Charting - Let's talk about it.

HookEmNelson

Those who just started their charting journey: How is it going? Find amazing data? Was it predictable for you?

My biggest thing with charting is making sure I temp after I hit the first snooze and start moving around. I'm thinking I will get better at the timing once school starts (I'm a teacher). Summer truly has thrown my waking up times off.

Let us know, ladies.

Katm89

I suck at taking my temps lol this morning I ran out of bed to pee and didn't realize I didn't temp. I am better about temping before "o" day. I hope next months chart will actually be complete.

Xstatic3333

The first weeks off BCPs were a mess. I also made the mistake of temping in the middle of the night if I happened to wake up, which I later learned from lurking other boards was the incorrect choice. I did get crosshairs, but only dashed ones.

This month so far has seemed very stable! I think I had my temp shift two days ago, but on CD 11 which seems quite early, especially since last month's LP was only 8 days! We'll see how it pans out.

I'm having issues interpreting CM, and I never click on threads with CM in the title because I'm scared there will be pictures. Trying to stay really well hydrated to help in this area.

Katm89

@Xstatic3333 Does the CM gross you out, or just other peoples cm

Xstatic3333

Katm89 said:

@Xstatic3333 Does the CM gross you out, or just other peoples cm

Hmmm, a little of both I guess. I have womaned up and tried to find some "internally" as directed by FF, but I've just had limited success. Definitely not really into pictures of it. I'm hoping more time off BCPs plus hydration will make it more plentiful and easier to find.

MamaBish

I am a terrible sleeper so my temps are a bit of a mess. I try to temp at about the same time if possible but I end up with a lot of open circles. I am still able to see a change and I can get ch so it seems to be working well enough.

LavenderBrown1018

Thanks for starting this! I have so many comments and questions concerning charting on a daily basis.

Right now we're TTA using charting and will transition to TTC in December. I got my Mirena out on July 1 and my temperatures were rocky and Fertility Friend said they were on the high side. I'm in the middle of cycle 2 and they've since balanced out to a normal level! I'm really excited about that.

I ovulated on CD18 on my first cycle off of BC last month and had a 28-day cycle making my LP 10 days. I know 10 days is normal, but it's on that borderline so I'm most interested in how long my LP is this cycle.

I also suck at CM @xstatic3333. I have looked at pictures and I think I can identify things and then I'm always confused. It also grosses me out a tad. Not enough to keep me from doing it, but like you, enough to keep me from looking at others' pics.

So I have a couple questions!

1. I'm starting work soon (I'm a teacher). I normally temp at 8 AM but will have to start waking up earlier (6 AM). Should I gradually start waking up and temping earlier or should I just transition to 6 AM one day and discard the temp that day?

2. Would love to hear from some charting experts on whether a 10 day LP is of concern or not!

Katm89

@lavenderBrown1018 I read in TCOYF that you must have atleast a 10 day LP, so I think ten is fine, but I read that some people take progesterone from their doc as a precautionary thing( don't know much about the progesterone thing).

RachelT1234

@lavenderBrown1018, I want to give a disclaimer that I'm not a charting expert, but I think that if you begin temping a couple of hours earlier midcyle it may affect the temps enough that you may not get solid crosshairs. Once you start a new cycle I would pick a time that would always be a waking temp and maintain that time regardless of if you work during that timeframe.

LavenderBrown1018

@Katm89 that's the answer I was looking for. I think I'll chart for a few months and see what my LP is. If it's consistently 10 I'll call my OBGYN and see if I can get some progesterone or what her thoughts are before we start TTC in December.

@RachelT1234 Thanks!! I'm sure it will affect and sadly I start work midcycle. If I'd had the foresight to switch times I would have but I didn't think it mattered where a time switch was in the cycle but it makes sense that it would be better before the cycle beginning. Ugh oh well. I'll be taking OPKs and hopefully that will help me pinpoint ovulation. We're not currently TTC but I'd like for all my data to be accurate for when we do start trying, especially due to my LP concerns.

Xstatic3333

LavenderBrown1018 said:

@Katm89 that's the answer I was looking for. I think I'll chart for a few months and see what my LP is. If it's consistently 10 I'll call my OBGYN and see if I can get some progesterone or what her thoughts are before we start TTC in December.

@RachelT1234 Thanks!! I'm sure it will affect and sadly I start work midcycle. If I'd had the foresight to switch times I would have but I didn't think it mattered where a time switch was in the cycle but it makes sense that it would be better before the cycle beginning. Ugh oh well. I'll be taking OPKs and hopefully that will help me pinpoint ovulation. We're not currently TTC but I'd like for all my data to be accurate for when we do start trying, especially due to my LP concerns.

Hmmm, since I had a really short LP my first cycle too, maybe it's a "just kicked hormonal BC" thing and we have a good chance of evening out? I haven't read TCOYF yet but I will soon, I swear!

penelope4612

I stopped BC 2.5 cycles ago and have been temping to TTA for the past 2.5 months, with the plan to start TTC next month.  

I have found it to be pretty helpful.  Earlier this month, I was convinced I was about to O based on CM but then apparently didn't (I even had some left sided pain that I was convinced was O - I was super surprised when my temps didn't rise).  My cycles have been wonky (first cycle I O'd on CD 23, 2nd cycle on CD 15, this cycle I'm on CD 23 with no O in sight).  My LP first cycle was 14 days and last cycle was 12 days.  I have found that my temps are pretty consistently in the 96-97 range before O, and >98 after O, which is a pretty pronounced temp shift and makes it pretty obvious for me when I ovulated.

