Temperatures, Surges, and Mucus, Oh My!

Fertility charting is interesting business. Meaning that at first it was kind of cool to know so much information about me and my cycle, and now after a few months of it, I'm annoyed. I've found that in the past week I've become quite grumpy when I wake up. Probably the first reason is because I really enjoy sleeping. Waking up to an alarm now not only means getting ready for the day, but immediately sticking a basal body temperature thermometer in my "hooha" (as Michelle calls it) and waiting for the beeping to tell me something about my ovulation. Then I chart that number and make my way to the bathroom to pee on a stick that tells me if I'm having an LH surge or not. While I'm waiting for those results, I stand up and check my cervical mucus and the location/feel/opening of my cervix. After that I wash my hands, enjoying the feel of the warm water and quiet for a minute. Then I wander back into the bedroom sleepy-eyed, with all the scientific data I have collected and write it down on my fertility chart. In my opinion, that's a lot to do to yourself every morning when you're half asleep. It certainly takes the sexiness out of baby making...so mission accomplished! 

All this to say, I feel for you. All of you other women out there who have gone through the charting, the months (maybe years) of very consciously planning for a baby you have wanted so badly. Badly enough to chart your cycle religiously and become at times what may feel like a science experiment. Everyone looking at you with a questioning expression, "Has it happened yet?", "Are you ovulating, pregnant, experiencing fertile mucus, (fill in the blank)?" I get it. The feeling of being a test subject is not always so fun. I take comfort in the fact that I must not be the only one trying to get pregnant in this way. I'm not the only surrogate to ever be and I'm not the only person waking up to this new routine every morning.

I seem to be very near my next LH surge. In the past two months when I have gone in for fertility acupuncture (around my predicted ovulation time) with the lovely and very knowledgeable Janet Pocsi http://www.facebook.com/pages/Janet-Pocsi-Acupuncture/124877274198682, I have gotten my LH surge either the same day or the next morning. I have an acupuncture appointment this morning. I am planning to really use that time to relax on the table and breathe away any stress that has come up in the past month. Based on all my other signs, I'm going to guess that I'll get that little smiley face on the stick tomorrow morning and somehow, that will make all of the charting worth it. There's just something about that smiley face.