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Excel format Begin charting the first day of your period. This is the first day of red flow, not spotting. This is cycle day one. If you start charting mid cycle, make sure that your chart reflects cycle day one as the first day of your period. If your period starts late afternoon or in the evening, consider the following day cycle day one. Your fertility signs Your two main fertility signs are your basal body temperature (BBT) and your cervical fluid. These are the most important to check when charting your fertility. Other signs that can help determine your status are cervical position, ovulation predictor kits, and fertility monitors. These are useful for cross checking your main fertility signs, but they are not essential Basal Body Temperature Your BBT is your body temperature at rest. It is the only sign that will tell you definitively that you ovulated. It is also the only sign that will let you pinpoint, as closely as possible, when you ovulated. Charting your BBT will also tell you the length of your luteal phase, which will let you know when the best time to test for pregnancy is. It is best to use your cervical fluid and other fertility signs along with your BBT to get the most out of charting. How to take and record your BBT It is important to use a Basal Body Temperature thermometer rather than a regular thermometer to take your BBT. Both digital and mercury thermometers will work, but a digital thermometer is easier and quicker to read. It also leaves little room for error in timing, as it beeps when it is finished taking your temperature. Both will store your reading, but it is best to record your temperature on a notepad at your bedside as soon as possible. You can find a BBT thermometer at most pharmacies. It is essential that you take your temperature in the morning right after waking. It is preferable to take it at the same time each morning, but more important to take it right after waking. Any activity, even rising from bed can raise your BBT. If you use a mercury thermometer, shake it down the previous night. Make sure you get at least three consecutive hours of sleep before taking your BBT. Use the same thermometer througout your cycle. If you use a heating pad or an electric blanket, keep it at the same setting throughout your cycle. Certain factors can influence your BBT. Make a note if any of these factors occur with you so you can keep them in mind when interpreting your chart:
Cervical Fluid Cervical fluid is produced by your cervix due to increased estrogen as you approach ovulation. Your cervical fluid will change throughout your cycle. Noting and recording these changes will help you recognize your own fertility pattern. Typically, cervial fluid starts out dry, then gets sticky, then creamy, then wet and watery, looking somewhat like eggwhite as you get closer to ovulation. If you get differenty types of cervical fluid on the same day, record your most fertile type. Checking for cervical fluid You can check for cervical fluid both externally and internally. Avoid checking just before or after intercours as arousal and seminal fluids will skew your observations. The easiest way to check externally is when you go to the bathroom. After you wipe, you can wipe outside your vagina a second time and note any fluid you find on the tissue. You can also use your clean fingers to check, or you may notice cervical fluid in your underwear. The things to notice about your cervical fluid are the color, consistency, amount, what it feels like and if you can stretch it between your thumb and index finger. If you are having trouble finding cervical fluid, doing kegel exercises, regular exercise, and bowel movements help push the cervical fluid to the vaginal opening, making observation easier. The only difference between checking for cervical fluid internally as opposed to externally is how you collect it. Follow the same steps as checking externally for observation. To collect cervical fluid internally, insert two fingers in your vagina until you can feel your cervix, with one finger on each side of it. Press gently against your vervix and move your fingers to the opening of the cervix. Remove your fingers and pull them apart slowly. Certain facorts may influence the quality and quantity of the cervical fluid you produce. Such factors may be:
Make a note of any of these factors that occur while you are charting. Your cervical fluid is probably your best sign as to when to start having baby making intercourse. Your chances of conception are best if you have intercourse just before ovulation. Begin having intercours from the first time you notice fertile cervical fluid. Cervical Position and Firmness Your cervical position is a secondary fertility sign. When ovulation is approaching, your cervix will be high and soft. When you are no longer fertile, your cervix will be low and firm. To check your cervical position, make sure you have clean hands. Check once a day after your period. Check your cervix at the same time each day. Use the same position to check your cervix each day, as changing your body's position will change your cervical height observation. Insert one or two fingers into the vagina until you can feel your cervix. Your cervix will feel smooth, round and firmer than the surrounding vaginal tissues. Is your cervix high or low? Does it feel soft or firm? Does it feel open or closed? Wet or dry? Record these observations. Other Possible Fertility Signs Ovulation pain: It is also known as mittelschmertz. It is a slight pain you may feel near your abdomen or ovary when you ovulate. It doesn't necessarily occur at the exact time of ovulation and not everyone feels it. It can be useful to cross check with other fertility signs Using this BBT chart:
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