Temperature tracking for fertility awareness.

Ovulation is a crucial process for women who want to fall pregnant.

It is the release of a mature egg from the ovaries, which can be fertilized by sperm to start a pregnancy. Knowing your ovulation cycle can help you avoid or plan for pregnancy, depending on your goals. There are several ways to track ovulation; one of them is basal body temperature (BBT) tracking.

What is Basal Body Temperature Tracking?

BBT tracking involves taking your temperature every morning before you get up and recording it on a graph. The temperature rises slightly after ovulation due to an increase in progesterone levels. By observing the changes in your BBT over time, you can determine when ovulation occurred and when to expect your period.

How to Track Ovulation with BBT

To start tracking your BBT, you need a basal thermometer. It is more accurate than a regular thermometer because it measures temperature to 1/10th of a degree. You also need a chart to record your temperatures. There are many free templates available online. Here is a step-by-step guide to tracking ovulation with BBT:

1. Choose a start day: Ideally, you should begin tracking your BBT on the first day of your period. This will give you an accurate baseline temperature.

2. Take your temperature: Take your temperature at the same time every morning, before getting out of bed, eating, drinking, or doing anything else. Use a basal thermometer to measure your temperature orally or vaginally. Record your temperature on the chart.

3. Observe patterns: Over time, you will notice a pattern in your BBT. The temperature will be lower in the first half of your cycle and higher in the second half due to the hormone changes. You may also notice a slight dip in temperature right before ovulation, followed by a sharp rise after ovulation.

This is because when we ovulate progesterone creates a spike in temperature which will stay high until you get your period which is when progesterone dips so that the uterus starts to shed.

4. Plan intercourse: If you are trying to conceive, plan to have sex during your fertile window. This is the time when you are most likely to get pregnant. Your fertile window includes the days leading up to ovulation and the day of ovulation itself. You can predict your ovulation day by tracking your BBT and seeing when it rises.

This is an ideal cycle, if yours does not look like this, no need to worry.

Other Signs of Ovulation

While BBT tracking is an effective way to track ovulation, it can be time-consuming and may not be suitable for everyone. There are other signs of ovulation that you can observe, such as:

1. Cervical mucus: The texture and consistency of cervical mucus change throughout your cycle. During ovulation, it becomes thin, clear, and slippery, resembling raw egg whites. This is known as fertile cervical mucus and helps sperm travel through the cervix to reach the egg.

2. LH surge: Luteinizing hormone (LH) is a hormone that surges right before ovulation. This surge triggers the release of the egg from the ovary. You can detect the LH surge using ovulation predictor kits (OPKs), which are available over the counter at drug stores.

3. Ovulation pain: Some women experience mild discomfort or pain on one side of their lower abdomen during ovulation. This is known as mittelschmerz and can be a sign of ovulation.

Knowing when you are ovulating is essential for both avoiding and planning pregnancy. BBT tracking is one way to track ovulation and can provide valuable insights into your menstrual cycle. However, there are other signs of ovulation that you can observe, such as cervical mucus, LH surge, and ovulation pain. By combining different methods, you can increase your chances of accurately predicting ovulation and achieving your fertility goals.

If you would like to learn more about this method please feel free to email Amelia at ameliabotanica@outlook.com

This is an ideal cycle - as you can see mid-cycle there was a temperature surge and changes in cervical mucus to be more egg white! This is how over a few months we can pinpoint ovulation.