Over the past few months, I’ve had several exciting moments. My period has been late anywhere from 1 to 4.5 weeks. In the month of November, I was late 4 ½ weeks. I was really excited, but when I took a pregnancy test, it was still coming up negative. I didn’t let it sway me since I figured the hormones in my body did not peak yet and it was going to come. I maintained a stress free life by doing a lot of knitting and enjoying time with my husband and dogs. When the 4 ½ week mark came, I decided it was time to go to the doctor and get a blood test. Perhaps there was something wrong with the at home pregnancy tests. I couldn’t understand why it was not changing positive. It soon hit me when all of a sudden; I started spotting and then got my period. I’ve been through this trial before; the missed period for weeks and then, boom, there it is. However, this time was different because it was never this late. I was never this late pre- or during my 13 year stint with the Pill. What was happening?

For me it got worse. I found myself dreading the next steps of trying to conceive. I thought to myself, there are shows on called “16 and Pregnant”, but none that document the life of a 30-something year old trying to get pregnant unsuccessfully. What I wouldn’t do to figure out what was going on with my body to get it back to the good times of being 16 again. In my mind, if I’m 16, then I’ll be getting pregnant in no time.

Like the times before, I got over it in a day. It was exciting because I purchased the Clear Blue Easy Fertility Monitor. Not that I was guaranteed to get pregnant from using the monitor, but at least I would have a better understanding of my body and when I was ovulating. I timed the “testing” to when I would get up in the mornings, either for work or weekends, home or with family back in Chicago. It took a lot of figuring out, but I had it and I was going to get it nailed down.

Sure enough, I began testing for my peak fertility on day 5 and by day 8 or 9, I was at peak and was at peak for 2 days. I was stoked that I finally knew that I was potentially trying too early or too late. I was finally taking control of my body and more optimistic than I was before.