Question about Basal Body Temp.

[Michele, Katy, TX]

Hi ladies.  I just want to make sure I understand the basal body temp. correctly.  My understanding is that your temp. will rise right before ovulation and will stay elevated until you start your period unless you are pregnant.  If you are pregnant than it will stay elevated throughout pregnancy.  I only took my temps yesterday morning and this morning.  Yesterday, my temp was 97.9 and today it was 98.0.  I used a regular thermometer though.  The website I looked on said that our temp prior to ovulation is normally around 97.0 to 97.5.  It said that our temps, when they rise, will normally rise .4 to .6 degrees.  So I'm assuming that I have ovulated.  I stopped taking my b/c pill about a month ago; maybe a little longer.  So, I don't know when to expect what such as ovulation or my period.  I'm just kind of waiting.......Thanks ladies!!  Any input would be much appreciated.

[Michele, Katy, TX]

Thanks Heather!!  I appreciate your help.

Like I told you before, I took my temps before w/ a regular thermometer.  I bought a basal thermometer last night.  The first temp I took this morning was 101.89!!!!!!!!!!!  I was like....OMGoodnesss!!!!!!!!!!  What in the world??  Then I took it with the regular one I had been taking it with.  It was 98.3.  Then I took it with the basal one again and it was 98.89 I believe.  I don't have it right next to me.  It was weird.  And since I've never charted before, I am just trying to figure this all out.

I do hope you get your BFP soon and you take care too!!

[Heather5]

That is too funny about your husband :-) They don't always understand all the changes that occur in our bodies on a monthly basis. I totally understand that you are trying to avoid pregnancy right now, with everything that's going on and a 6-month-old. I know there are web sites and books on how to use charting as a form of birth control, but since I'm trying to get pregnant, I didn't pay that much attention to those. Sounds like you've already done some reading on it, though. If I come across any of the websites again, I'll let you know. But if you want more info now, Im pretty sure you can just google it.

As for how drinking affects your temperature, yeah, all I've ever read too is that it does affect it, nothing about whether it will lower of increase the temps. I'm guessing you're right, though, that it will actually increase it.

Take care, Michele!

[Michele, Katy, TX]

Well, right now I'd be trying to avoid it because my youngest is only 6 mos. old.  I'm really tired from the sleep deprivation and we are having some financial difficulties right now.  We are trying to sell our house right now but I doubt anything will happen with it until spring.  This isn't the best time of year to be selling.  I know I have never charted before so the readings I've gotten don't  mean much yet but I have a feeling they are high for me.  I've always had lower than average temps.  But last night at the party I had a light beer.  How does that affect your BBT?  I know it says it can but what does it do?  Does it make you have a higher temp?  That's what I would think but I could only find things that could affect your temp.  The reading material just never said how it would affect your temp.

Oh, and this morning I cried for about an hour for no real reason.  I have no idea what to think of that.  My hb said I was acting pregnant.  Ha ha!!  I said you don't only cry when you are pregnant.  You cry when you are getting ready to start sometimes too.  He said, "Oh.  I thought you were mad when you were getting ready to start.".  Shows how much he knows.....Ha ha!  I just had to laugh at him.

[Heather5]

Well, you could use a regular thermometer, but a basal thermometer is more accurate. Plus it has two decimals, instead of just one. They're only about $10, so I think it's worth it. As for you just coming off of b/c...yeah, that could make your cycles a little off for a while, so I totally understand your frustration about when to take a possible HPT :-)

So, are you trying to get pregnant right now? Or are you trying to avoid it?

Have fun at the Christmas Party tonight!!!

[Michele, Katy, TX]

Yeah, I haven't ever charted my temps before.  I just decide to start to try to figure out if I should look for my period or if I'm indeed pregnant.  I actually stopped taking my pill for many reasons.  One was because it was a progesterone only pill that was causing me to bleed all the time.  It was awful.  I decided to try a more natural way of either conceiving or trying to avoid conception; whichever I wanted at the time.  But like I said, I don't know what to expect right now.  I have no idea as I know your cycles can be kind of screwy after getting off the pill.  If I was pregnant, I wouldn't even know when to begin testing.  I have never had implantation bleeding before so I don't think that will be any indicator for me.  I will either start or I won't.  I guess I will wait a week or 2 and then test if I haven't started by then.  I really appreciate your response.  I hope you get your BFP soon!!!

Oh, is a regular thermometer okay or should I go ahead and buy a basal thermometer???  My husband and I are going to a Christmas Party tonight and I told him to stop by Walgreens on the way!!

[Heather5]

Well, you got it almost right :-) The temp will go up AFTER you ovulate, not before. It basically confirms that you did indeed ovulate, but it won't give you advanced notice (I wish it could!). If you'd like to know beforehand (so you can try to time intercourse better), you could use OPKs (ovulation predictor kits).

As for the temperatures before an after ovulation, it can vary a great deal from person to person, so it would be hard to say what your pre-o temps and post-o temps would be unless you have at least one whole cycle charted. Have you looked into using fertilityfriend?

I have learned so much about my cycles after I started charting! Good luck to you, and let me know if you have any other questions about charting :-)