help with chart/coverline

[Mohawk Mamma]

so i'm on CD #7. this will be my 1st full month charting. i've read everything i can get my hands on about charting, etc. but i can't wrap my head around the coverline concept. i guess FF draws it in for you. but i'm also trying to keep a paper copy going. help? here's my chart. my question is how/when do i draw my coverline? http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/31b61f

[Kinza]

Fertility Friend will put in a coverline for you once it determines you have ovulated. The coverline doesn't mean anything, though. It's just a tool, something for you to look at to help you see the difference in pre- and post-ovulation temperatures. It just crosses the vertical line that pinpoints ovulation day. If you want to keep a paper copy, once you see clear signs of ovulation (three days of higher temps), you can draw in a coverline if you want. When I have to override Fertility Friend's ovulation choice, I just put the coverline in wherever I want it. Just in a temperature spot that has most pre-O temps under it. Or, you can just print out your fertility friend chart at the end of your cycle and keep a paper copy that way.

[Mohawk Mamma]

heck, that doesn't help me much in advance to see ovualtion coming, does it? so i won't know til AFTER i ovulate, when my temp jumps again? agh, this is too confusing. maybe we should just hump likes rabbits & cross our fingers.

[jillybeans]

Fertility friend will do it for you on day 3 after ovulation, in most cases. The coverline isn't overly useful unless you're trying to diagnose a fertility problem. I, for example, have really low coverlines, which helped diagnose my luteal phase defect (cold temps are a symptom)

For you paper chart, just copy what FF gives you. If you're really wanting to understand HOW they come up with it, tcoyf (taking charge of your fertility) is THE book for that.

[jillybeans]

Originally Posted by Mohawk Mamma

heck, that doesn't help me much in advance to see ovualtion coming, does it? so i won't know til AFTER i ovulate, when my temp jumps again? agh, this is too confusing. maybe we should just hump likes rabbits & cross our fingers.

Nope. lol! Your first cycle is really your "test" cycle where you find out what your norm will probably look like. MOST women ovulate around day 14(ish) so you can track your mucus and dtd every other day or every day if you're inclined to mimick our rabbit friends.

Charting is great, but it is one of those "in retrospect" tools. When you have years and years of charts like I do...certain patterns are very apparent. But that takes time.