Temping 101

This helped me understand it better

www.babycenter.com/0_sample-bbt-chart_7252.bc

You are welcome hun, again I found this from another website. GL, you are one ahead of me, I really want to start temping but I'm not sure how insane its gonna drive me. LOL!

FX for you!

Aaaaah, thank you BD. I was wondering whether I was going crazy. I started temping at the beginning of this cycle, using Fertility Friend, and my chart looks really funny. Up down, Up down. Weird...

I'm trying to take my temp at the same time every day, but it's not that easy. I've been on holiday as well, and that lead to a spike in temperature as well, which is normal for the distance we traveled. So I won't be able to really read my chart this cycle, due to the changes in location, timing of temp and me being a novice at temping. Still learning...

Let's see what happens during the rest of this cycle...

1. Buy a basal body temperature thermometer (preferably one that gives you two decimal places but if you absolutely can't find one then a thermometer with one decimal place will do) and leave it beside your bed - on top of your alarm if you need the reminder (These can usually be found where you buy your pregnancy tests).

2. Sign up for an app such as fertility friend (it will do all the charting for you)

3. Take your temp at the same time every single day (you can change your temping time at the beginning of a cycle but not mid-cycle). You must take your temp before you get out of bed or talk or anything. You need to have at least 3 hours of sleep prior to temping

Things to keep in mind:

The more of a regular routine you have the better your chart will be (going to bed at the same time, in the same bed with the same sheets, room at the same temperature, take your temp in the same spot of your mouth - at the back under your tongue - while laying in the same position). Obviously we can't all have mild OCD so don't worry too much about your routine but keep in mind these are all things that can affect your temp)

Your temps will bounce around a bit. You may have a couple days in a row of the exact same temp. This is all normal and usually doesn't mean anything.

Don't try to figure out what every little dip or spike means. Other than confirming ovulation it likely means nothing.

SOME women have a dip the day they ovulate - not everyone does.

SOME women have a dip the day of implantation - not everyone does.

SOME women have a dip that seems like it might be implantation but is not.

SOME women experience implantation bleeding - most do not.

Your temps may start to drop a couple days before Aunt Flo arrives or they may not start to drop until the day of or day after.

If your temps are still high at 18dpo you are likely pregnant (but really who can wait that long to test! Lol)

Everything we experience between ovulation and Aunt Flo can happen whether we are pregnant or not (even if we've never had that symptom before or it's different) so don't stress yourself out trying to figure out what every little thing means. The only way we will ever truly know we are pregnant or not is if Aunt Flo arrives or we get a positive test. It's called the dreaded two week wait for a reason!

SHIFT WORKERS - you can still temp just make sure you are getting at least 3 hours sleep before doing so (I would say have a temping time for each shift so that you are being as consistent as possible)

MOUTH BREATHERS - you will want to temp vaginally because breathing through your mouth seems to give a very rocky chart and they are difficult to read. Use the same thermometer and rules as above but stick the thermometer about 1/2 an inch to inch in your vagina. Be sure to clean it after every use

Some women find temping stressful however I find they stress over it because they are trying to figure out what every little dip and spike means. This is not a stressful practice if you keep in mind that it likely means nothing. Other than confirming when we ovulate our charts do not tell us anything with any real certainty!

GOOD LUCK!