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Why Should You Always Track Your Menstrual Cycles?

Team AckoFeb 8, 2024

So, you and your partner have finally decided to start trying to get pregnant! Among various other things, one primary point to note is your ovulation dates. Having sexual intercourse on your most fertile days is the right way to ensure that you conceive as soon as possible.

Contents

Why should I track my menstrual cycle?
How to track your menstrual cycle using a calendar?
Recording description of bleeding
Recording description of emotional symptoms
Keep a record of any medications
Other methods of tracking

How can you know which days are your most fertile ones, and which are the days it would likely be a miss? That’s where tracking your menstrual cycle comes in. Once you know how to track your cycles properly, it will be the key to pinpointing your most likely dates to try.

What does tracking your menstrual cycle mean?

Tracking your menstrual cycle means keeping a record of when you’re menstruating and other information related to your monthly cycle. The best way to get started is to begin marking dates with a regular planner or calendar.

Why should I track my menstrual cycle?

Tracking your period helps you estimate the date when your next period is coming, and when you are fertile. It can also help you understand the specific pattern of symptoms that you experience during your menstrual cycle.

It helps to chart the days when you menstruate and the kind of flow you have, even if you have predictable periods that always start and end on time, and there are no specific symptoms to chart. Your period basically tells you about your health, so tracking is important.

How to track your menstrual cycle using a calendar?

You can use any regular calendar to track your menstrual cycle. Just make sure the calendar has place for you to make notes. Record the days you have your period, together with any physical or emotional symptoms that you experience during your menstrual cycle.

In addition to recording your period bleeding, also note each day you experience any vaginal bleeding, even if it’s between periods. Also, record if your bleeding is exceptionally light or heavy.

So, basically your record should include the following:

1. How often your period occurs

2. How heavy your bleeding is

3. How much pain or cramps you have, if any

4. How you feel emotionally during your period days

Recording description of bleeding

In your record, you should include a proper description of the kind of bleeding you experience. The amount and quality of your bleeding are as important as how long and how often you bleed. So, note down a description of your bleeding each day. Include descriptions like:

• Quantity: Heavy, light or just spotting

• Colour: Dark brown or bright red

• Consistency: Clots or watery flow

Recording description of emotional symptoms

It is a well-known fact that women’s moods tend to fluctuate with their cycles. It is important to note your emotional symptoms as well. Record any symptoms or problems you experience each day. These could include the following:

1. If you are feeling anxious or depressed

2. If you experience any bloating

3. If you have a headache or any other pain

4. If you are feeling more stressed than on regular days

5. If you are having very painful menstrual cramps

Keep a record of any medications

You should record any medications that you are taking during your period. If you take any over the counter or prescribed medicines to treat your period pain or other symptoms, note them down on the appropriate days. This is useful should any side effects or drug interactions develop.

Other methods of tracking

Instead of using pen and paper, you may prefer to use an app on your phone to track your menstrual cycle. There are several top-ranking apps available that you can download. These apps can record all of your details and predict when your period will occur. Many of these apps also allow you to record the physical and emotional changes that occur throughout your cycle.

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