Through an Unlikely Source, I Received Hope

As you’ve read before, Brooksie and I have been guided in a different direction in our efforts. It all started about a year ago when I fasted & prayed for a solid month. During that time, I knew God was saying “do these things”. It was the clearest direction in my fertility journey that I’d ever had. So, January 2015 I started implementing.

It was then that I started Eating Clean and am now about 75% Paleo, reduced my caffeine intake to nearly zero (with the exception of dark chocolate and a rare caffeinated coffee). In August, we saw a Naturopathic Doctor who has guided us in supplementing our health to prepare our bodies for conception. We’ve made drastic changes to my work life, thus reducing the chronic stress & anxiety that I had been experiencing.

Lastly, I started tracking my basil body temperature and charting through an app called Fertility Friend. In conjunction with this, I continue to use ovulation test kits (OPKs) as a back up and to confirm that my charting was accurate.

It was through these new tools and the knowledge that God has given me that I got a GLIMMER OF HOPE. You’re about to get a family life lesson, but stick with me because there’s good news in all this complicated mess. I promise to keep it clean and I’m not going to go all TMI on you…maybe only a little 🙂

If you don’t want the family life lesson, do pass go to “class dismissed” below.

I’m being careful with my wording on here knowing there are tweens and young teens who have access to my blog. Lord knows I don’t want their parents (my friends) calling me up giving me a piece of their mind. More importantly, I don’t want them to have a reason for their children to not have access to seeing God’s hands at work in my life…

Besides that, there are just some things that need to stay within the bounds of a marriage, AMEN?!?!?!

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DPO – Days Past Ovulation; Vertical Red Line – ovulation date; “Day” – cycle day

 

Now before you go all crossed eyed on me looking at this chart let me give you a brief explanation. This is basil body temperature (BBT) charting. There’s actually more to it but I’m showing you the non-TMI portion of it. 😀

You record your early morning temperature everyday. The goal of this is to help a woman pinpoint her exact date of ovulation so as to time things just right.

This chart can also tell you that a pregnancy has been achieved, a miscarriage has happened or that you had a chemical pregnancy. It can confirm that you ovulated and at what point during your cycle. It can confirm that you have a long enough luteal phase (the time between ovulation and menses starting).

There is so much in this charting that a woman can learn about her body. Our body is beautifully and wonderfully made by a God of order. And this is proof of that.

Do you see the solid red vertical line? That is the chart’s indication that ovulation occurred. All of the days listed after that are my luteal phase and are labeled as DPO (days past ovulation). The luteal phase is the last two weeks of the cycle where progesterone is dominant causing a temperature increase and an embryo would implant itself onto the uterine wall. Around 7-10 DPO is when implantation occurs.

See the 2nd thermal shift? That is an indication of pregnancy.
See the 2nd thermal shift? That is an indication of pregnancy.

According to my chart, I had a chemical pregnancy. This is when egg and sperm meet but the body doesn’t implant the embryo or it simply doesn’t survive. I had never heard of this before my research! It’s also been termed as an early miscarriage (one that takes place at 5 weeks or sooner).

How can I tell this from my chart? The presence of a second thermal shift. When there is a second thermal shift in temps, this is called a triphasic pattern (tri meaning three temperature phases). I’ve placed a black arrow at the point of the shift so you can see it. Also, you will notice that this shift happened 9 DPO which is the bullseye for implantation! The second shift lasted a couple of days.

In her book, Taking Charge of Your Fertility, Toni Weschler, MPH says this:

A triphasic pattern of temperatures is virtually always caused by pregnancy. It is thought to be the result of additional progesterone circulating in the woman’s body and increases about the time of implantation of the egg about a week after fertilization.

So, here’s what likely happened this cycle: the embyro was attempting to implant (as indicated by the second increase in temperature) but for whatever reason it couldn’t. When it was not able to implant, my temperatures dropped back down to the levels of the first set of increases while staying higher than my pre-ovulation temps. From there Aunt Flo came with vengeance. Clear as mud?!?!? LOL

CLASS DISMISSED!

