Temping question

beachbaby83 · June 2015

Hey ladies,
Does anyone else have trouble with taking temps around the same time everyday? This is my first month temping, so far my times have varied between 6:15 - 7:45. My problem is that I always wake naturally before my alarm, no matter the time. I usually wake up between 4am-6am, but don't need to be up then, so I try to go back to sleep, makes things difficult for me. This is my chart so far...

bsckgb7 · June 2015

If you wake up from 4-6 why aren't you temping then? You are supposed to have 3 hours of sleep before temping. If you are temping at 7, but work up at 5, that's not 3 hours? Most of us set alarms to wake us up at an ungodly hour. Some thermometers save the temp, so you gotta, take the temp then throw the thermometer back on the table and go back to sleep. Then when you wake up retrieve the temp from thermomter and record that.

jnnfrrose6 · June 2015

kgbbsc7 said:

If you wake up from 4-6 why aren't you temping then? You are supposed to have 3 hours of sleep before temping. If you are temping at 7, but work up at 5, that's not 3 hours? Most of us set alarms to wake us up at an ungodly hour. Some thermometers save the temp, so you gotta, take the temp then throw the thermometer back on the table and go back to sleep. Then when you wake up retrieve the temp from thermomter and record that.

This. My alarm is set for 5:30. I don't have to be up at 5:30 (usually) but that way I know I'll have consistency. Just take the temp and go back to sleep. Get a thermometer that saves the last temp and then read it when you do get up later.

KristieA · June 2015

I just switched to temping at 5am because I am consistantly being woken up at that time because it's light outside. I would echo what others have said above.

juliehollz13 · June 2015

My period is due any day but I decided to go ahead and take a crack at it now to get used to the temping and remembering to NOT get out of bed to pee before temping. I'm just having to remind myself to take my temp when the alarm first goes off. I also set the alarm, but i usually wake up before it goes off so I temp and fall back asleep.

beachbaby83 · June 2015

Ok, thanks, guess I'll just have to set my alarm for earlier, I just sometimes have a hard time falling back asleep! Thanks ladies!

lalala2004 · June 2015

If I wake up early, I usually just go ahead and temp and then fall back asleep. You wouldn't even have to record it right then because the thermometers save the last temperature for you (might want to look at the instruction that came with your BBT and make sure, though)

That said, I don't think your chart looks all that wonky. If you have a few more high temps, you might have ovulated yesterday. Time will tell! This is my first month temping, too. I'm only one CD ahead of you, and I haven't seen anything yet. Once we get a month in, hopefully there will be a clearer picture of what's going on.

mommygrams0730 · June 2015

kgbbsc7 said:
If you wake up from 4-6 why aren't you temping then? You are supposed to have 3 hours of sleep before temping. If you are temping at 7, but work up at 5, that's not 3 hours? Most of us set alarms to wake us up at an ungodly hour. Some thermometers save the temp, so you gotta, take the temp then throw the thermometer back on the table and go back to sleep. Then when you wake up retrieve the temp from thermomter and record that.

@kgbbsc7

I asked tHis in WTO but I'll ask it here too...

I usually wake up around 5-5:30, yen and go right back to sleep. On the off occasion that one of my kids wake up in the middle of the night I'll temp before going to them if it's close to my regular time and I've had enough hours of sleep. Last night my 3 year old needed me in the middle of the night and I didn't temp because I thought I'd get a full 3 hours of sleep before waking again so I could temp at a more normal time but that didn't happen. Do I mark that temp as sleep deprived?

ETA: add tag

bsckgb7 · June 2015

mommy grams - I would, you can also discard it later if it throw thing off.

mommygrams0730 · June 2015

kgbbsc7 said:
mommy grams - I would, you can also discard it later if it throw thing off.

@kgbbsc7 thanks! I got a positive opk this morning (I tested 3x yesterday and so close, but not quite dark enough for a positive. If I enter elevated temps for the next few days ff does not like my positive opk for today because today's temp was slightly higher than my last three days. I guess we'll see what the next 3 temps bring.

Thanks again!

cattlebride · June 2015

@mommy grams I personally wouldn't discard a temp unless it was screwing your chart up. You could mark sleep deprived though.

bsckgb7 · June 2015

The OPK will signal you are getting ready to ovulate. Ovulation would probably occur in 1-3 days. It's possible that one temp might throw off FF, but at long as HIO, you should be covered. Once you get cross-hairs, you can always play-around and see if discard vs. keeping changes anything. But I suspect it would only move you by a day or so (so by HIO, you will be covered). Can you link chart?

mommygrams0730 · June 2015

cattlebride said:
@mommy grams I personally wouldn't discard a temp unless it was screwing your chart up. You could mark sleep deprived though.

