Please can someone tell me how to take my BBT properly :)

[Willowfalls]

Hi ladies,

I am on cycle 3 of ttc number 1! I usually ovulate between day 12-14 and had a really short cycle this time (23 days) meaning my luteal was only 9 days.

I took pregnacare my first cycle which lengthened it to 28 days but switched to Vitafem this month and had 23 days which is the shortest cycle I have ever had.

Have also been taking high strength Coq-10 and DHA.

I usually track ovulation with CB & cheap opks which always correlate with each other and I get bad cramping around this time.

I really want to start temping just to check that I am actually ovulating.

I have a fermometer arriving in the post today but I just wanted to check that I am able to use it from cycle day 3 and how to use it properly?

Sorry for the life story & thanks in advance xxxx

I use ovusense as it does all the temping for you and logs it on a chart (though I don't rate it's algorithms so ignore it's confirmations and predictions and just read the chart myself). It takes the temp constantly through the night and gives you an average. With a single reading bbt thermometer I would be more concerned it could be inaccurate.

Definitely do recommend temping in general to get more info about your cycle.

Good luck

@ellenpartridge I've also recently started using Ovusense and interested to hear what you don't rate their algorithms? Predicted ovulation Serena off but the confirmed ovulation looks right on my charts so far!

@Willowfalls get a copy of Taking Charge of your Fertility by Toni Weschler. It's the temping Bible and I'll still refer back to it even 18 months into temping. Basically, make sure you get 4 hours of solid sleep and take your reading as the first thing you do when you're conscious. No playing on your phone for a bit/going to the loo first/anything at all. You can start temping any day of your cycle but if you start too close to ovulation/after ovulation it won't give you ovulation details this cycle. But getting into the habit of it is a good thing, I'd always recommend starting as soon as you can off contraception.

Is there any reason you're taking so many vitamins? Most people should only really be taking folic acid to prevent neural tube defects and possibly vitamin d because UK weather. If you've got a varied diet taking lots of supplements is unnecessary so early into TTC and can make it more difficult to get regular cycles, as well as costing ££ more than necessary

Hello! I use the femometer thermometer as well but I recommend using FF for actually tracking the temps as most other apps are terrible for this.

Key things to note:

• take the temp at around the same time every day, otherwise the temps will be skewed
• make sure you take your temp FIRST THING - before moving, sitting up, no sips of water etc
• if you take it orally, make sure the thermometer is stuck in under your tongue right at the back and that your mouth is closed. Also make sure you don't sleep with your mouth open as that will distort temps - if you do then maybe consider using using your lady bits for temping as they give the most consistent and accurate readings.

• getting drunk, being ill, not sleeping well will affect your temps

oh and you're perfectly fine to start temping on whatever CD you're on :)

Let me know if you have any specific queries!

@planbea most women need to supplement their DHA intake as their diets are unlikely to contain sufficient amounts of omega 3. Depending on your age, CoQ10 or Ubiquinol is recommended for egg health and pregnacare is pretty standard as far as conception supplements go!

@Juno231 OP hasn't indicated in her post any reason to be worried about egg health, so I was wondering if she has other issues that need to be taken into consideration that may influence temping such as PCOS etc. For most women eating a varied diet prior to conception is enough, other than the folic acid, so spending money on more expensive prenatals rather than a standard folic acid doesn't add anything, especially when it's affecting OPs cycle so much which makes TTC more difficult.

@ellenpartridge ooh I hadn’t heard of Ovusense but just googled and it looks great. Will have a look in to it. Thank you for replying.

@PlanBea Thank you - will get the book! I don’t eat fish so worried I wont be getting much omega-3 & a friend had recommended coq-10. I’m 32 so want to maximise my egg health.

@Juno231 thank you so much! DH says I sleep with my mouth open so I might have to look in to other options 🤣🤣🤣. Thank you!

I also use fertility friend to track mine and find it the best out of any apps I’ve tried.

My main bit of advice on top of what other PP’s have said is to not get too wound up in it too fast. It’s really hard to see any kind of pattern straight away and it can get a bit all consuming trying to work out what little temperature changes may mean. There are so many variables (room temp, what you’re wearing or not wearing to bed, drinking, hours sleep, waking in the night, having an occasional needed lie in etc) so yes, set an alarm and take your temp at the same time every day before you do anything but expect to see some random results regardless. Once you have done most of the first month you will be able to see a pattern but it takes a while. It becomes even more useful when you have a few months charted because you can see trends.

I have had a really bad week of waking in the night, not sleeping, needing to wee in the night etc and my temps have been all over the shop (typically the week I ovulated!) but now that I’m 5dpo I can see the ovulation pattern. So essentially, don’t stress too much if it seems confusing at first

@planbea the ovusense confirmation is usually a few days late and is thrown off by slow rises, fall back rises or anything like that. If you have read Toni Wechsler and know how to read the chart perfectly well yourself you can just ignore any dodgy confirmations though! I do really like it for the convenience.

@ellenpartridge I've been using ovusense alongside bbt temping this month and my ovusense graph shows a good rise, my Daysy (bbt) is absolutely flat! Both were flat last month so taking this as progress haha. Good to know about the slow rise though, I'll definitely keep using it for it's charts but will take note if I get an unusual pattern

@LuckyFlash thanks so much! My fermometer has just arrived!

@PlanBea you are probably right! My dad is a GP so if he knew, he would probably say to stop wasting my money! I am just trying to be as organised & as healthy as I can. As far as I know, there isn’t anything wrong but my cycles have recently been erratic (will attach pic). I was ill over christmas and lost a lot of weight & then I think I became a little bit stressed when we were in lockdown. I’m a worrier & an over thinker - ridiculous I know!!!