What is temping?

[curlyhairdiva]

Please can someone help me understand temping? Basically I know nothing about it! I would like to start doing this alongside using opks as I have long cycles. Where do I start?

Bump (sorry! I am just really keen to learn more about this 🙈)

Hi, it's not explained in two sentences but once you've got the hang of it it's easy. There's a book called taking charge of your fertility by Toni Weschler and it's the most recommend book on this topic as it's very well written in sections of what you need.

It's when you take your temperature every morning (as soon as you wake up, before you get out of bed) and record it on a chart or an app. Your temperature is higher after you ovulate so you can usually tell the day you ovulated by looking at your temperatures. Lots of period tracking apps have a feature where you can record your temperature. The Fertility Friend app is really good and when you sign up they'll send you a series of emails explaining how it works and how to do it. I also like the Premom app because you can chart your temperature and take pictures of your ovulation tests if you use those. You need a basal body temperature thermometer which goes to two decimal places rather than a regular fever thermometer. Have a look on Amazon.

As above, plus when you take your temp you need to make sure you had a solid block of sleep and not got up to use the bathroom etc.
I set my alarm early every morning, take it straight away then go back to sleep if I'm not working etc.
Download an app where you can input the data as it makes it easier to interpret the temps.

If your temperate is higher and sustained for 3 days it means u ovulated on the day of your previous low temperature.- hard to explain but if you Google other charts you can see how tour temperature rises and you can establish your cover line.
You can take the temps In different ways (oral or vaginal) The latter is good if you sleep with your mouth open but never done it that way myself and had no issues taking it orally.
Hope this helps and good luck x

Also, it is important to still use your OPKs if your having long cycles and trying to establish your O day. Temping only confirms ovulation so if you wait for a temp rise before you DTD then you will have missed it x