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Charting/temp-taking question
The TTC board is soooo overwhelming to me! I know everyone there uses Fertility Friend for charting, but I don't understand that website at all. I've been charting (with my own calendar) since last August, but I don't see a place on the FF website to input past information?
Also, is all the stuff on FF really necessary? Like the amount of flow for that day, what your CM looks like, etc.
Also, how important is it to take your temperature each morning?
DH and I were going to wait until the fall to start trying officially, but as of the last week, we are officially "not preventing," and I should be ovulating in a couple of weeks, so we decided to just go ahead and take the plunge. Fertility problems are one of my greatest fears, even though I have no reason to think we will have any. I'm such a planner though... I want things to happen when I want them to, which is totally the wrong attitude, and I know it's in God's hands, but I think ya'll know what I'm trying to say. :-) Anywho.... I just figured DH and I should do everything we can up front and from the beginning, instead of 6 months from now, we're not pregnant, and then have in the back of my head, "if only we would have tried this or that".... I probably sound psycho! :-)
Re: Charting/temp-taking question
They say on the TTC boards that "you are not really charting if you don't temp"
You can enter info into Fertility Friend. That is what I was using. Here is my latest chart for you to look at. With Emmy, I had a horrible time trying to temp at the same time and remembering to do it before I got up. Teh 4/17/09 is the chart from when I got pregnant with Emmy (that is towards the bottom)
http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/223b12
Taking your temp is the only way you know for sure that you ovulated. You will have a temperature surge just after ovulation.
I always charted my CM, because for me, that was a clear indicator of when I was most fertile. But for some people, its not. They get fertile CM throughout or during different parts of the cycle.
Bev, I always worried about fertility problems and sure enough I had them with Emmy. And I will say, that having my chart info, helped me tremendously when talking to my doc about my cycles. She could clearly see that I was not ovluating even before doing bloodwork.
I am definitely not an expert, but I have used charting enough to know a bit. So let me know if you have any other questions.
Baby #2 - D&E - 10/1/10 @ 19w2d - thanatophoric dysplasia confirmed.
Charlotte Lillian will be forever in our hearts.
Baby #3 - Little Bean - natural miscarriage - 1/17/11 @ 5w5d
Thanks Mel!
That chart is so overwhelming to me! Is there a quick, easy way to explain it in plain English? Yesterday I went through all 20 tutorials but I felt like they talked more about what your body is doing (which I already know from paying attention and reading "What To Expect BEFORE You're Expecting"), as opposed to how to fill out and read the chart.
Does FF not need/want info on my periods since last August, which is when I got off BCP? I have all that info, I just haven't taken my temp.
I've read very good things about the BD brand BBT thermometer.... any opinions on that? I think I saw it was like $9 at Walgreens?
Hey Bev! Charting is actually really easy once you understand the basics of it. The hardest part really is remembering to wake up and take your temp at the same time every day. I've been doing it for almost 3 years now, and I still forget some days!
I use the BD brand BBT, and I've never had an issue with it. The key to taking your temp is simply to do it at the same time every morning (within 10-15 minutes is fine if you're like me and sleep through alarms). You also need to take your temp before you do anything else, including getting out of bed. I just keep mine on our nightstand.
Charting your CM is also pretty helpful for a couple of reasons. First, for most women, it gives you an indication that O is coming soon. With the temps, you won't know you O'd until after the fact. Also, if you don't have much CM, that can make conceiving a bit more difficult, and there are things you can do to increase your CM. You don't have to check internally for CM if you don't want to. I just check the toilet paper every time I go. I'm totally in the habit of checking it every time now.
There's some good, easy to read/find info on this website:
http://ccli.org/nfp/stm-method/ccl-stm-method.php
It's one of the "official" NFP sites, so feel free to ignore what it says about the morality of contraception.
A ton of girls on the GP board also recommend the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility.
Feel free to come on over and ask questions! The girls there are very nice and supportive, and they're willing to answer charting questions, even the "stupid" ones (especially if you identify yourself as a charting newbie). And like I said, I've been doing it for years, so feel free to ask me questions!
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"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain."
Oh, and if it helps you at all, you can see my last two charts here:
http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/2a0c4b
Our Blog!
"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain."
Carrie - thanks for the info! I'll definitely check out the GP board. I was looking at the "trying to get pregnant" board on "the bump," but it's overwhelming to me.
I'll definitely pick up a BD brand BBT this week (hopefully today if I can get to the store). Would I start temping immediately or wait until my next period (next week) ends?
I've paid pretty close attention to my CM for a few years now, just because it was kind of fascinating (ew!!), but it wasn't until a few weeks ago that I actually knew what the different kinds meant, so now I pay even more attention.
Possibly a dumb question, but what's the point of taking your temp if it tells you AFTER you've O'd? Is it just so you can be sure you "did it" when you were supposed to?
And I would start charting on FF on the first day of my next period, right? And my past periods that I have dates for don't matter?
And what about OPKs? Are they worth it?
I would start temping now, that way you can see what some normal temps for you are and to get you used to it. And I have read that a temping a half hour before or after your normal temp time shouldnt mess up your chart.
Yes, temping tells you that you did infact O. Just because you have EWCM (egg white cervical mucus - the most fertile) or a positive OPK doesn't mean that you actually ovulated. And if you know when you ovulated, you should know when your next period or when it is ok to test.
You can start charting now, but it wont really mean anything to FF until you get your period. Nope, your past periods won't matter that much, other than them giving you avg cycle length, etc. You can enter the info I believe if you want.
Yes, I think OPKs are worth it. I used them every month. When I got pg with Emmy I was using the clear blue easy fertility monitor. For this cycle, I just used the internet cheap ones that I ordered from Amazon. That will tell you if you have a hormone (HSG) surge and that is usually an indicator of O coming. Not always will you ovulate after a surge, but it helps pinpoint when you should have sexytime. Rule of thumb is to have sex every other day throughout your whole cycle and that will give you good odds that you timed it around/on ovulation day since spermies can live for a few days.
Baby #2 - D&E - 10/1/10 @ 19w2d - thanatophoric dysplasia confirmed.
Charlotte Lillian will be forever in our hearts.
Baby #3 - Little Bean - natural miscarriage - 1/17/11 @ 5w5d
Our Blog!
"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain."
Mel & Carrie- thank you SO much for all the info! I might be coming back with a bazillion more questions at some point. I got a BBT today at lunch, and will start temping first thing in the morning. i get up at the same time everyday, M-F, but will it matter if i temp later on the weekends?
Laura - is the FF app free or $$?
Baby #2 - D&E - 10/1/10 @ 19w2d - thanatophoric dysplasia confirmed.
Charlotte Lillian will be forever in our hearts.
Baby #3 - Little Bean - natural miscarriage - 1/17/11 @ 5w5d
It's free. there are better apps out there to chart than the FF one, but I liked that I could sync it to the web cause I don't have an iphone, I have the itouch, so i'm not always around wifi, but can use the app without wifi.
Found it! It's called "free menstrual calendar" or something like that. Thanks! Now I feel like a weirdo, all excited to take my temp tomorrow morning lol.