Charting vs. Not Charting

laceyann2008 · September 2010

I've noticed many of you chart but how many of you DON'T chart?

If you do chart, what do you chart?

If you don't, why?

soontobe05 · September 2010

I only do CM and AF...no temps or anything.

herray · September 2010

I'm fairly new to TTC, but I've looked into charting and haven't jumped in yet. I felt so overwhelmed when I looked into it that I decided to try without charting for a while. I found it far too stressful at this point.

pinay976 · September 2010

I chart my temps, CM and OPKs.
I like knowing what my body is doing and where I am in my cycle. Not knowing if/when I O'd or when AF is due would drive me nuts.

Birdies08 · September 2010

I chart temps and CM.

Also, I LOVE your sig pic! Gorgeous.

brookelynpaisley · September 2010

I chart temps, CM, and CP. I've done OPKs but didn't do them this cycle.

baloneydisc · September 2010

I chart temps & CM.

I have PCOS & really wouldn't have any idea what was going on with my body without temping because I don't have a "normal" to base anything off of.

brookelynpaisley · September 2010

pinay976:
I chart my temps, CM and OPKs.
I like knowing what my body is doing and where I am in my cycle. Not knowing if/when I O'd or when AF is due would drive me nuts.

This x1000

DreamChaser246 · September 2010

I chart.

I charted to avoid for 3 years, and now I'm charting to get pregnant. I have found it so valuable to know what is going on with my body. No question as to when I O'd, how long my lp is, or how my body is doing.

My cycle lengths do vary by 2-5 days, so I would go crazy not knowing exactly when AF is coming or if/when I O'd.

laceyann2008 · September 2010

Birdies08:
I chart temps and CM.
Also, I LOVE your sig pic! Gorgeous.

Thanks. My "adopted brother's" fiancee did them for me the other day. I just grabbed a few outfits and this white dress and we played with her new equipment! She's amazing with no formal schooling whatsoever!

ps. I don't chart!

kmv68 · September 2010

I don't chart...if we don't get KU by cycle #8 I may start.

I don't chart b/c my cycles has always been between 26-28 days so having sex every day to every other day from day 8-15ish is not a big deal to me anyway, so charting would just tell me to definitely have sex when we already are. If my cycle were irregular I think I would chart to know when I O, but I have a pretty good idea and also get a ton of CM on my own. I also stress pretty easily over things and don't want to add more stress to TTC. (I also don't get up the same times every day to temp.)

Firefly9 · September 2010

I chart temps and I tried CM this month. That didn't work out so well, either I had no EWCM or I totally missed it.

brookelynpaisley · September 2010

Out of curiosity, why have you chosen not to chart?

alhal · September 2010

Chart. Just do it. There are a zillion pros and almost zero cons. It is hard for me to understand why someone would find it to be stressful... I find NOT knowing what my body is doing to be stressful. If you don't chart, you'll find yourself going "OMG, AF is 4 days late... I must be KU but why is the HPT still negative!?!?!?!" and THAT will drive you crazy

mchupie · September 2010

I hope it's okay if I jump in here. I charted for 2 major reasons:

1. I have heard horror stories of people who stopped BCP and found out a year later at their first RE appointment that they weren't ovulating. Since I stopped BCP after 10 years, I wanted to make sure I was ovulating (and not run the risk of wasting a year!)

2. Unnecessary inductions and C-sections are done all the time as a result of the fact that women don't know their conception date. Especially if you have longer cycles, it's not uncommon for your actual due date (based on conception) to be a week or two later than your EDD (based on LMP). You might think you are two weeks late when you are actually right on schedule! No need to be induced. Knowing the conception date of my baby has really been a blessing so far this pregnancy.

Temp878586125009588 · September 2010

I chart my temps, CM, CP, and now OPKs

laceyann2008 · September 2010

I choose not to chart for numerous reasons:

My cycle is fairly regular, ranging from 27 to 31 days every time.

We dtd often enough that if/when I O, it's there, ready and waiting.

I tried charting once before on my own before and we saw what was very possible to be a BFP and my AF came so there was heartache and tears.

I see so many women who get pregnant without trying and I've got high hopes that we can do it too, as a young and healthy couple.

I don't get up the same time every morning and when I get up, my first thought is to used the bathroom. Kinda detrimental to temping.

and I'm not great at handling stress and seeing when I need to dtd is a lot less fun than just going at it cause we're in the mood.

I want to make baby making fun and natural, not scientific.

DaisyJanie · September 2010

I have just been keeping track of CM this cycle. I'm fairly certain I know when I ovulated, but if I don't get good news this round I might temp next cycle to make sure I'm ovulating.

My husband had a mistaken notion, probably from a sitcom or something, that when you temp, the woman knows to the second when she's ovulating and you have to have sex right at that moment or else. He was concerned it would be too much pressure for him, so we didn't temp. He's coming around to the idea now, and realizing that I'm not going to make him run home from work in the middle of the day for sex.

