Another embarrassing confession – when it was first suggested to me to take my basal body temperature I had no idea where to begin and or what to do. I didn’t know if I needed a special thermometer, what I was supposed to be noticing and what it meant, etc. Measuring and charting basal body temperature tells you when you are ovulating and your fertile days and is a typical first step for couples experiencing difficult conceiving. In case there are others out there like me who are advised to take your basal temperature and chart it who feel a little lost about the whole thing, I thought I would just cover the basics of the “BBT” method.
I was unsure if I needed a basal body thermometer or if a regular thermometer would do the trick. I highly recommend purchasing a basal thermometer. It is more sensitive and accurate and quicker too! Once you have your thermometer and a chart you are supposed to mark on the chart your temperature first thing in the morning everyday. You are looking for a temperature shift of at least .4 degrees (F)indicating ovulation with low temperatures before and higher ones afterward. Some basic “rules” of charting are:
1. Take your temperature at the exact same time every day. Try to make taking your temperature the very first thing you each day before you even get out of bed for any reason. It helps some people to set an alarm and keep the thermometer on the nightstand and get into a habit of taking it as soon as the alarm goes off.
2. You can take the temperature orally, rectally or vaginally but be sure to do the same method every day.
3. Try to ensure that you get 5 consecutive hours of sleep prior to taking your temperature and a minimum of three hours.
4. Have sex when you see a temperature drop. Not every woman will see a drop when they ovulate, but many do and it is worth a shot.
BBT charting is a great gauge of ovulation, or a lack thereof. It can also tell you if you have a luteal phase defect. Tracking your basal body temperature can also indicate a possible pregnancy if temperatures stay elevated. It is important to know that BBT charting is not accurate when using clomid or injectibles. Monitoring your temperatures is relatively simple once taking the temperature and charting it becomes routine and you have learned what to look for. If you are going to try BBT monitoring there is certainly a lot more to know – things like your chart being bi or triphasic, coverlines, the different phases, et. – but what is important for you and your doctor to know is really just what your chart indicates about your fertility and the clues it gives to what your challenges could be. If you often experience irregular cycles, have been trying for over a year if under thirty-five and under if thirty-five plus, or you already know that you have specific fertility problems then this method is probably not the best for you. If you are just beginning to try to determine your fertility challenges than three months of charts can be very beneficial to your doctor.
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