In terms of CM, I can only successfully tell what type I have if it ends up on my underwear.  Any time I've tried to check internally I haven't been able to tell the difference.  I've been working on trying to identify cervical position and openness but I'm not sure I'm very good at it.  My first cycle, I checked my cervix daily and I remember thinking on O day that it was so obvious that it was open.  My last cycle I was not consistent at all and couldn't tell the difference.  So I think you probably have to be checking really regularly to notice the change, at least in the beginning.

@LavenderBrowne1018 - I would say to just keep temping despite waking up earlier.  FF will probably be annoyed at you and give you dotted crosshairs instead of solid crosshairs, but I bet you will still see a temp shift.  I am not consistent about my temp time (I usually naturally wake up about an hour before my alarm and temp then, but there have been times I woke up 2 hours before my alarm, and temped then knowing I was going to the bathroom, or times I slept straight until my alarm and temped then).  FF gives me open circles but I can still see a temp shift at the end of the day.

Is anyone trying OPKs?  This is my first cycle trying (I have the Wondfo brand), and I started on like CD 13, multiple times per day, because I thought I was going to O.  When I didn't, I cut back to once daily, but I'm starting to lose hope. 

LavenderBrown1018

@penelope4612 I'm using wondfos too! I wait until the "green light" from FF and then take once a day. I haven't done more than one a day. It says to test between 10 am and 8 pm and the optimal time being 2 or 2:30.

Katm89

This is my second month off bc and I can already tell a difference in my cycle. My boobs have doubled in size and if I wasn't charting I would think I was pregnant. DH thought my chart was wrong and I was pregnant and he convinced me to take a test lol It was negative duh. I think it will take a couple months for my hormones to even out. My hormones were deff lacking the first month off. I ovulated CD 18 and my period didn't hurt at all! This month I am already cramping and I'm not due for my period until saturday.

Katm89

@penelope4612 is it possible you O'd earlier the cycle it was 12 LP?  According to TCOYF the one phase that doesn't ever ever change in length is the LP.

penelope4612

@Katm89 - I know, I read that too and thought it was weird.  If you google it, it does say that 1-2 days variation in the LP can happen and isn't abnormal. I'm pretty sure I didn't O earlier in the cycle, but it is possible that I counted my period as occurring a day early (the first day was mostly spotting, a little heavier at the very end of the day).  So maybe it was a 13 day LP if I count the first day of my period as happening a day later.

mymyheyhey

I just started charting a couple of months ago. I've been pretty good so long as I hear my alarm, remember to put my BBT on my night stand and my pets don't wake me up a million times in the night!

 

HookEmNelson

Tomorrow is the day of starting consistent temp readings - the first day of school.
Wish me luck!
You ladies are so motivating and i can't wait to jump in on chart talk, once I actually see what's going on in the mornings.

Katm89

Good Look @HookEmNelson! Today I'm CD3 and @penelope4612 I ended up getting my period the exact CD I thought, but I got "brown" blood the night before and looked it up and it says not to count it until it turns red. I also got to thinking that it makes sense that it may chance 1-2 days because you don't know what time of day you "O'd" and that could change when your period could come. I am CD3 and i am determined to have temps everyday this month because even though last month i had a clear temp shift I lacked some temps lol.

ska8471

My first/only chart was a mess.

I missed a few days of temping (travel/weddings). FF told me I ovulated at one point then took that back when I had another temp shift (with 1 day of watery CM that time). It just straight up said nothing after that haha.

I think I was awful at judging CM. Hopefully this month evens out. :-/

lizzie080883

I just started charting... We've been TTC for three months (but it feels like MUCH longer). I thought since nothing seems to be happening, it wouldn't hurt to start marking everything g down. I didn't take temps though. I've just been tracking the first day of my cycle and CM. maybe I should start doing temps? Are you using a regular thermometer or purchasing a special kind?

penelope4612

@lizzie080883 - you want a basal body thermometer (which shows temps to the hundredth digit, ie 98.00 instead of 98.0).  

I have this one, and it works well:

https://www.amazon.com/DMI-Digital-Thermometer-Natural-Planning/dp/B000O6YCZY/ref=sr_1_2?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1440446270&sr=1-2&keywords=mabis&pebp=1440446277481&perid=0A0TTG20B8SNM19G4G31

HookEmNelson

I'm so mad at myself. I got horrible sleep last night and woke up like 4 times with the first day of school on my mind.
So I do know that I'm currently ovulating, because I am spotting (I have a uterine polyp that will be removed via d&c soon) and that is my concrete indication.
I so want to chart..tomorrow it will happen!

justbeachy109

I haven't charted for years, but I have to say that I learned a lot by doing it when we were TTC #3. I found out I ovulate earlier than the typical CD14.

lizzie080883

@penelope4612 thanks for the link! I may just have to make this purchase and read up on it a little more.

lizzie080883

@penelope4612 In fact, I just ordered it. It can't hurt to chart everything. Makes me feel like I'm at least doing what I can. Thanks for the information! Any suggestions on reading material?

RachelT1234

lizzie080883 said:

@penelope4612 In fact, I just ordered it. It can't hurt to chart everything. Makes me feel like I'm at least doing what I can. Thanks for the information! Any suggestions on reading material?

I 150% recommend reading taking charge of your fertility (TCOYF). It goes into details of charting, and TTC process. I have learned so much from it. In fact, I wish I read it years ago. Also fertility friend has awesome tutorials to read up on the charting process.

penelope4612

Agree with RachelT1234.  TCOYF is a great book that has a lot of in depth information.   The Fertility Friend tutorials cover a lot of the same material about charting and tracking your cycles and are super easy/quick to get through.  Most people here chart on Fertility Friend (fertilityfriend.com) and there is also a mobile app so you can enter the info on your phone if that is quicker.  FF is free but there is also an option to pay for a VIP version.

lizzie080883

Thanks @RachelT1234 and @penelope4612 ! I'll check that out as well. Such great information!