ManiacMcGee · September 2010

I'd also like to chime in and say that there have been many nervous people over on first tri who think they are 7 weeks pregnant but then have a u/s where they can't see anything. They totally freak out and spend nights worrying, when really they just ovulated late and are really 5 weeks along.

Anyway, just another thought.

mchupie · September 2010

It's totally fine if you choose not to chart, I just want to point some things out to you below so you have all the facts Smile

I promise I'm not trying to be a debbie downer, here...just want to help. GL with whatever you decide!

laceyann2008:

I choose not to chart for numerous reasons:

My cycle is fairly regular, ranging from 27 to 31 days every time. That doesn't mean you are, in fact, ovulating.

We dtd often enough that if/when I O, it's there, ready and waiting. Again, no guarantee that you are ovulating.

I tried charting once before on my own before and we saw what was very possible to be a BFP and my AF came so there was heartache and tears. I'm very sorry, it's possible that was a chemical pregnancy. Althogh< I'm not sure what that has to do with charting?

I see so many women who get pregnant without trying and I've got high hopes that we can do it too, as a young and healthy couple. Being young and healthy doesn't guarantee that you can get pregnant.

I don't get up the same time every morning and when I get up, my first thought is to used the bathroom. Kinda detrimental to temping. Just set an alarm for the same time, and temp right when you get up. It's really easy to get in the habit.

and I'm not great at handling stress and seeing when I need to dtd is a lot less fun than just going at it cause we're in the mood. I feel like I would have been a lot more stressed out never knowing if/when AF was going to come. And I promise you, charting definitely does not make having sex any less fun. Personally, I think having sex every other day all cycle would get tiring and make it less fun.

I want to make baby making fun and natural, not scientific. Are you saying that charting isn't natural? What could be more natural than using your body's own symptoms and cues to learn about how your body is working? Within the Catholic Church, charting is actually called "Natural Family Planning". IMO saying that charting is not natural is sort of ignorant and offensive.

laceyann2008 · September 2010

mchupie:
It's totally fine if you choose not to chart, I just want to point some things out to you below so you have all the facts

I promise I'm not trying to be a debbie downer, here...just want to help. GL with whatever you decide!

laceyann2008:

I choose not to chart for numerous reasons:

My cycle is fairly regular, ranging from 27 to 31 days every time. That doesn't mean you are, in fact, ovulating.

We dtd often enough that if/when I O, it's there, ready and waiting. Again, no guarantee that you are ovulating.

I tried charting once before on my own before and we saw what was very possible to be a BFP and my AF came so there was heartache and tears. I'm very sorry, it's possible that was a chemical pregnancy. Althogh< I'm not sure what that has to do with charting?

I see so many women who get pregnant without trying and I've got high hopes that we can do it too, as a young and healthy couple. Being young and healthy doesn't guarantee that you can get pregnant.

I don't get up the same time every morning and when I get up, my first thought is to used the bathroom. Kinda detrimental to temping. Just set an alarm for the same time, and temp right when you get up. It's really easy to get in the habit.

and I'm not great at handling stress and seeing when I need to dtd is a lot less fun than just going at it cause we're in the mood. I feel like I would have been a lot more stressed out never knowing if/when AF was going to come. And I promise you, charting definitely does not make having sex any less fun. Personally, I think having sex every other day all cycle would get tiring and make it less fun.

I want to make baby making fun and natural, not scientific. Are you saying that charting isn't natural? What could be more natural than using your body's own symptoms and cues to learn about how your body is working? Within the Catholic Church, charting is actually called "Natural Family Planning". IMO saying that charting is not natural is sort of ignorant and offensive.

I totally agree with all your points as well. There are two sides to every coin! Big Smile I actually agree that all of your points are spot-on!

and in the end or after enough cycles go by we will probably start to chart. I should have also mentioned that he's slowly being eased into the whole TTC thing and charting and temps would more than likely freak him out!

Hell, he was clueless how a HPT worked until I broke it down to him

But those are my reasons... If I don't ovulate this month, there's always the chance for next month. And my almost BFP, I should have elaborated. We thought we saw a rise in temps, etc but it wasn't the case in the end, obviously but that's okay now.

Those were just my reasoning and explanations.

ermaderma · September 2010

mchupie:

I hope it's okay if I jump in here. I charted for 2 major reasons:

1. I have heard horror stories of people who stopped BCP and found out a year later at their first RE appointment that they weren't ovulating. Since I stopped BCP after 10 years, I wanted to make sure I was ovulating (and not run the risk of wasting a year!)

