Questions about charting. Please help me out!?

Question

This is going to be our second month trying to conceive after a miscarriage. Last month was the FIRST cycle since my miscarriage. It started July 13-17 ovulation test cam positive 28-1st so I was expecting a 32 day cycle. . . well turns out I had a 40 day cycle.. and my luteal phase was 23 days?? Who knows! Any way. Last month was stressful with the OPKs and having to have s*x and blah blah blah!

So this month we decided to just try and let it happen and not to buy OPK's BUT I want to know still when I am ovulating so I am going to try to chart.

I have lots of questions!!

--For those who do chart do you like it?

--Does it really help you know when you are ovulating?

--When do you start? After you are done with your period?

--What if you use a normal thermometerer?

--Do you like it better then using OPK's?

--How confusing is it? Lol.

And what site do you all recommend I use?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Hey the easy way I charted was just to detect cervical mucous when you see that egg white stretchy mucous it will last anywhere from 1-4 days during that time you will most likely ovulate. The cervical mucous is to protect the sperm and bring them into the uterus.. don't get to stressed it makes it more difficult just go with the flow and check the changes in cervical fluid the easiest way.. 1st period/ then dichagre is dry to sticky

          2nd stage is the discharge is creamy

          3rd stage watery possibly white as well/becoming fertile

           4th stage is when  see that stretchy egg white mucous for a day to a few days then you go back to more watery/creamy then sticky to your period again ...

Good luck just look for the egg white jelly like discharge

Answer 2

First of all, get yourself a copy of Toni Weschler's book Taking Charge of Your Fertility.  THis is a terrific resource and it will answer all of your questions and more!  It helped me to conceive both my kids and I'm using the techniques in her book to try for number 3.  

Now, to answer your questions...  

1) I love charting and have been doing it for quite some time now.  It is a great way to become more familiar with your own body.  Charting will help you detect potential problems and will help you predict things like ovulation, when to have intercourse as well as many other things.  

2)Yes!  When you begin to chart your temps. will stay roughly the same from day to day with some minor exceptions.  But when your body ovulates, your temps. will rise dramatically and stay elevated for anywhere from 10 to 16 days.  Once they drop back to "normal" you can expect your period.  You need to chart for several months before you will start to see a pattern evolving.  Once you are able to predict when your temps. spike (ovulation) you can time intercourse appropriately.

3)Start charting on the first day of your menstrual cycle.  This means that the first day you start significant bleeding (the day you definitely need a pad or tampon) is cycle day 1.  Record your temps. every morning at the same time after at least 3 hours of consecutive sleep.  This isn't always possible but try to keep things the same as much as possible in the beginning so you can ensure accurate info.  Keep charting like this until you start your period the next cycle.  

4)Normal thermometers are not as accurate.  A basal body thermometer will give you readings past two decimal points.  You can then round up to the nearest tenth of a degree.  It's generally more precise.

5)I have used a fertility monitor at the same time as charting and both have given me the exact same results.  Charting is cheaper and will give you more insight into your body than and OPK ever would.

6)Charting can be a bit confusing at first but with the right info., you will be well on your way in only a few hours.  Interpreting your chart can be a bit daunting at first too.  Just remember that you are looking for patterns and individual temps. are meaningless unless you see the whole picture.  

7)Once you see your ovulation spike and can properly predict when you ovulate, you can time intercourse around it.  Your temp. spike indicates that ovulation has already occurred so it is important to have s*x during the three or four days prior to the spike in temps. as well as the day of and day after.  If you do this, you have the best chance for conception.  You can have s*x everyday during this time if you and your partner can keep up the pace LOL.

8)I chart on a large piece of graph paper.  I don't use free websites because I find it more confusing then it needs to be.  You can make your chart for as many days as necessary.  Some women have a 30 or 40 day cycle so their charts may continue well past that of other women.  Chart your full cycle.  If you do this and watch closely, you will be able to tell if you conceived, no test necessary.  More than 16 high temps. after your temp. spike indicates pregnancy.  Once your period begins again (day 1 all over again), use a new graph/paper for the next cycle.  I keep all my graphs together in a little folder so I can refer back to them from time to time.

I hope I answered your questions.  Please find a copy of the book I mentioned as it is such an awesome tool when you are starting to chart.  **** luck.  Baby dust.

Answer 3

Well I'll try to keep this simple.  I am only in my second month of charting and I LOVE it.  It is so cool so see your body's "pattern" develop.  My last 2 cycles have been textbook 28 days with ovulation on cd14.  I have still been using opk's to detect when ovulation is about to happen (I'm so regular now, I only had to use one strip this month and it was positive!) and use the BBT chart to confirm that ovulation has happened.  It's pretty much foolproof (for me anyhow).  Sometimes getting a positive on an opk, doesn't mean you will ovulate for sure, so if your charting and you get your temp spike (the day after ovulation) you KNOW you've ovulated, especially if you've been charting awhile and know what is "normal" for your body.  

I use http://www.fertilityfriend.com and it's SO super easy.  You just put in your temps and as many or as little other details as you wish and it calculates everything for you, took all the guesswork out for me.  It's free unless you want all the bells and whistles, then it's about $50/year.  You can get alot of useful information on that site as well.

I chart my temp every day, fertility friend automatically starts a new chart as soon as you enter signs of a period.  I went out and bought a specific BBT thermometer.  Cost about $17, so it's not outrageous, and it's FAR more accurate.  

Charting is just something you either are going to dedicate yourself to learning it, or your not.  You'll know right away whether it's for you or not.  It's VERY easy and not confusing at all if you take the time to learn it.  Good luck and hope it all goes well!

Answer 4

i highly recomend you google mycycle.com its great for charting!!