Yeah that's what I read on ff too. I guess in the grand scheme if it shows o for yesterday or today it's really not a big deal. I'm just annoyed because I don't know if it's a true temp spike or because of the lack of sleep. I figured from my opk's yesterday that today's would be positive, but now my temp doesn't line up with the positive opk.

cattlebride · June 2015

mommy grams said:

cattlebride said:
@mommy grams I personally wouldn't discard a temp unless it was screwing your chart up. You could mark sleep deprived though.
Yeah that's what I read on ff too. I guess in the grand scheme if it shows o for yesterday or today it's really not a big deal. I'm just annoyed because I don't know if it's a true temp spike or because of the lack of sleep. I figured from my opk's yesterday that today's would be positive, but now my temp doesn't line up with the positive opk.

I think if the temp doesn't match with opks, ff may use the rule of thumb and if there's and outlying temp it may discard it, especially if its a couple days away from your o date. Good luck hopefully it doesn't throw off your o date

!

mommygrams0730 · June 2015

Thanks @cattlebride!

bsckgb7 · June 2015

mommy grams - can you link your chart? We love to stalk charts around here!!

mommygrams0730 · June 2015

Sure @kgbbsc7! I thought about doing it earlier.

My Ovulation Chart

ETA: the open circle is from "sleep deprivation" today.

KristieA · June 2015

So I have another temping question, though I probably know the answer. I ordered a BBT thermometer off of Amazon and its coming tomorrow. Do I break it out and start using it right away or do I finish off this cycle with the crappy basic digital thermometer we had around the house? I am not sure it's all that accurate (it only goes to 1 decimal place and I don't really trust the readings I am getting from it).

bsckgb7 · June 2015

Don't switch thermometers during a cycle. Assuming you are waiting to O, it could throw off your numbers. If new thermometer reads higher than crappy one, FF might think that's a sign of O. Just wait.

KristieA · June 2015

Yeah that's what I thought. I am actually in my TWW but best just stick it out for a few more days than change and have ff freak out on me.

KLake42 · June 2015

One thing you can do is to write down your temp when you take it. If you wake up really early, record the temp and time. If you fall back asleep, record it again when you wake up. You'll start to get a sense of how time influences your temps. For me, mine increases about 1/10th a degree per hour.

So if you're super nerdy, fill out one chart based on your actual temps, and then fill out another where you adjust your temp towards 6am. If you wake up at 5am, add a tenth. If you wake up at 7am, subtract a tenth. See if it gives you a clearer picture.

I always wake up and pee around 4am-5am-6am. Sometimes I get back to sleep, sometimes not. Recording the time and adjusting has helped me see better what's happening. (Though, my cycles are medicated, so I'm mostly temping to feel like I have some understanding as to how the medication impacts me.)

bsckgb7 · June 2015

What?? No to all of that. Set an alarm. Take your temperature at the same time everyday (after 3 hours of sleep). General rule around here is never to adjust your temperature.

lalala2004 · June 2015

KLake42 said:
So if you're super nerdy, fill out one chart based on your actual temps, and then fill out another where you adjust your temp towards 6am. If you wake up at 5am, add a tenth. If you wake up at 7am, subtract a tenth. See if it gives you a clearer picture.

If she sleeps until noon, should she subtract 6/10ths? Please explain the logic, here....

CalebsHabibi · June 2015

KLake42 said:
One thing you can do is to write down your temp when you take it. If you wake up really early, record the temp and time. If you fall back asleep, record it again when you wake up. You'll start to get a sense of how time influences your temps. For me, mine increases about 1/10th a degree per hour.

So if you're super nerdy, fill out one chart based on your actual temps, and then fill out another where you adjust your temp towards 6am. If you wake up at 5am, add a tenth. If you wake up at 7am, subtract a tenth. See if it gives you a clearer picture.

I always wake up and pee around 4am-5am-6am. Sometimes I get back to sleep, sometimes not. Recording the time and adjusting has helped me see better what's happening. (Though, my cycles are medicated, so I'm mostly temping to feel like I have some understanding as to how the medication impacts me.)

bsckgb7 · June 2015

^^ I've totally been thinking about that commercial in response to that!!

mrsmommya · June 2015

@mommy grams I would definitely be thinking your O could be tomorrow or the next day! Ovulation strips tell you before you will ovulate but each woman is different..could be 1-3 days later.

mrsmommya · June 2015

Edited my above post for the tag....how do you include a space in a tag?

mommygrams0730 · June 2015

@Mrs Mommy I don't know!

Thanks! I'm hoping for a negative opk tomorrow in hopes that I caught my surge today. And hopefully my temps will correlate!

