BBT Charting

I just started bbt charting and am not sure what I am doing.   Is charting even helpful if my sleep patterns are so irregular, and what am I looking for in the pattern to help me with timed IUI?

Also, this morning I woke up at 5am, about 90 minutes earlier than normal.  My temp. was 96.8.  I then went back to bed an hour or so later.  Woke up at 9:00am and my temp. was 97.8.    How do know which temp. to log on my chart?

If it helps here are my temps so far.

12/4  96.8   6:40 am
12/5  97.2   6:30 am
12/6  97.1   6:45 am
12/7  97.9   7:00 am  (@ 5:30am 97.5)
12/8   96.8 @ 5:00am /  97.8 @ 9:00am

Thanks for taking the time to look at this for me!

[Tanker Chic]

Temping won't help you time the cycle you are in.  It is really tool so that you can learn from past cycles and apply what you have learned to the next cycle.  And also it can confirm your timing of things.  Say the day after IUI or timed intercourse your temp goes up and stays up for the next couple of days.  That is a very good indication that you did time your IUI or bding correctly.    

There are two basic parts to your cycle; pre ovulation ad post ovulation.  pre ovulation your temps will hang around in a lower range.  After ovulation your progesterone starts to rise which causes you body temp to go up, so post ovulation you should see a thermal shift into a slightly higher range.  It is best to try to take your temp around the same time everyday, but it doesn't have to be exact.  I always slept in by a couple of hours on the weekends.  If you have some wacked out really high or really low temp.  You go ahead and record it, but if it doesn't match the rest of what is going on around it, you discount it.  

I always go with the first temp.  If you temp more than once and get different results.. stick with the first one.  Also use a thermometer that takes at least a minute to give you your temp..  I've never had luck with those super quick results type that give you your temp in like 9-12 secs.  

You are looking for trends.  Once you see the thermal shift, you probably ovulated the day before your temp goes up.  At the end of each cycle I always liked to count backward 12-14 days and see if that lined up with the thermal shift.  (AF should come 12-14 days after ovulation).  

[notpatient]

I have a schedule that varies too...technically you are supposed to take it at the same time everyday or w/in 1.2 hour of the time you normally take it as it goes up every hour....

Since my earliest schedule i need to be up at 5am  I take all my temps at 5 am...so I get up at 5 am on my late schedule day take my temp and roll back over and sleep until I have to get up...

You should also get 3-5 hours of sleep minimum before taking your temp.

[LJ307]

Thank you!   I am now taking my temp at 5am every day, that seems to work out best with my schedule.  I do have a thermometer that takes at least a minute.  It seems like forever sometimes.   So, I think I've added one more important tool to help with the illusive BFP!