So I just finished my last BC pack and I will start charting tomorrow. I set my phone alarm to wake me up the same time every morning. Here's the problem: during the week, DH sets his alarm for 5 am. I usually wake up for a few seconds and then fall back asleep. However, if I want my temp to be accurate, I need to take my temp at that time because that's my waking temp. But I realized that I also have to take it that time on the weekend which STINKS!!! I always look forward to the weekend because I actually get a continuous sleep until at least 8 am.
Sorry to rant, but it's already making me depressed...
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I thought so too at first- but it got to the point though where I could reach over, shut off my alarm, grab my thermometer, and take a temp all without opening my eyes. I had no problem instantly falling back asleep.
Get a thermometer that saves your temp and check it and log it later after you get up. I set my alarm for 5am all week long for consistency, since that would be the earliest either of our alarms would go off.
The only real downside was that occasionally the thermometer beeping would wake up my husband, but for the most part he is a very deep sleeper, so usually it was no problem at all.
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Since it boils down to "have sex every or every other day during your fertile period", I'm not charting my temps. I just have an active sex life and don't stress about the rest.
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@cyneswith: I'm doing it right now to figure out when my fertile periods are. I've been on BC for 13 years, so I have no idea what my natural cycle is like. Once I figure out if/when I "O" during my cycle and if it's regular, I will probably lay off unless we end up having trouble conceiving.
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For most people, it's when the EWCM starts. You can also check your cervical position. Those tell me when my fertile period is. BUT, I have sex at least 3 times a week - more like 5 - even off my fertile period. Only difference the fertile period make is whether or not oral sex/handjobs happens.
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@cyneswith: I'm going to be checking my CM as well, but I like having as much information as possible to get a complete picture. EWCM - Check! Temp Spike - Check!
Admittedly, DH and I don't BD as much as we probably should in order to make the most effective use of the "let nature take its course" method. So I want to maximize the time we do spend together so that neither of us gets burnt out and TTC stays exciting instead of becoming a burden. -
Those were my thoughts exactly which is why I decided to try without charting for a few rounds. I had decided that I would start charting on our 5th cycle if I wasn't pregnant. I did some reading to make sure I had a decent understanding buy nothing too serious. Got my BFP on our 4th cycle so no charting necessary for us.
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I didn't really like charting either. We decided to try it out on our 3rd month of TTC, just to establish whether I was actually ovulating when I thought I was. Well, the answer was yes. All of my fertility signs were speaking loud and clear, so the extra step of taking my temperature was probably unnecessary. In any case, we got pregnant on that cycle, so that put an end to my days of waking early to take my temperature.
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Once you get used to it it it's not so bad. I don't even feel like it interrupts my sleep anymore.
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We test at 6:30 everyday, even weekends, and it's so easy. Hubs' alarm goes off and he hands me the thermometer. When it beeps I read him the temp, or just hand it to him because I'm too sleepy to see, he records it, and then gets up. If we don't have to get up at 6:30 (weekend, etc) I set my alarm the night before for whatever time we need. Get your SO involved and it will be simpler. Since he's up at 5:00, have him hand you the thermometer and do the recording.
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That was overwhelming for me at first too but what I noticed was that even though I took my temp an hour or two later on weekends I was still able to see a clear temp shift each cycle to confirm ovulation. I wouldn't stress out too much about it. Goodluck.
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I've been charting for almost six months and now that I know what I'm looking for I only take my temps between CD 14 and 25 (I tend to ovulate on CD21) and then week days during my TWW.
If you find you have regular cycles you might not need to even chart during the weekends so you would still get your sleep in
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I was charting but had to stop for now. It's causing me too much stress.
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I did my first temp this morning. I tried to use Lemondrop's method of taking it with my eyes closed and then recording the temp using the "last temp" feature when I woke up for real. However, I was holding the thermometer upside down and the "last temp" feature only flashed for like 1/50 of a second and I couldn't read it, so I had to retake it. I still got a reading of 97.7, so I think I'm ok, but I will definitely have to come up with a better method going forward....
This is hard
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@TJBee: Give it this month and see if it works for you. I think it will get easier pretty quick, once you get use to it. I really liked it from the start just to know that my body was ovulating for sure. It put my mind at ease at least about that!
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I didn't chart for my first pregnancy - we just stopped preventing and voila! But this time we want to try shettles for a girl so I have been charting since my babe was about 7 months old. Waking at the same time every day with a baby is impossible, but I have still managed to see the shift. Try not to stress over it too much.
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@TJBee: lol, I did the same exact thing my first time- don't worry, it gets a lot easier! I totally forgot about doing that! It is all about getting used to it and making a routine. The first month or two were confusing for me, but after a while I started to see a pattern and it raised my confidence level.
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I'm in the same boat as you. DH wakes @ 4am and I'm not a morning person. Plus, I tried temping years ago and it stressed me out so I just use OPK's and other bodily signs. Luckily, I have ovulation pains which I can't miss as an obvious sign.
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