ETA: words, wrong tag.

Knottie1438130057 · June 2015

I am very new to this and was just told today about TCOYF so please don't take this the wrong way, just wondering: if you have sex every other day, what are the advantages/ point of BBT? Maybe I am ignorant about some key fact but I just don't know how this will help.

KristieA · June 2015

@bbrownyard It will still help you keep track of when you ovulated, so you will know when to expect your cycles and when to test. It will also help you to know when it isn't likely you are pregnant so if you want you can do unhealthy things like have a glass of wine.

Also I find the BD EOD across a whole month to be a bit much. By tracking cycles, you can target your BDs so they have the best chance of conceiving. I am not saying that BD isn't fun, but it could help you in case you get tired of BD EOD.

Knottie1438130057 · June 2015

@KristieA thank you, that helps explain it a little more

KristieA · June 2015

@Bbrownyard No worries

I am new to temping as well, but it's not hard to incorporate into daily life and I am loving knowing more info about my cycle. TCOYF is an excellent resource. I got my copy yesterday and can't put it down.

mommygrams0730 · June 2015

KristieA said:
@bbrownyard It will still help you keep track of when you ovulated, so you will know when to expect your cycles and when to test. It will also help you to know when it isn't likely you are pregnant so if you want you can do unhealthy things like have a glass of wine.

Also I find the BD EOD across a whole month to be a bit much. By tracking cycles, you can target your BDs so they have the best chance of conceiving. I am not saying that BD isn't fun, but it could help you in case you get tired of BD EOD.

All of this!

I love sex with my DH but honestly it's hard to keep up with EOD! Temping charting gives you a much more detailed fertility window and following your temps lets you know what's going on with your body. You don't have to question am i pregnant because you're temps will reflect it.

StarbucksShip · June 2015

I have trouble taking temps the same time each

KLake42 said:

One thing you can do is to write down your temp when you take it. If you wake up really early, record the temp and time. If you fall back asleep, record it again when you wake up. You'll start to get a sense of how time influences your temps. For me, mine increases about 1/10th a degree per hour.

So if you're super nerdy, fill out one chart based on your actual temps, and then fill out another where you adjust your temp towards 6am. If you wake up at 5am, add a tenth. If you wake up at 7am, subtract a tenth. See if it gives you a clearer picture.

I always wake up and pee around 4am-5am-6am. Sometimes I get back to sleep, sometimes not. Recording the time and adjusting has helped me see better what's happening. (Though, my cycles are medicated, so I'm mostly temping to feel like I have some understanding as to how the medication impacts me.)

I see some people said it doesn't work this way, but I don't understand why. Is it because three hours haven't passed?

I haven't been temping very long (or trying the method of recording a temp every 3 hours), but I did notice that my temps dropped a few tenths of degrees when I started waking up 1-2 hours before my usual 4:25am wake up. The 4:25 temps are also generally lower than my temps in a three month period where I was temping at 6:30am.

lalala2004 · June 2015

When I take my temperature at a different time it has always been higher, no matter if it was earlier or later, so I think adding and subtracting tenths of a degree is bad advice.

Everyone's body is different, plus, FF always says to never discard temps, and that taking them within an 1 1/2 hour time frame is still going to be fairly accurate, if memory serves. It's ok for temps to be a little wonky, the main thing is the overall pattern.

I mean, I guess if people want to do science experiments on themselves they can.... I just find it odd.

StarbucksShip · June 2015

I appreciate the feedback!

cattlebride · June 2015

Even if your temps are slightly erratic from temping at different times, you may still be able to see a clear thermal shift. I work shift work as an rn so sometimes I get up at 7am and other times I get up closer to noon. I'm still able to see a clear shift on my chart.

SchmancyNancy · June 2015

kgbbsc7 said:

If you wake up from 4-6 why aren't you temping then? You are supposed to have 3 hours of sleep before temping. If you are temping at 7, but work up at 5, that's not 3 hours? Most of us set alarms to wake us up at an ungodly hour. Some thermometers save the temp, so you gotta, take the temp then throw the thermometer back on the table and go back to sleep. Then when you wake up retrieve the temp from thermomter and record that.

This. I have an alarm set for 4 am. I wake up (sort of) take my temp, then log it in FF and go back to sleep.

hope+joy+love · June 2015

Your temps don't look that erratic. Judging by the rise thursday if say o will be Wednesday. How come you stopped doing the OPKs? What did your temp do this morning?

mommygrams0730 · June 2015

hope+joy+love said:
Your temps don't look that erratic. Judging by the rise thursday if say o will be Wednesday. How come you stopped doing the OPKs? What did your temp do this morning?

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