Charting

Bat_Ish_Crazy

I'm ashamed to say that I've never tried charting to track my cycles. I think it's time to really dig in and learn more about what my body is doing.  What helped you get into the habit?  I'm a zombie in the mornings, so it is going to take some adjustment to make sure I'm taking my temp immediately. Do you just take your temp as soon as you get up, regardless of when that is? Or do you set an alarm to make sure you get your temp at the same time every day regardless of any other variables? 

sunflwra

I definitely recommend reading Taking Charge of Your Fertility- it explained so much that I had no idea about.  I temped for a few months but once things started to seem consistent, I changed to just doing OPKs.  It was a bit simpler and still gave me the info I needed to time things the right way.  I wasn't willing to give up my extra weekend sleep when the OPKs were helping me, but I know others have more variance in their cycles and the temping is best for them.  Good luck!

ellebelle2384

I also recommend TCOYF.  It's a great resource for understanding your cycle.  I am addicted to charting and have been since TTC for DD.  I think the more you do it the more it becomes a habit.  I put my thermometer on top of my phone, which is my alarm clock, so that even if I hit snooze I grab the thermometer.  I don't find that I need to take it at the exact same time every day, just before I start moving around but I know everyone is different in that.

littlecookie

I'll echo the TTOYF recommendation. I love charting and haven't used opks. I started charting a few months before we started TTC DS and have been doing it pretty much ever since. I temp when I wake up and only monitor CM, so it's really not a lot of extra work and gives me so much insight into my cycle.

dmsmth

I set my arm for 6am, which is before I know either girl will get up. Alarm goes off, pop therm in my mouth, beeps, rolls over and go back to bed.

purplehaze11

It's definitely habit. My DD sometimes gets up intermittently, but I always temp after the longest chunk of sleep, usually around 530-6

Bat_Ish_Crazy

Thanks ladies. I'm adding TCOYF to my to-do list before going back to work later this week. I like the idea of keeping the thermometer with my phone. It's the first thing I reach for in the morning, so that would help me get into the habit for sure!

tigerlynx31413

I set my thermometer right beside my phone and have my alarm set for an hour before I know DD usually gets up. I temp and put it in my phone app right away and roll back over for another hour.

BookishMomma

I take my temp whenever I wake up after my longest sleep, regardless of when that is.  Sometimes it's 3am, sometimes 4 or 5. I have really inconsistent sleep patterns and am a lifelong insomniac, so the whole setting an alarm thing probably wouldn't work for me. 

Vaginal temping instead of oral temping has also helped me immensely. It is less influenced by external factors, so I think it works well for people with inconsistent sleep.