I have always been recorded the first day of my period as far as I can remember, from the beginning I think. I noted down the first day and also for how long it lasted (usually for 5 days). My cycle was 26-27 days long. It's a good way to keep an eye on it and easy to know what's happening.
On the tenth day after my miscarriage I started to measure my BBT (Basal Body Temperature) and started to charting it on
FertilityFriend to find out my ovulation day. With an 'average' cycle length (28 days) it is on the 14th day, so half way, two weeks before the period (a menstrual cycle may be anywhere from 21 to 35 days). I calculated mine would be on the 12th or on the 13th and I was curious to see it.
So I stared to chart. Every morning, same time (yes, even on weekends too) after waking up but not getting out of the bed. It is best done with a special BBT thermometer, but is was expensive and unavailable so I bought a digital thermometer (it beeps when ready and remembers the measured temperature). The key is same time every morning!
Each cycle has three phases: menses, follicular phase and luteal phase. Menses is the period (the cycle begins on the first day of the period).
Follicular phase is the phase before ovulation, when the ovarian follicles are developing.
Luteal phase is the phase after ovulation. The length of the follicular phase may vary but the luteal phase length is generally constant from cycle to cycle for the same woman.
In a menstrual cycle several ovarian follicles begin to mature and develop under the influence of pituitary hormones. The growing follicle secretes the hormone estrogen. The surge of luteinizing hormone (LH) triggers the release of the fully developed (matured) egg from its follicle. The egg (ovum) begins to travel towards the uterus in the fallopian tube. This is where fertilization takes place.
The follicle that released the egg (becomes corpus luteum) begins to secrete the heat-inducing hormone,
progesterone (only released after ovulation). When you see the BBT raise the ovulation has passed. So charting the BBT alone it only can tell you when you pass ovulation. Temperature rise after ovulation!
Chart Key: On the side is the temperature scale, the top is the date, and the bottom is the
cycle day line with the cycle days. Day
1 is (cycle begins) when fresh blood observed (spotting doesn't count). The menses (pink square) can be light (
L), medium (
M) or heavy (
H). A star (
*) is for spotting. Blue dots are used when temperature is measured in the set time (mine is 06:45), and circles are in use when there is a large time difference. The vertical red line marks the day of ovulation (detected automatically based on recorded data). The horizontal red line is the coverline (it helps to see the pre- and post-ovulation temperatures).
To observe other fertility signs (estrogen levels are high and ovulation is approaching) such stretchy, egg white' cervical fluid (CF or CM) and a high, soft and open cervix can more correctly pin-point the ovulation. As a beginner in all this I am just measuring my BBT for now.
