Charting bleeds

[Guest guest]

Darcy Hemstad alerted me to a typo I had in my reply

to Sheila St. regarding the charting of menstruation.

My reply should have read:

Actually she should NOT chart chart a bleed as menstruation

if ovulation did not occur prior to it. It would not be accurate

and the rules would change (at least Billings Method rules

would change). A bleed not preceded by Peak is more likely

a withdrawal bleed if there was a change from the BIP without

the change leading to Peak Day.

Also, at least with Billings, we chart the first day of full flow

menstruation as Day 1 of the new cycle.

Sue Ek

BOMA-USA

>From: " Sheila St. " <sheila@... <mailto:sheila%40canfp.org> >

>Reply-To: nfpprofessionals

><mailto:nfpprofessionals%40yahoogroups.com> To:

><nfpprofessionals

><mailto:nfpprofessionals%40yahoogroups.com> >

>Subject: RE: Digest Number 932

>Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:05:11 -0700

>

>The shedding of the lining of the uterus is a reaction to the hormonal

>events of the previous cycle, and a sign pregnancy did not occur, but it is

>also the initiation of a new cycle, and a new opportunity to conceive. It

>is

>also, on a practical level, the most recognizable sign a woman has. Women

>all the time enter NFP programs oblivious to the mucus signs produced

>monthly, but none not notice they are menstruating. It also documents the

>number of menstruation she has, and allows one to analyze easily how

>frequent they are. It is easily distinguishable from unusual bleeding,

>usually, and so a woman can confidently say she menstruated.

>

>

>

>The onset of the cervical mucus, on the other hand, does not definitively

>say the woman ovulated. She could see the mucus tho not ovulating. (she

>could chart a period without having ovulated prior to it also, but that is

>irrelevant). So what she would chart as the beginning of the new cycle of

>fertility, may in fact only be the presence of cervical mucus. In long

>cycles, or breastfeeding or premenopausal times, she could have these come

>and go many times---would she start a new cycle each day she saw it start

>in

>again? If charting her temp too, would she start a new cycle when the mucus

>commences, and then when not substantiated by a temp rise move it all back

>to belong to the previous cycle.

>

>

>

>I think the cycle is begun with menstruation for a variety of reasons----it

>resonates with the woman and he past experience, it initiates a new

>opportunity to conceive, it is practical, it provides at easy glance the

>length of a cycle, and the timing of ovulation relative to the preceding

>and

>subsequent menses, all important in evaluating a woman's fertility.

>

>

>

>Think you need a new pet peeve Steve---and think this is a male engineer

>overthinking something that is intuitive to women :-)

>

>I understand you are trying to reorient the thinking regarding cycles, but

>I

>just do not think beginning a new cycle with menstruation elevates it to

>the

>status of being the most important event in the cycle---it just provides

>form...we all know ovulation provides the substance! :-)

>Sheila St.