be really safe... Three days of higher temperatures...

[smasharash]

What about moderately safe?
Also, how much higher? Significantly higher or just higher than this morning or tomorrow morning?

[krystalily]

Once you start charting, you'll see the temp rises significantly higher (usually, but not always for some people) after ovulation compared to the temps pre-ovulation. Once you've had 3 high temps after ovulation, it is technically safe to have sex again.

[cheyinka]

Higher than the highest of your previous six temperatures by 0.2° Fahrenheit.
For example:
1/1 97.2
1/2 97.2
1/3 97.3
1/4 97.2
1/5 97.2
1/6 97.1
1/7 97.5 (0.2F above the highest temperature from the six days before it)
1/8 97.6 (still at least 0.2F above)
1/9 97.5 (still at least 0.2F above, so after 6pm is considered infertile)

[xallanthia]

First, you can't rely on ovulation pain; it can come up to 5 days or so before actual ovulation.

Second, as others have said you are good 3 days after sustained temp rise. After that you don't even have to worry about w/d, if you don't want to.

[smasharash]

Ah I didn't know that about ovulation pain, but it does also happen to be exactly 14 days before my period is due, I guess I'll figure out it's accuracy after a few cycles of temping.

And... don't need to worry about w/d until when? My period? After my period as well?

[mokey4]

According to TCOYF, you are safe from the luteal phase (3 days of increased temp after ovulation) until day 5 of your next cycle, so that would be day 5 of your period. After that you're in kind of a grey area depending on what's going on with your cervical fluid, up until the next luteal phase. That might be the time to practice withdrawal. My understanding is that withdrawal does decrease the odds of getting pregnant, but it is by no means failsafe (because of pre-ejaculate and other stuff). I would just abstain when you know you're really fertile, which might only be a few days.

Someone should correct me if I'm wrong. I've given away my copy of TCOYF and I haven't charted in a long while because I'm 9 months pregnant.

[xallanthia]

Until your period. Once you've ovulated and confirmed the egg is gone (that's why the 3 days) you are biologically incapable of becoming pregnant.

[treecipitation]

Also, it's recommended in TCOYF and elsewhere that you don't really rely on charting as birth control until you've done it for a few months, to get a sense of what your body's patterns are. It certainly has taken me awhile to get the hang of identifying cervical fluid, etc.

Good luck!

[smasharash]

Thanks!

Using withdrawal until then surely reduces the risks significantly, though?

[supercarrot]

withdrawal isn't really all that effective.
definitely don't use it while you have any kind of cervical fluid.

[doraphilia]

when you are ovulating, withdrawal is a really bad idea for TTA. When you are ovulating all it takes is one little superfast sperm to swim up there and boom.