chart help- new

I need some help charting, as I would like to start and don’t know anything about it? How do I get started? And when is the best day to start. AF is here today which was 3 days late according to my calculations.

I would like to learn to know whats going on with my body better and I See you girls seem to understand your charts or at least try




TIA

Viviana

Re: chart help- new

Hi and welcome.

The best thing to do is go buy a digital basal body thermometer. It will measure your resting body temperature to the hundreth of a degree. It's best to start taking your temp on the first day of your period, which is Cycle Day 1, but since you're still so early in your cycle, it'd be fine to start ASAP. You take your temperature at the same time each morning right after you wake up and before you've done ANYTHING else - that means no getting up to go to the bathroom, no talking, no drinking, no eating, etc. It's important to take your temp at the same time each day - most of us set our alarm even on the weekends - you can just wake up, take temp and go back to sleep.

You should register for a site like www.fertilityfriend.com. They have tutorials to show you what to do with your temps and what they're supposed to tell you, but bascially you input the temp each day and it gives you a graph. Charting will only tell you when you've ovulated after it's happened - your temperature will rise ever so slightly once you've ovulated due to the presence of the hormone progesterone in your body. You're looking for a biphasic chart to indicate ovulation - meaning that you will have two clear levels of temps even though they might fluctuate from day to day. You'll have one level pre-ovulation and a second on post-ovulation

I hope that helps. I'm sure everyone on here will be super helpful.

Good luck!

Re: chart help- new

i definitely recommend reading some more info on fertilityfriend.com or maybe get your hands on a copy of the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility.

good luck!