Your basal body temperature is your body’s temperature while resting. This temperature increases slightly during ovulation, so when you monitor and record the changes, you can use the information to identify ovulation and perhaps conceive quicker.

Keeping track of ovulation is extremely simple and affordable as it entails charting your basal body temperature. You only need an accurate thermometer, a fertility tracking software or application (several free ones), and some patience.

For accurate ovulation prediction, check out our Basal Ovulation thermometer in Australia!

Overview of BBT and pregnancy

Although you may consider your temperature normal or feverish, fluctuations occur between these two extremes. Our core temperature shifts in response to changes in how often we move, how much sleep we get, the time of day, the level of activity we engage in, and even hormone shifts.

The levels of progesterone start to rise once ovulation has occurred. This hormone generates a mild temperature increase. Keeping track of your basal body temperature is the best way to see this temperature change. At least a quarter of a degree is gained due to ovulation’s effect on basal body temperature.

For example, the difference between 36.66 and 36.88 is four-tenths. If this rising pattern continues for at least three days, ovulation likely occurred the day before the temperature increase. This is because ovulation causes temperatures to rise.

Calculating Ovulation

Before a woman gets pregnant, she most likely has sex. You may be able to pinpoint when you ovulate each month with the assistance of your chart, which will enable you to organise sexual activities in preparation for becoming pregnant. It would be best to record additional ovulation markers on your fertility calendar, such as the amount of cervical mucus, to get the best possible results.

Most women in Australia assume that this task is difficult, but that’s not the case. Most fertility charting software handles the hard lifting for you, such as calculating when and when you could ovulate in the following month. Taking your temperature and entering it into the system is all you require.

Another easy way to track ovulation is using a good quality ovulation test in Australia to detect your luteinising hormone.

Tips for Taking Basal Body Temperature

Taking a temperature reading first thing in the morning before you get out of bed or doing anything else is essential since the shift you are trying to achieve is so subtle. It is necessary to have a basal thermometer that can show 1/10 of a degree of temperature. This capability is built into almost all thermometers designed for fertility purposes.

Once you have obtained a suitable ovulation thermometer, continue with the steps as follows:

Preparation for the Night: Before you turn in for the night, place a thermometer next to your bed so that it is easy to go to in the middle of the night. It must be within reach without requiring the user to sit or move around. Your results will be skewed, and readings will be wrong if you get out of bed during the experiment.

Shake the Thermometer: Give the mercury thermometer in your room a thorough shake before sleeping. It’s possible that shaking it out first thing in the morning will make your body temperature rise.

Set Your Alarm: Make it a habit to set your alarm simultaneously each day. Yes, even on the weekends. Your pattern will be thrown off if you sleep for another two hours. Take your temperature within the same 30-minute window first thing in the morning, no matter what.

Take Your Temperature: When you open your eyes, go for the thermometer and check your temperature. Do not even attempt to sit up or use the toilet before the exam.

Choose Your Method: You can take your temperature orally or vaginally. Whatever strategy you use doesn’t matter as long as you are consistent. Oral tests are the most practical option (and more comfortable for many people). However, you might consider using a vaginal thermometer if you tend to sleep with your mouth open since this may distort the results of the oral thermometer.

Follow the Instructions: If you want an accurate reading from the thermometer, follow the directions. Ensure you leave a thermometer in place for sufficient time to acquire an accurate reading. This might take up to five minutes of your time.

Record Your Temperature: After taking your temperature, please write it down. Doing this task will be much easier if you have a notepad and a pen at your bedside. Using a fertility testing app, you can enter the result immediately into your mobile device. A memory function is included in certain models of thermometers that measure basal body temperature.

Additional Factors to Keep in Mind

If you need to wake up earlier or later, keep your temperature as usual. Note the time difference on your chart. While the accuracy may be slightly compromised, a one-day deviation is not a significant concern, provided you maintain consistency most of the time.

It’s crucial to have at least four continuous hours of sleep for your temperature reading to be accurate. Issues such as sleep disturbances or frequent nighttime awakenings can potentially distort your results. Despite these disruptions, taking your temperature still and annotating on your chart that your sleep was interrupted is advisable.

Keeping Track of Your Basal Body Temperature

Temperature measurement is merely the initial step in charting your basal body temperature. A single measurement of the basal body temperature is insufficient to understand your fertility cycle comprehensively. It is necessary to take multiple readings over some time and meticulously record each one of them.

