Basic Charting Considerations

1. Do your observations regularly and accurately.
   
2. Chart daily at the end of your day, and note the most fertile sign of the day.
   
3. When starting to chart, avoid intercourse and alternative sex until you are confident in identifying fertile and infertile days. 
   
4. Times of fertility
   1. Moderate and Heavy days of the menstrual flow.
   2. Non-Peak mucus days.
   3. Peak mucus days.
   4. Any days within a count of 3.
   5. Any days of unusual bleeding plus a count 3.
      
5. Times of infertility
   1. Light and Very Light days of the menstrual flow when no mucus is present.
   2. All Dry days excepting those within a count of 3.
   3. The days following your third normal high temperature until menstruation.
      
6. "Double Peak"
   1. When experiencing stress or illness be watchful for a "Double Peak".
   2. If our temperature has not shifted after experiencing a Peak Day anticipate a "Double Peak".
      
7. When you doubt an observation or miss a day's charting consider yourself of PEAK fertility plus count 3.
   
8. Special infertility considerations
1. Men avoid ejaculation until the woman has mucus present.
2. Use mucus days of greatest quantity and the most clear, stretchy or lubricative quality and 2 days after that for intercourse.
3. Record the length of thread the mucus makes.
4. Record abdominal or back pain.
   
9. .Breastfeeding
   1. When TOTALLY breastfeeding, the first 56 days after the baby's birth are infertile. Consult your HRHP if breastfeeding and you wish to avoid pregnancy.
      
10. A BASELINE may be drawn after observing a temperature shift of 3 consecutive NORMAL high temperatures that are higher than the previous 6 low temperatures. The baseline is drawn one graph space above the highest normal low temperature. All postovulatory temperatures should be above the baseline.