If you are one of those trying to conceive I'm sure you've see the abbreviation BBT around. BBT… Very interesting letters. For those new to the world of conceiving BBT stands for basal body temperature. It is your body temperature taken first thing in the morning. Temping is a good first step to take towards the journey of motherhood.
What you will need to start:
*You will need a BBT chart! This chart helps you to keep track
of your morning temperatures, cervical mucus and body changes you notice through your cycles. To get your own free printable copy of a BBT Chart please visit: http://www.fertilityplus.org/faq/bbt/bbt.html
*A thermometer! Now I know everyone out there will tell you to
buy a BBT Thermometer special made for temping. Let me tell you up front, it is not absolutely necessary to purchase a "Special" thermometer. If you have a digital one at home it is perfect for the job… as long as it reads 1/10th of a degree. The difference between the two is the digital will give you the read out 98.2°F while the BBT Thermometer will give you the read out of 98.23°F. The last number is not crucial. I would say if you have a very picky temperature then to go with the BBT Thermometer. You may purchase one online at http://www.Early-Pregnancy-Tests.com between $9.95 and $11.95.
*Last but not least… Yourself!
Procedure:
Okay, so now you have your supplies and are ready to take this next step and start the process. Here are some pointers for starting out.
1. Make sure you take your temperature when you awake. Depending on your temperature habits you could end up giving yourself an inaccurate reading. So make sure to stay nestled in bed, not to rise before taking your temperature and do not eat or drink anything. Also, make sure you take it very close to the same time every morning for the most accurate reading. It's best to rely on an alarm to wake you.
2. Make sure you get at LEAST 3 hours of sleep.
3. Keep records of what happened the previous night if you have a strange temperature. If you drank last night or even if you got up to get a glass of water and you find your temp shot up but come the next day it is low again. The rise could possibly be due to those events. Keeping track of what caused the temp spike would be helpful to both you and your doctors.
4. Detect ovulation. This can be a tricky one and it takes practice so not to worry if you don't get it the first couple of times. To detect ovulation you will see two sets of temperature elevations, this is called biphasic. Your first set of temperatures (Pre-Ovulation) should be lower than your second set (Post-Ovulation). Around ovulation you will notice a rise in your temperature that starts your second set. This rise is considered the first day past ovulation. Remember the rise can be as little as .2 degrees Fahrenheit or .1 degrees Celsius. It's best to wait 3 days before confirming your ovulation day. After you see that you've had 3 days of high temps it is safe to draw your cover-line to show the day you ovulated. Your temps will rise and fall during your Post-Ovulation period, do not worry if you have major drops in temperature. Other signs such as cervical mucous and OPK's (Ovulation Predictor Kits) will also help you to detect ovulation.
Cover-Line Help… The easiest way to find your cover-line is to highlight your temps 6 days prior to your temperature rise. Then find your highest temperature in those 6 days and draw a horizontal line across your chart 1/10th of a degree higher than that highest temperature. You may then draw a vertical line down your chart the day before the rise to show ovulation. You may use a pencil in case you need to change your lines. The cover-line is not a "have-to-do". It's for personal reference.
5. Relax! You can put as much or as little information on your
chart as you wish. If filling it out completely stresses you out just
fill what is most comfortable to you.
Your temperatures are very helpful to detect ovulation and predict when the awful dreaded AF (Aunt Flow used for Menses) shows up at your door. If your cycles are usually 28 days and you notice your temp starts to drop at your 26th cycle day and continues downward it is a good sign AF is on her way. But if your temperatures stay elevated for 16-18 days past ovulation then it is a good time to start taking those pregnancy tests.
Good luck and remember to have fun.
