I can’t remember what all the various methods are so bear with me. I typically use sympto-thermal charting my temp every morning. After I had DD2 I was VERY worried about getting pregnant again right away. (DS1 and DD1 were easy, my husband deployed very shortly after each of their births and returned well after my normal cycle did.) So, needless to say I wasn’t sure what I was doing postpartum. I did some research to figure out another way of tracking my cycle, since I didn’t figure 6-9 months of abstinence was going to work. Anyway, I think it was the Billings method but I could be wrong. I started checking my cervix every night. Since I was up every three hours I knew charting my temp wasn’t going to tell me anything. It’s hard to learn when you aren’t sure what you’re looking for but I did manage. Miraculously (and I do attribute it to a great deal of prayer) my cycle returned at 4 months and was completely normal. I was still exclusively breastfeeding then too. I think God just knew a second one had to wait. Of course we didn’t wait long. By the time DD2 was 6 months old I was ready for number 4, who is due in about 3 weeks now. DD2 is 16 months.
I hope this helped a little. I do remember being incredibly nervous after DD2 was born. My husband was very patient too. Basically if I was even slightly concerned that I might be fertile we abstained until I was certain I wasn’t. I will tell you, there was a one week period where I really wasn’t sure if I was or not. I didn’t think it was possible at three months, exclusively breastfeeding, for my cycle to come back yet but I didn’t want to risk it. Two weeks later I got my period.