Utilising an app or computer application designed for fertility charting is one of the most effective methods to record your basal body temperature. These digital tools eliminate the need to worry about maintaining your temperature long enough or estimating when you might be most fertile in the following cycle. The software is designed to handle these calculations for you, providing a user-friendly interface to input your daily temperature readings and automatically generate a chart to visualise your cycle. However, you can manually create your charts using graph paper if you prefer a more hands-on approach. This method allows for a more personalised tracking experience, though it may require more time and effort.

Documenting Cervical Mucus

Another significant advantage of this method is sharing your basal body temperature charts with your healthcare provider. This can be particularly beneficial if you are not ovulating or your luteal phase (the period between ovulation and the start of your next menstrual cycle) is shorter than average. Your doctor can provide valuable insights and guidance based on these charts, helping you understand your fertility patterns better and potentially addressing any underlying issues affecting your fertility.

One limitation of relying solely on basal body temperature is that it only indicates whether you have ovulated after the fact. To increase the chances of conception, intercourse must occur before ovulation. Basal body temperature cannot predict when you will ovulate. However, monitoring changes in your cervical mucus can provide additional insights. As your cycle progresses, the consistency and volume of your cervical mucus change, which can indicate impending ovulation. Tracking these changes alongside your basal body temperature can better understand your fertility cycle and predict your most fertile days.

Observing Changes in Cervical Mucus

Cervical mucus is produced around your cervix, but reaching up to the cervix is unnecessary to observe it. You may notice it on your underwear when you wipe after urinating, or you can actively check for it by gently inserting a clean finger into your vagina. Tracking changes in your cervical mucus is a straightforward process and is often simpler than monitoring your basal body temperature. Furthermore, most fertility tracking programs offer features that allow you to record this information in your chart, providing a comprehensive view of your fertility indicators.

As your cycle progresses, the characteristics of your cervical mucus undergo a series of changes. It transitions from a dry and crumbly texture to a creamy and moist consistency and, finally, to a texture similar to raw egg whites. When your vaginal discharge resembles raw egg whites in consistency, it indicates that you are about to ovulate and are at your most fertile. This is the optimal time for sexual activity if you are trying to conceive.

In addition to tracking changes in mucus, you can also monitor changes in the position of your cervix. This process is more complex and has a steeper learning curve, but it can provide valuable insights into your fertility cycle. The position and feel of the cervix change throughout your cycle, becoming softer, higher, and more open as you approach ovulation. By incorporating these observations into your fertility tracking routine, you can better understand your body’s fertility signals.

Possible Drawbacks of the BBT Method

Charting your basal body temperature is not for everyone. It may not be for you if any of the following apply:

• You are a night worker.
• With small children, you must often awaken throughout the night.
• You are unable to get up at around the same time each day. You are worried about the need to monitor your temperature.
• You are stressed

Charting may be common in infertility programs, but you can get pregnant without it. There are other indicators of ovulation, such as an increase in sexual desire. You may also opt to use ovulation prediction tests or have intercourse three to four times weekly.

At the same time, if you are attempting to prevent pregnancy via the charting approach, you must be vigilant and consistent. You must also intend to utilise contraception if you engage in sexual activity throughout your fertile period.

Even if they ovulate, some women will not experience a prolonged increase in body temperature. Whether this is the case, you should discuss it with your doctor to discover if there are any underlying health concerns you need to address.

Conclusion

Some women see charting as an empowering method to learn about their bodies and improve their chances of conceiving. Taking their temperature and keeping a fertility chart may give women a feeling of control and confidence around their fertility. Charting basal body temperature is often a beneficial experience for many ladies.

However, if you feel worried and overwhelmed by the methods and outcomes of charting, this may not be for you. Timing sex for ovulation instead of having regular sex and planning sexual activities during the reproductive window may be stressful and upsetting for some couples. Remember that charting is optional and that you have alternative fertility monitoring tools available.

At Fertility2Family, we are committed to helping you understand and navigate the complexities of fertility. Our comprehensive blog offers a wealth of knowledge on basal body temperature charting and cervical mucus tracking, providing the tools to understand your body’s unique fertility signals. Our high-quality ovulation tests and pregnancy tests can further support your fertility journey. We are here to guide and support you every step of the way, empowering you to take control of your path to parenthood.