temperature / fertility monitoring

[HappyHeart87]

Has anybody done the thing where you monitor your temperature to try to identify fertile days?

I've started and am using a decent in-ear thermometer but get wildly different readings at any given time. I do it first thing in the morning, a few times in each ear to try to establish an average. This morning the readings ranged from 36.5 to 37.4, and that's pretty typical.

Any tips?

[thatsnotmybear]

Hi Happy, you need to get yourself a digital bbt thermometer which reads to 2 decimal places. They're not expensive, you can find them in any chemist. I temp orally (under the tongue) every morning immediately upon waking, before getting up to go to the loo etc (temping vaginally is supposed to be the most accurate method!) I recommend using the free Fertility Friend app for recording your temp. You should start to see a pattern emerge whereby your temps will be lower pre-ovulation, take a small dip just before you ovulate, then increase post-ovulation & stay high until AF arrives & temp drops again. Temping won't identify fertile days - it will only tell you when you ovulated that cycle, after the fact. To identify fertile days you need to check for egg white cervical mucus & use opk's as well. Hope that helps!

[MoonlightMojitos]

Hi happy, this was my first month of bbt, I've attached so you can see an example of what you're looking for (I haven't done last few days as got a BFP :) ). As bear has said it will only tell you after ovulation so no good at first but will tell you when you're in to the 2ww, and after a few cycles you'll know your lp and a hopefully a pattern of when you ov. As bear said you need a bbt thermometer and need to do it first thing before you even move. I set my alarm half an hour before i need to wake up, stick it in and go back to sleep. Good luck!

[thatsnotmybear]

That's a nice looking chart Moonlight. And congratulations on your bfp!

[Duckyneedsaclean]

Yes, you need an oral thermometer, in ear ones are not accurate enough.

[HappyHeart87]

Oh thank you all! I'll head out for a BBT. I thought the ear ones were the best.

Congratulations, Moonlight!