Fertility Charting
If you're trying to get pregnant and you haven't been able
to conceive yet, or you haven't started trying, but you hope that it won't take
long to conceive, then you'll want to know about charting your fertility. While this may sound like it takes the
spontaneity out of your romance, and it sounds technical, it's a very important
process for conceiving.
Certainly, keeping tabs on your fertility signs is not for
everyone. Some people just want to let
nature take its course and they don't want to know about all of the specifics
involved in getting pregnant. For those,
however, who need this extra help, or want to understand the ins and outs of
what's going on as they try to conceive, these details are very helpful.
Learning How To Use Fertility Charting
Here are two main items to understand for charting your
fertility levels.
1. Basal Body Temperature
Known as the BBT, this is the temperature that you have
when at rest. By charting your
temperature everyday, at the same time every morning, you should be able
to know when you are ovulating and, perhaps, even if you are
pregnant. Usually, in a healthy
woman with a normal cycle, the temperature is in the low range for the
first 12-14 days of the cycle.
Around ovulation, the temperature shoots up, indicating that the
egg has been released. By keeping a
daily chart of your resting temperature, you should be able to see a pattern
and to know approximately when the time to try to conceive is each month.
2. Cervical Fluid
Cervical
Fluid - Examining cervical fluid is another great way to keep track of
your cycle and to know where you are in your cycle. When menstruation ends, the cervical
fluid tends to dry up for a bit.
Then, as ovulation is ready to begin, the fluid is often creamy and
white, and becomes sticky. As you
get closer to ovulating, the fluid is more wet, stretchy and clear. This indicates that you are the most
fertile and this is the best time to try to get pregnant. Usually, a woman will experience this type
of fluid for a few days and then ovulate.
After ovulation, the fluid will dry up again or become less
thick. While many women shy away
from using this method for fertility charting, it can be a very effective
way to know when you are ovulating.
Why Chart?
While charting your fertility, you should have a calendar
available that is just dedicated to your fertility issues. This is your
calendar where you'll mark down when you menstruated, when it ended, what your
temperature was each day, and how your cervical fluid was each day. In addition, you should get graph paper where
you can chart your daily temperature.
Within a few months, you should easily see signs that indicate when you
are about to ovulate based on the increase in your temperature.
These are very inexpensive and easy ways to chart your
fertility and to move towards conception!
While they may seem tedious to some, they are a great way to know what
your body is doing and to get yourself ready to hit your target - and timing is
everything with pregnancy!
Remember to enjoy the process as well and not to get too
bogged down in these technical aspects. They are intended to help the process,
not to infringe on it in any way.
