Charting and Fertility

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Charting your Waking Body Temperature, Cervical Fluid and Cervical Position

can indicate when you are most fertile during your monthly cycle. Charting

can give you crucial information as to when you peak (most fertile) time is,

when you have ovulated, when your menstrual period should begin, if you have

successfully conceived or if there is a possibility of a hormonal imbalance.

Taking your waking body temperature is the first step to charting. This

page will give you instruction on how to take your daily temperature and

what the information you obtain from them means.

When To Start Taking Temps

Your first temperature should be taken starting with day one of your cycle.

Day one of your cycle is the first day you begin your menstrual period.

What Time To Take Temp

Your temperature reading can rise up to 1/10 of a degree for every half an

hour taken later than normal or fall 1/10 of a degree for every half hour

taken earlier than normal. To get an accurate chart, it is crucial to take

your temperature as close as possible to the same time everyday. If you

normally get up during the weekdays at 6:00 AM try and take all your

temperatures at this time. Weekends can be tough....we all like to sleep

in, just remember that each temperature that is not taken at the normal

time has to be adjusted (using the 1/10 for every half an hour rule) which

will get you close to what your temperature should have been. Always log

the time your temperature was taken each day and make a notation if your

temperature has been adjusted.

What Kind Of Thermometer

You can use either a traditional glass or digital thermometer, but use the

same thermometer throughout your cycle. If you use a traditional glass

thermometer always shake it down and make sure you wait for 5 minutes before

you read the temperature. If you use a digital thermometer, wait for the

beep (usually about 1 minute) before you read and that the temperature will

register to 1/10 of a degree. For example: will read 97.56 and not round up

to 97.6.

Do I Take Temp Orally

Temperatures can be taken either orally or vaginally. Which ever method you

choose, keep it consistent throughout the cycle.

Take Temps Upon Waking

It is important to take your temperature immediately upon waking. Your

temperature will fluctuate once you are moving around. If you wake up

during the middle of the night and you go back to sleep and get at least

three additional hours of uninterrupted sleep, your temperature will be

accurate. If you wake up less than three hours before your normal scheduled

waking time and have to get up for any reason, it is advisable to take your

temperature then (before you get out of bed) and not at your normal waking

time. Remember log the time temperature was taken and make a notation as

to the adjustment.

How To Log Your Temps

Start with a good spreadsheet - Check out different charts to use or make

up one of your own. There is no such thing as too much information to log

in your chart - every little twinge may be telling you something! Temps

should range from the mid 96's to 99.00. Your cycle day and date should run

across the top of the spreadsheet. Your indicator columns and your

temperature range should run up and down. Make sure you start your

numbering on cycle day one (first day of mp) leave the blanks if you have

missed a few days. Always round down. For example if your waking

temperature registered at 97. 52 - you would chart your temp at 97.5. If

it was 97.68 you would round down to 97.6 the reason for this is you do not

want to risk charting a false high high temp. A false high could lead you

to believe that you have already ovulated when in fact you may still be

fertile. Circle the appropriate temp for the appropriate day and log all

other indicators for that day. Draw a line going from your first charted

temp to your second charted temp, from your second charted temp to your

third and so on. This will give you a clearer picture as to the rises and

or falls within your cycle. Occasionally you may get an out of the ordinary

temperature read - you may be ill, stressed, did not get enough sleep, had

alcohol the night before....these temps should be logged but do not connect

them to the previous day or the day after - the reason for this is they are

not a true temp and may cause confusion in reading your chart. Remember

to make a notation as to the cause of the unusual temperature.

The Information Temps Give

Taking your waking body temperature can give you information that is very

helpful if trying to conceive. If not pregnant your temperature will

reflect two phases during a cycle, three phases if conception has occurred.

Your temperatures will vary (fall and rise) during your monthly cycle. They

will be lower in the first phase, higher in the second phase and higher

still in the third phase once implantation takes place. The rise in temps

from the first phase to the second phase is caused from ovulation. Your

temps will rise only AFTER ovulation has taken place. Charting temperatures

alone without using cervical fluid and position DOES NOT indicate when your

most fertile time is (before ovulation) until after ovulation has occurred -

which is too late. Therefore we recommend that all indicators are charted

to give a more efficient reading of fertility.

Taken from Webwomb.com

Hart