I have a pretty damn regular cycle. It’s been within a 4 day range of changing over the last couple of years, in fact.
Not only that, but I have never ovulated before day 13.
So, color me surprised that right now I am possibly on my 3rd day past ovulation and I’m on my 14th cycle day right now. That means I possibly ovulated on day 11.
Whoa, Nelly. I’m having a hard time believing it, thinking my fertility signs are just going crazy.
Well, my temps have been on the lower end of the spectrum, though certainly post-ovulatory temperatures for me. I’ve had a bit of tacky cervical fluid (totally normal post ovulatory pattern for me), maybe it’s going to come back full-swing in a moment…
But it’s funny because the only thing I am basing my surprise off of is the counting of my cycle days.
That’s only the least reliable fertility predictor there is.
My primary fertility signs of temperature and cervical fluid are both telling me that ovulation likely happened on day 11, on day 11 I was also going around talking about how my abdomen was tender (exactly how it feels when I’m ovulating). And here I am questioning whether I actually ovulated.
You might be wondering why I’m talking about this, and what it has to do with anything, other than just an example of how crazy our cycles can be and how they like to throw us curve balls when we are getting comfortable (which is why you should ALWAYS rely on fertility signs, since they are real time information about what is going on with your hormones).
But it’s important because it’s an illustration of how difficult it can be to trust your body. Here I am, someone who has been keeping track of my cycle for about 6 years, and charting them meticulously for about 4 (including intensive studying about fertility awareness and the menstrual cycle while becoming a certified teacher of the method), and I am still saying “are you really doing this, body, or are you just trying to play tricks on me?” instead of “Wow, thanks, body, for giving me all of the information I need to tell exactly when I can and can’t get pregnant – even when you have to ovulate earlier or later than ‘normal'”
It’s important to note how much you are willing to trust your own body when you want to use fertility awareness as a birth control method.
If you are able to trust your body more, you are going to be more likely to even think about using the method in the first place, but other than that you will also find it easier to use.
For instance, if you have a highly variable cycle you might constantly question your ability to correctly interpret your fertility signs, and you might question what your fertility signs really mean or are telling you. And (this is the big one) you may decide to just count days or use an app and go off of that instead of checking and charting your fertility signs.
If you are able to instead trust both your body and all of the awesome science we know that enables us to have such amazing effectiveness with the fertility awareness method, you are able to reap the rewards of having awesome natural birth control constantly at your disposal (not to mention, the ability to figure out when you are fertile to get pregnant when you want to).
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All I can say is wait until you hit peri/menopause!! I’m almost 48 and have been charting (temp/mucus/symptoms) for 20 years. Now that my formerly clockwork cycles have started going haywire the last 2 years, I’m really relying on my charting to make even a small shred of sense of my cycle. I do trust the info I glean because I’ve been doing it for decades. Charting has helped me identify anovulatory cycles as much as the ovulatory ones. As you’ve seen, you get to know what’s ‘normal’ for you, so unusual cycle symptoms stick out like a sore thumb!
Interesting you mention early ovulation as, in my age group, this can be a classic sign of shortening follicular phases (compensatory surges in FSH). This happened to me for quite a number of cycles, then I had alternating, long, anovulatory ones.
It’s been interesting trying to navigate the changes. You’ll find when your time comes, your charting will help shed light during a time when confusion reigns.
Yep, shorter cycles before longer one are super common in peri-menopause.
I’m definitely a while away from that, though, unless something REALLY insane is going on with my hormones (doubt it)!
This is such a huge topic, and love of mine to teach. It’s so important to learn to trust your body, learn it’s messages, and work WITH it. Love your writing :)
Thanks for the comment!
Such an interesting topic, thanks Hannah! After coming off the pill in January (after 11 years of use!) I was incredibly fortunate to literally just fall back into a very regular and predictable cycle. I have been tracking using an app, as well as trying to notice and pay closer attention to the signs my body is giving me. I’d love to hear more about ways to interpret my own fertility signs better! x
Great read, Hannah. I never felt like I was organized enough to rely on fertility awareness as a method of birth control (I have great respect for anyone who is), but this article and Beth’s reply have motivated me to begin tracking my cycles again. I’m 47 and dealing with the confusion of peri-menopause and it is crazy making not knowing where you are in your cycle. Time to re-tune into my body. :)
That’s great. It’s definitely common for women to feel like it gives them sanity during peri-menopause. Crazy times!
i am always interested in this topic, hannah. i too have been charting my cycle for years (and am currently in peri-menopause). this has definitely been the most unusual few years of the life of my period. as much as i feel i know my body (after all, i’ve been a careful listener for a long time :) ), it has thrown a few new surprises my way!