Charting Newbie

[katieb4tom]

I am going to start charting. Is the best way to learn how to do it to read the FF information, or did you all get a separate book? It looks confusing right now, but I haven't started yet--my thermometer is 'out for delivery' according to Amazon

[annabear07]

Read the sticky at the top of the page there is a ton of information in that. Also most of us read Taking Charge of Your Fertility (TCOYF) to learn everything than we should have known about our bodies a long time ago!

[awick14]

I second the book TCOYF.

It has helped me so much in regards to knowing my body. I agree that this stuff needs to be taught when we were younger.

[magpie]

Fertility Friend also has an eBook on amazon (it's free!). I found it very helpful and interesting as well.

[coribelle26]

I was able to jump right in with Fertility Friend to at least get the temping started, but a few months later I read TCOYF and it took it to the next level in terms of knowledge/understanding. Good luck!

[simpsongal]

It's definitely intimidating at first but once you read a little about it, you'll get the hang of it all. I highly recommend the FF videos on charting - it's a 3-part series that boils it all down pretty nicely.

[VillainV]

I agree that it can be intimidating at first, especially if you try to jump in all at once.

How much charting do you want to do? Temps obviously based on ordering a thermometer:-) That's a good place to start. You can also use Ovulation Predictor Kits (OPKs) to track ovulation, which works really good if you do it in conjunction with temps. OPKs only tell you that you might be about to ovulate, whereas the temps tell you that you did indeed just ovulate. Some people also chart cervical position, cervical mucous, ferning, and a few other things that you can read about on FF.

I think most people find it easier to start off charting with one or two things, then add on in coming months. I started off just doing temps. Then the next month I added OPKs, and the month after I added CM and CP. They all work together to paint a big picture of what your body is doing:-) The nice thing about doing CM and CP is that if your temps are wonky for whatever reason (insomnia, travel, illness), you have something else besides OPKs to back yourself up on.

[Deleted]

I've started off doing temperature, but will use OPK from the next cycle. I unfortunately can't track CM or CP because I don't have a cervix, so I'm using everything else to give me a clue.
I agree it can all be a bit intimidating, I have learnt so much about my body just from starting this journey.