New to this board & have a ?? (children mentioned)

[DawnL]

I've never been to this board before, but when I had a question, I just knew we had to have a board like this here!

I just started charting my temperature after about 5 years. We have male factor, and our next step would be IVF w/ICSI, so we moved on to adoption. We now have 2 beautiful kids through adoption, and would like to have one more child. We are hoping for a homegrown child this time, and are looking into IUI w/donor sperm. We don't have money for this right now, though. In the meantime, I decided to start charting my temperature, to get a good feel where my cycles and ovulation are.

To complicate matters of my cycle, etc I induced lactation for my son. He is 15 months old, and just about weaned. (He's only been nursing maybe once a week now, and barely that) Because of inducing lactation, I basically didn't have a cycle for about 3 years. (First inducing lactation, then pumping for 10 months, then nursing my now 15 month old)

Are you still with me?

I think this is my first real cycle. I had AF in September, then in December, and now on Feb 5th. I just started charting on Fertility Friend on Feb 5th. I had always used a glass thermometer, and it worked just fine for me. Of course, that was before my two small children. Before, I could always lay in bed for 5 minutes while I took my temperature. I don't have that luxury now On the advice of a good friend, I went and bought a digital BBT termometer. It takes my temp in 45 seconds or so, which is so much better!

So, all that long explanation/introduction to ask this......

Since using this thermometer, my temp is always the same. It was 97.5 three days in a row. The next day I wound up taking my temp about 45 minutes earlier than norm, because my ds was up early, and it was 96.8. My CM was of an eggwhite quality that day, which means that O is imminent, but my temp the next day, this morning, was only 97.6. I just took my temp a half hour ago (this afternoon) and it was still 97.6. Shouldn't it be 98.something, this late in the day? I then took it with the glass thermometer, and it was 98.0.

I was sure I would have O'd last night, but not yet? If my cycle is normal, should I expect an increase in temp tomorrow morning?
I'm going to be really mad if this new thermometer doesn't work right for me. We have enough to deal with as it is!

Anyway, thanks so much for listening, and for any input you may have. Sorry this got to be so long!

[Maura]

Hi Dawn and welcome to the bb!

First, congratulations on your successful breastfeeding! I know it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to induce breastfeeding.

Now to your question. While any thermometer is fine for temping as long as you use the same one each time, I think your switch to a digital is a good idea. You need to make it as easy on yourself as possible and speed is a factor!

I wouldn't worry about getting the same temp three days in a row. That happens. And I wouldn't worry about the lack of a temp rise yet. As long as it does show different temps and is not broken, I would stick with it.

And I wouldn't worry about the lack of a temp rise. What cd are you on now? The dip to 96.8 the other day might mean that ovulation is close and it might not. Some people don't get a pre-ovulatory dip. It's hard to say without seeing what the next few days of temps look like!

Keep checking your cm and taking your temp and I bet you'll see ovulation eventually! We'll be happy to look at your temps, so keep us posted and let us know how things are going!

Good luck+++++++++++++
Maura

[DawnL]

Thanks, Maura!
It's been so long since I've done this, I almost feel like I'm new.
Today is CD14, and my temp still hasn't risen. I've been right around 97.5 the whole time. On CD12, I dipped to 96.8, then CD13 97.6 and CD14 97.5.

I'm still paranoid that the thermometer is somehow not giving an accurate reading. My friend that introduced me to Fertility Friend said she has always taken her temp vaginally. I've always taken mine orally, but would I get a more accurate temp by taking it vaginally? I'm not going to switch mid-cycle, but I may consider it for next cycle. I don't have much hope that we will acheive a PG because of dh's sperm issues, but I would at least like to get a good handle of what my own body is doing now.

[DKNY]

hi dawn...

i typed out an entire reply to you lastnite and left it on my pc without submitting it. then someone came along and decided to switch screen names...argh...but it looks like maura did an excellent job as always of answering all of your questions.

i would like to reiterate tho, that you could be a slow riser. i've definitely had months where my temp creeped up instead of shot up, KWIM?

also, i don't think that taking your temp vaginally is necessarily more reliable. i think it's all relative, so however you choose to do it, you should stick with that method.

good luck...keep us posted

[stacy-ann]

Hi Dawn and welcome to this BB. Can't add to what Maura and Dina has said but here is a site that will answer some more of your ?'s in regards to charting your BBT.

http://www.webwomb.com/basal_body_temp.htm

Good luck and keep us posted.
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