Tracking Your Fertility 101

So I finally got through the book! What a fascinating read, if you’re interested in tracking your cycle, I highly recommend picking up your own copy. I am going to give you the basics, but it just won’t compare to all the nitty-gritty the book shares.  Here is more of a synopsis of what you need to know to get started. I would re-read my post about your cycle for a quick refresher on terminology.

Step 1: Get the book, “Taking Charge of Your Fertility: The Definitive Guide to Natural Birth Control, Pregnancy Achievement, and Reproductive Health” by Toni Weschler, MPH

Step 2: Read The Book!

Step 3: The only piece of equipment you need is a thermometer. Target even sells a pink Basil Digital Thermometer that actually reads “reliable family planning, clinically accurate, includes 12 month ovulation charts.” Don’t use their charts to track though; Taking Charge of Your Fertility has the right ones to use. The main thing about whichever thermometer you choose is that it needs to read to the 1/10^th degree F or for example, 97.4

Step 4: Now that I’ve read the book I am ready to go off the Pill, tonight is my last pill!! So as soon as my period begins I am off to tracking.  *You can start tracking mid-cycle, but I think it would be easier to start from the beginning. I have my thermometer and my charts all printed out. However there is a nifty online 15-day trial CD that comes with the book that I’m interested in using. It would make sharing my charts with you all much, much easier. It looks like the chart to your right.

A note about coming off the pill: It may take a couple months to fully get back to your body’s natural cycle. In the first couple of months it might prevent ovulation, normal temperature readings, abnormal cervical fluid, short Luteal Phase, and/or abnormal menstrual flow. If  you’re not sure about what your Luteal Phase is, again, refer to my post about your cycle.

Step 5: Taking Your Temperature. Take your temperature every morning at roughly the same time- before any other activity.  Seriously ladies, don’t even get up to Pee… I’m having Joe be in charge of this. Literally when the alarm clock goes off he is going to stick the thermometer in my mouth until it beeps. At least until I make it a habit. Plus, including your man is a great way to make them involved and feel like they are helping. Finally, write it down!

Step 6: Charting Your Temperature. This is where you will benefit from reading the book, cause it would take me all day to write this all out. But the basics to charting are as follows:

• Record your temperature each morning and connect the days together by drawing a line from each day’s temperature to the next. When you ovulate there will be a spike and your temperature will remain elevated through the Progesterone Hormone, which can last anywhere from 12-14 days, until you get your period. *Or it will remain elevated because you are pregnant.
• You’ll want to draw a Coverline to define when you ovulated.  As you chart “identify the first temperature that rises at least two-tenths of a degree above the highest temperature. Highlight the last six temperatures before the rise. (These are your most Fertile Days) Draw a coverline one-tenth above the highest of that cluster of six highlighted days preceding the rise.”
• As you can see from the chart to your left, you cannot rely on your temperature for preventing or achieving pregnancy, because once the temperature shift has happened you are almost done with your fertile phase. By tracking many cycles you will begin to see the patterns in your own cycle. But remember the Follicular Phase may vary in length each month because of stress of a variety of other reasons, whereas the Luteal Phase is usually pretty consistent for each individual woman.

Step 7: Charting your Cervical Fluid. This made me a bit squeamish at first but if you are going to use a natural tracking method for birth control or to achieve pregnancy this is a vital component. Also, because I have been on the Pill for several years, my body will need a chance to get back into its natural state before these signs will be consistent again.

• Begin checking your fluid the day after your period has ended. You want to do this about three times a day, right before you use the lady’s room. Doing Kegels on your way to the bathroom will help.
• Right after your period you will have a dry sensation and as you get closer to ovulation you will begin to notice a sticky and then finally a wet feeling where the fluid can even be stretchy and look like egg-whites. This is the fluid that the sperm need to survive, which they “swim” in to get to your egg.  Without this wet cervical fluid, sperm will normally live for only two days if you have sex on a “dry day.” When you are closer to ovulation and producing wet fluid, sperm may live for up to five days. Use the 4 FAM rules below to figure out when you may have sex without using a back-up method.
• Chart your Cervical Fluid noting dry days and then the progression of moist to wet. Use terms like; dry, sticky, watery, thick, opaque, slippery, creamy, clear, egg-white, stretchy…
• “Record your most fertile or wet quality cervical fluid day”  which is also your Peak Fertility Day.  You can verify this with your temperature which will shift in the next day or two because you did in fact ovulate.

Step 8: Charting your Cervical Position. Call me lazy, but this is the optional step. If you have problems using the above two components then adding your cervical position will help you identify when you are ovulating. But I’m only going to add this if my charting is not obvious.

Thank Heavens for the 4 Rules!!!

“The Four ‘Fertility Awareness Method’ FAM Rules”

1. First Five Days Rules: You are safe the first five days of the menstrual cycle if you had an obvious temperature shift about 12 to 16 days before.
2. Dry Day Rule: Before Ovulation, you are safe the evening of every dry day.
3. Temperature Shift Rule: You are safe the evening of the 3rd consecutive day your temperature is above the coverline.
4. Peak Day Rule: You are safe the evening of the 4th consecutive day after your Peak Day.

If you are not in these safe days and are NOT trying to get pregnant either abstain or use a barrier method. If you are trying to get pregnant have sex every day during your wet days marking days of intercourse down on your chart. If you are worried about your man’s sperm count you can have sex every other day to help build up his swimmers.

Questions??? Seriously, you have to have questions…