Perhaps you have just begun the conception ‘roller coaster’ or maybe you are looking at ways to help increase your chances at conception. Read on – because it’s amazing what you can learn about your own body and even help it to conceive by simply charting your cycle each month.

Firstly, the benefits of charting are huge. For a little effort, you can really get to know your body, your most fertile times and least fertile times. You may even learn to accurately predict when you might ovulate and know the signs your own, unique body will give to indicate a pregnancy.

Charting is a daily activity, where you record observations made by your body, which may tell you some little clues as to what your cycle is doing. The main fertility signs involved which most charts are based on include the following:

Basal Body Temperature (or BBT)

When charting, it is best to take your temperature first thing in the morning before you get up. It’s important to take this temperature at the same time every day, with the same thermometer, after a good night’s sleep. While this is not always possible, there is no need to worry if you forget or have a bad chart day. When you purchase a thermometer, the best sort to buy should have BBT on it, but many people have successfully charted with a thermometer from the supermarket or chemist. Amazon stocks plenty of high quality and accurate basal thermometers, which you can order online.

Cervical Mucus (CM)

Sounds strange but keeping a close eye on your cervical mucus is another good indicator. If you feel uncomfortable about this, that is fine, however the more methods you include in your chart, the more accurate it may be. Cervical mucus changes with the fluctuations in your hormones like estrogen. Following a period, mucus will typically be dry before becoming sticky, then creamy, then watery before becoming its most fertile state of clear and stretchy (referred to as looking like egg white). This best aids the sperm on its passage to the egg.

Ovulation Prediction Kits (OPK)

These can be purchased online, from your pharmacy or even supermarket. They work like a pregnancy test but measure your levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), which indicates when you are likely to be ovulating (and therefore most fertile).

Cervical Position (CP)

The position of your cervix changes throughout your cycle and this can give you even further clues to your fertility. It may take a little time for you to get used to the different positions, so give yourself a little time to learn – it’s going to be difficult to know the very first time if your cervix is high or low. A low, hard, dry and closed cervix is least fertile, a high, soft, wet and open cervix most fertile. Checking the position of your cervix is best done at the same time each day due to changes which may occur throughout the day.

Now you know the basics, you are ready to chart your fertility cycle

Before you start, you will need a simple cycle chart (we have one that you can print for free here) and a basal Basal Thermometer.

1. In order to get an accurate reading of your basal temperature, you need to get a full night’s sleep and take your temperature immediately upon waking. Make sure you have your chart, a pen/pencil, and your basal thermometer by your bed. The idea is that when you wake up – before you even get out of the bed to pee! – you take your temp first. Basal thermometers are a lot more accurate than regular thermometers, but they can take a little longer to get a reading. Go ahead and record it on the chart.
2. Throughout your day, you may want to take notice of your emotions, any pains (even headaches) and mark them on the comments section of your chart. You may see a pattern growing as to when you’re tetchy or grumpier than usual.
3. Another optional aspect you can add to the chart is your cervical mucus. Charting your CM may seem a little odd to some, but once you understand what the mucus is and how it affects your fertility, it will all fall into place. Most CM will be classified as either dry, clumpy, egg-white (this is the most fertile) and creamy. Most of the time, the easiest was to check your CM is after you’ve been to the toilet. As you continue charting your CM, you’ll notice a distinct pattern in your production of CM. For most people, the egg-white CM is the most fertile and occurs around ovulation.
4. The last (completely optional) aspect to track would be your cervical position (CP). For this, you’ll need to sit on the toilet, or squat, and insert 1 to 2 fingers into your vagina to gently find your cervix to judge it’s position (high or low) and its texture (soft – like your lips; or firm – like your nose). When it’s closer to your ovulation, your cervix will be high & soft. Closer to PMS or right after your period, your cervix will be low and firm. All this is so that sperm can pass through easier at ovulation time.

Charting Online

Charting online has become very popular as it does a great deal of the work for you and stores your information. You just need to enter in your observations. A website which is extremely popular is www.fertilityfriend.com and a quick google search will bring up many other sites which will help you chart cycle online.

Here’s to your charting success!