If you are thinking of using BBT charting as part of your TTC plan, here are some of the basics to help get you started.

BBT (basal body temperature) charting is a great way keep track of the most fertile times of your cycle. To get started you will want to buy a BBT thermometer so that you are able to identify even the slightest of temperature shift.

An important factor in BBT charting is to make sure you take your temperature first thing in the morning and if possible at the same time each day. Make sure it is the first thing you do when you wake up, even before you sit up or talk. This ensures that you are recording your temperature “at rest.”

After a few months of charting your daily morning temperatures, you will notice that your temperature rises slightly at ovulation. And although every woman is different, at the beginning of their cycle most women have an oral temperature of 96-98 degrees, which increases to 97-99 degrees after ovulation. Interestingly though, the temperature rise can either happen suddenly or it can happen slowly over a few days. The temperature stays elevated until a woman starts her period again.

And finally, most women can’t tell exactly when an egg is released during ovulation using the BBT charting method. What they do know though is that they most likely ovulated within 3 days of their temperature rise.

Happy Charting!