So, why am I so excited about a chemical pregnancy or an early miscarriage? This brings hope to my heart for a couple of reasons. One it helps me to see that God is working. It was this season and this cycle that He would have me track all of this and show me these things. What if I hadn’t tracked this cycle? I wouldn’t have known.

Another reason is that this allows me to say I am a mother. I know there are many who will disagree with me but my personal belief is that life begins at conception. From the moment that embryo is created, things start happening. As one article suggests, a “baby’s appearance, {gender}, and even some of his or her personality and intelligence are determined at fertilization*”.

Therefore, with the knowledge that there was in fact an embryo, it is with wisdom I can say life was created and I was a mother, if even for a very short time {a week or so}. Even still, to know that my body created this life and that God opened my womb if ever so briefly brings joy to my soul.

***I am not a medical professional. This is an interpretation of my chart based on my own research, studying, and consulting with others. It is through these resources and my own prayerful analysis that I came to these conclusions. I encourage you to consult resources and readings to interpret your own charting and to seek the Lord’s peace in your analysis & journey. Be blessed!***

*Parenting.com; pregnancy week by week chart

Other Resources: “Taking Charge of Your Fertility” by Toni Weschler

6 thoughts on “Through an Unlikely Source, I Received Hope

  • January 15, 2018 at 11:31 PM
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    I had a chemical pregnancy too was confirmed last month and the dr said she wouldn’t even consider it a baby yet but a blessing I’m so confused. Then she asked me how the pain was and the bleeding… like to say it was a baby I’m so confused. I lost my insurance and can’t get answers

    Reply
    • January 16, 2018 at 11:46 AM
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      Docs and people alike don’t always know what to say. It sounds like she may even have some internal conflict on what she believes to be a viable child. Offer her grace in this. In my humble opinion, life begins at conception. You were pregnant with a life. I am so sorry for your loss. Our bodies are trying to do what it they were made to do but sometimes, for reasons beyond our understanding, it doesn’t work out. I wish I could offer an explanation. 🙁

      Hang in there. Cry when you need to cry. And most definitely pray, even when you don’t feel like it. Bear all to the Lord and then be still and quiet as you wait for His words of comfort and direction.

      Be blessed,
      Jil D.

      Reply
  • March 27, 2016 at 12:48 AM
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    After 6 years of infertility I got my 2 lines!! -A few days later to have a negative test I hadn’t been tracking temperatures (I ought to start again!), but I knew i was expecting a miracle- and I knew when I wasnt pregnant anymore- with out bleeding yet, but I too had my glimmer of hope! That God works in miraculous ways, and that I can get pregnant! Blessings to you! And thank you for this!

    Reply
    • March 30, 2016 at 4:39 PM
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      Deborah I’m so sorry that you had a miscarriage. 🙁 I hate that we have to go through this. But it will be for the good of something whether that be a family come naturally or some other means. I trust that He will work all things for good. I don’t understand it but I know He’s using this journey of mine. So glad this post was an encouragement to you. <3 Blessings!

      Reply
  • October 19, 2015 at 6:09 PM
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    This was wonderfully informational! I wonder if I can use this kind of tracking to PREVENT pregnancy. I am currently forging a path to relieve my body of the hormonal effects of birth control. I wish to be simply me, naturally. I know that is a whole separate direction than you’re on right now. But I’d like to know more about this process. Also, I smiled super big for your glimmer of hope! That’s wonderful progress lady. My heart leaps for your joy. ☺?

    Reply
    • October 20, 2015 at 7:19 AM
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      YES! I would highly recommend reading Taking Charge of Your Fertility. The book was actually written to help both pregnancy achievers AND preventers. I’ve recommended it to several people coming from both stances.

      Reply

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