If you are reading this, you are on the frustrating journey of infertility.

Although I know you are most likely dealing with a smorgasbord of negative emotions, and feeling a heavy pressure to overcome this situation, there are things you can do on your own to increase your fertility and maybe even become pregnant!

Here in our culture when you go to see a doctor complaining of infertility they will do a battery of tests to see what is wrong.  It may be that you find out something is amiss.

 There is also a good chance that there is nothing abnormal in these tests!

They even may send you away, telling you to come back if you haven’t been trying to get pregnant for at least a year as that is not yet “true infertility”.

There is a way that you can detect very detailed precise information about your hormone levels, exact day of ovulation and even if you are pregnant without a pregnancy test!  You can do all of this without western lab tests!

Are you ready to take charge of your fertility?

With some detective work you can become empowered to see imbalances your doctor is blind to.  This information is also important if you are considering acupuncture and herbal therapy for infertility.  Having charts for your practitioner can be priceless to speeding to a healthy pregnancy!

How do you do this?

You do a threefold process of taking your temperature, watching vaginal discharges and checking the position of your cervix.  This process is called creating a “Basal Body Temperature Chart”, also called a BBT chart.  First, buy a “basal body thermometer”.  You can look online for one or if you have a “Walgreens” in your town you may be able to find one there.  This kind of thermometer is different from the thermometer you would use to detect a fever.  It is calibrated for a more normal temperature range.

Next, go to www.friscoacupuncture.com/basalbodychart and print out a copy of a chart.

Each morning after at least 3 hours of uninterrupted sleep and before you get out of bed, take your “basal body temperature” and input it on the chart.  It is very important you don’t get up as your body must still be in the state of deep rest for a proper reading.  Most thermometers will temporarily record the temperature if you are too groggy to remember it.

You may have heard about this as a method of birth control that in the past has had mixed results.

Well, in the past that was the case, but with new discoveries about the noticeable changes in the menstrual cycles most women experience, the information to be gleaned is surprisingly accurate!

The first day of your cycle is the day you begin your period (if you start your period after 12 noon count the next day as Day 1).  You can start recording anytime during your cycle.

If you have your period record with an X, all other days use a dot.

Most likely you will notice the first half of the cycle (called the follicular phase) has temperatures that are lower than the second half (luteal phase).  The difference should average around .4 to 1 degree farenheit.

Part of gathering of information is observing vaginal discharges.    As you approach ovulation you will notice your discharge becomes clear and stretchy like raw egg white.  Record this on your chart.  Make sure to record other types of discharge (white and pasty) or lack of them on your chart when they occur.

In addition recording other observations can be helpful.

Include things like: breast tenderness, mood, abdominal bloating, insomnia or anything else you notice.

Palpating the cervix is another indicator of what is happening within the reproductive cycle.  Begin by inserting a finger into your vagina.  You should easily feel the cervix most of the month.  As you approach ovulation increasing estrogen causes ligaments to pull the cervix up higher making it more difficult to reach unless you squat down.  With practice you will start to notice subtle texture changes too.  At ovulation it will feel softer.

As time goes on you will see patterns start to emerge.  These patterns can be very revealing as to what hormones may be imbalanced or if you have a normal ovulation.

Access Part 2 of this article by clicking here. .  It will discuss some of the most common imbalances and what your chart may be indicating.