New to BBT charting.

[lerenard81]

I am on CD5 and have decided to start charting my BBT. I bought the thermometer when AF arrived at the weekend. I did it for the first time at 6 this morning and it was 36.85 degrees. Is that a bit high? I also have really light periods and went 4 months last year without getting one. all tests have come back ok. I just want to have plenty of information if I end up having to see a doctor. Would really appreciate any tips/advice.

Don't stress about one reading, it's the overall pattern that's important. Different women will have different normal temperature ranges. Mine are normally quite low which surprised me for a while.

Tips: take it at the same time every morning after at least 4ish hours sleep. Don't take it after drinking cold water, or a hot drink. If you mouth breathe while you sleep, wait for a while with your mouth closed after you wake up so your mouth gets back to a normal temp. I didn't see a pattern with mine at all (temps all over the place) until I looked back at the whole month afterwards and could see a slight rise at ovulation time.

Oh, and the website/app fertility friend is really really good. Input your readings and it makes you a chart and detects ovulation for you. You can add in extra info too depending on what you're tracking.

If you have irregular periods, I'd suggest using ovulation predictor sticks (opks). They take a lot of the stress and guesswork out of knowing when you are fertile and aren't expensive if you order online. I used them and BBM charting and found the opks way better!

Good luck :)

Thanks so much for that reply. I probably do sleep with my mouth open so will try that tip. My cycles are pretty regular now that they've started up again. I've just been worried by how short and light my periods have been (3 days max and only proper red flow on day 1 and that's light). I thought my luteal phase may be short but haven't really got on with OPKs; I read the best time to test is about 11 am and I can't at work, I forget in the evenings and last time I used them I couldn't seem to get a positive although I didn't do it everyday. Maybe I'll try again this month although should be easier to pinpoint ov with a regular cycle and I do get other signs like EWCM and little cramps. It's just dawned on me recently that I will soon be 34 and I so want to be able to have kids!!

Yeah I know what you mean with OPKs, I had an alarm on my phone set so I'd remember. You're looking for the rise in LH which goes up and down over 24 hours so it's really important to test every day at the same time so you do catch it either going up or down. I was surprised to find I ovulated late in my cycle so worth doing I thought. But not if it's going to add stress to everything! I'm a knowledge is power type but even I think I went a bit overboard with all the charting, although it did work.

Hope you get on okay with the BBM, feel free to pm if you have any other random questions, happy to help :)

Thanks gingerfluffball, I really appreciate it.