2. Unnecessary inductions and C-sections are done all the time as a result of the fact that women don't know their conception date. Especially if you have longer cycles, it's not uncommon for your actual due date (based on conception) to be a week or two later than your EDD (based on LMP). You might think you are two weeks late when you are actually right on schedule! No need to be induced. Knowing the conception date of my baby has really been a blessing so far this pregnancy.

I never thought of it this way, but you are absolutely correct! Unnecessary inductions and c-sections are at an all-time high and I believe that this is one of the major reasons why. That and convenience, but let's not get into that Stick out tongue

OP, I chart temps, CM, and OPKs. I have PCOS and knowing that I wasn't ovulating was what made me go see a new endocrinologist who diagnosed me as being insulin resistant and immediately put me on meds to regulate my blood sugars and cycles. If I didn't chart, I would have no idea that I wasn't ovulating (I even got what O pain even though I didn't actually release the egg) and probably could have eventually led to diabetes.

hawaiianbride08 · September 2010

I don't chart. The reason? I don't want to ;-) If it takes me awhile to get pregnant maybe I will do it. I'm also starting to TTC at 28 when I used to think we wouldn't be ready until 30 and we only want 2 kids so even though I really want to get pregnant, I don't feel like it has to happen now.

lolliM · September 2010

I don't chart or temp or anything...yet. We just started (I came off the pill in August...no AF yet...on Provera right now, AF next week and then we can really start again). For me I tend to over analyze and stress so its totally a mental thing...we are just going to do it every other day and if it happens quick that would be awesome. If it doesn't happen quick then down the road I may dive into all of that. We are completely open to adoption too if its been months and months of no result. I'm all about knowing what is going on with my body, its just not an element I want to add to the mix right now!

laceyann2008 · September 2010

hawaiianbride08:
even though I really want to get pregnant, I don't feel like it has to happen now.

This.

kissyfitt · September 2010

This is my first month charting and I am SO glad that I did.

Last month we decided to have fun with it. I had a period tracker on my ipod that told me I should ovulate on CD20. Every month it said the same thing, O on CD20. So we dtd around that time and were sure that we had this pregnancy thing in the bag.

Well, once I started charting this month, I realized that I ovulated on CD17. 3 days before my ipod assures me I will. Interesting. If I hadn't been charting I would have had no idea. I also would have thought that my LP was shorter than it actually is.

Chart. Just chart.

brookelynpaisley · September 2010

laceyann2008:
mchupie:

It's totally fine if you choose not to chart, I just want to point some things out to you below so you have all the facts

I promise I'm not trying to be a debbie downer, here...just want to help. GL with whatever you decide!

laceyann2008:

I choose not to chart for numerous reasons:

My cycle is fairly regular, ranging from 27 to 31 days every time. That doesn't mean you are, in fact, ovulating.

We dtd often enough that if/when I O, it's there, ready and waiting. Again, no guarantee that you are ovulating.

I tried charting once before on my own before and we saw what was very possible to be a BFP and my AF came so there was heartache and tears. I'm very sorry, it's possible that was a chemical pregnancy. Althogh< I'm not sure what that has to do with charting?

I see so many women who get pregnant without trying and I've got high hopes that we can do it too, as a young and healthy couple. Being young and healthy doesn't guarantee that you can get pregnant.

I don't get up the same time every morning and when I get up, my first thought is to used the bathroom. Kinda detrimental to temping. Just set an alarm for the same time, and temp right when you get up. It's really easy to get in the habit.

and I'm not great at handling stress and seeing when I need to dtd is a lot less fun than just going at it cause we're in the mood. I feel like I would have been a lot more stressed out never knowing if/when AF was going to come. And I promise you, charting definitely does not make having sex any less fun. Personally, I think having sex every other day all cycle would get tiring and make it less fun.

I want to make baby making fun and natural, not scientific. Are you saying that charting isn't natural? What could be more natural than using your body's own symptoms and cues to learn about how your body is working? Within the Catholic Church, charting is actually called "Natural Family Planning". IMO saying that charting is not natural is sort of ignorant and offensive.

I totally agree with all your points as well. There are two sides to every coin! I actually agree that all of your points are spot-on!

and in the end or after enough cycles go by we will probably start to chart. I should have also mentioned that he's slowly being eased into the whole TTC thing and charting and temps would more than likely freak him out!

Hell, he was clueless how a HPT worked until I broke it down to him

But those are my reasons... If I don't ovulate this month, there's always the chance for next month. And my almost BFP, I should have elaborated. We thought we saw a rise in temps, etc but it wasn't the case in the end, obviously but that's okay now.

Those were just my reasoning and explanations.

That's what we're trying to tell you. You won't know you ovulated without charting. The only way to confirm ovulation is with charting a temp shift, blood work, or ultrasound. I'm not following you on your explanation of your "almost BFP" and what it has to do with charting. Temp rises can happen in both pregnancy and non-pregnancy cycles, as can creamy CM, EWCM, temp falls, etc.

