New to charting

Hi ladies. I just decided to try charting for the first time. I've always had very regular cycles but used opk's anyway, more just so I felt like I was being proactive. But while ttc this time, I found out that you can have a pos opk and not ovulate and that charting was the only way to know for sure if you really did O. So, I picked up a basal thermometer and decided to try it. I read the basics but I'm not sure if I'm doing it right. I read that you are supposed to take your temp at the same time every morning after at least 3 hours on uninterrupted sleep. Taking at the same time is not a problem but the uninterrupted sleep can be. It's a given that at least one of my boys comes into our room or bed each night (3 of them did at different times the night before my first temp). Is waking up a huge deal, if I don't get up and I go right back to sleep? My temps just seem wonky. They were higher the first few days I temp'd and then they fell quite a bit for the next 3. Anyone care to take a peek and see if it looks right? I just want to make sure I'm doing it right. Thanks!!

Hey Belinda!

Good for you for starting to chart. Like you, I've had really regular cycles for a long time, but I learned so much about how exactly things are timed by charting every month.

Until you've temped for a few months (and hopefully you won't have to!!!) you really won't know what a "normal" temp pattern is for you. Every woman's can be pretty different. The fact that it dipped down the last couple days is a good sign. Your temp might not completely drop most cycles until AF has left the building...you never know. And if it stays in that lower range, you should be able to tell pretty clearly when it rises with O.

The waking up may be impacting the results you are getting, but it may not. I find that if I temp when DH wakes up at 4am, (which usually disturbs me long enough to temp, but I go back to sleep) and then temp when I get up at 6, my temp is usually LOWER the 2nd time...BTW, I use the 6am one consistently. I just compared for awhile to see if it was making a difference. Again, you really won't know until you do it for awhile and see how the pattern goes.

:goodluck: and stick with it. It really is worth doing!

Thanks so much Jean! I appreciate the info. I'll keep with it and hopefully get to know my cycle better :)

Ditto what Jean said. I often have to get up to pee in the middle of the night (small bladder :rolleyes:) or like you, my child sometimes comes to climb in bed with us, and if I go right back to bed/sleep, I still get pretty accurate temps, and definitely still get a clear temp shift to indicate o'ing. :goodluck:

That's good to know Mary! Thanks!

First off, welcome Belinda! Secondly, I agree with what everyone has said. My kiddos wake me up sometimes at night and it doesn't usually affect my temp. (I usually go
Right back to sleep) my kids' wake up time varies, so I have Dh wake me up at five, he hands me the thermometer, I turn it on, stick it in my mouth, take it out and fall back asleep. It saves my temp so I check it when I wake up later.

Hi All,

I only started charting the middle of last month.

How big of a temp cahnge indicates ovulation? :confused:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by vanstratenr

Hi All,

I only started charting the middle of last month.

How big of a temp cahnge indicates ovulation? :confused:

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Hope this helps: Temperature Rise and Ovulation