first month of temping - help!

[Clarabell100]

Hi all

I've started temping at the start of this cycle but it's got me totally confused! I realise I need to wait a few months to see a pattern but my chart is so rocky, it's constantly up and down...that can't be normal? I've attempted to attach it so someone with a bit more experience might be able to advise!

I'm not even sure I'm doing it correctly, the instructions said not to put the thermometer under my tongue at the front, but rather to do it along the side towards the back - is this what others do?

Also, according to my chart it doesn't look like I ovulated this month. I got a positive opk on sunday and definite ovulation pains but then no sustained temp change.

Any help/suggestions would be appreciated. I just feel like it's pointless at the moment since I don't really know what I'm doing! haha!

C xx

One thing that I noticed when temping was that if I took the thermometer out before the beep it hadn't reached my actual temperature.... so temping can be a bit unreliable if you are impatient (like me). Wait for the beep!

I took my temperature orally but I have heard it's more reliable vaginally, orally can be difficult if you sleep with your mouth open for example.

I started tracking my temps a few months before i was planning to try to conceive so that I could get an idea of my cycle.... the first month we actually ttc we caught and are currently 20 weeks :-)

Good luck with it all x

Hi
Thanks for your reply and congratulations! I hope we'll be as lucky as you!

I'm always very strict and wait for the beep - usually as I'm still half asleep so in no hurry to get up! Not sure I fancy doing it vaginally

I've now had a small sustained spike in temp but it would mean I didn't ovulate til day 19, is that too late for anything to happen?

Guess I'll just keep at it and hope for the best!

C xx

clara how long is your cycle usually?

It sounds to me like you're taking your temperature correctly. This is what I do. Like the last poster said, make sure you aren't breathing through your mouth during the night as this will affect your readings and make them inaccurate. I don't work with farenhight so I can't tell from your chart whether your temps are in the correct range. If they're really low it might indicate mouth breathing.

What time did you temp on cd17? If it was much later than usual you can ignore this. I'd be tempted to say you've ov'd on cd18 which would be consistant with your positive opk and your last two temps are higher, but you'll need to wait to see how the next few days pan out I'm afraid. So keep shagging!!

It'll take you a few months to get the hang of it, but stick with it because it's well worth the effort. Good luck!

PS don't worry about your chart looking rocky, there could be all sorts of reasons for this. Wait until you've a few charts under your belt as this month could be a blip. It's also normal to have peaks during or just after af.

My chart looks different every month though!!

Thanks for the reply! I'm so glad you said that about your charts, I think I expected it to be quite stable with very defined dips and spikes round about ov day!

Day 17 I was about an hour later as we'd been to a Halloween party and I had a few drinks so switched my alarm off! I also read that alcohol can cause a spike so it could have been that even though I tried to take it easy.

So my temp stayed high today so the app is now saying I probably ov'd on cd18. This seems really late judging by everything I've read? My cycle is generally 28 days, give or take a couple of days.

Trying not to stress about it too much, I'm sure I'll get the hang of it and in a ew months I'll be an expert!

Thanks again for putting my mind at rest!
C xx

This is the great thing about temping, you had an idea when you thought you were ovulating, but temping shows you what's really going on and possibly you may have been wrong all which is why you aren't pg yet!

Cd18 is not too late to ovulate. Two things are possibly happening here:

1. you've ovulated late this month which means AF will also be late, or
2. you always ovulate on cd18 and AF arrives on cd28, which means you have a short luteal phase.

Again, I would say not to worry about this too much just yet. If it's the second thing then this is easily corrected by your GP and without temping you wouldnt have known about it and might have been trying for a long time before discovering there may be a problem.

Is there anything I can do myself about a short luteal phase? If that's the case I'm worried the doc might not want to know as this is only our third month trying, but actually only the first month of temping and using opks. What are the chances of them taking me seriously so soon?