I also disagree with your reasoning of "easing DH into TTC." Charting is for YOU. Not for him. My husband has no idea of when I take my temp (sound sleeper) and I try my very best to not let him in on where I am in my cycle.

LauraElizabeth85 · September 2010

I don't temp/chart. I do CM and OPK's (althought I didnt use them this last cycle). I don't temp/chart b/c I feel like I'm only going into my 3rd cycle, so I won't be that hardcore about it unless I hit the cycle 6 before getting KU.

soontobemrsdavis · September 2010

I do not chart. I keep a record of my periods and have done that for years.

I may use OPKs this month becasue I will be going out of town and if I can pinpoint O to a couple days that would be great.

Why I don't chart(temp):

I do not wake up at the same time everyday and do not have the desire, nor drive to do so.

I can see myself staying up all night wondering what my temp will be and being devastated seeing a drop. I also have not tested early bc of this reason, I much rather just see my period, then a BFN.

I think if I am not pregnant by July 11 then I may start to temp and all of that. As of now I am perfectly fine not doing so.

ETA: I have also never been on BCP and have pretty regular periods and have had annual checkups since I was 18 with no issues. So for now I just do not see the need to.

soontobemrsdavis · September 2010

laceyann2008:
hawaiianbride08:
even though I really want to get pregnant, I don't feel like it has to happen now.

This.

This is Syn's take on TTC right now too. So I guess that is also why I do not feel such a strong desire to chart/temp yet. We are a little past the "if it happens, it happens" stage, but not yet in the "it needs to happen now" stage.

tigerhearted · September 2010

I've been charting AF for years. When we started TTC in June, I started making note of my cervical fluid. Middle of last month I started half-heartedly temping, and charting symptoms. This month I switched to a real BBT and am temping for real.

It's actually a lot of fun. XD And not a big pita like I though it would be. I temp when my alarm goes off (assuming the kitten doesn't wake me up first), fall back asleep or go shower, and the thermometer keeps the temp in its memory so I can chart it when I get to the computer.

Oh, I'll be giving OPKs a try this month. Will see how I like it and decide after this month whether to keep doing the OPKs.

Chrissy1563 · September 2010

I do not chart...honestly, just don't have the desire or interest to do it. My DH and I were lucky enough to already be blessed with a beautiful daughter, which we got very easily pregnant for without charting. And trust me, I am thankful for that. We are going to see what happens with #2, just like we did for #1.

NeonEyeliner77 · September 2010

soontobe05:
I only do CM and AF...no temps or anything.

This.

Next cycle I'm going to do the whole shibang though, temps, CM, etc. Except the OPKs. Thats a little much for me and would make me obsess more.

Tomsbabyboo · September 2010

I chart my temps, CM and started charting my CP this cycle. I also document my OPKs. I like to chart because I feel like it gives me some control in the process and helps me understand my body. I have considered taking a break from it down the road, but now that I'm sucked in I don't know if I would be able to stop, haha.

KdgTeacher · September 2010

I don't chart anymore per a conversation with my DR. HOWEVER, I did chart for 10 months and feel I have a pretty good idea of when/how my body works. If I don't get KU in 3 cycles (this one included) then I may go back to charting.

Magenta728 · September 2010

laceyann2008:

I want to make baby making fun and natural, not scientific.

When I have sex with DH, it is both fun and natural. (Sorry, couldn't resist)

ETA: to be nicer Smile

reinstone · September 2010

pinay976:
I chart my temps, CM and OPKs.
I like knowing what my body is doing and where I am in my cycle. Not knowing if/when I O'd or when AF is due would drive me nuts.

Ditto. Temps for now, working in CM this month.

gorby007 · September 2010

I can only tell that there is something funky going on with my cycles because I chart. I know that if I went to my dr with this suspicion she would ask me to chart and to do opks, etc. This way, I'm one step ahead of the game in case there is an issue to look in to.

WifeofMrA · September 2010

I chart. I don't, however, check my cervix position...I always see that box on FF and just haven't hopped on that bandwagon yet

I don't think FF gets it right all the time, but it's worth it when I have a + OPK and can see FF verfiy it.

I did drop VIP this month. The pregnancy monitors and signs etc...it was creating a lot of false hope for me. I'm good with just the graph!

mdiblasi10 · September 2010

I chart temps and CM, and use OPK's. We still enjoy sex and I understand when I am actually ovulating. It has ranged from CD12 to CD20, so I am glad I chart.

Leah678 · September 2010

We don't feel like we HAVE to get pregnant right now, but we are trying. I chart my temp and EWCM. I tend to obsess over it a little, but for now I am glad that I do chart.

Want a personalized experience?

Charting vs. Not Charting

Re: Charting vs. Not Charting

Choose Another Board

Search Boards